Mission
The Enterprise Center’s mission has changed over time to meet the ever-changing needs of the community and the ever-shifting landscape of technology, according to the organization’s acting president and CEO, Sammy Lowdermilk. But what has remained the same is the organization’s role in “making sure that our communities and the people and residents in Chattanooga are connected to those opportunities around those rapidly changing technologies and innovations.” Most everything the organization does, Lowdermilk says, is aimed at providing the community the tools and resources needed to keep up with everybody else in the realm of technology.
History
Founded in the early 2000s, The Enterprise Center was the brainchild of former U.S. Senator Bob Corker, who was then serving as Chattanooga’s mayor, and former U.S. Representative Zach Wamp. Corker’s proposal was to establish the Enterprise Center to handle the technology links, venture capital and business assistance programs initiated within city government to help entrepreneurs start and grow new businesses, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported in February 2003. Over time, The Enterprise Center has retained its original intent, while changing to accommodate the needs of the community and leadership of Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Lowdermilk says.