INSIDE: Board of Directors pg. 51 + Monthly Economic Indicators pg. 55
NEW MEMBERS & NEW PREMIER PARTNERS
American Job Center (865) 594-5500 www.Jobs4TN.gov Business & Professional Services
Tennessee Home Solutions, LLC (731) 587-9005 www.tn-homesolutions.com/ Construction & Contractors
Blue Water Climate Control (865) 299-2290 www.bluewaterclimatecontrol.com Building & Grounds Maintenance: HVAC and Climate Control Building Materials: Air Conditioning, Heating, and Climate Control
Three Roots Capital (865) 220-1715 www.3rootscapital.org Financial Services
Brackfield & Associates, GP (865) 691-8195 www.brackfieldproperties.com Real Estate Central Payment (931) 319-7539 www.cpay.com Business & Professional Services: Credit Card Equipment & Processing
TOP ACHIEVERS Top Achievers are recognized for their countless volunteer hours and dedication to the Ambassador Program’s mission of serving as an active volunteer extension of the Knoxville Chamber to cultivate, promote, and maintain positive relationships between the Knoxville Chamber, its members, and the community.
1ST PLACE
BASE TIER MEMBERS
Superior Title & Escrow, LLC (865) 540-6162 www.superiortitletn.com Real Estate: Title Companies
THE KNOXVILLE CHAMBER’S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
LORENA HUBBARD SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK
Wears Valley Ranch (865) 429-5437 www.wvr.org Social Services: Child Care Centers
Wild Wing Cafe - Powell (865) 339-4444 www.wildwingcafe.com Restaurants
Dunkin’ Donuts (865) 444-3917 www.dunkindonuts.com Restaurants
Window Works (865) 560-3044 www.windowworksus.com Residential Services: Window Treatments
ASSISTANT EDITOR JESSICA GUTMAN DESIGN LADDY FIELDS CONTACT THE KNOXVILLE CHAMBER (865) 637-4550 www.knoxvillechamber.com PRESIDENT & CEO MICHAEL EDWARDS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RHONDA RICE CLAYTON
FINANCE & OPERATIONS LARRY JOHNSON
MARC ARCHER ARCHER DESIGN GROUP
Wild Wing Cafe - Farragut (865) 777-9464 www.wildwingcafe.com Restaurants
Chicken Salad Chick (423) 444-1585 www.chickensaladchick.com/kingstonpike Restaurants
EDITOR LYNSEY WILSON
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOUG LAWYER
Velosio (865) 804-5418 www.velosio.com Computer & IT Services: Consultants 2ND PLACE
Tennessee Marble Company (865) 995-9500 www.tnmarble.com Building Materials
Streamline Payments (865) 318-4540 www.streamlinepayments.com Business & Professional Services: Credit Card Equipment & Processing
MEMBERSHIP MARK FIELD PUBLIC POLICY AMY NOLAN
CENTRAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (865) 246-2654 mhummel@downtownknoxville.org
3RD PLACE
BRONZE PREMIER PARTNER
CODY BIGGS HAMPTON INN & SUITES DOWNTOWN KNOXVILLE
Miller Law, Mary D. Miller, PLLC (865) 934-4000 www.millerlaw.solutions Legal Services S&ME, Inc. - Knoxville (865) 970-0003 www.smeinc.com Architectural & Engineering Services: Engineers
COVER PHOTO: The team from South-Doyle High School was placed at TOMCAT USA to learn about skills needed in advanced manufacturing for the Pathways Tennessee externship.
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THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (865) 546-5887 TENNESSEE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (865) 246-2663 LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE (865) 523-9137 U.S. DEPT. OF COMMERCE EXPORT ASSISTANCE CENTER (865) 545-4637
Developing a World-Class Workforce in East Tennessee Educators in the Workplace
BY: JESSICA GUTMAN
A
prosperous, thriving community depends on the availability of a skilled workforce. The Knoxville-Oak Ridge Innovation Valley strives to meet the short- and long-term labor needs of the region’s existing and future industries through dynamic initiatives designed to connect talent, education and opportunity. Each summer, the Knoxville Chamber supports this mission by placing Knox County educators in area businesses to link what they teach in the classroom to real-world applications for their students.
