Blount Partnership News & Events

 
HERE'S A UNIQUE WAY TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS 
Only a few spots remain for the Blount County Chamber's 2015 afternoon mixers and coffee clubs. The two dates for the mixers, which are held from 3:45-5 p.m., are July 9 and October 8. The two dates for coffee clubs, which are held from 7:45-9 a.m., are July 30 and October 29. The cost is $300 to sponsor at your location. You are responsible for the coffee cups, napkins, coffee, juice and refreshments. The Chamber is responsible for advertising. Email Amy if you are interested in hosting.
 
Be sure to check out our Chamber member profile on Priority Ambulance below the calendar of events in this e-newsletter.
 
IS YOUR BUSINESS GOOGLE-IZED?
You'll want to take advantage of this FREE class offered by the Tennessee Small Business Development Center. Certified Google Inbound Marketing Specialists will show you how to use Google to improve your online presence. The three-hour class takes place Wednesday, October 1 at the Pellissippi State Blount County Campus from noon-3 p.m. Bring your lunch for an eat, meet and greet from 11:30 a.m.-noon. Register here for this class.
  • Learn how to optimize your Google presence and develop an online and inbound marketing strategy.
  • Learn what Google really favors for proper SEO, blogging, and social media promotions.
  • Discover useful tools to create lead generation campaigns and take advantage of mobile opportunities and learn more about "Google My Business" interface.
GET YOUR AD IN BASICALLY BLOUNT
You'll want to get your ad in the 2015 Basically Blount lifestyle magazine and membership directory. This annual, full-color periodical includes intriguing stories and area photography that highlight the best of Blount County, plus your business. It also has a color-coded directory and buyer's guide of all Chamber Members.
 
The publication, which is a commemorative over-sized magazine, is distributed throughout the area and is an excellent resource for you to promote your business to customers seeking goods and services from area businesses. Check out the media kit for more information.
 
GET TICKETS FOR BLOUNT COUNTY'S LARGEST NETWORKING EVENT
Tickets are on sale for $10 for the Spooktakular Party at Primetime Oct. 28 at Maryville College's Alumni Gym. This Halloween-themed event is your best opportunity to meet many Chamber members from all sectors of the community in one location. Instead of standing at a booth, like a traditional trade show, you can use this event to network and meet new people in the business community!
 
Over 170 business are on board, so get your tickets by calling the Blount Partnership at 865.983.2241 or email Amy.
 
TICKETS ON SALE FOR BEST OF BLOUNT AWARDS
The Blount Excellence Awards have been renamed the Best of Blount Awards, and 2014 marks the first time the awards will focus on the Blount County community as a whole, rather than only on the business community. Hosted by The Blount Partnership for over 10 years, the Best of Blount will now celebrate those individuals and businesses that give their time and resources to make our county such a great place.
 
The event will be the evening of November 6 at the Clayton Center for the Arts, with a reception starting at 5:15 p.m. The awards ceremony and speaker starts promptly at 6:30 p.m., with awards presented in five categories: Business of the Year, Philanthropist of the Year, Community Impact Award, Bright Future Award and Tourism Award. Each will be given to a peer-nominated business or individual, with each nomination vetted and reviewed by an independent committee. Nominees do not have to reside inside Blount County, but must have made an impact on the Blount County community over the last 12 months.
 
Our special guest for the evening will be Robert O'Neill, a member of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. One of the most highly decorated veterans of our time, he has deployed more than a dozen times and held combat leadership roles in more than 400 combat missions. He has been involved in some of our nation's most important campaigns.
 
Mr. O'Neill is speaking on behalf of Your Grateful Nation, a non-profit corporation that is dedicated to supporting our special operation heroes and their families by providing executive-level mentoring, transitional services and family stabilization support.
 
