Tennessee by Beers and Associates

Currently Frist serves as an adjunct professor of Cardiac Surgery at Vanderbilt University and clinical professor of Surgery at Meharry Medical College, and chairman of both the Hope Through Healing Hands foundation which focuses on maternal and child health and SCORE, a collaborative K12 education reform organization that has helped propel Tennessee to prominence as a reform state. His current board service includes the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kaiser Family Foundation, Bipartisan Policy Center, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Harvard Medical School Board of Fellows, First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Partnership for a Healthier America” campaign to fight childhood obesity, and the Nashville Health Care Council.

He’s created advertising campaigns for national corporations like Captain D’s, International Paper, Dollar General, Cracker Barrel, and AT&T and has contributed to such publications as Readers Digest, George, and Maxim. He became a nationally recognized political media consultant in 1994 when his work helped a longshot candidate beat an 18-year incumbent. In 2002 he was awarded the prestigious Gold Pollie award for Overall Television Campaigns for his work on a highly publicized Senate race.

FRIST • GREGORY

LELAND GREGORY is the twotime New York Times bestselling author of Stupid American History and America’s Dumbest Criminals and is a former writer for Saturday Night Live. Leland has authored more than thirty books, many of them national best sellers, including Stupid History, The Stupid Crook Book and What’s The Number for 911? He has written and sold a screenplay to Disney and optioned another screenplay to Touchstone. He was a co-creator of the nationally syndicated TV series, America’s Dumbest Criminals. Leland is currently Executive Producer for the PBS series, Parsons Table and served as Executive Producer for the PBS show, The Whole Truth.

TENNESSEE T E N N E S S E E • TITAN OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

WILLIAM H. FRIST, M.D is a nationally acclaimed heart and lung transplant surgeon, former U. S. Senate Majority Leader, and chairman of the Executive Board of the health service private equity firm Cressey & Company. Dr. Frist represented Tennessee in the U.S. Senate for 12 years where he served on both the Health and Finance committees responsible for writing health legislation. He was elected Majority Leader of the Senate, having served fewer total years in Congress than any person chosen to lead that body in history. His leadership was instrumental in passage of the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act to provide prescription drugs at lower costs to seniors and the historic legislation (PEPFAR) that reversed the spread of HIV/AIDS worldwide.

TITAN OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

Foreword by Bill Frist | Written by Leland Gregory

TENNESSEE TITAN OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

“I’ve lived in Boston, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., and as a global health advocate I’ve seen some far flung corners of the globe. But there is a reason that I’ve always returned to Tennessee – that I call Nashville home. There’s a small-town feel here that can’t be found in other cities. There is a balance here of opportunity, hope, determination, and hard work that I’ve not found anywhere else. There is a passion for life here – for music, for caring, for innovation, for excellence. It’s a passion that’s contagious. Come join us for a while. I bet you will stay forever.” — William H. Frist, M.D. Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader

FOREWORD BY

SENATOR BILL FRIST

WRITTEN BY LELAND GREGORY

“America is called “the Land of Opportunity” and the same can easily be said about the great state of Tennessee. Known for its varying landscapes – from the awe-inspiring mountains of East Tennessee, to the lush rolling hills of Middle Tennessee, to the alluvial plains of West Tennessee – our state is among the most visually spectacular areas in the world. That’s why the word “see” is in our name; you have to see it to appreciate it. But there’s more to see in Tennessee than just its inherent beauty; it is also rich in history, tradition, culture, personalities, industry, and commerce. The opportunities available here, both business and pleasure, are as fertile as the Tennessee Valley. Tennessee has been blessed with a steady increase in population, jobs, and new industries to our state. We continue to nurture the businesses (both large and small) that have been our neighbors for dozens, even hundreds of years, while still welcoming new business associates. Tennessee is destined to continue growing its legacy of business opportunities. It’s clear the global business community and the world are beginning to “see” what’s great about Tennessee.” — Excerpt from Chapter One: “Our Beauty is More Than Skin Deep”

TENNESSEE TITAN OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

WRITTEN BY

LELAND GREGORY | FOREWORD BY SENATOR BILL FRIST

Photo courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services

This book was produced in cooperation with the

Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the

Tennessee Manufacturers Association.

TENNESSEE TITAN OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

FOREWORD BY

SENATOR BILL FRIST

WRITTEN BY LELAND GREGORY

TENNESSEE TITAN OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY Foreword by Senator Bill Frist Written by Leland Gregory

Featuring the photography of Paul Hassell, Bill Carrier, Peter Montanti, Tom Raymond, Pat Riley and Kelly Verdeck Produced in cooperation with the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry by Beers & Associates, LLC

Ronald P. Beers, Publisher, President Terry Chambliss Beers, Vice President Associate Publishers: Paula Haider and Darren Segura Executive Editor: Lenita Gilreath Managing Editor: Rachel B. Fisher Designer: Scott Fuller Photo Editor: Rachel B. Fisher Printing & Production: Walsworth Printing Cover photo images (from top to bottom) by: Paul Hassell, Chad Palmer and Rick Grainger

Beers & Associates, LLC 8650 Minnie Brown Road Suite 120 Montgomery, Alabama 36117 beersandassociates.net ÂŠ 2014 Beers & Associates, LLC All Rights Reserved Published 2014 First Edition ISBN: 978-0-9913534-2-2 Library of Congress Control Number: 2014949590 Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information herein. However, the authors and Beers & Associates are not responsible for any errors or omissions which might have occurred. Printed in the USA 4

Photo by Paul Hassell

TABL E OF CON TE NTS Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Tennessee Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 The Three Grand Divisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Chapter 1 Tennessee: Our Beauty is More Than Skin Deep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Chapter 2 Tennessee Sets the Music Standard . . . . . 92 Chapter 3 Southern Hospitality and Tourism the Volunteer Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Chapter 4 Tennessee Education Evolves to Meet 21st Century Demands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Chapter 5 From East to West: Tennessee Health Sciences Lead by Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Chapter 6 Made in Tennessee: Manufacturing . . . . 162 Chapter 7 Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Automotive Industry: Winning the Race to the Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Chapter 8 Tennessee is IT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Chapter 9 Logistics and Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Chapter 10 Tennessee Agribusiness and Natural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Chapter 11 Business at Your Service . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 Chapter 12 Entrepreneurs: The Foundation of our Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Corporate Sponsor Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301 Photographer Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304

Photo by Paul Hassell

C O RP O RAT I ON S & ORG ANI Z ATI ONS PROF I L E D The following organizations have made a valuable commitment to the quality of this publication. The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and the Tennessee Manufacturers Association gratefully acknowledges their participation in Tennesse: Titan of Commerce & Industry. Aegis Sciences Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158-159 Aladdin Temp-Rite® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Alcoa Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 API Photographers, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 ATC Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182-183 Bass, Berry & Sims PLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Bridgestone Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210-211 Brother International Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . 184-185 Butler Snow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation . . . . . . 280 Chattanooga Marriott Downtown Hotel . . . . . . . 120 Constellation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242-243 DET Distributing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Eastman Chemical Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Embassy Suites Nashville Airport . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Emerson Process Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 FedEx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240-241 Fisk University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 General Motors’ Spring Hill Manufacturing . . . . . 214 General Shale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Gibson County Utility District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Hilton Knoxville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122-123 Industrial Machine & Tool Company . . . . . . . . . 186 International Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176-179 JTEKT North America Corporation . . . . . . . . . . 215 Jackson Lewis P.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 Johnson City Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . 282 Kingsport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Logan’s Roadhouse Restaurants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Marvin Windows and Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 MedSolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160-161 McKee Foods Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180-181 Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority . . . . . . 245 Snap-on Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Tennessee Bible College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry . . . 272-275 Tennessee Valley Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238-239 Tennsco Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 University of Tennessee System, The . . . . . . . . . . . 140-143 U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Valero Energy Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Walker Die Casting, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212-213 Wingate by Wyndham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 WorkNow! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 8

Photo by Paul Hassell

Business Visionaries

Photo by Charles Seifried

FFO REWO RD W

hat makes Tennessee so special? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a question that would run through my mind often as I sat at my desk on the floor of the United States Senate chamber, amidst the desks of 98 others representing the other 49 states. What is so unique about the land and the lives and experiences of the almost seven-million individuals I represented as their Senator? I needed to know because it was their lives, their values, and their experiences and dreams that I was there to reflect. My thoughts reflexively would jump to sitting on a high mountainous ledge of rough rocks with my three boys and newly-met friends on a cool summer night, mesmerized by the setting sun cutting through a gorgeous smoky layer hovering over the magical landscape below. That annual trek

Bill Frist Photo courtesy of the Office of Sen. William H. Frist, M.D. left: The Great Smoky Mountains Photo by Paul Hassell

up Alum Cave Trail to Mount Le Conte in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in America, led to moments like these which made the answer self-evident. Tennessee intertwines nature’s beauty from the Appalachian Mountains across 500 miles of rolling hills to the flat Mississippi River Delta, with a creative, hardworking people of pioneering spirit, genuine character, an appreciation for tradition, and dreams for the future. Just an afternoon’s drive from a world-class research institution or a global publishing house or a logistics super hub, Tennessee offers the best of nature’s bounty. The state is home to 12 national parks visited by nearly 8.5 million visitors each year, and 54 state parks offering hiking, picnicking, fishing, golfing, boating, biking, and camping. We boast 13 National Natural Landmarks, 30 National Historic Landmarks, and more than 2,000 national Register of Historic Places listings.

above: Fly fishing in the Little River of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo by Geir Olav Lyngfjell

opposite page: Memphis, Tennessee Photo by Henryk Sadura

With four perfect seasons, Tennessee’s great outdoors renews itself every few months for a parade of nature’s best. It’s almost an embarrassment of riches. When I was growing up, my family lived on five acres that seemed like the countryside, complete with a barn, horses, turkeys, rabbits, and even a resident alligator. Sixty years later, I still live on the same five acres, but Nashville has spread 20 miles further than it did back then. But even our five acres was sometimes too crowded for my family. Dad, an oldstyle family doctor who along with my brother built one of our nation’s legendary health care companies, made sure the whole family got away from town each year to play and recharge. Our retreat of choice was Cabin 10 in Cumberland Mountain State Park on the Cumberland Plateau. I remember riding in the back of our old family station wagon with my beagle Pogo by my side. My parents would leave the tailgate down – something we would never do today – and I’d watch Nashville disappear as we headed to a weekend of barefoot fishing and exploring.

opposit page: Tennessee boasts 13 National Natural Landmarks, 30 National Historic Landmarks, and more than 2,000 national Register of Historic Places listings. Photo by Kelly Verdeck below: With four perfect seasons, Tennessee’s great outdoors renews itself every few months for a parade of nature’s best. Photo by Paul Hassell

The Bristol Sessions is what many attribute to the birth of country music. Pictured here is Jimmie Rodgers. Photo courtesy of The Birthplace of Country Music left: Brad Paisley at the Grande Ole Opry in Nashville. Photo by Chris Hollow © Grand Ole Opry, LLC

Dad impressed on us more than just a love for Tennessee’s natural offerings. He lived and breathed the mantra: “Good people beget good people.” And much of Tennessee’s greatness is born of a long history of curious, independent-minded people with enduring values who set up roots here. The early settlers came to Tennessee because of the land, the beauty, and the location, and they attracted like-minded people over subsequent generations. When these folks got together, they told stories. And from this tradition of storytelling grew the late 1920s recordings in East Tennessee of “The Bristol Sessions,” to which many attribute the birth of country music; legacy 19

country traditions still playing nightly at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville; and the rockabilly of the 1950s in Memphis, created from a combination of country, blues, jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll. Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis. Tennessee also claims Tennessee Ernie Ford, the Carter family, the Oak Ridge Boys, Tina Turner, Roy Orbison, and Sleepy John Estes. Music remains the heart and soul of Tennessee. Nashville is now known as “Music City USA,” but it isn’t just a performer’s city or a music business city. It’s an artist’s city. Tennessee’s rich storytelling tradition provides a narrative that continues to be expressed in the cafes and writing rooms all around the state. My favorite is The Bluebird Café, once underappreciated but now legendary, located in a strip mall in my neighborhood. As often as I can, I sit in on a songwriter’s round. Hallowed ground for country music long before its appearance on a soundstage, The Bluebird is intimacy defined. Surrounded by just 20 tables or so, a songwriter whose name you may not 20

immediately recognize begins strumming the opening chords of a song he wrote. Suddenly the small audience is singing along to a multi-platinum hit and an old favorite. Music often communicates values, and Tennesseans have always cherished theirs. From these values – reinforced around the dinner table and centered on family and community – sprang hundreds of churches and places of worship and a vast religious publishing industry that leads the country in producing church literature of all types. To be a good neighbor has always meant a respect for others, and today that is carried forth in strong neighborhoods and unique partnerships of government with private industry that have become models for the country. One of those private industry models is based in Memphis – a national and, indeed, a global transportation hub. Its transportation heritage began with being a river port, which defined the city’s culture and provided the city’s initial

opposite page: The Bluebird Café Photo by Michael Jones

below: Memphis, Tennessee is the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock-n-Roll. Photo by Pat Riley

following page: FedEx is one of the largest shipping companies in the world, and thanks to its success, Memphis is home to the nation’s busiest cargo airport. Photo courtesy of FedEx

Nashville War Memorial Auditorium and Tennessee State Capitol. Photo by Sean Pavone

prosperity. When Fred Smith looked for the ideal location to place FedEx, he chose Memphis. As he explains it, if you want to connect all 48 contiguous states, and you are limited by the speed of a jet plane and the circadian rhythms of the nation’s economy (the times business are open and closed for business), you choose Tennessee. Today, FedEx is one of the largest shipping companies in the world, and thanks to its success, Memphis is home to the nation’s busiest cargo airport. Other international corporations have found Tennessee to be the perfect central location as well. The state is home to nine Fortune 500 companies including Dollar General, Eastman Chemical, AutoZone, and International Paper.

Tennessee’s identity as a major transportation hub is further reinforced by well-maintained roads and eight interstate highways, connecting north-south and east-west. Indeed Tennessee is centrally located to almost all of the major population densities in the country; almost half of all Americans live within a 650-mile radius – just a day’s drive. With this sort of connection to the populace, it’s no wonder Tennessee has produced three presidents of the United States (Andrew Jackson, the 7th president; James K. Polk, 11th; and Andrew Johnson, 17th), a vice president and two leaders of the U.S. Senate. Tennesseans have always loved their politics, but it’s a different style of politics, one that has a broad appeal especially in this

following page: Tennessee’s identity as a major transportation hub is further reinforced by well-maintained roads and eight interstate highways, connecting north-south and eastwest. Photo by Paul Hassell

above: Photo courtesy of the Office of Sen. William H. Frist, M.D.

opposite page: Interior of the Tennessee State Capitol. Photo by Kelly Verdeck

day and time. The Volunteer Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s politics have been consistently built on common sense values and a centeredness that reflects hard work and self-reliance more so than party affiliation. Today this translates to politics and government that fundamentally respect the views of others and is committed to bringing out the best in individuals. Its goal is to make life more fulfilling for others by fostering a culture that is pro-growth, proopportunity, and pro-business, while providing a strong safety net for those most vulnerable. But this consensus doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t reflect a lack of variety. The three grand divisions of Tennessee equally divide the states into thirds, and each has its own characteristics while together creating a narrative of beauty and harmony. Tennessee is a land full of dreams, a wonderful quality of life, abundant and diverse nature, magically varying topography, and a creative and optimistic people always looking to the future. And Tennessee has character. It is a character of trust, of caring for our neighbors and community. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s authentic. And it is grounded in a rich heritage that is continually molded and energized by creative people attracted to fulfilling their own dreams.

HCA founders (left to right) Dr. Thomas Frist Sr., Jack Massey, and Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr. Photo courtesy of the Office of Sen. William H. Frist, M.D.

I am biased, of course, because I grew up in Middle Tennessee and live today in the same home I was born in over six decades ago. But these biases are not just my own. They are the feelings shared with me by thousands of patients in my medical practice as a physician, and then by my constituents from every one of the 95 counties with whom I interacted on biannual visits in my role as their elected representative in Washington as their Senator. Tennessee is the health service capital for the country, with Nashville frequently referred to as the Silicon Valley of the health service industry. Over the past 50 years Middle Tennessee has grown into a powerful economic cluster of health services companies with headquarters for thousands of health facilities spread all over the country â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, nursing homes, and mental health facilities.

It seems like yesterday when I was 14 years old and I quietly listened at the dining room table to my older brother and dad, both doctors committed to caring for patients, dreaming about starting a national company to provide a higher quality of care to millions of people across America, and maybe across the world. From that conversation, built on a foundation of caring for others and Dad’s “good people beget good people,” grew the first and largest hospital chain in the world. Like the FedEx story, the creation of Hospital Corporation of America illustrates the pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit which launched whole new industries in a state that provided the private capital and the regulatory environment that nurtures growth. Tennessee is a great place to do business today. It has low business taxes and no income tax on wages. It has the second-lowest state and local taxes paid per capita. Tennessee is consistently recognized as one of the top three best run states in the country: it has the lowest state debt per capita – a measure of its strong fiscal management.

Tennessee has become a health care mecca and resource for the nation. Photo courtesy of HCA Healthcare

Caring for others, prevention of disease, encouraging healthier and more productive lives – these goals, values, and creative attitudes have been engrained in and continue to grow on in the over 300 health care companies created since that time, including three among the Fortune 500: HCA, Community Health, and Vanguard Health. Tennessee has become a health care mecca and a resource for the nation, through the 17 public health care companies and over $70 billion in revenue which flow through Nashville each year, through the world-leading pediatric cancer research coming out of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, or the nationally ranked medical schools centered in each of the three grand divisions of the state. Tennesseans also pride themselves on their hospitality, a close cousin to caring. People come from all over the world to capture the sights, sounds, and smells of Tennessee that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. “Isn’t that where my favorite Jack Daniel’s is made?” new acquaintances in countries around the world

The Vanderbilt medical complex in Nashville, is a leader in patient care, medical education, nursing education, and research. Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt University Medical Center

opposite page: St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. Photo courtesy of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

would ask when I was introduced as the Senator from Tennessee. That’s unsurprising since the sour-mash whiskey is the highest-selling American whiskey in the world. Indeed Tennessee’s other iconic brands leverage the state’s reputation for quality and craftsmanship to sell their products around the world: Gibson Guitars, Nissan, and Volkswagen. Nashville is home to the world-class Music City Center, welcoming visitors from around the world to exchange ideas. And of course Tennessee plays host to a legendary food scene, with new, independent restaurants opening alongside the wellloved favorites like Loveless Cafe (oh the biscuits!) and the best hot chicken shacks around. I remember getting a call from the White House with an invitation to join President George W. Bush who was hosting the Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro

Nashville is home to the world-class Music City Center, welcoming visitors from around the world to exchange ideas. Photo courtesy of Music City Center

opposite page: Jack Daniels is the highest-selling American whiskey in the world. Photo courtesy of Jack Daniels Distillery

Tennessee plays host to a legendary food scene, with new, independent restaurants opening alongside the well-loved favorites like Loveless Café in Nashville and Rendezvous in Memphis. Photo courtesy of the Loveless Café

opposite page: Photo by Pat Riley

Koizumi. The Prime Minister made a specific request to come to Memphis to visit Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley (and third most visited home in America). The next thing I knew the three of us are on Air Force One, the Prime Minister talking a bit about free trade, but a whole lot more about his extensive knowledge about the life and songs of Elvis. Following a memorable tour of the Jungle Room and the King’s pink Cadillac, we naturally went over to sample the famed dry ribs at third-generation, familyowned Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous restaurant. The ribs were great, but the Prime Minister’s highlight may have been his time on stage. With a gentle prompt from the President, Mr. Koizumi readily took the stage with a house band and belted out two perfect Elvis tributes: Love Me Tender and I Want You, I Need You, I Love You: his very own love song to Elvis Presley and his Tennessee home.

Memphians today continue the barbecue tradition with standouts such as Payne’s Bar-B-Que, Cozy Corner, A&R Bar-B-Que, Central BBQ, and many more. One of the benefits of representing Memphis in the Senate was my role as a “celebrity judge” at the Memphis in May festival which annually brings cooks from around the country to compete for prizes in everything from best hot wings to best whole hog at the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Across the street from my office today is Centennial Park, Nashville’s premiere urban park and a constant reminder of our state’s commitment to education, the Parthenon. As early as the 1850s, Nashville had earned the nickname of “Athens of the South” by having established a large number of higher education institutions. To honor the connection, the Parthenon was constructed as part of the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition as an exact replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. It has come to symbolize the emphasis on education. My immediate family has attended Belmont, Lipscomb, University of Tennessee, and Vanderbilt – just a few of the 40 post-secondary institutions across Tennessee.

The Parthenon was constructed as part of the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition as an exact replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. Photo by Ken Stigler

opposite page: Tennessee is known for its wealth of institutions of higher education. Photo courtesy of Belmont University

Meharry Medical College is the first medical school in the South for African Americans and one of the oldest and largest historically black institutions in the country dedicated to educating health care professionals and scientists. Photo courtesy of Meharry Medical College

opposite page: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the largest science and energy lab in the country, is home to the nation’s largest supercomputer. Photo courtesy of ORNL

I performed all of my heart and lung transplants while a professor at Vanderbilt Medical School, one of five medical schools in the state, and am currently on the faculty at Meharry Medical College, the first medical school in the South for African Americans and one of the oldest and largest historically black institutions in the country dedicated to educating health care professionals and scientists. Our education and research environment is rich with innovation and expertise. Approximately $3 billion is invested annually in research and development across the state, attracting some of the world’s best researchers, scientists, and engineers. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the largest science and energy lab in the country and home to the nation’s largest supercomputer (and second largest in the world), is nestled in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. And of course The University of Tennessee’s home location is Knoxville. Nashville was the first city in the South to establish a public school system. Today the statewide commitment to public education continues as Tennessee in 2014 is recognized as the country’s fastest improving K-12 education system, as measured by student performance-based NAEP scores in math and science for the fourth

A statewide commitment to public education continues as Tennessee in 2014 is recognized as the country’s fastest improving K-12 education system. Photo courtesy of SCORE

and eighth grades. This national recognition is attributed to an aggressive modern statewide commitment to education by our recent governors and state legislature and by truly innovative and novel nongovernmental partnerships such as SCORE, the State Collaborative on Reform of Education. Tennesseans understands that every child deserves to be prepared for college or a job. Tennesseans love their sports. Growing up in Nashville my brothers and I had Sulphur Dell ballpark, where the minor league team the Nashville Vols played for more than 60 years, and the right fielders were known as “mountain goats” for playing halfway up the famous steeply inclined outfield. And there was Fairground Speedway Nashville, which is now the second-oldest continually operating racetrack in the country, and where we

saw some of the earliest stock car drivers such as Bobby and Donnie Allison fine tune their skills. Those are magical memories for me, but today Tennesseans take in the very best professional sports including basketball with the Grizzlies in Memphis, football with the Tennessee Titans, and hockey with the Nashville Predators. And you will never find more fan-friendly sports participants than the NASCAR drivers who openly love their fans, at the Bristol Motor Speedway – one of the fastest short tracks in the world. The auto business in Tennessee isn’t just about racing though. Nissan’s Smyrna facility is one of the largest auto assembly plants in the country; Volkswagen has worked closely with Chattanooga State Community College to develop mechatronics

below: The Tennessee Titans Photo courtesy of Tennessee Titans / Don Jones

following page: Bristol Motor Speedway Photo by Tom Raymond

degree programs; and General Motors manufactures various GM vehicles at its Spring Hill plant. I’ve lived in Boston, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., and as a global health advocate I’ve seen some far flung corners of the globe. But there is a reason that I’ve always returned to Tennessee – that I call Nashville home. There’s a small-town feel here that can’t be found in other cities. There is a balance here of opportunity, hope, determination, and hard work that I’ve not found anywhere else. There is a passion for life here – for music, for caring, for innovation, for excellence. It’s a passion that’s contagious. Come join us for a while. I bet you will stay forever.

Market Square in Knoxville Photo by Paul Hassell

opposite page: Volkswagen has worked closely with Chattanooga State Community College to develop mechatronics degree programs. Photo courtesy of Volkswagen

— William H. Frist, M.D. Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader 47

1754

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

Brian Stansbury Wikipedia Commons

1757

1540 Discovery of the Mississippi by De Soto by William Henry Powell

Backgroung Map: The Tennessee HandBook and Immigrants Guide by Hermann Bokum - British Library 1868

1540 – Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto is credited with being the first white man known to come to the area that is now Tennessee. He claims the land in the area for Spain. 1566 – Spaniards built a fort near present-day Chattanooga. 1673 – Two Englishmen, James Needham and Gabriel Arthur, explore the Tennessee River Valley. 1682 – Shawnee Indians are driven out by Cherokees; René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claims Mississippi Valley territory for France and builds Fort Prud’homme in the area that would become Memphis. 1714 – Fur trader Charles Charleville sets up a French trading post at French Lick, near the present site of Nashville. 48

1730 – Sir Alexander Cumming, an emissary of King George II, confers the title of “Emperor of the Cherokee” on Chief Moytoy of Tellico. 1750 – Dr. Thomas Walker leads a group of Virginians into Tennessee, reaches the Cumberland River and mountains and names them for Duke of Cumberland. 1754 – The French and Indian War breaks out between British and French settlers. 1757 – South Carolinians build Fort Loudon on Little Tennessee River. 1760 – Cherokee Indians capture Fort Loudon and kill the garrison and nearby settlers.

1763 – After nine bloody years of war, the British are victorious. In the Treaty of Paris, the French surrender all claims to lands east of the Mississippi to the British. 1768 – Iroquois Indians cede Tennessee land claims to the English. 1769 – William Bean, an associate of Daniel Boone, becomes the first permanent white settler. He builds a cabin on the Watauga River in Northeast Tennessee (near what is today Johnson City, Tennessee). 1772 – A group of settlers form the first government in Tennessee called the Watauga Association. They draw up one of the first written constitutions in North America.

1775

1780

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

Samuel G Heiskell, Andrew Jackson and Early Tennessee History (Nashville, Tenn.: Ambrose Printing Co., 1921 by Lloyd Branson)

Photo courtesy Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

1789

1775 – The Transylvania Company purchases a large parcel of land from the Cherokees. Daniel Boone, working for the company, blazes a trail from Virginia across the mountain at Cumberland Gap to open the land to settlement. The trail is called the Wilderness Road and becomes the main route to the new settlements. 1779 – Jonesborough is the first chartered town. James Robertson and John Donelson lead two groups who settle around the Big Salt Lick on the Cumberland River. They build Fort Nashborough and draw up an agreement called the Cumberland Compact that establishes representative government and creates a court system. Fort Nashborough is the forerunner to the settlement that would become the city of Nashville, Tennessee.

1780 – Samuel Doak, a Presbyterian minister, starts the first school in Tennessee. 1780 – John Sevier and the “Over-mountain men” march over the Great Smokey Mountains to defeat the British at the Battle of King’s Mountain. Scots-Irish covenanters settle in the Tennessee Valley, naming their town Greeneville for Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. 1784 – Three counties in East Tennessee form the State of Franklin, which secedes from North Carolina for four years. Greeneville is the capital, and John Sevier is their governor. 1786 – Davy Crockett, “King of the Wild Frontier,” is born in Greene County, Tennessee.

1789 – North Carolina surrenders the Tennessee region to the United States Congress in cession. It is made into a new territory, The Territory of the United States South of the River Ohio. William Blount is its first and only governor. 1791 – The Knoxville Gazette, Tennessee’s first newspaper, is established by George Roulstone. 1794 – America’s first non-denominational institution of higher learning, Blount College, later becoming the University of Tennessee, is founded in Knoxville. 1796 – Andrew Jackson helps draw up Tennessee’s constitution on February 6. 1796 – Tennessee becomes the 16th state in the United States of American on June 1. John Sevier is elected the first governor. The total population of Tennessee is 77,000.

Photo courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

1829

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

1813

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

1843

1827 1807 – While the state legislature discusses a treaty with the Cherokee Indians, Kingston becomes the capital of Tennessee for one day, September 21.

1813 – The state’s first public library opens in Nashville.

1809 – Famed explorer Meriwether Lewis dies a mysterious death from gunshot wounds at Grinder’s Stand, a small inn on the Natchez Trace. It is still questioned whether his death was suicide or murder.

1817 – Greeneville is incorporated under the laws of Tennessee.

1826 – Frances “Fanny” Wright establishes Nashoba Commune near Memphis, a colony to educate free blacks and relocate them to Haiti.

1818 – The Chickasaw cede their land, encompassing nearly all of West Tennessee, to the federal government, extending Tennessee’s western boundary to the Mississippi River.

1827 – Davy Crockett is elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee’s 9th District. 1829 – Andrew Jackson is elected president of the United States.

1820 – Future president James K. Polk begins his law practice in Columbia.

1831 – Tailor Andrew Johnson buys a shop in Greeneville.

1821 – Nathan Bedford Forrest is born near Chapel Hill on July 13.

1834 – The state constitution is amended. Free blacks can no longer vote.

1824 – Future president Andrew Johnson, at only 16, runs away from his employer and ends up in Tennessee as a wanted man. Andrew Jackson runs for president unsuccessfully.

1836 – Davy Crockett dies at the Battle of the Alamo.

1812 – The worst earthquake in United States’ history occurs in Northwestern Tennessee. The Mississippi flows backward and creates the 13,000-acre Reelfoot Lake. 1812 – Andrew Jackson becomes the hero of the War of 1812.

1837 – Sea captain William Driver, who coined the phrase “Old Glory” for the American flag, settles in Nashville.

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

1866

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

1845

1862 1838 – U.S. Army forcibly relocates the Cherokee tribe and sends them to Indian territory in modern day Oklahoma on the “Trail of Tears.” Tennessee is the first state to pass a temperance law. 1843 – Nashville becomes the capital of Tennessee. 1845 – James K. Polk elected 11th president of the United States. 1861 – The Civil War begins. Although a slaveholder, Vice President of the United States Andrew Johnson refuses to side with Tennessee for secession. He is the only Southerner to retain his seat in the U.S. Senate. Lincoln will appoint him military governor of Tennessee.

1862 – Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant forces the “unconditional surrender” of Confederate Fort Donelson, making it the Union’s first major victory in the Civil War. The two-day Battle of Shiloh, one of the largest engagements of the Civil War, leaves 23,746 soldiers dead. 1864 – After 1,500 Confederate cavalrymen overwhelm 500 garrisoned troops during the Battle of Fort Pillow, scores of surrendered black Union troops are murdered. “Remember Fort Pillow!” becomes a rallying cry for black soldiers. The Confederates, under the leadership of Lieutenant General John Bell Hood, are beaten by Union forces under Major General George H. Thomas at the Battle of Nashville.

1873 1865 – Abraham Lincoln is assassinated and Vice President Andrew Johnson becomes president. The Civil War ends. The Ku Klux Klan is formed in Pulaski. 1866 – “Equal to the best in the country,” Fisk University is founded in Nashville as a school for newly freed slaves. Tennessee becomes the first Confederate state readmitted to the Union. 1868 – The House of Representatives votes to impeach Andrew Johnson; he is acquitted in the Senate by one vote. 1873 – American businessman Cornelius Vanderbilt donates $1 million to build and support Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

1879

1897

1874 – Andrew Johnson leaves retirement when he is elected to the U.S. Senate, the only ex-president to return to that chamber. He attends only one session before dying of a stroke one year later. 1878 – Nearly a third of the total population of Memphis dies during a yellow fever epidemic. 1879 – Blount College is renamed the University of Tennessee. 1880 – Famed sportswriter Grantland Rice is born in Murfreesboro. 1886 – Two brothers, Robert Love Taylor (Democrat) and Alfred Alexander Taylor (Republican), square off in Tennessee’s gubernatorial election. Robert wins the aptly named “War of the Roses.”

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

Photo courtesy of International Paper

1918

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

Photo courtesy of the University of Tennessee

1880

1887 – Alvin Cullum York, better known as Sergeant York, is born in Fentress County. 1890 – Columbia becomes a boomtown with the discovery of immense phosphate deposits. 1894 – President Grover Cleveland signs legislation creating Shiloh National Military Park. 1897 – Tennessee Centennial Exposition is held in Nashville to celebrate the state’s 100th birthday. 1898 – International Paper Company is founded. It will be headquartered in Memphis. 1900 – Legendary engineer Casey Jones dies heroically in a train crash. His death is immortalized in song.

1909 – Liquor production is banned for the next year. 1912 – Tennessee Chamber of Commerce is founded. 1914 – World War I begins. 1916 – Mechanic Ernest Holmes of Chattanooga is inspired to create the tow truck after pulling a businessman’s car out of a shallow creek bed. 1918 – Nashville is the location of the worst train wreck in United States’ history; 101 people are killed and 171 injured. Corporal Alvin York kills more than 20 Germans and forces 132 others to surrender; he will receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions. World War I ends.

1920

Photo courtesy of the Tennessee State Archives

1940

Photo courtesy of Sun Studios

Photo courtesy of © Grand Ole Opry, LLC

1943

Gordon Gillingham photograph © Grand Ole Opry, LLC

1925 1920 – Women receive the right to vote. Eastman Chemical Company is founded and headquartered in Kingsport. 1922 – WNAV, Tennessee’s first radio station, begins broadcasting from Knoxville. 1925 – High school teacher John T. Scopes is found guilty of violating the state law banning the teaching of evolution and fined $100 during the notorious “Monkey Trial.” His conviction is later reversed on a technicality. The Grand Ole Opry begins on radio in Nashville and continues to this day, making it the longest-running radio program in history. 1928 – Fort Donelson National Battlefield is created by President Calvin Coolidge. The national military park is located at the site of the Union’s first major Civil War victory.

1952 1933 – The federal government establishes the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to conserve and develop the resources of the Tennessee River Valley. TVA builds first hydroelectric dams in Tennessee. 1940 – Great Smoky Mountain National Park is dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt. 1942 – As part of the top secret “Manhattan Project,” the federal government begins to build an atomic energy plant at Oak Ridge. Scientists there are instrumental in the development of the atomic bomb. 1943 – Grand Ole Opry moves to Ryman Auditorium. 1945 – Tennessee Farmers Cooperative is established in La Vergne.

1948 – WMCT-TV begins broadcasting in Memphis as the state’s first television station. State elections turn against the control of Memphis political boss E.H. Crump. 1949 – The American Museum of Atomic Energy opens in Oak Ridge. 1952 – Sun Studio in Memphis makes the first rock ‘n’ roll recording, Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats’ Rocket 88. 1953 – Elvis Presley graduates from L.C. Humes High School in Memphis. 1954 – Grantland Rice’s autobiography, “The Tumult and the Shouting,” is published. 1955 – The Grand Old Opry makes its television debut.

1960

Photo courtesy of the Tennessee State Archives

1968

Photo courtesy of the Office of Sen. William H. Frist, M.D.

1982

Photo courtesy of Library of Congress

1956 – Elvis Presley sings Heartbreak Hotel during his second appearance on Milton Berle’s Texaco Star Theatre. National Guardsmen halt rioters protesting the admission of 12 black students from attending Clinton High School. The Clinton Twelve become the first African-Americans to desegregate a state-supported public school in the Southeast.

Photo by Bill Carrier

1956

1967 – The anti-evolution law, made famous during the “Monkey Trial” is abolished by the state legislature. Columbia State Community College is opened in Columbia.

1958 – Elvis Presley reports to his local Army draft board in Memphis. He is given the serial number 53310761.

1968 – While staying at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated by James Earl Ray. Roy Orbison’s two sons die in a fire in his Hendersonville home while he is performing in England. Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) is founded.

1960 – Students hold sit-in demonstrations at Nashville lunch counters.

1970 – Winfield Dunn becomes the state’s first Republican governor in 50 years.

Photo courtesy of Visit Knoxville Tennessee

1973 – Federal Express, now FedEx Corporation, moves its headquarters to Memphis. 1974 – A sunshine law is enacted that allows the public to attend local and state government meetings. 1976 – Alex Haley, from Henning, wins international acclaim and the Pulitzer Prize for his novel, Roots. 1977 – Convicted assassin James Earl Ray escapes from Brushy Mountain State Prison and is recaptured three days later. “The King,” Elvis Presley, dies at his home, Graceland, in Memphis. 1979 – Auto Shack, now AutoZone, is founded in Memphis.