Pathways Tennessee Externships Four teams of Knox County educators took part in two-day externships at manufacturing and information technology companies – where demand for qualified workers is high – as part of the Pathways Tennessee regional coalition. The teams included an administrator, guidance counselor, general education teacher and career and technical education (CTE) teacher from South-Doyle, Farragut, and Central High Schools, as well as Byington-Solway Career and Technical Education Center. They spent time at TomCat USA, a manufacturer of outdoor portable roof systems for the event and entertainment industries; Lifetime Products, a manufacturer of molded plastic outdoor products from kayaks to picnic tables; Designsensory, a branding, advertising and digital agency; and PerfectServe, a developer of communications software for the healthcare industry. On June 8, the teams gathered at Alcoa High School to report on their experiences and develop lesson plans focused on skills students will need in the workplace. The externships were the culmination of work by Chambers and six school systems in Knox, Anderson and Blount counties to encourage students and educators to explore careers in advanced manufacturing and IT, where job openings currently exist and are expected to continue to grow. Other activities planned by the Pathways team include partnering with Junior Achievement of East Tennessee for a career exploration curriculum and site visits for 1,100 middle school students at local employers. Another 720 middle school students got a first-hand look at advanced manufacturing equipment at Pellissippi State’s Blount County campus and Visionary Solutions’ mobile classroom. Both manufacturing and IT are very different industries from what they were just 10 years ago, and it’s hoped these experiences will help educators guide more students to these fast-growing careers.
In partnership with Knox County Schools, more than 200 educators were placed in 14 area businesses for the Chamber’s 10th annual Educators in the Workplace program on June 12. Members of various departments within the companies provided educators information about their day-today business operations, workplace culture and specifics on ways to connect what students learn in the classroom with what is Byington Solway Career and Technical Education Center required in the educator Frank Hawkey prepares to assist on the floor workplace. The of Lifetime Products’ East Tennessee manufacturing educators also took and distribution facility during his Pathways Tennessee part in facility tours externship experience. and question-andanswer sessions with company representatives, all while having the potential to earn in-service credit. All participating educators and companies were invited to a luncheon at Bearden Middle School, sponsored by Shoffner Kalthoff MES, Inc. (SKMES), where they shared their experiences and provided feedback on the program. The intent of Educators in the Workplace is to help educators find ways to link what they teach in the classroom to real-world applications, so they can
CONTINUED ON PAGE 50
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49
keep their students engaged and excited about what they are learning and better prepare them for future jobs. THE 2018 EDUCATORS IN THE WORKPLACE COMPANY HOSTS WERE: Boy Scouts of America – Great Smoky Mountain Council Cirrus Insight Flowers Baking, Co. Gerdau Long Steel North America GRIDSMART Jewelry Television Knoxville Area Transit Knoxville Utilities Board McGhee Tyson Airport Shoffner Kalthoff MES, Inc. (SKMES) Sword & Shield Enterprise Security, Inc. Threds, Inc. WBIR-TV Zoo Knoxville
present demands, challenges and opportunities in their respective industries. The educators will convene on the final day to incorporate their industry experience into classroom practices by creating new lesson plans and activities. CTE provides students of all ages with the academic and technical skills, knowledge and training necessary to succeed in future careers and to become lifelong learners. It is committed to providing both students and teachers with quality, handson experiences in order to bring real-life expectations and inspirations to the classroom. TEACHERS WILL BE PLACED AT:
Career & Technical Education Externships To close out the Chamber’s summer workforce development programs, Knox County teachers will be paired with local businesses relative to their fields of instruction for Career and Technical Education (CTE) externships the week of July 16-20. Throughout the week, the educators will take part in a two-day job shadow and an additional day of planning for the classroom. While on the job, teachers will have the opportunity to accompany an employee, assist with tasks and learn more about
Denark Construction East Tennessee Children’s Hospital House of Thaller Jewelry Television Johnson & Galyon Knoxville Chamber McGaha Electric Messer Construction Morris Creative Group Movement Mortgage Patricia Nash Designs UT Early Learning Center Walker Collision Repair WBIR-TV To join the conversation about these programs and other workforce development initiatives, use #WorkReadyKnox on social media. Contact Alex Kleto, existing industries manager at the Knoxville Chamber, to get involved in next summer’s programs at akleto@knoxvillechamber.com.
