Events

Doug Mathews, a longtime football personality in middle Tennessee, has spent more than a dozen years behind the microphone of successful shows focused on college football and the University of Tennessee.

Mathews spent ten seasons as Running Backs Coach and Defensive Coordinator for the University of Tennessee from 1980 to 1989. Mathews credited Bear Bryant and Bud Wilkinson as coaches who influenced the way he coached his players during the years he worked inside the game.

No one had as much of an effect as Virginia Tech head coach Bill Dooley. Mathews says Dooley furnished him with his first opportunity as an offensive coach and provided him with valuable information within the I-formation offense.

Mathews’ coaching career began in 1972 when he coached defensive backs at Northeast Louisiana. He moved to Weber State for three seasons where he served as defensive coordinator. In 1976, Mathews made to move to Louisville where he coached three seasons before departing for Virginia Tech in 1979. As a Hokies assistant, he coached running backs under the legendary Dooley.

In 1991, Mathews retired from coaching to spend more time with his family. That same year Mathews and his wife, Pat, founded Doug Mathews Team Sports in Nashville. They ran the successful business venture for 21 years before their two sons began operating Mathews Team Sports, in Franklin in 2012.

The son of a newspaper publisher, Mathews was born and raised in Picher, Oklahoma. He starred in three sports in high school, before signing a scholarship to play football at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. While at NEO, Mathews earned a selection on the All–American team as well being named the National Junior College Player of the Year in 1967.

As a sophomore he helped lead Coach Chuck Bowman’s team to the 1967 NJCAA National Championship with a 9-1 overall record.  During the championship game, Mathews had a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown while rushing for 97 yards on 22 carries and catching six passes for 48 yards.

Those numbers led to Mathews 2008 induction into the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M’s Sports Hall of Fame. Following his graduation from A&M, Mathews transferred to Vanderbilt, where he handled tailback and return duties. He led the Southeastern Conference in rushing during his senior year in 1969 with 849 yards, becoming the only Commodore to lead the conference in rushing. This included a 214-yard performance against Tulane. His mark of 168 kickoff return yards in one game against Florida in 1969 stood as a Vanderbilt record until 2002.

Currently Doug has three sports shows running with Forklift Systems Football Saturday, Big Orange Sunday, and Coach to Coach all on 104.5 the Zone.

After working in the Insurance profession for over 35 years Eddie retired in April 2019. He is also a licensed auctioneer and real estate agent. Eddie and his wife, Stephanie, married in July 1977 and live on their family farm in Culleoka. They have two sons, and four grandchildren. Eddie is a Deacon at his church, served as President of the Columbia National Little League, President of the Central High School Band Boosters, and President of the Culleoka Community for Performing Arts. He also coached baseball for almost 40 years and was named a Tennessee Colonel in September 2018. Eddie enjoys woodworking, photography, and travel. He and his wife have visited all 50 states. He enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, Lilly, Warner, Knox, and Caroline. Eddie joined Columbia Breakfast Rotary in September of 2010. He is a multi-level Paul Harris Fellow, a Paul Harris Society Member, and Polio Plus Society Member. His wife, Stephanie is also a Paul Harris Fellow and they are Bequest Society members, as well as Major Donors. Eddie served on the Breakfast Rotary Board of Directors 2011-2014, served as President of his club 2014-2015, his club elected him as Rotarian of the Year in 2015. Eddie is the Chairman of The Community Fund Board for his club. He is an RLI graduate and completed the 6760 Grad School. Eddie served as RLI facilitator, and PETS facilitator. Eddie attended Zone 30 Emerging Leaders in 2017. He served as Assistant Governor 2016-2018 and Assistant Governor Coordinator 2018-2020. Eddie is a part of the Visioning team. He was a table captain for the 2020 Million Dollar Dinner for District 6760. In September 2019, Eddie was elected to serve as District Governor 2022-2023.

