Blount Partnership News and Events

 
 
If you or someone you know is looking for a job, please check out www.BlountAreaJobs.com. Additionally, if you need employees, please utilize the job board to advertise your open positions. Click here to get started.
 
Be sure to check out the 92nd installment of The Dialogue at the bottom of this email where we visit with a new Blount Chamber member. This week it is Lanny Cope, AIA, President of Cope Architecture.
 
STRUMMIN' AT CHAMBERRITAVILLE ON TUESDAY
Tuesday is ChamberRitaville, the Blount Chamber's largest networking event. You can still get your $10 ticket and join us August 22 from 4-6 p.m. at the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee (136 Harvest Lane, Maryville). There are a few display areas (4x4) are available. Don't forget to bring a door prize.

This summer casual-themed event is your best opportunity to meet many Chamber members from all sectors of the community in one location. Use this event to network and meet new people in the business community!

By the way, there's awesome food that we'll have. Check out these treats and goodies: ice cream cake by Diary Queen, Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets, Shoney's chicken tenders, Bananas Foster from Metz, wraps from Ruby Tuesday, sliders by All Occasion, Moe's chips/queso/salsa, Italian beef sandwich's with bini beefs from Windy City Grille. Cash bar with alcohol and non-alcoholic Chamberitta's.

Event sponsors are Epic Nine, Pinnacle Financial Partners, American Foundation & Basement Repair, PCS, AMR/Rural Metro and Dunlap RV

To get your tickets or sign up to give away door prizes please call the Blount Partnership at 865.983.2241 or email Amy.

 
GRANT WRITING AT PSCC
Pellissippi State Community College Libraries and Grant Writing USA will present a two-day grants workshop in Knoxville, August 24-25, 2017. This training is for grant seekers across all disciplines. Attend this class and you'll learn how to find grants and write winning grant proposals.

Beginning and experienced grant writers from city, county and state agencies as well as nonprofits, K-12, colleges and universities are encouraged to attend.

Multi-enrollment discounts and discounts for Grant Writing USA returning alumni are available. Tuition payment is not required at the time of enrollment.

Tuition is $455 and includes everything: two days of terrific instruction, workbook, and access to our Alumni Forum that's packed full of tools, helpful discussions and more than 200 sample grant proposals. Seating is limited, online reservations are necessary.
 
TASTE OF BLOUNT TICKETS ON SALE
Let the friendly competition begin. Taste of Blount, a collection of savory food favorites from restaurants, caterers and gourmet grocers, returns for its 16th year at the Theater in the Park in Maryville (across from the Blount County Courthouse) Thursday, Sept. 14 from 6-8 p.m.

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.

Vendors on hand at press time include Full Service BBQ, Lambert's Southern Pie & Bake Shop, Lemon Grass, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill, Rocky's Jamaica Sunrise, Roland's Bistro, Sullivan's, The Soup Kitchen, Vienna Coffee House, Gracie's, Shrimp Dock of Alcoa, Artistic Pop and Jamaerican Jerk Centre.

Ticket holders can try savory favorites and vote for their favorite appetizer, beverage, sandwich, main course, dessert, presentation and overall winner.
 
SUPERVISOR TRAINING
The Blount Partnership, along with the law firms of Wimberly Lawson and Lewis Thomason, is hosting a three-part supervisors training - human resource/legal seminar on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017 from 8:30-11 a.m. at the Blount Partnership office (201 S. Washington St., Maryville).

Topics to be covered include the avoiding liability from hostile work environment claims presented by Lynne Peterson of Lewis Thomason. Kurt Greene of Arrow G Consulting offers approaches, techniques and tips for managing conflicts between managers and employees. Finally, Howard Jackson of Wimberly Lawson Wright Daves & Jones will discuss workplace fairness and avoiding discrimination claims.

The cost is $50 per person for non-Chamber members and $25 per person for Chamber members. Register online or by phone at 865.983.2241. If a chamber member sends two more employees, registration is $20 per employee.
 
FINANCING THE SBA WAY
Join us August 31 at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) for Financing Your Business the SBA Way. This free seminar covers SBA loan options including which loan program meets a specific entrepreneurial need. The session begins with the 5 C's of credit including character, cash flow, collateral, capitalization and conditions. It then transitions to an overview of SBA's actual loan programs. Lastly, specific information will be shared about interest rates and repayment terms plus our participating lenders. Whether you are an existing entrepreneur or have given thought to starting a business, this seminar will put you ahead of the game in government guaranteed lending. Jacqueline Merritt, Small Business Administration, is the presenter. To register, please email or call Jacqueline Merritt or 615/736-7465.
 
