‘My last job was it before retirement, but I just had to do this one’- Curtis Elkins

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- Elkins Road runs right in front of the TCAT campus. Years ago, the road was named in honor of Curtis Elkins’ grandpa, Charles Delas Elkins. So, when Delas’ grandson had the chance to return to his old stomping grounds and head up the construction of TCAT’s new buildings, he jumped at the chance and is the Project Superintendent.

“Curtis turns blueprints into reality,” said Samer Shatara, Project Manager for Denark Construction. In almost a year, come March 10, Elkins has made some big strides toward that reality.

The 1977 graduate of Campbell County High School recalls when there were just three houses on Elkins Road. “This was all grandpa’s farm from here to all the way over to Dog Creek. Heck, we were always running cows on the farm,” said Elkins.

Elkins has spent his career in construction, and the last project at Cookeville was supposed to be his last before retiring. “I’ve only been home on projects for four or five years over the span of my career, and this one I could drive to each day,” said Elkins who lives near Lake City. With a grin, Elkins said “We’ll see where we go from here, I may have another project in me.”

Being along Elkins Road, sleeping in his own bed each night and building this project at the roots of his Campbell County upbringing, Curtis Elkins is in his element. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-02/18/2026-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)

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