1985

1998

Photo courtesy of Volkswagen

Photo by Zack Frank

1995

Photo courtesy of the University of Tennessee

Photo courtesy of General Motors

2011

2013 Photo courtesy of Music City Center

2012 1980 – Tennessee’s population soars to 4,591,120 people, an increase of 17 percent in a decade. 1982 – The world’s fair is held in Knoxville. Its theme is “Energy Turns the World.” Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion is opened to the public. 1985 – General Motors opens new Saturn assembly plant in Spring Hill. 1991 – The National Civil Rights Museum opens in Memphis at the Lorraine Motel, the site of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. 1994 – Tennessee climbs to 17th in the nation in population: 5,175,240.

1995 – Tennessee Chamber of Commerce becomes the first online chamber in America. Disgraced president Andrew Johnson is finally honored with a statue on the state capitol grounds. 1996 – Tennessee celebrates the bicentennial of its 1796 entrance into the Union. 1997 – NFL team, the Tennessee Titans (former Houston Oilers), begins playing. 1998 – University of Tennessee football team becomes national champions. 2003 – Fourteen people killed by tornadoes in Northwestern part of state.

Photo courtesy of The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry

2011 – Flooding in Memphis forces evacuation of 1,300 homes. Volkswagen opens the Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant. 2012 – Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry celebrates its 100th year. 2013 – Nashville’s Music City Center, a 2,100,000-square-foot convention center, opens for business. 2014 – National Civil Rights Museum reopens after a $27.5 million renovation to further support its mission of education, information, and inspiration.

2010 – Flooding causes 18 deaths, untold damages and thousands of evacuations.

Tennessee, 1826. Courtesy of the Library of Congress Geography and Maps Division

TThe Three Grand Divisions T

here is more to Tennessee than meets the eye. Throughout its history, the state has been referred to not only as the “Volunteer State,” but also as “The Three Tennessee’s”. It’s three geographic portions: East, Middle, and West Tennessee make up what is called the Three Grand Divisions and it’s this diversity that unites, rather than divides, the state. In the days before statehood Tennessee was a territory of North Carolina. The boundary was the Tennessee River, which flows northward to Kentucky from Mississippi and Alabama, and the natural dividing point of East and West Tennessee was the Cumberland Plateau. The landscape of Tennessee changed dramatically in the early nineteenth century. The capital moved from Knoxville to Nashville in 1812 and the state acquired a majority of what is now West Tennessee through the Chickasaw Cession of 1818. It was then Tennessee’s distinctive shape and regions began to form. In 1835, the legislature rewrote the State Constitution formally creating the Grand Divisions. Dr. Tom Kanon, Archivist at the Tennessee State Library and Archives, explains the State Supreme Court of Tennessee had five justices and because rivalries were starting to develop between East, Middle, and West Tennessee it was decided through the Constitution that no more than two Supreme Court Judges could come from any of the Three Grand Divisions. The Grand Divisions each contain roughly onethird of the state’s land area and are geographically, culturally, legally, and economically distinct. In 1905, when LeRoy Reeves designed the state flag, he 57

wrote, “The three stars are of pure white, representing the Three Grand Divisions of the state.” The placement of the stars inside a blue circle is symbolic of the three divisions bound together in one – an indissoluble trinity. “There has always been this uniqueness about Tennessee – we have pride in our diversity, but at the same time a recognition of the distinct parts that make up the whole,” said Kanon. In fact, not only does geography divide the state – so does time. The boundary between East Tennessee and Middle Tennessee is the Cumberland Plateau, which is also close to the line between the Eastern and Central Time Zones. Nearly all of East Tennessee (excluding three counties) is in the Eastern Time Zone, while Middle and West Tennessee are entirely in the Central Time Zone. Another aspect Tennessee has the distinction of sharing throughout the Three Grand Divisions is its influence on music: Nashville is famous for WSM and the Grand Ole Opry and its moniker, “Music City USA” is known around the world; Bristol is recognized as the “Birthplace of Country Music;” Jackson is known as the “Birthplace of Rock-a-Billy;” and Memphis has been called both the “Birthplace of the Blues” and the “Birthplace of Rock and Roll”.

The placement of the stars inside a blue circle is symbolic of the three divisions bound together in one – an indissoluble trinity. Photo courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services

opposite page: Tennessee’s three geographic portions: East, Middle, and West Tennessee make up what is called the Three Grand Divisions and it’s this diversity that unites, rather than divides, the state. Photo by Kelly Verdeck

East Tennessee Known for its breathtaking views attracting thousands of tourists a year, East Tennessee is home to some of the highest peaks in the eastern United States – the highest being Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It’s principal cities of Knoxville and Chattanooga (third and fourth largest cities, respectively), and the Tri-Cities of Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol spotlight East Tennessee’s reputation for outdoor adventure, culture, and rich heritage. NASCAR fans know East Tennessee for Bristol Motor Speedway, while outdoor lovers know it for the adventures that await. Chattanooga was named “Best Town Ever” by Outdoor Magazine and is home to one of the largest freshwater aquariums in the world. It’s been called the “Scenic City” for its breathtaking cityscape situated on the banks of the Tennessee River. Festivals and events in East Tennessee celebrate its heritage as the birthplace of country music, storytelling and wholesome fun anyone can get in to. Large and small companies and corporations make up the economic fabric of East Tennessee providing jobs and creating industry for its citizens. Eastman Chemical, Tennessee Valley Authority and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are just a few that call East Tennessee home.

opposite page, top: Known for its breathtaking views attracting thousands of tourists a year, East Tennessee is home to some of the highest peaks in the eastern United States. Photo by Paul Hassell opposite page, bottom: Bristol is the “Birthplace of Country Music.” Photo courtesy of the City of Bristol

below: Chattanooga has been called the “Scenic City” for its breathtaking cityscape situated on the banks of the Tennessee River. Photo by Sean Pavone

Main Street, Johnson City. Photo by Tom Raymond

right: NASCAR fans know East Tennessee for Bristol Motor Speedway. Photo courtesy of Bristol Motor Speedway

above: Outdoor lovers know East Tennessee for the adventures that

below: Another aspect Tennessee has the distinction of sharing

await. Photo by Paul Hassell

throughout the Three Grand Divisions is its influence on music. Photo by Peter Montanti

above: Kingsport, Tennessee. Photo by Ray Austin

below: Knoxville was the home of the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fair in 1982. The Sunsphere was built for the occasion and is the crown on the city skyline. Photo by Paul Hassell

Home to one of the nations oldest working state capitols in Nashville, Middle Tennessee is the hub for politics, business, economic development and its largest industry – healthcare. Photo by Judy Kennamer

opposite page: With a music legacy that includes the Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, RCA Studio B, and the Bluebird Café, it’s easy to see that music’s roots run deep in Nashville. Photo by Billy Kingsley © Grand Ole Opry, LLC

Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee’s landscape is divided into two regions: the rolling hills and valleys that make up the Highland Rim, and the Central Basin contained within the Rim. Home to one of the nations oldest working state capitols in Nashville, Middle Tennessee is the hub for politics, business, economic development and its largest industry – healthcare. With a music legacy that includes the Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, RCA Studio B, and the Bluebird Café, it’s easy to see that music’s roots run deep in Nashville. Antebellum homes, Civil War battlefields, trails and byways, and sports and recreation make Middle Tennessee a true Americana destination for young and old. Middle Tennessee is known for its abundance of institutions of higher learning – most notably Vanderbilt, Belmont, Fisk University, and Lipscomb University. Middle Tennessee State University, located in Murfreesboro, is the state’s second largest university behind the University of Tennessee.

Middle Tennessee is known for its abundance of institutions of higher learning. Photo courtesy of Belmont University

opposite page, top: Middle Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landscape is divided into two regions: the rolling hills and valleys that make up the Highland Rim, and the Central Basin contained within the Rim. Photo by Paul Hassell

opposite page, bottom: Sunrise in Tennessee. Photo by Tom Raymond

Ryman Auditorium ÂŠ Ryman Auditorium

The grounds at the Tennessee State Capitol. Photo by Kelly Verdeck 71

West Tennessee

West Tennessee, located

West Tennessee, located between the Tennessee and the Mississippi Rivers, is the home of Tennessee’s largest city, Memphis. Its delta terrain makes up the Gulf Coastal Plain region, characterized by its lowest elevation of the state and where the land is the flattest. As the birthplace of Blues, Rock-a-Billy and the “Memphis Sound,” West Tennessee delivers a soulful, southern charm found in everything from its powerful history, legendary music, award-winning barbecue, and natural beauty. Small towns and mid-sized cities are strung together around West Tennessee adding to the noise. Jackson is home to music pioneer Carl Perkins as well as legendary railroad conductor Casey Jones. Kentucky Lake, in Benton, is one of the largest manmade lakes in the world. All kinds of festivals take place in West Tennessee throughout the year. The Strawberry Festival in Humbodlt, Memphis in May and the World’s Biggest Fish Fry in Paris are a few favorites. Some of the states largest corporations, like FedEx and International Paper, are headquartered in West Tennessee and play a pivotal role in the state and global economy. Tennessee is a kaleidoscope of sounds, culture and diversity making it as appealing to an outsider as it is to someone who calls Tennessee home. And while each piece of Tennessee is geographically and culturally distinct, they all play off each other like a perfect harmony creating a sound and a story that is uniquely Tennessee.

between the Tennessee and the Mississippi Rivers, is the home of Tennessee’s largest city, Memphis. Photo by Bill Carrier opposite page: As the birthplace of Blues, Rock-a-Billy and the “Memphis Sound” West Tennessee delivers a soulful, southern charm found in everything from its powerful history, legendary music, awardwinning barbecue, and natural beauty. Photo courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services

All kinds of festivals take place in West Tennessee throughout the year. Top Photo by Isacc Singleton

right: Wings of the past over Halls, Tennessee. Photo by Pat Riley

left: Photo by Bill Carrier

Small towns and mid-sized cities are strung together around West Tennessee. Photo by Pat Riley Stars spinning over Reelfoot Lake in northwest Tennessee. opposite page: The Peabody Hotel in Memphis is known for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Peabody Ducksâ&#x20AC;? that live on the hotel rooftop and make daily treks to the lobby. Photo by Pat Riley

Photo by Eric Henderson / Creative Commons

CHAPTER ONE

TTennessee: Our Beauty is More Than Skin Deep

merica is called “the Land of Opportunity” and the same can easily be said about the great state of Tennessee. Known for its varying landscapes – from the awe-inspiring mountains of East Tennessee, to the lush rolling hills of Middle Tennessee, to the alluvial plains of West Tennessee – our state is among the most visually spectacular areas in the world. That’s why the word “see” is in our name; you have to see it to appreciate it. But there’s more to see in Tennessee than just its inherent beauty; it is also rich in history, tradition, culture, personalities, industry, and commerce. The opportunities available here, both business and pleasure, are as fertile as the Tennessee Valley. This sentiment springs from Tennessee’s deeply rooted pride and proactive citizens. (After all, we are called the “Volunteer State”). Tennesseans have the unique quality of forward thinking and action, while continuing to honor a rich heritage. When we see something we want, we go after it; when we want to maintain something beloved to us, we will fight to keep it. Tennessee has been blessed with a steady increase in population, jobs, and new industries to our state. We continue to nurture the businesses (both large and small) that have been our neighbors for dozens, even hundreds of years, while still welcoming new businesses.

Known for its varying landscapes – from the awe inspiring mountains of East Tennessee, to the lush rolling hills of Middle Tennessee, to the alluvial plains of West Tennessee – our state is among the most visually spectacular areas in the world. Photo by Paul Hassell 81

Tennessee continues to nurture the businesses (both large and small) that have been our neighbors for dozens, even hundreds of years, while still welcoming new businesses. Photo courtesy of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry

opposite page: From the Dungan

The New and the Old From the Dungan – St. John Mill, Tennessee’s oldest business founded in 1778; to Nissan, who celebrated its 30th anniversary of U.S. manufacturing in 2013 with the creation of 900 new jobs; to the mom and pop stores who are excitedly opening their doors for the first time, Tennessee embraces them all. Several Fortune 500 companies are located in Tennessee, including Vanguard Health Systems, Eastman Chemical, AutoZone, Valero, AT&T, Unum Group, Community Health Systems, Dollar General, International Paper, HCA Holdings Inc., FedEx, and Caterpillar.

– St. John Mill, Tennessee’s oldest business founded in 1778; to Nissan, who celebrated its 30th anniversary of U.S. manufacturing in 2013 with the creation of 900 new jobs; to the mom and pop stores who are excitedly opening their doors for the first time, Tennessee embraces them all. Top photo by Peter Montanti Bottom photo courtesy of Nissan North America Inc.

Tennessee Works A recent Gallup poll ranked Nashville in the top five regions for job growth and Business Facilities magazine named Tennessee its “2013 State of the Year.” Centrally located, Tennessee is just hours from many major cities in the United States and approximately a day’s drive for one-half of the U.S. population. We are one of a dozen states in America that actually has four distinct seasons, our landscape is unsurpassed, but what truly sets Tennessee apart from all the rest is our people. We have a workforce of talented, creative, dedicated people, who are eager to work hard, provide for their families and help their employers achieve their bottom line.

The Degree of Success Tennesseans are known for their polite Southern ways, their ingenuity and creativity, but in the global marketplace, education is of the utmost importance. We have outstanding colleges, universities, and institutes of training to provide just that. With the leadership of our elected officials, Tennessee embarked on an innovative education reform that will make our state a place for business to grow and prosper. A brilliant combination of global manufacturers and education, training, and job placement was instituted by Volkswagen Academy in partnership with Chattanooga State and Bridgestone in partnership with Motlow State Community College. Volkswagen Academy has developed two training programs designed for those interested in a career in the automotive industry. Both programs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Automation Mechatronics Program (AMP) and the Car Mechatronics Program (CMP) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are one-of-a-kind, three-year programs, housed at the Volkswagen Academy, that incorporate work-related, paid internships at the Volkswagen plant. Bridgestone has offered to supply educational classrooms and laboratories to house Motlowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mechatronics Program where students can earn certification, join the workforce, or continue with their two-year Associate of Science Degree.

opposite page: Several Fortune 500 companies are located in Tennessee, including Eastman Chemical and International Paper. Photos courtesy of Eastman Chemical and International Paper

Outstanding colleges, universities, and institutes of training provide the worldclass education needed in the global marketplace. Photo courtesy of University of Tennessee System

A central location, highways and interstates, rail system, ports, and airports make Tennessee a convenient and practical distribution hub. Photo courtesy of CSX

opposite page: The 21st century economy also requires new digital infrastructure, to support business operations, grow new business opportunities, and serve customers. Photo by Kelly Verdeck

Taking the High Road It is apparent that Tennessee is in the midst of a manufacturing renaissance, but once a product is created, the next phase is distribution – that’s where Tennessee has already made some outstanding inroads. A central location, highways and interstates, rail system, ports, and airports make Tennessee a convenient and practical distribution hub. The 21st century economy also requires new digital infrastructure, to support business operations, grow new business opportunities, and serve customers. Tennessee leaders have placed a sharp focus on the state’s digital infrastructure and worked to create an investment friendly business environment. The result has been billions of dollars of private investment in communications infrastructure, wired and wireless, to support large and small businesses. This infrastructure is supporting the steady growth of Tennessee’s technology sector with companies like Amazon and Nike, driving rapid growth of new technology start ups in Nashville and Chattanooga, and opening up new business opportunities for existing businesses in the health care, education and publishing sectors.

Success is No Secret The 2010 election ushered in a new era of business-minded politicians in Tennessee. Governor Bill Haslam, Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey, and House Speaker Beth Harwell have all declared and proven themselves as “pro-business.” Both U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker are proponents of Tennessee’s business community, and the majority of the members of the State legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives delegation are championing the cause of business. 87

State leadership is committed to creating an environment that will encourage the business community and the state government to work in tandem to actively promote positive changes in their relationship. Our business-friendly climate of low regulation, tax incentives, no state income tax, and fair regulatory conditions are creating fertile soil in which companies can build, expand, and flourish. In fact, Business Facilities magazine

ranked Tennessee â&#x20AC;&#x153;2013 State Of The Yearâ&#x20AC;? for Economic

Our business-friendly climate of low regulation, tax incentives, no state income tax, and fair regulatory conditions are creating fertile soil in which companies can build, expand and flourish. Photo courtesy of the Office of Governor Haslam

opposite page: Business Facilities

Development; first in Education, second in Automotive Manufacturing Strength, second Best Infrastructure, and fourth Best Business Climate. Chief Executive magazine declared that Tennessee has the fourth highest business-friendly reputation in the nation; and Tennessee was named the second most competitive state in the U.S. for economic development by Site Selection magazine. This is a unique opportunity in the history of Tennessee to enhance our business climate and make Tennessee a standout destination for new companies to build or relocate here.

magazine ranked Tennessee â&#x20AC;&#x153;2013 State Of The Yearâ&#x20AC;? for Economic

The Best We Can Be

Development; first in Education,

Tennessee is claiming its rightful place in the global marketplace through the collaboration of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry and elected leaders and officials. All the elements are in place; an ideal location, a solid infrastructure, an educated and eager workforce, a tax climate that is favorable to businesses, and a political

second in Automotive Manufacturing Strength, second Best Infrastructure, and fourth best Business Climate. Photo courtesy of Constellation

hierarchy that is determinedly pro-business. We will continue making strides to attract new businesses while nurturing the ones that are already here. Tennessee is destined to continue growing its legacy of business opportunities and the global business community and the world, are beginning to â&#x20AC;&#x153;seeâ&#x20AC;? whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great about Tennessee. 91

CHAPTER TWO

TTennessee Sets the Music Standard F

rom blues to funk, hip-hop to punk, and from country to rock, Tennessee is one of the most recognized states in the country when it comes to impacting American music. The music industry in Tennessee has an almost inexpressible effect on the commerce, heritage, identity, and perception of Tennessee and her people. “The economic impact of the music industry, just in the middle Tennessee area alone, is more than $10 billion annually, creates and maintains more than 56,000 jobs, and supports more than $3 billion in labor income,” said Hank Adam Locklin, Director of Music and Business Development at the Tennessee Film, Entertainment & Music Commission. “When you add in the rest of the state you’re looking at $15 billion and state-wide the music industry sustains 100,000 jobs.”

Tennessee cities are home to several symphony orchestras.

Photo courtesy of Nashville Symphony

Orchestra

left: Ryman Auditorium Photo Courtesy of © Ryman Auditorium 93

In the winter of 2013, the magazine Oxford American devoted its annual “Southern Music” issue exclusively to Tennessee. “It was just a matter of time before we tackled Tennessee, and we thought it was the right time,” says Roger Hodge, the magazine’s editor. “It’s, in some ways, the big one. It’s where all of American music comes together.” When we talk about music in Tennessee, we’re not simply talking about country music. In fact, Tennessee cities are home to several symphony orchestras: Bryan Symphony Orchestra in Cookeville; Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra; Jackson Symphony Orchestra; Johnson City Symphony Orchestra; Knoxville Symphony Orchestra; Memphis Symphony Orchestra; Nashville Symphony Orchestra; Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra; and Symphony of the Mountains in Kingsport. But the legend of Tennessee as the preeminent state for music had to start somewhere.

The Cradle of Country In 1998, the United States Congress recognized Bristol, Tennessee as the “Birthplace of Country Music” for its influence and contributions to early country music recordings, in particular Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family; as well as being the birthplace of Tennessee Ernie Ford. The Carter Family, arguably the genesis of the country music genre, got their start on July 31, 1927 when A.P. Carter and his family traveled to Bristol from Maces Spring, Virginia to audition for record producer Ralph Peer. Peer was seeking talent for the emerging recording industry and paid the Carters $50 for each song they recorded. Another favorite, Uncle Charlie Osborne, was regularly featured on radio station WOPI in Bristol. To celebrate the “Birthplace of Country Music,” Bristol holds the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion during the third weekend in September. To celebrate the “Birthplace of Country Music,” Bristol holds the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion during the third weekend in September. Photo by Amelia Spooner

The name Beale Street conjures images of nightclubs, honkytonks, and shops lining the avenue. Photo by Pat Riley

Walking in Memphis Perhaps one of the most recognizable cities both for its American history and its musical contributions is the West Tennessee city of Memphis, the “Birthplace of the Blues” and “Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The name Beale Street conjures images of nightclubs, honky-tonks, and shops lining the avenue. Sun Studio, the home of the first rock ‘n’ roll record in history, Rocket ’88, as well as the recording studio of Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, and of course, Elvis Presley, is now a National Historic Landmark.

top: Sun Studio, the home of the first rock ‘n’ roll record in

The famed African-American composer W.C. Handy, “Father of the Blues,” is credited with having written the first commercially successful blues song, St. Louis Blues, in a bar on Beale Street in 1912. Starting in the 1940s, Memphis became the epicenter of blues music and has remained that way into the 21st century – led, in part, by the legendary B.B. King. Memphis is not only world renown as the home of the Memphis Blues, but also the birthplace of Memphis Soul.

history, Rocket ’88, as well as the recording studio of Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, and of course, Elvis Presley, is now a National Historic Landmark. bottom: Artists like Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Wilson Pickett cut records at Stax and their Memphis Soul was distinctly different from the more pop sounds of Detroit’s Motown. Photo by Bill Carrier 97

In the 1960s and 1970s, the city was home to the soul music record labels, Stax and Hi Records. Artists like Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Wilson Pickett cut records at Stax, and their Memphis Soul was distinctly different from the more pop sounds of Detroit’s Motown. The hip-hop scene in Memphis is alive and well; most notably with the Academy Award-winning rap group, Three 6 Mafia. Memphis is a music Mecca for thousands of tourists a year. The Fisk Jubilee Singers, an a cappella ensemble, comprised of African-American students from Fisk University in Nashville, performed before the Queen of England in 1873. The Queen was so taken by the beauty of their voices that she remarked that the singers must come from the “Music City” and the moniker stuck. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

opposite page, top: What really put Nashville on the music scene map was WSM’s Grand

Ole Opry radio show; which started as the WSM Barn Dance in 1925 and in 1927 changed the face of country music when it changed its name to the

Grand Ole Opry.

Gordon Gillingham

photograph © Grand Ole Opry, LLC.

opposite page, bottom: From the corner troubadour performing for tips, to the Ryman Auditorium, The Grand Ole Opry, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the music industry generates $9.7 billion annually for the region. Photo by Kelly Verdeck

Nashville Cats The Fisk Jubilee Singers, an a cappella ensemble, comprised of African-American students from Fisk University in Nashville, performed before the Queen of England in 1873. The Queen was so taken by the beauty of their voices that she remarked that the singers must come from the “Music City” and the moniker stuck. What really put Nashville on the music scene map was WSM’s Grand Ole Opry radio show; which started as the WSM Barn Dance in 1925 and in 1927 changed the face of country music when it changed its name to the Grand Ole Opry. It was, and is, the show to be on for every aspiring country artist from Uncle Dave Macon to Taylor Swift. Owen Bradley and his Quonset Hut Studio, along with Chet Atkins, is credited with creating the “Nashville Sound” in the late 1950s. Bradley’s studio was also the first business in the location that would later be known as Music Row. The music industry has changed in the last half century but Nashville always has been and always will be Music City. Music City offers renowned entertainment experiences. People travel from all over to visit Nashville; tourism is the heart beat of the city. Each year, the CMA Music Festival brings thousands of country fans to the city. One of the most special venues any artist can

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play is the world-famous Ryman Auditorium, “The Mother Church of Country Music,” where hundreds of fans visit weekly to tour and watch special performances. From the corner troubadour performing for tips, to the Ryman Auditorium, The Grand Ole Opry, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the music industry generates $9.7 billion annually for the region. The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce reports that the 27,000 jobs directly supported by the music industry and the additional 29,000 jobs with indirect ties to it account for more than $3.2 billion in income. Tennessee has pioneered the music industry since the ‘20s and is still the dominant city where musicians come to follow their dreams, and tourists come to watch those dreams come true. “The recording industry in Tennessee is on more solid footing than others in the country,” said Locklin. “We are still the premier area for recording. Our recording and sound engineers are the best in the world. That’s why artists from all genres come to Tennessee.”

opposite page: Taylor Swift performs on the Grande Ole Opry. Photo by Chris Hollo © Grand Ole Opry, LLC.

below: One of the most special venues any artist can play is the world-famous Ryman Auditorium, “The Mother Church of Country Music,” where hundreds of fans visit weekly to tour and watch special performances. Photo by Steve Lowry © Ryman Auditorium

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top: Every year, Knoxville celebrates its diversity with the music festival called “Rhythm N’ Blooms.” Photo courtesy of Groovelive

opposite page: One shining example of Knoxville’s musical heritage is the fact that the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, which was established in 1935, is the oldest continuing orchestra in the South. Photo courtesy of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

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K-Town Knoxville is home to a variety of music styles. From the early days of WNOX (one of the oldest radio stations in the United States) to the current Sundown in the City Music Festival, the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, and the Knoxville Opera, Knoxville rocks. In fact, Blender magazine ranked Knoxville 17th for best music scene in the United States. The alternative-music critic and author of Weird Like Us: My Bohemian America, Ann Powers, referred to Knoxville as “Austin without the hype.” The musicians who have come out of Knoxville range from Homer and Jethro to the Everly Brothers. One shining example of Knoxville’s musical heritage is the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, which was established in 1935, and is the oldest continuing orchestra in the South. Every year, Knoxville celebrates its diversity with the music festival called “Rhythm N’ Blooms.”

Festivals Although nearly every city in Tennessee holds its own music festival, the big event is Bonnaroo, the outdoor music festival held each June in Manchester that rivals the age of Woodstock. The four-day event that began in 2002 on a 700-acre farm was heralded by The New York Times with the statement, “Bonnaroo has revolutionized the modern rock festival.” The festival was named one of the “50 Moments That Changed Rock and Roll” by Rolling Stone magazine and is considered one of the 10 Best Festivals by GQ magazine.

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Although nearly every city in Tennessee holds its own music festival, the big event is Bonnaroo, the outdoor music festival held each June in Manchester that rivals the age of Woodstock. Photo by Moreno Novello

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Attendance for the 2013 event topped over 100,000, proving once again, Tennessee sets the standard for the industry. The Sewanee Summer Music Festival is held each summer at the University of the South in Sewanee. A series of concerts by a variety of known artists, as well as classes for some 200 advanced music students, brings classical music and other genres to the masses. You can stomp and shout at a variety of festivals like; Fiddlers’ Jamboree in Smithville, Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival in Murfreesboro, Clinch Mountain Music Festival in Luttrell, Riverbend Festival in Chattanooga, and the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, just to name a few. The music industry, like every industry, has had its ups and downs over the last several years – but in Tennessee, “It’s a lot better now than it was 10 years ago,” said Locklin. So what’s the future of the music industry in Tennessee? It’s strong. Even with iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, and other music apps. “People are claiming that albums are a thing of the past

and that we’re now in an age of singles,” said Locklin. “But everything in the old days were singles; from cylinders to 78s – the music industry is cyclical and now we’re back to a “singles” business again. But there are a lot of artists still selling albums – like Taylor Swift.” Music permeates every inch of Tennessee. From Brisotl to Memphis, and to the Music City itself, and all points in between, Tennessee has been and will continue to hit the high note in the world of music.

From Bristol to Memphis, and to the Music City itself, and all points in between, Tennessee has been and will continue to hit the high note in the world of music. Photo by Peter Montanti

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CHAPTER THREE

SSouthern Hospitality and Tourism the Volunteer Way

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

ore than 50 million people come to Tennessee each year making tourism one of Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest industries. The Tennessee Department of Tourism reports that in the last six years, tourism has provided a $15.36 billion direct economic impact and generated more than $1 billion annually in state and local sales tax revenue ranking Tennessee 9th among all states in total travel. One of the top tourist destinations is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The hamlets of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are the top ranking resort towns in tourism for the state. With 9.4 million visitors each year the Smoky Mountains is the most visited of all the national

The hamlets of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are the top ranking resort towns in tourism for the state. Photo courtesy of Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau left: One of the top tourist destinations is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo by Paul Hassell

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Due to climate fluctuations and the 2,115 miles of streams and cascading waterfalls, the park has an unparalleled diversity of wildlife and vegetation.

Photo

by Paul Hassell

Records estimate 1,500 black bears live in the park. Photo by Paul Hassell

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parks, even outranking the Grand Canyon. This translates into over $718 million a year for surrounding tourist communities. The park covers over 500,000 acres, nearly half of which is in Tennessee. Elevations in the park range from approximately 875 feet at the base of Abrams Creek to 6,643 feet at the top of Clingmans Dome. Due to climate fluctuations and the 2,115 miles of streams and cascading waterfalls, the park has an unparalleled diversity of wildlife and vegetation. Records estimate 1,500 black bears live in the park, along with 240 bird species, and 100 native tree species.

View from Clingmans Dome at 6,643 feet. Photo by Paul Hassell

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With activities ranging

City Lights with National Recognition

from the typical Music

The top cities in the state offer their own brand of recreation, entertainment, and relaxation. The New York Times named Chattanooga one of the “Top 45 Places to Go” in the world. With more than 50 family-friendly attractions like the Tennessee Aquarium, the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, Ruby Falls, Creative Discovery Museum, coupled with serene river overlooks, and the thrill of white water rafting on the Ocoee River – Chattanooga will not disappoint. Featured also in The New York Times, Nashville is characterized as the nation’s new “it” city. With activities ranging from the typical Music City haunts like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge and the Blue Bird Café to the more sophisticated venues like the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville is getting national attention. “Flush with young new residents and alive with immigrants, tourists, and music, the city made its way to the top of all kinds of lists in 2012,” Times staff writer Kim Severson writes. GQ magazine calls it “Nowville.” Also in 2012, Nashville was named the “Friendliest City” by Travel + Leisure. In 2013, Travel + Leisure ranked Nashville the number one city for barbecue (Memphis was number two). Memphis, Tennessee’s largest city, is home to The National Civil Rights Museum. Housed in the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, the museum

City haunts like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge and the Blue Bird Café to the more sophisticated venues like the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville is getting national attention. Photo by Kelly Verdeck

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top: The New York Times named Chattanooga one of the “Top 45 Places to Go” in the world. Photo courtesy of the Tennessee Aquarium

bottom: Without a doubt, Graceland, the home of “The King,” Elvis Presley, is the most popular tourist attraction, welcoming over 600,000 visitors each year, which is second in number only to the White House. Photo courtesy of Graceland

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Memphis, Tennessee’s largest city, is home to The National Civil Rights Museum. Housed in the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, the museum remains a focal point of the city and the nation’s history. Photo courtesy of the National Civil Rights Museum

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remains a focal point of the city and the nation’s history. In 2013, the museum underwent a $27 million renovation and remains a powerful amalgamation of peace and hatred. Without a doubt, Graceland, the home of “The King,” Elvis Presley, is the most popular tourist attraction, welcoming over 600,000 visitors each year, which is second in number only to the White House.

Hit the Trails Tennessee’s mild winters and temperate summers combined with the varied topography make the perfect climate for outdoor adventure. If the city sights are not your style, the Discover Tennessee Trails & Byways program can lead you through some of America’s most scenic back roads. From the flat plains of West Tennessee to the Cumberland Plateau’s lush hardwoods and rolling valleys in Middle Tennessee, to the mountains and gorges of the Appalachians in the east, these roadways and hiking paths show the natural beauty of the region.

Sit a spell on a city square, tour wineries, explore historic lands, or just enjoy a river overlook on the banks of the Cumberland or the Mississippi. With 3 trails statewide and 16 more regional trails and byways, there is something for every interest. Each trail is designed around one of the major cities. For example, the “Great River Road National Scenic Byway and Trail” out of Memphis, highlights Reelfoot Lake State Park where golden and American bald eagles nest. “Nashville’s Trace: Backstage to Backroads,” explores the famous Natchez Trace Parkway. The six loop options delight photographers, cyclists, and horseback riders. The trace makes a perfect day trip outing where visitors can see antebellum homes and follow the story of how Southern gospel music made its way to the Music City. The history lover and the scientist might prefer traveling the “Top Secret: Proton Beams to Utopian Dreams” trail. This special byway tours the forts of the Civil War Battle of Knoxville and stops at the American Museum of Science and Energy which hosts the largest collection of energy exhibits in the United States. “The Tennessee Civil War Trails” initiative highlights more than 200 Civil War sites across the state.

Tennessee’s mild winters and temperate summers combined with the varied topography make the perfect climate for outdoor adventure. Photo by Paul Hassell

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Outdoorsmen, avid hunters, and target and skeet shooters take advantage of the prime land of the many wildlife preserves like Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Photo by Paul Hassell

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Parks and Recreation, Culture and History An estimated 17 million people visit the 53 Tennessee State Parks encompassing 144,000 acres each year. The economic impact is significant, creating thousands of jobs particularly in rural areas of the state where they are most needed, bringing more than $725 million into the economy. The parks range from the rustic tent camping grounds to the high-end resorts. There are 6 resort parks with inns and restaurants, 36 campgrounds, 7 marinas, not to mention 12 golf courses. Visitors enjoy picturesque waterfalls, bird watching, picnicking, hiking, hunting, fishing, archery, canoeing, kayaking, and creek stomping. Outdoorsmen, avid hunters, and target and skeet shooters take advantage of the prime land of the many wildlife preserves like Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Tims Ford State Park, and Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge.

Tennessee is also rich in cultural and historic attractions. Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art in Nashville was named one of the top five gardens in the United States by Southern Living. Located in the center of Music City is Centennial Park’s Parthenon – this full-scale replica of the ancient Greek original is complete with a 42-foot statue of Athena as the center piece and plaster replicas of the Parthenon’s famous marble statues.

Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art in Nashville was named one of the top five gardens in the United States by Southern Living. Photo by Kelly Verdeck

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Historic Market Square in Knoxville is a favorite for locals and tourists alike. Photo by Paul Hassell

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East Tennessee has its own brand of sophisticated charm. Since 1973 the historic town of Jonesborough has held the National Storytelling Festival the first weekend in October. With only 60 attendees at the first event, the festival is now acclaimed as one of the top 100 events in North America and is credited with the resurgence of the ancient art form of storytelling. Red Clay State Park in Cleveland, once the seat of the Cherokee nation,

Since 1973 the historic town of Jonesborough has held the National Storytelling Festival the first weekend in October. Photo by Tom Raymond

maintains a comprehensive history display of the Tennessee tribe. West Tennessee is rich with Chickasaw Indian history. This is simply a sampler of all that the state has to offer. There is an abundance of other sites to see and experiences to enjoy in Tennessee; the trouble will be deciding what to do first. 117

Embassy Suites Nashville Airport

mbassy Suites Nashville Airport works to anticipate travelers’ needs and deliver on what matters most. Guests are welcomed with a two-room suite, complimentary made-toorder breakfast each morning, and complimentary Manager’s Reception for two hours every night. This 296 room, all-suite hotel, completed an $11-million renovation that completely transformed every area of the hotel. The design for the renovation infused a contemporary, stylish, yet relaxed atmosphere suited for a wide range of traveler’s tastes. Both leisure and business travelers looking for an approachable, upscale experience feel right at home in the hotel’s inviting atrium environment and spacious suites. The hotel’s convenient location is a perfect base, with its setting in a quiet business park, just a

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quick five-minute ride to the airport, ten minutes to downtown. It provides easy access to Nashville’s top attractions such as the Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, LP Field, Bridgestone Arena, the Music City Center, historic Second Avenue, and music-filled Lower Broadway. Organizations looking for a productive and professional venue will find 14,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, all conveniently located on the lobby level, in one central location. The beautiful, open atrium is adjacent to the meeting space, and provides the perfect respite to re-energize before the afternoon’s session. TEN Bar & Grille, located just off the atrium, is the new, full-service, sports/media restaurant concept. TEN features a menu of American and regional cuisine favorites and caters to locals and guests alike. Patrons will enjoy not only the warm, open and casual atmosphere of TEN, but will be able to catch their favorite team on any of the 14 flat screens located throughout the restaurant. Open daily for lunch and dinner, it’s the perfect place to end the day. No matter the reason for the visit, the Embassy Suites Nashville Airport will give you more. The brand is cherished for its amenities and this hotel has it all. Made-to-order breakfast, nightly Manager’s Reception, spacious two-rooms suites, indoor pool, expansive new fitness center, complimentary business center, room service, Sweet Shop, complimentary airport shuttle, and Hilton HHonors Points and Miles.

