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The Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce is known as the front door to Tullahoma. During the course of the year, Chamber staff answer thousands of questions from visitors and residents, hosts many community events, facilitates networking and represents and encourages the Tullahoma business community.

The Tullahoma Chamber was founded in 1921, making 2026 the 125th year since its founding. Leading the chamber is the President.

Don B. Campbell was the first chamber president in 1921 and Emily Raths is the 125^th and 19^th female president.

Ms. Raths joined the Tullahoma chamber in 2017 and has earned nearly every chamber recognition during the past nine years. Her earned recognitions include Extra Miler of the Year, Ambassador of the Year, 40 under 40 Young Professionals and Women Impacting the Community Service Award-the only person to have earned all four recognitions in the chamber’s history.

Read on to learn more about this hardworking, passionate and giving leader.

Tell us a little about yourself, your background and education.

Growing up I moved every two to four years since my dad was an officer in the military. My family lived in North Dakota, Panama, Illinois, Washington D.C., Oklahoma, Japan and Texas. 

I have worked in the fitness industry for 19 years. During that time, I graduated from Angelo State University, TX with a B.S. in Kinesiology/Exercise Science. I have continued my education earning other specializations such as National Academy Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Senior Fitness Specialist, Golf Fitness Specialist, TRX Certified Instructor, R.I.P.P.E.D Certified Instructor, Pain Free Performance Specialist and more.

I now work at F.I.T Beyond Therapy in Tullahoma, where I have been for 5 years. Through F.I.T Beyond Therapy, I serve on the Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce as 2026 President and am also a member of the Highland Rim Kiwanis Club.

Tullahoma offers many ways to get involved in the community. Why did you choose the chamber to get involved?

As someone who is passionate about my work, being a part of the Tullahoma Chamber is a win-win! You can help grow your business and volunteer for your community at the same time! The Chamber offers many opportunities to network with other business professionals, help you market your business and work side-by-side with other businesses to drive economic growth in Tullahoma, helping everyone’s business grow and thrive.

Tell us about your leadership style.

My leadership style is service minded. I believe strong leaders are humble, kind, accountable, and mission focused. They encourage open and honest communication, know their team, are not afraid to ask for help, admit when they are wrong, and have a strong faith in God. I rely on God to guide and direct me; He is my strength and through Him I strive to be the above leader I described.

Leaders can make things happen. What plans do you have for the Chamber in 2026?

Our team is soliciting feedback from the current chamber members and the community to find out what we can do in 2026 to better serve our community. We will also increase membership engagement and work to bridge the gap between the chamber and the community.

How long have you been involved with the chamber? How have you progressed through the ranks at the chamber?

I became a chamber member in 2017, Chamber Ambassador in 2019, elected to the Board of Directors in 2021, Elected to the Executive Board in 2023.

A saying is: you get out of something what you put into it. What have you gotten out of your work with the chamber?

I feel more confident in social situations, have improved public speaking, formed many friendships, contacts and partnerships through chamber networking. I stay up to date with what is happening in our city and know where to go and who to ask for information.

People seek me out to ask fitness related questions and everywhere I go I am a walking billboard for F.I.T Beyond Therapy.

At the annual chamber membership banquet the incoming president offers remarks. Give us a sneak peek what you will share with the group.

One of our goals in 2026 is to bridge the gap between chamber members and those that are not involved in the chamber. We want to know, how can the chamber better serve our community in 2026? All feedback is encouraged.

Give us some insight about Emily Raths … what are you involved in outside work and the chamber?

In the spirit of open and honest communication, I am single and have never been married or had kids. I still believe that is possible if it is God’s will but I am happy and my life is full without a husband and kids. Since I am single, I think it is my duty to volunteer and serve my community more than others since many women are not able to as they raise their kids.

I am very close with my nieces and nephew. Every weekend they come to my house and spend the night. We have been doing weekend sleepovers since they were 3 and 4 and they are now 14 and 15 and have a 5-year-old sister.  Abi, Cole, and Lilly are a very big part of my life. We do crafts together, exercise, Legos, nerf guns, build forts in the living room, and so much more

My bible study group is very special to me. We started as a group of about five women, led by Kelleye Watts and have grown to well over 30. It’s not about the size of our group but the fact that we have some of the most open and honest communication as we study God’s Word. We are all different faiths and religions, open to non-believers and we have women ranging from their 20’s to 70’s.

I am a member of the Highland Rim Kiwanis Club. I love to exercise regularly!

I stay tuned in to local politics by watching the BOMA meetings. One of my favorite past times is playing guitar and singing (not a good singer but I enjoy it).

Was there any one event, activity or person that triggered your interest in the chamber?

The first chamber event I ever attended was Women Impacting the Community. I left that event SO inspired by the amazing women in our community that I knew I needed to give back to the community and volunteer more. 

