We are just 10 days away from the Best of Blount Awards (See below for more info). So, get your tickets at the Clayton Center for the Arts for $30. It will be a great show as we honor the best of Blount County over the past year and enjoy the comedic impressions of Frank Caliendo.

 

Please come out to the Art of Cakes Bakery - Ribbon Cutting/Grand Opening on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 10 a.m. Let's welcome them to Chamber in a big way.

 

COMEDIAN FRANK CALIENDO TO PERFORM AT BEST OF BLOUNT AWARDS

Comedian, actor and impressionist Frank Caliendo will perform at the Best of Blount Awards on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at Maryville College's Clayton Center for the Arts. All ticket sales are being handled at the Clayton Center for $30.

 

Caliendo is best known for his work on the Fox Network television series MADtv, and as the in-house prognosticator for Fox NFL Sunday. In 2007 and 2008, he performed his impersonations on his own show, Frank TV, which aired on TBS. He is known for his impressions of Charles Barkley, NFL color commentator John Madden, sportscaster Jim Rome, comedian Robin Williams, actors Morgan Freeman and William Shatner, and United States Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

 

The Best of Blount, which focuses on the Blount County community as a whole rather than only on the business sector, celebrates those individuals and businesses that give their time and resources to make this area an outstanding place to live and work. Awards will be given for Philanthropist of the Year, Community Impact Award, Bright Future Award, Business of the Year and the Tourism Award.

 

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY IS COMING

The Blount County Chamber is participating in Small Business Saturday on November 28. It's a day to celebrate the local businesses that make our community great -- and anyone can join in, from business owners to shoppers to government officials.

 

The day was setup to help businesses with their most pressing need -- getting more customers. The day encourages people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The single day has grown into a powerful movement, and more people are taking part than ever before.

 

If your small business is interested in participating, please email Amy. We are trying to get the word out about shopping locally at the beginning of the holiday season.

 

ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE

In recent years, the Blount County Chamber of Commerce annual meeting was held in conjunction with an anniversary celebration and networking event for our members during January. As the event became more of a social gathering rather than a business meeting, the business portion was removed from this event.

 

The annual meeting of the corporation will now be held in conjunction with the regular meeting of the Board of Directors in November each year. This year's meeting is set for Nov. 9 at 11:30 a.m. at the Blount Partnership office located at 201 S. Washington St., Maryville, Tenn. There are currently no items on the agenda for the annual meeting other than the regular report made by President/CEO Bryan Daniels.

 

Mark your calendar for attend the Anniversary Celebration set for Jan. 29, 2016 at the Hilton Knoxville Airport. This event promises to be one of the largest networking events in the area.

 

REGISTRATION CONTINUES FOR FINAL SOFT SKILLS SESSION OF 2015

It's Your Career! That's the focus of free soft skills sessions offered in partnership by the Blount County Public Library, the Adult Education Foundation of Blount County and the Blount County Chamber of Commerce that are scheduled over the next nine months.

 

Registrations are currently being accepted for "Working Smarter: Keys to Career Success," on Nov. 20. More classes will be offered in the spring, so be sure to check back for complete details.

 

With more and more millennials entering the workforce, employers have noticed many workers in a variety of professions are lacking in several areas, including problem solving, conflict resolution and critical observation. But, even though they possess the hard skills to get an interview, it's the important soft skills that will land the job and help them keep it.

 

All classes are conducted at the library located at 508 N. Cusick in Maryville and limited to 30 participants. Those interested must register online. A complete class description is located on the registration site. All classes run from 8-10 a.m. with networking beginning at 7:30 a.m.

 

REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL

Think local first + Buy local when you can = Being a local!

 

Local businesses in city and town centers require comparatively little infrastructure investments, add more to our tax base and make more efficient use of public services.

 

Find what you're looking for in the Chamber Directory.

 

CHAMBER BENEFIT OF THE WEEK

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GOT AN EVENT OR NEWS? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT

Is your organization hosting an event in the community? Submit it here on our community calendar. If it's a tourism event, please email Ashlee so she can post it on www.SmokyMountains.org.

 

Also, please send us any news releases or good news about your business. We'd love to share it with the community.

 

REMEMBER WHEN

This week in 1980, a one-hit wonder topped the Billboard Music charts as "Pop Muzik" by M. It was one of the first new wave synthpop songs that would dominate the radio over the next two years.