Alma McLemore, a native of Franklin, is the President of the board of directors of the African American Heritage Society and serves as Executive Director. Ms. McLemore, or Alma Lee, as she is known to her close friends and classmates is a graduate of Franklin High School’s first integrated class. She has deep roots in the community and a servant’s heart. Alma serves on the City of Franklin’s Planning Commission and Battlefield Preservation Commission. During her tenure at the AAHS, Ms. McLemore has overseen the restoration of The McLemore House while it has been closed for COVID. In 2021, the AAHS was also able to purchase a second property, the Merrill-Williams home located on Natchez Street. The home will eventually be used for educational and interpretive purposes for the Natchez neighborhood and for Black history. McLemore never says “no” when asked to serve!

Alma has served on many boards including: Habitat for Humanity, WAVES, Franklin Tomorrow, New Hope Academy, Williamson County Chamber of Commerce Affordable Housing Taskforce, Mercy’s Children Clinic, United Community Resource Foundation, Franklin Tomorrow’s Housing Task Force, and United Way of Williamson County Task Force. Alma is a graduate of the City of Franklin Citizens Police Academy and a graduate of the Leadership Franklin Class of 2000. Alma is a member of the City of Franklin Housing Commission, the City of Franklin Civil War Commission, Battle of Franklin Trust, Williamson Co. Convention and Visitors Bureau, recent past members of Columbia State Community College Foundation Board and the 21st Recovery Court Board of Directors, where she still volunteers with the board’s annual fundraisers.

Rotarians and a guest (adults only) are invited to a club social at Jane’s house.  Heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served.  Come have some fun and visit with other members outside of club meetings or service!

Attire is casual.

Adam English serves as the Sounds' General Manager & Chief Operating Officer and oversees all day-to-day operations related to the ballclub.

A native of Lexington, Ky., English joined the Sounds in October 2021 after serving as the Vice President and General Manager for the Gwinnett Stripers, the Triple-A Affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. English was with the Stripers since November 2018.

Prior to his three seasons with Triple-A Gwinnett, English was previously with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats from 2013-18. He started with Sacramento as the Director of Ticket Sales and received promotions to Senior Director of Ticket Sales and Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service.

English was with the Single-A Lexington Legends from 2010-13 as the Director of Ticket Sales and later the Assistant General Manager. He began his professional career in sports with Ripken Baseball in 2006.

English graduated from Transylvania University in Lexington with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He resides in Franklin with his wife, Kerstin, and their son, Truett.

I am a member of Hendersonville Rotary Club for 22 years with perfect attendance. Past District Governor 2014-15, and now serving as Polio Program Chair.

Brink Fidler is the founder and President of Defend Systems, a life safety and security consulting firm specializing in physical security and active violence mitigation.  He is a frequently booked public speaker on the topic of active violence events and organizational response. Having served nearly two decades in law enforcement in Nashville, TN, where he retired as the Director of the Drug Task Force, he has amassed a vast and unique knowledge base in the world of high-risk tactical operations and true physical security. This extensive background, coupled with his continuous and in-depth study of active shooter events, gives him a unique and insightful approach to this frequent and worsening problem as well as best practices for mitigating damage during such an event. As a widely recognized expert on the topics of physical security and mass casualty attacks, he will not only enlighten and significantly educate your audience, but he will also empower everyone with the ability to respond decisively during any critical incident.

Dr. George Crossley has practiced medicine over 38 years.  A graduate of the School of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia, Dr. Crossley finished his Cardiology Residency and Fellowship at UAB School of Medicine where he was selected as Chief Resident. Crossley was subsequently appointed to the faculty of Bowman Gray Medical School at Wake Forest for 8 years. In 1999, Crossley began practicing as a member of MidState Cardiology group at Baptist Hospital, which is now Midtown Ascension in Nashville. In 2014, he joined the faculty of Vanderbilt Medical School where he is Professor of Medicine in Cardiac Electrophysiology.

George has over 200 published articles, has helped to develop numerous devices, sees hundreds of patients each year, continues to train residents and fellows, and has served as the Interim Head of the Cardiac Electrophysiology lab at Vanderbilt. He has been a Governor for the state of Tennessee's Chapter of the  American College of Cardiologists, is a longtime member of the Heart Rhythm Society, and is currently involved in several research studies involving cardiac leads and devices.

He is married to club member Betsy, has two grown sons and two grandchildren with one more on the way in October.