Chamber eyes wooing more office jobs to Chattanooga

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

photo Diana Bullock

Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce officials, marking the business group's 125th year today, see an opportunity in wooing more office jobs to the city.

Ron Harr, the Chamber's incoming chief executive, said the efforts could include attracting company back office operations, telemarketing and the corporate functions of businesses already in Chattanooga.

Meanwhile, Diana Bullock, an EPB executive and incoming Chamber chairman, said education is key to Chattanooga's future growth.

"Another one of our priorities for the coming year will be to continue our efforts to support even stronger work force development and education," Bullock said at the business group's annual meeting.

Clyde Tuggle, chief public affairs and communications officer for The Coca-Cola Co., said Coke may have been born in a little pharmacy in Atlanta, but it grew up and fulfilled its destiny in Chattanooga.

"The first Coca-Cola bottling plant in the world was in this city. The second bottling plant was in Atlanta," he said.

See full story in Wednesday's Times Free Press.