Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Gary R. Wade was honored with the Tennessee Bar Association's Justice Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award for his outstanding and dedicated service to the courts and the legal community. The award was presented by outgoing TBA President Cindy Wyrick at a luncheon in Gatlinburg. Former Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Drowota also was on hand to assist in the presentation.
Chief Justice Wade was recognized for his service, not just on the Tennessee Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals, but also in local government and nonprofit endeavors. Prior to appointment to the courts, Wade served as mayor of the city of Sevierville for 10 years and served for 14 years as city attorney for the city of Pigeon Forge. A Tennessee native, Wade also has been involved in a number of charitable and nonprofit endeavors across the state. His signature work, however, has been with a group he cofounded: Friends of the Smokies. For 20 years, Justice Wade has supported the work of the group – providing office space for the new effort in the early days, personally recruiting volunteers for the organization, giving countless hours of his own time and helping to raise more than $41 million to maintain and improve the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its programs.
