September2011Commerce

INSIDE: Q&A with Mike Edwards pg. 73 + Monthly Economic Indicators pg. 74

EDITOR LORI FULLER [email protected]

DESIGN LADDY FIELDS

WRITER JUSTIN KROPFF

CONTACT THE KNOXVILLE CHAMBER(865) 637-4550 www.knoxvillechamber.com

PRESIDENT & CEO MICHAEL EDWARDS

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RHONDA RICE

ECONOMIC [email protected]

FINANCE & [email protected]

[email protected]

WORKFORCE & [email protected]

CENTRAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (865) 246-2654 [email protected]

THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (865) 546-5887

TENNESSEE SMALL BUSINESSDEVELOPMENT CENTER (865) 246-2663

LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE(865) 523-9137

U.S. DEPT. OF COMMERCE EXPORT ASSISTANCE CENTER (865) 545-4637

NEW MEMBERS / NEW PREMIER PARTNERS

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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 relation-ships between the Knoxville Chamber, its members, and the community.

THE KNOXVILLE CHAMBER’S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

KNOXVILLE CHAMBER 68

SILVERAlliance Sotheby’s International Realty(865) 357-3232www.alliancesothebysrealty.comReal Estate, Residential Services: Moving/Relocation

Capitol Financial Group, LLC(865) 246-1725www.capitalfinancialgroupllc.comFinancial Services: Investments, PlanningInsurance: Employee Benefits, Property Casualty BRONZEHampton Inn & Suites - Downtown Knoxville(865) 522-5400www.hamptonknoxville.comHotels & Lodging

The Legacy Centre for Family Business and Entrepreneurship(865) 386-6248www.tnlegacy.comAssociations & Organizations Xpress Paper & Chemical, LLC(865) 688-5757www.xpaperchem.comDigital Copy/Print/Fax/Scan Equip. & Serv.

Activize Knoxville Chiropractic Clinic(865) 247-4202www.activizeknoxville.comHealthcare Providers & Services: Chiropractors

ASTD Smoky Mountain Chapter(865) 356-1911www.astdsmokymountain.orgAssociations & Organizations

Carleo Entertainment Group(865) 414-6050www.carleoentertainment.comEntertainment

Champion Roofing Services, Inc.(865) 332-0318www.hail-proof-roofs.comConstruction & Contractors: Roofing

Douglas J Aveda Institute(517) 449-2190www.douglasj.comPersonal Services: Salons & Spas

Fitness Together - Northshore(865) 357-8663www.ftnorthshore.comPersonal Services: Fitness & Well-being

Fitness Together - Hardin Valley(865) 249-7630www.fitnesstogether.com/hardinvalleyPersonal Services: Fitness & Well-being

M3 Audio, Video Systems Integration(865) 691-1124www.m3video.comAudio-Visual Services

Modeof8(865) 548-8341www.modeof8edleader.comBusiness & Professional Services

Republic Plastics(865) 522-8816www.republicplastics.comManufacturing: Plastics

Workspace Interiors and the Knoxville Chamber celebrated the grand opening of our ‘Collaboratory’ in July. The Col-laboratory is a meeting room located in the Chamber that provides technology, facilities, and an atmosphere for groups (open to Chamber members - subject to availability) to meet face-to-face or via video conference. Office furniture, flat screen TV’s, docking station, video con-ferencing, and room makeover were pro-vided by Workspace Interiors ($20,000 value). A special thanks to Workspace Interiors for this generous partnership. What’s more, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. donated a Keurig coffee machine and coffee. Thank you Green Mountain Coffee! Come by any time to check our new, innovative Collaboratory!

New York Life celebrated the grand opening of its new offices at 265 Brookview Centre Way, Suite 102 in July. Kyle Jahng, managing partner, is pictured center-right cutting the ribbon and is joined by associates, friends, and Knoxville Chamber Ambassadors.

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S THERESA MCMANUSTailored Method

DANIEL MONDAYSlamdot, Inc.

TIM ADKINSThe Rush Fitness Complex Corporate Office

Smoky Mountain Cheese, LLC(865) 773-0109www.smokymountaincheesellc.comFood & Beverage: Food/Food Service Distributors

The Market at Union & Gay(865) 977-8462www.themarketinknoxville.comShopping: Grocery

Thermal Label Warehouse(865) 694-4448www.thermallabelwarehouse.comManufacturing

TLD Logistic Services, Inc.(865) 539-1285www.tldlogistics.comTransportation


Congratulations, members! Because of you, in close partner-ship with our board of directors and staff, the most prestigious national award presented to chambers of commerce – American Chamber of Commerce Executives’ Chamber of the Year – now resides here in Knoxville! This award annually recognizes the top

chambers in the nation for organizational excellence including finances, member services, communications, engagement of volunteers, and making an impact on key community priorities. Chamber representatives including president and CEO Mike Edwards were on hand to accept the award during ACCE’s annual convention, which was August 4 in Los Angeles, Calif.