Educators and companies participating in the 2018 Educators in the Workplace program gathered for a luncheon sponsored by Shoffner Kalthoff MES, Inc. (SKMES).
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KNOXVILLE CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2018-2019
BOARD CHAIR
Terry Turner All Occasions Party Rentals
CHAIR ELECT
SECRETARY
TREASURER
Daniel Carter
Nikitia Thompson
David Metz
The Trust Company of Tennessee
Realty Executives Nikitia Thompson Realty
Marine Accessories Corporation
Brad Adams, South College Bruce Anderson, Ex Officio/CBID Debbie Billings, Graphic Creations Patrick Birmingham, Covenant Health Katy Brown, Comcast Faris Eid, Design Innovation Architects Mel Evans, Insurefit RM Parker Frost, Gigmark and Big Wheel Steven Godbold, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Jill Green, BGT Recruiting & Consulting Neal Green, All Occasion Catering Harry Gross, SunTrust Bank David Hunt, WBIR-TV James Hurley, Tusculum College Dylan Jones, Boldsquare
Nicholas Jones, Lonnie Jones Insurance Agency - Allstate Nadim Jubran, Capstone Concepts Joe Landsman, University of Tennessee Medical Center/University Health System Cheryl Light, Home Federal Bank of Tennessee Eddie Mannis, Ex Officio/MKAA John McNeely, Sword & Shield Enterprise Security Ed Medford, Knoxville Utilities Board Steven Merrill, Eagle Distributing Company Dave Miller, First Tennessee Bank Jim Nichols, Ex Officio/TDC
K N O X V I L L E C H A M B E R | 51
Tom Rogers, Ex Officio/UT-Battelle/ORNL Jim Rooney, PureMagic Carwash Jorge Sanabria, Expoquip Cory Schupp, Pilot Flying J Rob Stivers, Regions Bank John Thurman, McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects & Interior Designers Lance Tracy, Radio Systems Corporation Jim VanderSteeg, Covenant Health Doyle Webb, Southland Realtors Susan Williams, SRW & Associates Mary Katherine Wormsley, Hatcher-Hill Properties, LLC, Hatcher-Hill Brokerage, LLC
More than 200 members of the regional business community enjoyed networking with government officials and candidates for elected office over a classic shrimp boil at the Knoxville Chamber’s 10th annual Peelin’, Eatin’ and Politickin’ Shrimp Boil. The event, held on June 14 at Jackson Terminal, is an opportunity for the business community to express appreciation for the work done by state and local officials throughout the year, as well as a chance to meet those running for a seat in upcoming elections.
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1. More than 200 community members gathered at Jackson Terminal to network with elected officials at the Chamber’s annual Shrimp Boil. 2. Will Callaway, campaign manager for Hoyos for Congress, and Ken Scoonover, Toby Winters and Kit Housley with Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants at the 2018 Shrimp Boil. 3. The team from Lloyd’s Electric Service, Inc., winner of the 2018 Mid-Sized Business Excellence Pinnacle Award, enjoy shrimp, barbeque chicken, sides and desserts. 4. State Rep. Eddie Smith, Prestige Cleaners President Eddie Mannis and YMCA of East Tennessee President and CEO Jim Dickson at the Chamber’s Shrimp Boil on June 14. 5. Nearly 25 elected officials attended the Chamber’s 2018 Shrimp Boil. Pictured from L to R: Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, his daughter Isabel and Burchett for Congress Campaign Manager Andrew Davis. 6. Tennessee Gubernatorial Candidate and former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean with Knoxville Chamber President and CEO Mike Edwards. 7. Guests of the Chamber’s annual Shrimp Boil enjoyed a tasty spread provided by All Occasion Catering. 8. Representatives from US Bank prepare for a fun and casual evening of networking at the 10th annual Peelin’, Eatin’ and Politickin’ Shrimp Boil.