Logan’s Roadhouse Restaurants

he original roadhouses reflected the essence of America and the freedom of the open road. The roadhouse was an oasis where the traveler could count on great food, warm and welcoming hospitality, lively music, and an icecold beer. And all those things that were so appealing in the past are still alive and kickin’ today at Logan’s Roadhouse. Logan’s is about great steaks, award-winning ribs, and “too cold to hold” beer. Our guests appreciate the care we take in preparing our food with fresh ingredients. It starts with steaks that are hand-cut in the restaurant, homemade yeast rolls that are baked fresh every 10 minutes, made-from scratch salad dressings and yeast-roll croutons; hand-breaded fresh chicken tenders and country-fried steak, and madefrom-scratch Southern-inspired sides. Add an authentic menu that features more than 30 entrees and unique signature items such as the Onion Brewski® Sirloin, Country Style Buttermilk Chicken, and Southern Style Banana Cream Pie. You might say it’s the quality dishes at great prices that make Logan’s an exceptional value.

A Legacy of Growth The first Logan’s Roadhouse opened in 1991 in Lexington, Kentucky Since then, this Nashvillebased restaurant chain has grown to more than 233 company-operated and 26 franchised restaurants in

23 states, from Texas to Ohio to Florida and points in between. Over the years, the Logan’s concept has received honors and recognition. When it first opened in Nashville, it was voted the Best New Restaurant in a local newspaper readers’ poll. In addition, the American Academy of Restaurant Sciences has frequently bestowed its Top 10 Steakhouses award on Logan’s and the Tennessee Beef Council has given the company its Beef Backer Award.

Friends and Neighbors So what’s next for Logan’s? President and CEO Mike Andres says, “While we’re excited to open new restaurants around the country, our focus is on making each guest a lifelong friend by exceeding their expectations with every visit to our restaurant.” That friendship extends to every community where Logan’s is located. The company is committed to giving back to the places where it does business. In every restaurant, General Managers work with local schools and other organizations to help with local fundraising efforts and support many kinds of community events year-round. So the company that started more than 20 years ago continues to find new ways to please diners and serve communities, all from the heart of Music City. “We’re proud to call Nashville our home,” says Andres. “Tennessee is not only a beautiful place to live; it’s also a great place for business.” 119

Chattanooga Marriott Downtown Hotel Enjoy comfortable and vibrant accommodations with enhanced technology at this Chattanooga hotel.

ituated in Chattanooga’s City Center, the Chattanooga Marriott Downtown Hotel is perfectly located in the business district, and is the city’s only hotel that adjoins the Chattanooga Convention Center. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, the Chattanooga Marriott Downtown Hotel ensures guests a comfortable stay and convenient access to popular Chattanooga attractions. The 343-room hotel offers a refreshing and stylish room design that helps guests stay connected, productive, and comfortable. Thoughtfully planned, each room features plush and new Revive bedding, functional business amenities including a Plug-In

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Panel, spacious bathrooms, HD flat screen TV, and in-room high-speed Internet. The open, bright, and contemporary Marriott hotel lobby welcomes guests with sleek, modern colors, with plenty of seating to accommodate guests’ needs. A key component of the Chattanooga Marriott is its prime location. It’s only minutes from popular attractions including the Tennessee Aquarium, Bluff View Art District, Chattanooga Regional History Museum, Creative Discovery Museum, AT&T Field, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and plenty of shopping and dining. It is the ideal place to host a variety of events, from business conferences to social galas. Dining options are also conveniently located in the hotel with The Terrace Grill, offering exceptional cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a casual setting. In addition, you can watch your favorite sports team and enjoy a variety of beers and specialty cocktails in Kick’s Sports Lounge, also located in the hotel and open for dinner. Coffee lovers can also enjoy freshly brewed Starbucks coffee at The Lookout Cafe, a shop for snacks, beverages, and sundries, open for breakfast to help get your day started. The hotel features an indoor heated swimming pool, an outdoor pool, fitness center and full-service business center. The hotel also offers over 10,000 square feet of meeting space to accommodate groups of up to 500 people, including 10 meeting rooms and up to 9 breakout meeting rooms.

Wingate by Wyndham Cleveland, Tennessee

he Cleveland, Tennessee Wingate by Wyndham has been proudly serving Cleveland, Tennessee and the greater Chattanooga area since 2001. The award-winning Wingate by Wyndham serves corporate guests from the Cleveland, Calhoun, and Charleston, Tennessee Industrial Parks. In addition, the Wingate is a popular home away from home for leisure guests travelling to the Ocoee Region to raft the Ocoee River, visiting Lee University, and participating in various events at the Church of God International Headquarters. Nestled in the heart of the Ocoee Region and in the foothills of the Cherokee National Forest, Cleveland is one of Southeast Tennessee’s most vibrant cities. Cleveland and the Ocoee Region is home to 12 Fortune 500 companies including Whirlpool Corporation, Mars, and Proctor and Gamble – just to name a few. Cleveland’s thriving industrial and progressive business landscape is

matched only by the natural beauty of the region. In fact, the Ocoee River was the sight of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics whitewater kayaking competition. The Cleveland Wingate’s desire is to provide the best in both service and accommodations to its guests. The hotel ownership strongly believes that investing in capital improvements, renovation, and employee training are the keys to consistent guest satisfaction. The all-inclusive amenities and complimentary hot breakfast are outstanding. As a top-rated hotel in Cleveland, Wingate’s reputation almost speaks for itself. In fact, with the help of many satisfied guests, the Wingate has been awarded TripAdvisor’s prestigious Certificate of Excellence Award every year since the award was established. Whether you are travelling to Cleveland for business or pleasure, please consider the awardwinning, 100% smoke-free, interior corridor Wingate by Wyndham.

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Hilton Knoxville Defining Southern Hospitality

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nown for awe-inspiring mountains, outdoor adventures, fabulous shopping and dining and University of Tennessee football, people flock to Knoxville throughout the year from all over the world. When people come to Knoxville they want to stay in a hotel that offers comfort, ease and proximity to some of the cities most popular attractions. The Hilton in downtown Knoxville gives guests all of that and more. As Knoxville’s premier hotel, the Hilton Knoxville defines southern hospitality and service. With a staff that is dedicated to engaging guests and providing them with anything they need to ensure an enjoyable stay, it’s no wonder why people continually say their service is first rate. Rising 18 stories into Knoxville’s recognizable skyline, the newly-renovated Hilton is a place where contemporary décor and luxurious amenities immerse guests in an atmosphere that makes spending the night away from home an enjoyable experience. Three hundred and twenty guest rooms provide guests with gorgeous city and river views and a restful night’s sleep that’s hard to beat on Hilton Sweet Dream beds by Serta . Room amenities include the premium collection by Room 360 body products, granite baths, complimentary high-speed Internet and a spacious work area. The Hilton Knoxville is an ideal place for corporate and social events with over 14,000 square feet of versatile functions space there are endless possibilities for events large or small. From a 6,980 square foot ballroom, to meeting and breakout spaces, to an executive boardroom, every gathering comes complete with state-of-the-art technology and the personalized services of a professional catering staff. Anyone can plan their special events with ease at the Hilton. No matter what you are

dreaming up for your business, wedding reception or celebration, their experienced professionals can make sure each event is perfect in every way. When it comes to dining it’s hard to match the Hilton’s variety of delectable options. Enjoy the lively atmosphere at the Market Grill, known to be one of the best in Knoxville. Enjoy regionally based cuisine from one of the top chefs in Knoxville. The menu offers an upscale taste of the South and is sure to make you feel at home. Kick your day off with an elaborate breakfast buffet with cooked to order omelets and Belgian waffles along with an array of fresh fruit, cereals, baked goods, and of course southern biscuits and more. The Hilton is also home to the only Starbucks in downtown Knoxville. The Starbucks has been fully renovated and features an upscale setting with both indoor and outdoor seating. The Orange Martini Bar and Grill, a trendy bar, is a great place to unwind and enjoy a light evening meal or cocktail with friends. Enjoy the new outdoor beer garden that features local brews and a seasonal food menu with a Southern flare as you gather around the outdoor fire pit. Conveniently located in the center of the downtown business district, the Hilton is connected

by a covered walkway to the Knoxville Convention Center and within walking distance of state and federal offices, the University of Tennessee, World’s Fair Park, Market Square and restaurants, clubs and shops. The hotel is only just 20 minutes from McGhee Tyson Airport. Take the complimentary Knoxville trolley, available Monday through Saturday, between the hotel and a number of local attractions including the Civic Coliseum and Auditorium and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Visit the animals at Knoxville Zoo, sail down the river on a Tennessee Riverboat, shop at West

Towne Mall or learn more about the historic area at the Museum of Appalachia. Cheer on the Vols at Neyland Stadium or Thompson Boling Arena, both within walking distance of the hotel. Our attentive and friendly staff will be happy to help with any queries or tour arrangements. Southern hospitality, exquisite comfort signature cuisine and easy access to the heart beat of Knoxville – these are the features that make the Hilton Knoxville the perfect choice of accommodation for any stay.

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CHAPTER FOUR

TTennessee Education Evolves to Meet 21st Century Demands

n the spring of 2010, Tennessee was one of two states awarded over $501 million from the federal government’s Race to the Top competition. The Tennessee Department of Education wanted to make every dollar count and used the funds to establish broadreaching reforms in all areas of education – from early childhood programs to college career development. The investment in prekindergarten readiness, improved academic performance and graduation rates, career training, and post-secondary education and clearly shows Tennessee is a state that believes education is crucial to meet the demands of today’s changing workforce environment.

The investment in pre-kindergarten readiness clearly shows Tennessee is a state that believes education is crucial to meet the demands of today’s changing workforce environment. Photo courtesy of SCORE left: The University of Tennessee (UT) System is comprised of campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin, the Health Science Center based in Memphis, the statewide Institute of Agriculture, and the Institute for Public Service. Photo courtesy of the University of Tennessee System

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left & opposite page, bottom: Key components of the strategic plan include access to early childhood education, especially for at-risk youth, Tennessee State Standards, and support for higher post-secondary education for all high school graduates interested in earning a college degree. Photos courtesy of SCORE (Page 126). Photo courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services / Jed DeKalb (Page 127)

In a special session of the 106th Tennessee General Assembly, members passed the Tennessee First to the Top Act of 2010 and the Complete College Tennessee Act of 2010. These two pieces of legislation paved the way to outline the initiatives needed to enact the desired improvements in the state’s education goals. Key components of the strategic plan include access to early childhood education, especially for at-risk youth, Tennessee State Standards, and support for higher post-secondary education for all high school graduates interested in earning a college degree.

opposite page, top: Since May of 2005, the Voluntary Pre-K for Tennessee Initiative has been providing Tennessee’s four-yearold children with the opportunity to develop school readiness and social skills needed to be a successful kindergarten student. Photo courtesy of SCORE

From Pre-K to College: Tennessean’s Lifelong Dedication to Education Since May of 2005, the Voluntary Pre-K for Tennessee Initiative has been providing Tennessee’s four-year-old children with the opportunity to develop school readiness and social skills needed to be a successful kindergarten student. These state-funded pre-k classes are available in every eligible Tennessee school district and priority preference is given to at-risk applicants. “Child well-being is a barometer of the current and future well-being of the state,” Linda O’Neal, Executive Director of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, state affiliate of the KIDS COUNT program, said in a press release.

Career Academies and Charter Schools Revolutionize Education The idea for career academies began in 2006 as a way to meet federal No Child Left Behind benchmarks in all Nashville public high schools. Eight high school principals met 127

with a community schools organization called Alignment Nashville and adopted the idea of small learning communities and career academies. Years later, the blend of vocational education with the rigor of academics has transformed high schools to serve the 21stcentury student. By several important measurements, the model is a success; attendance and graduation rates have improved, test scores are higher, students are reported to be more engaged with learning, and discipline problems have decreased. Students choose between various career paths and register for classes that prepare them for those chosen vocations and lessons are conducted as thematic, project-based unit studies. Teachers work in teams to develop interdisciplinary lesson plans with an emphasis on experiential projects. This approach allows students to see how the concepts and information they are studying applies to jobs in the real world. A vital part of the program is business involvement and partnerships. McGavock High School in Nashville was chosen as a “model” school and received the distinction of “Best in Class” by Next Ed, (Education for the Next Economy) in 2013. According to McGavock High School Executive Principal Robbin Wall, “Our commitment to continuous improvement academically and strong partnerships with families, community, and area business partners provide us with the foundation that we need as we strive to help every student succeed.” Nashville isn’t alone in the move toward the academy learning; Memphis Health Careers Academy is 1 of 42 high schools in the Memphis City Schools, and they are building their programs as well. 128

The Tennessee Promise scholarship program, that began in 2015, means every high school graduate, regardless of grade point average will be offered a twoyear scholarship for tuition at any community or technical college. Photos courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services / Jed DeKalb

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Charter Schools Another innovative approach to quality education are charter schools. Charter schools are public schools that are operated by independent, non-profit governing agencies, which must comply with the same rules and regulations of the state board of education and licensing regulations. The adoption of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002 and the Tennessee charter school law enacted the same year created the option for students attending schools labeled as “under-performing” to transfer to a private or charter school. Charter schools, however, were limited to urban areas of Memphis and Nashville, and put restrictions on enrollment to those students who were attending an “under-performing school” or who received free or reduced priced lunch. In 2009 the Tennessee legislature lifted the state’s cap and expanded student’s eligibility. In 2010, as part of the Tennessee’s Race to the Top grant, the Achievement School District (ASD) was created, which became the charter authorizing authority. In 2011, the law was changed again to eliminate enrollment restrictions and caps, and now they are open to all students. The Tennessee Charter School Center reports that in 2009-2010 there were only 18 charters serving 5,000 students. In 2012-2013 there were 40 charter schools in operation in Tennessee serving nearly 11,700 students. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools reports 4 percent of Tennessee’s schools were charters in 2013, a growth rate of 27.4 percent over the previous year. 130

Drive to 55 The statistics are staggering: More than 20,000 Tennessee high school graduates choose not to continue their education each year. Nearly 70 percent of Tennessee students who do go on to community college need remedial classes before they can take college level courses. Approximately 940,000 adults have some college credit but haven’t earned an associate or four-year degree. In order to turn this trend around, Governor Haslam and a team of experts developed a new mission: the Drive to 55 Alliance. The goal is two fold. One is to generate awareness and assistance from the private sector leaders and non-profits to make sure our students are college-entry ready. The second is to close the skills gaps to better prepare our workforce to reduce unemployment and increase economic development for the future. Simply put, the Drive to 55 Alliance is to equip 55 percent of Tennesseans with a college degree or adult education certificate by 2025. Tennessee is projected to reach 39 percent of citizens with a certificate or degree beyond high school by the year 2025. To reach 55 percent would be 494,000 more people. “We want Tennesseans working in Tennessee jobs. We want Tennesseans to have an opportunity to get a good job and for those in the workplace to be able to advance and get an even better job,” Haslam said. “Currently in Tennessee, only 32 percent of us have a certificate or degree beyond high school, and studies show that by the year 2025 that

opposite page: The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools reports 4 percent of Tennessee’s schools were charters in 2013, a growth rate of 27.4 percent over the previous year. bottom: Tennessee Promise is both a scholarship and mentoring program that provides students “a lastdollar scholarship,” meaning the scholarship covers tuition and fees not covered by other federal, state or private funds. Photos courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services / Jed DeKalb

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number needs to be at least 55 percent for us to keep up with job demand. We have a lot of work ahead of us.” The plan includes $16.5 million in the 2013-2014 year’s budget for equipment and technology related to workforce development programs at Tennessee colleges of applied technology and community colleges. The biggest piece of the Drive to 55 is the endowment of $47 million supported by the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) to provide nearly $2 million each year to support for “last dollar” scholarship programs, which fill the gaps between students’ financial aid and the real costs of college. Tennessee will fulfill their promise.

Community and Technical College Bridges the Gap with a Promise

UTK was ranked 101st among all national universities in the 2012 U.S. News & World

Report. Photo courtesy of the University of Tennessee System

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The initial focus of the Drive to 55 initiative is to implement the Tennessee Promise scholarship program. As of 2015, every high school graduate, regardless of grade point average, is offered a two-year scholarship for tuition at any community or technical college. Tennessee Promise is both a scholarship and mentoring program that provides students “a last-dollar scholarship,” meaning the scholarship covers tuition and fees not covered by other federal, state, or private funds. Students may use the scholarship at any of the state’s

13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology, or other eligible associateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree programs. The mentoring component is key to the Tennessee Promise. Each student is assigned a mentor to assist the student during the college admissions process and beyond. Recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress and complete eight hours of community service per term. Columbia Community College opened in 1966 to address this need for technical schools. Today, there are 13 community colleges scattered from Northeast State Community College in Blountville in the East to Jackson State Community College in Jackson in the West. In a joint and unique venture, Volkswagen Group of America and Chattanooga State Community College have developed two training programs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Automation Mechatronics Program (AMP) and the Car Mechatronics Program (CMP). The programs together are known simply as Volkswagen Academy. Bridgestone has offered to supply educational classrooms and laboratories to house Motlow Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mechatronics Program where students can earn certification, join the workforce, or continue with their two-year Associate of Science Degree.

Bridgestone and Motlow College have created the Mechatronics Partnership where students can earn certification, join the workforce, or continue with their two-year Associate of Science Degree. Photo courtesy of Motlow College

Public Tennessee Universities Produce Scholars The University of Tennessee is one of the 11 public schools in the Tennessee Board of Regents collegiate system. UT has five campuses in Chattanooga, Martin, Tullahoma, and 133

Today, the University of Tennessee continues the proud tradition of scientific discovery. Photo courtesy of ORNL

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the Health Science Center in Memphis. However, over 21,000 undergraduates call the main campus in Knoxville home. The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) dates back to 1869 when the university was designated as Tennessee’s federal land-grant institution. The Federal Land-Grant Act enabled the university to offer instruction in agriculture. Later, federal legislation provided resources for agricultural research and extension programming. Today, the college offers academic majors in traditional agricultural fields that include natural resources and agribusiness, modern natural resources, and agricultural sciences. Another unique feature of the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) is the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, named in honor of the late Senator Howard H. Baker, Jr., also known as “The Great Conciliator.” Established in 2003 with a Congressionally-funded endowment, the Baker Center’s mission is “to educate and promote research to further the public’s knowledge of our system of governance, and to highlight the critical importance of public service.” The Center focuses on four main areas: public programs, archives, research, and civic education and engagement. Perhaps the greatest acclaim is the university’s connection to science and technology. UT manages and operates Oak Ridge National Laboratory through UT-Battelle, a private

not-for-profit company established in 2000 for the sole purpose of managing and operating the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy. The research enterprise consists of $3 billion in research facilities, equipment and some of the brightest minds. These resources include the Spallation Neutron Source, a $1.4 billion science project; the world’s largest unclassified supercomputer. Tennessee State University (TSU) is one of the nation’s historically black colleges and universities. TSU offers 38 bachelor’s degrees and two associates’ of applied science degree programs within its eight colleges and schools. Classes are offered on two campuses within the city of Nashville, the Avon Williams campus and the main campus located at the edge of the Cumberland River. The school has graduated a long list of professional football and basketball players, as well as several Olympic gold medalists, including Wilma Rudolph. Middle Tennessee State University located in Murfreesboro is a public institution founded in 1911 and boasts an enrollment of more than 25,000 students. This makes MTSU the largest and the oldest institution in the Tennessee Board of Regents collegiate system.

In a joint and unique venture, Volkswagen Group of America and Chattanooga State Community College have developed two training programs that includes paid internships at the Volkswagen plant,creating an oldfashioned apprenticeship arrangement in which all parties benefit. Photo courtesy of Volkswagen

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The university offers a broad range of studies including recording industry management, horse sciences, aerospace, and the first-of-its-kind academic program in concrete industry management. Traditional majors in science, nursing, accounting and education are also offered. MTSU was ranked in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges and National Universities, Tier 2.

Prestigious Private Education Tennessee has 48 private educational institutions ranging from Memphis College of Arts to Tennessee Bible College in Cookeville. Among the world-renowned schools are Vanderbilt University in Nashville and The University of the South in Sewanee. Vanderbilt is a private research university founded in 1873. U.S. News & World Report ranked Vanderbilt 17th, tied with Rice University and the University of Notre Dame, among all national universities. The student body of 12,000 comes from 90 countries and all 50 states. The research centers and institutes affiliated with the university include the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center, Dyer Observatory, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the only Level I trauma center in Middle Tennessee. Notable alumni and affiliates include two vice presidents of the United States, 25 Rhodes Scholars, seven Nobel Prize laureates, and a handful of Pulitzer Prize winners, and Academy Award winners.

Sewanee ranks 36th in the 2013 U.S. News & World

Report, and Forbes ranked it 91st on its Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top Colleges list. Photo courtesy of the University of the South

opposite page: The Vanderbilt University student body of 12,000 comes from 90 countries and all 50 states. Photo by Sean Pavone

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Fisk University is a historically black university, and is the oldest institution of higher learning in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo by Ken Stigler 138

Sewanee ranks 36th in the 2013 U.S. News & World Report, and Forbes ranked it 91st on its Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top Colleges list. It is known best for its literary achievements. The Sewanee Review, founded in 1892, is thought to be the longest-running literary magazine in the country. The Sewanee Writersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Conference, held each summer, draws writers from across the nation. In 1983, playwright Tennessee Williams left the literary rights

of his entire collection, and therefore, the royalties from all his works, in the care of the university. The profits helped build the Tennessee Williams Center and fund teaching fellowships. Living up to its slogan: “From here to anywhere,” Belmont University has long been nationally recognized for its undergraduate programs in health care, entertainment and music. With more than 80 areas of study, 23 master’s programs, and 5 doctoral degrees, Belmont continues to grow its mission of academic rigor with a Christian focus. Belmont was ranked seventh in the U.S. News & World Report listing of “Best Universities” in the South in the master’s category for the 2013 edition of America’s Best Colleges, making Belmont the highest ranked university in Tennessee in this category. Belmont also received international attention for hosting the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate. The 75-acre campus is located just two miles southwest of downtown Nashville. The original Belmont College (1890-1913) was built on the land known as the Belle Monte estate owned by Joseph and Adelicia Acklen. Their historic antebellum home, Belmont Mansion, is one of Nashville’s architectural and historic tourist sites. Whatever the stage of life or primary interest of study, Tennessee schools offer a wide range of options for students. Tennessee’s institutions and programs are preparing the 21st century candidate for the competitive and ever-changing job market.

Belmont University has long been nationally recognized for its undergraduate programs in health care, entertainment and music. Photo courtesy of Belmont University

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The University of Tennessee System

The University of Tennessee System, with a presence in each of the state’s 95 counties, provides education, discovery, outreach, and public service for the benefit of all Tennesseans.

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he University of Tennessee (UT) System is comprised of campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin, the Health Science Center based in Memphis, the statewide Institute of Agriculture, and the Institute for Public Service. UT, a land-grant institution, has a presence in all of Tennessee’s 95 counties. The university’s delivery of education, discovery, outreach, and public service contributes to the economic, social, and environmental well-being of all Tennesseans. Research is an important part of the mission of UT. Discovery adds to the body of knowledge of academic disciplines and provides solutions to everyday problems. A unique aspect of the university’s research enterprise is the longstanding partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the nation’s largest science lab of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The connection has enabled the university to hire world-renown experts as joint faculty through the Tennessee Governor’s Chairs program. The university’s faculty and relationship with ORNL is a key draw of Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus, UT’s research park currently being developed. The discoveries made by university faculty and partnerships throughout

the state have helped make Tennessee a leader in innovation and a destination for industry.

University of Tennessee Manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory Great things can happen when someone decides to take a risk. The University of Tennessee made a bold move in 1999 when it went public with plans to compete for the management contract of the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In a partnership with Battelle Memorial Institute, a global research and development organization committed to science and technology, the university presented DOE with a groundbreaking proposal and assumed responsibility for the lab in April 2000. UT-Battelle had an ambitious and innovative plan to modernize the lab’s deteriorating infrastructure, improve safety, and expand the lab’s research portfolio by aggressively competing for research funding and programs. UT-Battelle brought innovative approaches to the tough problems ORNL had been trying to solve. The result of these actions has brought tremendous benefits to ORNL, the university,

the state, and the nation. The plans put into place by UT-Battelle have made ORNL a world leader in supercomputing, neutron science, and energy research. The partnership places the University of Tennessee in an elite class of premier research universities and strengthens Tennessee’s economic development efforts. UT is now the lab’s largest research partner with more than 150 faculty who have joint appointments at the university and ORNL, as well as 5 joint institutes, 15 Tennessee Governor’s Chairs scientists, and an interdisciplinary graduate program enrolling some of the best doctoral students anywhere. “The UT-Oak Ridge partnership is a tangible example of how the university fulfills its mission to educate, discover, and connect,” said UT System President Joe DiPietro. “It’s also an asset of tremendous value to the university, the lab, and the people we jointly serve at the state and national levels. As our success grows, so does our contribution to Tennessee’s economy, competitiveness, and quality of life.” ORNL, with an annual budget of approximately $1.6 billion, is committed to recruiting top researchers who significantly contribute to the Tennessee economy. More than $275 million in ORNL procurements came from Tennessee companies in fiscal 2012, more than a third of the lab’s annual total.

“The partnership between the University of Tennessee and Battelle has had a huge impact on East Tennessee and the entire state,” Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam said. UT-Battelle’s contract was recently extended again to 2020 based on a history of strong performance.

The Tennessee Governor’s Chairs

Fifteen Tennessee Governor’s Chairs Boost UT Research Portfolio and Reputation

faculty members have appointments

program, established in 2006, now has 15 faculty members, who have joint appointments with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and UT Knoxville or UT Health Science Center based in Memphis. These in the UT Knoxville College of Engineering. Photo by Jack Parker.

A computational biologist, a materials scientist, a radiation expert, a genetics and biomedical researcher, and an electric grid expert are among the 15 exceptional faculty members the University of Tennessee has hired as part of the Tennessee Governor’s Chairs program. Established in 2006 by then-Governor Phil Bredesen, the program is funded by the State of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory and designed to attract accomplished researchers from around the world to boost joint research efforts. Governor’s Chairs are leaders in the fields of biological science, computational science, advanced materials, and neutron science. The recruitment of these faculty members, with joint appointments at either UT Knoxville or the UT Health Science Center and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, complement UT’s ongoing strengths 141

Plans for Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus call for the development of 77 acres with 16 building sites. The master plan guidelines emphasize design excellence and innovation.

The University of Tennessee’s Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus is a unique research and development park located in Knoxville along the banks of the Tennessee River. The proximity to UT Knoxville and Oak Ridge National Laboratory provides private industry close collaboration with expert researchers in the areas of materials science, high-performance computing, and many others.

and build new capacity for the state. The program has had a dramatic impact on the university, both academically and financially, by attracting economic activity, research dollars, and additional researchers for scientific collaboration. In fiscal year 2012, the Governor’s Chairs brought in $50 million of external funding to the university. Arthur Ragauskas, an authority in bioenergy, was named the 15th Governor’s Chair in February 2014. His research focuses on biorefining and uncovering ways to convert biomass to biofuels, biopower, and biomaterials. “The Governor’s Chair position leverages the world-class students, faculty, researchers, and research infrastructure at UT and ORNL focused on biorefining and the potential

of developing translational collaborative research in this field that will impact the state, nation, and world,” he said. Thomas Zawodzinski, appointed UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair in electrical energy storage in 2009, has been working on ways to better store excess solar and wind energy. He and another professor in UT Knoxville’s College of Engineering have developed techniques that improve the accessibility of energy from a vanadium flow battery. They are currently seeking patents for their innovations, and commercial partners have stepped forward to license the technologies.

Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus Joins University of Tennessee with Industry The Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus is one of the boldest projects the University of Tennessee has undertaken in its 220-year history. Located along the banks of the Tennessee River, Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus is a 188-acre research and development park intended to leverage the university’s unique partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and realize the connections between UT and private industry. It provides the place for industry partners to collaborate with faculty researchers and the lab. Tenants will have unprecedented access to the most powerful tools available in materials science and high-performance computing as well as faculty expertise.

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The first building, expected to be complete in 2015, will house the UT-ORNL Joint Institute for Advanced Materials (JIAM). The $47-million, 144,000-square-foot JIAM facility will be home to expert materials science faculty â&#x20AC;&#x201C; physicists, chemists, computer scientists, microscopists, and engineers. And it will house seven very powerful microscopes. The $2.5-million Zeiss Libra 200 transmission electron microscope has a magnification power of one to ten million times, meaning it can read the mint date on the head of a nickel on the moon. The $1-million Zeiss Auriga crossbeam microscope has the magnification power of 100,000 and provides powerful images of the surface of materials. Industry partners are being sought to develop the remainder of the innovation campus with office, research and development, and laboratory space that will allow companies to work with UT faculty, staff, and students and grow jobs in the Knoxville region. The master plan for Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus emphasizes design excellence and innovation throughout the site. The innovation campus is dedicated to green development. Energy conservation is an ongoing focus of the campus, with sustainability addressed in land management, water efficiency, materials, and indoor environmental quality. Plans call for developing 77 acres of the site, where 46 acres of the remaining property are designated part of an archaeological zone and will be preserved. There are 16 building sites that support about 1.6 million square feet of development.

energy and the advancement of STEM research and education. It was a groundbreaking collaboration between public and private institutions in the state. So far, this program has resulted in 11 invention disclosures, 106 new research proposals, and over $10 million of new related funding. Additionally, UT won its first-ever engineering research center, an $18-million collaborative center, funded jointly by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy called CURENT in 2011. CURENT researchers are investigating new approaches to grid management and innovation. The University of Tennessee owns and operates one of the largest solar arrays in the Southeast. The West Tennessee Solar Farm in Haywood County is capable of producing more than 5 million watts of electricity annually, which is enough energy to power 500 homes and offset 250 tons of coal. An information and welcome center at the farm, located off Interstate 40, is expected to be completed by the end of 2015 and will house SPECTRUM, a renewable energy teaching exhibit. SPECTRUM is currently located in the Knoxville Center Mall, where it has hosted more than 16,000 visitors since November 2012. It is an outreach arm of the university that educates all ages on the benefits, technology, and future of energy, especially in Tennessee.

As manager and research partner with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee has established itself as a world leader in supercomputing, neutron science and energy research.

Renewable Energy a Research Focus for University of Tennessee Renewable energy is a hot topic these days in Tennessee. The state has become a hub for research and economic development in this growing industry, and the University of Tennessee is helping lead the way. With Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a major research partner, the university focuses on renewable energy solutions from developing better ways to store solar energy to growing crops to provide renewable fuels. In 2010, a consortium of university partners led by UT won a $24-million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation. Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winning award called TN-SCORE for Tennessee Solar Conversion and Storage using Outreach, Research, and Education, was framed around renewable 143

Fisk University From a Spark to a Flame: The Dream and Perseverance of Fisk University

anuary 9, 1866, was an important day. Nine months before, General Robert E. Lee had surrendered to Union troops, leaving the Southern black population with a spark of hope. But on that cold winter day in Nashville, students walked through the doors of the old Union army barracks holding onto that small spark. It’s hard to know whether they knew they were on the threshold of something so big that it would open doors and create the much-needed leadership for a desperate post-war black community. Founders John Ogden, the Reverend Erastus Milo Cravath, and the Reverend Edward P. Smith aimed to create a place that would be measured “by the highest standards, not of Negro education, but of American education at its best.” And that’s exactly what they did. On August 22, 1867, Fisk University was incorporated on land donated by and named for General Clinton B. Fisk of the Tennessee Freedmen’s Bureau. Since then, Fisk has seen more than its share of prestigious alumni and faculty. Co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, W.E.B. Du Bois, graduated in 1888. Booker T. Washington, served on Fisk’s Board of Trustees, married a Fisk graduate, and sent his children to the university. Other notable Fisk alumni include journalist Ida B. Wells, poet Nikki Giovanni, and Diane Nash, leader of the Nashville Civil Rights movement. Fisk has become most well-known for the arts that once saved the struggling school in the late 1800s. Funding for black education was scarce and

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despite the support Fisk received through donors and the sponsorship of the American Missionary Association, the institution found itself drowning in debt. Saving the beloved school would require a leap of faith. And a song. The Fisk Jubilee Singers® left for a concert tour in the fall of 1871 in hopes of raising money to save the school. They performed for the likes of Ulysses S. Grant, Mark Twain, and Queen Victoria. Fisk University has long been a friend to the arts community. With an art collection to rival major galleries around the world, Fisk claimed Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas as an art professor and founder of the art department. The Aaron Douglas Gallery features pieces from the university’s permanent collections, along with work from faculty, students, and contemporary artists. The Fisk University Galleries’ permanent collection contains over 4,000 pieces, including work from Diego Rivera, Georgia O’Keefe, Pablo Picasso, Paul Cezanne, and Auguste-Pierre Renoir to name a few. Fisk University has come a long way since the first day students, most of them former slaves, trudged into the army barracks. With that small spark of hope, seeking an education and a future were the goals. Everyone involved knew there would be mountains to climb and hurdles to jump. But despite setbacks, the dreams of the founders have not only been fulfilled but exceeded. Fisk University was and remains an educational institution with the highest of standards, “not of Negro education, but of American education at its best.” Reprinted with Permission from PorterBriggs.com

Tennessee Bible College

n many ways, Tennessee Bible College (TBC) remains the same as always. Same mission. Same guide book. Same philosophy upon which it was founded 40 years ago by the late Malcolm Hill, who, as an aspiring young preacher in the mid-1950s, had struggled to make ends meet while pursuing his own college-level Christian education and made it his life’s work to help others avoid the same hardships. For Hill, the establishment of TBC, where he served as President from 1975 to 2010 and as Chancellor until his death in 2012, had been a dream come true – a way in which young men and women could be trained as “Gospel preachers, Bible teachers, and Christian workers,” whether they could afford it or not. It’s a dream that continues to be realized today. Even though it holds firmly to its roots, the college has also seen its share of changes over the past four decades – most notably, an 18,000-square-foot administration building in 1995 on 10 beautiful acres of countryside in northeast Cookeville, conveniently located just off Interstate 40 and Highway 111. A thriving online college has also emerged, allowing faculty members to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel” in ways unfathomable in years gone by, serving not only local and state communities, but also students all over the globe. TBC offers a two-year certificate in Bible – its earliest program, going back to when it operated as a night school in a church building – and three degree-granting programs. Students may work toward a Bachelor of Religious Education, Master of Theology, and even a Doctor of Theology. TBC became the first Church of Christ-affiliated school to confer the Ph.D. in 1986. TBC is also one of few schools in the country with a specialty in apologetics, which is the study of Christian evidences. The program, implemented by

noted philosopher, debater, and former TBC Vice President Dr. Thomas B. Warren, prepares students to defend the Bible against atheism, agnosticism, and skepticism. Other course offerings include doctrine, Biblical text, church history, original Biblical languages, ministry, evangelism, and more, all of which have attracted a steady stream of students over the years from as far away as Russia, China, and Africa. It addition to its campus and online students, TBC welcomes others in the community to reap spiritual benefits through two annual events – the Spiritual Renewal Lectureship the last week of February and Truth Bible Camp in mid-June. Another unique factor is that TBC operates solely on contributions from Churches of Christ and other interested individuals and businesses, with no federal funding – which TBC officials say is essential for keeping it on the same path as when it began, with no outside interference. “We are very thankful for our 40 years in Tennessee and with the Lord’s help, look forward to many more,” said David Hill, President.

TBC Founder, Malcolm L. Hill

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CHAPTER FIVE

TFrom East to West: Tennessee

Health Sciences Lead by Example

rom east to west, Tennessee has state-of-the-art medical facilities responsible for some of the nation’s cutting-edge research and business development. With four medical schools and corresponding teaching hospitals, Tennessee secures billions for the economy while conducting research, training health care professionals, and providing excellent patient care.

HCA One of the nation’s leading providers in health care services and ranked 82nd in the Fortune 100, HCA is the hospital company based in Nashville that has become the prototype for other businesses.

