Vestal retrofit cuts light bills by $93,000 a year
SWEETWATER, Tenn. - Vestal Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. won the Environmental Stewardship Award from Orion Energy Systems following a large-scale industrial lighting retrofit project that, based on current rates, is expected to save Vestal Manufacturing $93,326 a year in lighting electricity costs.
Orion Energy Systems and its integration partner, Contemporary Energy Solutions, installed 501 new fixtures in three buildings at the Sweetwater manufacturer.
In addition to the immediate monetary savings, Vestal Manufacturing will decrease its annual energy usage by a projected 943,460 kilowatt hours. Environmentally, this equates to the indirect removal of 610 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year and 171 acres of trees being planted annually.
Using the Orion Throughout Agreement, Vestal Manufacturing estimates its monthly energy savings will more than offset its monthly payments for the project -- resulting in positive cash flow.
Wellness program wins Koop acclaim
Tennessee's biggest health insurer is gaining national attention for its efforts to ensure better health among its own employees.
The well@work employee program at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has won a C. Everett Koop National Health Award honorable mention by The Health Project.
The BlueCross wellness program captured The Health Project's attention, in part, because of its 97 percent employee participation rate and the company's policies to encourage healthy behaviors among peers at work. Onlife Health manages the BlueCross on-site fitness center and provides health coaching, online health assessments and other resources to help employees get and stay healthy.
"Hearing employees' personal success stories about losing weight, getting off of medications, and generally improving their health is very rewarding," said Ryan Picarella, manager of corporate wellness for BlueCross. "Earning an honorable mention of this caliber is an outstanding achievement for our program and validates our employees' experiences."
Dr. C. Everett Koop, former surgeon general of the United States who helped establish the award in 1994, said award winners exemplify what employers can do to improve workers' health, while at the same time saving money.
Cornerstone declares quarterly dividend
Cornerstone Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Cornerstone Community Bank, announced Friday it will pay its seventh consecutive quarterly dividend on its preferred stock on Nov. 28 for shareholders of record as of Nov. 9. Founded in 1996, Cornerstone is a single-bank holding company with $421 million in assets.