If you’ve ever met Barry Kolar, you’d remember him, and chances are good that you have benefited from his wisdom or shared a laugh. If you’ve worked with him, either on staff, as a volunteer or in leadership, you know already what a loss his leaving is to the Tennessee Bar Association. Retiring after 23 years at the TBA, Kolar has been described as the glue, a rock and the backbone of the association, as well as friend, mentor, lots of fun (and even a good dancer, as noted by at least one federal judge).

He has helped birth, maintain and grow many programs, and has led the organization through waters both smooth and rough.

How He Got Here

Kolar, 66, didn’t set out to live in Nashville, and if not for his wife, Sheri Sellmeyer, the 14,000-member association would not have benefitted for these decades from his expertise.

“I was a trailing spouse,” he laughs, explaining that Sheri had been recruited for a job in Nashville, moving them from the Charlotte, North Carolina, area. Upon arrival, he took three or four months off before beginning his job search — but he didn’t waste that time, either.

“That’s when I got involved with Catholic Charities’ refugee resettlement program. We would help set up apartments and move them in.” Their connection has been ongoing — he continued playing Santa Claus at the group’s Christmas program for several years — and during that time they were paired with a family from Liberia. Today Kolar and Sellmeyer continue to assist and love them, having seen the family’s children from birth through elementary, middle, high school and beyond.

But long before the Nashville move, Kolar began his journey in Wolbach, Nebraska, where he grew up. After two years of college in Nebraska, he transferred to Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he graduated with a double major in political science and journalism. He started his journalism career at the Waco Tribune Herald before heading to Knoxville to earn a master’s degree in political communications at the University of Tennessee. When he left Tennessee for a political job in Washington, D.C., he probably didn’t think he’d be back.

Instead, he returned to journalism, moving back to Texas to join friends in running a weekly newspaper just outside of Austin, the Onion Creek Free Press. Sheri was also there, and they worked on that paper for five years.

Then came a move to Gastonia, North Carolina, to work on the Gaston Gazette before landing as a designer and art director at the Charlotte Observer. After 11 years at the Observer came Sellmeyer’s job change to Nashville. A hardcore newspaper man, Kolar knew that changes in the media landscape were coming and that it was a good opportunity to look for something different.

 

TBA staffers, clockwise, from left: Kolar, Tanja Trezise, Therese Byrne, Liz Slagle Todaro, Kathy Prescott, Mindy Thomas, Joycelyn Stevenson

Switching Skill Sets

The Tennessee Bar Association had advertised for a website coordinator in late 2000, a few months after Kolar and Sellmeyer moved to Nashville, where the TBA is located.

“I was as interviewing for a web job [at TBA] but didn’t have a lot of web experience,” Kolar admits. It was a lower-end position than he’d left in Charlotte, but he knew that was necessary to change the trajectory of his career, away from straight news reporting and production.

Hired by then-Executive Director Allan F. Ramsaur in January 2000, Barry settled in as part of the communications team that was responsible for, among other things, producing the Tennessee Bar Journal, public relations, press releases and writing and emailing several small circulation weekly publications, LegisFlash, LeaderFlash and OpinionFlash, which were sent to the Board of Governors and other limited groups. (Before that time, two of them were faxed to recipients and called LegisFax and LeaderFax.)

Soon after that, Ramsaur had the idea to combine and upgrade the three publications into a daily, electronic product called TBA Today that incorporated court opinions along with legal news of the day. To produce the newsletter five days a week without fail is a tedious, unrelenting job requiring focus and the ability to discern what stories should be included and summarizing them to fit in a small space — and at the beginning, this was done using less-than-reliable technology. It is still quite labor-intensive, a job now shared among three to four people for the week, but at its outset and with no blueprint, the process was built from the ground up.

“I was hesitant,” Kolar says about crafting and launching TBA Today, “because I came from a daily news background and knew what a commitment that was and what was needed to pull that off. We had to come up with a system that was sustainable.”

By that time, he was director of communications, and under his leadership a system began. The procedure has evolved over the decades as new technologies became available and more features have been added.

Stacey Shrader Joslin, TBA’s advertising, sponsorship and media content coordinator and who holds TBA Today as a large part of her duties, remembers clearly the early days of the daily newsletter.

“I have to admit that at the time, it seemed it like an impossible task,” she says. “Under Barry’s leadership, though, we soon got into a groove, and now all these years later continue to produce an award-winning publication that is one of TBA’s most highly rated member benefits. Through the years, as new features were added — like including Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals opinions in 2018 and launching a weekly legislative update in 2019 — the communications staff wondered if we would be able pull it off. But through Barry’s leadership, daily encouragement and much-needed sense of humor, we rose to the occasion.”

But that’s not all that Kolar, who was soon after promoted to assistant executive director, has done at the TBA. His impact can’t really be fully measured, but if there is a project or service offered, you can bet that he has had a hand in creating or making it better.

