Blount Partnership News and Events

 
How are we doing? Take a few minutes to take part in this important survey measuring membership satisfaction for the Blount Partnership and Blount County Chamber of Commerce. We will be gaining your thoughts and opinions in order to better serve you. We've made changes in our overall programming based on results of prior surveys, so be assured, we listen to you.

This survey should only take 5-6 minutes to complete. If you wish to be entered to win tickets to the Taste of Blount in September, please include your email at the conclusion of the survey. The final day to submit is May 18.

 
Be sure to check out the 107th installment of the The Dialogue, a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member, at the bottom of this email. This week, we visit with David C. Nichols, PhD, and CEO of East TN Insurors./div>
 
NETWORKING GOT YOU NERVOUS?
If networking isn't quite your thing, take 90 minutes from your day and join us May 15 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington st., Maryville) and let Raeus Jae Cannon take you on a journey on how to improve your connection skills. Learn how to make that first contact and stop making cold calls. Be prepared to steer more prospects into your funnel. This program is a definite game-changer. RSVP today.
 
HOW TO START UP A BUSINESS
Learn about forms of business organization, tax requirements, business licenses, business planning and financing options with additional discussion about SBA loan qualification and opportunities. Join us for this free seminar on May 17 from 9-11 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). Register online.
 
HR SUPERVISOR'S SEMINAR
HR personnel take note of an HR supervisor's seminar on May 18 from 8:30-11 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). The fee is $25 for chamber members and $50 for non-members. Register here.

8:35-9:20 a.m. -- Harassment presented by Lynne Peterson, Lewis Thomason
9:20-10:05 a.m. -- Hiring, Managing and Retaining your Workforce (It's Not Your Father's Generation!) presented by Carl Goodman, The ISAAC Network, LLC
10:05-10:15 a.m. -- Break
10:15-11:00 a.m. -- Americans with Disabilities and Family Medical Leave Act presented by Howard Jackson, Wimberly Lawson Wright Daves & Jones
 
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
business_group_women.jpg Make plans to attend our next Women in Business meeting on May 21 noon at the Airport Hilton (Bar Area) led by Sharon Hannum.

In order for us to have enough time for the meeting, please arrive at 11:45 a.m. and get your lunch and bring to the bar area.

This is a Dutch Treat lunch from Cooper's Restaurant. The menu is soup or salad bar for $8.95 + tax, this includes drink, and dessert or the whole buffet for $12 (including tax) and includes a drink and dessert. Please register online by May 18 if you plan to attend.
 
SOFT SKILLS SESSION FOR MAY
It's Your Career! That's the focus of six 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 six months.

Registrations are currently being accepted online at www.blountchamber.com for a class entitled Free Resources for Professional Development set for May 18. This course qualifies for .2 CEU's awarded by Pellissippi State.

The other classes offered include How to Run an Effective Meeting, Improving Your Presentation Style - Speaking, 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.
 
TREMONT SMOKY MOUNTAIN FAMILY CAMP
Spend your family vacation in the middle of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Surround your family with the magic of the mountains as you hike ridges, study wildlife, explore secret places, and take afternoon dips in the Middle Prong. This week-long adventure is designed for families that are ready to leave their cares behind in exchange for a week of unending family fun. Each day brings new activities in which to choose; hike in the high country, explore Cades Cove, search for salamanders, and enjoy fantastic evening entertainment. More info and registration.
 
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.
 
MAY MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS
Member-to-member promotions are here for May. Submit to the email below. Check out the offer from Pellissippi State and Roost. 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
 
REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL
Think local first + Buy local when you can = Being a local!
 
Local stores enable you to try on and try out items before you buy - and get real expertise - saving your time and money.
 
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 1965 was "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter," by Herman's Hermits. The single debuted on the Hot 100 at number 12 - the third highest debut of the decade (after the Beatles' "Hey Jude" and "Get Back").

Events

The Dialogue

This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So here we go with our 107th installment visiting with David C. Nichols, PhD, and CEO of East TN Insurors.
 
Describe what East TN Insurors does. We are a Multi-Line Independent Insurance Agency licensed in TN, GA, VA, NC, and SC. We represent Auto-Owners Mutual, The Hartford, CNA, Progressive, CHUBB, Zurich, American Modern, AEGIS, Foremost, Liberty Mutual, Philadelphia, ARCH, Grundy, Coast National Ins Co, Blue Cross Blue Shield of TN, HUMANA, CIGNA, United Health Care, SYMETRA, and Midland National. We sell auto, home, motorcycle, boat, commercial and business liabilty insurance, workers comp, health, life, annuities, disability, and medicare insurance.
 
How did you get started? The agency Principal was working for Stein-Roe-Farnum as a Registerd Representative (NASD Series 7) selling investment funds when the company was bought by the Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. of Boston. The agency Principal sold over $500,000,000 a year in investments and quickly rose to management in Knoxville, TN. Upon leaving Liberty Mutual he founded East TN Insurors in Maryville, TN.
 
What is your background? The agency Principal studied Finance under Milton Friedman at the University of Chicago earning his PhD. The agency Principal received management and middle management training while employed by Liberty Mutual. Additional management training was received while a member of the US Air Force and TN Air National Guard.
 
Who is your mentor? While working on his Masters of Mathematics Degree at the University of TN, Knoxville, the agency Principal was an assistant swimming coach and his mentor was L Reid Patterson, the first Olympic Gold Medalist from the South Eastern Conference. Coach Patterson was also a NASD Series 7 Investment Advisor and encouraged the agency Principal to pursue that license.
 
Describe your customers. Our customer base is very diverse. We have wonderful loyal clients that we treat professionally but also like family. We are now writing third generation clients. We have customers who have been with us for over 40 years. We write the small accounts as well as large accounts for businesses who sales exceed $100 million annually.
 
What impacts the business environment you work in? The economic conditions shape all business and purchasing decisions. Our office and our companies are ever changing and using the latest technology, advertising, and social media to meet our customers needs.
 
Name three things you wish you knew when you started. Ours is an ever changing business. The investment in newer technology requires a considerable upgrade to our systems every couple of years. Government regulations have severely impacted our ability to help our customers purchase heath insurance. And finally, I did not realize how rewarding it would be to develop an ongoing successful business enterprise.
 
What do you enjoy most about your business? We enjoy helping clients satisfy their financial needs.
 
Premier and Presidential Partners