Yamaoka Scholarships (Est. 1990)

The formation of HC*EXCELL was initiated by a $50,000 gift from Dr. Kojiro Yamaoka, then chairman of the Tuff Torq Corporation at the plant dedication on April 20, 1990. This gift seeded the establishment of HC*EXCELL for the purpose of promoting educational excellence and achievement in Hamblen County.  Interest from the seed money established two (2) annual scholarships for higher education (ideally) for Tuff Torq employees’ high school seniors; one for Morristown-Hamblen High School East, and one for Morristown-Hamblen West. An additional $50,000 was gifted in 1996 to further support the scholarships with the remainder of funds supporting HC*EXCELL’s program of work.

Clearloop Scholarships (Est. 2024)

Clearloop (parent company Silicon Ranch) along with Intuit and REI Co-op gifted a $50,000 Scholarship to Hamblen County at the dedication of the White Pine Solar Farm, White Pine, TN in May 2024. (An identical gift went to Jefferson County.) HC*EXCELL was asked to facilitate the Hamblen County Energizing Prosperity Scholarships which consists of $10,000 each year for 5 years. Each Hamblen County High School receives two (2) Career and Technical Education (CTE) $1,000 scholarships, and one (1) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) $3,000 scholarship per year. Scholarship disbursement began in 2025 and will end in 2029.