July 2016 Newsletter
Obion County Chamber of Commerce
Mission Statement:    "It's our home, we make it better." 

 
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2016-2017 Chamber of Commerce Board Members 

President: Greg Dozier- Leaders Credit Union
President Elect: Donny Bearden- AmeriClear Rx
Community Development VP: Donnie Walton- TCAT-Newbern
Government & Legistlation VP: Hadley Malone- Obion County Farm Bureau
Secretary/Tresurer:  Barbi Hardy- Thunderbolt Broadcasting
Past President: Amber Jones- Commercial Bank
Jennifer Eason- Reelfoot Bank
Jim Cheatham- Universal Contractors
Charlene Burpo- Twin Oaks Technology
Billy Jack Cranford- City of Union City
Jim Douglas- City of Union City
Dustin McBride- Cox Oil Company
Trent Ams- Union City Carpet Center
Donnie Johnson- Johnson Heating & Air
Lesley Anderson- Williams Sausage
Kerry Speer- The Messenger
Portis Tanner- Union City Insurance
Skipper Bondurant- Baptist Memorial Hospital 

2016-2017 Chamber Ambassadors

Amy Keathley: WENK
Mikki McLeary: Goodwill Career Solutions
Amber Armour: Commercial Bank
John Fry: White & Associates Insurance
Charles Peery: Alexander, Thompson, and Arnold
Cody Martin: Edmaisten-Mosley Funeral Home
Debra Craig: City of South Fulton
Rana Buchanan: Golden Living Center
Cassie Hickey: Job World, INC
Beverly Gidcumb: Job World, INC
Rebecca Harris: Union City Insurance Partners
Charlotte Forrester: City of Samburg/Samburg Tourism
Emily Hall: John Miles Attorney at law
Bradly Zill: Union City Electric
Mason Powers: Manpower
Allison Aumiller: The Messenger
Debbie Ams: Union City Carpet
Jason Craig: Mahindra of KenTenn
Tyler Simmons: Mahindra of KenTenn
Bobbie Collins: Union City Insurance
Heather Waggoner: Congressman Stephen Fincher
Sara Boyd: Sullivan Dentistry
Tracey Boucher: Boys and Girls Club


On Wednesday, June 15, we held an Ambassador luncheon to kick off our 2016-2017 year! We had over 20 of our Ambassadors attend!! These men and women are our front line advocates for the Obion County Chamber of Commerce. We appreciate all they do!  


Interested in being an Ambassador? You can sign up anytime throughout the year! Just contact our Membership Director, Lauren Bennett, at membership@obioncounty.org
July Small Business Spotlight: 
Leaders Credit Union
Website: leaderscu.com
Twitter & Instagram: @Leaderscu


ABOUT LEADERS CREDIT UNION
UNION CITY, TENN. (June 30, 2016)- Leaders Credit Union is a member-owned full-service financial cooperative headquartered in Jackson, Tenn., with branches located in Jackson, Union City and Bartlett.  

Leaders was established in 1957 by five Jackson educators and has grown to over 35,000 members and six branches across West Tenn. In 2011, the members and Board of Directors of Peoples Choice Credit Union based in Union City voted to merge with Leaders. This event marked the first fixed -asset merger for Leaders and their first expansion out of the Jackson market.  

A credit union is a not-for-profit, cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members. Credit unions exist to provide a safe, convenient place for their members to save money and to make a wide variety of loans to one another at reasonable rates.
 
As one of the largest and most stable credit unions in the nation, Leaders exists to provide the highest quality financial services at the lowest possible cost to members while maintaining the safety and soundness of the Credit Union. Leaders was awarded the 2015 and 2016 "Best Place to Bank" by Jackson Sun's Readers' Choice and was placed in the top 1% of credit unions nationwide by depositaccounts.com.  Leaders was also ranked among the top ten strongest credit unions in Tennessee according to Callahan and Associates, a respected source of financial institution analysis and reporting.

Leaders continues to serve its members in West Tennessee with six brick-and-mortar locations, 85,000 surcharge-free ATMs including five in Union City and over 5,000 cooperative shared branches across the U.S. As a full-service financial institution, Leaders offers borrowing opportunities to its members including mortgages, automotive and personal loans as well as VISA credit cards.  Savings accounts, including Christmas and vacation club, and free and interest-bearing checking accounts are also available. Leaders also offers instant electronic access with digital banking solutions that allow members to transact remotely from a computer, tablet or smartphone. Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay and mobile check deposit are also available.

