Dr. Michael L. Woodruff was one of the club’s chief founders and a volunteer who donated much of his time to seeing it grow and develop during its infancy. He was treasurer in 1982 and president in 1984 and the newsletter editor 1982 to 1986.

He was instrumental in helping Johnson City being named “Best Running City in America” by Runner’s World in 1984 as he personally wrote the letter to Runner Magazine suggesting they consider Johnson City and coordinated the visit of their two reporters. He was the Road Runners Club of America National Volunteer Award, November 1990 and helped direct over 60 races for the club.

He is also highly accomplished in the academic world and was presented with the East Tennessee State University Foundation Research Award, August 1990, “Presented upon recognition of his colleagues for distinguished achievement in research”. He is the author of more than 120 professional publications. Woodruff was awarded Professor Emeritus, Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University.