Kim Denton

Kim Denton serves as the economic development director for the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services, where she leads the team responsible for multiple programs impacting economic and workforce development, including the Tennessee Certified Economic Developer (TCED) Program, the TN Workforce Development Academy and the Made in Tennessee program.

Denton joined UT CIS in 2015 as the Tennessee Certified Economic Developer (TCED) Director.  

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

Prior to 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 past president of the East Tennessee Industrial Council. She is a member of the Executive Women’s Association and sits on the boards of the Tennessee Economic Development Council, Sertoma Center and Blount Mansion Association. Denton currently serves as the inaugural chair of the IEDC Women in Economic Development task force.

Denton earned her Bachelor of Science in marketing communications from the University of Florida and her Master of Science in Management and Human Resources from the UT Haslam College of Business. Denton is also a Certified Economic and Community Developer (CEcD).