Business News

Soda Jerks receive grant EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems recently announced that Waynesville Soda Jerks is the first recipient of the EMFS grant and loan program, which is designed to “buy down” the cost of purchasing equipment or infrastructure for farm and food businesses.

Waynesville Soda Jerks is an independent, locally-owned soda company based in Haywood County that works closely with regional farmers and producers to source local farm products for their sodas. The company, owned by Megan Brown and Chris Allen, plans to put the funding toward an expansion phase to scale up the business, purchasing equipment to increase production in both their wholesale and retail markets.

The team also works with an array of small wholesale distributors in the region and hopes to increase their products in these locations as well as diversifying into larger wholesale markets across the state, such as grocery stores.

State Farm office opens in Franklin

Scott Manshack, his wife, Amy, and their team were joined by the Franklin Chamber of Commerce at his recent ribbon cutting ceremony at their new office located at 1509 Highlands Road.

Prior to his appointment, the office belonged to State Farm Agent Cindy Rodgers before her retirement. Scott first started his career with State Farm in 2005 at the Charles Wolfe State Farm Agency in Sylva. In 2013, Scott and Amy were

Bridal shop opens in Hazelwood

Thanks to a community fundraiser, local brides can now shop for their wedding dress at UpLove Bridal and More located in Hazelwood Village instead of having to travel to Asheville.

Fashion designer and bridal alterations specialist Mandy Wildman had long wanted to open a shop where she could serve her customers in a comfortable and convenient location, but without seed money she didn’t see a way to do it. A friend suggested she create a crowdfunding campaign to see if there was any interest in the idea.

“I was amazed at the response,” Wildman said. “People contributed their time, money and resources to help open this shop.”

With the $2,500 she raised she renovated a run-down shop in Hazelwood with the help of friends, family and even strangers. Wildman also put the word out that she was looking for gowns to consign in her shop and within weeks had over 500 dresses on display. The stated mission for her one-of-a-kind garments is to create fun, playful clothing for whimsical women using planet-friendly ingredients.

UpLove Bridal and More has seen a steady stream of customers seeking formal gowns, custom clothing, alterations, and of course, wedding dresses. Wildman is also dedicated to giving back by offering a free sewing class from 3 to 5 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month at her shop. She also offers mentoring and internship positions for students looking to get into eco fashion design.

UpLove Bridal and More is located at 432 Hazelwood Avenue in Waynesville. Call 828.564.3096 or visit www.uplovebridal.com.

Year. J & B Disposal received the Chamber Member of the Year Award. Entegra Bank received a Legacy Award with sincere appreciation for outstanding service in Macon County since 1922.

HCC offers continued ed classes

Haywood Community College’s workforce continuing education department is offering a wide variety of courses for the month of March. There’s something for everyone, including courses that allow you to earn a credential to courses for the hobbyist. • Career Readiness Pathways will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday, March 2. This course is a complete approach to helping students reach their career goals. • Woodworking on a Budget 2 will be held 5 to 7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, March 2 through April 6. Cost is $195. • WorkKeys Testing will be held from 5:30 to 10 p.m. March 5 and 19. • Notary Public will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 7. Cost is $100. • Community CPR will be held Wednesday, March 11. This course is for nonmedical providers that need the skill for employment or want to have the skill in the event of an emergency.

For more information on any of the classes listed above, call 828.627.4669.

given the opportunity to take over for retiring State Farm agent Gary Jensen and opened their first State Farm Agency on the Georgia Road. Scott and his team have over 58 years of combined State Farm experience.

WCU offers business seminar

Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment will be offering a three-part seminar series entitled, “Strategies for Fixing Big Leaks in Your Business: People, Processes, and Pipeline” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays, March 4, 11 and 18 at WCU Biltmore Park in Asheville.

Topics for the series will include people leaks, process leaks, and pipeline leaks. Registration fee for the workshop is $279 with lunch included. SHRM and NASBA credits are available at the completion of the series.

For more information and to register, visit pdp.wcu.edu and click on “For-profit and Nonprofit Professional Development Workshops” or call 828.227.7397.

U.S. Cellular invests in NC infrastructure

U.S. Cellular recently announced that it made a $57.7 million investment in its network infrastructure, store environment and statewide communities in North Carolina in 2019. This includes $56.6 million to enhance the network experience for North Carolina residents through upgrades that improve coverage, capacity and data speed.

To better serve consumers and small business owners and create an enjoyable in-store shopping experience, the company invested $941,000 to update or redesign 19 retail stores throughout the year. In its retail locations, customers can see first-hand the latest smartphones and tablets from Apple, Samsung, Google and LG, the latest Smart Home products from Google Nest and hundreds of consumer electronics items, such as smart watches and wireless speakers, headphones and chargers.

Additionally, in 2019 U.S. Cellular celebrated five years of supporting Boys & Girls Club of America and STEM-focused education through a $1 million donation to the organization’s academic pillar — $70,500 went directly to six clubs in North Carolina, and local associates spent 620 hours volunteering their time with these clubs and a variety of other non-profits throughout the year. For more information about U.S. Cellular’s network coverage, store locations and community support, visit www.uscellular.com.

Awards given at chamber banquet

The Franklin Chamber of Commerce recently held its Annual Awards and Installation Banquet. Danny Antoine was honored with the prestigious Citizen of the Year Award.

Laurel Klonkowski received the Duke Citizenship & Service Award. Appalachian Animal Rescue was named Club or Organization of the

V Nails & Spa opens in Dillsboro

The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce ambassador team recently held a ribbon cutting/grand opening ceremony for V Nails & Spa located at 28 West Sylva Shopping Area (in the Harold’s Supermarket parking/shopping center area). The spa is open Monday through Saturday. Appointments and walk-ins are welcome. Gift certificates are also available. Call 828.586.3331.

UCB ranked top bank

United Community Bank was recently recognized as one of America’s best banks by Forbes magazine for the seventh consecutive year.

“America’s Best Banks 2020,” an article written by Antoine Gara, ranked 100 of the largest publicly traded banks and thrifts nationwide. United Community Bank was included in the top 25 on this prestigious list.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Banks for the seventh year in a row. To earn a spot in the top 25 is a testament to our United team,” said Lynn Harton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Community Banks, Inc. “Delivering strong financial performance, which this list is designed to recognize, helps ensure that we will have a bright future. I am proud to see our United bankers recognized for what they do each day to both deliver class-leading customer service and top quartile financial performance.”