Kimberly Kotlar
Owner of the Olde Mill Bed & Breakfast
My love languages are acts of service and quality time. And I'm happy when people are eating!"
- Kimberly Kotlar -
Owner & Frequent Guest
Get to know the industrious proprietor of the Olde Mill Inn Bed & Breakfast – Kimberly Kotlar. Born and raised in Lindenhurst, Illinois, Kimberly is the third of four daughters. She enjoyed a typical Midwest upbringing, spending time with family, riding her bike around the neighborhood, and playing with her friends. Her workhorse attitude was evident early as she worked at the Six Flags Great America theme park while also attending an all-girls Catholic high school. She also found time to play softball, tap out a rhythm on the snare drum in band class, and shake pom poms as a cheerleader.
After high school, she worked full time while attending night classes, eventually earning a bachelor’s in management and master’s in project management. At the young age of 24, Kimberly procured a rather prestigious position in the International Regulatory Affairs Department at Abbott Laboratories, a multinational medical devices and health care company. She would go on to spend 26 years in that industry, establishing a solid reputation for bringing projects to fruition and leading teams.
When she and husband, Serge welcomed daughter Amanda, Kimberly decided she wanted to be a bit more involved in motherhood rather than focusing so much on her career. So, the family moved further up north to Merrill, Wisconsin to be closer to her sister and more family involvement. It’s during that time that she began working fully remote in the pharmaceutical industry and eventually welcomed a son, Ben. After nine years in Merrill, which Kimberly refers to as a “frozen tundra,” it was time for another change…initiated by constant frigid temperatures and an already established desire to retire in Tennessee.
“One year, we never went above freezing for five months straight,” Kimberly said. “That’s when Serge and I looked at each other and said, ‘Let’s do it.’ I worked fully remote, he worked in IT and could get a job anywhere, and our kids were about to go into kindergarten and fifth grade, so it was the perfect time to go.”
The family rented a houseboat on Norris Lake for a summer while visiting prospective schools in Oak Ridge and Knoxville. But when Kimberly stumbled upon the J. Frank White Academy on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, the stars aligned.
“Amanda visited for a half day and came running across the campus quad and said, ‘Mom, this is the school for me,’” Kimberly remembers. “We had no family and no friends here, but we moved here specifically to send our kids to the J. Frank White Academy.”
After getting settled in a new life down south, Kimberly began to dust off an old dream of running a bed and breakfast. She called a realtor and asked if there was any land for sale near LMU to build upon. As luck would have it, the realtor informed her there was already a primed and ready structure for sale in the town of Cumberland Gap. That happened to be the historic Olde Mill Inn Bed & Breakfast.
“We visited it and five days later put in an offer,” she said. “I love the idea of hospitality. It’s part of my career as a project manager. I lead teams, and I take care of people. I think I’m just a giver. My love languages are acts of service and quality time. And I’m happy when people are eating.”
After putting lots of love and care into the property, Kimberly established the Olde Mill Inn as a true fixture in the town of Cumberland Gap, as well as an appealing destination for visitors from all over.
In addition to her ongoing efforts in maintaining her beloved bed and breakfast, Kimberly also found herself falling in love with the town itself and wanting to get involved. The perfect outlet came in the form of the Guardians of the Gap, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization specifically created to preserve, protect, and promote the town of Cumberland Gap.
“It’s a group effort, and I’m honored to be a part of it,” she said. “I feel like the J. Frank White Academy brought us to the area, the Olde Mill Inn Bed & Breakfast brought me to Cumberland Gap, but I think the Guardians of the Gap are why I’m meant to be here. I’m on a mission to do whatever I can to preserve, protect, and promote this incredibly cool town.”
A big part of that mission is being heavily involved with the Guardians and other community stakeholders in securing funds for downtown improvements from the Downtown Improvement Grant Program through the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD).
Between her family, her day job, the inn, and the Guardians, you’d think free time would be hard to come by. But Kimberly’s abounding energy still affords time for biking, a favorite pastime and motivation for her being a key donor of the free bike program in town. She’s also a self-proclaimed foodie, loves regularly visiting the coffee houses and shops in town, and has done her share of hiking. Above all, her favorite extracurricular activity is being involved in the Guardians of the Gap. Currently, there are no plans for slowing down anytime soon for this woman who loves being a part of so many things.
“When am I going to stop working? I don’t know if I ever will. I get my energy from the people and projects and places around me,” Kimberly said. “I keep telling people that as long as I’m having fun, I’m not going anywhere because I genuinely like to work.”