One of the nation’s leading providers in health care services and ranked 82nd in the

Fortune 100, HCA is the hospital company based in Nashville that has become the prototype for other businesses. Photo courtesy of HCA Healthcare left: From east to west, Tennessee has state-of-the-art medical facilities responsible for some of the nation’s cutting-edge research and business development. Photo courtesy of UT Medical Center

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Today, HCA manages 165 hospitals and 115 freestanding surgery centers in 20 states and in the United Kingdom. Photo courtesy of HCA Healthcare

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Hospital Cooperation of America began in 1968 led by Dr. Thomas Frist, Sr. Dr. Frist and other Park View physicians were seeking a group to manage the hospital and provide capital to expand and to establish the latest medical technology. In 1968, Dr. Frist, Jack C. Massey and Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr. formed their own hospital management company â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hospital Corporation of America, today known simply as HCA. These pioneers created a new format in hospital care in America. Today, HCA manages 165 hospitals and 115 freestanding surgery centers in 20 states and in the United Kingdom. HCA invested $7.8 billion in capital spending projects over the past five years to expand or bring new services to the communities it serves. With more than 35,000 affiliated physicians and 200,000 employees, HCA is responsible for approximately 20 million patient encounters each year, and 1 out of 22 emergency room visits in America occur at a HCA Hospital. Tennessee has four medical schools in the state with affiliated teaching hospitals accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges. They are Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine, and Meharry Medical College.

left: With more than 35,000 affiliated physicians and 200,000 employees, HCA is responsible for approximately 20 million patient encounters each year, and 1 out of 22 emergency room visits in America occur at a HCA Hospital. Photo courtesy of HCA Healthcare

below: Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has steadily risen in rankings to the number 15 position in the nation. Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt Medical Center

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine U.S. News & World Report ranks Vanderbilt University School of Medicine 14th among the accredited medical schools in the nation. Although the school has a full range of departments offered from family medicine to neurosurgery, Vanderbiltâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s audiology program enjoys the first place ranking, while the speech-language pathology program holds the third place recognition. 149

Combined inpatient and outpatient surgeries performed total 48,000. Its emergency room attends to 109,987 patients each year. Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt Medical Center

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Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has steadily risen in rankings to the number 15 position in the nation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are known as innovators in the world of nursing education. Our job is to shape the future of health care by enabling our masters and doctoral students to become the most effective clinicians, researchers and leaders in the country,â&#x20AC;? said Colleen Conway-Welch, Ph.D., CNM, Dean of the School of Nursing. Students practice their skills at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a 909-bed general medical and surgical facility with nearly 50,000 admissions annually that is also a teaching hospital nationally recognized in 11 adult and 9 pediatric specialties. Top accolades go to neurology and neurosurgery, cancer treatment, and cardiology and heart surgery specialties. Combined inpatient and outpatient surgeries performed total 48,000. Its emergency room attends to 109,987 patients each year. An integral part of the Vanderbilt education system is the research department. VUSM Research ranks 10th in National Institute of Health (NIH) funding and receives over $400 million in grants annually. Monroe Carell Jr. Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital at Vanderbilt is also a nationally renowned facility and is ranked by U.S. News & World Report in the top 25 in the country in five

above: The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) is one of two Level I trauma centers in the East Tennessee region. Photo courtesy of UT Medical Center

left: The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) affiliated with the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, which is one of four College of Medicine locations of the UT Health Science Center. Photo courtesy of UT Medical Center

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Nearly 3,000 students are enrolled in UTMC’s six colleges, studying allied health sciences, dentistry, graduate health sciences, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. Photo courtesy of UT Medical Center

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pediatric specialties. Children’s Hospital is a national leader in urology but also received top marks for its neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics and pediatric cancer treatment departments. The division of neonatology is ranked in the top 10 in the country.

University of Tennessee Medical Center The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) is one of two Level I trauma centers in the East Tennessee region and is affiliated with the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, which is one of four College of Medicine locations of the UT Health Science Center. UTMC is the area’s only teaching hospital. The new UT Medical Center Heart Hospital opened in 2010, joining the Cancer Institute and the Heart Lung Vascular Institute. UT Health Science Center has its headquarters campus in Memphis, and major locations in Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville. Nearly 3,000 students are enrolled in

its six colleges, studying allied health sciences, dentistry, graduate health sciences, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. Another 1,200 medical residents and fellows, located statewide, train and provide patient care through UTHSC’s 85 ACGME-accredited programs. (ACGME stands for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education). Methodist University Hospital (MUH) in partnership with UTMC operates the only abdominal transplant program in the Mid-South and is one of the top 10 abdominal transplant programs in the country. The UTHSC trauma program at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis (The MED) is nationally recognized. In fact, there are three Level 1 trauma centers at hospitals across the state; the Regional Medical Center; UT Medical Center in Knoxville; and the Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga. Together they treat nearly 12,000 cases a year.

Quillen College of Medicine East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine is considered one of the nation’s leading schools for rural medicine and primary care training and therefore, is consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report.

Meharry Medical College, founded in 1876, was the first medical school in the South for African Americans and is still one of the nation’s oldest and largest historically black academic health science centers. Photo courtesy of Meharry Medical College

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Instead of having one teaching hospital, the Quillen College of Medicine students have access to a variety of hospitals and clinics in the Johnson City Tri-Cities region. With access to more than 3,000 patient beds, students train in every area of primary and tertiary care medicine. Johnson City Medical Center is, however, the primary hospital for the Mountain States Health Alliance. The not-for-profit hospital is a major medical referral center with Level I Trauma Care and the region’s only emergency medical air transport service.

Meharry Medical College Meharry Medical College, founded in 1876, was the first medical school in the South for African Americans and is still one of the nation’s oldest and largest historically black academic health science centers. The Annals of Internal Medicine ranked Meharry as one of the nation’s top five producers of primary care physicians. Meharry graduates more African Americans with Ph.Ds. in biomedical sciences than any other school. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis is internationally recognized for its pioneering research and treatment of children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Photo courtesy of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

opposite page: Tennessee native, Wilma Rudolph, was recognized as the fastest woman in the world after she won three gold medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics, despite being born with polio. Her life is an example of fair competition, devotion to excellence and overcoming great life challenges. This bronze statue greets visitors to Aegis Sciences Corporation’s Wilma Rudolph Sports Testing Laboratory™ in Nashville’s Metro Center. Photo courtesy of Aegis Sciences Corporation

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Today, Meharry includes a medical school, dental school, and the Robert Wood Johnson Center for Health Policy. The school also publishes the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, a public health journal. Nashville General Hospital at Meharry is a city-owned facility providing the residents of Nashville with affordable health care and also provides experience the Meharry Medical College students need. Meharry offers a wide range of acute care services including a postoperative surgical floor, adult and neonatal intensive care units, and full OB-GYN services. The Meharry-Vanderbilt Student Alliance was established in 1999. The collaborative effort provides students from each medical program a chance to work together on community projects and educational programs like HIV/AIDS treatment. Students share residencies in general surgery, urology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, and pediatrics, and share fellowships in cardiology, oncology, and medical intensive care. The MeharryVanderbilt Alliance joint research grants total more than $267 million, and annual joint grants exceed $40 million each year. Across the state, Tennessee’s health care enterprise is one that is nationally recognized for groundbreaking research and for business development. The health care sector is a key component of citizens’ quality of life both in physical well-being and in economic stability, and the industry’s collective impact generates billions of dollars for the state’s economy.

Across the state, Tennessee’s health care enterprise is one that is nationally recognized for groundbreaking research and for business development. Photo courtesy of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

opposite page: Ranked one of the best pediatric cancer hospitals in the country, St. Jude is the first and only National Cancer Institutedesignated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Photo courtesy of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

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Aegis Sciences Corporation

ounded July 1, 1990, with five employees, Aegis Sciences Corporation has grown to create more than 900 jobs throughout the United States, with more than 500 of those positions located at the Tennessee campus in Nashville’s Metro Center. Aegis is a toxicology laboratory specializing in forensic, sport, workplace, and health care analysis providing state-of-the-art science and consulting for clients. Clients include professional and amateur sports (NASCAR, IndyCar, Major League Baseball Players Association, more than 130 NCAA colleges/ universities), entertainment (World Wrestling Entertainment), Fortune 500 (Nissan, Bridgestone), government (Metro Davidson County, State of Tennessee), and law enforcement (Medical Examiner, Coroner).

History Since its inception as a sports anti-doping laboratory at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 1986, Aegis has grown to become the largest independent anti-doping laboratory in the United States. The Wilma Rudolph Sports Testing Laboratory™, with the mission of supporting

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athletic success without the use of performance enhancing drugs, provides comprehensive testing and consulting services, addressing more than 3,000 medications that may be abused in sports. Tennessee native, Wilma Glodean Rudolph, was recognized as the fastest woman in the world after she won three gold medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics, despite being born with polio. Her life is an example of fair competition, devotion to excellence, and overcoming great life challenges. She is a continuing inspiration to athletes and to all Aegis team members. In 1991, Aegis expanded services outside of sports and began employee drug testing for local Nashville employers. Since 1991, Aegis has been a federally certified Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) laboratory, providing drug-free workplace services and is the only laboratory that can offer Zero-Tolerance Drug Testing® Services, the most accurate drug test available and the program to help ensure a workplace is truly drug-free. The number of Aegis workplace clients has grown steadily and includes small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations. Aegis provides employer substance abuse policy support including sample collections, transportation, testing, internet/web reporting, and program administrative support. Aegis established post-mortem toxicology services in 1997 due to founder, chairman and CEO, Dr. David L. Black, being a board-certified forensic toxicologist (Diplomat of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology/D-ABFT). “Everything we do at Aegis is founded on the principle of zero-tolerance drug testing. The purpose is to bring better science to the organizations that needed our services, making sure we’re answering the client question accurately: Did this individual use drugs?”

In 2005, with the growing abuse of prescription drugs Aegis began providing testing services for pain management health care providers. Prescription opioid analgesics, such as oxycodone, were often not included in testing by other laboratories but are drugs addressed by Aegis since 1990 due to their long abuse in sports for performance enhancement. This new market would provide for a decade of growth and transform Aegis’ capability, size, and future.

Rapid Growth Due to the increasing need for comprehensive and accurate pain management compliance testing, Aegis grew from 40 team members in 2005 to more than 900 in 2014. Aegis PainComp® Services are a valuable tool in providing proper patient care for health care clinicians by determining if their patients are compliant with prescribed pain medications or taking unprescribed or illicit drugs. In response to an epidemic of prescription drug-dependent newborns due to prescription drug abuse by pregnant women, Aegis began offering NatalCare® in 2013. This service provides a sensitive and diagnostic tool for OB/GYN physicians to monitor prescription or illicit drug use of expectant mothers.

Superior Science and Service Aegis success is attributed to a focus and commitment to superior science and superior service. All services are established with quality checks and balances, and applying the best technologies available to provide accurate and precise quantitative analytical science services. Aegis utilizes many different forms of mass spectrometry instrumentation including: liquid chromatography/ tandem mass spectrometry, gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry, time of flight mass spectrometry, and laser diode thermal desorption mass spectrometry. “Mass spectrometry is an elegant technology for drug or chemical identification that provides court expected and accepted results. We have selected a family of mass spectrometry sciences and associated technologies to provide an accurate and legally defensible answer to our clients.” Aegis’ commitment to science is demonstrated by its vast licenses, certifications, and awards including: a national award for design of the Aegis

Healthcare Laboratory, Chamber of Commerce’s Future 50 and Nexus Awards, Employer of Choice, Best Place to Work, and others. Licenses and certifications include SAMHSA, College of American Pathologists (CAP), ISO Standard, New York State Department of Health, Maryland State Department of Health, Pennsylvania State Department of Health, the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD), and others. Aegis is the only laboratory certified by both SAMHSA and ASCLD.

Expert Team To support such demanding scientific needs, Aegis is built around an Expert Team including 15 Ph.D. Scientists (including four Board Certified toxicologists), five PharmDs, a medical director, 56 certifying scientists, and more than 200 laboratory team members. All team members participate in continuing education programs and many are licensed and/or certified. In 2013, Aegis had 23 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals or platform presentations at national scientific meetings.

Good Corporate Citizen Since opening its doors, Aegis has provided financial and human support to local charities in the community. In 2013, the Aegis Sciences Foundation was formally established. The foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is an integral component of Aegis’ commitment to empowering people to live healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives. The primary focus of the foundation is supporting youth education, military veterans and living a healthy lifestyle. The Foundation donates treasure, time, and talent as it contributes to many national, state, and local organizations. 159

MedSolutions

ts name may not be a familiar one, but it should be. With over 50 health care clients, MedSolutions supports one in ten Americans in the medical cost management arena. MedSolutions is dedicated to improving the lives of patients by making health care more affordable, accessible, and effective by eliminating waste. The

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clinical, as well as non-clinical, staff works with doctors and insurance companies in care and treatment decisions, and guides them with tests, procedures, and sites of care that are clinically appropriate as it pertains to individual patient needs. MedSolutions is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee and has offices in Melbourne, Florida and Plainville, Connecticut. “We’re nearly a billion-dollar company with 1,200 employees. We’re the very big, little-known company with nearly half of those employees based in Tennessee,” said TJ Fjelseth, Senior Vice President of Human Resources. MedSolutions has more than 80 board-certified physicians on staff providing peer-to-peer review processes delivered across more than 20 specialties and sub-specialties which includes advanced imaging, ultrasound, radiation oncology, cardiology, orthopedics and musculoskeletal care (via the purchase of Triad Healthcare), and post-acute hospital care, and others.

The impetus to form MedSolutions nearly 20 years ago, was the realization that an alarming number of people across the United States were receiving advanced radiology treatments and procedures that were unnecessarily putting them at risk – short term and long term. The founders of MedSolutions wanted to do something about it. They pioneered the Radiology Benefits Management space, in partnership with health plan and state Medicaid clients, and have since expanded into other areas where they see high potential for waste and abuse that potentially puts patients in harm’s way. Areas like spine and joint surgery, radiation therapy – and even post-acute care management where they help to ensure patients are better equipped to return home as soon as possible following a hospital admission. To streamline the process for physicians and speed up the overall decision process, for the majority of cases, when a test or procedure is ordered, the physician enters the patient’s history and procedure or treatment into MedSolutions’

Clinical Decision Support (CDS) system. The CDS then automatically informs the physician whether the procedure is appropriate by utilizing proven and nationally recognized clinical guidelines. “If the procedure doesn’t seem to be the best choice for the patient based on clinical evidence and the patient’s clinical situation,” said Fjelseth, “we have nurses and doctors who can jump in and talk with the doctor’s offices to understand the patient and the case and to help determine the best course of action.” There has been an accelerated shift produced by the passage of the Affordable Care Act that is causing people to look at health care differently. Cost pressures are being put on everyone. Patients have greater access to information, and more accountability to reduce waste and abuse of their own health care dollars. This demand for cost management and price transparency is right in the sweet spot of what MedSolutions delivers. “Our focus is to improve the quality of the health care,” said Fjelseth. “Once we improve the quality, the costs will take care of themselves.” 161

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CHAPTER SIX

Made in Tennessee: M Manufacturing

ennessee is known for a number of things, one being its economic foundational industry: manufacturing. As the cornerstone to the state’s economy and fiscal well-being, manufacturing has a long and proud history in Tennessee. In the 1790’s, iron production started in Middle Tennessee and one of the South’s first cotton mills was established near Nashville. Industrial leaders in the antebellum period produced flour and meal, cotton goods, hardware, iron, machinery, lumber, leather products, tobacco products, and liquor. Today, manufacturing is the second highest grossing industry in Tennessee, earning a total of $50.1 billion in revenue, second only to the tourism industry. Tennessee’s top manufacturers include Bridgestone, General Motors, International Paper, McKee Foods, Nissan North America, Tyson Foods and Volkswagen. This widespread product diversity drives the Tennessee economy and yields a highly trained and skilled workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, manufacturing in Tennessee accounts for almost 15 percent of the total output ranging from $31 to $40 billion consistently and is the number one employer in Tennessee, employing 11.4 percent of the state’s workforce-nearly 320,000 people. Manufacturers account for 95.1 percent Today, manufacturing is the second highest grossing industry in Tennessee, earning a total of $50.1 billion of revenue, second only to the tourism industry. Photo courtesy General Motors Spring Hill Manufacturing 163

From lumber and tobacco products to sweet treats and liquor, Tennessee has a long and proud history of manufacturing. Photo courtesy of U.S. Smokeless Tobacco

of Tennessee’s exports. Since 2009, Tennessee’s manufactured goods exports grew 59.6 percent, while the national average increased 50.4 percent. Paul Jennings, Executive Director at the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services, said manufacturing employment has been growing steadily and he expects to see that trend continue. “When manufacturing improves – Tennessee’s economy improves,” he said.

Transportation Equipment The production of transportation equipment is one of Tennessee’s primary general manufacturing commodities. In Tennessee, durable-goods manufacturing jobs increased by 17,800 from 2010 to 2012, said David Penn, an economist at Middle Tennessee State University. “Most of this was because of gains in transportation-equipment manufacturing (up 13,100), with much-smaller increases from fabricated metals (up 1,400) and electrical equipment (up 1,000), and nonmetallic mineral products (up 1,100).” Bobcat of Nashville, located in La Vergne, Tennessee is a private construction machinery and equipment manufacturer established and incorporated in Tennessee. Bobcat is a leading provider of compact equipment for global construction, rental, landscaping, agriculture, grounds maintenance, government, utility, industrial, and mining markets. Perhaps the best-known company in this category is Caterpillar. The company has a plant located in Dyersburg, Tennessee and its Financial Products Division is headquartered in Nashville. For nearly 90 years, Caterpillar has been making sustainable progress possible 164

and driving positive change on every continent. Customers turn to Caterpillar to help them develop infrastructure, energy, and natural resource assets. With 2013 sales and revenues of $55.656 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and dieselelectric locomotives. Caterpillar was ranked number one in its industry and number 42 overall in the 2013 Fortune 500 ranking. The chemical manufacturing industry is another powerhouse boost to Tennessee’s economy. It is considered the third-ranking manufacturing product for the state. Tennessee is a leading producer, providing industrial chemicals, paints, pharmaceuticals, plastics resins, and soaps. There are over 43 major manufactures in the state, but one of the largest and best known is Eastman Chemical Company headquartered in Kingsport. Eastman specializes in chemical products like adhesives, coatings, electronics, and medical and nets over $9 billion in revenue annually. They are also the northeast region’s largest employer providing over 7,000 jobs for the area. Globally, Eastman employs 13,500 people. In 2013, the 100-year-old company announced its biggest expansion in the company’s history called Project Inspire. Eastman will invest $1.6 billion in its Kingsport site and add 300 new jobs during the next seven years. “This represents a landmark capital investment that will modernize and expand our largest manufacturing site and corporate campus here in Kingsport,” said Eastman CEO Jim Rogers.

The production of transportation equipment is one of Tennessee’s primary general manufacturing commodities. Photo courtesy of Bridgestone Americas

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Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel electric locomotives. Photo courtesy of Caterpillar Inc.

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Project Inspire caught the Governor’s attention. “I want to thank Eastman and its employees for all of the incredible work they do,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. “For nearly 100 years, Eastman has been crucial to the state’s economy, growing into a global brand, and they will continue to grow right here where they started.”

Advanced Science No overview of Tennessee manufacturing resources would be complete without looking at the advanced science of nuclear energy and rocket science. Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) is located on 39,000 acres in Coffee and Franklin Counties. It is the largest employer in the area, with 3,000 civilian scientists and support personnel who work with several hundred military staff from the U.S. Air Force. AEDC operates over 50 aerodynamic and propulsion wind tunnels, rocket and turbine engine test cells, space chambers, arc heaters, and ballistic ranges to simulate flight conditions from sea level to outer space from subsonic speeds to over Mach 20. Their annual budget of over $360 million supports related industries and subcontractors from all over the nation and around the world. Virtually every modern aircraft’s design, engine and weapons system, missile, space vehicle, and probe have been tested in the center’s three major test complexes. The Propulsion Wind Tunnel complex is an International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville and is managed by University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute

(UT-Battelle) for the United States Department of Energy (DOE). There are five campuses within the complex. ORNL’s scientific programs focus on advanced materials, neutron science, energy, high-performance computing, systems biology, and national security. ORNL conducts research and development activities that span a wide range of scientific disciplines including: catalysis, surface science and interfacial chemistry; molecular transformations and fuel chemistry; heavy element chemistry and radioactive materials characterization; aqueous solution chemistry and geochemistry; mass spectrometry and laser spectroscopy; separations chemistry; materials chemistry including synthesis and characterization of polymers and other soft materials; chemical biosciences; and neutron science. Other areas are in electron microscopy, such as nanoscience and nuclear medicine to fight cancer, and physics research. The laboratory also holds the world’s top supercomputers including the world’s second most powerful supercomputer ranked by the TOP500, a project that ranks the 500 most powerful computer systems worldwide. The annual budget is $1.65 billion, and Oak Ridge employs 4,400 staff – 1600 of which are directly conducting research. An additional 3,000 guest researchers also work there annually. Clearly, Oak Ridge has a powerful economic, as well as scientific, impact for the state.

ORNL conducts research and development activities that span a wide range of scientific disciplines. Photos courtesy of ORNL

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Metal Fabricated metal companies also contribute to the manufacturing success of the state. Hendrick Manufacturing headquartered in Carbondale, Pennsylvania has plants in Collierville and Memphis. Hendrick is a perforated metal manufacturer with annual revenue of $20 to $50 million. They are best known for producing lubricating products for railroads. In order to perfect the refining process, Hendrick developed a metal-punching machine, the precursor to the modern perforating press. This invention was the foundation upon which Hendrick Manufacturing Company was built in 1876. Metal companies and foundries are located throughout Tennessee, with several in Chattanooga alone. NUCOR in Memphis, which took over the Birmingham Steel Corp. Tennessee is one of the top hardwood lumber producing states. Hardwood timberland covers approximately onehalf of Tennessee. This has led to a highly diversified woodworking industry. Photo by Hoda Bogdan

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building in 2006, employs nearly 400 workers. NUCOR expanded their facilities in 2013 for production of wire rod at its mills in Memphis.

A more famous and characteristically Tennessee company, Gibson USA,

Lumber Tennessee is one of the top hardwood lumber producing states. Hardwood timberland covers approximately one-half of Tennessee. This has led to a highly diversified woodworking industry. The temperate climate of the state is very favorable for logging operations. Primary forest products industries use timber and convert it into products like hardwood lumber or paper. The secondary products produced in the forest industry provide a wide range of products from furniture to musical instruments. Direct benefits from forestry include 73,400 jobs and annual wages of $2.4 billion; supplier industries provide an additional 184,300 jobs and $5.6 billion in wages with a total economic contribution exceeding $33.7 billion. Hundreds of companies are scattered throughout the state, some employing only a few workers, others like England Manufacturing in New Tazewell have upwards of 1,000 working in the mills and the furniture and related product manufacturing line. A more famous and characteristically Tennessee company, Gibson USA, located in Nashville, also employs hundreds in the milling and making of the classic guitars and drum sticks known worldwide.

located in Nashville, also employs hundreds in the milling and making of the classic guitars and drum sticks known worldwide. Photo by Kelly Verdeck

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From Goo Goo’s to Jack: Tennessee’s Southern Treats Perhaps not typically in the general manufacturing category, but uniquely Tennessee, is the state’s candy and whisky production. The Standard Candy Company in Nashville, established in 1912, is credited with inventing and creating the world’s first mass production candy bar. The round Goo Goo Cluster made of chocolate, peanuts, caramel, and marshmallow nougat is touted as one of the best confections in the states. Tennessee’s famous MoonPies were first produced by Chattanooga Bakery more than 75 years ago and are considered a part of Southern culture and the inspiration for the RC and MoonPie Festival in Bell Buckle. Tennessee is also the home to Little Debbie snack cakes

top: Tennessee is also the home to Little Debbie snack cakes

bottom: The Standard Candy Company in Nashville,

headquartered in Collegedale. Photo courtesy of McKee Foods

established in 1912, is credited with inventing and creating the world’s first mass production candy bar. Photo courtesy of Goo Goo Cluster, LLC

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headquartered in Collegedale; Brach and Brock’s candy in Chattanooga; and Bradley’s Chocolate Factory in Knoxville. A confection with a different intention is Tennessee whiskey. Several whiskey distilleries are based in Tennessee, but the best known are also the nation’s oldest. The Dickel Distillery located in Tullahoma was founded by George A. Dickel in 1867. George Dickel Tennessee Whisky has been considered a quality spirit for over 130 years. Perhaps more famous is the Jack Daniel’s brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey, which has been in production in Tennessee for more than 140 years and is the highest selling American whiskey in the world. Based in Lynchburg, Jack Daniel’s has been owned by the Brown-Forman Corporation since 1956. To meet the ever-increasing demand for Jack, Brown-Forman Corporation is investing more than $100 million in an expansion of their distillery. The new facility will increase the production of the signature product Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 brand approximately 20 percent to more than 11 million cases per year. The expansion should add more than 90 full-time jobs to the distillery over the next five years. The company currently has more than 430 employees. Construction should be completed by 2016. “The demand for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey worldwide speaks volumes for the craftsmanship and specialness of a spirit distilled from a small cave spring hollow in Tennessee,” said Jeff Arnett, Master Distiller at Jack Daniel Distillery.

The famous Jack Daniel’s brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey has been in production in Tennessee for more than 140 years and is the highest selling American whiskey in the world. Photo courtesy of Jack Daniels Distillery

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Exports

Virtually every modern

Tennessee manufactured goods are exported around the world and account for 92 percent of the state’s total exports. The top five markets are in Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, and Germany. These exported goods support 20 percent of the jobs in the state. Since 82 percent of these companies are small businesses, exporting is critical to these companies. Small businesses average $896,000 exports annually per firm. According to the International Trade Administration (ITA), Tennessee exported more than $31.1 billion worth of merchandise in 2012, a 4 percent increase from the previous year. Exports for Tennessee’s forest products outside the United States totaled $744.6 million in 2009. Paper products had the highest export value at $504.3 million, followed by wood products ($86.5 million), furniture and related products ($81.6 million), and forestry and logging ($72.2 million). The ITA also reports transportation equipment accounted for $6 billion, making it the largest merchandise export category. Other top exports are computer and electronic products ($4.7 billion), chemicals ($4.7 billion), manufactured commodities ($3.7 billion), and machinery ($3.0 billion). Middle Tennessee State University Business and Economic Research Center reports medical equipment is quickly climbing the export list.

aircraft’s design, engine and weapons system, missile, space vehicle, and probe have been tested in one of Arnold Engineering Development Center’s three major test complexes. Photo courtesy of AEDC opposite page: Paper products have the highest export value of Tennessee’s forest products. International Paper, headquartered in Memphis, is the world’s premier manufacturer of paper and paper products. Photo courtesy of International Paper

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Tennessee’s Future Holds Promise

Eastman Chemical specializes in

Tennessee’s unique geographic location, its tax structure, and pro-business legislature, make the state highly attractive. That’s one of the reasons Under Armour plans to build its third U.S. distribution center in Mount Juliet. The 1 million-squarefoot-warehouse, a $100 million investment for the sports brand, will open in early 2016 and is projected to create 1,500 new jobs in the next five years. “We picked Mt. Juliet mainly for its location, relative to the rest of the country and our customers,” said Kip Fulks, chief operating officer for Under Armour. “It offers a superb hub for our distribution network.” “The thing we need to be is the most business friendly state in the Union,” said Speaker of the House, Beth Harwell. “We need to make it easy to own and operate a business in Tennessee. You do that by keeping your state a low debt state, you keep it a low tax state, you keep the income tax out, and you keep it a right-to-work state.” Tennessee is positioned to be a major competitor in attracting new manufacturing.

chemical products like adhesives, coatings, electronics, and medical and nets over $9 billion in revenue annually. Photo courtesy of Eastman Chemical

opposite page: Tennessee’s unique geographic location, its tax structure, and pro-business legislature,make the state highly attractive to brands like Under Armour. Photo courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services / Jed DeKalb

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International Paper right: International Paper is committed to providing an engaging, inclusive work environment that provides challenging and diverse career assignments where people are inspired to do their best work and develop to their full potential. below: International Paper’s papers business produces some of the best known, highest-quality paper brands in the world.

n 2015, International Paper marks its 117th year in operation, a testament to the enduring value of the fiber-based packaging and paper the company produces and to its ability to innovate and adapt in an ever-changing marketplace. After more than a century in business, however, International Paper isn’t the same company it was just a decade ago. The transformation began in 2005, when the company included more than a dozen different businesses, from chemicals to real estate to forestry. At the time, International Paper owned nearly 7 million acres of forestland in the United States, second only to the U.S. government. Leaders of the company compared it to an Olympic decathlon athlete – very good at a lot of things, but great at none. With eyes set on winning gold medals, IP sold its diverse assets and set a course to focus on its two core businesses: packaging and paper. Today’s International Paper is a strategically well-positioned packaging and paper company that’s competing in attractive growth markets around the world.

Global Company with a Local Footprint International Paper, as its name suggests, is truly a global company employing approximately 65,000 people in more than 24 countries. Net sales topped $29 billion in 2013. After moving its operational headquarters to Memphis in 1987, the company moved its global headquarters there in 2006 and now employs approximately 2,300 in the Memphis community alone. International Paper is the world’s premier manufacturer of containerboard and corrugated packaging products, uncoated freesheet papers, coated paperboard and fluff pulp, and delivers

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innovative single-use packaging to the foodservice industry. Think brown boxes, copy paper, and paper cups. The company has more than 200 facilities in North America, as well as operations in Latin America, Asia, India, the EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa), and Russia.

The World in a Box International Paper’s industrial packaging products ship, store, and help sell the goods and materials that bring the world closer together. As the largest global manufacturer of containerboard and corrugated packaging, the company’s industrial packaging business includes containerboard mills, box plants, bag plants, and recycling centers across North America, Latin America, the EMEA region, and Asia. For decades, brown boxes have been the leading choice for protecting everything from delicate produce to electronics and appliances. In fact, 90 percent of all goods transported in the United States move in corrugated packaging during some point in their life cycle. Over the last seven years, International Paper has transformed its North American industrial packaging business from an already impressive $4-billion performer into a leading best-in-class powerhouse with revenues in excess of $12 billion in 2013. Through synergy-driven acquisitions, the

With extensive talent, local presence, and global reach, International Paper’s industrial packaging team delivers practical innovation that provides customers with total cost solutions.

company has created an enhanced and uniqueto-the-industry platform that gives its corrugated packaging customers a full range of innovative solutions to meet their most challenging shipping, storage, and sales requirements. Part of its industrial packaging business, International Paper’s recycling business is one of North America’s largest recyclers of recovered office paper and corrugated boxes. A long-time leader in the drive to increase the amount of paper and paper-based packaging recovered for recycling, International Paper collects, consumes, or markets more than 6 million tons of paper and corrugated packaging each year.

Packaging for the Consumer International Paper produces top-quality coated and uncoated paperboard used by others in a wide variety of packaging and commercial printing applications. When consumers around the globe visit their local pharmacy, grocery store, or quick service restaurant, chances are they’ll encounter products made by International Paper – not pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, candy, food items, or tobacco products – but the packaging they come in. International Paper’s products also are used in a wide range of commercial printing applications, from greeting cards and direct mail to book covers and lottery tickets. The company’s consumer packaging footprint includes facilities in North America, the EMEA region, Russia, and Asia. Under the consumer packaging umbrella, International Paper’s foodservice business serves customers in segments like quick-service

restaurants, specialty coffee, grocery, hospitality, and distribution. The company manufactures hot cups, cold cups, food containers, and lids in the United States, United Kingdom, China, and through a joint venture agreement in Colombia. The foodservice industry continues to grow, fueled by consumer demand for convenience foods and beverages as part of their daily routines. Consumers are also expressing a strong preference for products and packaging made from renewable, sustainable, and recyclable materials, which in turn is driving demand for more sustainable fiber-based packaging. International Paper is helping meet this demand. International Paper’s Hold&Go® insulated cups offer a ready alternative for customers seeking more sustainable, fiber-based packaging solutions.

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International Paper promotes and provides educational programming through its presenting sponsorship of the National Civil Rights Museum’s annual Public Forum and Keeper of the Dream Awards.

In addition to sponsoring TEAM IPink during the Memphis-MidSouth Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, International Paper’s Printing Papers and Foodservice businesses donated a percentage of the profits generated from the sale of specially marked paper reams and cups.

The Paper Trail

Giving Back to the Community

International Paper’s papers business manufactures just about every type of uncoated paper used in home offices, businesses, and commercial printing operations. This includes some of the best-known, highest-quality paper brands in the world, including Hammermill®, Chamex®, Rey®, POL®, and Svetocopy®. International Paper is a leading producer of printing papers in North America with the capacity to produce approximately 1.8 million tons of paper at its mills in Alabama, South Carolina, and New York. The company’s printing papers footprint also includes facilities in Brazil, the EMEA region, and India. As part of this business, the company produces market and fluff pulp that is used by other companies to produce a wide range of absorbent hygiene, paper, and tissue products used by millions of consumers every day.

In hundreds of communities around the globe, International Paper is making an important difference. While the company’s products help make people’s lives better, its commitment to global giving helps make communities stronger, especially those where it operates. Each year, the company donates more than $11 million to worthy causes through foundation grants, business contributions, and in-kind donations. By helping to fund programs focused on environmental education, literacy, and basic human needs, International Paper is committed to creative giving that changes lives. More than $3 million of International Paper’s annual giving supports the Memphis community. For example, the company has been a steadfast supporter of the National Civil Rights Museum, providing more than $4.6 million over the last 20 years for programs like the National Freedom Award, Keeper of the Dream Awards, and Voices of Freedom audio documentation project. Most recently, a $250,000 International Paper commitment helped fund the museum’s Keys to the Future expansion project which created needed infrastructure and brought new life to outdated museum exhibits. The United Way also is a key component of International Paper’s overall giving. In Memphis alone, International Paper employees, along with a 60-percent company match, raise more than $1 million annually – nearly $15 million since 2001 – for the United Way of the Mid-South and its partner agencies.

Sustainable for More Than a Century International Paper’s sustainability progress is grounded in its vision to be one of the most 178

International Paper’s sponsorship of the Wolf River Conservancy’s Eco-Challenge focuses on the river’s ecosystem and gives Memphis fifth grade students the unique opportunity to experience local natural resources first hand.

respected and successful companies in the world and is advanced by its drive for continuous improvement in every area of its business. The company’s commitment to sustainability begins in the responsibly managed working forests where International Paper sources its primary raw material: trees. These forests are a renewable resource that provides the ongoing supply of wood fiber needed to manufacture the company’s products and sustain its business. In turn, the demand for sustainably sourced packaging and paper is an economic driver that encourages landowners to continue managing their land responsibly instead of selling it for development or other non-forest uses. For years, International Paper has led the forest products industry in promoting the responsible planting, harvesting, and replanting of trees, in monitoring forest productivity and in conserving and protecting forest biodiversity in the United States and around the globe. The company partners with a number of leading non-governmental organizations to further these important environmental objectives. In 2013, International Paper made a $7.5-million commitment and partnered with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to create the Forestland Stewards Initiative. The initiative will restore, protect, and enhance 200,000 acres of forests across eight southern states (including Tennessee) that represent some of America’s most iconic landscapes, critical habitat for endangered wildlife and jobs for 1 million workers. Beyond the forest, International Paper’s sustainability commitment extends throughout the life cycle of its products. With transparency and accountability as key elements of this commitment, the company set 12 voluntary sustainability goals to measure its progress and help identify areas for continuous performance improvement. With a

2010 baseline and initial 2020 target achievement date, International Paper has already surpassed three of these goals and continues to raise the bar on its performance level.

International Paper’s Most Valuable Asset: Its People International Paper’s people are its most valuable asset and the primary driver of its success. Day in and day out, they deliver the enthusiasm, leadership and strong execution that creates value for shareowners, customers and the communities where International Paper operates. The company is committed to providing them with a diverse and inclusive work environment where they are engaged and inspired to do their best work and develop to their full potential, and to motivating and rewarding their results and leadership with challenging and diverse career assignments. Safety is a core value at International Paper. Through its LIFE (Life-changing Injury and Fatality Elimination) initiative, the company engages employees to be more aware of and accountable for their own safety and the safety of their fellow employees. In 2013, the result was a 20 percent year-over-year decrease in employee LIFE incidents, but the company isn’t satisfied with its industryleading safety performance. Their ultimate goal: zero people injured at work. With continued dedication to its employees, customers, the community, and the environment, it’s no wonder that International Paper has been an industry leader for more than a century. The company is a testament not only to keeping up with the times, but also staying ahead of the curve. Like the trees from which its products are made, International Paper’s roots are deeply planted in America while its branches stretch out across the globe. 179

McKee Foods Corporation

rom its humble beginning in 1934, McKee Foods Corporation has become a company with annual sales of more than $1.3 billion that provides jobs for more than 6,000 employees, approximately 3,000 of whom live in the Chattanooga area. McKee Foods brands include Little Debbie® snacks; Sunbelt Bakery® snacks and cereals; Drake’s® cakes; Heartland® Brands cereals and pie shells; and Fieldstone® Bakery snacks. McKee Foods remains family-owned to this day. Members of the third generation of the McKee family now lead the company while members of the fourth generation are beginning their careers.