“It is a great honor to win this prestigious award,” said Edwards. “The Knoxville Chamber would not have received this recognition without the leader-ship and support of our board, staff, members, and community partners. It is a reflection of the tremendous assets of the Knoxville area and the passion of its business leaders.”

The Knoxville Chamber established a new vision for the organization and the community in 2009. To accomplish the goal of making Knoxville, TN America’s Best Business Address®, the Chamber’s board of directors and staff developed a new strategic plan. As a result, the Chamber has become a vocal advocate on issues important to the business community and the economic success of the region and is much more aggressive in the delivery of services to member businesses.

“This award validates the hard work the board of directors and the staff have done,” said Edwards. “The new, measurable strategic plan sets the organiza-tion on a path to excellence. The staff has designed new products and services including Chamber Member MD and Chamber Member Rx, www.iKnowKnox-ville.com, and has a renewed focus on public policy that are unique among all chambers of commerce.”

Also highly regarded by ACCE judges was the Chamber’s priority to trans-form the area’s public education systems. For instance, the Chamber played a leading role in the development of the Education Management Information Sys-tem that Knox County Schools has embraced, which will change how the school system operates and makes decisions.

“I think the EMIS will permeate way beyond the boundaries of Knox County and have an impact on education throughout Tennessee,” said Chamber Board Chair and Pilot Flying J Senior Vice President and Cheif Financial Officer Mitch Steenrod. “It’s going to help us elevate the region’s standards and outputs, which will support greater opportunities for our business community.”

The Knoxville Chamber submitted an extensive application that detailed its operations, products, and services and provided judges with examples of elec-tronic and printed communications, promotional brochures, the strategic plan, and other information. Applications were reviewed and graded by judges who included representatives of past chambers of the year. The Knoxville Chamber’s application received 191.5 points of a possible 200.

“The evaluation process now being used to select the ‘Chamber of the Year’ is a testament to the expanded role chambers play in strengthening the vitality

of their communities,” said Mick Fleming, president of ACCE. “We salute these chambers who are leaders in helping their member businesses grow and their com-munities succeed.”

The final part of the award selection process was an interview conducted in Los Angeles. A panel of chamber executives asked Mike Edwards and Rhonda Rice, executive vice president of the Knoxville Chamber, questions about the organiza-tion’s operations and vision. The Lincoln (NE) Chamber of Commerce was the other finalist for the award.

“The fact that the Chamber of the Year award is judged and selected by chamber professionals from across the country adds to its prestige,” said Edwards. “Indus-try peers have an understanding of the work the Knoxville Chamber does and an appreciation for the innovative products and services that we have developed over the past few years.”

(Edwards is this month’s Q&A interview. Read more about these innovative products and services, and the ACCE award process by turning to page 73.)

Among the products and services touted in the application were Chamber Member MD, a proprietary business analysis tool, and its counterpart, Chamber Member Rx. Chamber Member MD was developed to help companies examine their operations and identify areas that can be strengthened. Much like a personal health risk assessment, Chamber Member MD poses a series of questions allowing businesspeople to identify a company’s potential areas of concern. The accompa-nying recommendations, Chamber Member Rx, serve as a roadmap of programs and services that can help strengthen those weaknesses.

“The Knoxville Chamber is a tremendous resource and advocate for the business community and really all of us,” Knoxville Mayor Daniel Brown said during an Au-gust 10 celebration. “The Chamber is a great engine that helps drive the economic success of our city and county. It is dedicated to helping Knoxville and Knox County thrive.”

Innovation Valley, Inc., the region’s economic development program, is another example of the Knoxville Chamber’s innovative approach. While many chambers of commerce have a regional economic development focus, the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Innovation Valley effort is one of the few that brings together economic develop-ment agencies from across the area to work collaboratively.

“The achievement of Chamber of The Year is a true team effort,” said immedi-ate past chair of the Chamber board and Bandit Lites founder Michael Strickland. “The greater-Knoxville community, including each Innovation Valley partner, played a large role in achieving this prestigious milestone. For the last 18 months the entire community has worked together to truly make Knoxville America’s Best Business Address®. We should all be very proud of this moment. There are over 7,000 Chambers, and Knoxville is number one!”

ACCE annually presents the award to chambers in four categories based on annual revenues. The Knoxville Chamber is the winner in the largest category, marking the second time in three years that a city in Tennessee won the award in this category (Nashville won the award in 2009). ACCE is a national association serving individuals involved in the management of chambers of all sizes, and its mis-sion is to support and develop chamber professionals to lead their communities.