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GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AT SHRIMP BOIL 2018: • Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett • Knox County Commissioners – Evelyn Gill, Michele Carringer, Randy Smith, John Schoonmaker, Charles Busler, Dave Wright and Bob Thomas • Knox County Trustee Ed Shouse • Knox County Sheriff-elect Tom Spangler • Knox County Criminal Court Clerk Mike Hammond • Knoxville City Council Members – Stephanie Welch, Mark Campen, George Wallace and Marshall Stair • State Sens. Richard Briggs and Becky Duncan Masey • State Reps. Eddie Smith, Jason Zachary, Rick Staples, Bill Dunn, Martin Daniel, Roger Kane and Jimmy Matlock
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Early Voting Begins This Month for County General, Federal and State Primaries BY: AMY NOLAN
Early voting begins July 13 for the Knox County general election, as well as primary races for federal and state offices. Offices being contested in the general election include Knox County mayor, Knox County Circuit Court clerk and several County Commission seats. The federal and state primary ballots will be considerably longer, with both
the governor’s race and Second Congressional District up for grabs and drawing numerous candidates, both Republican and Democratic. Gov. Bill Haslam is not eligible to run for another term, and U.S. Rep. Jimmy Duncan is retiring. Voters must choose which political party’s primary in which they want to cast their ballot. Early voting will continue through July 26; Election Day is Aug. 2. For more information on who’s on the ballot and where you can vote, visit the Knox County Election Commission website at KnoxCounty.org/Election.
JULY - MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES Since 1869, the Knoxville Chamber has been the leading voice for business in the region. Each of these businesses are celebrating milestone anniversaries as Chamber members during the month of July. Thank you for your commitment to the Chamber and the community!
NAI Koella | RM Moore
1983
10 – 14 YEARS
MEMBER SINCE
AAA Tennessee/ The Auto Club Group
1948
West Town Mall
1984
SRW & Associates
2004
Abercrombie Radiological Consultants, Inc.
1948
RE/MAX Preferred Properties
1987
Yow Properties
2005
Aggregates USA - Regional Offices
1948
Tusculum College
1987
Angela Floyd School for Dance & Music, LLC
2005
Cook’s Pest Control, Inc.
1948
Kenesaw Promotional Products
2005
Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis, P.C.
1948
MEMBER SINCE
The Episcopal School of Knoxville
2005
31+ YEARS
MEMBER SINCE
25 – 30 YEARS
Harrison 1948
Douglas A. Horne
1991
Express Employment Professionals
2005
Home Federal Bank of Tennessee
1948
East Tennessee Historical Society
1992
MEDIC Regional Blood Center
2005
Hop Bailey Co.
1948
Inter-Agency Insurance Service, Inc.
1993
Temple Baptist Church
2005
Kendall Electric, Inc.
1948
Liberty Tax Service
2006
Knoxville Utilities Board
1948
20 – 24 YEARS
Trinity Benefit Advisors
2006
Mercedes Benz of Knoxville
1948
SCORE - Counselors to America’s
Jeannette Rogers - State Farm
2006
Power Equipment Company
1948
1995
Coverall of Eastern Tennessee
2006
Reily Foods Co.
1948
1997
Performance Contracting, Inc & Performance
Tate & McCallie, Incorporated
1948
MEMBER SINCE
Small Business ORNL Federal Credit Union - Main Location
Abatement Services, I
Willis 1948
15-19 YEARS
Rice Buick GMC Trucks, Inc.
1957
Carpenter Wright Engineers, PLLC
Baker, O’Kane, Atkins & Thompson
1958
MEMBER SINCE
2007
Pitts & Lake, P.C.
