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Alumni Achiever – Colin Barrett, Brentwood High Class of 1996

Published January 28, 2015

Colin Barrett is the current president of the Tennessee Bankers Association, a not-for-profit trade organization representing Tennessee’s commercial banks and thrift institutions.

After attending Lipscomb Elementary, Brentwood Middle and Brentwood High, Barrett earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and his master’s degree in political management from George Washington University.

He has previously worked as endowment director and development associate for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee and served as regional development manager for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

As President of the Tennessee Bankers Association, what are some of your duties?

I spend the majority of my time lobbying in Nashville and Washington on behalf of the 214 Tennessee banks and their customers

What do enjoy the most about your job?

I love getting to represent the interests of Tennessee banks. There is no industry more focused on the success of their communities than Tennessee banks. Every strong community in Tennessee has a strong bank that is providing access to credit for small businesses, financing homes for families and helping to send people to college.

What did you enjoy most about your high school experience?

My time at Brentwood High School still provides some of my favorite memories. I enjoyed Youth In Government, high school plays and a great group of friends. In fact, my friends from high school are still my closest friends today.

What WCS teacher made a difference in your life and how?

I had so many great teachers. I think of Ms. Hall in kindergarten and Ms. Jones in 5th grade at Lipscomb, Ms. Applewhite at Brentwood Middle, and Coach King and Mrs. Bayrd at Brentwood High School. Mrs. Bayrd encouraged my love of history which is what led me on my career path today.

Do you have any advice for current WCS students?

Take advantage of everything you can and enjoy the opportunities available through the strongest school system in the country. It wasn’t until after I graduated that I realized the unique opportunities that I had that many school systems do not provide.