2010 Roane Alliance Annual Report Just Released

We’re Back!  We just released our 2010 Roane Alliance Annual Report which lays out a pretty convincing case that Roane County is well on its way to full economic recovery.  Read about our record number of net new jobs reported – more than 1,100 in just one year – along with other ‘good news’ items, including one of the most consistently low unemployment rates in the state, in the full report.

Every year at this time, The Roane Alliance releases an annual report to provide the community a snapshot of the economic sector in Roane County and to highlight the Alliance’s activities through the year. The complete report is now available, as well as a copy of the news release highlighting the job growth as well as other items in the report.

If you’d like any more information or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call Leslie Henderson, President/CEO at 865-376-2093 or e-mail at lhenderson@roanealliance.org.

A Hollywood Night for The Roane Alliance 2010 Annual Fund-raising Gala Nov. 19

The Roane Alliance’s annual fund-raising Gala will be ‘rolling out the red carpet for a night of Hollywood stars this year,’ Alliance President and CEO Leslie Henderson said.

The Alliance Gala is one of the county’s premiere social events and features a gourmet meal, a wine reception, music and entertainment, exciting live and silent auctions, and this year – a Hollywood theme.

“This year the Roane Alliance is rolling out the red carpet for its annual gala and it will be a night for folks to dress up as their favorite ‘Hollywood Star’,” said Leslie Henderson, President/CEO of the Alliance.  Anything from Paris Hilton to Humphrey Bogart will be fair game for those who want to dress their chosen part from their own favorite Hollywood decade, but the ‘dress-up’ part is strictly optional.  This is a night for everyone to have fun; to help the Alliance and to enjoy a very special – and very entertaining – evening.”

The Gala’s real purpose is to raise funds to support the operations of The Alliance throughout the year.  These operations cover a wide range of economic and community development activities – all geared toward making Roane County more prosperous while enhancing the lives of its citizens. The Alliance handles everything from industrial recruitment for the county to assisting with community events to providing technical assistance to existing businesses and much, much more. The Alliance is a one-stop shop for all economic development – it is made up of the Roane County Industrial Development Board, the Roane Chamber of Commerce and the Roane County Visitor’s Bureau.

“Last year continued to bring all of us many challenges, but without a strong, highly-functioning Alliance out there working on our behalf, it could have been a whole lot worse,” said Ben Andrews, Chairman of The Roane Alliance Board. “Your support for our Gala this year is vital to the continuing success of those efforts.”

The Gala will be held at Rothschild’s in West Knoxville and begins at 6 pm, with a reception and silent auction. The auction typically includes get-away weekends, purebred puppies, sports memorabilia, jewelry, beauty and gift baskets, as well as hundreds of other items.

To become a Gala supporter in any way – including the purchase of sponsorships or individual tickets ($150 per person) or through the donation of any auction items – call The Alliance at 865-376-2093.

“Your support,” Henderson said, “is critical to our future success.”

Roane County Industrial Park Unveils New Sign

The Roane County Industrial Park on Hwy 27 has a brand new sign that was officially dedicated on Thursday, September 30.  An example of a real partnership, this stylin’ monument sign is thanks to REU, HUB and TVA all pitching in to cover the cost, so folks will better know how to find our hard-working industries.  For more information about the industries in the park visit http://www.roanealliance.org/industries/industrial_guide.html

Chamber and Comcast Hosts Elected Officials’ Barbeque

     Beautiful weather, good music, and great tasting barbeque were enjoyed by one of the largest crowds ever to turn out for Roane County’s Annual Elected Officials’ Barbeque held Thursday, September 23 at the Roane Alliance. 

     Hosted by the Roane Chamber of Commerce and sponsored for the 8th year by Comcast, this barbecue is held to honor and show appreciation to the elected officials — both new and existing — from Roane County and each of its cities.

     Giving the welcome speech was Leslie Henderson, President/CEO of The Roane Alliance.  The Invocation was given by newly-elected Roane County Executive Ron Woody.  Chamber Board Chair Diana Knobloch, Roane County United Way, congratulated and thanked all of the elected officials for their involvement and commitments to the county and cities of Roane.  County officials, city officials from Harriman, Kingston, Oliver Springs, Oak Ridge, and Rockwood, and school board members were recognized, along with state representatives and legislatures.  Knobloch thanked the Board members of The Alliance, the Chamber, the Industrial Development Board, and the Visitors Bureau, and gave a special recognition to the Roane Alliance staff for their hard work—thanks Diana!