Schedule
5:15-6:15 p.m. - Heavy hors d'oeuvres reception
6:30 p.m. - Awards Ceremony
7:00 p.m. - Special guest Robert O'Neill
 
Tickets are on sale by calling 865.983.2241 or online
$45 - Chamber Member & General public with heavy hors d'oeuvres
$35 - Chamber VIP Member include heavy hors d'oeuvres (Must call Chamber to reserve)
$25 - Chamber Member & General public without heavy hors d'oeuvres
 
BUT FIRST LET ME TAKE A #SELFIE
Now's your opportunity to be featured during the 2015 Blount Partnership Annual Meeting set for Jan. 30 at the Airport Hilton. We want your selfies. Any selfie of you, taken any time and any place. (Please take your pictures safely; especially not while driving.)
 
How it Works:
Be a part of our selfie collage by following these 3 easy steps:
1. Take a selfie
2. Tag #BPAM2015
3. Post your pic to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or email.
Don't forget to use the #BPAM2015 tag on ALL your selfies and look for them at the Annual Meeting!
 
GOT AN EVENT? 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 I'm going back 50 years when the late Roy Orbison topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week in 1964 with his hit, "Oh, Pretty Woman." Recorded on the Monument Records label in Nashville, the song spent three weeks at number one. In 1999, the song was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and was named one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
OH, PRETTY WOMEN - ROY ORBISON
OH, PRETTY WOMEN - ROY ORBISON

Events
Sept. 29-Oct. 5

 

 

Oct. 6-12

 

 

Save the Date

 


You can access the entire calendar here to see other community events and submit your own.
Don't forget to check out the Hot Deals brought to you from other Chamber members. Add your Hot Deal by emailing Amy to get your login info.

Priority Ambulance offers quality medical transport to Blount County

 

Priority Ambulance's Blount County leadership team stands with its state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Ambulance. From left to right are Vice President of Tennessee Operations Rob Webb, Shift Supervisors Andrew Cook, Neal Stone, Judy Cole and Brian Tipton, and Director of Blount County Operations Ron Parker. 
In early 2014, Priority Ambulance, a medical transport company that serves Tennessee, Alabama and New York, became the only national ambulance company to locate its corporate headquarters in East Tennessee. Priority Ambulance established an office in Blount County in May, hiring more than 20 of the best local EMTs and paramedics, including several familiar Blount County faces for the local leadership team.

 

Longtime Blount County resident Rob Webb is Priority Ambulance's vice president of Tennessee operations. Webb has more than 27 years of experience in emergency medical services in East Tennessee and is currently completing his second term on the Blount County School Board. He has been appointed twice by the governor to serve on the Tennessee Emergency Medical Services Board.

 

Ron Parker, director of Blount County operations, is a Blount County resident with nearly 30 years of experience in local emergency medical services. He most recently was market general manager and head of operations for Rural/Metro's Blount County EMS operations.

 

"Our company motto is: 'Our community. Our priority'," Webb said. "We have invested in Blount Count by bringing in new Mercedes ambulances that are the best equipped emergency vehicles on the road; we recruited top-notch local employees and offered them the opportunity to grow their careers as our company continues to expand; and we offer our customers a team of expert EMTs and paramedics who are equipped to provide the highest level of medical care available."

 

In Blount County, Priority Ambulance provides pre-scheduled ambulance services to patients who are not in an emergency situation but require a higher level of care during transportation. Comfort and safety is Priority's No. 1 goal during these transports. For nonemergency transports to and from nursing homes, assisted living facilities, doctor's visit, dialysis treatments and medical facilities, Priority Ambulance's skilled, friendly EMTs and paramedics offer hypoallergenic blankets and pillows and a DVD player loaded with classic television shows for longer trips.

 

In addition to a commitment to quality care, Priority Ambulance also is devoted to supporting worthy community causes and promoting awareness of public health issues.

 

"We know that we best serve our community when we are connected to the causes and organizations that matter to our patients and their families," Webb said.

 

Priority Ambulance has provided stand-by emergency service, first-aid and sponsorship to local community events such as the Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival & Games, the East Tennessee Kidney Foundation Lucky Kidney Run, East Tennessee Kidney Foundation Christmas in July Blanket Drive and the Blount County Chamber of Commerce's "Pigs & Politics" Legislative Day.

 

In East Tennessee, Priority Ambulance also provides nonemergency service to Knox County and is the preferred emergency and nonemergency ambulance provider to the cities of Loudon and Lenoir City in Loudon County.

 

Premier and Presidential Partners