The Calhoun Family Builds Community in Johnson City, TN

Jeff Adkins

When Larry Calhoun was growing up in Hampton, Tennessee, a visit to Johnson City was an exciting event. 

Now that he’s a grandfather and a decades-long Johnson City resident, he still sees his adopted city as an exciting place, one he and his family are committed to nurturing. 

“Obviously, anybody that wants to see their community grow just can’t do it by sitting on the sidelines,” says Calhoun, looking back at his long history of public service, professionally and as a volunteer. “Don’t complain about how things are. Get involved – then you can complain.” 

Calhoun’s unwavering commitment to progress is evident in his impactful career, which includes serving as a city commissioner and being the first dean of the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy at ETSU. 

Now semi-retired, he continues to work with the medical school dean’s office, conducts leadership training and supports a variety of important community causes. 

Ron Campbell

Building a Legacy

Calhoun and his wife, Kathryn, met here in 1974 and settled permanently after a career that took him to Memphis, Nashville and Saudi Arabia. 

“At that point in Johnson City, you would run into somebody you knew all the time. It felt comfortable, ‘Friday Night Lights’ kind of thing,” he says. “But it was also very different from a health care standpoint. If you needed anything major, you had to leave the region.” 

The couple became involved in community improvement – Kathryn as a teacher, and he as a local health care executive and advocate for rural medicine. It was important to both that their two daughters, McKenzie Highsmith and Whitney Calhoun Goetz, grow up understanding the importance of civic mindedness. 

“We were very intentional to make sure our girls had opportunities and support to get involved. You learn leadership by being a leader,” Calhoun says. 

Their daughters agree. Both have gone on to successful careers locally and have chosen Johnson City as the place they want to live, work and raise their children. 

Jay Huron

Sense of Responsibility

“My parents instilled in my sister and me a sense of pride but also a responsibility to always give back to our community,” McKenzie says. 

An associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at ETSU, she also served as the youngest board chairperson of the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce. She is married to Akiah Highsmith, an attorney with Baker Donelson. 

“When we were youngsters, my parents wanted us to know about what they did in their jobs, but also their volunteer experience,” Whitney says. “Giving back was a huge part of what we did, and we want to replicate this with our boys, so we take them to events and fundraisers and watch council meetings online, that kind of thing.” 

‘Beauty of Home’ 

Both sisters remark on how Johnson City has changed for the better, seeing it now as parents themselves. Both love the closeness of family, sharing familiar childhood experiences with their own children and enjoying their hometown’s new energy. 

Now executive director of the ETSU National Alumni Association, Whitney left Johnson City to work for Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker in Washington, returning home with husband John Goetz, vice president of community and government for Ballad Health, to raise their family. 

“Sometimes you have to go away to realize the beauty of home,” Whitney says. “During the time I was away, Johnson City just transformed into the vibrant exciting place it is today, where the people and leaders are investing in community growth and development.” 

McKenzie adds: “Johnson City really is the ideal place to raise a family, but I was also a college student, then a single young professional here before I was a married mom of a 3-year-old. I think something that makes Johnson City special is how it can be the perfect place for people in so many phases of life.” 

For Larry, the joys of having his children and grandchildren nearby and so active in their community are clear – as is his pride in the city he adopted so many years ago. 

“Kathy and I were a bit concerned that our daughters’ success might have led them to go somewhere else,” he says. “But they and their husbands knew it was an easy choice to live and raise their children here.”