Leaders Credit Union strives to be the financial champion of its members, so that together they move forward as one.  Leaders is an Equal Housing Lender and is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.  For more information about Leaders Credit Union, visit their website at leaderscu.com.  


*Don't forget to attend Business Matters the 3rd Tuesday of each month 
for a chance to have your small business featured in our newsletter!*

Friends of Reelfoot Lake State Park Ribbon Cutting!


On Friday, June 24, we took a trip to Reelfoot Lake to help celebrate the establishment of their new Friends of Reelfoot Lake State Park Organization!  We enjoyed our Friday afternoon loving and learning about Reelfoot Lake!  It's so wonderful to have people who are so dedicated to preserving our State Parks, especially the ones in our own back yard!! Keep up the great work!!
Edmaiston-Mosley Celebrates 10 Years of Service! 


Congratulations to Edmaiston-Mosley Funeral home for celebrating 10 years in business! Pictured Left to Right: Allen Edmaiston, Lauren Bennett, Mark Mosley, Cody Martin
White & Associates Celebrates 40 Years of Service! 

Congratulation to White & Associates for celebrating 40 years in Business this year! We wish you many more successful years in Obion County! 
Celebrations & Creative Catering 
Business After Hours and Ribbon Cutting!  




On Thursday, June 23rd, we had a Business After Hours hosted by Celebrations and Creative Catering! We were able to see numerous table settings, taste incredible food by their in-house chef, and mingle with community members! Thank you to everyone that came out, we had a GREAT turnout!  
In This Issue
Archived Obion County Chamber of Commerce Newsletters

Join Our Mailing List  

 
Is your business celebrating an anniversary or business milestone? 
Let us help you celebrate! 
Email our Membership Director with any exciting news and let the 
Obion County Chamber of Commerce help make it special!!  
Topic:
Obion County Adult Leadership
Presenter:
Phyllis Rauchle
When:
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
7:45am-9:00am
Where:
Obion County Public Library
Sponsored By:
Union City Insurance


Blake Laws presented our June Topic on the Obion County Fair! We had over 30 people attend to hear Blake speak on all the festivities that happen! Make sure to attend the Obion County Fair August 22-27! Want more information on the fair? Click here! 
 

 
Join Benita Giffin with
Obion County/UT Extension
 on these 6 days for 
Farmers' Market Fresh!

 
Lindsay Frilling Receives Designation of Certified Economic Developer from the International Economic Development Council

  
Union City, Tennessee - Lindsay Frilling, CEcD, CEO of the Obion County Joint Economic Development Council in Union City, TN earned the designation of Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), a national recognition that denotes a mastery of skills in economic development, professional attainment and a commitment to personal and professional growth. 
 
The CEcD exam was administered by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
on June 11-12, 2016 in Tulsa, OK at the Hyatt Regency Tulsa. With seven years of economic development experience, Lindsay has facilitated the recruitment and retention of over 1,000 jobs in Obion County including:
 
  • Institutional Casework, Inc.: Laboratory Equipment Manufacturer ($6.2M/200 new jobs)
  • MIA Seating: Office Seating Manufacturer ($39.5M/510 new jobs)
  • Greenfield Products: Custom Heavy Equipment Manufacturer ($6.3M/100 new jobs)
  • MVP Brands: Candle Manufacturer ($2M/100 new jobs)
  • Williams Sausage: Food Manufacturer ($3M/150 new jobs)
 
The CEcD designation recognizes qualified and dedicated practitioners in the economic development field and sets the standard of excellence within the profession. Candidates must pass a rigorous and comprehensive examination, which has three parts and spans two days. The exam tests a practitioner's knowledge, proficiency and judgment in the following key areas of economic development:
 
  • business retention and expansion
  • finance & credit analysis
  • marketing and attraction
  • strategic planning
  • entrepreneurial & small business development
  • managing economic development organizations
  • neighborhood development strategies
  • real estate development & reuse
  • technology-led economic development
  • workforce development strategies
 
 
As highly competent economic development professionals, Certified Economic Developers work with public officials, business leaders and community members to create leadership to build upon and maximize the economic development sector.  Excellence in the economic development profession improves the well being, quality of life and opportunities for individuals, businesses and communities. There are currently over 1,100 active CEcDs in the United States.

