Check out the latest edition of The Dialogue in this email. This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So, here we go with our 131st installment visiting with Carlton Hackney an Affiliate Broker / REALTOR® at Realty Executives Associates.

 

COFFEE CLUB AT REGIONS BANK

Join us for the first coffee club of the year at Regions Bank in Midland Plaza (216 Calderwood St., Alcoa) on Thursday, January 31 from 7:45-9 a.m. Coffees are designed to offer our members the opportunity to build business relationships with other members and to gain exposure for their business or organization in an "open house" setting. Coffees are open to anyone associated with a Chamber member business. Participation is not reserved to the representative(s) listed on the Chamber membership.

 

BLOUNT COUNTY JOB FAIR SEEKS PARTICIPANTS AND SPONSORS

The Blount County Chamber of Commerce, working off its mission statement to promote economic growth, is hosting a job fair on March 28 from 2-6 p.m. at Foothills Mall in Maryville.

If you are interested in sponsoring, please review the form here.

Any business or company interested in participating can reserve booth space which includes one eight-foot table, two chairs and table linens if needed. The fee is $160 for Blount Chamber members and $210 for non-members. Please email ccarter@blountpartnership.com to register.

 

ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING - SPONSORED BY CHOTA OUTFITTERS

Join us February 6 at 8:30 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) as the Blount County Sheriff's Office Training Academy Instructors will provide participants with strategies that can be used to prepare and respond to an active shooter event or other life-threatening incident. Participants will be presented with several steps to take to help the law enforcement response and to limit the number of potential victims. Register online.

 

SIGN UP FOR THE LATEST SOFT SKILLS CLASS

It's Your Career! That's the focus of a free soft skills session offered in partnership by the Blount County Public Library, the Adult Education Foundation of Blount County and the Blount County Chamber of Commerce.

Registrations are currently being accepted online at www.blountchamber.com for a class entitled Personal Professional Development Planning on February 22. All participants will earn .5 CEUs per session for participating. They will also receive an email survey two months after workshop participation to assess application of new ideas.

All classes are conducted in the Blount County Library's learning lab located at 508 N. Cusick in Maryville and limited to 50 participants. 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.

 

OPERATION THANK YOU

Promote your business during "Operation Thank You" by sending 1400 gift certificates, brochures or business promotional pieces to us and we will distribute them during Operation Thank You.

Your Chamber constantly looks for ways to help you promote your business through the ABC theory - Always Buy Chamber. We do ask that your enclosure piece not to exceed 8 ½" x 11". These inserts should be delivered to the Chamber no later than 5 p.m. Thursday, February 7.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Amy Lawson at alawson@blountpartnership.com or call 865.983.2241. There is a fee of $250 for insert enclosure.

Participate in the Chamber's 21st annual "Operation Thank You" set for February 19-21, 2019 and meet other business people on a one-on-one basis.

During this three-day event, Chamber members, the Chamber staff and Board of Directors will personally deliver Chamber member information packets. We invite you to join us in this three-day effort. You can agree to call on as many or as few members as your schedule permits.

If you, someone (or several people) from your business, organization or group is interested in participating, please contact Amy Lawson at alawson@blountpartnership.com or call 865.983.2241.

 

PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY

Take advantage of your Blount Chamber discount and protect you, your family and employees by enrolling in IDShield. IDShield monitors identity from every angle and alerts you to status changes immediately. It can also help restore your identity if it has been compromised. LEARN MORE

 

LYNDA AT THE LIBRARY

Businesses need to take advantage of the Blount County Library's subscription to Lynda.com. Using your library card, get access to Lynda.com, a LinkedIn Company, with thousands of courses in software, creative and business skills to develop your staff skills and meet learning needs at your own convenience. Learn More.

 

YOU CAN POST YOUR OWN MEMBER-TO-MEMBER DEALS

Blount Chamber members can now post their own Member-to-Member deals on this page at no charge. Simply login to your account, Click on the "New Coupon" button, fill out the form and click save. It's that easy.

Click here if you need access to your login information.

Of course, we will be happy to add your coupon. Just email information about the product or discount you'd like to offer to the Chamber membership to jmuir@blountpartnership.com. Be sure to include an expiration date.

View the latest deals.

 

REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL

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

 

Local businesses tend to buy and sell with other local businesses.

 

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

 

REMEMBER WHEN

Topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week in 1968 was "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" by John Fred & His Playboy Band. Its title is a play on, and a mondegreen of, the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." (Fred thought the lyrics were "Lucy in disguise with diamonds" when he first heard the selection.)