Bredesen Reappoints Walter T. Durham State Historian
Wednesday, January 05, 2011 | 04:25am
NASHVILLE - Governor Phil Bredesen today reappointed Walter T. Durham as State Historian, a position he has held since 2002.
"Our state has a rich and vibrant history, and that's part of what makes Tennessee such a great place to live and work," Bredesen said. "We rely on the volunteer efforts of individuals like Walter to help keep that history alive by telling, and retelling, the stories of our past. I appreciate Walter's willingness to continue serving our state as its official historian."
Durham's professional career includes serving as a partner in Durham Building Supply, volunteer industry recruiter for the city of Gallatin, founder and president of Gallatin Aluminum Products, and was chairman of Wholesale Plumbing and Electric Supply Company and several Tennessee-based banks.
Durham was also president of the Tennessee Historical Society; founding president of the Tennessee Heritage Alliance (now known as the Tennessee Preservation Trust); member of the Tennessee American Revolution Bicentennial Commission; delegate to the White House Conference on Library and Information Services; president of the Sumner County Historical Society; co-chair of the Tennessee Archives Summit; and chair of Gallatin's Bicentennial Celebration Committee.
An award-winning author of 17 books, Durham also served for 10 years as a member and chairman of the Tennessee Historical Commission and member of the Tennessee Historical Records Advisory Board and has served on numerous non-profit boards of directors.
Durham has received the Tennessee History Book Award, the Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tennessee Preservation Trust.
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