Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee names Roe to APSU Board of Trustees
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee recently appointed Dr. Phil Roe, a retired U.S. congressman who represented Tennessee’s First District, to serve on Austin Peay State University’s Board of Trustees. He will fill a seat that opened earlier this year when Gen. Gary Luck resigned following his move to Florida.
“Dr. Roe, both as an alumnus and as a U.S. Representative, has helped guide this University over the years through his leadership and his generous financial support,” APSU President Mike Licari said. “He is committed to making sure Austin Peay thrives in the years to come, and I’m excited he’ll have a more active role in shaping his alma mater’s future as a member of the board.”
Roe, a Clarksville native, graduated from Austin Peay in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He went on to earn his medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in 1970 and then served two years in the United States Army Medical Corps. After being discharged, Roe operated a successful OB/GYN practice in Johnson City for 31 years, delivering nearly 5,000 babies.
On Nov. 8, 2008, Roe was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first Austin Peay alumnus to serve in congress.
“It’s an honor and privilege to be appointed to the Board of Trustees at Austin Peay,” Roe said. “I received a world-class education at AP that set me up for a lifetime of learning. The future of Austin Peay is bright and it will be exciting to be a part of it.”
Throughout his medical and political careers, Roe has been one of the University’s most active alumni, serving on the APSU National Alumni Association Executive Board as president, vice president and past president. He has also served as vice president of the APSU Foundation Board of Trustees and a member of the steering committee for APSU’s first capital campaign, which exceeded its initial goal months ahead of schedule.
Through his leadership, the APSU Class of 1967 raised about $55,000, earmarked to purchase new equipment for science students. He subsequently established a scholarship in honor of Dr. Durward Harris, APSU professor emeritus of chemistry, who had a profound influence on Roe’s life. Because of his sustained generosity to his alma mater over the years, a wing in the Sundquist Science Complex was named for Roe.
In 2006, a generous gift from Roe funded the establishment of the Phil Roe Academic Center for Student Athletes. He is the recipient of the Tennessee Board of Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy and the APSU Distinguished Achievement Award, one of the University’s most prestigious honors.
For information on Austin Peay’s Board of Trustees, visit https://www.apsu.edu/president/board-of-trustees/.
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