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The McKee family has been proactive in avoiding the pitfalls that have caused other family-owned companies to go from private to public ownership in their generation. They know that family ownership is another of the “better ways” that their grandparents so often talked about. When talking with the third generation McKee leadership, it doesn’t take long to see that they understand the power of having good people work with them. When asked about the success of McKee Foods, Debbie McKee-Fowler, Executive Vice President, said, “Every employee, in some way, has been a part of helping McKee Foods to be successful for so many years. I continue to believe that the best blessing the Lord has given our company is the people we work with everyday.” Recently, McKee Foods celebrated the 50th anniversary of one of its most iconic snacks — Little Debbie® Swiss Rolls, and will soon celebrate the 80th year of making one of America’s favorite sweet snacks, the Oatmeal Creme Pie. Another long-standing run is the company’s Profit-Sharing program. For the past 54 years, the company has shared its profits with employees and it is on track to once again share profits after completing another year of outstanding growth. Rusty McKee, Executive Vice President of Manufacturing, realizes success like that doesn’t just

happen. “God blessed our family bakery with the best employees around, who follow and understand important details to make great tasting snacks. With the combined effort and teamwork of virtually every operations team member, all our bakeries have received the highest food safety rating from the very prestigious British Retail Consortium. Employees strive every day to gain and keep the trust of our customers. That’s how we are able to continue to provide good jobs and benefits to all our employees. We work hard to be good stewards of our family bakery; and it is our employees’ attention to details that make it possible.” Delighting customers with sweet treats might seem like a simple task — bake a cake or a cookie, put it in a box, then into a shipping case, and onto a truck to be delivered. It sounds fairly straightforward, right? However, to get the right product, to the right place, in the right quantity, at the right time takes a lot of highly-skilled people across several departments. And many times, these people have to think out of the box, but that has always been something that sets McKee Foods apart from the competition. Innovation is one of the company’s guiding values. O.D. McKee, who co-founded the company with his wife, Ruth, liked the quote from Thomas A. Edison — “There’s a better way to do it. Find it!” McKee borrowed the saying, softening it slightly and making it more inclusive — “There’s a better way. Let’s find it.” The word “let’s” included himself, and he was certainly instrumental in implementing the early and frequent automation that gave the company a jump on the competition right from its start. That thinking has not changed; automation is another reason for this company’s No. 1 market position in the United States. Today a team of engineers works to design and modify equipment to keep the company on the forefront of technology. Everyone in the company is encouraged to look for better ways of doing things — better ways of reducing waste, streamlining processes and improving products. This past year was an especially challenging year for McKee Foods. The company was in a unique position to experience unprecedented growth, including the acquisition of another iconic brand, Drake’s®. Although grateful for the opportunity, every system at all locations was stretched to the limits. Chris McKee, Executive Vice President, summarized it best saying, “The marketing and sales

team worked very hard to expand our market share in the face of the single greatest sales opportunity in any of our careers. Yet all this was done with the appropriate tone, approach, and teamwork. Of course, our sales force has a great support team, and everyone has continued pushing strong to keep the market gains we worked so hard to achieve. I couldn’t be more proud of them. It is an honor to come to work every day and join forces with such a fine group of professionals.”

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ATC Automation

“I

f you don’t build a quality product for your client, someone else will.” For over three decades, ATC Automation has built on this principle as it engineers, designs, and constructs world-class custom assembly and test automation. Founded in 1977 in Cookeville, Tennessee, ATC continues to advance to the next levels of quality, technology, and efficiency – always offering customers a competitive advantage with one of its solutions.

What ATC Automation Does The simplest way to put it – “ATC makes the assembly and test equipment that produces the products you see and use every day.” This explanation is made clearer with examples: ATC supplies the equipment that assembles headlamps for your car, the fuel rails that provide gas to your engine, and the clutch assembly that helps to make your vehicle move efficiently. ATC also helps to keep people healthy. By working with some of the world’s largest medical device companies, ATC develops equipment that produces surgical instruments, sleep apnea machines, feeding tubes, and heart stents. Computers, turbos, batteries, airbags, cosmetics, and drug delivery devices are all examples of products that are used every day. Companies like Covidien, Johnson & Johnson,

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Ford, SAFT, and Borg Warner, just to name a few, look to ATC for automation solutions. When someone visits ATC for the first time, it never fails that the same response is echoed, “ATC is a premiere example of a ‘high-tech’ company.” From Cookeville, Tennessee ATC touches the lives of millions daily across the globe.

ATC Automation Today ATC is known for providing advanced, automated, assembly, and test solutions to the transportation, life science, energy storage, and consumer products industries. As an ISOcertified company and a part of the TASI group of companies, ATC is a highly innovative organization. With two facilities in Cookeville, ATC houses administrative and engineering staff as well as fabrication and construction space to meet its customers’ demands. Of its 134,000 square feet, 50,000 is designated for projects that end up in a clean room (class 10,000 or less) manufacturing environment. This allows ATC to build and prepare the equipment for its final manufacturing destination. ATC’s world-class reputation allows it to produce automation for companies on the cutting edge of innovation. As a result, ATC has designated a portion of its clean facility a “special projects” section that includes heightened

security and ensures confidentiality for customers’ intellectual property and market sensitive products during the construction phases. As a result, ATC has been instrumental in the recent resurgence of re-shoring manufacturing.

Team Structure What sets ATC apart from other automation companies is undoubtedly its team structure. ATC has “set” teams that operate as smaller strategic business units (SBUs) under the ATC umbrella. These teams are responsible for all facets of running a project and, even more importantly, a business. Team members leverage “small group dynamics” and morph into a productive and efficient business structure. This structure has a high level of success with unparalleled customer satisfaction.

Technology At its core, ATC takes today’s innovative technology products and molds them into customized manufacturing solutions. Much like a sculptor takes a piece of stone and creates a masterpiece, ATC utilizes robotics, servos, vision, dispensing, and laser technology and forms it into automated systems. While anyone can take a robot and put it on a frame, the “art” comes into play when you can take that robot and make it work with other components in an intricate and timely choreography. ATC takes pride in its knowledge base and ability to design and build systems that provide a positive ROI for customers. Speed to market, enhanced quality, and a reduction in manufacturing costs are all key variables used by ATC when designing a solution.

for the future. As another way to plan for the future, ATC is active in the workforce of tomorrow today! As an active member of Pathways to Prosperity, ATC is controlling its own destiny. This program is a multi-state, multi-year initiative promoting school partnerships with public and private sector leaders. The network aims to address unemployment among students by combining rigorous academics with strong technical education in efforts to equip more young people with the skills to be able to succeed within companies like ATC. ATC recognizes and appreciates all the contributions that have gone into making ATC Automation what it is today. People, technology, and community will continue to be the formula for making ATC a continued success.

Moving Forward ATC Automation’s future is bright and will continue to grow as a global supplier of automated assembly and test systems. ATC’s success is its people. The area is rich in heritage and people take pride in their responsibilities. In efforts to continue success within its community, ATC works with the Cookeville Chamber of Commerce in support of programs like the Highlands Initiative. Programs such as this accelerate economic and community development through business recruitment, research, and workforce development. ATC supports these efforts and realizes the importance 183

Brother International Corporation

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rother International Corporation, with its headquarters for the Americas located in Bridgewater, New Jersey, was established on April 21, 1954 and markets many industrial products, home appliances, and business products manufactured by its parent company, Brother Industries, Ltd., of Nagoya, Japan. Over the last 60 years many consumers have recognized the brand for its outstanding quality as well as innovative products. Brother typewriters may have helped you get your first “A” in English class while Brother word processors may have been by your side through college. A Brother fax machine may have allowed you to communicate with customers as you started your home-based business. Brother is the brand you never outgrow and the brand that is always “at your side.” In 1908, Brother Industries, Ltd. was established in Nagoya, Japan as Yasui Sewing Machine Company by a family with six brothers and three sisters. All the brothers were involved in the sewing machine repair business and the name was later changed to Yasui Brothers’ Sewing Machine Company. In 1934 Brother Industries Ltd. was established. Today, the Brother Group is a global organization with more than 30,000 employees and $6 billion in sales representing 44 countries and regions, 17 company-owned production sites, and 52 sales offices. The product line has also grown to include gear motors, web conferencing (OmniJoin), digital garment printers, mobile printers and scanners, karaoke systems, sewing and embroidery machines, high-speed office printers, and color laser printers. The Brother Group continues to respond to changing times to offer unique products and services to its customers.

Global Vision 21: Brother’s Mid to Longterm Corporate Vision Brother’s guiding mid to long-term vision known as Vision 21 mandates the following: • To become a leading global company with high profitability • To become a world-class manufacturer by developing outstanding proprietary technologies • To embody the Brother motto, “at your side,” throughout our corporate culture

Brother’s Beginning in America From its humble beginnings in 1954, Brother International Corporation has grown its sales to $2 billion in the Americas. As the company celebrates its 60th anniversary, Brother attributes a significant part of its success to its North American Distribution Center in Bartlett, Tennessee. In 1987, Brother opened its first facility in Bartlett, Tennessee manufacturing typewriters and distributing sewing and fax machines. By the mid1990s, Brother had outgrown the original location. The new facility sits on 103 acres and opened with 1 million square feet in December 1998. Today, the Bartlett facility includes over 1.5 million square feet and routinely ships in excess of 10 million cartons each year. The concept of being “at your side” is embodied in the company’s drive to be a good corporate citizen and embrace social, economic, and cultural responsibilities to support the Bartlett community. Brother has been committed to the Bartlett community and has supported many initiatives within the community. One of its earliest

contributions was the creation of the Japanese Garden at the Bartlett Municipal Park and the continued support of the Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center. In 2012, Brother expanded its involvement and became a sponsor of the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, a local non-profit organization responsible for Shelby Farms Park. Supporting the community requires volunteers. Brother employees are always ready to lend a hand. During the ninth annual tree planting on March 29, 2014, Brother employees planted over 2,000 seedlings. The company also partners annually with non-profit organizations like the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Lifeblood (a community blood bank), and the March of Dimes. In addition to its community support, Brother is serious about protecting the environment. The Brother Bartlett facility has been honored repeatedly for its eco-conscious activities, especially for energy conservation. In 2006, Brother replaced more than 3,000 incandescent light fixtures and improved lighting efficiency by up to 35%. In 2011, the facility looked into the feasibility of generating solar power on-site and, today, the facility generates more than 170,000 kWh from its two solar farms. Additional opportunities to conserve energy were seized in 2014 with the replacement of outdoor lighting fixtures to new LED and fluorescent fixtures that are more energy efficient. By meeting strict energy performance standards set by the EPA, the Brother Bartlett facility was awarded the Energy Star Certification in 2012. Brother was also honored with the 2013 Governor’s

Environmental Stewardship Award in the Energy and Renewable Resources category. Brother’s eco-conscious activities are not limited to energy conservation. Being good stewards of the environment is an ongoing activity for everyone. It currently recycles over 98% of all materials in Brother facilities that may have otherwise been sent to the landfill. In 2013 the company added a 20-acre wildflower garden to its campus. The garden is important to keeping nature in balance and has created a reduction in air emissions because of less grass mowing. As Brother celebrates its 60th anniversary in the Americas, the employees celebrate the dream of Brother’s founders; to share the “at your side” philosophy with customers, associates, business partners, and the community. Brother has a strong sense of responsibility and dedication to building strong, long-lasting relationships as it embraces the changing needs of the world and the company stands firmly “at your side.”

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Industrial Machine & Tool Company

Industrial Machine & Tool Company is proud to be celebrating a century of dedicated service.

ne hundred years ago – while World War I was raging throughout Europe – Nashville, Tennessee, was still a small, sleepy, city situated on the banks of the Cumberland River. It was then, in 1914, that R.H. “Mr. Bob” Chilton, Sr. – a blacksmith – visualizing his native city’s potential prosperity, decided to open Industrial Machine & Tool Company in what was then a small machine shop on Fourth Avenue. From those humble beginnings, Industrial Machine & Tool Company has weathered two World Wars, the Great Depression, and the economic downturn that started in the mid-2000s. This fourth generation company has seen a lot of changes since its inception but still runs the way Mr. Bob had envisioned; a company that treats its workers and its clients with respect. Although the company is much larger now, having moved in November 2006 into its current 40,000-square-foot complex at 88 Polk Avenue. Operations Manager Jonathan Williamson, said the company functions as it always has functioned – with an eye toward the future, its products and services, its clients, and its workers. “Our most valuable asset is our employees,” said Williamson. “That’s why we try to take care of them. They’re the reason we have the customers we have and why the company has been around for 100 years.” The new facility also has a

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7,000-square-foot welding shop and a 3,000-squarefoot building for the purposes of housing steel and other materials, and more accommodations for its 25 workers, including management. Not only has Industrial Machine & Tool been owned and operated by the Chilton family since 1914, Williamson and his family have been associated with the company for years. His father, Roy Williamson, the current general manager, has been with the company for 40 years, and his uncle was general manager before him. “We’re definitely a family-oriented company and try to make it feel that way,” said Williamson. “We have very little turnover. We’ve got guys that have been here 20-plus years, several that have been here 15-plus years.” For years, the focus of Industrial Machine & Tool has been providing general equipment repair and prompt service to the manufacturing, aggregate, and construction industries, just to name a few. The company prides itself for being on call 24-hours a day, seven-days a week. Williamson commented it has the right machinists and the right equipment to accommodate any kind of situation, on or off site. “We’re a service-oriented company. If you’re not providing a valuable service to your customer, they’re going to go somewhere else and find someone who will.”

Snap-on Tools

nap-on Tools is a subsidiary of Snap-on Incorporated, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of hand tools and equipment for professional users worldwide. One of Snaponâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manufacturing facilities can be found nestled in the foothills of Northeast Tennessee. The 180,000-square-foot plant, located in Elizabethton, employs more than 350 associates. The manufacturing facility began operation in Elizabethton in the mid-1970s as a small forge shop. The location was strategic in nature. Snap-on, headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was looking for geographic advantage by locating part of its manufacturing capability in an area which was centrally located within the Eastern United States. The location would also need to provide modest utility costs and railroad access for delivery of the equipment needed for manufacturing. However, the greatest need was for a skilled, energetic workforce with a strong work ethic. Elizabethton was the logical choice and the first forge press was put into motion in August of 1974. The 5,000-square-foot facility began operation with less than 20 associates. The forge shop would convert raw steel bars into wrench forgings, which were then sent to other Snap-on facilities in the United States. Within one year of opening, Snap-on invested in an expansion which increased the floor space to 21,000 square feet and more than quadrupled the workforce. Another expansion took place in 1981 which allowed the facility to add the equipment necessary to create a full finished product. In 2004, another strategic decision was made to move ratchet

manufacturing to Elizabethton from another Snap-on facility. The plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s processes now include hot forging, several machining and polishing operations, heat treating, finishing, chrome plating, and assembly. The facility also includes tool and die design, engineering, and extensive quality testing. The plant produces the majority of Snap-on wrenches, ratchets, and other hand tools for the United States and other markets globally. The end users range from the professional technicians and shop owners, to industrial users, the military, and education. Through the use of rapid continuous improvement, automation, robotics, and other proprietary processes, the Elizabethton-based facility continues to be known as a leading innovator and producer of hand tools for the Snap-on organization.

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U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company

n 1822, George Weyman, the founder of U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company (USSTC), introduced Copenhagen, a product that is still one of the top-selling moist smokeless tobaccos in the United States. According to Brian Quigley, President and CEO of USSTC, the company is still building on Weyman’s philosophy of “doing dip right” almost two centuries later. “Copenhagen uses 100-percent American tobacco. We age our tobacco for over three years. This, combined with our proprietary process and unique fiberboard packaging, delivers a taste that is unmatched,” said Quigley. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, USSTC is the country’s leading producer and marketer of moist smokeless tobacco. Today, Copenhagen and Skoal (another leading USSTC brand introduced in 1934) are two of the smokeless tobacco industry’s top-selling premium brands. Both are made at the company’s manufacturing facility in Nashville, as well as other USSTC brands of both moist and dry smokeless tobacco products including Red Seal, Bruton, Standard, Rooster, Carhart’s, and DeVoe. USSTC’s Nashville facility plays an integral role in the company’s success and has its own long history. It started as Nashville Dry Snuff in 1885, and about 100 years later, USSTC moved its moist snuff manufacturing to the facility. Factors like the existing plant and the easily accessible interstate transportation system, which allows for the efficient conveyance of freight, made Nashville an easy choice for where the company would manufacture its products.

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In addition to those resources, Anthony S. Helm, Vice President, Manufacturing, also credits the more than 400 USSTC full-time Nashville employees for the company’s success. “USSTC employees are very talented people; skilled at working together; building on our proud heritage; and never losing sight of our goals for the future,” Helm said. Quigley agreed. “We are so proud of the passion, pride, and craftsmanship that all of our employees share for our brands and our products.” Not only does USSTC provide hundreds of jobs to Nashville’s citizens, the company is constantly looking for ways to better the community. Last year, USSTC employees donated $225,000 to 15 organizations and volunteered with Hands On Nashville and Smart Yards. USSTC employees also participated in the St. Jude’s Music City Marathon, and the company donated $100,000 to two organizations as part of the event. “We believe it is our mission to give back to our community. In addition to generously donating money to worthy causes, we also donate our time by volunteering to make Nashville the best community possible. We don’t take that duty lightly,” said Ed Tucker, Director, Plant Operations, USSTC. After nearly 190 years of continued success and growth, Quigley doesn’t see things slowing down any time soon. “We continue to invest to strengthen the long-term performance of our leaders and our moist smokeless tobacco brands, Copenhagen and Skoal,” he said.

Tennsco Corporation

ester D. “Les” Speyer, started his career in Chicago selling folding tables out of the back of his station wagon. He carried that entrepreneurial spirit to Dickson, founding a small company, Tennsco Corporation, in 1962. Now, more than 50 years later, Tennsco, has expanded to 1.6 million-square-feet of manufacturing and warehouse space and is the largest industrial employer in Dickson County with more than 550 employees in eight different plants. Although Les passed away in 2012, his philosophy of producing the highest quality, American-made storage and filing solutions lives on. Tennsco prides itself on the fact that they manufacture their products in America and never outsource any products or major components. This promise means higher quality products for customers and jobs for Americans. “We’re proud of the fact that the average tenure of our workforce is over a decade,” said Director of Marketing, Rachel Bradley. Tennsco is also a rarity in today’s corporate world: it is a “family-owned business,” said Bradley, who is also Les Speyer’s granddaughter. “We are a small town business using state-of-the-art manufacturing,” she added. With the use of cutting-edge technologies like sophisticated stamping lines, automated bending cells, laser cutters, and robotic welding, Tennsco has secured its position as a leader within the industry. Their commitment to quality is engrained through

their entire production process, from raw materials to best-in-class packaging; providing one of the lowest damage rates in the industry. According to Tennsco President Stuart Speyer, their pride in producing the best product and services in the industry shows in their customer satisfaction. “The center of our focus has always been our customers, who inspire us to achieve excellence,” said Speyer. “Whether it’s a custom-engineered solution or a distinctive storage cabinet off the line, our customers have come to expect the best value for their money from us.” In addition to focusing on the customer, Tennsco is committed to protecting the earth’s natural resources. They use environmentally sound business practices and energy efficient production. They have earned numerous awards for their environmental efforts, including being honored as Innovator of the Year for Renewable Generation by the Tennessee Valley Authority for their leading edge work with solar energy. With that level of commitment in mind, Tennsco really lives up to their motto, “Storage Made Easy.” Customers can be certain that when they order a Tennsco product, it will be top quality and designed with their needs in mind. Tennsco’s level of loyalty to its customers and employees, as well as its commitment to American manufacturing, proves that it takes vision, dedication, and oldfashioned business sense to make it look easy.

below, left: An employee uses the two-stage robotic resistance welder. below, right:Employees work together to assemble a welded cabinet.

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DET Distributing

he largest distributor of MillerCoors products in Tennessee – serving nearly one-third of the state from warehouses in Nashville, Jackson, and Memphis – DET Distributing was founded in 1951 by E.E. Dettwiller, father of the current owner and president, G. Fred Dettwiller. In addition to distributing MillerCoors products throughout its 25-county service area, DET has a strong presence in the increasingly popular craft beer category. The company’s diverse product offering also includes wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages. Chief Operating Officer John Curley explained that the diversification strategy is driven by the company’s willingness to embrace change. “Though the demand for our product has remained very steady for decades, we are still in a consumer product industry, and every company serving consumers must be agile enough to keep up with shifting tastes,” he said. President and Owner Fred Dettwiller has demonstrated a dynamic, bold leadership style since

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he purchased the company from his father’s estate in 1973. Dettwiller’s drive to grow DET Distributing led him to purchase 13 other distributorships, making DET one of the largest and most respected distributorships in the country. MillerCoors recognized DET’s excellence by awarding it nine times the Miller Masters, the highest award it gives a distributor, and bestowing on Dettwiller the Miller Legend Award, the brewer’s highest award to the owner of a distributorship. Today, the company employs over 400 people, operates from three cities in West and Middle Tennessee, distributes products in 25 Tennessee counties, and is rapidly approaching 50 percent market share throughout its service area. Throughout the company’s long history it has contributed in some way to virtually every charity in its service area. In addition to DET’s donations of thousands of dollars annually to charitable causes, Fred Dettwiller has been personally involved in civic organizations that serve a broad cross section of community needs. “More than any other food or drink, beer is a social beverage,” Curley said. “It’s about sharing friendship as much as it is sharing beer. We really enjoy being part of the social fabric of the cities and towns we serve throughout West and Middle Tennessee. For example, that’s why you’ll see the MillerCoors logo at so many festivals in our service area. “It’s also why DET is very supportive of locally brewed beers like Fat Bottom and Tennessee Brew Works in Nashville,” Curley continued. “We have some of the best-tasting and most innovative craft brews in the country. It’s a great time to be in the beer and community business in Nashville, Tennessee.”

ince its inception in 1968, Aladdin TempRite has been lighting the way for people and businesses through product innovation and industry leadership. The company traces its beginnings to the Aladdin Kerosene Mantle Lamp Company, established in Chicago in 1908. In its early days, Aladdin technology produced the ultimate in incandescent kerosene lighting. The company became known for its highly safe, softglow fuel lamps, which are still in use in some parts of the world today. But as electricity became more available, the use of fuel lamps started to dim. So Aladdin began to diversify its product line. During WWI, Aladdin had manufactured insulated dishes for the Army and began producing thermal jugs in 1919. Aladdin began to expand this segment of the company, adding other thermos ware products and the first character-themed lunch boxes. In 1948, Aladdin moved to Nashville, a more central location with a business friendly climate. Expanding on its expertise in thermos technology, its first insulated meal-delivery system product–the insulated tray–was introduced in 1968. Meal-delivery systems were a natural product extension for a company that had successfully manufactured and marketed the iconic American thermos bottle, and the lunch box carried by every school child.

The new system revolutionized meal distribution for airlines, hospitals, and other mass-feeding institutions, which could, at last, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold for long periods of time. Patented under the name Temp-Rite®, the trays used thermal column technology when stacked to maintain food temperatures. Continued research by Aladdin throughout the years has led to other innovations and breakthroughs in rethermalization technologies, dozens of which are patented. Today, Aladdin Temp-Rite, headquartered in Hendersonville, Tennessee, is known around the world for marketing comprehensive meal-delivery systems to hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and correctional institutions. Throughout the company’s evolution, innovation has always been key. Aladdin’s philosophy is to provide solutions for its customers, and sales will follow. It offers a wide array of systems that are able maintain hot and cold food temperatures all the way from the kitchen to the table. From insulated trays to convection, conduction and induction systems, Aladdin has set the standard for institutional meal delivery, with products that meet every mealdelivery challenge. Whether it’s finding a way to keep hot food hot in Iceland, or cold food cold in Saudi Arabia, Tennessee’s Aladdin Temp-Rite has remained the world leader in health care meal delivery for nearly 50 years. It’s really no secret why Aladdin never stands still. It continues to innovate, listen, and give its customers what they want and need. It’s all part of how Aladdin remains…“better by degrees.”

Aladdin Temp-Rite®

ABOVE: Elegant insulated mugs, chic white china and reusable tumblers are all in Aladdin’s product lineup. ABOVE, LEFT: No one delivers room service like Aladdin Temp-Rite. The company’s numerous patented technologies have led health care food service to new heights of quality, safety, and patient satisfaction. BELOW: Aladdin Temp-Rite designs, manufactures, and supplies complete meal-delivery systems, equipment, and tray top products such as dishware, beverageware, and designer tray covers to the health care industry from its 250,000-square-foot headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

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Alcoa Inc.

Alcoa’s North Plant began production in 1940 as part of the war effort. In 2013, the facility began work on a $275-million automotive expansion.

ince 1913, Alcoa’s Tennessee Operations has produced thousands of different products for the construction, aerospace, military, and consumer markets. During that time, Tennessee Operations has evolved into one of the most modern aluminum fabricating facilities in the world. Today, Tennessee Operations is the world’s largest producer of rolled aluminum can sheet and is based in the City of Alcoa in Blount County, Tennessee. This plant produces and delivers aluminum can sheet that eventually ends up as cans on store shelves across America and around the

world. Tennessee Operations has the largest used aluminum beverage container recycling capacity in North America. Alcoa also has locations in Morristown and Knoxville, Tennessee. In Morristown, Alcoa Howmet is a top supplier of complex ceramic cores, which form the internal cooling passages of investment-cast turbine airfoils. Knoxville is the headquarters for Alcoa Materials Management and Global Primary Products. The work done in Knoxville supports 100 Alcoa locations around the world. Together, these locations have an annual economic benefit of $1 billion in the state and employ almost 2,000 Tennesseans.

Driving into the Future In 2013, Tennessee Operations announced and broke ground on a $275-million automotive expansion. Tennessee Operations is expanding to meet the growing demand for light, durable, and recyclable aluminum sheet for automotive production. With this expansion, Alcoa is laying the foundation for the next 100 years in East Tennessee.

Giving Back

On a daily basis, Alcoa employees focus on safely delivering high quality products to our customers around the world.

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Even while competing worldwide, Alcoa continues to keep strong roots in the community where its employees live and work. Alcoa invests approximately half-a-million dollars annually in community initiatives, including Alcoa Foundation grants and local contributions in the areas of education, environment, and workforce development. Alcoa employees also give of their time, volunteering more than 2,500 hours each year to local nonprofit organizations.

Marvin Windows and Doors

t may be Tennessee’s best-kept secret: less than two hours from Memphis there is a factory making some of the finest doors the world has known. Marvin Windows and Doors’ plant in Ripley represents the “doors” part of the company’s name – manufacturing a wide variety of patio, French, and scenic doors for national and international distribution. In the early twentieth century, Marvin began its operations in the small town of Warroad, Minnesota – only six miles from the Canadian border – where the family-owned and operated company is headquartered still today. When looking to expand and consolidate it’s door operations, the company focused on out-of-state locations to have a Southern presence and to be closer to its distributor network. Marvin also wanted its door facility to be in a smaller community, similar to its Warroad location. With its educated workforce, proximity to Memphis, and Tennessee’s business-friendly environment, Ripley was the perfect choice. Marvin’s climate-controlled Ripley facility crafts everything from a simple sliding patio door all the way to the Ultimate Lift and Slide Door – a behemoth at up to 48 feet wide. All of Marvin’s doors are wood and clad-wood, with Ripley associates carefully handcrafting the products to make sure they are of the highest quality. Since its opening in 1981, Marvin’s Ripley facility has been recognized by numerous outside agencies and governing bodies for excellence in manufacturing, quality assurance, and work environment. They were the 13th Tennessee

company to achieve OSHA VPP status for safety excellence, a recognition they have held since 2002. The Tennessee Pollution Prevention Partnership has also recognized them with the highest state environmental excellence award, and they are a Tennessee Center for Performance excellence achievement award winner. The facility has also been ISO 9001 (a standard for manufacturing quality assurance) for over a decade and has been recognized as a WELCOA gold company for health and wellness excellence, having a medical clinic on-site. One of Marvin Windows and Doors’ guiding principles is to support the communities where it does business, and to contribute to the vitality of those communities. This was put to the test during the Great Recession when the building industry took a large hit. Instead of laying off associates, Marvin chose to make other sacrifices in order to keep associates at work. By not doing layoffs, Marvin’s Ripley location has been able to keep associates at their jobs with health benefits intact, demonstrating the company’s continued commitment to the community. And considering the level of craftsmanship in every Marvin door, keeping its workforce intact also means that quality remains high and the facility is ready to respond to increased orders. With a solid business, beautiful products, and smart, dedicated associates Marvin’s Ripley facility is opening doors in Tennessee and around the world.

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General Shale

right: Arriscraft Renaissance®, ARRIS.cast, and Thin-Clad ARRIS. tile Limestone; Architect Design Cooperative, LLC below: General Shale Virginia Highlands brick; General Contractor Kingswood Custom Homes; Masonry Contractor Efrain Cruz Masonry

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stablished in 1928 as an East Tennessee brick manufacturer, General Shale has grown into one of the leading masonry materials providers across the United States and Canada. The company’s production facilities manufacture more than one billion bricks per year and are located in key distribution areas that boast easy access to any building project. Strategic acquisitions of Arriscraft™ Stone Products and Cunningham Brick Company have broadened General Shale’s masonry portfolio for commercial and residential builders. Additionally, plant expansions have increased the scope of the company’s operations, resulting in new products that are both innovative to the industry and environmentally responsible. In 1999, General Shale was acquired by Austrian-based Wienerberger AG, the world’s largest producer of bricks, further establishing its commitment to the brick industry. Today, the Johnson City, Tennessee-based company is a driving force in the building industry through professional-grade products that offer quality, value, and lasting beauty. The company continues to inspire customers through its legacy product – brick – offered in an endless array of colors and textures. In addition, contemporary products such as thin brick and stone veneers lend beauty and affordability to remodeling projects or new construction for both interior and exterior applications. General Shale recently expanded its product offerings to include outdoor living products

in the form of do-it-yourself (DIY) kits. The addition of these new products, which include garden benches, fireplaces, fire pits, water features, and more, provide customers with new opportunities to add value and enjoyment to life outdoors. With its unmistakable aesthetic qualities and strong sense of permanence, brick offers professional builders an impressive list of practical advantages over other exterior materials. General Shale’s line of commercial products has expanded exponentially in recent years and includes a vast selection of exclusive colors, sizes, and textures that architects, contractors, and designers expect for their commercial applications. As one of America’s largest masonry products manufacturers, General Shale has a long history of environmental stewardship. The company continues to transform one of the world’s most ancient building materials – brick – into a product of matchless beauty and endurance for today’s commercial and residential structures. General Shale strives to the best use of natural resources, along with the most efficient methods of production and distribution. A leader in sustainability, General Shale is dedicated to a high level of responsibility for the natural materials that lie at the heart of the company’s operations.

Eastman Chemical Company

astman Chemical Company is a leading supplier of specialty products that serves diverse markets including transportation, building, and construction. A growing $10-billion company, Eastman’s manufacturing and sales presence spans the globe and its products can be found in virtually every household. In addition to being its global headquarters, Kingsport is home to Eastman’s Tennessee Operations. The site employs approximately 7,000 of the company’s 14,000 employees and is one of the largest chemical manufacturing facilities in North America. Tennessee Operations has long been recognized as a progressive, innovative facility and has earned numerous honors. Since 1997, it has been an OSHA Volunteer STAR site, attesting to the fact that the company’s safety and health programs are among the best in the nation.

Rooted in East Tennessee The chemical giant got its start in 1920 when founder George Eastman came to East Tennessee looking for an independent supply of raw materials for his photographic company, Eastman Kodak. Over the years many of Eastman’s basic chemical building blocks were studied and perfected and became the basis for other major platforms. It’s not just the company’s history that is rooted in East Tennessee, but its future is, too. In 2013, Eastman reaffirmed its commitment to the region by announcing Project Inspire, a $1.6-billion investment in its Kingsport site. This major, multiyear economic development project represents a landmark capital investment that will modernize and expand Eastman’s manufacturing site and the corporate campus in Kingsport.

Focused on Sustainable Growth Eastman is committed to embedding sustainability in product development and innovation processes and strives to provide customers with solutions that provide performance, value, and an improved environmental footprint. Eastman looks to continue building a portfolio of sustainably advantaged products to accelerate its efforts to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions to its global customers.

A Culture of Caring Eastman believes that people are at the heart of any business, and when they thrive, the business thrives, and so do the surrounding communities. Each year, Eastman employees contribute an average of 10,000 hours of volunteer service to a variety of community issues. Company-sponsored volunteer opportunities have provided support for everything from disaster relief to education to preventing hunger and homelessness. Eastman also provides more than $500,000 to support local programs including scholarships and workforce placement initiatives. Many Eastman team members, including senior and executive leaders, also serve on local and national philanthropic boards.

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Emerson Process Management

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n 1985, Computation Systems Incorporated, a small company founded in Knoxville, set out to change the way the process world performs maintenance – proactively based on machine condition versus reacting to failures after they occur. Twelve years later, the small company’s technology was noticed by Fortune 500 multinational Emerson Electric, and it was purchased by Emerson in 1997. As part of Emerson’s Process Management business unit, the former CSI company now has a global presence and technology budget that has positioned the company

as the innovation leader in the area of predicting machinery health. While Emerson’s headquarters is in St. Louis, the heart of its machinery health business remains in Knoxville, Tennessee. For Emerson’s customers, reliability is becoming a strategic pillar – reliability drives safety as well as business results through increased production and reduced maintenance budgets. However, companies in developed markets like Western Europe and North America, face aging plants, making reliable operations very challenging. These facilities must find ways to become more efficient to compete globally with the newer plants found in emerging markets. Unfortunately, the reliability engineer workforce is aging, and there will not be a sufficient number of skilled resources in another five years. Equally important to driving business results is the role reliability plays in safety. A large oil and gas company summed it up by saying, “You cannot have a safe plant unless you have a reliable plant.” Reliability is about recognizing and responding to changing conditions, which is when most accidents occur, and Emerson’s focus on predicting events is crucial to helping this effort. Emerson has responded to this increased focus on reliability by investing a tremendous amount of resources in new products and service capabilities for its global customers, all delivered from factories and facilities like the one in Knoxville. The key to increasing reliability is prediction, a capability central to Emerson solutions. Its products are designed for remote analysis, enabling customers to monitor the health of their assets at a centralized location, and Emerson’s commitment to open development means its technologies can integrate information from a variety of suppliers. Finally, Emerson’s focus on ease of use and Human Centered Design means its products and services help users increase reliability with fewer people. Just as Emerson values its relationships with customers, it values the communities within which it operates. To respond to the needs of its neighbors, the company and its employees volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and the Knoxville Komen Race for the Cure, along with several other races for charity. Emerson serves annually as a key sponsor of the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital’s “Fantasy of Trees” fundraiser. The company also contributes through its annual United Way campaign and donations to the Knoxville Museum of Art’s school education programs and exhibits.

Photo courtesy of International Paper

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CHAPTER SEVEN

TTennessee’s Automotive

Industry: Winning the Race to the Top

or an unprecedented fourth consecutive year, Tennessee has been named the number one state in the nation for automotive manufacturing strength, according to Business Facilities, a national economic development publication. “This impressive distinction further solidifies Tennessee’s position as a global leader in automotive manufacturing strength,” said Bill Hagerty, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. “When internationally renowned companies like General Motors, Magneti Marelli, Nissan, and Volkswagen choose to relocate and expand in our state, it extends Tennessee’s place at the top beyond the United States and into today’s globally competitive environment. I could not be more pleased to hear this great news.” Tennessee is now home to Nissan, Volkswagen, and General Motors production hubs. The state has more than 900 auto manufacturers and suppliers (both Tier I and Tier II), and there’s no sign of hitting the brakes anytime soon. A strategic focus of situating Tennessee as an automobile manufacturing and supplier hub has steered the state into this enviable position. In fiscal year 2012-2013, 44 automotive projects created 6,662 new jobs in Tennessee, and investments totaled close to $1.1 billion.

Tennessee is home to Nissan, Volkswagen, and General Motors production hubs. Photo courtesy of General Motors’ Spring Hill Manufacturing 199

In fiscal year 2012-2013, 44 automotive projects created 6,662 new jobs in Tennessee and investments totaled close to $1.1 billion. Photo courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

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Tennessee got off to an early lead in the field of automotive manufacturing when Southern Engine and Boiler Works began production of automobiles, designed by gifted engineer William H. Collier, in 1906. As another company was building cars under the same name, Southern changed its name to Marathon in 1907 and continued producing cars under that name until 1914. Today, only nine Marathon cars are known to have survived. Four of these are currently in the possession of the owners of the former Marathon Motor Works building. The original building still stands and currently houses several artistic companies as well as Antique Archaeology, an antiques store, which is at the center of History Channelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hit television series, American Pickers.

