• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Today, 20-somethings think outside the corner office and look beyond the size of a paycheck. But don't underestimate their drive and potential.

Fresh on the scene, young professionals are getting their feet wet in the workplace, paying off college loans, setting down roots and wrestling with what they want to do with their lives.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press today features "20 in their 20s," a group of emerging leaders who already are showing the gumption, community engagement and work ethic of professionals well beyond them in years. This sampling of the diverse array of talented young people living and working in the area underscores the power of the Scenic City's human capital.

Some are passionate about making the city more environmentally sustainable, while others are working hard in suits and ties to argue legal cases, balance the books of major local companies or help the less fortunate.

There are young professionals whose daily mission is to create the perfect pastry and others who live to help entrepreneurs reach their goals.

As a group, they admire what Chattanooga has become and love calling it home.

"Chattanooga is a great city to raise my family," said Tyrus Ward, a 25-year-old assistant football coach at Red Bank High School.

Others say they like Chattanooga's track record for improvement and see it as a place that encourages the new and young to get involved.

"I love the history of Chattanooga combined with the current growth and potential the city has to continue to grow," said Alex Estes, a 28-year-old project manager at Schaerer Contracting.

Jon Kinsey, former Chattanooga mayor and developer, said he is energized by all the young professionals who are moving to Chattanooga and investing their energy in improving the region.

"I remember 20 years ago there were very few 20-somethings who wanted to be in Chattanooga," he said. "We have really changed. They are here and they are getting involved in everything."

* Name: Jami Hall, 29

* Hometown: Jesup, Ga.

* Profession: Director of student activities at Dalton State College

* Claim to fame: I love working with students, and I am passionate about higher education and seeing students suceed.

* Next step: Move into a dean of students job in the next three to five years.

* Volunteer: Rockbridge Community Church, United Way of Northwest Georgia volunteer committee, Georgia College Personnel Association

* What you love about where you live: The mountains of Dalton, Ga.

* First job: Academic and career enhancement coordinator at Dalton State College

* Worst job: Dairy Queen in high school

* Little-known fact: I cannot spell and I live for spell check.

* Name: Sheldon Grizzle, 28

* Hometown: Boca Raton, Fla.

* Profession: Director of SpringBoard at Create Here

* Claim to fame: Co-founder of the Chattanooga Football Club, a local semiprofessional soccer team.

* Next step: Make Chattanooga the best place for entrepreneurs in America.

* Volunteer: Board of Highland Commons at the St. Andrews Center, board of Chattanooga Football Club

* What you love about where you live: I love the sense of opportunity in Chattanooga. It's a place where someone who's motivated can find a way to get plugged in and make a difference.

* First job: Running the cash register and managing the music inventory at my dad's bookstores

* Worst job: In college, part of my work study position was to clean the rat lab. That was pretty funky!

* Little-known fact: I have Type I diabetes

* Name: Lorean Mays, 26

* Hometown: Chattanooga

* Profession: Pageant director and model

* Claim to fame: Miss Black Tennessee USA from 2005-2006. First black woman to be a three-time state title holder.

* Next step: Master's in nursing and working on my nonprofit

* Volunteer: Order of Eastern Star, Daughters of Isis, Alpha Angels Inc., National Council of Negro Women

* What you love about where you live: I've lived here my whole life and love the fact that it's a small town with a big city flavor.

* First job: Retail

* Little-known fact: I'm actually a shy person.

* Name: Zac Greene, 29

* Hometown: Chattanooga

* Profession: Attorney at Miller & Martin

* Claim to fame: Fountain of useless information and trivia

* Next step: Partnership (hopefully)

* Volunteer: Adjunct professor of political science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga teaching classes in constitutional law

* What you love about where you live: Every day I am impressed with the positive changes Chattanooga has made to my lifetime.

* First job: Screen-print cleaner at Custom Impressions

* Worst job: See first job

* Little-known fact: Threw shotput (once) at a middle school track and field meet

* Name: Anj McClain, 27

* Hometown: Memphis

* Profession: Co-director of Green/Spaces

* Claim to fame: Starting Green/Spaces and getting to work with great people everyday.

* Next step: Bartender at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel bar

* Volunteer: Vice chairwoman of the East Tennessee U.S. Green Building Council, founder of Chattanooga Green Drinks, Habitat for Humanity restore committee

* What you love about where you live: I have always loved how easy it is to get involved and make a difference.

* First job: Barista

* Worst job: College work study

* Little-known fact: I own a Guatemalan fox.