     A good time was had by everyone, with many comments being heard  in the  crowd,  including  those  coming from  the  sponsors themselves—the Comcast officials. The barbecue and fixings were catered by World Famous Roadside Café in Kingston.  The entertainer, Tommy Hardin, was provided by Rocky Top General Store owner and Chamber Board member David Webb and his daughter Debbie Mee, along with the beautiful decorations.

Teacher’s Supply Closet Needs Your Donations

The Roane County Chamber of Commerce and Roane State Community College officially announced the beginning of their yearly drive to collect supplies and financial donations for the Teachers’ Supply Closet – a highly-popular and highly-successful annual effort to help Roane County public school teachers.

Now in its eighth year, the Roane County Teachers’ Supply Closet provides a one-day free “shopping” experience where public school teachers may shop for basic supplies, arts and crafts materials, and other classroom supplies donated by area businesses and individuals.  Some items frequently needed for classrooms include: pencils, pens, copy paper, crayons, ruled writing paper, hand sanitizer, paper towels, markers, scissors, tape, tissues, glue sticks, sticky note pads, construction paper, rubber bands, folders, and band-aids. Other items that are very useful are tennis balls, hole punchers, binders, backpacks, and computer CDs.

“The Teachers’ Supply Closet is a great way for area businesses and individuals to help Roane County teachers acquire additional supplies and equipment for their classrooms,” said Allen Lutz, Education and Workforce Development Specialist for the Roane Alliance. “Donations are greatly appreciated by the teachers and help make student activities and learning more effective.”

Financial donations as well as supplies can be dropped off at the Chamber offices at The Roane Alliance, 1209 N. Kentucky Street in Kingston. Please deliver your donations by Monday, September 20. 

The teachers can pick up the supplies at the Roane State Community College main campus in Harriman on September 23. For more information or to donate items, call The Roane Alliance at 865-376-5572.

Annual Business Awards Presented at 64th Annual Chamber Banquet

The Roane County Chamber of Commerce Friday presented its prestigious annual business awards before a packed crowd of community and business leaders attending the 64^th Annual Chamber Banquet sponsored by PermaFix Environmental Services and held at Whitestone Country Inn:

• Winning this year’s Business of the Year award was the Oak Ridge National Lab with Lab Director Thom Mason from UT-Battelle – the partnership that runs the lab — accepting;

 

• The inaugural Paul E. Goldberg Young Professional Award was presented to Harriman Mayor Chris Mason.

 

• The prestigious Distinguished Service Award was presented to Edgar “Buddy” Bowers who was honored for his outstanding performance and years of contribution to Roane County;
• Kathy Parks, of The Bridge at Rockwood, was recognized for her professional achievements and community service with the International Athena Award.

Of this year’s Business of the Year award, Leslie Henderson, Chamber President and The Roane Alliance CEO, said, “This year’s winner represents a wholly different — but extremely important — facet of the business community in Roane County.” In announcing the Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) as the winner of the 2010 Award, she said, “It would be hard to imagine another business in Roane County that could have a more significant effect on our County as a whole.”

“As an industrial recruiter, I know the value of the lab. It puts us on the map, bringing us recognition all over the country and all over the world. As a Chamber president, I also know how much their support – both financially as well as through their staff — means to both the Chamber and the community.”

In announcing the Chamber’s next award – its newest — the Paul E. Goldberg Young Professional award, Henderson explained that this under-40 award was created to honor “outstanding contributions from the up-and-coming young professionals in our county.”

The award was named in honor of the late Dr. Paul Goldberg — who worked for Roane State Community College for 35 years and also directed the Roane County Leadership program since its inception — “because no one else understood the importance of developing future leaders like Paul did,” Henderson said.

In naming Mayor Chris Mason the winner of the award, Henderson called the Harriman native, “a creative thinker, an energetic public servant, a caring family man and a savvy businessman” who serves his county in many ways. “He owns a successful business; he serves on a number of boards; he works a full-time job helping juveniles stay straight — and… he’s the Mayor of Harriman.”

Dr. Gary Goff, Roane State Community College President, then announced that this year’s Distinguished Service Award winner would go to Edgar “Buddy” Bowers, described as “a sixth-generation Roane Countian, son and grandson of educators,” history buff, and a retired attorney who worked for nearly 30 years as corporate counsel to the Oak Ridge National Lab.