2007
1999
Salon Biyoshi
2007
Aurora Pool, Spa & Billiard Gallery
2000
Pileum Corporation
2008
Coldwell Banker Wallace & Wallace - Bearden Hill 1958
Schaad Companies
2000
Simmons Bank
2008
The Dow Chemical Company
1958
Scott Insurance
2001
The Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm, LLC
2008
Shoney’s of Knoxville, Inc.
1962
Belew Drug, Inc.
2001
First Tennessee
1963
Tennessee Valley Human Resource
StaffingSolutions/Employbridge Companies
1968
Association (TVHRA)
2001
Tindell’s Lumber & Building Materials
1970
John H. Daniel Company
2001
BarberMcMurry architects
1978
21st Mortgage Corporation
2003
East Tennessee Development District
1980
Republic Plastics
2003
Metropolitan Drug Commission
2003
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MONTHLY ECONOMIC INDICATORS
(May 2018)
NOTES – Knoxville MSA includes: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Grainger, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Roane & Union Counties.
WORKFORCE Resident Labor Force Knox Co. Knoxville MSA Tennessee U.S.
HOUSING MARKET % Change Apr. ’17Apr. ‘18
Apr. 2018
Mar. 2018
Apr. 2017
% Change Mar. ’18Apr. ‘18
239,390 421,560 3,250,400 161,280,000
239,290 421,670 3,235,000 161,548,000
232,870 411,280 3,164,500 159,817,000
0.0 0.0 0.5 -0.2
2.8 2.5 2.7 0.9
397,800 3,055,200
397,200 3,039,100
396,300 3,009,000
0.2 0.5
0.4 1.5
5,730 11,170 92,800
6,950 13,690 111,800
7,340 14,330 116,300
-17.6 -18.4 -17.0
-21.9 -22.1 -20.2
2.4 2.6 2.9 3.7
2.9 3.2 3.5 4.1
3.2 3.5 3.7 4.1
-0.5 -0.6 -0.6 -0.4
-0.8 -0.9 -0.8 -0.4
Non-Ag Employment Knoxville MSA Tennessee
Residential Closings Residential Inventory Median Residential Price
May 2018 2,707 5,735 $188,000
Unemployment Rates Knox Co. Knoxville MSA Tennessee U.S.
Sources: Tennessee Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development/U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
INFLATION RATES - CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (CPI)
*Southeast Region Avg. U.S. Avg. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
% Change Apr. ’16Apr. ‘18 0.9 0.9
Apr. ’17-‘18
Mar. ’17-‘18
Apr. ’16-‘17
2.6 2.8
2.3 2.5
1.7 1.9
0.3 0.3
% Change Apr. ’17Apr. ‘18
Knoxville (City)
Total Single-Family Multi-Family
Apr. 2018* 282 66 216
Apr. 2017 18 18 0
% Change Apr. ’17Apr. ‘18 1466.7 266.7 100.0
Knox Co.
Total Single-Family Multi-Family
524 212 312
132 132 0
297.0 60.6 100.0
Knoxville MSA
Total Single-Family Multi-Family
670 340 330
242 231 11
176.9 47.2 2900.0
Tennessee
Total Single-Family Multi-Family
2,769 2,221 548
1,972 1,675 297
40.4 32.6 84.5
Knox Co. Knoxville MSA Tennessee
Apr. 2018
Mar. 2018
Apr. 2017
% Change Mar. ’18Apr. ‘18
57,017,669 87,422,120 789,954,376
48,943,682 74,202,869 659,455,833
55,890,123 84,924,359 757,299,253
16.5 17.8 19.8
2.0 2.9 4.3
16,815,966 26,511,797
13,894,262 21,688,414
15,366,913 24,056,731
21.0 22.2
9.4 10.2
AIR SERVICE (MCGHEE-TYSON AIRPORT)
Passengers Freight
Apr. 2018 173,023 6,068,263
Mar. 2018 171,168 7,246,785
Apr. 2017 146,020 6,841,703
% Change Mar. ’18Apr. ‘18 1.1 -16.3
% Change Apr. ’17Apr. ‘18 18.5 -11.3
Source: Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority
Local Sales Tax Knox Co. Knoxville MSA
*All 2018 building permit data is preliminary and therefore subject to revision throughout the year. Sources: U.S. Housing & Urban Development – SOCDS – State of the Cities Data Systems; U.S. Census Bureau – Building Permits Survey
*South – City Size Class B/C