From 1914 until 1980, the automotive industry in Tennessee was idle. But things shifted into high gear when Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation (NMMC) was established in Smyrna in 1980 to fulfill the mounting demand for Nissan vehicles. Tennessee and Nissan have had several firsts together. In 1983, production of the first Nissan truck began; in 1985, the very first Nissan Sentra rolled off the line; and in 1992, the first Altima ever was assembled and driven off the line in the Smyrna plant. Nissan was so pleased with the results and accommodations it received in Tennessee that it relocated its headquarters from Gardena, California, to Nashville, Tennessee in July 2006. Two years later, on July 22, 2008, Nissan Americas – its new headquarters – was dedicated in Cool Springs. Approximately 1,500 employees work in the facility. In 2013, Nissan announced its U.S. sales were up 12.9 percent, creating a new company record of 104,124 units. Sales of its electric car, LEAF, have skyrocketed, and it was reported in June of 2013 that they have experienced a staggering 315 percent increase over the previous year. The same happened with the Pathfinder (up 208 percent to 8,360 cars produced), Altima (up 23 percent to 26,904 cars produced) and Rogue (up 41.1 percent to 15,518 cars produced). In June 2013, Nissan celebrated its 30th year of manufacturing at its Smyrna plant by adding more than 900 jobs to support continuing future production of their popular

The original Marathon building still stands and currently houses several artistic companies as well as Antique Archaeology, an antiques store, which is at the center of History Channel’s hit television series, American

Pickers. Photo by Ryan Kaldari / Creative Commons

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model, Rogue. Nissan has been a great partner with Tennessee, and in addition to adding jobs and contributing to the economy, it has also been very philanthropic. In 2012, Nissan Foundation gave grants to several non-profit organizations in Tennessee, contributing almost a quarter of a million dollars to the Children’s Museum Corporation of Rutherford County, the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville Public Television, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and others. The business-friendly climate of Tennessee proved to be a draw for other automotive manufacturing. The GM Spring Hill Manufacturing plant, which manufactured the Saturn, opened its doors in Spring Hill, Tennessee in 1985. GM’s success and growth in Tennessee shows the entire automotive industry that Tennessee is a great place to roll out their cars. The plant became part of General Motors in 2004, but Saturn-only manufacturing lines continued until March 2007. In 2005, the plant had a yearly production of 198,142 vehicles. Harbour Consulting rated Spring Hill’s Ion line as the 10th most efficient auto plant in North America in 2006. It produced more than 3.7 million Saturns between 1985 and 2007. Traverse production began in the fall of 2008, and the last one rolled off the line near the end of 2009, according to GM. The Spring Hill facility continues to produce four-cylinder engines and is one of GM’s largest U.S. plants according to Kristy Bergstrom, Plant Communications Manager for GM Spring Hill Manufacturing. Production of the Chevrolet

GM’s success and growth in Tennessee shows the entire automotive industry that Tennessee is a great place to roll out their cars. Photo courtesy of General Motors’ Spring Hill Manufacturing 203

In 2013, Nissan announced its U.S. sales were up 12.9 percent, creating a new company record of 104,124 units. Photo courtesy of Nissan North America, Inc.

right: Volkswagen researched 398 possible sites before choosing Tennessee, in part because of its pro-business focus and the combined effort of local, state, and federal governments during the recruitment process. Photo courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

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Equinox began at the site in the third quarter of 2012 to meet growing consumer demand and support GM’s Canada operations. In August 2013, General Motors announced it increased its projected spending to $350 million for new vehicles to be produced at its Spring Hill assembly plant. This new infusion of capital adds $167 million to its previously announced $183 million pledge and is expected to create or retain about 1,800 jobs. “We know it will take 1,800 people to build these new products,” Bergstrom said. “These could be added within the plant or shifted within the facility. We have the potential to nearly double the workforce at our Spring Hill plant and once again, be the largest employer in Maury County within the next three years.” Governor Bill Haslam commented on the GM expansion by saying, “This investment and expansion says a lot about our state and the hardworking employees that continue to produce high-quality cars in Spring Hill.” Another element that has earned Tennessee the number one ranking for automotive manufacturing strength the last four years was the addition of Volkswagen to the state’s auto industry family. The Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant (or Chattanooga Operations LLC) began production in April 2011, was formally inaugurated in May 2011,

In June 2013, Nissan celebrated its 30th year of manufacturing at its Smyrna plant by adding more than 900 jobs to support continuing and future production of their popular model, Rogue. Photo courtesy of Nissan North America, Inc.

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and employs approximately 2,000 direct workers. Volkswagen invested approximately $1 billion to construct the facility and has created more than 5,000 jobs in the region. According to independent studies, the Volkswagen plant is expected to generate $12 billion in income growth and an additional 9,500 jobs related to its investment. Volkswagen researched 398 possible sites before choosing Tennessee, in part because of its pro-business focus and the combined effort of local, state, and federal governments during the recruitment process. On April 18, 2011, the first Passat rolled off the assembly line, and the plant has a projected annual production of 150,000. The company already has preliminary plans for an additional production line that would increase capacity to 592,000 vehicles a year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Passat produced here in Chattanooga will be a key enabler of our growth and will allow us to compete very much in the core of the midsize sedan segment 206

here in the United States, the largest single car segment in the U.S.,â&#x20AC;? said Jonathan Browning, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America Inc. A tip of the hat to the hard working Tennesseans employed at the Chattanooga plant, the Passat was named the 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With Volkswagen intent on selling at least one million vehicles in the North American market, its

Top global automotive systems and components supplier Magneti Marelli inaugurated its new United States automotive lighting plant in Pulaski. Photos courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

new Chattanooga plant is ramping up to full production,” Editor-in-Chief Jack Rogers of Business Facilities (a national economic development publication) said. “Renewed commitments from GM, Nissan’s electric-car line scaling up in Smyrna, and a growing supplier network has kept Tennessee in a commanding position in our automotive strength evaluation.” Keeping with Volkswagen’s commitment to the environment, the Chattanooga plant received a platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification 207

below: The Spring Hill facility continues to produce fourcylinder engines and is one of GMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest U.S. plants. Photo courtesy of General Motorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Spring Hill Manufacturing

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program. The facility is the first and only automotive manufacturing plant in the world to receive the Platinum certification. Browning summed up his feelings about the relationship between our state and Volkswagen by saying, “You could say the future for Volkswagen begins here in Chattanooga.” With three major automotive manufacturers in Tennessee the automotive supplier industry is also choosing to grow in Tennessee. Top global automotive systems and components supplier Magneti Marelli inaugurated its new United States automotive lighting plant in Pulaski. The plant represents a $53.7 million investment and will create 800 new jobs. Then there’s SL Tennessee, a subsidiary of the South Korea-based SL Corp., who, in 2001, became the first Korean-owned automobile parts manufacturer in the Volunteer State when the Clinton facility opened. The company invested $14 million in an expansion of its facilities, which it says will create 100 new jobs. NYX, Inc., a Michigan-based automotive supplier, announced it is locating in Linden. The company is planning a $23-million manufacturing facility to produce injection molded plastics for a wide variety of automotive manufacturers beginning in early 2012, creating 400 jobs over a five-year period. It’s been a long road from the single automotive manufacturing days of Marathon in the early 20th century to the burgeoning automotive industry in Tennessee today. There is no doubt that other auto giants and suppliers are already looking to the Volunteer State as the home of future headquarters or assembly plants for their company. And Tennessee will welcome them with opens arms.

There is no doubt that other auto giants and suppliers are already looking to the Volunteer State as the home of future headquarters or assembly plants for their company. Photo courtesy of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

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Bridgestone Americas

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ore than 25 years ago, two of the biggest names in the tire and rubber industry came together to form a global company built on innovation, technology, and superior service. The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, which was established in 1900 by Harvey S. Firestone in Akron, Ohio, had become an industry icon in the United States and worldwide. On the other side of the globe, Bridgestone Tire Company Ltd., founded by Shojiro Ishibashi in 1931, was on the verge of dynamic growth.

Within a few short years, each man and the company he created had become a major player in the industry – but each knew that by combining entities, their collective strength would be unparalleled. In 1988, these two rich histories came together to become one company—Bridgestone Americas— with the mission of “Serving Society with Superior Quality.” A subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, our ultimate goal is to build on our foundation using a shared sense of values that are embraced

around the world. With a business model that fosters a pioneer spirit of continued innovation, we create world-class products that position us to be leaders in our industries. Over the years, our industries have expanded. While tires comprise the largest part of our business—from passenger and commercial truck to motorcycle, agricultural, and off-road equipment —Bridgestone Americas also is recognized internationally for producing building and industrial products, natural rubber, and fibers and textiles. Our presence in Tennessee dates back to 1971, with the opening of Bridgestone Corporation’s first tire-manfacturing facility in North America, located in LaVergne. Today, Tennessee is home to several Bridgestone businesses, including the company’s headquarters and tire operations in Nashville; production facilities in LaVergne, Warren County and Dyersburg; a distribution center in Lebanon; and 54 retail locations throughout the state. Additionally, Bridgestone Corporation operates other production facilities located in Dickson and Clarksville. With a focus on integrity, teamwork, and diversity at every level, Bridgestone Americas is

committed to being a Premier Place to Work. We actively work to attract, retain and develop talent who share our values and who will help achieve the company’s vision. The passion, commitment, and dedication of our teammates are key ingredients in becoming the global company our founders set out to create. Bridgestone Americas also has remained true to our heritage of giving back to the communities in which we live and work. In addition to supporting corporate-wide environmental and teen driver safety initiatives, you’ll find our teammates serving on local boards, organizing and participating in fundraising activities, and actively involved in schools, local government, and other organizations. We believe strong business and strong communities go hand-in-hand. At Bridgestone Americas, we’re proud to be a part of Tennessee’s bright future. We strive to be a company that offers the best for our customers, our teammates and our communities – a company that not only lives up to the dreams of Shojiro Ishibashi and Harvey Firestone, but exceeds them. Strong business and strong communities go handin-hand. 211

Walker Die Casting, Inc.

right: Aerial view of Walker Die Casting’s Lewisburg facility. below, left: Transmission cases produced for the US automotive industry. below, right: Robert Walker knows the nuts and bolts of the die casting business.

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he year was 1958. Dwight D. Eisenhower was president; gas was 24¢ a gallon; a loaf of bread was 19¢; Elvis Presley was inducted into the Army; and Robert Walker started his life time journey into the business world. At the time, Robert was a traveling salesman

hawking wares for his grandfather, W.H. Hardison’s hardware store. A fortuitous event occurred when he met another salesman, Bill Scott, whom Robert convinced to sell him dies to make zinc alloy stay nuts used in the furniture business. Walker Die Casting was born. Excited about starting a new life as an entrepreneur, Robert secured a loan from his father and purchased a 50-ton zinc machine, which he moved into the basement of a five-and-dime store

on the Lewisburg Square. Knowing he couldn’t run a business like this himself, Robert soon hired four men. “All of these men worked at the iron casting company, but they were laid off. I got the good ones,” Robert said with a wink. “We grew from there and then we found out that the money was in automotive. Holley Carburetor had several plants in the South, and they were our first automotive customer.” Always with an eye toward the future, Robert soon moved his company to the old airport hangar off Spring Place Road, in 1963, which, unfortunately was destroyed by fire in November 1965. Luckily, they were able to save all the dies. “We should always appreciate our good fortune,” Robert said about this event and about his life and career in general. Construction started on their current location at 1125 Higgs Road, soon after the fire. Now, Walker Die Casting and their cavernous 750,000-square-foot building is one of Lewisburg’s largest employers; employing around 650 people. From his humble beginnings making zinc stay nuts, Walker Die Casting now sells and distributes 54% of their product to the automotive industry, 34% to heavy truck, 8% to industrial, 3% to marinerecreational, and 1% to medical. Although his business is his passion, it is also a business, he said and “you can’t exist and have no competition.” Even though he’s been retired for a while, Robert still shows up at the office nearly every day. His office is cluttered with industry reports, articles,

letters, and other business papers. Always at hand is a wrinkled manila envelope that holds a handful of zinc alloy stay nuts to remind him, and anyone who asks, of the beginnings of the amazing journey that is Walker Die Casting. His secret to success? “Keep on trying.”

Castings ready for shipment.

Casting being extracted from a 3500 ton die casting machine.

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General Motors’ Spring Hill Manufacturing

General Motors employee Ray Smith works on sub-assembly of A-pillars for the Chevrolet Traverse at the GM Spring Hill plant in 2011.

below: Spring Hill manufacturing team members put the finishing touches on doors for the Chevrolet Equinox, which has been produced on the plant’s flex assembly line since September 2012.

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ith more than 25 years under its belt, General Motors’ award-winning Spring Hill Manufacturing plant remains a fixture in Maury County, Tennessee – a growing community 40 miles south of Nashville. Originally home to the innovative Saturn brand, the site produced its first 1.9L engine in 1989 and SL Sedan in 1990. The last Saturn VUE and ION rolled off the production line in March 2007. Today, the plant employs nearly 2,000 members and operates as a fully integrated complex, capable of building a variety of products on a range of platforms to meet real-time sales spikes while also supplementing production for plants being retooled for new products. More recently, GM Spring Hill Manufacturing produced the Chevrolet Traverse from September 2008 to November 2009; production of the best-selling Chevrolet Equinox began in September 2012. Unique in its ability to produce a vehicle from beginning to end, the Spring Hill site also features two state-of-the-art powertrain plants making four-cylinder engines, a stamping plant, polymer injection molding operations, and one painting plant operation for bumper fascias. These manufactured engines and other components are supplied to various GM assembly plants around the globe; perhaps most notably, Spring Hill supplied parts and components for both 2014 North American Car and Truck of the Year winners – the Corvette Stingray and Chevrolet Silverado.

While building high quality, award-winning products is nothing new to those employed at GM Spring Hill Manufacturing, this reality serves to ensure a sustainable future for the plant’s growing workforce. In August 2013, General Motors further demonstrated its commitment to the state of Tennessee and Maury County by adding a $167-million investment to a previously announced $183-million pledge from 2011. The funding will support two future mid-size vehicle programs and is expected to create or retain about 1,800 jobs at the plant. Although the GM Spring Hill workforce is busy preparing to launch two new vehicles, most still take the time to give back to the community that means so much to them. With employees who drive from as far as Alabama to support the plant’s operations, GM Spring Hill team members are also deeply vested in the communities in which they live and work. Last year alone, the plant raised or donated more than $150,000 to support organizations working to improve the lives of those living in Maury, Davidson, Williamson, and Marshall Counties. Following the lead of the General Motors Foundation, Spring Hill employees focus their philanthropic efforts on four key areas: education, health and human services, environment and energy, and community development. While the majority of the plant’s resources are devoted to helping organizations within Maury County, non-profits across Middle Tennessee have directly benefitted from the generosity of GM employees. A few recent beneficiaries include the American Cancer Society, Boy Scouts of America, the Boys & Girls Club of Maury County, Columbia State Community College Foundation, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, Harvest Share of Maury County, Imagination Library, James K. Polk Memorial Association, Ronald McDonald House, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, Southern Automotive Women’s Forum, Tennessee Environmental Council, United Way of Maury and Williamson Counties, and 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee. There is no doubt that as GM Spring Hill Manufacturing continues to evolve to meet the needs of customers, it not only has a bright future, but will also leave a lasting legacy on Tennessee and especially its home, Maury County.

JTEKT North America Corporation

External view of JTEKT’s Vonore,

TEKT is a leading supplier of steering systems, driveline components, Koyo brand bearings, and machine tools to the Automotive and Industrial markets worldwide. With 3 manufacturing facilities and over 1,600 employees in Tennessee JTEKT North America is truly a “Titan of Commerce & Industry” within the state. While the products each produce are diverse in nature there is a clear synergy between all 3 plants in terms of their commitment to their respective communities. Opened in 1988 JTEKT’s Vonore Plant, was the company’s first foray into Tennessee and has established itself as one of the largest employers in Monroe County producing millions of steering gears and electric power steering (EPS) systems annually. Named one of four “Model Companies” within the state the plant has been recognized for both its operations as well as its community involvement. With a special focus on the environment the plant has won Business Recycler of the Year, two Keep America Beautiful National awards, and the Governor’s Award for Industrial Pollution Prevention. JTEKT’s Morristown Plant in Hamblen County manufactures power steering and transmission pumps for the global automotive market. Since its inception in 1989 the plant’s capacity has grown significantly now producing over 5 million pumps and aluminum castings each year. In addition to the growth in capacity, the plants involvement in the community has grown as well. As the second largest donor to the United Way and participant as an Adopt-a-School partner the plant has been recognized for its community contribution.

TN plant.

Further demonstrating their commitment to the environment and community the plant reached a major milestone in 2011 by achieving “Zero Landfill” status and was the recipient of the Chamber of Commerce Environmental Award. The Washington County bearing plant, established in 2007, is JTEKT’s latest venture within the state and a testament to their continued commitment in investing in Tennessee. The plant has grown into JTEKT’s main plant in North America for tapered roller bearings, expanding capacity nearly 3 fold since its opening. As a supporter of both the Holston Home for Children and Second Harvest Food Bank the employees of the Washington plant are dedicated to the future of their community. In summary JTEKT North America is committed to the state of Tennessee through investment in its facilities, employees, and charitable contributions to the communities they reside in.

With over 800 employees, JTEKT’s Vonore Plant is one of the largest employers in Monroe County.

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CHAPTER EIGHT

TTennessee is IT T

ennessee has been hardwired with information and technology services for decades. Bristol was home to the second-generation computer systems (those using vacuum tubes) with Sperry Univac, a division of Sperry Rand Co., back in the late 60s, which employed 1,250 people. The Univac I system played a key role in supporting Apollo astronauts during their moon-mission experiments and exploration. The last ever Univac machine was employed by the insurance company Life and Casualty of Tennessee until 1970. Computer Communications Network, founded in 1968 by brothers Edward and Robert Eskine in Nashville, was one of the pioneering companies using telecommunications for small-business purposes. Utilizing the Univac model 494, the company created software for three industries: wholesale beverage distribution,

Tennessee is one of the top 10 states nationally for federal research and development expenditures and is home to world-class researchers at prestigious institutions like Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Photos courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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above: Oak Ridge is home to Titan - the first major supercomputing system to utilize a hybrid architecture. Photo courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory

right: St. Jude Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Research Hospital is one of the many places where research and development are making new discoveries everyday in the IT field. Photo courtesy of St. Jude Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Research Hospital

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hospitals, and airline reservation. Their innovative system allowed small businesses real time access to the type of data processing that in the past only companies with colossal mainframes and enormous budgets could afford. Tennessee is one of the top 10 states nationally for federal research and development expenditures and is home to world-class researchers at prestigious institutions like Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, and St. Jude Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Research Hospital. The School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville was an early innovator in the world of information storage and retrieval with strong roots dating back to 1928. The school received accreditation in 1972 and has achieved international recognition for its acclaimed Center for Information Studies, its award-winning faculty, and innovative research. Tennessee is becoming well known for information technology, especially now that Chattanooga has

acquired the moniker, Gig City. Chattanooga is the first city to offer the fastest Internet speeds in the Western Hemisphere (one-gigabit-per-second) with their fiber Internet service that is connected to all of its 170,000 businesses and residents in the city. At 200 times the speed of the national average, the Gig, which was installed by the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga in 2009, opens the door to unimagined ways of learning, playing, and conducting business. American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T), previously BellSouth Telecommunications and before that South Central Bell, has operated from its Tennessee headquarters since it was opened in 1994. The AT&T Building, colloquially known as the Batman Building, changed the skyline of Nashville. This 33-story skyscraper is currently the tallest building in the state of Tennessee. AT&T is a global networking leader, focused on delivering IP-based solutions to enterprise and government customers. In 2013, AT&T, which already employs more than 5,500 workers statewide, hired nearly 1,000 219

Tennessee is becoming well known for information technology, especially now that Chattanooga has acquired the moniker, Gig City. Photo courtesy of GigTank opposite page: The AT&T Building, colloquially known as the Batman Building, changed the skyline of Nashville. Photo by Kelly Verdeck

At 200 times the speed of the national average, the Gig, which was installed by the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga in 2009, opens the door to unimagined ways of learning, playing, and conducting business. Photo courtesy of GigTank

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workers in Tennessee. “These jobs are the result of growing consumer demand for wireless and broadband services, and our need to build the infrastructure to meet that demand,” said Joelle Phillips, President of AT&T Tennessee. Between 2011 and 2013, AT&T has invested nearly $1.3 billion in its wireless and wired networks in our state. Over the last six years, AT&T has invested more than $119 billion in the United States to stay ahead of the exploding consumer demand for wireless and wireline broadband data. In a July 2012 report, the Progressive Policy Institute ranked AT&T No. 1 on its list of U.S. “Investment Heroes.” “The investment AT&T is making in their wireless and wired networks is essential to spurring Tennessee’s economy and creating jobs,” said Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey. “In our wireless world, mobile and broadband networks create economic opportunities for health care, manufacturing, education, transportation, and public safety, and virtually every other economic section.”

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Chattanooga is the first city to offer the fastest Internet speeds in the Western Hemisphere (one-gigabit-per-second) with their fiber Internet service that is connected to all of its 170,000 businesses and residents in the city. Photo by Sean Pavone 223

But it is in the field of health care that information technology has made a significant impact. Technologies such as electronic health records, clinical decision support tools, and e-prescribing are quietly transforming health care for the better. Health IT has improved health care quality, enhanced patient safety, reduced medical errors, decreased medical costs, prevented unnecessary tests and procedures, and strengthened communication between patients and health care providers. The federal government is investing resources to encourage the use of health IT. Incentives for Meaningful Use allows the use of electronic health records (EHR) to systematically improve healthcare access, delivery, and quality. An investment of $15.5 billon has been paid to nearly 80 percent of eligible hospitals and 60 percent of eligible medical professionals across the nation. In Tennessee, more than 4,665 Medicare providers, and 220 hospitals have received incentive payments totaling $365 million. The Tennessee Office of eHealth Initiatives was formed to facilitate improvements in Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health care quality, safety, transparency, efficiency, and cost effectiveness through statewide adoption and use of EHR and health information exchange. In 2013, Technologies such as electronic health records, clinical decision support tools, and e-prescribing are quietly transforming health care for the better. Photo courtesy of St. Jude Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Research Hospital

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left: In 2013, West Tennessee Healthcare in Jackson was the first comprehensive health care system in Tennessee to participate in the Health eShare Direct Project, an initiative that helps health care providers safely and securely share electronic health information. Photo courtesy of West Tennessee Healthcare

below: Most colleges and universities in Tennessee offer some form of information technology or information services department. Photo courtesy of the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee

West Tennessee Healthcare in Jackson was the first comprehensive health care system in Tennessee to participate in the Health eShare Direct Project, an initiative that helps health care providers safely and securely share electronic health information. This program integrated direct secure messaging technology within its EHR. The Health eShare Direct Project is led by the Tennessee Office of eHealth Initiatives and the Tennessee Regional Extension Center, a division of Qsource. Qsource collaborates with health care providers helping them become familiar with Direct technology, a secure email-like service that will be the infrastructure that facilitates health information exchange in Tennessee. “Once providers begin using Direct services to communicate and share information, we hope they will be excited about how easy it is to use and will quickly see the time and cost-saving benefits,” said Amanda King, Direct Project Manager at Qsource. “We are working to

improve patient care by bringing more technology solutions to providers.” Tennessee is continually integrating itself with modern technology. By plugging into information and technology services, Tennessee will continue to lead the way in education, health care and attracting IT industries to our state.

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CHAPTER NINE

LLogistics and Energy B

ecause of its unique central location, Tennessee has a highly developed infrastructure to assist all business needs. In fact, Business Facilities magazine honored Tennessee as its “State of the Year” for economic development. Tennessee was ranked in the top five states with the best business climate by Site Selection magazine. CEO respondents voted Tennessee the fourth best state in the U.S. for business in Chief Executive Magazine’s Annual Best & Worst States for Business Survey. And a 2013 CNBC study of “America’s Top States for Business,” ranked Tennessee second in the nation for Transportation and Infrastructure, up from fourth in 2012. “This ranking is an affirmation of the efforts TDOT has made in the last two-and-a-half years to be innovative, efficient, and responsible,” said Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Commissioner, John Schroer. “Prioritizing and maximizing our investments will continue to provide economic benefits to communities across the state. We are striving to be the best DOT in the nation,” he added. The reasons for this top score are varied. Tennessee has the world’s second busiest cargo airport with immediate access to eight interstate highways – reaching 60% of the United States’ population within an 11-hour drive or less. In addition, Tennessee has six Class 1 railroads and more than 1,000 miles of navigable waterways.

Because of its unique central location, Tennessee has a highly developed infrastructure to assist all business needs. Photo by Bill Carrier 227

As an industry leader, FedEx provides fast, reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories around the world. Photo courtesy of FedEx opposite page: A 2013 CNBC study of “America’s Top States for Business,” ranked Tennessee second in the nation for Transportation and Infrastructure. Photo courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Transportation

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The workforce comprised of 250,000 Tennesseans are employed in the transportation, logistics, and distribution industry at more than 15,000 businesses statewide. Some of the state’s larger companies in this industry include, FedEx, Nike, Walmart, Cummins Inc., Norfolk Southern, CSX Transportation, BNSF Railway, Amazon, Covenant Transport, Technicolor Home Entertainment Services, Peyton’s, Gap Inc., Averitt Express, US Express, Old Dominion Freight Line, Ozburn Hessey Logistics, and Macy’s. “We know that access to high-quality infrastructure is a key component to getting products to market and people on the move,” said Kent Starwalt, Executive Vice President of the Tennessee Road Builders Association. “This acknowledgement is a true testament that the department and the industry are working together to foster economic opportunity in Tennessee by providing a superior transportation network.” This is why Area Development magazine, a leading executive magazine covering corporate site selection and relocation, named Tennessee “The No. 1 Location for Overall Infrastructure and Global Access,” and “The No. 1 State for Distribution/Logistics Hub Access.” FedEx invented the hub and spoke express delivery business more than 40 years ago and has remained both a driver and an indicator of the global economy. As an industry leader, FedEx provides fast, reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories around the world. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities.

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Ingram Barge Company, based in Nashville, is involved in transporting bulk commodities on America’s inland waterways. With its fleet of 100 line haul vessels and 40 fleet boats, they push nearly 5,000 barges filled with dry and liquid bulk commodities such as coal, aggregates, grain, fertilizer, ores, alloys, steel products and chemicals on America’s inland river system. Ingram Barge Company is one of two operating units of Ingram Industries Inc. Railway and Freight Carriers complete the logistics lineup. Major class one railroads are based in Memphis; The Norfolk Southern, CSX, Union Pacific, and BNSF Railway. This makes Tennessee the perfect location for freight service transportation. The United States Federal Railroad Administration is also based there. For example, CSX has operations in Tennessee and carries a variety of commodities important to our economy including consumer products, automobiles, food and agriculture products, coal, construction products, and chemicals. Products shipped in Tennessee include containerized consumer goods, passenger vehicles, plastics, coal, and glass chemicals. CSX maintains nearly 1,600 miles of track and 1.45 million carloads of freight during 2012, and employs 32,000 people. CSX operates 1,350 daily freight trains and coordinates with national, regional, and local agencies to provide services and infrastructure for 150 daily passenger trains.

opposite page, top: Ingram Barge Company, based in Nashville, is involved in transporting bulk commodities on America’s inland waterways. Photo by Greg Milliken opposite page, bottom: Tennessee has six Class 1 railroads and more than 1,000 miles of navigable waterways. Photo by Paul Hassell

below: CSX has operations in Tennessee and carries a variety of commodities important to our economy including consumer products, automobiles, food and agriculture products, coal, construction products, and chemicals. Photo courtesy of CSX

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Energy and Technology

The Tennessee Valley Authority

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a federally owned corporation created by congressional charter in 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, which at that time, was a region particularly affected by the Great Depression. It was the first large regional planning agency of the federal government and remains the largest public power utility in the United States and one of the largest producers of electricity in the country. As of 2012, TVA was comprised of 11 coal-powered plants, 29 hydroelectric dams, nine simple cycle natural gas combustion turbine plants, five combined cycle gas plants, and three nuclear power plants (with six operating reactors). “World-wide, something like 12% of power comes from nuclear. In the U.S., it’s about 19%, and here in the Tennessee Valley, about 38 to 40%,” said TVA President and CEO, Bill Johnson. “It is a really important resource. If we want to continue to have low-cost power, and deal with the environmental issues, and have a say in nuclear matters around the world, we need to plan on having nuclear as part of our future.” Tennessee’s connection with nuclear energy actually started in the 1940’s with Oak Ridge’s involvement in the Manhattan Project, America’s top secret research and development project that produced the first atomic bombs, and brought thousands of top energy experts and scientists to Oak Ridge, making Tennessee a hot spot for new energy and technologies.

(TVA) is a federally owned corporation created by congressional charter in 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley. Photo courtesy of TVA

opposite page: Tennessee has immediate access to eight interstate highways – reaching 60% of the United States’ population within an 11-hour drive or less.

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opposite page: Valero has invested more than $245 million upgrading it to a modern and highly efficient facility. Photo courtesy of Valero Memphis is home to the nation’s busiest cargo airport. Photo by Bill Carrier

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Recently, $6.5 billion has been invested in the Uranium Processing Facility in Knoxville. This facility will introduce a new process and a new phase of manufacturing to energy and technology sectors. According to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, this investment represents the largest construction project by the federal government in Tennessee since World War II. In addition, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s economic impact totals more than $274 million in annual wages and $9 million in Tennessee taxes. Valero Memphis Refinery has a total throughput capacity of 195,000 barrels per day (BPD) of light, low-sulfur crude oil. Since the refinery’s acquisition of Premcor in 2005, Valero has invested more than $245 million upgrading it to a modern and highly efficient facility. Nearly 100 percent of Valero’s production is in light products, including regular and premium gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and petrochemicals. Eco-Energy in Franklin Tennessee was founded 20 years ago by Larry Beckwith and currently manages and operates over 20 strategically located facilities across North America. Beckwith’s vision was to bring clean renewable fuels to the marketplace, but first he had to develop creative solutions to transport these biofuels. In 2012, Copersucar, the largest sugar and ethanol trader in Brazil, joined Eco-Energy ethanol operations to become the largest biofuel marketer in the world.

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Photo by Dean Dixon

“With this partnership, Copersucar becomes a truly global company in the biofuel market, expanding the scale of its operations to the two main ethanol markets in the world, which are the United States and Brazil, both in production and consumption volume,” touted a joint company press release. Due to its efficient operating procedures and their focus on distribution and logistics, Eco-Energy currently handles 9% of the United States’ ethanol market, with annual sales of over $3 billion. The combined companies will increase the global market share to 12% in growing ethanol trade. EnergySolutions in Tennessee employs over 700 people and conducts a variety of operations. The Bear Creek facility is a low-level radioactive waste processing plant, which provides specialty waste processing operations, waste volume reduction, and metal recycling. At their other operation branch, Manufacturing Sciences Corporation, they deal with special metals and depleted uranium product fabrication. Transportation facilities in Tennessee include Hittman Transport Services which provides transportation and logistics for customers across the country and the Heritage Railroad Corporation which connects Oak Ridge with the Norfolk Southern railroad system. Tennessee also has 18 short line railroads (Class 3 railroads), with nearly 900 miles of track, which serves industries that rely on rail shipments, including big customers like the short line in Chattanooga that serves the new Volkswagen plant. Tennessee is also home to major technology companies including Alstom Power, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, SIAG Aerisyn, Teledyne Technologies, and Thomas and Betts. With such a highly developed infrastructure, it is clear why Tennessee is unparalleled in transportation and infrastructure and logistics.

With such a highly developed infrastructure, it is clear why Tennessee is unparalleled in transportation and infrastructure, and logistics. Photo courtesy of Constellation

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Tennessee Valley Authority

Douglas Dam - TVA

he Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is an American institution. Created when President Franklin Roosevelt signed the TVA Act on May 18, 1933, the TVA is the nation’s largest public utility, a significant economic driver, and an environmental steward for the Valley. TVA serves 9 million people in seven southeastern states; Tennessee and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia. Last year, TVA celebrated 80 years of keeping the lights glowing, the rivers flowing, and the jobs growing. “It’s really about improving the quality of life for people in the Valley,” said John J. Bradley, Senior Vice President, TVA Economic Development. “There are three specific ways in which we do that. We call it the Three Es – Energy (generating power);

TVA Office Complex

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Environment (being environmental stewards); and Economic Development (creating jobs and capital investment in the Valley).” TVA prides itself on its trifold business model when it comes to utility services: low rates; TVA’s reliability (which is more important than price to many companies); and its diverse portfolio (including gas, coal, nuclear, and hydroelectric power). “You keep utilities inexpensive by keeping your portfolio diverse,” Bradley said. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. “Approximately 85 percent of our revenue comes from our local power companies and the balance comes from directly served consumers,” said Bradley. But TVA isn’t just about power. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in the electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation, and land management for the Tennessee River system. In 2013, TVA’s integrated system of dams controlled heavy rains by averting $800 million in flood damage in one month and setting a record for hydroelectric generation a month later. “At the end of the day, we’re very fortunate here, because it is public power. So the money we make, we reinvest in the system. We’re not paying dividends to stakeholders. It truly is going back into the business,” Bradley said. “It grounds you, no pun intended. It gets you focused on what we’re really all about.” In addition to supplying power, TVA is also about economic development. TVA works with

155 local power companies of various sizes, regional, state, and community partners to advance economic development across the 80,000-square-mile region. “Even though we’re 80 years old, we’re very innovative in our economic development efforts,” Bradley said. TVA is proud of its progress in building and sustaining a higher quality of life for those who live, work, and raise their families in the region. In 2013 alone, TVA helped attract or retain more than 52,000 jobs across the Valley. For the eighth consecutive year, TVA made Site Selection magazine’s list of the top 10 utilities in North America for economic development activity, one of only three utilities to consistently earn this distinction. The focus of TVA’s economic development programs and services are on attracting emergent companies, retaining and cultivating existing businesses, and helping prepare communities for economic growth opportunities. One approach TVA takes to help businesses is with its recently implemented Valley Investment Initiative, which is a recruitment and retention program. Simply put, if a company is investing in its business, which shows long-term commitment on its side, then TVA will invest with that company. TVA has also launched a new program called InvestPrep™ that provides matching funds to communities to advance sites and buildings; getting them on the market more quickly saves a prospective company both time and money. TVA

can assist a community in further developing their industrial sites or buildings in various ways, including engineering and environmental studies, infrastructure development needs, aesthetic improvements, or other property-related activities. TVA’s Megasites program, which was initiated in 2004, is one of their most successful economic development endeavors. Five major industries were attracted to the region with the Megasites program. Even though the focus was on automotive; Volkswagen and Toyota – the first industry to locate on a Megasite was Severstal, a steel industry. The program has resulted in over $5 billion in company investment and created 5,500 direct jobs. Amazingly, the return on investment on that program was made in the first six months after its launch date with Severstal’s site location announcement. “There’s no other program in the country that has done that,” Bradley said proudly. TVA won a Gold Excellence Award for its greatness in economic development from the International Economic Development Council. TVAsites.com is one of the largest geographic information systems land and buildings database in the world. “When a lot of prospects and consultants are looking at an area, our website is usually the first place they shop,” Bradley said. As a public utility, TVA is proud of the work it has done for the community; or, as John Bradley likes to say, “Improving the quality of life for the people – that’s what it’s all about.”

Manufacturing Facility

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FedEx

eople First

FedEx was founded on a people-first philosophy, where respect for all people is a fundamental value and everyday business practice. Founder and CEO Frederick W. Smith believes team members – of which there are more than 300,000 around the world—are an integral part of the decision-making process. “When people are placed first they will provide the highest possible service, and profits will follow.”