The lengthy list of Bowers’ community involvements included not only his service as a new Roane County Chamber Board member and Co-Chair of the Chamber’s Legislative and Public Affairs Committee, but also included numerous other board and/or executive-level positions with such organizations as Roane County United Way; Nine Counties; One Vision; Kingston Rotary; Harriman Utility Board, just to name a few. Bowers “has dedicated his life to enhancing the lives of others through his commitment to education and economic development in Roane County and beyond.”

And last award presented — this year’s The Athena Award — was presented to Kathy Parks by Dr. Linda Hunter of Kingston Chiropractic Center, who has co-sponsored the award, along with the Roane Chamber, for many years.  The Athena honors individuals for their professional achievements and community service, and for their assistance to women in reaching their full potential.

Parks, who directs marketing and admissions for The Bridge at Rockwood, serves on the Chamber board and is co-chair of the Leadership Committee. She has been active for years in the Roane County Leadership program, particularly the Youth Leadership program and has also been heavily involved in Roane County’s Women’s Executive Association, which promotes, supports and assists women in business.

The awards are an integral part of the annual Roane Chamber banquet which has been held at Whitestone Country Inn for years and is the spring/summer social event of the year for the Roane business community. This year’s event was attended by approximately 150 business and community leaders, was headlined by Edye Ellis as the keynote speaker and featured a record number of donations from local businesses in the silent auction.

Ellis worked for WBIR-TV from the early eighties through the mid-nineties, and co-anchored their prime time news with Bill Williams. She is also known for her work co-chairing the strategic planning and visioning project, Nine Counties. One Vision, which included Roane County. Ellis’ appearance was made possible by EnergySolutions.

The Chamber is a partner in The Roane Alliance - Roane County’s economic development organization. The partners who operate under the Alliance umbrella along with the Chamber include the Industrial Development Board and the Visitor’s Bureau.

Visit the Roane Alliance website to learn more.

Former TV Anchor Edye Ellis to Headline This Year’s Annual Roane Chamber Banquet

The keynote speaker at the 64th Annual Roane County Chamber Banquet will be Edye Ellis, the beloved former co-anchor for many years of WBIR-TV Channel 10. The banquet – which also features the presentations of the Chamber’s prestigious annual business awards – will be held this year on Friday, June 4, at the Whitestone Country Inn. 

The evening – which is sponsored this year by PermaFix Environmental Services – will include a silent auction, a wine reception, and a four-course gourmet dinner, in addition to the program. The Annual Banquet is nearly always a sold-out event and is considered by community and business leaders the premier Spring/Summer social event for Chamber members.

Ellis worked for WBIR-TV from the early eighties through the mid-nineties, and co-anchored their prime time news along with Bill Williams. She is also known for her work co-chairing the strategic planning and visioning project, Nine Counties. One Vision, which included Roane County. Ms Ellis’ appearance is being made possible by EnergySolutions.

Another highlight of the banquet will be the announcement of the 2010 annual business awards. Those awards traditionally have included the Athena, the Business of the Year, as well as the Distinguished Service Award. This year will also feature the inaugural Paul Goldberg Young Professional Award, to honor a deserving under-40 business/community leader.

The evening will begin at 6 pm with the reception and silent auction, with the dinner and the formal program to follow. Seating for the banquet is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis with RSVP requested by May 28.  Tickets are priced at $100 and tables of eight can be reserved.  Donations for the silent auction are welcomed.  Please call the Chamber offices at 376-5572 for more information.

Ellis was born and raised in Chicago, where she worked for many years in early childhood education and publishing.  She moved to Cincinnati, OH in 1979 and worked for WKRC-TV as executive producer and co-host for “PM Magazine,” a forerunner of the television magazine format.

Ellis came to Knoxville in 1982 to do a magazine show and to report on the 1982 World’s Fair for WBIR.  When the Fair ended, she stayed on to co-anchor the station’s newscasts.  While at the station, she helped create a program called “10 for the Future,” which was recognized nationally for its support of public education.  She also hosted The United Negro College Fund Telethon for several years.  When she left the station in 1994, WBIR-TV honored her by establishing a four-year scholarship for minority students in her name at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where Ellis worked briefly in the Office of University Communications.

Since leaving the station, Ellis has worked as a free-lance broadcaster and communications specialist.  In that capacity, she hosted two shows, “The Good Life” and “Today at Home” for Home and Garden Television. She also anchored a medical information show called “Exam Room Network.” 