SALES TAX REVENUE - STATE & LOCAL ($) State Sales Tax
1,931 7,062 $170,000
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS
- ALL ITEMS
% Change Mar. ’17Apr. ‘18
May 2017
% Change May ’17May ‘18 40.2 -18.8 10.6
Source: Knoxville Area Association of Realtors
Unemployment Estimates Knox Co. Knoxville MSA Tennessee
Apr. 2018 1,686 5,819 $179,000
% Change Apr. ’18May ‘18 60.6 -1.4 5.0
Source: Tennessee Dept. of Revenue
RETAIL SALES - NATIONAL (IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS) Category Total Retail Sales Building Materials Clothing Stores Electronics & Appliances Food & Beverage Stores Food Svcs & Drinking Places Furniture & Home Furnishings Gasoline Stations General Merchandise Stores Health & Personal Care Stores Miscellaneous Stores Motor Vehicle & Parts Sales Non-store Retailers Sporting Goods/Books/ Hobby/Music
May 2018
Apr. 2018
527,943 40,520 23,660 7,696 63,803 62,203 10,161 46,387 59,686 28,990 12,436 110,879 55,047
484,492 34,278 20,981 7,031 59,007 59,128 9,532 41,979 54,538 27,689 10,285 101,263 52,617
496,410 38,487 21,870 7,490 61,141 58,806 9,755 39,339 56,515 28,259 11,420 106,370 50,449
% Change Apr. ’18May ‘18 9.0 18.2 12.8 9.5 8.1 5.2 6.6 10.5 9.4 4.7 20.9 9.5 4.6
6,475
6,164
6,509
5.0
May 2017
% Change May ’17May ‘18 6.4 5.3 8.2 2.8 4.4 5.8 4.2 17.9 5.6 2.6 8.9 4.2 9.1 -0.5
EST. 1869 For more information on research, contact Joe Riley, jriley@knoxvillechamber.com.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Advance Monthly Retail Trade Report
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Knoxville Chamber Recognizes Ambassadors at Annual Event BY: JESSICA GUTMAN
2018 Pinnacle Award Winners Gather for Annual CEO Luncheon BY: JESSICA GUTMAN
The Knoxville Chamber honored its Ambassadors for their dedication to the Chamber’s mission at an appreciation event at Maple Hall on June 5. The Chamber’s Ambassador program currently has 39 members who dedicate countless volunteer hours to assist the Chamber with events and membership efforts throughout the year. “The Chamber couldn’t fulfill its commitment to the community without the help of our incredible Ambassadors,” said Megan Wright, program manager at the Chamber. “Their willingness to dedicate so much time and energy to our organization is greatly appreciated by our entire staff and has made our Ambassador Program nationally recognized among chambers.” During the event, Ambassadors enjoyed chatting and bowling over delicious food and drinks. The program’s co-chairs, Christa Early of Resource Accounting and StaffingSolutions and Lorena Hubbard of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, thanked the Ambassadors for their hard work and expressed gratitude for their commitment to the program. Tom O’Brian was recognized as the 2018 Ambassador of the Year for his dedicated service this past year. O’Brian, who recently moved into a management role at Walmart, has been an Ambassador for five years and volunteered for 25 Chamber events this past year. “To be part of a group of business professionals that has such an outstanding level of integrity and character is an honor,” O’Brian said. “But to be able to call them my friends as well is a true blessing.”
Knoxville Chamber President and CEO Mike Edwards thanks Ambassadors for their volunteer efforts on behalf of the Chamber.
Senior Vice President of Chamber Development Mark Field leads a discussion with the 2018 Pinnacle Business Award winners.
