Governor Haslam appoints Murfreesboro’s Andrea J. Loughry to the Commission

Governor Haslam has appointed Andrea J. Loughry to the Tennessee Arts Commission board to represent Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District. The 15 volunteer members of the Tennessee Arts Commission are selected from among citizens who have demonstrated a vital interest in the arts and appointed by the Governor for a five-year term. Each year, the Commission helps fund the arts and cultural activities for more than 600 organizations, schools, local governments, nonprofits and artists in Tennessee. Over the past five years, more than 6,450 grants totaling more than $30 million have been invested in communities across Tennessee.

“I am very honored to be given this opportunity to learn more about the rich history and current breadth of the arts in our state,” stated Loughry with excitement.

Loughry resides in Murfreesboro,Tennessee on the historic downtown square. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, she taught for 10 years at MTSU and then opened an independent insurance agency. She is now the President Emeritus of Miller-Loughry-Beach, one of the largest agencies in Middle Tennessee. Currently, Andrea serves solely in the social profit arena. She is a director of the Jones Foundation, serves on the Siegel Foundation board and on the Board of Trustees for The First United Methodist Church, Murfreesboro. A former Vice-Chair of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees and former Chair of the UT Foundation, she currently chairs the Ned Ray McWherter Institute at UT Martin. Andrea served as the first female chair of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and has been selected as one of their Business Legends. She was the founding chair of the Mind2Marketplace, an organization dedicated to bringing the best and brightest ideas in Middle Tennessee to reality.

Andrea and her husband of 47 years, Ed Loughry, enjoy collecting regional and international art during their travels. They have two children, E Cannon Loughry, III and Lady Loughry Hamilton who also live in Murfreesboro along with seven grandchildren. An avid reader and home chef, she is one of the founding members of More Than a Book Club and Girl’s Gourmet.

 Patsy W. Camp, Chairman of the Board said, “We are thrilled to have Ms. Loughry join the Commission. The arts in Tennessee will greatly benefit from her extensive business and community experience.”