COFFEE CLUB WEEK

Wake up to new business contacts at the July Blount County Chamber Coffee Club sponsored by Funderburk Electrical Services held Thursday, July 26 from 7:45-9:00 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). 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.

 

HELP MARYVILLE REACH THE FINALS

Maryville has been selected by Blue Ridge Outdoors to be a contender in its 8th annual Top Adventure Towns contest made possible by the support of Pilot Cove Forest Lodging!

It should be no secret that the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic boasts dozens of desirable areas with vibrant outdoor scenes, an active lifestyle, and access to amazing adventures. Now we are asking readers to select their favorites.

Contest Details:

• VOTE HERE
• The contest ends on Monday, August 6.
• You can vote once every 24 hours per town size category from any device!
• We ask that you share on your website, social media outlets, e-newsletters, businesses and local organizations.

COMMUNITY JUSTICE INITIATIVE UPDATE

On July 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Blount County Public Library, Blount County elected officials and Community Justice Initiative Project Manager Charles Sterling give an update on county issues related to jail overcrowding, substance abuse and mental health, and the plans to alieviate them.

 

BLOUNT COUNTY BRIEFING

Ed Mitchell, Blount County Mayor will be giving an update on Blount County on Friday, July 27 from 8-9 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) boardroom. He will discuss priorities, budget challenges and the vision for the future for our community. The briefing provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen and build new partnerships between members of the business community and local government officials. RSVP HERE.

 

501 WAYS TO TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS

Join us August 1 at 8:30 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) as we present founder and chief experience officer of Red Carpet Learning Systems and author Donna Cutting.

Cutting will help us tap into the THRILL of Red Carpet Customer Service.

She's the author of two books including the bestselling, 501 Ways to Roll Out the Red Carpet for Your Customers: Easy-to-Implement Ideas to Inspire Loyalty, Get New Customers, and Leave a Lasting Impression. Named in Forbes online as one of the best business books of 2015, published by Career Press in December 2015.

Cutting leads a team of customer service experts that train organizational leaders turn prospects into delighted customers; and delighted customers into raving fans. Also an in demand keynote speaker Donna has presented, consulted and developed training programs for a variety of customers in the senior living and healthcare; hospitality and entertainment; financial; and other fields.

 

VINTAGE CAR SHOW SET FOR HERITAGE CENTER

Fans of vintage automobiles can view a special collection of classic cars at the RT 73 Car Collector's Show at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center (123 Cromwell Dr., Townsend) on July 28 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The car show is free with admission to the museum being $5. View flyer at bottom of this email.

Presented by the East Tennessee Region Antique Automobile Club of America and sponsored by West Chevrolet, Twin City Buick/GMC and the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority, the event features food, door prizes and a viewing of classis car films throughout the day,

More than 50 cars will be featured, including a 1917 Overland Touring Car, a 1966 Corvair Convertible, a 1956 Ford Parklane Station Wagon, a 1948 Buick Super Sedan, a 1959 Rambler Rebel V8, a 1940 Plymouth Sedan, a 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe (Moonshine Car), a 1954 Buick Skylark and a 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible.

 

EARLY VOTING CONTINUES

Be sure to get out and cast your vote in the 2018 State Primary, County General, Friendsville, & Townsend City elections. Early voting runs through July 28 at locations around the county, including the Blount County Election Commission, Blount County Public Library, Everett Gym and the Pellissippi State Blount County campus. During early voting, registered voters can visit ANY polling location to cast their ballot. (On August 2, you must vote at your designated polling site). Not sure you're registered? Click here to check and for more info.

 

NETWORKING TRAINING CLASS

Networking got you nervous? Come to this free networking training class, August 7 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Blount Partnerhsip (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) and learn from Raeus Jae Cannon on the way to make better connections and quit making cold calls.

Raeus Jae Cannon uses everyday traffic signs to fuel-up audiences. Turn on the lights as Raeus shows you how to quit making cold calls and drive more prospects into your funnel.

Raeus' vision is to clear the highway of the "dreaded cold call." She has not made a cold call since 1998 and she can show you how to easily never make one again, yet build stronger relationships that drive higher profitability.

Raeus is highly energetic and enthusiastic as she asks you to "read the signs" on the networking highway. Enjoy learning common sense driving tips and techniques you can use before you leave and continue to use for years to come.

 

CHAMBER BOARD NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN

The Blount County Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for Director of Manufacturing, Wholesalers & Agriculture, Director of Hotel/Accommodations, Restaurants and Recreation and a limited number of One Year Directors for its 2019 Board of Directors until August 17. Please complete the online form to nominate an individual you think would make a good board member. Self nominations are also accepted.

 

SOFT SKILLS SESSION FOR SEPTEMBER

It's Your Career! That's the focus of four free soft skills sessions offered in partnership by the Blount County Public Library, the Adult Education Foundation of Blount County and the Blount County Chamber of Commerce that are scheduled over the next five months.

Registrations are currently being accepted online at www.blountchamber.com for a class entitled Improving Your Presentation Style - Speaking set for September 28. This course qualifies for .2 CEU's awarded by Pellissippi State.

The other classes offered include Improving Your Presentation Style - Strategies for Engaging Presentations, Making Your Social Media Look Good and Creating Infographics for Promoting Your Business.

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.

 

ALL THINGS GOOGLE

The "All Things Google" Lunch and Learn Technology Series is a professional development workshop series for adults who seek to learn about the Google platform, applications available through Google and how to access and use these applications (Google Sheets, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Drive, etc.) This technology series is offered by the Blount County Public Library with funding provided by the Tennessee State Library Archives Library Technology Training Grant.

This Lunch and Learn series meets in the new Learning Lab at the Blount County Public Library on Fridays each month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The $10 registration fee includes a box lunch and participants will have the opportunity to network. Each of the topics offered will be divided into 3-4 weekly sessions that can stand alone or be taken consecutively. A total of 50 classes will be offered with a new schedule released each month.

To register for classes in the Lunch and Learn Series please visit the Blount County Public Library website http://www.blountlibrary.org/248/Technology-Classes.

 

AUGUST MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS NEEDED

Member-to-member promotions are needed for August. Submit to the email below. Check out the offers from Pellissippi State, Express Strategic Services, King University, Airport Hilton, Cornerstone of Recovery, Puleo's Grille and AAA. 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

 

JOB LISTING

Custodian at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont

 

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 1967 was "Windy" by The Association. "Windy" was the Association's second U.S. No. 1, following "Cherish" in 1966. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 4 song for 1967.