Innovation Culture

FedEx was built upon innovation, which continues to be an integral part of the FedEx culture. FedEx develops ideas, products and services that empower customers to grow their businesses around the world. FedEx created a new and distinct market more than forty years ago when it began providing 240

customers access to next-business-day delivery service. In 1978, Smith said, “The information about the package is just as important as the package itself.” Today, FedEx provides customers with access to near-real-time information, which has enabled new supply chain models and efficiencies. This access to information connects customers around the world to economic markets and communities. FedEx sees innovation as a strategic business practice that is continuously enhanced, developed and encouraged. It’s what keeps the company in front of the marketplace.

Volunteerism

FedEx culture is also fueled by a passion for volunteerism and community involvement. Team members are encouraged to support causes in their hometowns every day and around the world.

For years, large FedEx Express freighters have been named after the sons and daughters of team members. Two years ago, this plane-naming tradition expanded. Each year, FedEx names a FedEx Cessna Caravan after a St. Jude patient, who is the child of a FedEx team member. The plane is dedicated in the child’s honor at the FedEx St. Jude Classic golf tournament. Through the volunteer efforts of FedEx team members, this project has raised more than $30,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Connecting People and Possibilities

With an average daily volume of more than 10 million, a service area that includes more than 220 countries and territories – including every address in the United States – more than 650 aircraft and more than 10,000 motorized vehicles, FedEx is uniquely positioned to connect the globe. 241

Constellation Creating Integrated, CostSaving, Energy Solutions

onstellation provides energy products and services, including competitive power and natural gas supply, load response, solar and energy efficiency, and central utility plant operations, to approximately 1 million residential customers and approximately 100,000 business and public sector customers across the continental United States. In 2012, Constellation became a member of the family of companies owned by the nation’s

leading competitive energy provider, Exelon. With approximately $24.9 billion in annual revenues in 2013, Exelon has operations and business activities in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. Exelon owns approximately 35,000 megawatts of power generation capacity consisting of approximately 55 percent nuclear, 28 percent natural gas, 7 percent oil and coal, and 10 percent hydro, wind solar and other generation (as of December 31, 2012). Exelon’s utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to more than 7.8 million customers. Fortune Magazine has recognized Exelon as one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” every year since 2006.

Powering Local Businesses Constellation has been part of Tennessee’s business community since 2002 when the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County selected Constellation to build and operate a new state-of-the-art district heating and cooling central utility plant to serve downtown Nashville. Constellation expanded its local footprint in 2010 when Fiberweb now owned by Polymer Group, Inc., in Old Hickory, Tennessee selected Constellation to build and operate a new central utility plant to provide steam and chilled water for its production lines. Constellation’s Energy Asset Operation Group is based out of Nashville, Tennessee, managing central utility plants for customers across the country. 242

completed seven months ahead of schedule. The District Energy System (DES) typically creates 23,400 tons of cooling capacity and 260,000 pounds per hour of steam heat carried through a labyrinth of approximately 5 miles of underground pipe. “It is a steam and chilled water facility,” said John Schaffer, Director of Operations of Constellation’s Nashville office. “So it’s a true district energy facility. We distribute steam and chilled water to heat and cool over 40 buildings downtown through the pipes in the ground and maintain those pipes for the city.” The DES facility developed by Constellation was awarded the 2005 Infrastructure Project of the Year Award from the National Climate Predictions and Projections (NCPP) Platform and the 2006 System of the Year Award from the International District Energy Association (IDEA), the highest honor IDEA can confer on a district energy system. Constellation helps customers to mitigate the risk of operating central utility plants so that they can focus on their business goals. Constellation develops and operates central plants for steam, hot water, chilled water, compressed air, water and waste-water, as well as provides natural gas procurement services. Additionally, because of the long term relationships that are forged with its customers, Constellation can provide additional value to customers from the broad platform of energy products and services including natural gas energy commodity procurement, load demand and response, energy efficiency and energy conservation measures, and solar renewable energy generation.

District Energy System, Nashville Constellation was awarded the opportunity to revamp Nashville’s old thermal plant. “Here in the center of our downtown, we had an old, inefficient, waste-to-energy system,” said former mayor, Bill Purcell. “We knew that the future of Nashville was going to be dependent on something we could trust and count on that would meet the needs of a new century and a new millennium. We put out a proposal that, in the end, resulted in this district energy system and what we believe now is among the best decisions this city has made.” Constellation built the district energy system facility and is currently operating it under a 15-year contract with renewal terms. The project was built with a capital investment of $46 million and was

Fiberweb/Polymer Group Central Utility Plant, Old Hickory Constellation’s second facility in Tennessee is the Fiberweb/Polymer Group Central Utility Plant in Old Hickory. Constellation built a central utility plant to deliver reliable and cost effective steam and chilled water to support the manufacturing process of the customer’s plant that manufactures nonwoven textiles for the hygiene, medical, technical, and industrial markets. Constellation installed three 85,000 pph superheated steam boilers, two 5,000 pph saturated steam boilers, and three 1,000 ton centrifugal chillers. By implementing various innovations such as constructing an alternate plant location, installing new emissions monitoring technology, and bundling operating services with natural gas procurement and consulting services, Constellation was able to stabilize PGI’s energy costs and provide budget certainty, optimizing hedging strategies to match budget cycles. The $24-million project was completed on budget and ahead of schedule, allowing PGI to quickly transition utility service from their previous supplier. Constellation, as its name suggests, is a rising star in Tennessee’s energy market. Through a myriad of energy resources, Constellation can provide innovative energy solutions tailored to a business’ specific needs. Constellation’s dedication to creating integrated, cost-saving, sustainable energy solutions for companies makes it a shining light in Tennessee’s energy future. 243

Gibson County Utility District

ven though the Gibson County Utility District (GCUD) in Trenton, with its 35 employees, might seem like a small rural facility, it has its eyes on the future. GCUD, formed in 1953, was the first natural gas utility district in Tennessee. The company serves 13,000 natural gas customers and 1,200 propane customers. Gibson County, one of the largest landmass counties in the state, is crisscrossed with nearly 600 miles of main. General Manager Pat Riley, the selfproclaimed energy warrior, is proud of the cutting-edge technology he helped implement in GCUD, including automated meter reading, a comprehensive database system, and utilization of GPS mapping. But Riley is absolutely energized about the future of compressed natural gas and its potential to fundamentally alter global energy consumption. He sees the transformation from gasoline to compressed natural gas not only as a way for consumers to save money but also as a matter of national security. (As of April 2014, the average price of .89 octane gasoline in America was currently $3.73 per gallon. The average price of 130 octane natural gas is $2.13 per gas gallon equivalent

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[GGE]). In the words of Riley, “We’ve been dependent on the oil producing countries for more than 100 years and they still have us over a barrel.” The future, he says, is with the abundant and inexpensive alternative of compressed natural gas. With the advancement in hydraulic fracturing and new pipe technology, a wealth of existing natural gas in shale formations throughout our country is now accessible. Currently, there are approximately 15 million natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in the world. Rio de Janeiro has 32,000 taxis running on natural gas. Surprisingly, the countries that own the most NVGs are Iran and Pakistan. “They’re burning natural gas in their vehicles,” Riley said. “And sending us oil.” But thanks to the efforts of people like Riley, Tennessee has one of the largest fleets of NGV’s in the country, and continues to be a leader in NGV technologies. There are currently around 250 NGV utility vehicles and 15 NGV fueling stations in Tennessee – with more being constructed every day – one right next to the Gibson County Utility District (the only fueling station between Memphis and Nashville). The big automakers, including Chevrolet and Honda, are producing NGV models and soon home refueling units will make it easier and more convenient to refuel cars at home. “The use of compressed natural gas is a proven technology and the benefits are many,” said Riley. At only one-carbon atom it is green friendly, the supply is abundant and will make us energy independent, and because of the lower cost, customers will have more money in their pockets. So the big question is, “Why are we still using gasoline?”

Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority

t is known locally as the “Airport,” officially as Nashville International Airport, and by the world airport code as BNA. Established in 1937, the airport was originally named Berry Field Nashville (BNA) after Colonel Harry S. Berry, State Administrator of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Whatever you call it, Nashville International Airport is truly a mirror image of Nashville. “We are the front door and the last impression for visitors to Music City,” said Rob Wigington, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA). “We want to reflect Music City in the best way possible and provide the Nashville Airports Experience – outstanding customer service – to our passengers and partners.” That representation is obvious to the more than 10.6 million passengers who flew through the airport in fiscal year 2014: from great eats at Tootsies Orchid Lounge, Whitt’s Barbecue, Swett’s, Noshville Delicatessen, and La Hacienda to the four live music stages, featuring a variety of musical styles including country, rhythm and blues, jazz, pop, and reggae, visitors feel like they’ve been to Nashville even if they never leave the airport. CNN named BNA one of the “Seven Most Entertaining Airports in the World” in 2013. Created in 1988, the award-winning Arts at the Airport program also showcases works by local, regional, and national artists for the visual enjoyment of the airport’s passengers and visitors. BNA also houses a collection of nearly 250 original works. BNA is focused on air service and economic development, while connecting to the community

Photos courtesy of Karen Edgin

in numerous ways. BNA and John C. Tune Airport (JWN), a general aviation airport in West Nashville, are self-sufficient and receive no local tax dollars. Together the airports contribute more than $3.5 billion in economic benefits for Nashville and Middle Tennessee and nearly 38,000 jobs. MNAA invests millions of dollars in contracts with more than 215 Small, Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (SMWBE) companies. “It takes a community to attract and retain business,” said Wigington. “The airport is a critical part of the city’s infrastructure and an economic engine for the region’s growth.” A core element of MNAA’s mission to provide the Nashville Airports Experience involves sustainability, and MNAA manages its airports with a goal toward economic viability, operational efficiency, conservation of natural resources, and social responsibility. BNA was selected by the Federal Aviation Administration as one of ten airports across the United States to participate in the Sustainable Master Plan Pilot Program.

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Valero Energy Corporation

ou might not readily recognize the name Valero Energy Corporation, but chances are if you fill up your gas tank in the Mid-South your gas was made at their Memphis refinery. Valero, a Fortune 500 company, is the world’s largest independent refiner of regular and premium gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and petrochemicals. This energy giant has 15 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 2.9 million barrels per day. Eleven corn ethanol plants that output 1.3 billion gallons per year, a joint venture with Diamond Green in the production of renewable diesel, and a 50-megawatt wind farm are just a few of its strengths. Valero purchased the Memphis refinery, which was built in 1941, from Premcor in 2005. This sprawling 250-acre complex has 305 employees, 200 contractors, and pumped out $80 million in wages in 2013. Valero has invested $140 million in refinery plant maintenance and overhaul in 2014, in addition to the $12 million in capitol investment over the past five years. The refinery, the only one in Tennessee, is located near the International Port of Memphis, but a lot of local residences don’t even know what it is. “Very few people know there is a refinery here. They’ve seen it and some people joke around and say it looks like Gotham City,” said Lisa Jenkins, Public Affairs Manager of Valero Memphis Refinery. The refinery, sometimes referred to as a liquid assembly line, has total throughput capacity of about 195,000 barrels per day. The people at the Memphis refinery are proud of their independence from foreign markets for their oil. The oil Valero uses is strictly from North America including its Capline pipeline that runs

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crude oil from North American shale and it pipes light sweet oil from the Louisiana Gulf. “We can ship product out four ways, we can ship products out on barge, by rail, by pipeline, and by truck. Our facility has one of the largest truck rack facilities in the United States,” said Jenkins. The other pipeline carries jet fuel from the refinery directly to the Memphis International Airport. Valero is dedicated to the community, dedicated to the environment, and dedicated to providing quality products to its consumers, and is proud to be a part of the Memphis community and a part of the fabric that makes Tennessee strong.

Photo by Kelly Vandellen

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CHAPTER TEN

TTennessee Agribusiness and Natural Resources

gribusiness completes the triad of Tennessee’s major economic industries, third in line with tourism and manufacturing. The natural resources unique to the state lend itself to an agricultural trade that not only has a proud history, but also provides a stable and vital source of revenue for the economy. Forty-four percent of Tennessee is farmland – with 78,300 farms producing and selling crops, livestock, and forest products all providing a livelihood for its citizens. According to the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) forests cover about half of the states 26 million acres. More than 13 million acres of forest generate about $300 million annually in timber sales, making Tennessee one of the nation’s leading producers of hardwood lumber. The most current figure reported by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture reported that agriculture and forestry contributed $71.4 billion to Tennessee’s economy accounting for 14.7 percent of the total economic activity within the state. Agribusiness employs over 363,500 individuals, which is 10.3 percent of the total number in the workforce. The varied climates across Tennessee, from the river bottoms to mountaintops, create variations in soils, which accounts for the large number of crops that thrive on Tennessee’s farms. The length of growing season ranges from 180 to 220 days.

Forty-four percent of Tennessee is farmland – with 78,300 farms producing and selling crops, livestock, and forest products all providing a livelihood for its citizens. Photo by Paul Hassell 249

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Agricultural production alone generates more than $3 billion annually in farm cash receipts. Tennessee farmers earned more than 74.6 percent of their cash receipts from soybeans, chickens (broilers), cattle and calves, greenhouse/nursery, corn, and cotton. Tennessee’s top agricultural commodities can be divided into two groups: livestock and crops. The top livestock commodities include cattle and calves, porcine, broilers and eggs, and dairy products. Tennessee ranks among the top ten in beef producing states nationally, with nearly two million head of cattle. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, cattle and calves generated $545 million in Tennessee farm cash receipts in 2010, making beef the state’s top commodity. There are approximately 47,000 cattle producers in the state. Currently, livestock and products account for more than $1.1 billion in cash receipts annually. The state ranks second nationally in the number of meat goats and sixth in the number of equine. Dairy products, hogs, and eggs are important parts of Tennessee’s livestock industry; broilers ranked third in cash receipts for the state. In fact, the poultry industry represents a $475 million contribution to the state’s agricultural cash receipts and $65 million in exports.

The varied climates across Tennessee, from the river bottoms to mountaintops, create variations in soils, which accounts for the large number of crops that thrive on Tennessee’s farms. Photo by Paul Hassell opposite page: Agribusiness employs over 363,500 individuals, which is 10.3 percent of the total workforce. Photo courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services

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There are approximately 47,000 cattle producers in the state. Photo courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services

opposite page: Dairy products, hogs, and eggs are important parts of Tennessee’s livestock industry; broilers ranked third in cash receipts for the state. Photo courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services

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The top crop is soybeans, followed closely by corn, cotton, tobacco, and wheat. West Tennessee farmers adapted to the soybean revolution after World War II and now soybeans have replaced cotton on many farms in the region. Tennessee farmers harvested 43.7 bushels of soybeans in 2010. New varieties and biotechnology have increased the plant’s yield per acre of land. In the 1960s, typically 20 to 30 bushels were produced per acre. Now, that land can yield 60 bushels. Considered the “wonder food plant” of the 20th century, soybean production promises to be more profitable for Tennessee farmers in the next century. Soybeans are also the state’s top agricultural export. Tobacco is another huge cash crop. It is grown in 66 of the state’s 95 counties and over 100,000 farmers in Tennessee grow tobacco. The state’s tobacco producers yielded 45.7 million pounds of tobacco in 2010. Robertson, Macon, Montgomery, and Sumner counties top the list of highest yield. The massive $206 billion settlement between the major cigarette manufacturers and 46 states changed national markets for tobacco. National Tobacco Growers Settlement Trust was established to pay annual funds to qualified and certified tobacco growers in each state. For Tennessee farmers to take advantage of the fund, the Tennessee General Assembly established the Tennessee Tobacco Farmers Certifying Board, and the Tennessee

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Enhancement & Grant program, which has the authority to produce the annual list of eligible Tennessee farmers. Cotton production has made a comeback in recent years. In 2010, Tennessee ranked eighth in the nation for cotton production with 387,000 acres harvested. The top counties to produce cotton are Haywood, Crockett, Gibson, and Madison—all located in West Tennessee. In an effort to adapt to the global market and combat the American cotton consumer decline, Memphis’ big three cotton merchants have expanded their export business. Allenberg, Cargill, and Dunavant have focused on setting up operations around the globe in order to remain competitive. “There’s been a tremendous amount of export business done over the past three years,” says Bill May, Senior Vice President of Foreign and Domestic Operations for the American Cotton Shippers Association. “Domestic consumption has dropped off so sharply. They’re selling cotton growths from all over the world, not just U.S. cotton.” All three merchants have offices in China, the world’s largest cotton growing and consuming country. While cotton production declined in the United States, corn acreage increased, resulting from the interest in ethanol and U.S. government ethanol fuel blending mandates. Corn has been the largest crop in the United States in the past 63 years, and is grown across the state of Tennessee with heaviest production in western and middle Tennessee counties. Tennessee ranks 16th in corn production in the United States.

The top livestock commodities include cattle and calves, porcine, broilers and eggs, and dairy products. opposite page: Agricultural production alone generates more than $3 billion annually in farm cash receipts. Photo courtesy of the State of Tennessee Photographic Services

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Greenhouse and nursery products, including flowers, ornamental shrubs, and fruit trees are also an important part of the state’s agricultural economy. Hay, corn, tomatoes, wheat, snap beans, grain sorghum, apples, peaches, farm chickens, squash, goats, and sheep round out the collection of profitable agricultural commodities for the state. International trade has a significant impact on Tennessee agriculture with exports of raw agricultural products totaling nearly $1 billion each year. Tennessee’s primary agricultural exports include cattle and cotton. Major markets for Tennessee’s exports include Mexico, China, Turkey, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Greenhouse and nursery products, including flowers, ornamental shrubs, and fruit trees are also an important part of the state’s agricultural economy. Photo by Ken Stigler left: Tobacco is another huge cash crop. It is grown in 66 of the state’s 95 counties and over 100,000 farmers in Tennessee grow tobacco.

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Natural Resources

The most important natural

The most important natural resource in the state of Tennessee is water. There are over 60,000 miles of streams, 536,000 lakes, and over 780,000 areas of wetlands. Other natural resources include: oil, coal, natural gas, and timber. Limestone deposits provide the largest chunk of Tennessee’s mining economy in the form of crushed stone, used for building roads and producing cement. Clays, phosphate rock, sand and gravel, coal and zinc, are also mined in Tennessee. Tennessee’s mineral industry contributes more than $1 billion in product value annually. Coal, oil, and natural gas account for 16 percent ($160 million) of the state’s annual mineral production value. One notable mining operation is the Copper Basin, located near the junctions of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. It covers about 60,000 acres, most of which lie in Polk County, Tennessee. Tennessee’s rich natural resources have offered a livelihood for its inhabitants over time. The varied climates across the state create a rich environment for a wide agribusinesses trade that will continue to be a vital component of Tennessee’s economy.

resource in the state of Tennessee is water. There are over 60,000 miles of streams, 536,000 lakes, and over 780,000 areas of wetlands. Photo by Paul Hassell

opposite page: The top counties to produce cotton are Haywood, Crockett, Gibson, and Madison—all located in West Tennessee. Photo by Pat Riley

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CHAPTER ELEVEN

BBusiness at Your Service T

ennessee has made business its business. There are a multitude of state business initiatives that help startups and established businesses in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, led by Commissioner Bill Hagerty, works to develop strategies which help make Tennessee the number one location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top five economic development projects created a total of 6,900 jobs, $3.2 billion in capital investment and included seven expansions and three new recruitments. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development is helping show the world Tennessee is open for business. Another initiative is Launch Tennessee, which has recently implemented nine regional business accelerators around the state. Launch Tennessee is the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only statewide accelerator network, providing support and industry expertise to companies in healthcare, automotive, logistics, digital media, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and technology, accelerating over 300 companies per year. In addition to their entrepreneurial aspect, Launch Tennessee also oversaw the $30 million INCITE Co-investment Fund. An important aspect of any healthy and secure business is access to an asset-building infrastructure from financing

Tennessee has made business its business. Photo courtesy of Caterpillar Financial Services

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The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, led by Commissioner Bill Hagerty, works to develop strategies which help make Tennessee the number one location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. Photo courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

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and investment protection to construction. Tennessee has a wealth of options for new startups and solid established businesses. The Department of Financial Institutions in Tennessee regulates approximately 10,000 institutions and individuals providing financial services in Tennessee including banks, business and industrial development corporations, check cashers, credit unions, finance companies, payday lenders, title pledge lenders, trust companies, money transmitters and mortgage lenders, brokers, servicers and originators. Community banks have a long and vibrant history in Tennessee. Whether they are stand-alone corporations or owned by a bank holding company, community banks are one of the most important collections of businesses in our economy. Money deposited in a community bank will more than likely stay within the community and be used to underwrite a local home or business. The biggest banks in Tennessee, as measured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation market share report, are: Regions Bank with $17.3 billion in deposits and 275 locations in the state holds the top spot followed by First Tennessee Bank with $15.5 billion in deposits and 175 offices in the state. Rounding out the top five high performing institutions are SunTrust Bank, Bank of America, and Pinnacle Bank.

First Tennessee Bank and Pinnacle Bank are the two major banks headquartered in the state. First Tennessee Brokerage oversees securities sales and is licensed in all states, except Alaska. Likewise, First Horizon Insurance Services, Inc. is licensed in all states except Alaska and New Mexico and provides insurance sales and services. The final piece, FTN Financial which provides financial products and services for the investment community, offers a full range of products delivered by five business lines: capital markets, equity research, investment banking, correspondent services, and strategic alliances. All products and services are available for both businesses and individual consumers. The U.S. Small Business Administration has named Superior Financial Group, Tennessee Bank & Trust, Bank of Tennessee, and U.S. Bank the top lenders participating in its programs to extend a credit line to Tennessee companies.

Launch Tennessee is the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only statewide accelerator network, providing support and industry expertise to companies in healthcare, automotive, logistics, digital media, advanced manufacturing, agriculture and technology, accelerating over 300 companies per year. Photo courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

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In June 2013, the Music City Center was named the winner of the 2013 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award in the Building Green category. Photo courtesy of Music City Center

Taking the LEED Another integral support for building business assets is a strong construction sector. One of the strongest construction companies in the state is Hardaway and it is by far the most successful firm in Nashville. This family-owned business works in preconstruction planning, LEED™ certified/sustainable building construction, construction management, general contracting, and comprehensive project management and design/build services. They work for both public and private sector clients, building a wide range of facilities including: multifamily, hospitality, educational, health care, recreational, religious, office/ corporate, criminal justice, and retail/commercial. Hardaway is known for its LEED™ designs (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). These accredited professionals are highly experienced constructing certified and sustainable buildings, and they are also members of the U.S. Green Building Council. Among its credits are: Upper Cumberland Regional Health Facility for the State of Tennessee that is Certified LEED™ Platinum, and building the first LEED™ Gold Certified Educational Facility in the State of Tennessee, the Vanderbilt University Commons Dining Center. Other LEED™ projects completed include FRANKE Corporate Office and Warehouse Complex in Smyrna, Tennessee that achieved Silver LEED™ Certification, and Gardner Hills Elementary School at Fort Campbell, Kentucky which achieved SPiRiT Level Silver (Military Green Building Certification). In June 2013, the Music City Center was named the winner of the 2013 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award in the Building Green category. The Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award program recognizes exceptional actions that improve or protect our environment through initiatives not required by law and chose the Music City Center because of the various sustainable features such as their 211 kilowatt solar panel system, innovative storm water capture system, LED lighting and high-efficiency HVAC system.

opposite page, top: Hardaway is known for its LEED™ designs (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Pictured here is their historic restoration of Vanderbilt University’s Alumni Hall. Photo courtesy of Hardaway

opposite page, bottom: First Tennessee Bank, with $15.5 billion in deposits and 175 offices in Tennessee is one of the two major banks headquartered in the state. Photo by Paul Hassell

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Nashville leads in home sales among the three largest Tennessee markets. right: Home sales are on the rise in Tennessee. Photo by Bill Carrier

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Keeping it Real

Approximately 58% of all

Real estate is a key indicator of a solid economy. The housing market clearly reflects how well or ill the consumer sector is doing. The recent housing bubble and economic recession has taught us all how important this segment is, not just for homeowners, but for the entire business sector. According to the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University, housing construction has finally taken a leap during the second quarter of 2013 for both single-family homes and multifamily units. The report states, “Single-family home activity rose 7.8% from the first quarter, climbing to 16,200 units on an annualized basis, the highest level in five years.” Multifamily units more than doubled from the previous quarter, rising to 9,400 units annualized. There is more good news. Tennessee tax collections on real estate transactions and mortgages also reflect an increase in real estate borrowing. “Real estate tax collections rose 6.2% from the first quarter, and mortgage tax collections increased 5.4%. Over the year, transfer taxes are 16.6% higher, and mortgage taxes are up 14.8%,” the report shows. In a nutshell this means home sales are on a healthy rise.

Tennessee real estate listings are split between urban condos/ townhomes and single-family properties for both urban and rural properties. Photo by Sean Pavone

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Business services provide Tennessee with the needed reassurance and the economic infrastructure required to be successful. Photo courtesy of the Nashville Entrepreneurial Center

opposite page: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a wonderful time for commercial investors and builders to invest in Tennessee. Photo by Paul Hassell

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Nashville leads in home sales among the three largest Tennessee markets. Sales rose 4.4%, and inventory fell. Over the year, sales are 24.5% higher, and inventory is down 13.1%. Likewise, sales in the Memphis area gained 7.0%, and inventory is down 11.7%. In the Knoxville area sales and inventory stayed the same as in the previous quarter. Approximately 58% of all Tennessee real estate listings are split between urban condos/ townhomes and single-family properties for both urban and rural properties. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a wonderful time for commercial investors and builders to invest in Tennessee. Some rural and undeveloped properties can be purchased for $14 million and contain as many as 100 acres. With a surplus of 38 percent of undeveloped rural real estate, and an average list price of $121,000, these properties offer an excellent option for would-be investors. Crye-Leike is a full-service firm helping buyers and sellers with Tennessee real estate. The company was founded in Memphis in 1977 and today is the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fifth largest real estate company and the largest serving markets in Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and across the entire Mid-South region.

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The primary health insurance company based in Tennessee is BlueCross BlueShield. Photo courtesy of BlueCross BlueShield

right: The BlueCross BlueShield network includes more than 25,000 health care providers across the state. Photo courtesy of HCA Healthcare

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The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the voice of business in the state. Photo courtesy of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Insurance Assurance The insurance sector is another important business asset to protect and secure investments. The primary health insurance company based in Tennessee is BlueCross BlueShield. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is the state’s oldest and largest, serving more than 3 million members. Founded in 1945, the Chattanooga-based company and its 5,000 employees are focused on financing affordable health care coverage and providing peace of mind. The network includes more than 25,000 health care providers across the state. Farm Bureau Insurance, based in Columbia, Tennessee, is the state’s largest underwriters of homeowners, auto, and individual life insurance, and together with its affiliate Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, the organization provides over 660,000 Tennesseans with this peace-of-mind protection. This is why Farm Bureau Insurance is rated “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Auto Insurers in the Southeast Region, Two Years in a Row” according to the J.D. Power 2013 U.S. Auto Insurance Study. “To be recognized by J.D. Power once is an outstanding honor, but to repeat and increase our score is especially gratifying for our people who work every day to deliver a positive customer experience,” Sonny Scoggins, Farm Bureau Insurance Chief Executive Officer, said. These companies in the business service sector provide Tennessee with the needed reassurance and the economic infrastructure required to be successful. They are timehonored companies, which have withstood uncertain economic times and will continue to uphold and build the state’s valued assets. 271

Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry Second Century of Service

ith its roots dating back to 1912, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry is proud of its history of representing the interests of Tennessee’s businesses. Through the years, their lobbying efforts in support of pro-business initiatives, statewide economic growth, and a globally competitive workforce have made Tennessee a highly attractive state for business. As the voice for businesses on Capitol Hill, the Chamber is committed to leading the way to ensure that policies and existing and proposed laws promote an economic climate that allows companies to thrive, grow and provide jobs. Ultimately, their goal is to make Tennessee the best place in our great nation to start, expand and grow a business. “We work diligently to set the standard for the state so the regulatory environment is conducive to businesses moving here,” said Catherine Glover, President of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry. As the Tennessee state partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Chemical Council, and as the primary partner with Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives and the Tennessee Economic Development Council, the Tennessee Chamber has deep ties throughout the state, and works with all of these groups to promote a strong, healthy business climate in Tennessee. “After all,” said Glover “that is our focus ---to ensure – a healthy, pro-business climate in which employers can create the stable jobs our citizens deserve and grow the economy that supports our state.” Now in its “Second Century of Service,” the Chamber focuses on engaging policy makers,

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elected officials, and state leadership so all legislative decisions are favorable to business growth. They indeed provide “access, influence and protection” to businesses of all sizes and industries of all genres. Because the Tennessee Chamber maintains a statewide presence, the Chamber has unparalleled access to business leaders, local and regional chambers and decision makers in the private sector, as well as a close association with the Governor, state representatives, state senators, US congressional leaders, and US Senators to lobby for or against state and federal issues that influence the business community. With more than a century of making a powerful impact on the business community in Tennessee, the Chamber is still loyal to its first incarnation as the Tennessee Manufacturers Association. They offer more than 90 programs a year in manufacturing and workforce development including combustible dust, arc welding, record keeping, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA), Forklift Driving, and many more. Their newest initiative, “Dream it. Do it. Tennessee,” is a statewide strategic partnership with the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services. Tennessee is known for its outstanding history of manufacturing, and this new program is intended to create a paradigm shift in redefining the manufacturing industry to parents, guidance counselors, and career counselors, and to make it more attractive to young adults ages 16 to 26. In addition to the state’s Drive to 55 educational initiative, which strives to get 55 percent of Tennesseans equipped with a college degree or certificate by the year 2025, “Dream it.

Do it. Tennessee” promotes positive facts about the manufacturing business - such as the average salary with a two-year degree or certificate in the state of Tennessee, being $65,000. According to Glover, the Chamber has identified and continues to pursue issues that effect businesses the most. “What makes Tennessee appealing for businesses to relocate is our low bureaucratic, friendly regulatory climate, cost of living, quality of life, access to culture, beauty of our state, institutes of higher education, no state income tax and education reform.” The Chamber is proud of its accomplishments in ensuring that all aspects of creating a strong business climate is successful. This includes their past efforts including right to work laws, workers’ compensation reforms, ensuring a low regulatory climate, that business taxes are fair, and energizing our educational system. The Chamber is committed to pro-growth, pro-job tax policies at both the state and federal levels to preserve the state’s competitiveness. The Chamber believes that with the current economic conditions and competitive economic climate, it is now more important than ever to fight for limited taxes and as favorable a regulatory climate as possible,thus setting the stage for business to prosper and grow,

not die on the vine. This basic tenant remains a fundamental priority to the Chamber and it is why so many businesses across Tennessee are proud to call them partners. The Chamber has long been supportive and instrumental in the creation and maintenance of business incentives, which include “Fast Track” infrastructure grant programs, and many other tax credits that exist today in Tennessee law. Recently the Chamber, in a tight budget year, fought in the legislature to ensure that Governor Haslam’s $44.6 million improvement for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s “Fast Track” infrastructure grants program remained a funding priority. The funds ensure Tennessee’s competitive edge by facilitating relocation by industrial prospects to Tennessee and for substantial expansion by companies already here. Another important function of the Chamber is to work to ensure that candidates and our elected officials are informed about business issues. Although the Chamber doesn’t endorse individual candidates for office, they use their influence in the business community to help usher in pro-business candidates. “It’s getting the right people in the right seats. It’s making sure that we support the

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campaigns of people who are pro-business,” said Glover. “We set the stage for success.” With the goal of electing business-friendly candidates, the Chamber has enacted the Business-Industry Political Action Committee (BIPAC) prosperity project. “It’s all about engaging business across the state and helping them to realize the importance of talking to employees about issues that are important to business. Employers are arguably the best source to educate employees about issues that may affect their job; their livelihoods,” said Glover In order to continue growing economically, Tennessee schools must produce a workforce capable of competing for the best jobs in the global economy. The Chamber continues collaborating with partners to reinforce Tennessee’s educational standards, guarantee effective teaching, and promote

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better graduation rates at both the K-12 and higher education levels. Supporting education starts at the K-12 level. In order to ensure every child receives a quality education, the Chamber supports improved standards, modernization, and calculated outcomes. The Tennessee Scholars program is administered by the Tennessee Chamber and encourages students to complete high school prepared for the workforce by focusing on math, English and science, as well as requiring attendance goals, and setting community service requirements. The importance of a college degree is paramount in creating a proficient and competent workforce that, in turn, enhances businesses, improves quality of life, and encourages the relocation of outside industries. The Chamber strongly encourages the alignment of workforce demands and higher education curriculum, along with continued implementation of the Complete College Act. The Chamber also encourages and embraces partnership efforts between global manufacturers and Tennessee’s community colleges. The union of Volkswagen and Chattanooga State Community College to form Volkswagen Academy and the partnership between Bridgestone and Motlow College in the creation of their Mechatronics Partnership, to name just a couple of the state’s innovative partnerships. These pioneering, hands-on training centers prepare employees for work and insure employers are able to maintain a highly qualified workforce. Tennessee is proud of its right-to-work and employment-at-will status and will fight to preserve and, if possible, expand that position. The Chamber will also continue its battle to ensure limited government intervention in employer and employee relationships, and consistently supports proposals that ensure Tennessee’s viability in the business environment. When employers noted that Tennessee’s workers’ compensation system was harmful to business, the Chamber leapt into action and lead the way in reforming our system. The successful work by the Chamber in the legislature has reduced costs for business and have ensured that employees benefit from a less contentious process, and are paid benefits timely. Ultimately their efforts paid off with recently passed legislation that will lower administrative costs and make the state more competitive in economic development efforts. The

new Workers’ Compensation laws which went into effect this year have been praised across the country as being a model system, ensuring that injured employees have access to important resources while being fair, predictable, and cost-efficient for employers. The Chamber is committed to ensuring that the legal system in Tennessee is impartial, competent, and consistent for businesses and citizens. “Again, the Chamber was right in the middle of initiating and working to pass comprehensive tort reform,” said Glover. “It was comprehensive and sweeping and we set a precedent for the country which made us more competitive. After all, businesses don’t want to go where they feel that any decision they make may lead to a lawsuit” With certain exceptions, the new law places a cap on non-economic damages and caps punitive damages at two times compensatory damages, or $500,000, whichever is greater. The Tennessee Chamber also is the lead organization in monitoring and engaging with water, air and solid waste issues. Energy policy is also crucial to success, and the Chamber supports a pro-growth energy policy that encourages diverse energy sources, improves efficiency, and promotes environmental stewardship, while putting Tennesseans back to work. “Positive, industrycentric environmental policy is essential for our manufacturers,” said Glover. “Hearing from our members, we put deep focus on the environment, energy, and cost of energy, and we are constantly engaging with state regulators in these areas. Good policy not only conserves the environment, but also supports economic growth and jobs. The Chamber will work to ensure that business is represented at all levels of regulation.”

