 Recognized as one of Tennessee's top entrepreneurs, James "Jim" Ayers is passionate about giving UT students an upper hand though the Ayers Foundation Scholarship Program and the UT Martin Parsons Center.
For Jim Ayers, It’s All About Students
James “Jim” Ayers is a one-man powerhouse making education possible for countless students in Middle and West Tennessee.
Because of his leadership and vision, almost 90 percent of Riverside High School graduates continue their education at a public or private college or technical school. Before the native of Parsons established the Ayers Foundation Scholarship Program in 1999, less than 30 percent of Decatur County high school graduates went on to college. Last year, 82 percent of the high school seniors at Scotts Hill, the other participating high school in Henderson County, went on to make their dream of a college education a reality.
“I wanted to change the economic landscape and quality of life for students in Middle and West Tennessee,” said Ayers, who conceived the scholarship idea after seeing a news story about a Texas businessman who did something similar to help students pursue their higher education goals.
More than $3.9 million in scholarships have been awarded since the fall of 2000. The program, which was established through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, provides up to $4000 (based on need) to any student in good standing with in the Decatur County area for four years at any college or university, community college or state-run technical school. UT Martin has enrolled more than 165 Ayers Scholars with awards totaling more than $518,000.
Former Ayers Scholar and 2004 UT Martin graduate Jason Rushing credits the program for changing his life. “I had absolutely no idea how this program would affect my life and the lives of so many others,” Rushing said. He currently serves as director of the UT Martin Parsons Center, the newest of UT Martin’s four extended-campus sites. The facility is being funded with a generous seven-figure gift and more than $1 million in support from other private citizens. Another $1 million was given by the City of Parsons and Decatur County. With its official opening in the spring 2009, the center will offer more than 19,000 square-feet of academic and administrative support space.
Ayers said it is not enough just to build a building. “I want to continue to inspire students of all ages to continue their education.” Scholarships are available to take classes at the Parsons Center for traditional college students, as well as non-traditional adult students, who have been out of high school for at least three years and may be working or raising a family.
“I want to be the encouragement that maybe someone does not have. I want students to understand that hard work does pay off,” Ayers said.
Raised on a farm in rural Tennessee, Ayers knows the meaning of hard work from his days of baling hay, driving a tractor, and caring for cattle. As a child, Ayers had seeds of encouragement planted in him by his parents to pursue knowledge and education. After graduating from Parsons High School, Ayers went on to Memphis State College with the intent of becoming a dentist. He even enrolled in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. (ROTC) with the inkling that he might pursue becoming a pilot.
Instead, Ayers studied accounting and, upon graduation, worked with Ortho Pharmaceuticals in Birmingham, Ala. He eventually came back to rural West Tennessee and began working as a comptroller for a company that managed a series of nursing homes. Ayers, who serves as vice chair of The Campaign for Tennessee and honorary campaign chair at UT Martin, became a well-known leader in nursing home ownership and management and eventually diversified into banking. He is now recognized as one of Tennessee’s top entrepreneurs as chair of FirstBank and Ayers Asset Management.
“Whether you call it blessed or lucky, I have been fortunate enough to have good fortune,” said Ayers, who resides in Nashville with his wife, Janet Ayers.
After losing his half brother to a tragic tractor accident in 1989, Ayers said his outlook on life changed, and he began to realize just how fortunate he was.
“I feel a responsibility to share my good fortune and to make a difference in the lives of those who live in and around Parsons—the place where it all started for me, the place I will always call home,” said Ayers.
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