The nine 2018 Pinnacle Business Award recipients were invited to an exclusive luncheon on May 30 at Regions Bank, the presenting sponsor of the annual awards gala. The lunch served as an opportunity for this year’s winners to network and take part in an informal Q&A session with Knoxville Chamber representatives to discuss the regional business climate. Sharon Miller Pryse, CEO and founder of The Trust Company of Tennessee and the 2018 James A. Haslam II Chairman’s Leadership Award honoree, said, “Finding the best employees that can adapt to change is what will help the businesses in our community continue to grow.” “Also, retaining the talent we have,” added Christine Bell of BGT Recruiting & Consulting and winner of the Woman-Owned Business Excellence Award. She continued, “It’s not hard for us to sell Knoxville. Great out-of-town talent choose Knoxville because it’s a great place to live.” Jill Green, also with BGT Recruiting & Consulting, added, “Being from outside Knoxville makes us strong ambassadors for the area. We chose to raise our kids here and grow our business here, and we couldn’t have done it without the Chamber.” Bill Malkes, co-founder and CEO of Innovator Award winner GRIDSMART Technologies, said, “You couldn’t create GRIDSMART in another part of the country. You can’t recreate the spirit that’s here.” Attendees of the luncheon included: Mike Edwards, Rhonda Rice Clayton, Mark Field and Michelle Kiely of the Knoxville Chamber; Rob Stivers and Rob Chadwell of Regions Bank; Dan Hurst of Strata-G, LLC; Bill Malkes and Lauren Jochum of GRIDSMART Technologies; Thomas Cambron of Pipe Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Cooling; Kenneth Robinson of MBK Wellness of Knoxville; Chrstine Bell and Jill Green of BGT Recruiting & Consulting; Doug Lloyd and Jay Lloyd of Lloyd’s Electric Service, Inc.; and Sharon Miller Pryse of The Trust Company of Tennessee. Watch each of the award winners’ acceptance speeches from the 14th Annual Pinnacle Business Awards on the Chamber’s YouTube channel.
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Tennessee Talent Pipeline Academy Held in Nashville
PREMIER PARTNER PROFILE
BY:JESSICA GUTMAN
Statewide partners gathered May 16-17 for the first Tennessee Talent Pipeline Academy in Nashville.
The first Tennessee Talent Pipeline Academy, hosted by the Tennessee Business Roundtable and coordinated by the Knoxville Chamber, was held May 16-17 at the AT&T building in Nashville. The two-day workshop prepared attendees to utilize the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management initiative, a demanddriven approach to closing the skills gap. Utilizing supply chain management principles, employers play an expanded leadership role as “end customers” of education and workforce partnerships. Tennessee partners are taking a statewide approach to have consistency and influence across the state’s educational institutions and policies. Nancy Eisenbrandt, COO and chief workforce development officer for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce said, “The Tennessee Talent Pipeline Academy process and tools will give the Nashville Area Chamber a new way to organize our business community around talent solutions that align postsecondary education credentials and degrees to close skills gaps and build a pipeline of talent for high-growth occupations and industries in our region.” The next academy workshop takes place Aug. 21-22.
Cellular Sales recently announced two major milestones, celebrating 25 years in business and surpassing 700 store locations across 40 states. Cellular Sales was founded in Knoxville in 1993 by University of Tennessee graduates Dane and Meg Scism. It grew from humble beginnings as a local Cellular One agent to what is now the nation’s largest Verizon Wireless retailer by volume. Following rapid growth and the opening of 68 new stores in 2009, Cellular Sales was named to Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest growing companies. Since then, Cellular Sales has made the list nine times, receiving the Hall of Fame honor. “We’re thrilled to achieve the milestone of surpassing 700 stores and we’ve enjoyed serving our customers over the last 25 years,” said Cellular Sales Founder and CEO Dane Scism. “We attribute our growth and longevity to our emphasis on customer service and our dedicated team members.” Across the country, Cellular Sales employs 5,200 team members and adds 300 new jobs each month. Earlier this year, Zippia.com named Cellular Sales one of the top 20 best companies to work for in Knoxville where the company is headquartered and employs 350 people. “A lot has changed in 25 years, but we’ve always understood that people are our best asset and that investing in our people contributes to their personal and professional growth and the company’s success,” said Scism. For more information on Cellular Sales, visit cellularsales.com. Job seekers may visit jobs.cellularsales.com.
