TriStar Bank has its name on the TriStar Bank Community Room on the first floor of Columbia State Community College’s new three-story Southern Regional Technology Center (SRTC) in Columbia, Tennessee, according to PR Newswire. The announcement was published Sept. 4, 2026 by TriStar Bank via PR Newswire.
A named space inside the new SRTC
The TriStar Bank Community Room is described as having an open design and “seating and tables” that allow the space to “easily adapt for meetings, studying, collaboration or community gatherings,” according to PR Newswire. The Community Room is “one of several named spaces made possible through community support for the new SRTC,” according to the same release.
PR Newswire reported that the SRTC “opened with an August ribbon-cutting celebration.” PR Newswire also reported that a reception was held “in celebration of the opening and ribbon cutting for the Southern Regional Technology Center and the TriStar Bank Community Room,” and that Columbia State Community College President Janet F. Smith stood with TriStar Bank President Ted Williams during that reception.
Statements from TriStar Bank and Columbia State
TriStar Bank President Ted Williams said, “We are honored to be part of this project and to help provide a place where the community can come together and students can meet to work on the skills that will uplift our community,” according to PR Newswire. Williams also said, “This is our way of showing our support, and we’re vested in the future leaders of our communities,” according to the release.
Columbia State Community College Vice President for Advancement Bethany Lay said, “It’s their support that made this all possible,” and she made “special note of the donors and organizations whose contributions are recognized in named spaces throughout the three-story facility,” according to PR Newswire.
Columbia State President Janet F. Smith said the new facility reflects the college’s “commitment to giving students the knowledge, skills and sense of purpose they need to build meaningful careers,” according to PR Newswire. PR Newswire reported that Smith said the opening represents “more than additional classrooms and new technology.”
SRTC workforce focus and state investment
PR Newswire described the SRTC as “a hub for workforce development,” and said it provides students with educational opportunities connected to “technology, healthcare and industrial careers” while helping meet the needs of employers throughout the region. PR Newswire also reported that the modern facility gives Columbia State “additional space and technology” to prepare students for careers “that are in demand across the region.”
The SRTC is also described as “a part of the state’s $2.5 billion investment in public education,” according to PR Newswire.
Smith said that preparing students for careers in “healthcare, industry and other growing fields” strengthens the workforce and contributes to the “economic vitality” of the communities Columbia State serves, according to PR Newswire. PR Newswire also reported that Smith emphasized the importance of partnerships, and said support from organizations such as TriStar Bank demonstrates to students and the wider community that education is “a shared commitment” and “an investment in people.”
Widely known context: In higher education, corporate naming of rooms and facilities is commonly used as a recognition mechanism for philanthropic support and partnership activity.