1. Current and past Chamber board chairs, respectively, Mitch Steenrod (left) and Michael Strickland2. Chamber Membership Department staff3. Knoxville Mayor Daniel Brown4. Chamber Finance, Operations, and Executive staff5. Pete and Rita Natour of Pete’s Coffee Shop6. Always Moore Janitorial Service’s Mary Yancey, Felecia Lyons, Delnise Moore and Anthony Manley7. Chamber Economic Development staff8. Innovation Valley, Inc. board chair and ORNL director Dr. Thom Mason

More photos can be seen at facebook.com/KnoxvilleChamber

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Via to @K_Chamber

Ackermann_PR A well-deserved honor. RT @K_Chamber: Thank you Chamber members & business community! #acce2011 Chamber of the Year is: @K_Cham-ber!!!

BlountEconDevCongrats to the good folks @K_Chamber for winning ACCE’s Chamber of the Year. Proud to be your partner in the #InnovationValley.

WendyStonebergeSo proud of my @K_Chamber friends, the new #ACCE2011 chamber of the year. Way to go @Field101 & the talented team. Making TN look great!

jfoster640 Jamie FosterCongrats to @K_Chamber on being awarded “Chamber of the Year.” The most prestigious national award presented to chambers of commerce.

joancronan Joan Cronan Congratulations to Knoxville Chamber on being selected #1 in America. Well deserved and I love winners!!

Via Email to Chamber Staff

Outstanding and so well deserved. I know I speak for everyone on the Board about how proud we are of the Chamber leadership in accom-plishing this achievement! – Terry Cowles, Deloitte LLP

CONGRATULATIONS!! The excellent work that the Knoxville Chamber is doing right now continues to amaze me. Thank you for all your good work for the community!! – Maribel Koella, NAI Knoxville

CONGRATS Chamber Team on a job well done!! Pass along to the entire staff…We all knew you were good, and now the whole country sees why Knoxville is America’s Best Business Address!! Yeehaw!! – Alan Hill, AT&T

Hard work always gets rewarded. Congrats to Mike, Rhonda, and every-one at the chamber. - Pete Natour and staff at Pete’s

Congratulations to you and everyone at the Knoxville Chamber for be-ing named the 2011 Chamber of the Year. This is a phenomenal achieve-ment that makes all of us in the Knoxville business community extreme-ly proud. – Dave Feather, Knoxville Ice Bears

What great recognition for Knoxville. It is no accident. The hard work pays off. Thanks for elevating Knoxville to such a lofty place! - Nathan Hunter, Pinnacle Financial

As they say, “there is no greater recognition, than to be acknowledged by one’s peers.” Congratulations on achieving All-Star Status! – Andy Dishner, TMSi

Congratulations on winning the #1 Chamber in the USA award. I’m sure your huge support of public education played a role. We appreciate the partnership. – Indya Kincannon, Chair, Knox County Board of Education

Via to Knoxville Chamber

Brixx KnoxvilleBrixx wants to congratulate the Knoxville Chamber for being recognized as the 2011 Chamber of the Year by the American Chamber of Commerce!

Downtown KnoxvilleCongrats to one of our partners, the Knoxville Chamber, for winning Chamber of the Year. Job well done!

Paula Harriss CoachingCONGRATULATIONS to our SUPER Chamber!!! SO proud of you! Go TEAM!

Mary Stephens-Bogert ROCK ON! This is AWESOME! We are so proud of you ALL!


PREMIER PARTNER PROFILE

WSI Oak RidgeThe mission of WSI Oak Ridge’s nearly 1,000 member team is to protect

the national security interests of the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Administration in Oak Ridge.

WSI has assembled a professional and diverse team comprised of people from the organization’s resources across the nation and two suc-cessful small businesses in East Tennessee, Critique, Inc. and PAI. WSI’s success is validated with an average performance rating in excess of 96 percent across the eleven years of its Oak Ridge contract.

WSI Oak Ridge is part of the WSI family that is nationally recognized as the industry leader in providing armed and un-armed security officers for federal, state, and local government facilities. Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., the company includes more than 12,000 employees working on five continents in protective services, fire and emergency services, facilities maintenance and base operations support services, demining and unexploded ordinance services, canine services, weapons remediation services, training support and services, and un-cleared security services.

The company’s focus on training and development is second to none with an emphasis on maintaining modern, cutting-edge training capabilities and training doctrine at the Oak Ridge Central Training Facility. Security Police Officers have the opportunity to train in a variety of real and simu-lated scenarios to ensure they are fully prepared to protect the valuable assets of the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Adminis-tration in Oak Ridge.

WSI Oak Ridge values the region in which it works and in which its employees live. The company works to be a strong corporate partner by supporting worthwhile charitable organizations such as, Make-A-Wish, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee, Junior League of Knoxville, United Way of Anderson County, Alzheimer’s Association, Methodist Medical Center Foundation, Hola Fes-tival, the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, and many more. In addition to financial contributions, WSI Oak Ridge has many employees who volunteer for these and other organizations throughout East Tennessee.

