Tennessee Wesleyan University’s Goodfriend College of Business and Professional Studies proudly recognized Jeffrey L. Cunningham as the 2025 Distinguished Entrepreneur during the University’s twelfth annual Distinguished Entrepreneur Award Luncheon on Thursday, November 6.

The TWU Distinguished Entrepreneur Award honors individuals whose vision, leadership, and innovation have created lasting impact in their fields and communities. Established to inspire business students and celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of Southeast Tennessee, the award has recognized leaders across banking, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and more.

The event, held on the TWU campus, gathered community leaders, elected officials, members of the TWU Board of Trustees, past award recipients, faculty, staff, and a large group of business students, an audience so significant that TWU President Dr. Tyler Forrest noted Cunningham “may have set a record” for attendance.

Cunningham, a widely respected banker, attorney, and philanthropic leader, holds a B.S. in Banking and Finance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is an Honors Graduate of the UT College of Law, and completed the ABA Graduate School of Banking. His career includes 18 years as President and CEO of Athens Federal Community Bank, where he guided the institution through its conversion to a bank holding company, its 2010 IPO, and a successful listing on the NASDAQ. He later served as Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman of the CapStar Bank Board of Directors.

Before entering banking, Cunningham practiced law for more than a decade, earning the prestigious AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest distinction for legal ability and ethics.

He currently serves as volunteer President and CEO of the Athens Federal Foundation, which has awarded more than $2.5 million in grants supporting basic human needs across Southeast Tennessee.

In his opening remarks, President Forrest described Cunningham as “a personal champion of this institution [Tennessee Wesleyan]…a great supporter of this campus and a great friend for many years.” He highlighted the entrepreneur’s pivotal role in Athens and McMinn County’s longstanding legacy of innovation and leadership.

Past Distinguished Entrepreneur recipient and TWU Board Chair Dr. Bobby Goodfriend echoed this sentiment, noting the transformation TWU has undergone in recent years and thanking Cunningham for his steadfast support: “Jeff, congratulations on today. Well deserved.”

Longtime friend and colleague Allen Carter provided a deeply personal introduction, praising Cunningham’s business acumen, character, and community impact. Referencing Cunningham’s leadership during Athens Federal’s public offering, Carter shared, “Because of his entrepreneurial spirit, his business acumen, and his relationships, there was that much confidence to invest…not in Wall Street, but in a bank in Athens, Tennessee.”

During his keynote address, Cunningham reflected on the pivotal moments, mentors, and personal values that shaped his career. He emphasized success, whether in business or in life—rests on three principles: hard work, seeking the value in other people, and the constant act of doing good.

“Life is just about people,” Cunningham shared, recounting a story from early in his career that reshaped his understanding of leadership and organizational culture. He described how prioritizing employees helped Athens Federal earn recognition as one of the nation’s best banks to work for, stating, “My philosophy was simple: If you have wonderful employees who are happy, you’ll have wonderful customers. And if you have wonderful customers, you’ll have very happy shareholders.”

He also encouraged students to view every person as capable of offering insight, guidance, or mentorship: “People know when you respect them. If you can’t reciprocate value, you’re not going to get very far.”

In what was perhaps the most moving portion of his speech, Cunningham emphasized the importance of doing good whenever possible, no matter how small the gesture. Sharing a story about a man he befriended at a nursing home, Cunningham reflected, “Every day we’re given opportunities to do good. It might be opening a door. It might be a smile. It might be an ear. Doing good has the greatest return on investment you can imagine.”

Cunningham closed his remarks by expressing gratitude to TWU, the Goodfriend College of Business, the Athens community, and his family. He credited his wife, Denise, and their daughters Sarah, Lauren, and Anna, as well as granddaughter Laney, for their support:
“I’ve been blessed with a wonderful family…three better daughters I don’t know. They’re smart, beautiful, intelligent—but most importantly, they’re really good people.”

Dr. Stacy Swafford, Dean of the Goodfriend College of Business, offered closing remarks, celebrating Cunningham as the newest addition to TWU’s legacy of visionary business leaders.

A recording of the award luncheon celebrating Mr. Cunnigham can be viewed at the following link: TWU Distinguished Entrepreneur Award Luncheon – Mr. Jeff Cunningham