Kim Denton

Kim Denton serves as the Tennessee Certified Economic Developer (TCED) director for the Center for Industrial Services. The TCED Program provides quality training, continuing education and professional development opportunities for economic and community development practitioners and community leaders.

Denton came to the university in 2014 as associate director in the UT Office of Corporate & Foundation Engagement, which connects industry and foundation partners to opportunities in research, innovation, technology and economic development.  Denton also served as associate director of Corporate Relations in the UT Haslam College of Business, where she built a corporate engagement program and managed corporate partnerships. 

Before coming to UT, Denton spent 15 years as president/CEO of the Oak Ridge Economic Partnership, leading the economic development efforts for greater Oak Ridge. She previously served as marketing director for Tennessee’s Resource Valley (now ETEDA) and as director of marketing and corporate communications for PHP Companies (now Humana). 

Denton is past chair of the Tennessee Economic Partnership, past president of the Tennessee Economic Development Council and currently sits on the CDFA Tennessee Advisory Committee and Blount Mansion board of directors. Denton earned her bachelor's degree in marketing communications from the University of Florida and is a Certified Economic & Community Developer. She is married to Dennis Denton, an account manager with WW Grainger, and enjoys sports, travel and antiques.