NETWORK TRAINING CLASS
Do you want to make better connections? If so, then join us September 5 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) for a free network training class as Raeus Jae Cannon will show you how to quit making cold calls and drive more prospects. You'll learn tips and techniques that can be used before you leave the room. Email Amy if you wish to attend.
 
AUGUST MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS
The August Member-to-member promotions are here. Check out the new special deals from University Eye Specialists, Two Men and a Truck and King University. See these and other promotions at member-to-member promotions. New offers are being posted almost daily, 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 jmuir@blountpartnership.com. 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
 
REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL
Think local first + Buy local when you can = Being a local!
 
Small business owners strive to survive and one of the biggest advantages they have over large retailers is the ability to provide more personable, hands-on, and memorable customer service.
 
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
"Alone Again (Naturally)" by Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan topped the Billboard Hot 100 this week in 1972. In total, the single spent six weeks, non-consecutively, at No. 1. It ranked as the fifth most-popular song of the decade.

Events

 

August 21-27

 

 

August 28-September 3

 

 

Save the Date

 


You can access the entire calendar here to see other community events and submit your own.

The Dialogue

This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So here we go with our 92nd installment visiting with Lanny Cope, AIA, President of Cope Architecture which enjoys the process of guiding our clients through their building projects, listening and responding to their needs, and providing an exceptional product that they can be proud of.
 
Describe what Cope Architecture does. Cope Architecture is a full-service architectural design firm providing architectural design services as well as project management, interior design, master planning, and construction administration services. We are dedicated to offering the best professional services associated with the practice of architecture. We are committed to providing meaningful design, a skilled technical team, and impeccable client service. Our portfolio includes a wide variety of projects, including educational, commercial, correctional, judicial, institutional, health care facilities, conference centers, sports facilities, automobile dealerships, and industrial projects for various federal, state, local and private clients. We provide our services on large scale new projects as well as smaller scale projects including maintenance, re-roofing, additions, ADA compliance, feasibility and energy assessments, interior and exterior renovations, and open-ended Indefinite Delivery projects of a wide variety.
 
How did you get started? I founded the company in 1983 as an architectural firm serving Knox County and surrounding counties. Project types included hotels/motels, recreational sports facilities, commercial office buildings, retail developments, and automotive dealerships. I soon expanded into designing educational buildings for local and state governmental clients. The next markets I expanded into included federal government clients such as DOE, DOD, and the U.S. Postal Service.
 
What is your background? I received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tennessee in 1974 while working as an intern at several architectural offices in Knoxville. After graduation, I worked at Goodstein, Shore, Cope & Dozier, where I was named a principal of the firm. This experience gave me a firm foundation in the design of schools, commercial offices, retail, restaurants, and military facilities. During this time, I became a licensed architect in the state of Tennessee beginning in 1978. With my license and 10+ years of experience, I embraced my entrepreneurial spirit, followed my dream, and founded Cope Architecture in 1983.
 
Who is your mentor? I attribute much of my skill development to the principals at the Goodstein office where I worked for over 9 years, beginning as an intern architect and advancing through the ranks to become a principal share-holder. I was mentored by Mr. Goodstein in marketing skills, Mr. Binkley and Mr. Dozier in technical design skills, and Mr. Hahn in client management skills.
 
Describe your customers. Cope Architecture has a variety of client types from private individuals to school boards to federal procurement agencies. Our primary market segment is educational facilities, with this comprising over 50% of our current workload. Our educational clients vary from rural county school systems to Board of Trustees for our larger higher education clients. We believe client satisfaction is the truest measure of success and the most effective strategy for securing future work and we strive for that end in each and every project that we do. Most of our clients are in the governmental sector including local, state and federal governments. We have been very selective in our private sector clients in healthcare, automobile dealers, industrial clients, and in the hospitality industry.
 
Name three things you wish you knew when you started. 1. You cannot be successful without surrounding yourself with other very talented people. 2. Diversity of project types and clients is very important. 3. Do not chase small projects unless there is a big one behind it or some other compelling reason.
 
What do you enjoy about running Cope Architecture? No two days have been alike in 40+ years. Everyday is a new challenge. I enjoy the many different roles to play including marketing, administration, design and conceptual planning, legal matters, team management, and project management.
 
Premier and Presidential Partners