WSI Oak Ridge is honored to have served this region for the past 11 years and looks forward to a long history in East Tennessee.

Second Annual Innovation Valley Technology & Resource Showcase Held at the University of Tennessee

The second annual Innovation Valley, Inc. Technology and Resource Showcase sponsored by Pathway Lending, the University of Tennessee Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and University of Tennessee Center for Indus-trial Services was held August 3 at the University of Tennessee James A. Haslam, II Business Building. The showcase gives local companies a chance to learn more about the tech-nologies available through UT, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Y-12 National Security Complex. Guests also received information about available resources for business expansion and retention.

LED North America’s Andrew Wilhelm illustrated how partnering with ORNL has helped his company develop a product that will more than double the life of LED streetlights by incorporating ORNL-developed graphite foam that cools lighting fixtures more effectively.

“ORNL has been very good to work with,” Wilhelm said. “Its staff really wants to work with area companies to help us get our technology out into the marketplace.”

Innovation Valley technology resources include a premier research institution such as UT; the UT medical, veterinary and engineering schools; Y-12; and ORNL. In addition to these resources, some of the world’s best and brightest scientists reside and work in East Tennessee.

“The sole purpose of the technology showcase is to help local entrepreneurs and businesses connect with and leverage the technology resources available here,” said Innovation Valley, Inc. Director of Technology Jesse Smith.

Innovation Valley, Inc. is a partnership between the Knoxville Chamber, Blount County Chamber of Commerce, Loudon County Economic Development Agency, Oak Ridge Economic Partnership, The Roane Alliance, and Tellico Reservoir Devel-opment Agency. The organizations work together to help the region’s existing indus-try grow and prosper. IVI also works to attract new companies to East Tennessee. For more information about the collaborative visit www.knoxvilleoakridge.com.

Knoxville Receives Two Top Five Honors

Knoxville was recently highly ranked in both Busi-ness Facilities and Kiplinger magazines. In August, Business Facilities ranked the area No. 4 on its list of High Tech Hubs in the country. This ranking comes on

the heels of the magazine’s 2010 Editors’ Location Picks that designated Knox-ville a location that is, “re-inventing itself and staking a claim to leadership in the emerging industries of the 21st Century.”

This past July, Kiplinger named Knoxville as the No. 5 “Best Value City” in its 2011 listing. Kiplinger noted the Tennessee Valley Authority, the University of Tennessee, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory as technology-driven organiza-tions that helped the region avoid major impacts in the Great Recession. It also referenced “economic steadiness” that continues to help the area attract new business.

LED North America’s Andrew Wilhelm demonstrates ORNL’s new graphite foam cooled LED lighting during 2nd annual In-novation Valley, Inc. Technology Showcase


Knoxville Chamber President and CEO Mike Edwards was one of several Chamber representatives including immediate past Board Chairman Michael Strickland and current Chairman Mitch Steenrod, on hand to accept the Ameri-can Chamber of Commerce Executives’ Chamber of the Year Award during its annual convention last month in Los Angeles. The award winner was announced following an intense application process which led to an even more formidable “finalist” interview on the eve of the convention. During that interview, Edwards and Chamber Executive Vice President Rhonda Rice were asked questions about the application compiled by Chamber staff. Commerce recently sat down with Edwards to ask him about the application, the interview, and why Knoxville ultimately won.

Q: How confident were you that the Chamber had submitted a qual-ity application?

A: I was very confident and not surprised our application was looked upon favorably, because I knew that our staff had done a great job in compiling the necessary information that told a great story. The application included ample amounts of content and substance that held up through the verification process. It was mentioned to us shortly after receiving the award that the clarity and content of the application were outstanding. The face-to-face interview the day before the awards’ ceremony helped judges determine if our programs submit-ted in the application are truly embedded in our operational DNA. I believe each judge came away feeling confident they all are.

Q: How long did the interview last and how do you characterize the process?

A: The interview was limited to 30 minutes for each finalist. I’d say it was similar to a friendly deposition [Laughs.] It was a serious conversation but we felt very relaxed. Both Rhonda and I were hyper-aware of what was riding on the interview. The staff worked so hard on completing the application and we didn’t want to let them down. I had the sense that all employees, whether they were in L.A. or Knoxville, were anxiously awaiting the outcome. I was amazed to learn Chamber marketing staff members had assembled at the office around 10 p.m. Knoxville time the night the award winner was announced! They were excited about the outcome and additionally wanted to be ready to spread the good news.

Q: How much did the Chamber’s role in education play with regards to a competition differentiator?

