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Check out the latest edition of The Dialogue in this email. This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So, here we go with our 129th installment visiting with Frankie Ballew of
Sitel Tennessee.
TWO RIBBON CUTTING SET FOR THURSDAY
 January 17 will be a busy day with a pair of ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremonies being set. The first is at
Bill Cox Furniture (101 East Broadway Ave., Maryville) at noon. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served.
Following that,
Maryville Modern Dentistry (1053 Hunter's Crossing, Alcoa) holds its ceremony at 4 p.m. to celebrate its new location.
REGIONAL LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST TICKETS ON SALE
 Join local business leaders and elected officials to hear about pending state legislative issues that could impact the business community as well as the legislative agenda developed by policy leaders at the Blount Partnership, Knoxville Chamber and the Oak Ridge Chamber. The event is February 1, 2019 from 7:30-9 a.m. at the Clayton Center for the Arts (502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville).
Tickets are $30 and are available online only.
SOFT SKILLS ARE BACK FOR 2019
 It's Your Career! That's the focus of a free soft skills session offered in partnership by the Blount County Public Library, the Adult Education Foundation of Blount County and the Blount County Chamber of Commerce.
Registrations are currently being accepted online at
www.blountchamber.com for a class entitled Personal Professional Development Planning on February 22. All participants will earn .5 CEUs per session for participating. They will also receive an email survey two months after workshop participation to assess application of new ideas.
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.
MLK BUSINESS LUNCHEON
 The MLK business luncheon will be held at the Clayton Center for the Arts on January 18 at noon. The cost is $35 per person or $350 per table of 10. Reservations are required to attend this event and can be made by calling the Blount County Chamber of Commerce at 865-983-2241. The keynote speaker is Tanya Martin, newly elected Alcoa City-Commissioner.
Other MLK Celebration Weekend events include:
MLK Kids and Families Fair
Saturday, January 19, 2019
1 p.m. at the Blount County Library
Community Worship Service
Sunday, January 20, 2019
4 p.m. at St. John Baptist Church, Alcoa
MLK Day March/Program
Monday, January 21, 2019
12:45 p.m. Assemble at MLK Center
1 p.m. March from MLK Center to Maryville College
2 p.m. Program at Nutt Theatre in Clayton Center
OPERATION THANK YOU
 Promote your business during "Operation Thank You" by sending 1400 gift certificates, brochures or business promotional pieces to us and we will distribute them during Operation Thank You.
Your Chamber constantly looks for ways to help you promote your business through the ABC theory - Always Buy Chamber. We do ask that your enclosure piece not to exceed 8 ½" x 11". These inserts should be delivered to the Chamber no later than 5 p.m. Thursday, February 7.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Amy Lawson at
alawson@blountpartnership.com or call 865.983.2241. There is a fee of $250 for insert enclosure.
Participate in the Chamber's 21st annual "Operation Thank You" set for February 19-21, 2019 and meet other business people on a one-on-one basis.
During this three-day event, Chamber members, the Chamber staff and Board of Directors will personally deliver Chamber member information packets. We invite you to join us in this three-day effort. You can agree to call on as many or as few members as your schedule permits.
If you, someone (or several people) from your business, organization or group is interested in participating, please contact Amy Lawson at
alawson@blountpartnership.com or call 865.983.2241.
RT LODGE BOURBON MEAL
 Just announced: Bourbon Dinner Event with five small-batch bourbons and a family style dinner on January 26. Quite the bourbon, quite the menu. Space is limited to 18 seats.
Want more info?
DISCOVER LEADERSHIP BLOUNT
 Did you RESOLVE to get more INVOLVED in 2019? Join Leadership Blount for the Spring 2019 session of Discover Blount! This fun, social, engaging introduction to Blount County will help you Discover all the great things about Blount County and identify ways to get involved. Discover Blount meets on six Tuesday afternoons this Spring and will highlight government, history, industry, tourism, education, health, and community service. Grab some friends and jump on the bus! For more information and to register go to
www.leadershipblount.com/Discover.
LYNDA AT THE LIBRARY
 Businesses need to take advantage of the Blount County Library's subscription to Lynda.com. Using your library card, get access to Lynda.com, a LinkedIn Company, with thousands of courses in software, creative and business skills to develop your staff skills and meet learning needs at your own convenience.
Learn More
YOU CAN POST YOUR OWN MEMBER-TO-MEMBER DEALS
REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL
 Think local first + Buy local when you can = Being a local!
Independent businesses give cities their shape, texture, color, and taste...often literally.
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 1962 was "The Twist" by Chubby Checker. His single became a hit, first reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 19, 1960, where it stayed for one week, and setting a record as the only song to reach No. 1 in two different hit parade runs when it resurfaced and topped the popular hit parade again for two weeks starting on January 13, 1962. Billboard magazine declared the song the "biggest hit" of the 1960s.
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Blount Chamber members can now post their own