“So much bar work is behind the scenes, and Barry has always played a crucial role there: skilled and unflappable,” says Elizabeth Slagle Todaro, TBA’s access to justice director. “For example, for the annual Public Service Luncheon, Lawyers Luncheon and other events, Barry would design, compile and print the programs; finalize and run the event power point; take and edit photos and put it all together for a TBA Today item and website coverage. And all of this would wrap-up just a few minutes before heading into the Board of Governors meeting that he was helping to staff.”

Todaro continues to list many of the projects Kolar has spearheaded: “The complete redesign of the TBA website and implementation of a new association management platform is a great example of Barry’s skills and demeanor. He never seems phased by shifting between skill sets: creating technical templates and coding pages to designing graphics and artistic layout of photos, all while supporting colleagues through drafting, editing and meeting deadlines for the project.”

“Thanks to Barry, many of our programs and services have been nationally recognized,” says TBA’s Membership Director Mindy Thomas, Ed. D. “Barry has played a critical role in TBA’s success. A funny term we have coined is ‘Barry-fied,’ meaning, has Barry seen it, did we ask Barry about it or can Barry fix this? Most of all Barry has mentored many staff members and aided in their success — including myself. We will always ask ‘what would Barry do?’”

You can see how Kolar became known as a “jack of all trades” at the TBA, able to do nearly every job to make the association run smoothly. He explains that over the years when there were staff changes or vacancies, he would step into various jobs until someone was hired, such as membership, CLE, managing meetings.

“I did a lot on a fill-in basis,” he says. “So that’s how I learned. It fits my personality to have broad interests, doing different things. I wasn’t afraid to take opportunities when they opened up,” he says, pointing out more areas he’s been involved in like webcasting, online programming and of course, TBA Today implementation. He’s also been an integral part of the Tennessee Bar Journal, from designing covers, creating ads, writing, redesign development, assisting in its online presence and sharing overall good sense.

“I think so much of what Barry uniquely brought to TBA stems from his background as a journalist,” Todaro says. “He is genuinely interested in the people and projects he works with, and he communicates that in an engaging way, whether through a news article, personal interaction or even a sometimes-tedious board report.”   

Left, Kelly Stosik, TBA’s former membership director, and Kolar.

He did so much, but did he have a favorite?

“TBA Today is the thing with the most impact,” he says. “Being part of Leadership Law was also a high point. It was a program that came from nothing, sprang to life and made a lot of difference in a lot of peoples’ lives.”

Kolar with then-TBA House of Delegates member Claudia Jack, who also served on the TBA Board of Governors and was the longtime public defender for the 22nd Judicial District. Jack died in 2018.

Learning from Leadership

Kolar has worked with 23 TBA presidents, which can be quite an adjustment when it comes to anticipating different styles and priorities, but he sees it as a positive.

“Having a different president each year refreshes you with different perspectives on leadership,” he says. “We’ve had some decisive and strong presidents, some more laid back —but all types are effective. It’s been a good lesson that there are different ways to lead.”

And the presidents through the years have likewise respected and learned from Barry’s leadership.

“Barry has been the most consistent and steady presence for the TBA throughout all my years of bar service,” the Hon. Cynthia Richardson Wyrick says. “Barry has never sought the spotlight, but you didn’t have to be involved in the bar long to know that if you needed to get something done all you had to do was get Barry on the job. He is as rock-solid as they come, and the TBA would not have enjoyed nearly the success it has over these last many years without his contributions. With that said, for all his typically quiet ways, Barry has some mean dance moves and is so much fun to be around. I am thankful for both his countless contributions to the TBA and his friendship.” Wyrick is United States magistrate judge in Greeneville, having served as TBA president in 2013-2014.

“As a past president of the TBA (2014-2015) and a member of the Tennessee Bar Journal editorial board,” Jonathan Steen says, “I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Barry Kolar over the years.” Steen practices with Spragins, Barnett & Cobb in Jackson. “During the complex and challenging organizational transition to a new executive director — not once, but twice during his time with the TBA — Barry took on a pivotal role with his trademark dedication. He provided invaluable institutional knowledge and continuity of support to staff and members with an unwavering commitment to the well-being of the association.

Robertson and Kolar rockin’ out at NABE Comms 2019

“What stood out most was not just his competence in handling the demands of the job, but his unique approach . . . which was a blend of empathy, fairness and humor. In moments of stress, he has a remarkable ability to lighten the mood with a well-timed smile or a reassuring word. His leadership style fostered not only efficiency but also a positive and collaborative work environment,” Steen continued. “It’s this distinctive combination of effectiveness and genuine care for the people around him that defines Barry as a truly outstanding leader. His tireless commitment to serving the TBA has left an indelible mark, and I’m certain that his legacy will continue to inspire those who have had the privilege of working alongside him.”

Sarah Y. Sheppeard, a partner with Lewis Thomason in Knoxville, acknowledges that “It’s a bittersweet moment to see Barry Kolar retire. I’m thrilled for him but sorry for the TBA. In his decades of service, Barry has always been a steady, dependable, understated presence. I’ve never known Barry to seek accolades or glory. He just quietly gets the job done, whatever that job might be.” Sheppeard had the extra trial of guiding the association through the sudden onset of the pandemic.