A: It played a major role. It is helping us become a substantive force within

public education. For instance, we assisted with the development of the Educa-tion Management Information System, a data warehouse that ties all sources of student and system data together, which is enabling Knox County administrators and teachers to make data-supported decisions about the future direction of the school system and each individual student. Knox County’s EMIS is the first of its kind in the country.

Along with student and academic data, the system incorporates financial information. EMIS is vital to our area because it will enable school teachers and administrators to work smarter and more effectively in developing our future workforce.

Q: How impactful was the Chamber’s partnership with Innovation Val-ley, Inc.?

A: I think that ACCE judges understood that Innovation Valley partners act as peer economic development organizations. Unlike some regions, all IVI economic development agencies constantly work together for the greater good. We have developed unique and inclusive partnerships with the Blount Partnership, Loudon County Economic Development Agency, Oak Ridge Economic Partnership, The Roane Alliance, and Tellico Reservoir Development Agency.

Q: What other programs helped the Chamber stand out?A: I think our small business development programs really impressed. Judges

asked a lot of questions about Chamber Member MD and Chamber Member Rx and about technology enhancements required to manage these programs. The enhancements are allowing us to track an infinite number of companies and then in real-time provides us with feedback so we can monitor the program’s effective-ness.

Additionally, www.iKnowKnoxville.com is a game changer. Through this interac-tive and enhanced online business directory, all of our members receive tremen-dous value by being showcased through an optimized search engine in a way that is far more affordable than ever before.

Q: What does this recognition say to the Chamber’s critics?A: Well, for one, our critics often want to condemn us for only being focused

on big-business. But if you look at our work program, by far the most man hours are put into helping small businesses grow. Our peers have recognized this. We need to be better at communicating that fact here locally. Further, this award comes on the heels of our Four-Star Accreditation designation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Receiving both honors independent of the other within a 12-month period is a solid indicator that we’re doing something right.

WIT

HQ&APresident and CEO, Knoxville Chamber

MIKEEDWARDS

Monthly Economic Indicators (July 2011)

Workforce %Change %Change June’11- July’10-ResidentLaborForce July2011 June2011 July2010 July‘11 July‘11Knox Co. 240,840 243,340 235,200 -1.0 2.4Knoxville MSA 377,830 381,740 369,160 -1.0 2.3Tennessee 3,144,800 3,166,600 3,064,600 -0.7 2.6U.S. 154,812,000 154,538,000 155,270,000 0.2 -0.3 Non-AgEmployment Knoxville MSA 323,600 325,100 321,000 -0.5 0.8Tennessee 2,619,200 2,621,100 2,599,900 -0.1 0.7 AvailableLabor Knox Co. 20,090 21,350 19,520 -6.3 2.9Knoxville MSA 32,880 34,840 31,690 -6.0 2.9Tennessee 338,090 355,970 327,910 -5.3 3.1 UnemploymentRates Knox Co. 7.5 8.0 7.5 -0.5 0.0Knoxville MSA 7.9 8.3 7.7 -0.4 0.2Tennessee 9.6 10.2 9.6 -0.6 0.0U.S. 9.3 9.3 9.7 0.0 -0.4Sources: Tennessee Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development/U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Inflation Rates - Consumer Price Index (CPI) – All Items %Change %Change June’10- July’09- July‘10-‘11 June‘10-’11 July‘09-‘10 July‘11 July‘11*Southeast Region Avg. 4.2 4.1 1.1 0.1 3.1U.S. Avg. 3.6 3.6 1.2 0.0 2.4Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics *South – City Size Class B/C

Sales Tax Revenue – State & Local $ %Change %Change June’11- July’10-StateSalesTax July2011 June2011 July2010 July‘11 July‘11Knox Co. $48,216,085 $46,198,607 $43,500,047 4.4 10.8Knoxville MSA $67,753,483 $65,057,712 $61,370,272 4.1 10.4Tennessee $594,270,774 $554,963,608 $566,652,555 7.1 4.9 LocalSalesTax Knox Co. $13,759,091 $12,380,494 $12,168,201 11.1 13.1Knoxville MSA $18,977,590 $17,403,623 $17,241,920 9.0 10.1Source: Tennessee Dept. of Revenue

Retail Sales – National (inmillionsofdollars) %Change %Change June’11- July’10-Category July2011 June2011 July2010 July‘11 July‘11TotalRetailSales 392,442 396,577 368,462 -1.1 6.5Building Materials 26,084 30,510 25,183 -17.0 3.6Clothing Stores 17,950 17,608 16,907 1.9 6.2Electronics & Appliances 7,923 7,815 7,978 1.4 -0.7Food & Beverage Stores 53,122 51,574 49,926 3.0 6.4Food Svcs & Drinking Places 43,099 41,682 40,982 3.4 5.2Furniture & Home Furnishings 7,437 7,199 7,519 3.3 -1.1Gasoline Stations 48,551 47,321 40,016 2.6 21.3General Merchandise Stores 50,709 51,316 49,146 -1.2 3.2Health & Personal Care Stores 22,028 22,616 21,585 -2.7 2.1Miscellaneous Stores 10,170 10,523 9,476 -3.5 7.3Motor Vehicle & Parts Sales 69,910 70,747 67,087 -1.2 4.2Non-store Retailers 28,779 30,698 26,071 -6.7 10.4Sporting Goods/Books/ Hobby/Music 6,680 6,968 6,586 -4.3 1.4Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Advance Monthly Retail Trade Report

Notes - Knoxville MSA includes: Anderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon & Union Counties.

