Company Background

Company Background

Darrell Akins founded an East Tennessee-based public strategy practice in 1989 after having serving in state and local government, working in banking and as CEO of the Greater Knoxville Chamber of Commerce.


The company was originally organized in partnership with award-winning Knoxville advertising professional, Charlie Tombras; and then with Nashville-based public relations executive John Crisp.  Now, he is in solo practice as Akins Public Strategies.

APS clients benefit from Darrell’s 30-plus years of experience in providing relationship and reputation management strategy producing beneficial results.  His Relationships-Reputation-Results approach has benefited hundreds of private businesses, non-profits organizations and government contractors throughout the Tennessee Valley Region.


In recent years, APS has worked primarily with clients in the greater Oak Ridge area utilizing Darrell’s decades of experience and relationships in that community.