Bob Feagins

A native of Kingsport, Tenn., Bob Feagins, 54, is the executive director of communications & development for the Kingsport Chamber (1998-present).  Prior to that, he served as client services director for The Corporate Image, a media and public relations firm in Bristol, Tennessee (1993-1998). He holds a B.A. in communications from Emory & Henry College, Emory, Virginia., (1991) and a master’s in communications from the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (1993). 

He attends First Broad Street United Methodist Church in Kingsport where he sings in the Sanctuary Choir.  For 53 years, he was an active member of Mafair United Methodist Church in Kingsport. He serves on the Ballad Health Foundation Tri-Cities Advancement Council (2021-present); serves on the Frontier Health Foundation Board of Directors (2023-present); serves on the Ballad Health Foundation Night of Hope and Holiday Miracles Planning Committee (2023-present); serves on The Alliance for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion of Northeast Tennessee & Southwest Virginia Communications/Marketing Committee (co-chair) (2021-present); serves on the Kingsport Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization (MTPO) Long-range Planning Task Force (2021-present); served on the Sullivan County Health Department COVID-19 Pandemic Communications Task Force (2020-2021); served on the City of Kingsport Mayor’s Census “Count All Neighbors” Complete Count Committee (2019-2020); served on the Eastman Community Advisory Panel (2015-2019); served on the Ballad Health Foundation Next Generation Campaign for Holston Valley Medical Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) (2014-2018); served on the Niswonger Children’s Hospital Executive Council (2019); served on the Emory & Henry College Board of Trustees (2006-2014) (chair of the Campus Life committee, member of the Executive Committee and the Marketing & Development committee, and former member of the planning committee, religious life committee, Holston Conference Colleges committee, Board Committee Task Force, New Residence Halls advisory committee and the Marketing & Branding committee) and is an Emory & Henry College Class of 1991 class agent; is the co-founder, first Board president (2003 and 2004) and member of the Tri-Cities TN/VA Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA); past president and member of the Symphony of the Mountains Orchestra Board of Directors (former nominating and development committee chair and communications chair); served on the Contact Concern 211 Board of Directors (2010-2016 – Vice President (2011-2013), Marketing Chair (2012-2013) and President (2013-2014)); served on the Kingsport Public Library Commission Marketing Committee (2014-2015); served on the Holston Conference Colleges Board of Directors (2010-2012); served on the Innovation Academy of Northeast Tennessee STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) School marketing committee (2012); served on the Eastern Eight Community Development Corporation Advisory Board (2012-2014); served as chair of the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership & Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing marketing team (2009-2012) (chair of the marketing/communications committee); served on the Asbury Place Board of Directors (2010-2011); and served on the Forest Ridge Manor Board of Directors (2010-2011). 

 In addition, Bob has volunteered for the Emory & Henry College Capital Campaign and Emory & Henry College alumni department; Tri-Cities Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure; the ALS Association of East Tennessee Walk to Defeat ALS; the March for Dimes “March for Babies” fundraiser; the United Way of Greater Kingsport Capital Campaign Council (former council member and communications co-chair); Junior Achievement of Tri-Cities Tennessee/Virginia; Leadership Kingsport and S.H.O.U.T.!® Youth Leadership; and served on the GeneratioNext Editorial Advisory Board. Bob Feagins is the recipient of the distinguished 2012 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Tri-Cities TN/VA Chapter Rod Irvin Award for Excellence in Public Relations (designed to honor an individual who exemplifies integrity, creativity, leadership, community involvement, and whose work has upheld the finest standards of the PRSA.).  Bob is also the recipient of the 2012 Milligan College Leaders in Christian Service Honor.  Winner of many Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Awards of Excellence and Quality; Winner of Tri-Cities Addy Awards; Winner of American Chamber of Commerce Executives Awards of Communications Excellence for Total Communications Program and other communications initiatives; Recipient of The Business Journal’s Tri-Cities Tennessee/Virginia “Forty Under 40” Rising Young Business Stars Award; Recipient of a Charter Media Broadcast Award for original programming for “Kingsport ChamberZone,” a television program he produced, wrote and co-hosted for the Kingsport Chamber (2003-2017); a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organizational Management (IOM) (2002); a Leadership Kingsport graduate (2000); and selected to attend the inaugural session of the Generation Tennessee Young Business Leaders Conference.

 Bob Feagins also teaches a class on communications/media and public relations, a class on development/fundraising and a class on event planning each spring at the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives Institute at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tenn.  He has also spoken to numerous classes at Emory & Henry College, East Tennessee State University, Carson-Newman University, King University and Northeast State Community College.  Bob Feagins also has spoken at various United Methodist churches in the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church and has addressed a number of civic clubs and organizations in Kingsport and the Tri-Cities TN/VA region.

Bob Feagins is married to Laura Hart and they have an eight-year-old son, Higgs Thomas Edward.  Bob enjoys sports (esp. golf), exercising, Church work, the theatre and Broadway shows (esp. loves going to Barter Theatre and attending Symphony of the Mountains Orchestra concerts), loves movies and hanging out with friends and family.  Bob, Laura and Higgs live in Kingsport.