Housing Market %Change %Change June’11- July’10- July2011 June2011 July2010 July‘11 July‘11Residential Closings 897 897 780 0.0 15.0Residential Inventory 15,718 15,886 17,186 -1.1 -9.3Median Residential Price $149,500 $154,800 $146,800 -3.5 1.8Source: Knoxville Area Association of Realtors

Residential Building Permits %Change June‘10- June2011* June2010 June‘11Knoxville (City) Total 107 358 -234.6 Single-Family 18 14 28.6 Multi-Family 89 344 -286.5

Knox Co. Total 183 418 -112.6 Single-Family 84 74 13.5 Multi-Family 99 344 -247.5 Knoxville MSA Total 206 438 -112.6 Single-Family 107 94 13.8 Multi-Family 99 344 -247.5 Tennessee Total 1,217 1,757 -44.4 Single-Family 908 968 -6.6 Multi-Family 309 789 -155.3

*All 2011 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

Air Service (McGhee-Tyson Airport) %Change %Change June’11- July’10- July2011 June2011 July2010 July’11 July’11Passengers 176,616 175,217 162,542 0.8 8.7Cargo 7,555,184 7,865,705 7,839,741 -4.1 3.8

Source: Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority

Census 2010 Data Releases - Housing Units Occupancy Status Census2010 Total Occupied VacantCounty Population HousingUnits HousingUnits HousingUnitsAnderson 75,129 34,717 31,253 3,464Blount 123,010 55,266 49,265 6,001Knox 432,226 194,949 177,249 17,700Loudon 48,556 21,725 19,826 1,899Union 19,109 8,958 7,391 1,567MSA 698,030 315,615 284,984 30,631

Source: U.S. Census Bureau



Igawaga, Inc.’s Dorothy Roddy wanted to return the favor. She had been provided

help as a young businessperson, and now she is giving back by mentoring Barbara Clark of Clark, Brown and Waters, as a part of the Chamber’s PROPEL Mentor/Protégé program. The irony however is that sometimes the giver is also the receiver. Roddy has received a great deal from Clark including the realization that the American Dream is still alive and well.

“Barbara has overcome being a single mother, law school challenges, and moving from Mississippi in order to become a corporate law-yer,” Roddy said. “This takes courage beyond counting. We’ve developed a new friendship that extends beyond the mentoring program. I so admire Barbara.”

Clark’s law firm specializes in broad areas of practice to accommodate

many clients. She plans to incorporate media-tion into her practice. She is also focused on cutting overhead, and she will continue to reach out to Roddy for support.

“It’s very important to have those success-ful businesspersons in my life who can give me pointers,” Clark said. “Dottie is helping me realize how to be more successful at what I do.”

Igawaga, Inc.’s employees and principals have developed properties and partnered with clients on real estate investments totaling over $150 million during the past 10 years. The company works diligently with clients to obtain difficult financing and provides investment focus.

For more information about PROPEL’s Mentor/Protégé Program, call Doug Minter at (865) 246-2662 or email him at [email protected].

PROPEL MENTOR/PROTÉGÉ PROFILEProtégé: Barbara Clark, Clark, Brown and Waters Mentor: Dorothy Roddy, Igawaga, Inc.

Igawaga, Inc.’s president and mentor Dorothy Roddy and protégé Barbara Clark, Clark, Brown and Waters

Knoxville mayoral candidates Ivan Harmon, Joe Hultquist, Mark Padgett, and Madeline Rogero shared their visions of increasing regional economic develop-ment during a mayoral debate hosted by the Chamber and held at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium July 28. Underwriters of the debate were Aqua-Chem, the Knoxville News Sentinel, and Toyota/Lexus of Knoxville. The debate was emceed by WBIR-TV anchors John Becker and Robin Wilhoit. Candidates answered business-related questions from a panel, audience members, and via Twitter.

The debate allowed the Chamber to organize an event that focused on busi-ness issues – issues that ultimately lead to the creation and retention of jobs in the Knoxville region.

“Businesses provide the jobs that support families in the city and contribute a significant amount to taxes,” said Chamber Vice President of Policy/Public Rela-tions Garrett Wagley. “City voters need to understand the candidates’ positions on issues important to the business community.”

