[078]Smyrna’s Victory Receives Distinguished Alumni Award

Release date: Aug. 29, 2008


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
MTSU Alumni Relations contact: Michelle Stepp, 615-898-2922

MTSU ALUMNUS OF DISTINCTION
Smyrna’s Victory Receives Distinguished Alumni Award

(MURFREESBORO) — Kenneth W. “Coon” Victory of Smyrna has been selected as a 2008-09 Middle Tennessee State University Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, the MTSU Alumni Association announced recently.
Victory is being recognized in the Service to the University category.
“This is a great honor for me and my family to be recognized by the university,” Victory said of the distinction. “The university is a great asset to Rutherford County, middle Tennessee and the state of Tennessee.
“You get back what you put into things. I’m glad I was able to help out in our community and the university. The university has been great to my wife, our two daughters and me.”
“Kenneth ‘Coon’ Victory has always been an alumni that felt he should give back to his university,” alumna and daughter Leigh Ann Slate of Smyrna wrote in her nomination of her father for the award. “For many years, he has given to athletics, but especially baseball.
“Not only has his giving been financial, (but) he has given of his time to serve on committees at MTSU, talk to people in the community about MTSU and its impact and been a supporter in his presence at various activities on campus. ‘Coon’ Victory is a member of the Sports Hall of Fame at MTSU and the BRAA (Blue Raider Athletic Association) Volunteer of the Year Award. I feel he is very deserving of this award.”
Victory is the former president and chief executive officer of Crosslin Supply Co. Inc., where he worked for 45 years before retiring. He has been involved in many local, state and national organizations. He has many ties to MTSU’s athletic and alumni efforts.
His professional accomplishments include being a member of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, member of the Southern Building Material Association and member of the National Federation of Small Business Owners.
Victory’s service to the community includes being a former member of the following: Smyrna Lions Club, Smyrna City Council, Rutherford County Quarterly Court, advisory board for Murfreesboro Bank and Trust Co., advisory board of First Bank, trustee of Smyrna First United Methodist Church, liaison with the Rutherford County Adopt A School committee and director of Bank of South. He remains a member of the Smyrna High School Improvement Committee and namesake for the annual Kenneth “Coon” Victory Volunteer Award.
In his service to the university, Victory is a former Foundation trustee; a current member of the Blue Raider Athletic Association Fundraising Committee and member of the Chuck Taylor Golf Tournament fundraising committee.
Victory has been inducted into both the Blue Raider (’90) and Rutherford County Baseball halls of fame; and he received the Blue Raider Loyalty and Blue Raider of the Year awards. Also, he has received the Smyrna Exchange Club Book of Golden Deeds Award and the Tennessee Jaycees Great American Family Award.
He is joined in the Distinguished Alumni group along with Linda Hooper (’63) of Whitwell, Tenn., who is being honored in the Professional Achievement category; and Timothy E. “Tim” Pettus of Lawrenceburg (’73) of Lawrenceburg, who is being saluted in the Service to the Community category. Micheal J. Burt (’98, ’02) of Murfreesboro is the Young Alumni Achievement honoree.
Victory’s wife, the former Esther Crosslin, graduated from MTSU in 1967. Daughters Mary Esther Reed (B.S. ’92, M.Ed. ’94) and Leigh Ann Slate (B.B.A. ’97) followed the path of their parents to MTSU. Reed serves as 2008-09 MTSU National Alumni association president.
The MTSU Alumni Association annually seeks and accepts nominations for the Distinguished Alumni and Young Alumni Achievement Awards. The selection is made from candidates who have distinguished themselves by obtaining a high level of service to their profession, their community and/or MTSU.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.

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