* Name: Will Clegg, 25

* Hometown: Chattanooga

* Profession: Accountant at Henderson, Hutcherson and McCullough

* Claim to fame: My engagement story

* Next step: Graduate with an MBA from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and sit for the certified public accounting exam

* Volunteer: Vice president of membership for the Southside Chamber of Commerce, community leaders liason for the Young Professionals Association of Chattanooga, Kappa Sigma Alumni Housing Board, Young CPAs

* What you love about where you live: Weather for golfing, boating and Volunteers football

* First job: Working as a laborer for my dad's construction company

* Worst job: Gutting the inside of a 100-year-old home while wearing jeans and a sweatshirt in July

* Little-known fact: I finally am getting married to my longtime girlfriend of five years.

* Name: Tiffanie Campbell-Robinson, 25

* Hometown: Tampa, Fla.

* Profession: Event production and management for Quiddity Entertainment, co-owner of On The List Catering and Events

* Claim to fame: Local events (Drink and Debate, Skin Deep) and my massive wedding on the Walnut Street bridge.

* Next step: Own my very own business and take over the world.

* Volunteer: President of the Young Professional Association of Chattanooga, hospice of Chattanooga, Girls Inc.

* What you love about where you live: There is a big enough resource pool for support for whatever you want to happen actually happen.

* First job: Copy writer at Life Care Centers of America

* Worst job: Serving tables in college

* Little-known fact: I studied theater in college and secretly want to be a tap dancer.

* Name: Mark McKnight, 28

* Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.

* Profession: Rock/Creek Outfitters marketing director

* Claim to fame: Convinced a 20-year-old outdoor retailer to rebrand to engage a new generation; helped RockCreek.com to become Backpacker Magazine's best online retailer.

* Next step: Continue to engage new outdoor users and get kids off the couch.

* Volunteer: Board member of the Wilderness Trail Running Association (The Boonies)

* What you love about where you live: You're always just a few minutes away from a beautiful place to run a trail or climb one of the many mountains on your bike.

* First job: Alamo Rent-a-car salesperson

* Worst job: Same as above -- good pay but odd hours.

* Little-known fact: I had a detached retina a couple years ago and had to have a plastic lens put in my eye.

* Name: Amanda Carmichael, 28

* Hometown: Sparta, Tenn.

* Profession: Public relations, Unum

* Claim to fame: My thinking shoes.

* Next step: It's a secret, it's big and it's a good one.

* Volunteer: American Cancer Society, Wine Over Water public relations chairwoman, Public Relations Society of America

* What you love about where you live: It's beautiful. There's a wonderful sense of community, and an energetic entrepreneurial spirit.

* First job: Carhop at Sonic Drive-In

* Worst job: I play the Glad Game (see Pollyanna)

* Little-known fact: That first job of mine, it lasted nine years (I started when I was 14). And yes, I wore roller skates.

* Name: Tyrus Ward, 25

* Hometown: Chattanooga

* Profession: Preloader at UPS and assistant football coach with Red Bank High School

* Claim to fame: Contributing to Red Bank's perfect regular season, again.

* Next step: Head football coach

* Volunteer: Chattanooga Jets track club

* What you love about where you live: Chattanooga is a great city to raise my family. There are many opportunities here for me to grow and blossom.

* First job: McDonalds

* Worst job: McDonalds

* Little-known fact: I'm very passionate about helping our youth. Coaching allows me to connect with kids in a positive way.

* Name: Elizabeth Crenshaw, 24

* Hometown: Columbia, S.C.

* Profession: Electric utilities communication and strategic research at EPB

* Claim to fame: First person at EPB to earn a LEED AP.

* Next step: Contribute to the sustainability movement and the general greater good.

* Volunteer: Public relations chairwoman for the Young Professionals Association of Chattanooga, U.S. Green Building Council membership committee secretary

* What you love about where you live: The active and supportive community and natural beauty.

* First job: Substitute day care teacher

* Worst job: Public safety crew for one semester at Warren Wilson College

* Little-known fact: I was on track to be a professional poet and fiction writer until my junior year of college.

* Name: Dane J. Frazier, 23

* Hometown: Philadelphia.

* Profession: Pastry chef at Mercatino

* Claim to fame: My bread and my Nutella waffles

* Next step: Concentrate on simple flavors, work toward opening my own retail bakery

* Volunteer: I love to donate baked goods to good causes, friends and family.

* What you love about where you live: It's a lot quieter than Philadelphia. I'm surrounded by nature. Parks, hiking, camping and the outdoors are only a hop, skip and a jump away.

