December 2017 Newsletter Check out articles and pictures from November and stay up to date on what we are doing this December !

November's "Business Matters" This month we heard from our Membership Director Lauren Tanner as she updated attendees on the latest news from the Obion County Chamber of Commerce and Joint Economic Development Council! Afterwards, she opened the floor for discussion about what other initiatives the Chamber can be taking to improve on its service for our members and for Obion County. Small Business Saturday Thank you for participating in Small Business Saturday on Nov. 25th! Area shoppers had a blast looking for the perfect holiday gifts and the large turnout made the event a resounding success for local businesses.

November Business After Hours: Sweet Tea Soiree at OUTsideIN We enjoyed the shopping, sipping sweet tea, and southern hospitality at the Sweet Tea Soiree Business After Hours hosted by OUTsideIN in Troy on November 28th! You'll definitely want to stop by this beautiful shop to find the perfect Christmas gifts for your loved ones. Thank you for hosting last month!

The Bridge of Northwest Tennessee Ribbon Cutting Congratulations to The Bridge of Northwest Tennessee for their ribbon cutting on November 9th! We loved being able to celebrate their mission and successes with them in their new home!

MECHATRONICS TALK               MECHATRONICS TALK — Keith Hamilton spoke with Lindsay Frilling (left), chief executive officer of the Obion County Joint Economic Development Council, and Obion County Central High School guidance counselor Heather Kendall about the mechatronics program at... Read more here

White & Associates Insurance Named in Business Insurance’s Annual Best Places to Work in Insurance UNION CITY, TENNESSEE, November 13, 2017 – White & Associates Insurance (www.whiteandassociates.net) today announced it has been named the 28 th Best Place to Work in the annual Best Places to Work in Insurance program, which recognizes employers for their outstanding performance in establishing workplaces where employees can thrive, enjoy their work and help their companies grow. For the full story, click here .

Congratulations to these area high school students for being chosen to play in the West Tennessee All-Star Football Game! We are so proud of all of the hard work each of you have shown on the field. Good luck tonight! Jalen Scott, South Fulton Hunter Smith, Obion Co Treyvon Jones, Union City Colton Quick, Union City Heath Cary, Obion Co Cade Rogers, Obion Co Braxton Waddell, Union City Click here for more info. Amazing find by an area hunter! A 16pt Buck was killed last week in Obion County. Our wildlife, the beauty of our country settings, and the residents that appreciate this luxury are just a few of the reason a person would want to make Obion County their home. Green Score by local taxidermist was 171 3/8 but TWRA will officially score him after 90 days.

DPA "Let It Glow Light Show" Now Open

Here are a few pictures of Discovery Park of America’s “Let it Glow Light Show”! You can see the holiday spectacular Tuesday through Sunday from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. The cost is $5.00 a car to go through.  (Photos courtesy of Carly Christiansen)

Higher Ground Coffee Company to Celebrate 10 Year Anniversary Ten years ago Kevin and Stacie Herrell opened the doors of Higher Ground Coffee Company for the first time. Thursday, Dec.14, marks the 10th anniversary of Higher Ground’s Union City location. From 7 p.m. until closing time, the community is invited to join them in celebrating this milestone at the coffee shop.   “Everyone is welcome! There will be food, fun, live music, door prizes, some of our favorite snacks and of course, lots of coffee,” Stacie said. “A couple of our biggest prizes will be a giveaway for free coffee for one year and a $250 Higher Ground Coffee Company gift card! The winner can either use the coffee for a year prize for one drink per week or for one bag of our locally roasted craft coffee each month, but you must be present to win.”   Kevin and Stacie fell in love with coffee 22 years ago in Colorado when they befriended local coffee shop owners. They became frequent visitors of the shop and fell in love with the idea of having their own specialty coffee shop someday. In 2007, their dream became reality, and in 2013, Kevin began roasting everything himself to ensure customers could enjoy the most delicious and fresh coffee possible. Over the years, their love for coffee has only grown.   “When we were considering opening a shop, we did a great deal of research,” Kevin said. “We came up with three things we thought were absolute necessities if this were going to be a success: quality products, consistent execution and excellent customer service,” Kevin said. “These ideas are present in every successful business, and we believe God has given us the opportunity to live this out through Higher Ground Coffee Company and its friends and families. We are very blessed and thankful for our communities.”   Kevin and Stacie agree that the best part of owning the business is the privilege of serving others. Making sure that customers have the best possible experience is their top priority.   “We believe we are here to serve others, and everything else we do stems from that belief,” Kevin said. “We look at each individual we encounter and decide how we can best serve them in that moment. Great things can happen one on one, and we try to focus our eff orts there, with the people who are right in front of us… This is how good things happen.”   Since opening in December 2007, many things have changed, but Kevin and Stacie give credit to loyal customers and outstanding coworkers who have helped bring their dream to life.   “In a book entitled, ‘The Third Place,’ the author talks about the importance of finding a place between work and home — a place where you can come visit and cross paths with other people, a place where you can come be yourself,” Kevin said. “You can meet people you may have never had the opportunity to meet otherwise because of the common interest in the third place. So many members of our community have chosen Higher Ground to be their third place for 10 years now; for that, we are honored, and we want to say thank you for helping our vision come to life.”

Winsett Commemorates 40 Years With Commercial Bank and Trust Company  UNION CITY, TN.  Forty years ago, Sharon Winsett began her career in banking at the former Old & Third National Bank. She worked in what was called the “note window,” where she took payments and posted them manually on the back of notes before putting them into the computer. She went on to become a secretary and then an administrative assistant before assuming her role as a Loan Officer in 1985. Old & Third National Bank eventually became Commercial Bank and Trust Company (CBTC), but Sharon continued her work with the bank.   “I have seen many changes in banking and been through many transitions,” said Ms. Winsett. “From government regulations to the way customers handle their business, banking is different now than it was when I started to work. Technology has had a major impact on the banking industry.”   Sharon worked in student loans, real estate loans and consumer loans. In that position, she also checked all real estate loans for compliance. She has worked at both of CBTC’s Union City locations and has been located at the Reelfoot Avenue branch since 2011. She has had the opportunity to work alongside great leaders at the bank, including Harold Jenkins, Ron DeBerry, Jim McFarlin, Jack Parker, and current CBTC Union City Community President Tim Shanks.   “CBTC has been good to me, and I have loved doing my job,” said Ms. Winsett. “I chose to stay with the bank when others tried to hire me away—that was the best decision ever. The thing I love most about my job is being able to help my customers. I want my customers to know that they can contact me at any time, and they do. I have always tried to make it as convenient as possible for them. Customer service is the key to success.”   Commercial Bank and Trust Company was chartered in 1877. The bank has operations in Jackson, Memphis, Paris, and Union City, Tennessee. Mott Ford is the Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Bank and Trust Company. In Union City, the bank has offices at 127 South First Street and 815 East Reelfoot Avenue.   For more information on Commercial Bank and Trust Company, visit www.cbtcnet.com