Without proper investment and attention to Tennessee’s infrastructure, our economic stability, potential for job growth, and competitiveness are at risk. As competition for jobs grows, the Chamber is committed to working for modernized, expanded transportation, telecommunications, energy, and water networks in Tennessee. Health care costs are skyrocketing, while mandates stifle economic growth and seriously impede businesses’ ability to mature and generate jobs. The Chamber works to minimize the burden of government health care laws, while promoting strategies and producing results at the state level to help contain costs for employers, while concurrently addressing the needs of the uninsured. Always with an eye toward business, the Chamber believes flexibility to be the key in this constantly changing arena and will appraise all health care policies with the aspiration of strengthening our economy and business climate. With more than one hundred years of service to the people and businesses of Tennessee, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry is an invaluable resource in the local, regional, and global market place. Any private sector company interested in government policies, advocacy, leadership development, networking and becoming more involved in the Tennessee business community can become an investor with the Chamber. “Businesses want to make sure their interests are protected. Many of them join even if they have their own industry lobbyists,” said Glover. “The reason business should consider joining the Chamber is to become part of a winning team, and become part of a winning state, while having a voice with our state legislature.” 275

WorkNow!

hen companies in the Southeast need temporary personnel, they turn to WorkNow! Inc. Located in Morristown and Knoxville, Tennessee, businesses in 21 states have trusted WorkNow! for over 20 years to provide them with everything from construction workers to upper management, knowing that they’ll be staffed with qualified people able to get the job done. WorkNow! is a true American success story. Founder and owner Raul Rangel came to the United States from Mexico in 1985. He learned English with the help of friends and was able to obtain legal status through the amnesty provisions of the

Immigration bill, signed by President Ronald Reagan and pursued and obtained his citizenship in 2002. “I noticed that there was a need for good workers in agriculture specifically, and so I started Rangel’s Workman Force Supplier with my wife Maria in 1993. Now we have three wonderful kids, Marisol, Raul Jr., and Saul Rangel,” he said. The company initially served local tobacco, vegetable, fruit and poultry farmers, and in 1994, began supplying temporary laborers to industry. Rangel is purely self-taught when it comes to running a company, but he credits a wide circle of mentors who offered him their knowledge. “I have to express my thanks to my father and mother for teaching me courage, humility, and a strong work ethic,” he said. “Also, I have and had so many friends who were and are the equivalent of a college for me. I learned so much from them every day. My sincere gratitude goes to all who, in one way or another, have been positive mentors to me.” 276

Thanks to positive referrals, the business began to grow, and in 1998, payroll processing was added to its list of services. In 2000, the company was incorporated and in 2012 rebranded as WorkNow! Inc. Today, WorkNow! handles between 170 and 500 associates in fields that include general laborers, light industrial, office and clerical workers, food processing workers, produce workers, construction workers, and even executives. At its heart, WorkNow! lessens the burden and expense of finding the right hire and prides itself on its high standards. All WorkNow! applicants go through E-Verify, a full background check, drug screening, new hire orientation, policy and procedure training, and each client’s specific administrative paperwork is completed by WorkNow! Inc. “This greatly reduces the time, energy and money our clients spend finding quality help,” Rangel said. “And we always work closely with our clients.” That means forgoing a cookie-cutter approach, and instead, responding to what its clients need. “We don’t just supply good people, we also supply actual training designed to suit each client,” Rangel said. While client needs are important, Rangel stressed the emphasis that WorkNow! puts on protecting its associates too. “The safety of our temporary associates is our main priority,” he said. And he is passionate about giving others the same support he found when he came to this country. “We are committed to giving our clients the best, but it is also very satisfying to provide opportunities for our associates, the unemployed and the local communities where we operate,” he said. “I put myself in the shoes of the job seekers, and being able to help a diverse group of people get a job, even if it is temporary, it is satisfaction at its best. I know that we are helping everybody that works for us to put food on the table for their families. And we are serving our community too, by being a channel of opportunity for the unemployed.” Additionally, the positions filled by WorkNow! associates often turn into permanent ones. Rangel’s dedication to go above and beyond has served the company well; thanks to a stellar reputation and lots of repeat customers, he expects WorkNow! to double in size within the next year, and he is happy to keep doing what he has been doing for two decades. “We see ourselves as a quality partner with our clients and our communities,” Rangel said.

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC

t 104-years-old, James O. Bass, Sr., the son of one of the original founders of Bass, Berry & Sims, enters the office daily and looks around at the proud legal tradition his father and partners helped create. Bass graduated from Harvard Law in 1934 and began practicing law at the firm the same year. Founded in 1922, Bass, Berry & Sims PLC quickly became Nashville’s preeminent law firm. Its rapid growth is attributed to its position in Nashville and the banking and investment activity that occurred during the New South era. Since its beginnings, the firm has been involved in some of the largest and most significant business and litigation matters in the state of Tennessee and across the country. The company boasts offices not only in Nashville, but also in Knoxville, Memphis, and Washington, D.C. Today, Bass, Berry & Sims represents more than 40 publicly traded companies and multiple Fortune 500 companies. The firm was engaged as the New York Stock Exchange’s Regulatory Auditor; and successfully tried the largest case in Tennessee involving the breach of a $1.4-billion merger agreement. “We value our relationships with our clients and work everyday to continue to strengthen those relationships and improve the value we offer,” said Managing Partner Todd Rolapp. When the for-

profit health care industry developed in Nashville, the firm developed relationships and deep expertise in this growing industry. Today, Bass, Berry & Sims represents 17 public health care companies as well as more than 200 private health care companies. “Health care is part of our DNA and our work in this area is recognized nationally,” said Rolapp Accomplishments like these have earned Bass, Berry & Sims top honors in the legal industry, including a national ranking for corporate law and 67 first-tier metropolitan rankings by U.S. News - Best Lawyers “2014 Best Law Firms” list; Tier 1 rankings by Chambers USA 2014 in six practice areas, more than any other law firm in Tennessee; and in Best Lawyers with more than 80 percent of its members ranked. The firm has lawyers who have worked at the United States Department of Justice, including the United States Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Securities and Exchange Commission; the Internal Revenue Service; a federal judge; and in executive roles for corporations large and small. The firm’s collective knowledge, diverse experience, team approach, and extensive client list proves that Bass, Berry & Sims is a local law firm with a global reach and as their tagline states, is “centered to deliver.” 277

Jackson Lewis P.C.

ounded in 1958, Jackson Lewis is dedicated to representing management exclusively in workplace law. With over 770 attorneys practicing in 55 locations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, Jackson Lewis prides itself on strong local knowledge and talent, as well as national perspective and resources. The Memphis office boasts nine lawyers with over 200 years of combined experience in representing Tennessee employers. Jackson Lewis has supported the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry since 1990 and has provided support for the state’s charitable, artistic, and educational causes. Jackson Lewis attorneys provide clients with the resources to address every aspect of the employer/ employee relationship. The firm has more than 20 subspecialties in employment law, including affirmative action compliance and OFCCP defense; class actions and complex litigation; disability, leave and health management; employee benefits; general employment litigation; immigration; labor and preventive practices; non-competes and protection against unfair competition; privacy, e-communication and data security; wage and hour; and workplace safety and health. No other law firm is more innovative and forward-thinking in its approach to national client management. The firm’s commitment to providing alternative fee arrangements was recognized by BTI Client Service A-Team report: “Jackson Lewis is perhaps among the vanguard of firms offering

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clients alternative fee arrangements ... clients saw Jackson Lewis as a high-value firm because it does not follow traditional billing models and works with clients on alternative arrangements.” In addition to BTI, the success Jackson Lewis has achieved on behalf of its clients has been recognized nationally by other awards and honors, including being named by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” as the 2014 Law Firm of the Year, Litigation – Labor & Employment. The firm was also ranked in the First Tier nationally in the category of Labor and Employment Litigation, as well as in both Employment Law and Labor Law on behalf of Management in the U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms.” Memphis attorneys have been recognized for their individual achievements in the most recent editions of Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America,® and Super Lawyers. Jackson Lewis understands, and is committed to, a workforce that reflects the various communities in which it works and upon which it can rely to creatively develop preventive strategies and positive solutions for clients. The firm’s efforts in the area of diversity have been recognized by numerous industry groups and publications, including Women in Law Empowerment Forum that provided a “Gold Standard Firm” certification and the National Law Journal which included Jackson Lewis on a list of the top 20 firms in the area of “Women in the Equity Leadership.”

Butler Snow

ome law firms promise client service. Butler Snow delivers on that promise. Surveys by respected national consultants consistently rank Butler Snow among the best in anticipating needs, a commitment to help, providing value, and in client satisfaction. Each day, Butler Snow puts client success ahead of firm and individual success. Guided by this principle, Butler Snow has evolved from a primarily regional firm to one with national scope. From Fortune 100 companies to technology start-ups, the collaborative, experienced teams of talented legal professionals of Butler Snow focus on taking client service to a new level.

A Team Approach

teamwork, Butler Snow develops strong, meaningful partnerships with its clients and within the firm. Butler Snow encourages creative and innovative thinking to offer value and achieve results. The firm listens to and understands clients â&#x20AC;&#x201C; developing powerful strategies to help them accomplish their goals and resolve legal matters successfully and efficiently. Butler Snow encourages internal cooperation, not competition. Instead of a system focused on billable hours, Butler Snow promotes teamwork to ensure the right lawyer is utilized based on each particular legal issue. Butler Snow has served clients in every capacity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from local and regional matters to national and international counsel.

Butler Snow leverages resources across the firm to match legal experience with client needs. As a result, clients benefit from its strategic counsel, efficient execution, responsive teamwork, and innovative solutions to complex challenges. In an increasingly sophisticated business environment, clients need law firms that have the experience and depth to handle significant matters. The attorneys at Butler Snow offer diverse legal, business, and governmental backgrounds, bringing vast experience and practical knowledge to each client it represents. The firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice areas are focused on specific legal disciplines, but it also offers teams equipped to address the needs of particular industries, including health care, banking and finance, environmental, manufacturing, governmental, life sciences, energy, and telecommunications.

Client Service This stand-out firm is driven by its commitment to superior client service. With a culture founded on 279

Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation

he name Caterpillar invokes images of impressive construction equipment like backhoe loaders, articulated trucks, pavers and dozers. Caterpillar, a Fortune 50 company, is the world’s largest maker of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines. As a whollyowned subsidiary, Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation (Cat Financial) has kept the wheels rolling and the tracks turning by offering a wide range of financing alternatives for Cat® machinery and engines, Solar® gas turbines, as well as other equipment and marine vessels. In 1991, Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation chose to move its headquarters to Nashville because of its reputation as a financial city. The company has 42 offices around the world, and employs nearly 1,900 people with approximately 900 of those in Nashville. As a captive finance company, Cat Financial supports the sale of all Cat products worldwide with a goal of keeping Caterpillar customers in business. The company provides insurance, risk-management products, and services that help Caterpillar, its dealers, their customers, and original equipment manufacturers manage business risks. Cat Financial has an enormous impact on the local community; not just as a strong employer, but also through its community outreach and community involvement efforts. The company is involved with United Way, Second Harvest Food Bank, Junior Achievement, Big Brothers Big Sisters

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of Middle Tennessee, Habitat for Humanity, and the list goes on and on. Kent Adams, President of Cat Financial, is the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce board chair; and Clay Thompson, President of Cat Financial Insurance Services, has been named chairman of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry board. In addition to its extensive outreach programs, Cat Financial’s strategic focus is customer satisfaction. Its focus on the customer is evident in its work to define the customer experience journey, through good times and bad. In fact, Cat Financial modified thousands of contracts during the recession in order to allow customers to keep their equipment and keep them in business. The company was awarded the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence award with global excellence commendation in 1999 and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for its United States’ operations in 2003. Cat Financial was the first privately owned commercial office building in Tennessee to received LEED Gold and is on its way to obtaining its goal of zero waste by 2020. For its efforts, the company received the Mayor’s Workplace Challenge with the highest score in the green category (out of over 225 companies) for the second year in a row. With its dedication to its customers, dedication to the community, dedication to the economy, and dedication to the environment, Cat Financial will continue to leave its distinctive mark of excellence on Tennessee.

API Photographers, Inc.

PI Photographers, Inc. was founded in 1947 by Florence and W.W. Carrier, Jr. For the next 30 years Mr. Carrier and his colleagues produced commercial photography for Holiday Inn, Plough, Cleo Wrap, Humko, and Bruce Hardwood flooring. Carrier served as the President of the Professional Photographers of America in 1968. In 1984 Bill Carrier III built a 4,000-square-foot sound stage, the largest in the region that became the prime location for film and video production. From Thompson’s WaterSeal to Chase Bank to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to the movie Hustle & Flow, Studio B served as the production facility of choice. For the next few decades Carrier worked second unit for The Firm, A Family Thing, and produced scanning videos for FedEx, new technology videos for Kroger in Cincinnati, and documented all of the Wonders: The Memphis International Cultural Series with trips to Europe for the movie Titanic and to Peru for Ancestors of the

Incas. API’s image line became “Have You Seen the Light?’ Bill and Tess Carrier, produced a documentary for Stax - The Early Years, winning a Gold Remi in Houston. Bill directed a television commercial for McDonald’s, which won an award at the Chicago International Film Festival, and he has lensed productions with celebrities like Danny Thomas, Jerry Lee Lewis, Al Bell, Cybil Shepherd, Muhammed Ali, Ron Wood, Dick VanPatten, Robert Duvall, and Kris Kristofferson.

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The Chamber of Commerce Serving Johnson City-JonesboroughWashington County

East Tennessee State University Alumni Carillon, Photo Courtesy of ETSU University Relations

Niswonger Children’s Hospital, Photo Courtesy of Mountain States Health Alliance

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ore than 125,000 people call Washington County home. They pride themselves on offering smalltown charm and big-city amenities and boast a strong economy of national corporations, businesses, and restaurants – all complimented by locally owned establishments and eateries. Several major companies who call Washington County home include General Shale, Mountain States Health Alliance, A.O. Smith, Mullican Flooring, and most recently NN, Inc. The Council for Community and Economic Research rated Washington County as one of the top ten most affordable metros in the United States. In 2012, they ranked 23rd most affordable place to live (CNN Money), ranked 5th least expensive metro area (Kiplinger’s Personal Finance), and 14th among Small Metros for Business and Careers (Forbes

Magazine). In 2013, National Home Builders Association ranked Johnson City’s housing market #7 in the United States. The cost of living index in Johnson City is 86.7% of the national average. Known for its quality education from preschool through college, both the Johnson City and Washington County School Systems have earned accolades statewide for test scores and nationally for forward-thinking education initiatives. In addition, Johnson City is home to East Tennessee State University and is within a one-hour drive of 18 higher education institutions, including nearby Milligan College and Northeast State Community College. The region is a hub for medical services, offering a Level 1 trauma hospital, a veteran’s hospital, a university medical school, a college of pharmacy, and mental health services. Mountain States Health Alliance has multiple hospitals in Johnson City and the surrounding region. Wellmont Health System, based in nearby Kingsport, provides a number of medical services in the community. Those who call this region home enjoy a quality of life in Northeast Tennessee that provides four distinct seasons, outdoor activities, regional festivals and events, along with dining, culture, and scenic beauty. Citizens enjoy golfing, boating, team sports, and walking/running/biking on the newly opened Tweetsie Trail. The Blue Plum Festival, Appalachian Fair, Pepsi Fireworks July 4th Celebration, and the International Storytelling Festival draw crowds from all over. The Johnson City Chamber of Commerce extends an invitation for businesses to visit Johnson City-Jonesborough-Washington County and see why it is a destination for so many corporate and small business relocations.

Kingsport This is Home!

hat better place to plant your roots than an area with strong roots of its own? Kingsport’s rich history manifests itself every day through historical landmarks such as Netherland Inn and Exchange Place, as well as the lively downtown streets filled with local art, lofts, cafés, live music, and beautiful old buildings. Celebrating with community festivals, the Independence Day Parade, American flag-lined streets, and the Kingsport Veterans Memorial, heritage, tradition, and patriotism are held close to the hearts of those who call Kingsport home. Because Kingsport is growing at a steady rate, its culture and scenery are enjoyed without the crowds and noise accompanying many other southern cities. Kingsport offers the amenities and opportunities of a large city, with the cost of living and quality of life of small-town living. When you get the itch to travel, Kingsport is the best starting point. Conveniently located by Interstates 26 and 81, and equipped with an easily accessible regional airport, Kingsport allows for smooth travel to any destination. While Kingsport may be conducive to travel, guests may never want to leave the serene, secluded mountain atmosphere and captivating Southern hospitality where locals are devoted to their community, their faith, and each other. Kingsport’s location in Northeast Tennessee provides perfect fall temperatures and foliage, moderate winters with light snow, bright spring flowers and warm summer temperatures, creating pleasant, scenic walks year round at Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium, and on the Greenbelt’s nine-mile walking and biking trail. Not only does Kingsport boast a beautiful outdoor environment, but it also houses a great

educational environment. Students receive topnotch education and top priority – one of its high schools is ranked as a top four percent American Public High School. Kingsport also offers to fund the first two years of community college tuition for every graduate. Home to the global headquarters of Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport is also a great place for business enterprise. The city has enjoyed tremendous growth and development with more than $3 billion in business investment in recent years. While all of these things add to the charm of the city, Kingsport would not be where it is today without the “Kingsport Spirit.” This phrase, coined by the founder of Kingsport, describes the relentless enthusiasm of its residents to make Kingsport a great place to live through its dedication to the community, its residents, and its businesses. The “Kingsport Spirit” is what makes Kingsport feel like home.

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CHAPTER TWELVE

Entrepreneurs: E

The Foundation of Our Future

t is the fundamental factor that has made Tennessee great. From grocery stores to delivery services, from sweet treats to whiskey, and from hospitals to mom-and-pop stores, Tennessee is home to a wide variety of successful entrepreneurs. The noted economist, Joseph Schumpeter, described entrepreneurs as “agents of innovation” and “the pivot on which everything turns.” It is easy to see the effect entrepreneurs have on our economy – new products and services, technological innovation, new jobs, increased competition, and higher incomes.

Commissioner Bill Hagerty, Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development, speaking at the 2014 Southland Conference which is a part of Launch Tennessee. Photo courtesy of Launch Tennessee left: In Tennessee, startup companies create more than 65 percent of all new jobs. Photo courtesy of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center 285

From grocery stores to delivery services, from sweet treats to whiskey, and from hospitals to mom-andpop stores, Tennessee is home to a wide variety of successful entrepreneurs. Goo-Goo photo: Photo Courtesy of Goo-Goo Cluster, LLC Jack Daniels photo: Photo courtesy of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Fed Ex photo: Photo courtesy of FedEx

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A 2013 report by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor showed another interesting effect – entrepreneurs are among the happiest individuals across the globe when it comes to individual well-being and satisfaction with their work conditions. The same report showed that among innovation economies, the United States was the highest in total early-stage entrepreneurial activity. “I find that people who start a company because they are absolutely driven, they can’t sleep at night,” said Michael Burcham, President & CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC). “They want to start one so bad and are more likely to succeed than people who are trying to do it as income replacement.” The EC, a non-profit organization, links entrepreneurs with investors, mentors, and supplies resources to help entrepreneurs to start, as their motto states, “Turning Ideas Into Reality.” In Tennessee, startup companies create more than 65 percent of all new jobs. “Entrepreneurship is the key to our state’s economy,” Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD) Commissioner Bill Hagerty said. Hagerty is also Chairman of Launch Tennessee. Founded in 2012, Launch Tennessee is a public-private partnership focused on supporting the creation and development of high-growth companies in Tennessee. “Launch Tennessee is another piece in our plan to make Tennessee the number one location in the Southeast for high-quality jobs,” said Governor Bill Haslam “This initiative will help set Tennessee apart as a state where entrepreneurship and innovation are valued as key

Michael Burcham is the President and CEO of the EC, a non-profit organization, that links entrepreneurs with investors and mentors, and supplies resources to help entrepreneurs to start, as their motto states, “Turning Ideas Into Reality.” Photo courtesy of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center

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Launch Tennessee CEO, Charlie Brock. Photo courtesy of Launch Tennessee

opposite page, top: Photo courtesy of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center

opposite page, bottom: Governor Haslam speaks at The TENN Celebration Event. Photo courtesy of Launch Tennessee

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economic development tools in our effort to make our state even more business-friendly.” Launch Tennessee was created to extend prior programs and help coordinate regional entrepreneurial efforts. In addition, it will expand access to capital and private investment and host world-class events to bring together entrepreneurs, mentors, researchers, and investors from across the country. “Tennessee has a rich history of entrepreneurship with some of the world’s largest companies founded and based in Tennessee,” said Charlie Brock, President and CEO of Launch Tennessee. The names of some of those companies are now legendary: FedEx, HCA, AutoZone, Jack Daniels, Piggly-Wiggly, Dempster-Dumpster, and Holiday Inn, just to name a few. Nashville was voted the “No. 5 Best Large City” (Large Cities: Population 500,000+) for young entrepreneurs and Chattanooga the “No. 1 Small City” (Population 100,000 – 250,000) by Under30CEO’s “Top 30 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs” 2013. Nashville has a low cost of living and a median age of 34.2 years old which makes it an attractive spot for young business owners. Forbes ranked Nashville third in the country for creativity. “Middle Tennessee has been incredibly strong because Nashville is a city founded by entrepreneurs,” said Burcham. “It’s also a city where two or three industries have been created here. The life insurance industry was created in Nashville. The

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The TENN is a master accelerator program designed to provide tier 2 support to some of the top startups coming out of the state’s accelerator network. Photo courtesy of Launch Tennessee

opposite page: Nashville was voted the “No. 5 Best Large City” (Large Cities: Population 500,000+) for young entrepreneurs.

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for-profit heath care industry was created in Nashville and country music was created here out of WSM and the Ryman.” There are many federal, state, regional, and local resources and services available to emerging entrepreneurs or those seeking to expand their companies in Tennessee. Additionally, academic institutions across the state offer a wide diversity of education, training, and technical assistance to small businesses. “When you’ve got the creative people, the people willing to coach them and mentor them, and the capital, and the customer, it creates what we call an entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Burcham. “Overall, as a state, we are one of the most exciting states to be in for entrepreneurship.” Nationally, the U.S. Small Business Administration serves as an essential source of information and advocacy for and about small business. Statewide, entrepreneurs can find resources to help them manage, finance, maintain, and grow their inventions, technologies, and start-up companies. Entrepreneurs also have access to start-up information through the Tennessee Smart Start Guide found at the TN.gov website. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s Business Enterprise Resource Office provides technical, financial, and management information assistance to small, minority, and women-owned businesses. The Office of Small Business Advocate serves as a point of contact to state government for owners of businesses with 50 or fewer employees. “We have the right support structure in place to help innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors in Tennessee build on their success and generate more great jobs in our state,” said ECD Commissioner Hagerty.

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Chattanooga’s Gig Tank is considered a boutique accelerator. It only accepts ten startups and entrepreneurs, invests substantial capital in return for equity, and provides them access to corporate partners. Photo courtesy of The Company Lab

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Another effort to support the burgeoning entrepreneur is Tennessee’s Three Star Program that assists in community development and includes entrepreneurship-related benchmarks. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture – Market Development Division is dedicated to increasing farm income using innovative marketing and promotional services. Technology start-ups are booming in Tennessee. In fact, nine of the 10 startups chosen for the 2013 TENN program were tech companies. The TENN is a master accelerator program designed to provide tier 2 support to some of the top startups coming out of the state’s accelerator network. There are a number of organizations designed to assist the entrepreneur in the rapidly escalating fields of technology and bioscience such as Gig Tank, Technology (Tech) 2020, Mind2Marketplace, and Memphis Bioworks. Chattanooga’s Gig Tank is considered a boutique accelerator. It only accepts 10 startups and entrepreneurs, invests substantial capital in return for equity, and provides them access to corporate partners – including Alcatel-Lucent, Mozilla, US Ignite, and Cisco – to help bring their products not only to life, but also to market. Tech 2020 serves Eastern

Tennessee by capitalizing on the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique technology resources of institutions such as the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, among others. Technology 2020 also manages multiple incubators for startup companies, two of which are on-site at its corporate headquarters facility in Oak Ridge. Memphis Bioworks Foundation, in partnership with public and private entities, serves the entrepreneurial needs in West Tennessee. The foundation has a well-established record of sparking new levels of economic vitality by investing in entrepreneurs, building state-ofthe-art labs and facilities, and training the next generation of workers. Mind2Marketplace, in Middle Tennessee, is a 40-county alliance that has a particular interest in facilitating the commercialization of technology from the fields of aerospace and biotechnology. Each of these technology and bioscience entities has limited its scope

Memphis Bioworks Foundation, in partnership with public and private entities, serves the entrepreneurial needs in West Tennessee. Here, Shawn Flynn of Restore Medical presents at ZeroTo510 Demo Day. Photo courtesy of Memphis Bioworks

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geographically and maintains a sectoral emphasis by incorporating adjoining educational institutions and private sector partners. Which takes us to the role that colleges, universities, and institutions of higher education play in the entrepreneurial spirit in Tennessee. Many members of the Tennessee Board of Regents (e.g., Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee State, Austin Peay State University, Dyersburg State Community College, and eight others) are hosts of Tennessee Small Business Development Centers. These centers play an important role in empowering small business owners, entrepreneurs, and individuals with a business idea to initiate new products and services in order to compete in the global marketplace. Private institutions like Vanderbilt University and Belmont University are involved in capital formation incentives via Nashville Capital Network, and experiential learning through the Center for Entrepreneurship. “We’re an attractive state for business because the climate around which one can come here and start a business is favorable compared to most other places in the nation,” said Burcham. The heartbeat of Tennessee’s thriving economy is, without a doubt, the fearless entrepreneur: the type of person who forges their own path and takes a leap of faith in both their ideas and themselves. It is obvious that the entrepreneurial spirit is pervasive throughout our state. “Tennessee is quickly becoming an entrepreneurial hotbed,” said Hagerty. “It is the key to our state’s economy.”

Memphis Bioworks offers free job training and degree and certificate programs in biotechnology and health information technology. Photo courtesy of Memphis Bioworks

opposite page: Small business development centers play an important role in empowering small business owners, entrepreneurs, and individuals with a business idea to initiate new products and services in order to compete in the global marketplace. Photos courtesy of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center

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Corporate Sponsor Index Aegis Sciences Corporation 515 Great Circle Road Nashville, TN 37228 Ph: 615-255-2400 Fax: 615-255-3030 aegislabs.com pp. 158-159

Butler Snow 150 3rd Avenue South Suite #1600 Nashville, TN 37201 Ph: 615-651-6700 butlersnow.com pg. 279

Emerson Process Management 835 Innovation Drive Knoxville, TN 37932 Ph: 865-675-2400 Fax: 865-218-1401 emersonprocess.com pg. 196

Aladdin Temp-RiteÂŽ 250 East Main Street Hendersonville, TN 37075 Ph: 615-537-3737 Fax: 615-338-3717 aladdintemprite.com pg. 191

Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation 2120 West End Avenue Nashville, TN 37203 Ph: 615-341-1000 finance.cat.com pg. 280

FedEx 3875 Airways, Module H3 Department 4634 Memphis, TN 38116 Ph: 800-463-3339 fedex.com pp. 240-241

Alcoa Inc. 2300 North Wright Road Alcoa, TN 37701 Ph: 800-977-2869 alcoa.com pg. 192

Chattanooga Marriott Downtown Hotel 2 Carter Plaza Chattanooga, TN 37402 Ph: 800-841-1674 marriott.com pg. 120

Fisk University 1000 17th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37208 Ph: 615-329-8500 fisk.edu pg. 144

ATC Automation 101 Mill Drive Cookeville, TN 38501 Ph: 931-528-5417 Fax: 931-526-3901 automationtool.com pp. 182-183 API Photographers, Inc. 311 Stonebrook Circle Memphis, TN 38116 Ph: 800-564-5543 apicine.com pg. 281 Bass, Berry & Sims PLC 150 3rd Avenue South Suite #2800 Nashville, TN 37201 Ph: 615-742-6200 bassberry.com pg. 277 Bridgestone Americas 535 Marriott Drive Nashville, TN 37214 Ph:615-937-1000 bridgestone-firestone.com pp. 210-211 Brother International Corporation 7777 North Brother Boulevard Bartlett, TN 38133 Ph: 901-379-1000 brother-usa.com pp. 184-185 296

Constellation 90 Peabody Street Nashville, TN 37210 Ph: 615-742-1883 constellation.com pp. 242-243 DET Distributing 301 Great Circle Road Nashville, TN 37228 Ph: 615-244-4113 Fax: 615-255-0122 detdist.com pg. 190 Eastman Chemical Company 200 South Wilcox Drive Kingsport, TN 37660 Ph: 1-423-229-2000 eastman.com pg. 195 Embassy Suites Nashville Airport 10 Century Boulevard Nashville, TN 37214 Ph: 615-871-0033 Fax: 1-615-883-9987 embassysuites.hilton.com pg. 118

General Motorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Spring Hill Manufacturing 100 Saturn Parkway Spring Hill, TN 37174 Ph: 931-486-5440 gm.com pg. 214 General Shale 7833 Old Lee Highway Chattanooga, TN 37421 Ph: 423-485-1260 generalshale.com pg. 194 Gibson County Utility District 1300 U.S. 45 Bypass Trenton, TN 38382 Ph: 731-855-1441 Fax: 731-855-1454 gibsoncountygas.com pg. 244 Hilton Knoxville 501 West Church Avenue Knoxville, TN 37902 Ph: 865-523-2300 hilton.com pp. 122-123

Corporate Sponsor Index Industrial Machine & Tool Company 88 Polk Avenue Nashville, TN 37210 Ph: 615-242-2596 Fax: 615-242-2598 chiltonimtc.com pg. 186 International Paper 6400 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38197 Ph: 800-207-4003 internationalpaper.com pp. 176-179 JTEKT North America Corporation 55 Excellence Way Vonore, TN 37885 Ph: 423-884-9148 jtekt-na.com pg. 215 Jackson Lewis P.C. 999 Shady Grove Road Suite 110 Memphis, TN 38120 Ph: 901-462-2600 Fax: 901-462-2626 jacksonlewis.com pg. 278 Johnson City Chamber of Commerce 603 East Market Street Johnson City, TN 37601 Ph: 423-461-8000 Fax: 423-461-8047 johnsoncitytnchamber.com pg. 282 Kingsport 400 Clinchfield Suite #100 Kingsport. TN 37660 Ph: 423-392-8800 Fax: 423-392-8834 kingsportchamber.org pg. 283 Loganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Roadhouse Restaurants 3011 Armory Drive #300 Nashville, TN 37204 Ph: 615-885-9056 Fax: 615-346-6301 logansroadhouse.com pg. 119

Marvin Windows and Doors 101 Marvin Drive Ripley, TN 38063 Ph: 731-635-5190 marvin.com pg. 193 MedSolutions 730 Cool Springs Boulevard Franklin, TN 37067 Ph: 800-467-6424 medsolutions.com pp. 160-161 Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authroity 1 Terminal Drive Nashville, TN 37214 Ph: 615-275-1675 flynashville.com pg. 245

Tennsco Corporation 201 Tennsco Road Dickson, TN 37055 Ph: 615-446-8000 Fax: 615-446-7224 tennsco.com pg. 189 University of Tennessee System, The 823 Andy Holt Tower Knoxville, TN 37996 Ph: 865-974-8184 tennessee.edu pp. 140-143 U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company 800 Harrison Street Nashville, TN 37203 Ph: 615-880-4400 ussmokeless.com pg. 188

McKee Foods Corporation 10260 McKee Road Collegedale, TN 37315 Ph: 423-238-7111 mckeefoods.com pp.180-181

Valero Energy Corporation 543 Mallory Avenue Memphis, TN 38109 Ph: 901-774-3100 valero.com pg. 246

Snap-on Tools 2195 State Line Road Elizabethton, TN 37643 Ph: 423-297-9801 snapon.com pg. 187

Walker Die Casting, Inc. 1125 Higgs Road Lewisburg, TN 37091 Ph: 931-359-6206 Fax: 931-359-8030 walkerdiecasting.com pp. 212-213

Tennessee Bible College 1616 McCullery Road Cookeville, TN 38506 Ph: 931-526-2616 tn-biblecollege.edu pg. 145 Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry 611 Commerce Street Nashville, TN 37203 Ph: 615-256-5141 tnchamber.org pp. 272-275 Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Summit Hill Drive Knoxville, TN 37902 Ph: 865-632-2101 tva.gov pp. 238-239

Wingate by Wyndham 110 Interstate Drive Northwest Cleveland, TN 37312 Ph: 423-478-1212 Fax: 423-478-9118 wingatehotels.com pg. 121 WorkNow! 322 West Hillcrest Drive Morristown, Tennessee 37813 Ph: 423-581-9850 Fax: 865-247-7165 2902 Tazewell Pike Knoxville, TN 37918 Ph: 865-247-7163 Fax: 865-247-7165 worknowinc.com pg. 276

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Acknowledgements No book of this magnitude is the work of any one individual, for somewhere there is a body of people who have offered advice and proffered the helping hand. As is always the case, it is impossible to fully thank all who have aided in the production of this publication. However, with great appreciation, we recognize a small sampling of those who made this presentation of Tennessee possible.

LELAND GREGORY: I would like to express my heart felt appreciation and gratitude to everyone who helped make this book a comprehensive representation of the state of Tennessee, its people, places, and businesses. I am thankful for the people who selflessly gave their time and shared their insight and knowledge to make this book a possibility. It was a pleasure traveling through the state meeting people, talking about their businesses, their feelings toward our state, and what it means to them to live and work here. What I discovered from the interviews I conducted can be summed in seven words; Tennessee is a great place to live.

THE TENNESSEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY: The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and its industrial division, the Tennessee Manufacturers Association, gratefully acknowledge their state-wide board of directors for endorsing Tennessee: Titan of Commerce & Industry. The very tangible support from Chamber investors whose profiles appear on these pages and the legacy of service left by those who have gone before us and helped make our great state what it is today speaks for itself through photographs and stories. As the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry celebrates its “second century of service”, we look forward to seeing the businesses, people, and leaders we support continue to make Tennessee a great place to live, work, and do business.

BEERS & ASSOCIATES: Beers & Associates would like to give special thanks to Bill Frist for writing such an outstanding foreword to the book and to Leland Gregory for his thorough writing of the editorial and corporate profiles. Thanks also to Clint Brewer at the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development for his input and to all of the photographers and organizations who provided us with so many breathtaking images. We especially thank Jed DeKalb at the State of Tennessee Photographic Services, the Tennessee Department of Archives and History and the countless others who responded to our request for images that authentically represented a state rich in commerce and industry. To the companies and organizations that allowed us to tell your story: Thank you. Last, but certainly not least, we would like to give our sincerest thanks to the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry for their confidence in this project and to the entire Chamber staff for all their help in making this book a reality. Thanks in particular goes to Catherine Glover for her clear vision and enthusiasm for this book and to Renuka Christoph and Bradley Jackson for their help and guidance during this project. We couldn’t have done this without you! 301

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Featured Photographers PAUL HASSELL Paul Hassell isn’t strictly a photographer. Paul is in the light business. Paul found what makes him tick and organized his life around that calling. He designed his own major at The University of Tennessee: Freelance Photography and Writing for the Natural Environment. He’s a member of NANPA, SANP, and the NSA, but the credentials matter less to him than sharing the profound experience. He points the way to a bigger truth and deeper reality. Paul is the proud owner of Light Finds, Inc. and has been published in National Parks Magazine, Time/Life, Nature’s Best, and National Geographic books. See more at LightFinds.Us.

TOM RAYMOND Tom is is the owner of Fresh Air Photo. Established in 1983, Fresh Air is a commercial photography and postproduction studio based in Johnson City, Tennessee. The studio has produced campaigns that have won awards at both international and national competitions, as well as hundreds of advertising awards at regional levels. Their clientele includes major manufacturers, service providers, and numerous national magazines. Tom won the The AAF Silver award in 2014. This is the highest honor given to a member of the advertising profession, and is presented for lifetime achievement in advertising excellence and community service. See more at freshairphoto.com.

BILL CARRIER In production, whether still or motion picture, you pull together multiple art forms to express and share moments. A feeling capturing an emotion to inspire a response - thats the magic of the imagery. Carrier attributes his success to he and his spouse’s ability to always see the light together. Carrier holds a Master of Photography, Craftsman and Electronic Imagery degrees. He serves on the board of the International Photography Hall of Fame and is a member of the International Cinematographers Guild. See more at apicine.com.

PAT RILEY Pat has been involved with photography since 1982 when he bought his first SLR. Three years ago, Pat started focusing on his photography hobby more seriously. He loves photographing “everything”. He especially loves landscape, macro, beach and astrophotography. Last year Pat took “Best in Show” with his work called “Lost in Grey” and took “Best in the Photography” with his work “The Last Drop” in the Jackson Art Association Annual Fall Art Contest in Jackson, TN. Recently he has been named as a Finalist in the Augusta Photo Festival in Augusta, Georgia. Pat is a member of the Gibson County Visual Art Association in Trenton, Tennessee and chairs the annual photography contest there. contest. Pat makes his home in Trenton, and hopes to soon open a photography business where he will continue to expand his love for photography. 304

KELLY VERDECK Kelly Verdeck is a semi-professional photographer with a love of history, an urge to hug trees, a major travel bug, and three adorable daughters tired of having their picture taken. He calls central Florida home, but spent a few years living in Nashville and loves to get back when he can. See more at kellyverdeck.com.

PETER MONTANTI Peter has been specializing in Architectural/Interior Design photography since earning a BS degree in Fine Arts/Photography in 1978. For the majority of the past thirty years, Peter has used a 4x5 view camera to create his images. His photographs are now made digitally. His commercial work includes product, portrait, and landscape photography. His photographs have helped to win numerous awards and honors for his clients, including advertising agencies, architectural firms, interior design firms and development companies. His work has been published on the covers and pages of many local and national publications. See more at mountainphotographics.com.

FRIST • GREGORY

TENNESSEE T E N N E S S E E • TITAN OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

TITAN OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

Foreword by Bill Frist | Written by Leland Gregory

TENNESSEE TITAN OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

FOREWORD BY

SENATOR BILL FRIST

WRITTEN BY LELAND GREGORY