Kristn Clark Fry

A true "Georgia Peach," Kristn Clark moved from Waycross and later Augusta, Ga., to Auburn, Ala., in her early years, and finally, to Columbia, Tenn., because both her parents were in the field of higher education. She has called Johnson City "home" since fall 1969, when her family moved to Morristown and she started at East Tennessee State University.

After graduating from ETSU in sping 1973, with a journalism major and an art photography minor, Kristn married John Peter Fry on July 7 that year and took a position as assistant news director for a local radio station. When the opportunity arose later that summer for her to join the (then) Johnson City Press-Chronicle as assistant women's editor, she jumped at the chance because writing has always been her first love. Subsequently, Kristn became associate editor of what is now the "Lifestyles" section at the newspaper.

Kristn and John bought a home in late 1976, not far from campus, and have lived there ever since. Daughter Amelia Grace was born Dec. 2, 1980, joining her mom and dad with their December birthdays. Daughter Samantha Jayne decided to break the pattern and be different, arriving on June 22, 1985. Amelia will be a junior at Science Hill High School, and Samantha is an upcoming seventh grader at Liberty Bell Middle School. John, also an ETSU alum, is a former coach and teacher. He is now in industrial sales with the Noland Co.

In September 1977, Kristn joined the University Relations staff. She has served in several positions through the years and is currently Director of the News Bureau for the university. Among other areas, she oversees production of the faculty/staff newsletter, Accent; writes and produces news releases, news tips and advisories; arranges news conferences; writes speeches; assists with recruitment videos and radio spots; ensures written materials and photographs are provided for a variety of publications; serves on several steering and planning committees, both on and off campus; approves advertising for the university; supervises on-site media coverage for ETSU; develops internships for communication students; and handles requests for "viewing public documents," such as police reports, under the Tennessee Sunshine Law.

And, last but not least, Kristn continues her outreach efforts with the community, serving in various leadership capacities with civic and professional organizations, church and school governance, charitable agencies and others. (Her latest endeavor involves singing in the choir with Amelia for the new early Morning Praise Service at First United Methodist Church, Johnson City, each Sunday -- come check it out!)

She enjoys collecting and reading cookbooks, traveling with her family, genealogy, and volunteering in the community with the Johnson City Evening Rotary Club and other groups.