About the International Economic Development Council
 
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 4,700 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC's members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a variety of other institutions. IEDC's members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. www.iedcONLINE.org

 
Baptist Union City Earns 'A' Grade for Patient Safety in 
April 2016 Hospital Safety Score

UNION CITY, TENNESSEE, June 7, 2016 - New Hospital Safety Scores, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provide the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S. health care system, were announced by The Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog. Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City was one of 798 hospitals to receive an A, ranking among the safest hospitals in the United States.
 
"Patient safety is a priority for Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City.  Colleagues from multiple health care disciplines including nursing, pharmacy, and quality, research best practices, regulatory standards and evidence-based procedures.  The most-effective ones are selected and implemented, creating standardized policies and procedures for Baptist Union City," said Skipper Bondurant, administrator and CEO.
 
"Avoidable deaths in hospitals should be the number one concern of our health care leaders. Hospitals that earn an 'A' from Leapfrog are leaders in saving lives, and we commend them and urge their continued vigilance," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group.
 
Developed under the guidance of Leapfrog's Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the Hospital Safety Score uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. For the first time, the Hospital Safety Score includes five measures of patient-reported experience with the hospital as well as two of the most common infections, C.diff and MRSA. To see Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City's full score, and to access consumer-friendly tips for patients and loved ones visiting the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org or follow The Hospital Safety Score on Twitter or Facebook. Consumers can also download the free Hospital Safety Score mobile app for Apple and Android devices.
 
About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. Hospital Safety Score, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.

Obion County Public Library Offering 
Free Universal Classes

The Obion county Public Library has a new and exciting program to share with the community.  Universal Class offer over 500 online non-credited personal enrichment courses, where you earn CEU certificates as you complete your courses. Log on to oclibrary.org and click on Universal Class and follow the instructions to join the class of your choice all you need is your library card. Choose from art and hobby classes or computer and career training. No library card? No problem! Come to the Obion County Public Library and let us help you get set up. It's 100% Free! Start exploring these exciting classes today. Sponsored by the Friends of the Obion County Public Library.

Sincerely,
Penny Chesteen
Reference and Acquisitions
Event Coordinator
2016-2017 Chamber Members
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Thank you to the following businesses, industries, and
 individuals who have renewed their membership 
with the  Obion County Chamber of Commerce
 for the  2016-2017 year thus far! 

H&R Block
Institutional Casework, INC
Miss Vicki's Diner
Brandi Michelle's Bridal Boutique
Quality Inn
Lupo's Italian Restaurant
Herman Jenkins Motors
Chancellor Mike Maloan
 
2016 Tennessee Vacation Guide
 
The 2016 Tennessee Vacation Guide is out and looks great; you can view the official TN eGuide here . There is a vast reach in the 550,000 printed distribution and even more important, it is very specific to our Tennessee Visitors planning to travel! The TN Guide can be directly requested, or picked up at one of the State's 14 Welcome Centers. I hope you can take a minute to dive into the pages that showcase our story so well.

2016-2017 Tennessee Municipal Guide
 
Check out this years Municipal Guide  click here


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.  

The Workforce Board is pursuing Work Ready Community status for all 11 of the counties we serve, including Obion County. One of the goals is Employer Support. By completing the form, employers are simply stating they are in favor of the Work Ready Community initiative and see value in the NCRC assessment. In no way is an employer committing to do anything, buy anything, require the certification, or anything of that nature. The employer is stating support for the initiative. You can visit the website and see our progress at http://workreadycommunities.com/TN/13.

Attention Job Seekers and Employers!

The Tennessee Career Center at Union City is offering Resume W riting work s h ops on   Tuesday afternoons at 1 PM. Job seekers interested in attending a workshop will need to complete a resume' worksheet prior to attending a session. Space is limited, so registration is required. Register by   calling  731-884-3868 between 8-4:30 Monday - Friday.

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.

Interested in sponsoring Business Matters

or Business After Hours?

Contact Lauren Bennett at membership@obioncounty.org