“He helped lead the TBA through one of the most challenging of times, the COVID-19 pandemic that began in March 2020, when I was TBA president. Like our law firms, businesses and even our families, we at the TBA didn’t know what was going to happen with this disease, how long it would last, or how it would affect day-to-day operations of the organization. Barry continued to be his calm, reliable self, focused on doing whatever needed to be done. Barry holds a special place in the history of the Tennessee Bar Association.”

Left to right, Kolar, TBA Immediate Past President Tasha Blakney, former Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

When he was promoted to assistant executive director in the early 2000s, Kolar was tasked with overseeing the association’s day-to-day operations, which included personnel.

“It’s been fun to watch people who come in and grow, develop and achieve,” Kolar says of the 20-member staff. “We’ve had a close group most of the time. People are very supportive of each other, actually like being around each other and enjoy seeing each other.”

Joycelyn Stevenson, office managing shareholder at Littler Mendelson in Nashville, got to see that firsthand when she was TBA’s executive director from 2017 to 2022.

“Barry’s impact on the TBA is immeasurable,” she says. “He has such a quiet strength that commands loyalty, respect and the appreciation of his team. I know that I could not have made it through my first year as executive director without him. While I am sad that the bar is losing such an invaluable team member, I know that Barry’s leadership and impact on the team and the members of the TBA will live on through the foundation that he helped build over the years. I am thrilled to see what the future holds for him.”

Sheree Wright, a longtime volunteer who then followed Stevenson as executive director, says, “Barry is an integral part of the TBA — I think of him as embedded in the DNA of the organization. He has given so much of his time and talent over the years to support the leadership, the members and the mission. He will be missed, and we are grateful to him for his outstanding service to the TBA. I am personally grateful for his help as I transitioned into my new role. He truly is a man of many talents — from communications to IT to operations on many levels.”

Brandon O. Gibson, who is chief operating officer for the State of Tennessee in the governor’s office, and one of many longtime TBA volunteers, says “Barry has, from my perspective, always been the ‘glue’ behind the scenes at the TBA. From supporting the TBA’s Leadership Law program to helping jump start the Public Service Academy, I could always count on Barry’s support and solid perspective.”

With all that Barry has done for these 23 years, he says he is most proud of “serving as interim executive director to help guide the organization through transitions.”

Landry Butler, Kolar and Robertson accepting a NABE Comms award for the Journal

A National Impact

Kolar’s bar expertise has not been kept in the state.

“He is also a nationally respected bar professional given his many leadership positions within the National Association of Bar Executives (NABE),” Stevenson says, having served as membership chair and technology chair. For the NABE Communications Section, he served as chair about a decade ago, and was on the section’s Council as secretary, treasurer, chair-elect and chair.

“Barry has been a steady, guiding force for NABE for as long as he has been a member,” says Sharon Nolan, director of marketing at the Chicago Bar Association. “He’s the guy who always reached out a helping hand, shared an idea to implement at your bar or just generally made you feel a part of the group. He was our ‘Mr. Wonderful’ and will be sorely missed by bar communication professionals across the country.”

In October 2021, Kolar was presented with the E.A. Wally Richter Distinguished Achievement Award. The “Wally,” as it is known, is the highest honor presented to a NABE Communications Section member, according to NABE. This award is presented to an individual for outstanding achievement in the field of communications, for extraordinary service to colleagues within NABE, and for distinguished leadership of the Communications Section.

“More important than being a rock star — which he is — Barry Kolar is a rock,” says Russell Rawlings, director of external affairs and communications at the North Carolina Bar Association. “It has been my distinct privilege to work with him through the Communications Section and to admire his work with the Tennessee Bar Association. I only hope that your staff and members realize how highly he is regarded across this nation as a communicator and leader.”

TBA staff gather for the 2023 holiday party.

 

Where Is He Headed?

Kolar says he has made no specific plans for his next steps.

“I’m going to give myself a bit of time to see what I want to do,” he says with his characteristic shrug and smile. For now, he will continue with his volunteer work. He’s on the Downtown [Nashville] YMCA Advisory Board and is immediate past president of Sister Cities of Nashville. He and Sellmeyer will continue a weekly Spanish class they have been in for more than two decades. An avid bike rider (he often would cycle to and from the TBA’s downtown office from his home in west Nashville), he will continue his weekly involvement with the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry, which “makes burritos and uses bikes to deliver food and supplies to the unhoused all over downtown.”

“I’m open to things happening,” he adds, “and there’s always things happening.” |||

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SUZANNE CRAIG ROBERTSON served as editor of the Tennessee Bar Journal for 34 years, working 23 of those years with Barry Kolar, valuing nearly every minute of the camaraderie, creativity, lessons learned and laughter. She is author of He Called Me Sister: A True Story of Finding Humanity on Death Row (Morehouse Publishing, 2023).

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