It's Taste of Blount week, so get your tickets and join us Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at the Theater in the Park as 21 local vendors bring you samples of their delicious food, drinks and desserts.

 

Managers are also invited to attend Supervisor Training this Friday from 8:30-11 a.m. More information is listed below.

 

Mark your calendar for the Chamber Social hosted by Life Care Center of Blount County, Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 3:45 p.m. Earlier that day, there is a seminar on how to get the most from your chamber membership from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Blount Partnership.

 

Job listings for DENSO have been added to BlountAreaJobs.com, so check it out if you're looking for a career move.

 

Read our 39th and 40th installments of The Dialogue at the bottom of this email where we visit with Kurt Greene, chair for Vistage Worldwide, Inc. and John Watson, president of Common Grounds Landscape Management, Inc.

 

TASTE OF BLOUNT TICKETS ON SALE

Savor some of the best food in Blount County at the 15th annual Taste of Blount set for Thursday, September 8, 2016, from 6-8 p.m. at the Theater in the Park in Maryville next to the Blount County Court House. View vendors and menu.

 

Tickets, which are $25 for Blount County Chamber members, $30 for the public and $15 for students 17 and under or those with a college or student ID, are available at the Chamber office (201 S. Washington St., Maryville, Tenn.), by phone 865.983.2241 or online. Tickets are available at the door the night of the event on a cash-only basis.

 

For an additional $10, patrons 21-years or older are invited to sample locally crafted spirits and beers. Tickets are available at the event only.

 

Ticket holders can try savory favorites from local restaurants, caterers and gourmet grocers in addition to voting for their favorite appetizer, main course, sandwich, dessert, beverage, presentation and overall winner.

 

SUPERVISOR TRAINING SET FOR SEPT. 9

Running a business is more than dollars and cents; there's a legal element that many human resource professionals, supervisors and managers deal with on a daily basis. To that end, the Blount Partnership, along with the law firms of Wimberly Lawson and Lewis Thomason, is hosting a three-part supervisor training - human resource/legal seminar on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016 from 8:30-11 a.m. at the Blount Chamber office located at 201 S. Washington St., Maryville, Tenn.

 

Topics to be covered include the top seven mistakes employers make that lead to legal trouble presented by Janet Hayes of Lewis Thomason, conflict management presented by Stacy Myers of Advanced Management, Inc., and what supervisors need to know about harassment, retaliation and discrimination given by Howard Jackson of Wimberly Lawson, Wright, Daves & Jones PLLC.

 

The cost is $50 per person for non-Chamber members and $25 per person for Chamber members. Register by phone at 865.983.2241. Register Here.

 

CHAMBER BOARD NOMINATIONS OPEN

The Blount County Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for two positions (Member At-Large 3-year term, One-Year Director) for its 2017 Board of Directors until Sept. 12, 2016. Please complete the online form of an individual you think would make a good board member.

 

THERE'S GOOD STUFF IN THE MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS

Check out the updated member-to-member promtions for September. New offers are being posted weekly, so check out the Blount County Chamber of Commerce Member-to-Member promotions online. This Member-to-Member Promotional Program offers you and your company the opportunity to market your products and services to the membership.

 

Here's how it works:
1. Submit a PDF of a service, product or discount you'd like to offer to the Chamber membership to [email protected]. Be sure to include an expiration date.
2. An email with all the promotions will be sent out on the final Monday of every month to our member database.
3. All promotions will be posted on www.BlountChamber.com

 

3 QUICK TIPS FOR YOUR BUSINESS' INSTAGRAM

If you have already created an Instagram account for your business but are looking for a few ways to use it to your business' benefit, SLN is here to help! Here are 3 quick tips to get your followers to interact with your content. Read more here.

Learn more about marketing your small business in a digital world, ask questions about social media, and take the time to discuss future campaign ideas. What are you waiting for? It's free with your chamber membership. Schedule your FREE session today.

 

If you have any questions regarding your free digital marketing member benefit ( Save Local Now), your digital platform, or online marketing in general please reach out the Blount Chamber's Rachel Coffman. She is here to help you in the year ahead and will keep you on track as you fulfill your resolutions in 2016.

 

REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL

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

 

You'll strengthen your community. Local businesses are owned by people who live in your town, go to your church or synagogue, donate to local animal shelters, coach Little League teams. When you spend money in their stores and cafes, you support your neighbors.

 

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

 

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

"People Got to Be Free," by The Rascals was in the middle of a five-week run atop the Billboard Music Charts this week in 1968. Tt is a musically upbeat but impassioned plea for tolerance and freedom.