Former Lee University President, Authored and Co-Authored 20 books, Longest-Serving CEO of a College or University in Tennessee

Selecting Institution: Lee University

Dr. Paul Conn epitomizes the mission and values of Lee University through his nearly fifty years of full-time service on campus.

In 1986, Dr. Conn was appointed President of Lee University, a role he served for 34 years. At the point of his transition to Chancellor, Conn was the longest-serving university president in Tennessee, and his length of service is among the 70 longest tenures by a college president in U.S. history.  

Dr. Conn’s presidency at Lee was characterized by revolutionary expansion alongside a determination to remain true to its original core values.