The East Tennessee Economic Council is now accepting nominations for the 2014 Muddy Boot Award and Postma Young Professional Medal.

In 1973, the founders of ETEC (then the Roane Anderson Economic Council or R-AEC) created the Muddy Boot Award to reflect the efforts of the Manhattan Project founders of Oak Ridge, who worked through adverse conditions to build the community. Each year since, ETEC has honored individuals or groups of people who have continued to help build and bolster the community’s economic base. The award has been presented to elected officials, business leaders, representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy, and others.

The 2013 recipients included Bill Biloski, redevelopment project manager at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Ray Smith, historian at Y-12 National Security Complex; and Barry Stephenson, chief executive officer at Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, or MCLinc.

The objective is to recognize an individual—not an institution—for significant and long-term contributions to the East Tennessee region with respect to the federal government programs and its spin-offs by leveraging the federal presence to create private sector jobs. Participation in the community beyond the workplace is essential. [Read more…]