Tell us about your work?

I love my job! I have worked at F.I.T Beyond Therapy in Tullahoma for five years. F.I.T Beyond Therapy and F.I.T Beyond Plus are both founded and owned by Philip Hill.  Phil opened F.I.T Beyond Therapy in 2019 because he saw a need for training that would bridge the gap between Physical Therapy, Sports Performance, and your typical gym training. This style of training is unlike anything I have done in my fitness career.

Phil developed a system called the three pillars of core. The three pillars of core is the foundation we use in our training. With this system, nearly ALL clients achieve quick and consistent results. I have worked at many gyms and health clubs throughout my career and have never seen such a high success rate among all clients. With Phil’s three pillars of core system, our team of trainers can help a variety of clients with a broad range of needs and goals.

Helping our clients is just one of the reasons I love my job. Another reason is our environment. Phil has created a positive work environment that is centered around teamwork. We all work together with our clients to make sure each client receives what they need.  Our gym is about what we can do for each person that walks in the door. Phil identifies their need, then schedules them with the trainer who best fits that need.

F.I.T Beyond Therapy is not just a gym, it’s not just a place for one-on-one training and fitness classes. It is the first of its kind here in Tullahoma; an all-encompassing solution to what people in different walks of life need, from 5 to 95. When our clients work with us, they are not just clients, they become part of the FIT Family!

I am so thankful to work for Philip, with my coworkers, in a positive environment and to serve the chamber on behalf of F.I.T Beyond Therapy.

Why did you choose to work in fitness?

I played sports my entire life. I love being active and have a hard time sitting still. The human body has always fascinated me. It is amazing how it can adapt and change based on how we stress it. We’ve all heard the saying, “if you don’t use it, you lose it”. That is true of your muscle. and I think sometimes when people think of muscle, they make the mistake of simply thinking of a body builder. they think of what they see. But think about it this way. Most people have jobs that are sedentary-sitting at a desk for 8 plus hours most days of the week. If you do not exercise to combat all of that sitting, many people end up with pain. Low back pain, neck pain, knee pain, etc. I love helping people avoid that pain through functional training and proper exercise techniques. Not every person needs the same kind of training. I love taking all the person’s individual factors and designing the program that best fits them. Then seeing the results. I have the best job in the world!

How would you define yourself in five words?

Optimistic, trustworthy, encouraging, determined, service-minded

How do you handle pressure?

I don’t do anything on my own. All my strength comes from God. Knowing this I pray for wisdom and peace. I stay calm, focus on what is top priority, break down what is in my control and what is not in my control, so that I do not waste time stressing over things I cannot change. I typically focus better under pressure.

What keeps you energized?

I prioritize my basic needs, staying consistent with daily prayer, sleep (I could do better with this one), water, healthy food, exercise, sunlight, and doing something that fills my joy bucket, even if it is just playing guitar for 15 mins or calling a friend or family member to chat. I make sure to regularly take my supplements, especially protein, vitamin D, creatine and omega 3’s.

What do you consider your biggest business talent?

Connecting with people/clients where they are in that moment. Fitness training is as much of a mental battle as it is physical. What is going on in your head space matters. I make sure my clients know that I care and that they can trust me. I have a healthy sense of emotional awareness as well as notice behavior patterns in people that help me better understand them. We start with a fitness program, a plan, but that plan will often change based on what they have going on in their life or how they feel that day. Helping people be more consistent over time and eliminate the barriers that keep them from regular exercise is going to benefit their overall health.

 What is a typical day like for you?

Every day is different in my profession. It is a blessing as well as a challenge. My Mondays start with 8:00 F.I.T HIIT class, 9:00 client, 10:00 Parkinsons Boxing Class, 11:15 Client, 12:00 TRX class, break for a two-hour lunch where I either workout or do bible study homework. 3:00-7:00 clients. In the evenings I either workout (only if I did not workout at lunch or before work) or I complete one task on my to-do list, or more if necessary, then start getting ready for the next day. If I have enough time, I play some guitar before bed.

Describe your perfect day off?

I wake up early, start my day with bible study homework and prayer. Play guitar, exercise, go on a hike, spend time with my nieces and nephew, and complete at least one task that I have not had time to finish. If I still had time I would learn something new, perhaps listen to a podcast or do a craft like wood burning.

How do you maintain work/life balance?

I am very intentional about how I manage my time. I maintain discipline when at work to keep my focus and not be distracted by things in my personal life. I prioritize non-work-related tasks and rest when not at work so that I can focus and be present at work. 

 The annual Tullahoma Area Membership Banquet was Friday. At the banquet Ms. Raths offered her vision for 2026 for the chamber.

Lane Curlee can be reached at lcurlee@lighttube.net or 581-0360.