Piper, Prine win 2014 Postma Young Professional Medals

Cortney Piper, left, and Betsy Prine, right (Photo courtesy East Tennessee Economic Council)

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Cortney Piper and Betsy Prine received Postma Young Professional Medals on Friday at the East Tennessee Economic Council’s annual year-end celebration.

The Postma Medal was created by the East Tennessee Economic Council to honor the accomplishments of young professionals who have made an impact and fostered a community culture in the region. Former Oak Ridge National Laboratory director Herman Postma epitomized this spirit during his life, and his wife Pat continues the tradition of service today through her involvement in the Oak Ridge community. Pat Postma made the award presentation at the Council’s annual meeting on Friday at the DoubleTree Hotel.

A former Lady Vol swimmer, Piper is a familiar face on WATE’s “Tennessee This Week,” where she provides political commentary on current events in Tennessee. Through Piper Communications—a clean energy communications consulting firm that she founded in 2008—Piper works with clients across the country. She chairs the City of Knoxville’s Better Building Board, serves on the University of Tennessee Political Science Board of Advisors, the East Tennessee Economic Council, and the Visit Knoxville board.

Her latest endeavor is the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council, which champions the growth of Tennessee’s advanced energy economy as a job creation and economic development strategy. It educates public officials and business leaders about Tennessee’s advanced energy assets, establishes strategic partnerships to connect assets with opportunities, and informs policy that expands and strengthens the industry.

A native of Michigan, she and her husband Barry Armstrong live in Knoxville.

Prine, a vice president of Gilmartin Engineering Works, is the consummate team player, says Uranium Processing Facility Federal Project Director John Eschenberg.

“She believes in fostering a sense of team and of community in her endeavors, and this contributes greatly to her success,” Eschenberg said.

Prine is a relentless volunteer. You can see her using her time and talents at United Way events, Chamber of Commerce activities, the Lavender Festival in Oak Ridge, and for the East Tennessee Economic Council.

Most importantly, she is a champion of small businesses in the area. She works for one, and she helps others build teams to be trained to do work with the federal government.