The Knoxville News Sentinel sat down with MP&F agency owners alongside principal, Tiffany Carpenter, chosen to lead the agency’s new Knoxville office. In a full interview, reporter Keenan Thomas dives into Tiffany’s background and her plans to grow the agency in East Tennessee and beyond.

Keenan Thomas | Knoxville News Sentinel

After nearly 22 years of climbing the ranks within the University of Tennessee System, Tiffany Carpenter has moved into a new office and a new role on Gay Street, where Nashville advertising agency MP&F Strategic Communications is now open in the Arcade Building and ready for Knoxville’s business.

Carpenter, who began in the UT Athletics Department and rose to vice president of communications and marketing for the UT System, is serving as principal of MP&F’s new Knoxville office.

Mary Elizabeth Davis − one of four partners at the agency, along with Jennifer Brantley, Kate Chinn and Knight Stivender − said the Knoxville expansion felt “like a natural evolution” for the woman-owned company.

“Tennessee is home to us,” Davis told Knox News. “We service clients all over the country, and so that’s never been limiting, but I think expanding our footprint across Tennessee feels very natural to us.”

As we sat down with the four partners and Carpenter to discuss her time at UT and the new role, she told Knox News she feels “very prepared.” She worked through the UT System with MP&F, which works with companies across the state, from McKee Foods Corporation (the Little Debbie folks) to the Tennessee Valley Authority to the Tennessee Whiskey Trail.

At UT, Carpenter worked closely with UT System President Randy Boyd, seeing firsthand “all of the great momentum he’s building” in Tennessee. Her previous experience includes working with The Ingram Group and with Atkinson Public Relations to launch the NHL Predators in Nashville.

This Q&A has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.

What can you tell me about leading UT campaigns like the ‘Everywhere you look, UT’ murals?

Carpenter: “Everywhere you look” has been transformational for me, just trying to figure out ways to get people to understand the breadth of the University of Tennessee (inside and outside of the classroom).

You’re impacted by UT every day, whether it’s the milk you had in the morning (or) the doctor you took your child to. And trying to find ways for people to understand that it’s more than just a university. It’s deeply rooted in all 95 counties in Tennessee.

The mural campaign has been so much fun. When I pitched that idea to Randy, I was thinking five, maybe 10. And then he asked me for a stretch goal, so I said, “How about one in every one of the 95 counties?”

My goal was to finish by the end of 2030, and I think they’ll be finished by the end of next year.

What’s your favorite memory throughout your career?

Carpenter: Honestly, I think I’m going to say launching the Nashville Predators.

I was right out of school. It was a great opportunity to watch something grow. I was from Bristol, I didn’t know hockey. My dad was a racecar driver (driving late model stock cars in the Southeast), so when I went around and tried to sell it to people, I would sell it as “NASCAR on ice.”

I still get chill bumps every time I walk into Bridgestone Arena and watch a game.

How have those efforts set you up to join MP&F?

Carpenter: I have had an amazing career at UT. It wasn’t my original career path. I actually did agency work in Nashville for seven years before I moved here to work for athletics.

As things evolved here and opportunities presented themselves, I just sort of moved up to the role I’m in now.

I just turned 50 last year, so as I started reflecting on that thinking, “I’ve had a great run, but what do I want to do next?” I felt like it was a transformational time for me – it was pivotal.

I’ve worked with MP&F for several years before they even … started working with UT. I just really enjoyed the team, loved the way they approach things. They have this left brain, right brain mentality. They don’t just come and pitch you creative (ideas) without a strategy behind it, without thinking about their research and how that should drive decisions.

It felt like the right move. Ironically, my first job interview out of college was with MP&F, and so it felt like a full circle moment for me.

What made it the right time to join MP&F in Knoxville?

Carpenter: The opportunity to open something and build something. And the more I’ve gotten to work with the four partners, they’re amazing. They’re so supportive, so enthusiastic. It just makes you want to run through a brick wall. It makes you want to get out there and see what you can do and really believe in yourself.

It felt like it was the right group, the right atmosphere. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with UT and working with Randy, and he’s been phenomenal in this transition. And I think he’ll still be a friend after.

All of the pieces just fell into place.

How have you seen UT change from your time as a student to now? 

Carpenter: It doesn’t look like the same campus. It’s amazing to see the interest in the Knoxville campus, but this job also allowed me to see what it was like (at) all of the other campuses and all of their unique attributes and make so many friends across the state … and learn that it was more than just Knoxville. That was really a fantastic part of the job.

What’s your favorite memory at the University of Tennessee?

Carpenter: I think it might have been rushing the field with my kids (three) years ago when we beat Alabama at home.

Where were you located in the stands?

Carpenter: My seats were in section R, and I was about 20 rows up. My oldest daughter and my husband took off running and left my youngest and I sitting there. We were like, “Well, we’re not going to sit here either,” and followed them out.

What do you hope to accomplish at MP&F?

Carpenter: World domination (laughs). I’ve sort of come up with my first 90 day goals: opening some doors, finding some opportunities with some people maybe I’ve helped in the past but in different ways, finding opportunities to work with them in bigger and better ways.

I’ve got a couple of … clients I really want to go after, and I’m really excited to be able to dig in and find the approach for those. But really to let MP&F stand out as the full-service agency in Knoxville.

There’s a void in that right now. You’ve got great advertising firms. You’ve got great digital firms. You’ve got great PR firms. The thing that I’ve always enjoyed about MP&F is they’re really the total package.

What else would you like people to know about yourself and MP&F?

Carpenter: Knoxville’s home.

When I first started talking to them, the thought of moving back to Nashville was a possibility, but Knoxville is home. My husband was born and raised here as a fourth generation Vol. I’m a UT Knoxville alum. My kids will probably end up at a UT school.

It means a lot to me to build something that can have some staying power in Knoxville and beyond. I’m from Bristol, so I want to hit the tri-cities hard too. It gives me a chance to go back home a little.

I think there’s an opportunity to build something great here.

Keenan Thomas reports on higher education for the Knox News business growth and development team.