The debate was broadcast live on WBIR-TV and NewsTalk 98.7 FM. The chamber encourages all area businesspeople to vote during the city’s early

voting period, September 7 through the 22, or on election day, which is Septem-ber 27.

Underwritten by:

Debate Focuses on Business Issues

News Anchors John Becker and Robin Wilhoit welcome guests at the July 28 debate. candidates (L) and panelists (R) prepare for the discussion.

PREMIER PARTNER PROFILE

Alstom Knoxville Environmental Control SystemsWorld’s Largest Air Pollution Control Company


Today, Alstom’s Environmental Control Systems business, which has been headquartered in Knoxville since 1920, is the world’s largest air pollution con-trol company.

The business originally produced mechanical particulate collectors and fans to remove soot and ash from early power plants and industrial facilities. Over 90 years later, Alstom’s ECS team delivers advanced technology to lower the environmental impact of electricity production and industrial processes.

Alstom’s Knoxville team specializes in bringing down costs associated with installing and operating emission control systems. For customers, that means flexibility to focus on delivering clean, reliable electricity.

“The technologies Alstom has developed in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act regulations have important environmental benefits that contribute to public health and safety,” according to James Yann, Managing Director, Alstom Power’s North American Environmental Control Systems business.

Research and development is a key focus area for Alstom’s U.S. ECS busi-ness, which includes teams of engineers and technologists pursuing innova-tions in the management and maintenance of Air Quality Control Systems.

Carbon Capture and Storage, or CCS, is just one of the technologies Alstom is pursuing to lower the environmental impacts of power generation. Knoxville is the North American base of operations for the company’s develop-ment of CCS processes. To date, Alstom has played a central role in several major CCS projects that demonstrated the ability to capture up to 90 percent of the CO2 emitted from fossil fuel power plants.

In addition to delivering new technologies, Alstom’s operations in Knoxville are poised to play a role in creating new U.S. jobs. In March of 2011, Yann testified before two U.S. Senate subcommittees that new air pollution control projects could create up to 150,000 jobs over 5-6 years.

With 93,500 employees in 100 countries, Alstom is a global leader in clean technology innovations for power generation, rail transportation, and power transmission. The company’s U.S. team is more than 6,000 strong and has a presence in 47 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.alstom.com/us.

Knoxville Chamber Membership Development Manager Ashleigh Adkins has received national recogni-tion from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, the national association for Chambers of all sizes.

She received the Gold Circle of Champions Lifetime Achievement Award from the organization for pro-ducing 1,000 memberships or over $500,000 during her eight years with the Knoxville Chamber. She received the honor at the ACCE National Convention in Los Angeles in early August.

Adkins was also honored during this year’s convention as the 10th ranked account executive in the coun-try for 2010. Adkins helped 153 area businesses realize how to take advantage of the Chamber’s multi-tiered dues system.

“We are very proud of Ashleigh’s accomplishments and recognition,” said Mark Field, Chamber Senior Vice President of Membership. “She is an integral part of the Chamber’s staff and we are fortunate to have such a dedicated sales professional representing us in the community.”

Adkins Receives Gold Lifetime Achievement Award

Business After Hours at the News Sentinel Open presented by Pilot

Comcast sponsored a recent Business After Hours at the News Sentinel Open presented by Pilot. Attendees enjoyed VIP access to the Fox Den Country Club clubhouse and watched play at the 18th hole from the balcony on the opening day of the longest standing Nationwide Tour golf tournament.

Door prizes were also given out during the News Sentinel Open event. The winners were:

Ray Bell, Standard Kitchen & Bath – $135 Visa gift card courtesy of Com-cast

Monica Sheppard-Viator, Kelly Services and Jill Green, LBMC – pair of Bris-tol Motor Speedway Food City 250 tickets

Mitzi Rouse, WBIR-TV – two tickets and hospitality passes to News Sentinel Open presented by Pilot

Sponsored by:

Chamber Membership Development Manager Ashleigh Adkins receives ACCE’s Gold Circle of Champions Lifetime Achievement Award from ACCE president Mick Fleming


DiPietro Asks for Business SupportUniversity of Tennessee president Dr. Joe DiPietro

recently spoke to Chamber Premier Partners about how the area’s business community can help the university support the Complete College Tennessee Act, the university’s relationship with Oak Ridge Na-tional Laboratory, and UT’s Cherokee Farm innovation campus. The event was cosponsored by Rentenbach Constructors, McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects

and Interior Designers, and BarberMcMurry Architects. Jason’s Deli catered the breakfast.

Dr. DiPietro said the business community should continue to support the Com-plete College Tennessee Act because it will graduate more people more quickly, produce a trained workforce, and move Tennessee forward. This comprehensive reform agenda is transforming public higher education through changes in aca-demic, fiscal, and administrative policies at the state and institutional level. The act is helping establish the direct link between the state’s economic development and its educational system.

