Feb 2017
Newsletter
Obion County Chamber of Commerce



 

 


Congressman Kustoff Visits Obion County
U.S. Congressman David Kustoff had the opportunity to visit Obion County! Congressman Kustoff posted on Facebook and said, " Had a great time in the 8th District. As we prepare for #Inauguration2017, there's no better time to hear from the people I serve. I look forward to working hard to get the results we need out of Washington."

Pictured left to right:
Brian Burcham, Hadley Malone, Congressman Kustoff, and Adam Ragan
  Workforce Breakfast
This January we hosted a Workforce Development breakfast! We hold these 
types of events to introduce some of our local industry and small 
business leaders to local contacts from our state organizations, programs,
 and business service consultants.  






Any Chamber member interested in receiving the hospital's cafeteria menu weekly may contact Emily Medley, food and nutrition services director, at emily.medley@bmhcc.org.  
In This Issue
2017  Tennessee Vacation Guide

Check out this years Tennessee Vacation Guide here
Complete tourism information is at your fingertips with comprehensive road maps, contact information and detailed facts about state attractions!
Archived Obion County Chamber of Commerce Newsletters

UNION CITY, TN (January 26, 2016) - Williams Sausage Company, Inc. has announced a $37 million investment that will result in 226 new jobs, a new 180,000-square-foot-facility, a $3 million investment to its existing facility and a new sandwich line. The new facility will be in Union City, TN, the 59-year old family-owned company's home base. The expansion announcement was made by Governor Bill Haslam, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd and Roger Williams, president and owner of Williams Sausage Company.
            "Generation after generation, Tennessee has made some of the best-known and most-respected food brands in the world," Haslam said. "Williams Sausage Company is part of this strong legacy, and I'm pleased it has decided to build a second plant in Union City.  This major expansion by Williams Sausage will create hundreds of new jobs for Obion County residents and brings us closer to our goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs."
            Roger Williams owns and manages Williams Sausage Company with his brother David and other family members.  He said he is proud to announce the expansion in the city that has been Williams Sausage Company's home since its founding by their parents, Harold and Hazel Williams, in 1958.
 "Williams Sausage Company and the Williams family are excited about expanding in our hometown," Williams said. "The support we have received from the State of Tennessee, Union City and Obion County in this endeavor has been overwhelming and will help propel our business to a new level.  We are extremely thankful for our existing team members and customers, who have made our business such a success that we need to build this new facility. "
Commissioner Boyd said the investment reflects the continued success of Tennessee's food manufacturing industry.
"More than 6,500 jobs and $2 billion in new investment have been poured into Tennessee by the food and beverage industry in just the last six years," Boyd said. "The food manufacturing industry now employs more than 33,500 Tennesseans. When a homegrown business like Williams Sausage plans to invest further in Tennessee, it's a strong affirmation of our state's high-skilled workforce and business-friendly environment. On behalf of Team Tennessee, I'd like to thank Williams Sausage for committing to create 226 new jobs in Obion County."
Williams Sausage produces fresh sausage, fully cooked sausage, bacon, sandwiches and other food products for wholesale to retail grocers, restaurants, whole grocery warehouses and food distributors. Williams Sausage brands are sold in more than 4,000 retail outlets in 20 states.
            Grocery shoppers in those states are familiar with products such as Williams Express Sausage on a Bun, Williams Express Mini Corndogs, Corndogs, Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuits and Sausage Croissants. In addition, Williams Fully Cooked Bacon, Bacon, Sliced Bacon and Thick Slice Bacon are among the company's retail products.
A fleet of 21 tractors, 35 refrigerated trailers and 46 refrigerated straight trucks operated by Williams Sausage Company delivers the products it manufactures. Direct-store delivery, grocery warehouses, chain accounts and broad line food service distributors are all destinations of the Williams fleet. Williams Bacon, J.C. Potter Bacon, J.C. Potter Hot Links and Ole South Smoked Sausage are among the brands produced by Williams Sausage Company.
            The new facility and expansion is the latest example of growth by the company. Previous expansions occurred in 1996, 2001 and 2012. The 1996 development included adding 10,000 square feet to its existing plant. In 2001, the addition of 30,000 square feet at a cost of $4 million increased the company's capacity from 40,000 pounds of cooked product per week to 144,000 pounds per week. The 2012 expansion brought total plant square footage to 150,000 square feet and a new production area for sandwiches and more space for processing sausage.
The new facility will free space at the current site to be renovated to provide additional processing space to further expand sales.





4 SIMPLE STEPS TO STOP A CYBER THIEF
First Citizens National Bank Raises Awareness for Data Privacy Day Jan. 28 
            Dyersburg, TN - In recognition of National Data Privacy Day on Jan. 28, First Citizens National Bank is urging consumers to take an active role in protecting their data.     

            "FirstCNB' s first priority is to protect our customers' money and their financial data," said Judy Long, President & COO "We use a combination of safeguards to protect our customers' information, and we encourage our customers to partner with us in that effort."

