Barnett is the founder and president of Barnett & Company, which has provided personalized investment counsel in Chattanooga for 35 years. He is a native Chattanoogan, graduating from McCallie School and earning accounting and business degrees from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and Vanderbilt. Barnett initially pursued a career with investment firms in Washington, D.C., before returning to his hometown in 1982 to launch his own business.
Over the years, his firm has given generously to support the community’s non-profit institutions, especially the arts organizations. Some of his sponsorships include the Association of Visual Arts’ annual 4 Bridges Arts Festival, the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera’s Masterworks Series, the Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s productions, the Hunter Museum of American Art events, Sculpture Fields at Montague Park, the Chattanooga Ballet’s Nutcracker productions, the Bach Choir, WTCI TV and more than a dozen other organizations that are grateful recipients of his generous philanthropic gifts. Barnett received the Chattanooga Ballet’s first L’Etoile award in 2017 and was named “Chattanooga Philanthropist of the Year” at the Association of Fundraising Professionals National Philanthropy Day luncheon.
In addition to his wide-reaching financial support, Mr. Barnett has given generously of his time and expertise by serving on numerous boards and strategic planning committees. He also attends arts and cultural events regularly and is an inspiring example of leadership in the arts in our community.
One of Barnett’s nominators, Sonia Young, said, “Warren Barnett is the perfect example of what arts leadership is about. He offers his generous support to so many arts organizations, both financially and with his time and presence. Warren Barnett has distinguished himself in this community as an exceptional businessman, philanthropist and passionate supporter and advocate of the arts.”