The old system allocated resources based on enrollment. The act shifts alloca-tion so that it is that now determined by the number of graduates. Dr. DiPietro says local politics is the only way the initiative could lose ground.

“We believe performance counts and think it’s better to reward us on mea-surements that increase the number of college graduates we produce,” he said.

Dr. DiPietro also said the university will continue to forge a strong partnership with ORNL because the proximity to the lab is a distinct advantage for UT-Knox-ville. The new Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education is a result of this partnership. It affords students unique opportunities to train at both a top research university and a national lab.

“I believe there are very few University presidents around the country that wouldn’t almost kill to have ORNL proximal to their campus,” said Dr. DiPietro. “We need to continue to build on this relationship in order to grow our research program and train graduate students.”

BarberMcMurry Architects’ Kelly Headden, Rentenbach Constructor’s Donald Freeman, UT president Dr. Joe DiPietro, McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects’ Doug McCarty and Chamber president and CEO Mike Edwards

In addition to supporting the Complete College Tennessee Act and a stron-ger relationship between UT and ORNL, Dr. DiPietro urged business leaders to continue to tout UT’s Cherokee Farm, which will position the university and the state as one of the world’s most competitive areas for collaborative research. Drawing on established leadership in neutron research, materials science, computational science, and energy independence and sustainability, Cherokee Farm will be a living laboratory where private and public research partners – including ORNL – work together in an effort to utilize their resources to battle the world’s toughest challenges.

For more information about the Premier Partners program or Premier Part-ners events, contact Michelle Kiely at (865) 637-4500.

Chamber Executive Vice President Rhonda Rice presented at the Southern Economic Devel-opment Council’s annual conference held August 15-17 in Asheville, NC. The event, co-presented by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Eco-

nomic Development Administration and the Department of Labor’s Employment Training Administration, was entitled Pathways to Success: From Ideas, Innova-tions and Talent Development to Jobs. This opportunity enabled Rice to share the strategies that the Innovation Valley uses to promote competitiveness and job growth throughout the country via innovative practices and partnerships to economic development professionals from around the nation.

“It was very flattering to have the Economic Development Administration refer to the Innovation Valley as a model of success for regional partnerships and ask

us to participate in its conference,” Rice said. “To be able to showcase the unique opportunities and resources we have in our region is a testimony to the organiza-tion and each of the Innovation Valley partners.”

The Innovation Valley strategic plan includes long-term goals that cannot be met overnight. However, organization partners continue to see daily increases in name and brand recognition that help perpetuate their efforts that are helping increase economic successes in this region.

The Southern Economic Development Council is an 830-member professional association composed of a broad cross-section of active and influential eco-nomic developers from business and industry, utilities, transportation, financial and education institutions, chambers of commerce, and local, regional and state development agencies. Members in the 17-state area share a common interest of promoting and enhancing the profession of economic development.

Innovation Valley Inc. Shares Regional Model at Annual SEDC/EDA Conference

UPCOMING EVENTS


Go to “Chamber Events” on knoxvillechamber.com to learn more or registerfor any of these events. You may also call the events line, (865) 246-2622.

SEPTEMBER 8Business After Hours @ LBMC5 – 7 p.m., 10024 Investment Drive

Sponsored by:

SEPTEMBER 14Bright Ideas “Say It Simply: Make Your Message Stick”Presented by Ellen Kern, Stand & Deliver11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., 17 Market Square, #201$25 for chamber members/$35 for non-members

Sponsored by:

SEPTEMBER 27Exclusive Premier Partner Event w/ Coach Cuonzo Martin4:30 – 5:30 p.m., Ray Mears Room, Thompson Boling Arena

Sponsored by:

SEPTEMBER 29Schmoozapalooza V4 – 7 p.m., Turkey Creek Public Market$10 (Chamber members receive a $5 discount for pre-registering online prior to 9/27)

Say It Simply: Make Your Message StickPresented by: Ellen Kern, Stand & DeliverWednesday, September 14 • 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.$25 for Chamber Members/$35 for Non-Members (includes a boxed lunch)

Whether it’s a memo, email or presentation, is your message clear and easy to understand? Ellen Kern, owner of Stand & Deliver leads this interactive workshop in which you’ll learn the keys to writing and delivering meaningful mes-sages. Paper and pen is recommended, as is a laptop or iPad in order to actively participate in this lunchtime session.

To register, go to “Chamber Events” on knoxvillechamber.com or call the events line at (865) 246-2622.

Sponsored by:

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTHVice President of Mem-bership Services Melissa Spangler presents Economic Development Project Man-ager Kyle Touchstone with July’s Chamber Employee of the Month award

DOOR PRIZESPONSOR

September2011Commerce

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