Tennessee Talent Pipeline Academy participants: Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Greater Memphis Chamber Knoxville Chamber Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Robertson County Chamber of Commerce Tennessee Board of Regents Tennessee Business Roundtable Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry Tennessee Department of Education Tennessee Higher Education Commission The Roane Alliance & Roane County Chamber of Commerce University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services
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Propel Protégé Profile The Knoxville Chamber’s Propel mentor/protégé program pairs an established community business leader with a protégé who is relatively new to business.
Firm: The Flying Locksmiths
Owner: Chris Smith
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I started out as vice president of sales for 15 years for Y-12 Credit Union. It was not a normal career progression. I always wanted to do something on my own. For years I looked for a small business to buy. I couldn’t find anything, but for many reasons I settled on The Flying Locksmiths franchise. I think first and foremost I saw the market potential. Doors and locks are a great market in the East Tennessee area, and I felt that I could carve out a niche here. I wanted to stay in Knoxville, as my children attend high school and college here. I also like this business because it allows me to apply my military training passion to provide a holistic asset approach to the business. WHAT DOES YOUR FIRM OFFER ITS CLIENTS? We offer full-service commercial and residential locksmith and security solutions. We provide master key systems, emergency egress, doors closures, regular and continuous door hinges and door repair and replacement. We also provide complete access control system and security badging systems, as well as key stripe, electric stripe and magnetic lock systems. We offer remote door openers, buzzer systems, video camera systems and door and lock security risk assessments service. We also combine the physical hardware assessments with safety and security advice. WHAT MAKES YOUR FIRM UNIQUE? We provide full service with doors and locks. Most firms offer door repairs or installation, or locksmith only, or access controls only. We do all three within one firm. This is a benefit for our commercial clients, as it allows them to have one partner with a lot of skills and reduces the need for multiple companies. Being in the Navy for eight years as a logistics and civil engineering officer taught me to begin with the end in mind. The military taught me a great deal about security. It starts with securing the perimeter and goes from there. Doors and locks are the critical first step to any type of egress or security. Currently I am a cyber warfare officer for the Air National Guard, so security and safety is something I live and breathe every day. For the bulk of locksmiths, it’s one person working at the firm. We bring a team approach to a project. Customers understand the value of a firm who is insured at a commercial standard, rather than just at a single locksmith rate. If something arises from an incident caused by a door, they want to be assured that their risks are covered adequately. We offer 24-hour emergency repairs. This is a big benefit to our clients. We understand that businesses operate on their own schedules, and we need to meet their needs. We have done work for hospitals before at 5:30 a.m. so it wouldn’t hurt operations. WHO ARE YOUR PERFECT CLIENTS? The perfect clients for us are facility managers or property managers who have up to 50 doors to manage. Their staff may have skills to do small repairs, but struggle with keeping up with all of their door issues. Most of our clients have locksmiths on staff, but they need assistance with the door repairs and installation, especially with door hinging.
UPCOMING EVENTS
JULY 19 Women on the Rise – Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association 11:15 AM – 1:00 PM The Press Room – 730 N Broadway Member tickets: $30, Non-member tickets: $40 SPONSORED BY:
REGISTER FOR EVENTS AT KNOXVILLECHAMBER.COM/EVENTS-CALENDAR.
Pinnacle Award Winner Hosts Morning Networking Event BY: JESSICA GUTMAN
The winner of the 2018 Small Business Excellence Pinnacle Award, Pipe Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, hosted a Knoxville Chamber a.m. Exchange on June 7. The morning networking event drew a large crowd to the West Knoxville location, where attendees made connections with area business professionals and enjoyed a breakfast biscuit bar from All Occasion Catering. Marco Castaneda, DC, CPN with Genesis Chiropractic took home the morning’s door prize, a $250 Visa gift card courtesy of Pipe Wrench.
Attendees packed Pipe Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Cooling for a Chamber a.m. Exchange on June 7.
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