To help ensure the safety of personal information, First Citizens National Bank suggests following these four tips:
  1. Create c0mplic@t3d passwords. Avoid birthdays, pet names and simple passwords like 12345. It is also important to change passwords at least three times a year. Because friendly theft - theft by someone the victim knows - is the most common type of identity theft or fraud, don't share your passwords with family members and be mindful of who has access to your personal information.

  2. Keep tabs on your accounts. Check account activity and online statements often, instead of waiting for the monthly statement. You are the first line of defense because you know right away if a transaction is fraudulent. Sign up for text or email alerts to be notified of transactions over a certain dollar amount or online transactions. If you notice unusual or unauthorized activity, notify your bank right away. When a customer reports an unauthorized transaction in a timely manner, the bank will cover the loss and take measures to protect the account.

  3. Stay alert online.Be sure computers and mobile devices are equipped with up-to-date anti-virus and malware protection. Never give out your personal financial information in response to an unsolicited email, no matter how official it may seem. Your bank will never contact you by email asking for your password, PIN, or account information. Only open links and attachments from trusted sources. When submitting financial information on a website, look for the padlock or key icon at the top or bottom of your browser, and make sure the Internet address begins with "https." This signals that your information is secure during transmission.
 

4. Protect your mobile device. Use the passcode lock on your smartphone and other devices. This will make it more difficult for thieves to access your information if your device is lost or stolen. Before you donate, sell or trade your mobile device, be sure to wipe it using specialized software or using the manufacturer's recommended technique. Some software allows you to wipe your device remotely if it is lost or stolen. Use caution when downloading apps, as they may contain malware and avoid opening links and attachments - especially from senders you don't know.

 
Tips for Victims:
If you are a victim of fraud and suspect your personal information has been compromised, you should take the following steps:
  • Call your bank and credit card issuers immediately so they can take necessary steps to protect your account.
  • File a police report and call the fraud unit of the three credit-reporting companies.
  • Consider placing a victim statement in your credit report and a fraud alert on your account.
  • Keep a log of all the contacts you make with authorities regarding the matter. Write down names, titles, and phone numbers in case you need to re-contact them or refer to them in future correspondence. 
  • Contact the FTC's ID Theft Consumer Response Center at 1-877-ID THEFT (1-877-438-4338) or www.ftc.gov/idtheft
Data Privacy Day commemorates the 1981 signing of the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection. It is led by the National Cyber Security Alliance, a non-profit, public private partnership focused on cybersecurity education for all online citizens.
 
First Citizens National Bank, headquartered in Dyersburg, TN with 21 locations throughout Tennessee, is a full service community bank with approximately $1.5 Billion in assets offering deposit, lending, wealth management, cash management, trust, insurance, and investments. For more information about First Citizens National Bank please visit www.FirstCNB.com .

WestStar Leadership
January 13th, the 2017 WestStar Leadership Class had the opportunity to visit Obion County! They started their day touring Tyson Foods, Inc. and ended their day at Discovery Park of America. They heard from: Local Economic Developer, 
Lindsay Frilling; Former U.S. Congressman, John Tanner; UT Martin Chancellor, Keith Carver; Final Flight Outfitters Co-Owner, Jon-Ed Powers; 
and Discovery Park of America CEO, Jim Rippy.


Katie Keathley has recently joined the team at Fuller Partners Real Estate, Inc. as an affiliate broker.  She is the daughter of Barry and Janet Keathley of Union City.
 
She is a 2006 graduate from Union City High School and 2010 graduate from the University of Tennessee at Martin Class with a degree in Communications and a minor in Marketing. Upon graduation, Miss Keathley joined the Obion County Joint Economic Development Council where she served as Membership Director for the Obion Chamber of Commerce from 2012-2016. She is currently also serving an Independent Contractor for Union City Electric System were she serves as the Sales and Marketing Coordinator with their new services include fiber internet and phone.
 
In 2014, she was one of the original graduates of the CO.Starters program, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives and Adult Leadership Obion County. In 2015, she  graduated from WestStar Leadership, where she now joins more than 700 alumni across West Tennessee. 
 
This fall she joined Union City's City Council representing Ward 2 and serves as president of Main Street Union City and the Union City J'Cettes. Other boards include: Adult Leadership Obion County, Obion County CornFest, and Chimes for Charity.  She is the publicity chairman for the Obion County Hometown Walk of Hope, the Obion County WestStar Alumni representative and an active member of Second Baptist Church.
 
"I am excited to start this next chapter of my life with Fuller Partners. The good Lord has blessed me with a servant's heart and I hope to be an asset through my current and previous involvement within the community and help Fuller Partners continue to grow stronger with the relationships I have developed over the years. Most importantly, I am looking forward to helping residents of our community find a house to soon call home." Keathley said. 
 
Miss Keathley can be contacted through the Fuller Partners office at 731-885-8041, 731-446-0209 (cell) or by e-mail at:  katiekeathley1@gmail.com

List Your Available Commercial Property With Us

 

Let us help you spread the word about your available commercial property by listing it at www.obioncounty.org. If you have commercial property you would like to list, please contact Lindsay Frilling at lfrilling@obioncounty.org.