From 2000 to 2005, Ellis co-chaired a nine-county, citizen-driven strategic planning effort called Nine Counties. One Vision.  She is a board member of Beck Cultural Exchange Center, The Knoxville Jazz Festival, The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra and The Tennessee Valley Jazz and Blues Foundation.  She also is a craft artist and writes poetry.

The Chamber is one of the partners of The Roane Alliance – Roane County’s economic development organization. The partners who operate under the Alliance umbrella alongside the Chamber include the Industrial Development Board and the Visitor’s Bureau.

Dienamic Tooling Systems Named 2010 Roane Industry of the Year

The Roane County Industrial Development Board has named tool-and-die-maker Dienamic Tooling Systems (DTS) as the Industry of the Year for Roane County for 2010.  The award was announced at the Board’s Annual Industry Appreciation Breakfast on Wednesday, May 5 at Roane State Community College in Harriman. 

A home-grown tool-and-die-making operation, DTS has been in operation for 12 years, having begun its operations in leased space in the old K-25 plant in

David Webb, Roane County Industrial Dev. Board Chair with Mike Walker, President, Dienamic Tooling Systems

the Oak Ridge part of Roane County. It is now a multi-million dollar operation at Roane Regional Business and Technology Park.

According to Leslie Henderson, President/CEO of The Roane Alliance, who announced the award at the breakfast:

DTS was started in May, 1997 by Mike Walker, who learned his trade working for a manufacturing plant in a neighboring county. Walker went into business with only three employees and a very small customer base. By the end of that first year, though, Walker had built that business up to 30 employees. After joining up with a larger group of companies headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dienamic Tooling Systems, Inc. (DTS) became the only southern operation of that larger group, which then had an estimated total annual sales of $45 million and a customer base that was 85% automotive.

In 2005, Walker built and moved into a brand new facility at Roane County’s newest industrial park, Roane Regional Business and Technology Park, when the process of demolishing the old K-25 building began in earnest. DTS’s  present facility houses one of the largest presses in the Southeast, runs three shifts, and employs more than 50 people. The company also operates a full apprenticeship program, recruiting from area schools and Roane State.

As a manufacturer of sheet metal stamping dies for the automotive, appliance, furniture and farm equipment industries,  DTS also aggressively sought out new business and most recently, landed six contracts with

Jennifer Hagan-dier was Guest Speaker

 companies who will be major suppliers of  the new VW operation in Chattanooga.  Over the past ten years – despite the recent hard times – only two employees have been laid off and those were only temporary.

 ”We are pleased to honor Dienamic Tooling Systems today,” Roane Industrial Board Chairman David Webb said during the well-attended annual industry appreciation event. “We appreciate Mike’s commitment to our county to grow his business here and to be such a good employer. We hope that DTS will continue to grow and become even more successful in the coming years.” 

Also honored at the appreciation event were Drs Sam and Carol Weaver for their beautification efforts in

David Webb, IDB Chair with Drs Sam and Carol Weaver

restoring the Old Smith House at Roane Regional for the corporate headquarters for their several business ventures.

Henderson said in announcing the award that the Weavers were honored for “the investment they have made in our community, as well as the respect they have shown for our history as they lovingly restored this truly beautiful and unique structure.”

The annual beautification awards were implemented five years ago by the Roane County Industrial Board in an effort to recognize those businesses that “go above and beyond” to exhibit a clean, aesthetically-pleasing appearance, Henderson said as she announced the award.

Education & Workforce Summit To Be Held Tomorrow

Attendees at the county-wide Education and Workforce Summit to be held tomorrow at the Roane State Community College Theater will learn about what’s being done on education and workforce issues, and be able to voice their opinions on these issues.  The summit will be held from 9 am through 2 pm, with lunch provided to all pre-registered participants complements of sponsor World Interactive Network (WIN) of Kingston.  If you have not registered but are interested in attending it is not too late – but you must arrive before 9 am tomorrow at the check-in station located in front of the theater.  

“This summit is about the importance of education, and the many programs in our schools that are supposed to give our students the best education possible; including educational programs and learning opportunities available after high school graduation,” said Allen Lutz, Education and Workforce Development Specialist for the Roane Alliance. “This summit is also about listening to what Roane County residents have to say about education and workforce issues,”

“We are a global community and our children are in competition with hundreds of thousands of college-educated Indians and Chinese, not just students from other parts of the US,” said Leslie Henderson, President/CEO of the Roane Alliance in explaining why wide participation at this Summit is so critical. “The jobs they need to prepare for are no longer available to those with few skills. Even manufacturing positions now require a year or two of post-secondary training. The world is high-tech now and we have to get prepared for it. Receiving education and training beyond high school is needed to be successful.”