* First job: Dishwasher at a pizza restaurant

* Worst job: On-call catering

* Little-known fact: I worked for a traveling carnival. Best summer of my life.

* Name: Melody Bonilla, 25

* Hometown: Bridgeport, Conn.

* Profession: Client services at La Paz de Dios

* Claim to fame: Always, always wear heels and lip gloss. Proud of empowering others.

* Next step: Continue to serve in the community and be passionate about personal and community transformation.

* Volunteer: International Worship Center in Cleveland

* What you love about where you live: The scenery and the friendly people

* First job: Baby sitting

* Worst job: Dietary aide and dishwasher at a nursing home

* Little-known fact: Love salsa dancing, Puerto Rican food and spending time with my family.

* Name: Aaron Deimling, 28

* Hometown: Signal Mountain

* Profession: Financial representative at Northwestern Mutual Financial Network

* Claim to fame: I marched in Phantom Regiment Drum Corps.

* Next step: To become a certified financial planner.

* Volunteer: Northside Neighborhood house

* What you love about where you live: The rivers and the mountains.

* First job: Rock City Gardens

* Worst job: Retail.

* Little-known fact: I enjoy fly fishing and golf.

* Name: Beka Vonnoh, 29

* Hometown: Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

* Profession: Chattanooga Community Kitchen case manager

* Claim to fame: To be blessed with another opportunity to live for God, be the mother of two amazing girls and share the abundant grace and mercy that has been shown me.

* Next step: Considering going back to school.

* Volunteer: Choices Crisis Pregnancy Center

* What you love about where you live: I love the natural beauty. There are so many different places to see and enjoy the majesty of God's creation.

* First job: Subway in Hawaii

* Worst job: The telemarketing job I had during my first pregnancy was a bit stressful.

* Little-known fact: I really enjoy gas station coffee.

* Name: Jonathan Frost, 26

* Hometown: Signal Mountain

* Profession: Accounting, assistant controller at Tuftco Corporation

* Volunteer: Member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, committee member of the Ronald McDonald Fall Children's Festival

* What you love about where you live: Family atmosphere, friends I have here and the scenery of Chattanooga

* Claim to fame: Passing the certified public accounting exam

* Next step: Good question. ... I wish I knew.

* First job: Accountant at Henderson, Hutcherson and McCullough

* Worst job: Never had a bad job.

* Little-known fact: I can play the banjo.

* Name: Julia Taylor, 27

* Hometown: Memphis

* Profession: Engineer for EPB

* Claim to fame: Received a master's degree in 2008 in engineering management

* Next step: Getting married in 2010

* Volunteer: Vice president for the Urban League of Young Professionals, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

* What you love about where you live: Opportunities for growth. It's scenic and safe.

* First job: Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprises

* Worst job: Customer service in college

* Little-known fact: "I am dedicated to everything I touch."

* Name: Alex Estes, 28

* Hometown: Chattanooga

* Profession: Project manager at Schaerer Contracting Co.

* Volunteer: Supporter of surrounding Boy's and Girl's Clubs

* What you love about where you live: I love the history of Chattanooga combined with the current growth and potential the city has to continue to grow. I believe all the new downtown developments are great for the city and enjoy seeing the old, vacant buildings refurbished.

* First job: Brick mason's assistant

* Worst job: Shoveling horse stalls

* Little-known fact: My wife and I recently welcomed our first child

* Name: Emily Bryant, 26

* Hometown: Cleveland, Tenn.

* Profession: Photographer and co-manager of Twin Oak Farm

* Claim to fame: I know a lot about cows.

* Next Step: Pay off loans and take a vacation.

* Volunteer: Volunteer with the congregational care ministry at Candies Creek Church

* What you love about where you live: The lay of the land.

* First job: Chick-Fil-A

* Worst job: A desk job.

* Little-known fact: I'm an enthusiastic coyote hunter.

* Name: Matt Guider, 20

* Hometown: Collegedale

* Profession: Entrepreneur; president of Love Chattanooga Inc.

* Claim to fame: Establishing Love Chattanooga, which provides services to homeless college students and families.

* Next step: Growing Love Chattanooga Inc. and finishing my degree.

* Volunteer: Works with Invisible Children

* What you love about where you live: A city rich in its history and arts.

* First job: Landscaping at Southern Adventist University

* Worst job: Being a dishwasher at a local restaurant.

* Little-known fact: When I was 16, I was a session drummer for a band at Riverbend.

MORE

* Visit www.facebook.com/timesfreepress and post whom you would nominate for "20 in their 20s."

Share/Bookmark This Page