Forever Tennessee: An Evening Honoring Julian Bibb III

Friends and family gathered at The Land Trust’s Glen Leven Farm to celebrate Julian Bibb III and his contributions to the conservation of Tennessee’s historic landscapes.

An Evening on the Farm

On a beautiful spring night last week, friends gathered on the back lawn of The Land Trust’s Glen Leven Farm to honor Julian Bibb III, committed conservationist and Board Member Emeritus of The Land Trust for Tennessee.

Guests mingled under the magnolia tree to the tunes of bluegrass trio Craig Duncan Music, enjoying cocktails generously provided by Lipman Brothers. The team behind Catering & Events by Suzette served a light and seasonal meal that ended on a high note: lavender shortcake with strawberries and lemon curd Chantilly cream.

Patron supporters enjoyed a reception and remarks from The Land Trust’s founding Executive Director, Jeanie Nelson, to kick off the evening. Byron Trauger, a fellow Board Member Emeritus of The Land Trust, welcomed guests and served as the evening’s emcee. Bob Connolly, former chair of Stites & Harbison, spoke of Julian’s character from their decades of working together. Liz McLaurin shared her own reflections on her years of friendship with Julian before welcoming him to the stage to close out the evening.

The funds raised through this celebration will have a direct impact on the lives of present and future Tennesseans as we work to conserve the place we can’t afford to lose. We’re grateful to our friends and sponsors for joining us in this mission. This work simply wouldn’t be possible without community support.

Scroll to learn more about our honoree and see pictures from the event. Make sure to check out upcoming events at The Land Trust’s Glen Leven Farm and sign up for our monthly eNews to stay in the loop. Thank you for helping us celebrate Julian’s extraordinary impact!

Julian Bibb III

Raised in Alabama, Julian Bibb III has called Tennessee home most of his life. Before starting his career, Julian attended the University of the South and Vanderbilt University School of Law.

Dedicated to his wonderful family, he has served his community and his state for decades. He has shared his time and talents generously with many nonprofits, improving the quality of life for his neighbors and Tennesseans all across our state.

Julian first represented a landowner on a conservation easement in June of 2001. Moving forward, Julian began representing The Land Trust at no charge. That arrangement lasted until 2007 when we began working together at a very reduced rate. Through the course of this relationship, Stites and Harbison has donated over $1 million dollars’ worth of legal services to further the mission of The Land Trust for Tennessee.

Julian’s ethos has become part of our DNA and we strive to honor his character in every step we take forward. “When I’m facing a difficult conversation, need to help a person in crisis, or work through a complicated puzzle,” Land Trust President & CEO Liz McLaurin shared, “I first try to call Julian’s flip phone. But when he doesn’t answer, I take a moment and try to think through the question: What would Julian do?”

Julian is truly a part of The Land Trust family. As our team works to protect open spaces across Tennessee, we’ll always strive to “do would Julian would do.”