Andrew David Holt Jr. was born to Andrew David and Mary Elizabeth (Brown) Holt on December 4, 1904 in Milan, Tennessee. He completed his undergraduate work at Emory University, after which he began working in primary and secondary education. In 1937, he completed his PhD degree at Columbia University's Teacher's College and began working as Executive Secretary for the Tennessee Education Association (TEA). He held this position until 1950, interrupted only by two years spent serving in World War II. While working for the TEA, Holt became dedicated to the cause of improving Tennessee's public education system and proved instrumental in instituting a retirement system for teachers and a statewide sales tax to support education.

In 1950, Holt came to the University of Tennessee to serve as Executive Assistant to President Brehm. In 1953, he was promoted to Vice-President, and was finally made President in 1959. He remained in this position until 1970. Holt proved to be one of the University's most enthusiastic and productive presidents: during his tenure, enrollment tripled, faculty and staff doubled, state appropriations rose over 400%, and numerous new institutions and institutional relationships were established. Holt was also extremely popular: known as a kind, modest, and religious man, he proved to be an extremely effective goodwill ambassador for and consensus builder within the University. As one administrator put it, Andy could get people to work themselves to death for him. He was forever telling everybody how good they were. Holt died in Knoxville on August 7, 1987.

Edward Joseph Boling was born to Sam R. and Nerissa (Clark) Boling on February 19, 1922 in Sevier County, Tennessee. He earned his BS in Accounting (1948) and MS in Statistics (1950) from the University of Tennessee and continued on to complete his EdD at Vanderbilt University (1961). He was also awarded an honorary LLD from Richmond College (1984). Boling came to the University of Tennessee as an Instructor in Statistics in 1948 but left in 1950 to work at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He returned as Budget Director in 1955 and worked as Commissioner of Finance and Administration (1959-1961) and Vice President of the University (1961-1970) before becoming President. He served until 1988, when he stepped down and returned to teaching. Boling retired from the University completely in 1992.

Lamar Alexander was born on July 3, 1940 in Maryville, Tennessee. He earned his BA from Vanderbilt University in 1962 and his LL. D. from New York University Law School in 1965. He began his law career as a clerk to Judge John M. Wisdom of the 5th Circuit Court but soon became interested in politics. Alexander accepted a post as Howard H. Baker's legislative assistant in 1967 and continued on to serve as White House congressional liaison Bryce Harlow's executive assistant when Richard Nixon was elected President in 1968. Although he failed in his 1974 bid for Tennessee governor, he was successful in 1979 and served for two terms. When his second term expired in 1987, Alexander became the President of the University of Tennessee. He stepped down in 1991 to become the U. S. Secretary of Education, where he remained until 1993. He was elected to Congress as a Senator from Tennessee in 2002 and continues to serve as of this writing.

Charles Weaver was Chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville from 1968 to 1971. Archie Dykes was Chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville from 1971 to 1973. Jack Reese was Chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville from 1973 to 1983 and again from 1984 to 1989. James E. Drinnon, Jr. was chancellor at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga.