Cheers to Lottie Ryans: Celebrating a Career, a Legacy, and a Well-Earned Retirement

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On August 13, FTDD staff, Lottie’s family, friends, and colleagues gathered to celebrate the upcoming retirement of Lottie Ryans and honor an extraordinary career of service, leadership, and dedication. It was a special afternoon filled with laughter, memories, heartfelt stories, and plenty of reminders of just how many lives Lottie has touched throughout her years with FTDD.

As Lottie prepares to begin this next chapter, we asked some people on the FTDD team to describe Lottie in one word and that was no easy task.

Visionary. Trailblazer. Precious. Strategic. Champion. Inspiring. Dedicated. Honorable. Compassionate. Powerful. Legendary.

One "cheater" in the office simply replied with GOAT. And no offense to fellow UT alum Peyton Manning, but we think Lottie may have you beat.

After retiring from Century Link, Lottie could have easily enjoyed a slower pace of life. Instead, she chose to spend the next decade at First Tennessee Development District investing in the people and communities of Northeast Tennessee. What followed was ten years of vision, leadership, and relentless dedication that will continue shaping our region for generations.

Lottie has been the driving force behind initiatives that have changed lives and strengthened communities.

She helped create and grow CareerQuestTN, introducing thousands of students to careers they may never have considered by taking learning beyond the classroom and into college campuses, conference centers, and commercial kitchens.

She launched the Education to Employment Summit, bringing together educators, employers, government leaders, and community partners to tackle workforce challenges through collaboration rather than competition.

She championed Caring Workplaces, helping employers create recovery-friendly workplaces while opening doors for individuals overcoming substance use disorders or justice involvement to find meaningful employment and build successful futures.

She has been a passionate advocate for expanding access to quality childcare and strengthening Tennessee's pipeline of early childhood educators, recognizing that investing in young children is an investment in the region's future.

Through STRONG Families NETN, she has helped unite partners around a shared vision of improving outcomes for children and families by focusing on early childhood development, educational success, workforce development, and economic mobility.

She also led efforts that resulted in all eight counties in the First Tennessee Development District becoming ACT Work Ready Communities, giving employers confidence in the region's workforce while providing residents with valuable career readiness credentials that support economic growth.

And that list barely scratches the surface.

Lottie serves on more boards, committees, nonprofit organizations, and community initiatives than most of us could name. If there's an important conversation happening in Northeast Tennessee, chances are Lottie has a seat at the table—and more importantly, she's making sure everyone else's voice is heard too.

At a recent event, a speaker talked about how every community needs "muscle" to move great ideas into action.

That description couldn't fit Lottie better.

She's the person who brings people together, builds momentum, removes barriers, and makes things happen. Somehow, she has a way of leaving every meeting with everyone believing they are part of something bigger than themselves, something that truly can make a difference.

Visionary. Trailblazer. Precious. Strategic. Champion. Inspiring. Dedicated. Honorable. Compassionate. Powerful. Legendary.

The truth is, no single word could ever fully capture who Lottie Ryans is or what she has meant to First Tennessee Development District and the people of Northeast Tennessee.

Her legacy isn't measured only by the programs she created or the partnerships she built. It's measured by the countless lives she has touched, the opportunities she has created, and the better future she has helped build for our region.

Thank you, Lottie, for showing us what servant leadership looks like and for that, we are endlessly grateful. Enjoy your retirement!