Terry Hillier retires from TSSAA after more than 40 years with the organization

Terry Hillier, a long-standing employee of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA), retired at the end of December 2023. Hillier dedicated 42 years to TSSAA, overseeing all registration and correspondence with officials. She also liaised directly with the officials supervisors and assigning officers across a variety of sports.

In her role, Hillier took charge of the officials’ awards program and contributed to addressing unsportsmanlike conduct during athletic contests. Additionally, she held the position of office manager for TSSAA.

"Her dedication and service to TSSAA over her four-decade tenure has been nothing short of exceptional," said Mark Reeves, TSSAA Executive Director. “Her unyielding attention to detail enabled her to troubleshoot registration complexities for thousands of TSSAA officials. Terry’s abilities in this area are truly legendary among the leadership of officials’ associations across the state. She brought joy to our organization with her fun-loving disposition and seamlessly ensured its smooth function with her attention to detail. It's an understatement to say that she will dearly be missed.”

Hillier began her career with TSSAA in 1981 and assumed control of the officials' program five years later in 1986, while collaborating with then Assistant Executive Director, Gene Beck.

"Terry and I worked closely together for 23 years," said Beck. "We actually survived together, but she was the reason. She was very good under the pressure of deadlines."

In 1973, Hillier graduated from Madison High School. She married Tim Hillier from England in 1990 and the couple has a son, Johnathan, and a grandson.

"Without a doubt, Terry was one of the best employees inside the TSSAA office for more than 40 years," said Bernard Childress, TSSAA's former Executive Director and colleague of Hillier since 1996. "She quietly went about her business and did her job to perfection. She was the one individual who knew every minute detail about the officials and made sure they were properly registered and met the requirements in order to serve in their role."

Childress further added, “Terry's role as office manager was challenging, but she surpassed all expectations. Every employee in the building knew that they could always go to her and discuss any issue they had and it would be taken care of promptly and properly. Terry has definitely earned her retirement and I congratulate her on a job well done."