Volunteer Award Winner 2004

C. Randall DeFord

Randall is a long-time resident of historic Fort Sanders. As an architect and historic preservationist, he has directed his volunteerism toward community revitalization. While much of his time is dedicated to the Fort Sanders neighborhood, he has played a vital role in the preservation of historic sites throughout Knoxville.

His involvement with the community increased dramatically in the late 1990's when Randall opened his own architectural office, and was able to schedule work around his multiple volunteer activities. As a result, the number of hours he spent volunteering grew from about 250 hours to nearly 700 hours per year.

Randall donated his time and talent to Habit for Humanity by providing pro bono architectural services in designing a prototype house that fits into historic neighborhoods. He was an integral part of the group that worked with University and City officials to see the creation of a park to honor the late Pulitzer prize-winner Knoxville writer, James Agee. Randall spearheaded the successful effort to move two mature magnolia trees from a construction site in Fort Sanders to the nearby Agee Park.

Randall has spent many years on the board of several local associations including Council of Involved Neighborhoods, Center for Neighborhood Development, Rohm and Haas Community Advisory Council and the Mayor's Task Force on Historic Preservation. He is the current president of Knox Heritage and served as president of the Historic Fort Sanders Neighborhood Association for more than six years.

Randall has been recognized for his outstanding work in historic preservation as a recipient of several distinguished awards including the 2002 President's Citation from the East Tennessee Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. In 2000 he was awarded Preservationist of the Year from Knox Heritage in recognition for his assistance in the establishment of the neighborhood conservation district in Fort Sanders.