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RIBBON CUTTING THURSDAY
JOIN US FOR SMALL BIZ & TOURISM DAY
 To honor the many small businesses in Blount County as well as recognizing the importance of the tourism industry to the area's economy, you are invited to a special day of recognition at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville, TN) on May 8 from 3:30-5 p.m.
These acknowledgements are part of National Small Business and National Travel & Tourism Week taking place nationwide May 5-11. National Small Business Week is the Small Business Administration's annual celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation, while National Travel and Tourism Week celebrates the contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. travel industry. This year's theme is "Travel Matters," a recognition of the innumerable ways in which travel enriches lives and strengthens communities.
Additionally, the Blount Partnership is inducting four individuals as lifetime Blount Chamber members based on their many contributions to the organization and the community.
So, make plans to join us for this special reception and networking event with a delicious menu prepared by RT Lodge.
RSVP HERE.
BMH: A Snapshot of the Past, Present and Future
Join Blount Memorial Hospital CEO Don Heinemann for a briefing about the state of health care and its effects on your local hospital system and community on May 10 at 8 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). He'll touch on Blount Memorial's rich history and modern day state, along with what's "up and coming" in the health care industry - and at Blount Memorial.
You'll also hear from vascular surgeon Dr. Daniel Kim about work he's doing to offer more less-invasive vascular procedures thanks to a new addition of an interventional radiology suite, while interventional pain management physician and Blount County native Dr. Brian Wetherington talks about using neuromodulation stimulators to help manage chronic pain.
POWER CONNECT LUNCH
 Join us for a mid-day networking lunch on April 30 at 11:30 a.m., at Smoky Mountain Brewery (743 Watkins Rd., Maryville). Meet, Mingle, Lunch, Connect, Nibble, Engage and Network with other influential professionals.
While you (and the other guests) will have an opportunity to introduce your business, current areas of focus and/or anything you could use help with, all I ask is that everyone shows up with a focus on how they may be able to add value for the other attendees. Open to ALL Blount County Chamber members, but you must RSVP online. This is a Dutch Treat lunch.
Event chair Tony Saddy of Get Fit Maryville will lead the event.
REGISTER HERE.
ADAPT OR LOSE
 Make plans to attend our next HR Focus Group on Wednesday, May 1 at 8:30 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). The topic will be "Adapt or Lose: Tips to Attract and Retain the Best and Brightest" by Loretta Cate of WLH Consulting. Dr Cate will introduce ways to attract and retain the best and the brightest for any company to achieve current and future business goals. This program will provide practical tips, tools, processes, and strategies you can apply today to help create and retain a solid and consistent flow of qualified talent.
Additionally, Dr. Wendy Heckelman, author of Rx for Retention, will teach attendees how to spot the warning signs for talent at risk for leaving the organization, how to conduct a re-recruitment conversation, and how to 'make the save' to retain top talent within your organization.
REGISTER HERE.
In the spirit of Top 25 polls, here's 25 slang terms from the 20th century you don't hear much anymore.
Cruisin' for a bruisin'
Psyche!
Grody
Burn rubber
Knuckle sandwich
My bad
Bust a gut
Far out
Bummer
No duh
Gimme some skin
Grindage
Can you dig it?
Not Even
Have a cow
Gnarly
Spaz
To the max!
Veg out
Gag me with a spoon
Talk to the hand
As if!
Wack
Your mom!
Oh, snap!
PELLISSIPPI "PITCH" EVENT
 Last year, PSCC President, Dr. Anthony Wise joined over 300 Community College Presidents from across the country in taking the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship Presidents for Entrepreneurship Pledge "committing to the advancement of entrepreneurship in the communities and create an entrepreneurial culture on their campus and multiple access points to support local startups and small businesses".
This year, on May 2, from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Pellissippi State will be hosting Marc Portney, entrepreneur, business advisor, and celebrity angel investor from the Science Channel hit show "All American Makers" in the Goins Auditorium for an evening of information, discussion, networking and the opportunity for attendees to be pre-selected to "pitch" an idea to Marc during the event.
Organized by Pellissippi's Knoxville Area Tennessee Small Business Development Center and the Tennessee Inventors Association, Marc will answer questions and discuss the process of getting an idea to market. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet TSBDC client, Jimmy Cochran, and his business partner Stacy Chambers who have recently licensed a deal with Marc for their "Hooky", a patent pending fishing hook threader. Whether you have an idea to "pitch" or not,
registration is required. Space is limited!
MAXIMIZE YOUR MEMBERSHIP
 Learn more about the Blount Chamber and the many opportunities that go along with being a member. Learn how to make the most of the benefits afforded to you. Come to the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) on Tuesday, May 14, from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Remember, your membership is a corporate membership. Please encourage co-workers to get involved, educated, network and promote your company via Blount Chamber events and opportunities.
REGISTER HERE.
SUPERVISOR'S TRAINING
 Running a business is more than dollars and cents; there's a legal element that many human resource professionals, supervisors and managers deal with daily. To that end, the Blount Partnership, along Wimberly Lawson and the Tennessee Bureau of Workers' Compensation, are hosting a three-part supervisors training - human resource/legal seminar sponsored by Cate-Russell Insurance on Friday, May 17 from 8:30-11 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville, Tenn.).
Topics to be covered include Avoiding Wrongful Termination Claims presented by Howard Jackson of Wimberly, Lawson, Wright, Daves & Jones, Worker's Comp 101 and Drug Free Workplace Program presented by Jeff Francis of the Tennessee Bureau of Workers' Compensation.
The cost is $30 per person for Chamber members and $50 per person for non-Chamber members.
REGISTER HERE.
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
Building A Team on May 31. 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.
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
REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL
 Think local first + Buy local when you can = Being a local!
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 1963 was "I Will Follow Him" by Little Peggy March. It held the No. 1 slot for three weeks. It made 15-year-old March the youngest female artist to have a U.S. chart-topping single.
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| Little peggy march (1963 original Live) - I will follow him |
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Blount Chamber members can now post their own
