Helene Poulan Colvin was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, moving to Middle Tennessee in 1969. Throughout her life, Colvin put her touch on Rutherford County in business and community. Her life was recently celebrated at the Smyrna Airport. She passed away February 3, 2024.
As Andrea Loughry told WGNS radio, “we both were involved with some of the first professional women involved in business and community activities.”
Colvin was the Director of Marketing at Citizens Central Bank, Executive Director of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, Murfreesboro Manager and a partner at J.C. Bradford and Company, and the Branch Manager for the Murfreesboro office of Merrill Lynch, Bank M Investments, and FirstBank Investment Partners.
Her community involvement touched many organizations. Past president of the MTSU Foundation, Colvin was on the Crime Stoppers board, Linbaugh Foundation board, President of the Rutherford County/Murfreesboro Arts Commission/Center for the Arts, on the MTSU Business Advisory Board, and a member of both the DAR and the Rutherford County Historical Society.
Not so long ago, Rotary Clubs were the purview of men only. It was not until 1989 that Rotary International allowed women into the club, however, the Rotary Club of Murfreesboro, known as the Noon Rotary Club, was way ahead of the curve. Then club President Jim Garner asked seven prominent women in the community to become the first female members of the club. Helen was proud to be one of those women inducted July 1988.
“Jim knew that women were going to be accepted into Rotary soon,” Colvin told Rutherford Source several years ago, “so he asked me, Susan Andrews, Barbara Haskew, Andrea Loughry, Elaine Raymer, Margrey Thompson and Sandra Trail to join before it was officially accepted. We were the first female Rotarians in the State of Tennessee.”
That was not her only “first” with Rotary. She also served as the first female president of the Noon Rotary Club.
“[I] had the honor and pleasure to have known Helene since 1991,” said John Black, Executive Director, Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority, “when the ownership of Smyrna Airport was officially transferred from the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority to the newly created Airport Authority. As a founding member of the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority, Helene was instrumental in over three decades of growth and development of the airport. Her influence, knowledge and true dedication to the airport was remarkable.”
“Helen received many awards,” said Lee Rennick, a fellow Rotarian, “but I met her first when “The Daily News Journal” used to honor trailblazing women in the community. She was one of the recipients of their award.”
At her Celebration of Life, one friend and former co-worker told the story of when Colvin was the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce. She said that one day Colvin headed off to a fish fry in Smyrna that only men were invited to.
“The former Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce went to the event last year,” Colvin told her co-worker with one of her mischievous smiles. “I am sure that as the current Executive Director they meant to invite me. It was just an oversite.”
“Helen was the only woman at that event,” added the former co-worker.
A true trailblazer, Colvin was not afraid to lead the way for other women. She often mentored younger female investment brokers and championed other women in the community.
Receiving a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Louisiana Tech, she attended graduate school at University of Georgia. She as a die hard “Bull Dog” and red was her favorite color.
Often having guests at her home, she loved to cook, especially Cajun. Her other love was traveling. She traveled all over the world, frequently going to a Rotary meeting in whatever country she was visiting.
“There are still Rotary Clubs that do not admit women,” said Colvin in the Source article. “I visited one in Spain. It was all in Spanish and I didn’t understand much, but I ended up sitting next to a graduate of Georgia Tech who was a member and he explained it all to me. The meeting was at night and very formal.”
Above all else was her family. She was devoted to her two sons, Rush Colvin of Murfreesboro, Tennessee and Shane Colvin of Carlisle, Kentucky.
“She will be greatly missed,” noted another old friend at her memorial.