Summit participants will be participating in group sessions on five different topics: 

• Early Childhood Education (Pre-K, Head Start, Literacy Program)
• Parental Involvement in Education
• Race to the Top (includes TN Diploma Project, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) information)
• Workforce Training and Post-Secondary Education
• Adult Enrichment Programs (education, work and social)

“These sessions are information-sharing and discussion meetings to identify our successes and explore opportunities for improvement.  Session topics reflect the importance of life-long learning,” says Danice Turpin, Chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce’s Education Committee and the Director of the Tennessee Technology Center at Harriman.

Buzz Thomas, the President of The Great School Partnership and the former Director of the Niswonger Foundation is the Summit’s keynote speaker.

“Dr. Toni McGriff, Director of Roane County Schools, recommended Thomas because he is an excellent and inspirational speaker, and is well-known within the educational community,” said Turpin.

McGriff said, “The education our students receive in school from K-12 is very important, but should not be the only place and time learning happens,” says McGriff. “Learning is a life-long process which begins before a child ever sets foot into a classroom. Learning should never stop; to be successful in today’s work environment, continued learning as an adult is necessary.”

“Dropouts,” said Matt Murray, economics professor and associate director of the Center of Business and Economic Research, at a recent Roane County Chamber luncheon, “is the single most important problem in this country.”  Roane County residents seem to agree. “Anyone not graduating [from high school] in my opinion is [one] too many,” was a common sentiment expressed by many Roane County residents who responded to an education/workforce survey conducted earlier this year. 

“The survey covered a wide range of topics from early childhood education to job training programs after high school graduation to adult and senior education programs,” says Turpin. “We wanted to hear from county residents their beliefs about how important educational activities and opportunities are within Roane County and how successful the county is in addressing them. We had an excellent response to the survey. The survey results will be presented at the Summit.”

“The need for our students to ‘graduate from high school’ was identified as the most important issue on the Education and Workforce Survey completed by more than 850 Roane County adult residents responding,” said Lutz.  “To achieve the Tennessee state goal of a 90% graduation rate, which counts all high school students, it will take a tremendous effort by teachers, parents, and students. The reality is that having even 10% of students not graduating is a tremendous loss to those individuals and our community.” 

The survey also asked about education and training after high school graduation and other workforce concerns. One area that respondents believe we can do better in is providing ‘training opportunities for unemployed, laid-off workers, or under-skilled workers.’   Representatives from Roane State Community College, Tennessee Technology Center at Harriman, and the Tennessee Career Center in Rockwood plan to address these concerns in the workforce session at the Summit.

The sponsors of The Education and Workforce Summit are: The Roane Alliance and its partner, the Roane County Chamber of Commerce; the Roane County Schools; Roane State Community College; Tennessee Technology Center at Harriman; and the Tennessee Career Center in Rockwood. 

This event is one of several components of The Alliance’s “Education Matters!” initiative, which is funded by the Knoxville Oak Ridge Innovation Valley – a regional economic development organization.

Roane Chamber Holds Home & Garden Show May 1

The Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Home & Garden Show on Saturday, May 1 from 11 am to 4 pm at Roane State.   Now in its 4^th year, this event gets bigger and better each year — and this year should be no exception.

Bluegrass music, food, arts and crafts vendors, and area businesses will be set up on the lawn at Roane State Community College.  Admission is free.  This year’s theme is ‘going green.’ Visitors will have the opportunity to get ideas about home improvement, home buying, gardening, a variety of services, and what every homeowner wants to know – how to save money while going green!  There will also be shopping opportunities for crafts, food, and more.

Sponsors for this event are Coldwell Banker, Enrichment Federal Credit Union, The Bridge 90.1FM, Roane County News, Valley Farmers Coop and Wal-Mart.

Want to promote your business at the show?  Vendor opportunities are still available – just call the Chamber at 865-376-5572 or visit the website for a vendor application at www.roanealliance.org/chamber/chamberevents/home&garden.html.

The event will be held outdoors to the right of the visitor entrance or in the event of rain it will be held in the RSCC gym.