LaunchTN wins grant of $500,000 from ARC
An economic development agency targeted for elimination by President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday $15.7 million in funding to help diversify economies in hard-hit coal communities in seven Appalachian states.
The funding is earmarked for 18 projects in Alabama, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia, and will create or retain more than 1,700 jobs, the Appalachian Regional Commission said.
LaunchTN of Knoxville will be getting a $500,000 grant from the ARC for its Entrepreneurial Education and Workforce Development project. The Tennessee startup support initiative will target the coal-impacted counties of Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Cumberland, Fentress, Grundy, Marion, Morgan, Scott and Sequatchie.
Activities will focus on expanding rural youth innovation and idea generation programs, increasing access to technology and business support that result in customer acquisition and strategic partnerships, building out a roadmap to the marketplace for entrepreneurs from east Tennessee colleges and universities; and elevating opportunities for independent makers and local craft manufacturers.
The project is expected to result in 31 new businesses and 60 new jobs created, as well as roughly $154,000 in leveraged private investment.
Fourteen Chattanoogans in Leadership Tennessee
The Leadership Tennessee program will include 14 business and community leaders from Chattanooga in the 2017-2018 class.
Among the 42 members picked for next year’s class, the Chattanoogans include Stephen Culp, CEO and General Partner for Delegator.com, PriceWaiter.com, Chattanooga Renaissance Fund; Wade Hinton, city attorney and chief legal officer for the city of Chattanooga; Andrew Kean, partner/co-founder of Alderman Holdings; Tim Kelly, president, Kelly Auto Group; Elaine Swafford, executive director of the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy; Roy Vaughn, senior vice president and chief communications officer for Blue- Cross BlueShield of Tennessee; and Scott Neal Wilson, head of communications for Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations.
The 10-month-long program was launched in February 2013 and the new class will be the fifth for the statewide effort.
“In my view, Leadership Tennessee has set the national standard in public service leadership development,” said Steve Joiner, dean of the Lipscomb College of Leadership & Public Service.
In 2015, Leadership Tennessee received a $750,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand the program’s offerings.
Chattanooga Chamber named award finalist
The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce has been named a finalist for the 2017 Chamber of the Year award, which is presented by Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and sponsored by WebLink International.
“This honor is a testament to our community commitment, whether it’s creating jobs, helping students get prepared for those jobs, or championing our member businesses,” said Bill Kilbride, Chamber president & CEO. “We always strive for excellence and we’re honored to be a Chamber of the Year finalist this year.”
Applicants are grouped into five categories based on annual revenue, membership, area population and several other factors. The Chattanooga Chamber competes against two finalists for the Chamber of the Year award.
Chamber of the Year is the nation’s only award recognizing the leadership role chambers have in their communities. Those honored with the Chamber of the Year designation have demonstrated organizational strength and made an impact on key community priorities, such as education, transportation, business development and quality of life.
Broken water main cuts Tenn-Am flow
A broken 24-inch water main limited water flow to thousands of Tennessee American Water customers Tuesday night and Wednesday in East Brainerd, East Ridge, Lakeview, Ga., and Highway 58 areas.
“We apologize for the disruption this has caused and ask for your understanding while we work safely and as quickly as possible to solve the underlying issue,” the company’s director of operations, Kevin Kruchinski, said in a statement Wednesday.
The break affected water flow for two of the water system’s pressure zones east of Missionary Ridge.
Tennessee American Water did not have an estimate on completion of the repair on Wednesday, but “we will be working safely and as quickly as possible,” said Kruchinski.
Retail sales slide 0.3 percent in May
Americans cut spending at gasoline stations, department stores and electronics shops in May as retail sales registered the biggest drop in 16 months, a disappointing sign for the overall economy.
The Commerce Department says retail sales dropped 0.3 percent last month, first drop since February and biggest since a 1 percent decrease in January 2016.