MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University Board of Trustees member and Ole South Properties founder John Floyd has been building community through construction and philanthropy for over 40 years.

His steadfast commitment to helping others was recognized at the 2026 American Red Cross Heart of Tennessee Chapter “Heroes Luncheon” held Thursday, March 12, on campus at MTSU.

“Thank you for this incredible honor. I’m truly humbled to be here today,” Floyd told hundreds gathered for the luncheon in the Student Union Building Ballroom. 

In 1986, Floyd founded Ole South Properties — the largest independently owned homebuilder in Tennessee. Since then, Floyd has donated over $5 million to organizations that support children and families, most recently through the John D. Floyd Charitable Foundation he established in 2023.

Giving is ‘like being Santa Claus’

“When people introduce me, a lot of times they talk about Ole South and the amount of houses and neighborhoods we’ve built throughout Middle Tennessee,” Floyd said. “I’m more proud of (the foundation) than anything we could have done in the homebuilding business. It’s like being Santa Claus. It’s pretty cool. We get to just give out money. A lot of times the people are in dire straits when we do it.  And the bottom line, we change lives.”

Floyd’s philosophy is inspirational: “Doing great deals is great, but giving to organizations that can change people’s lives matters most.”

Each year, the Heart of Tennessee Chapter gives its Heroes Award to an individual in the community who demonstrates extraordinary commitment to the well-being of others and honors those who may not seek attention or recognition.

And Floyd is not one to relish in the attention, said 2025 hero honoree Gloria Bonner, local Red Cross board member and dean emeritus in the MTSU College of Education. 

“John doesn’t like the spotlight, but the spotlight loves John Floyd,” Bonner joked in a video presentation created by Video Story Productions, owned by MTSU alumnus Nick Paranjape. “He is a community advocate, and his awareness about the needs of the community helps to set a standard for so many of us who believe in giving.”

In the video, Heart of Tennessee Chapter Executive Director John Mitchell praised Floyd’s unwavering dedication to supporting the Red Cross and helping people in crisis, including after the 2023 EF2 tornado that hit the Cannon County community of Readyville. Mitchell said Floyd often steps in to assist with disasters, driven by a deep commitment to help others.

“John was very intentional about making sure everybody in that community got back in their home (in Readyville) one way or another,” Mitchell said. “He sees it as his opportunity to give back and say, ‘If somebody in my local community has suffered through something like the tornadoes in Readyville, I’m going to do everything I can, go above and beyond to make sure these people have been stabilized and moving forward.’”

MTSU alumnus grateful for Red Cross training

The event also spotlighted MTSU alumnus and chapter board member Alan Brown, whose testimony serves as a powerful reminder of how Red Cross medical training can make the difference between life and death.

The Murfreesboro businessman had spent years running marathons. But during a recreational baseball game at Old Fort Park, he collapsed after experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.

As his wife called 911 and bystanders rushed to help, two people in the crowd recognized the emergency and immediately began CPR. Their quick action saved Brown’s life.

Today, Brown calls himself “one of the luckiest people in the world.” His message is simple: learn CPR. With more than 300,000 sudden cardiac arrests occurring in the United States each year, bystander action in those first few minutes can mean everything, he said.

To learn more about medical training offered through the Red Cross, or how to get involved in the Heart of Tennessee Chapter, visit bit.ly/4sGzLzj.

— Nancy DeGennaro ([email protected])

Photo gallery from Red Cross Heroes luncheon.