Oak Ridge Today

Senior Citizen Appreciation Day in Clinton

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Information from WYSH Radio/Submitted

Several organizations and businesses have organized a Senior Citizen Appreciation Day today (Tuesday, October 7) in Clinton.

It’s today (Tuesday, October 7) from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., rain or shine, at The Underwood Pavilion at the Clinton Fairgrounds.

Join organizers for a fun-filled day of music, games, free barbecue lunch, door prizes, flu shots, blood pressure checks, and lots of information on health issues, and health insurance, a press release said. There will be entertainment by Clinton’s own “Golden Girls” at 2 p.m. “You won’t want to miss this!” the press release said. [Read more…]

Habitat for Humanity selling building, plans to relocate

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Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County ReStore

The Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County ReStore is located in Grove Center.

 

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County is selling its building in Grove Center, and officials said they want to move into a more economical facility.

“We have a 70-year-old building, and the cost to maintain the property hinders us in fulfilling the Habitat mission,” the nonprofit organization’s board of directors said in a statement. “Habitat for Humanity International recommends not owning real estate, with the exception of properties on which to build houses.”

The board said many customers have been concerned because they have seen the “For Sale” sign on the Habitat ReStore and office in Grove Center.

“We are not going out of business!” the board said. [Read more…]

ThreeStar status awarded to 85 counties, including Anderson, Roane

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Bill Hagerty

Bill Hagerty

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93 out of 95 counties meet audit committee requirement

NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development on Thursday announced that 85 out of 95 counties, including Anderson and Roane, have been awarded ThreeStar status. In addition, since the ThreeStar community development program began requiring eligible communities to create and maintain a County Audit Committee in January 2013, the number of counties with Audit Committees has increased substantially. As of March 2013, there were 32 audit committees around the state; as of July 2014, there are 93.

“The ThreeStar program is a vital component to our state’s overall level of success, providing counties with a proven roadmap for continued economic and community strength, which in turn helps Tennessee win new investment and jobs,” Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty said. “Tennessee has been recognized as the number one state in the nation for economic development, and these audit committees support Governor Haslam’s overarching goal of making Tennessee the most efficiently run state on every level. I congratulate all of our ThreeStar counties and those communities who are taking the initiative to create Audit Committees and work toward achieving fiscal strength and efficient government.”

The Audit Committees are designed to help each county improve their financial management and reporting practices, and help ensure the implementation of good internal controls to prevent or detect fraud, a step towards achieving fiscal strength and efficient government. [Read more…]

Anderson Chamber elects new board member

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Arlene Garrison

Arlene Garrison

Arlene A. Garrison, vice president of university partnerships at Oak Ridge Associated Universities, has been elected to serve on the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Garrison, with more than 35 years of experience in science and education, works with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to enhance and expand research participation programs that provide opportunities for faculty and students from ORAU member institutions to work alongside renowned ORNL scientists, a press release said.

Prior to ORAU, she served as a program director for the National Science Foundation and in a number of senior leadership positions with the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. [Read more…]

Photos: SL Tennessee expansion

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SL Tennessee Tail Light Hot Weld

SL Tennessee employee Ricky Bean at a hot plate welding station in the assembly area for Cadillac tail lights.

 

CLINTON—Tennessee officials and SL Tennessee executives on Friday announced 1,000 new auto parts manufacturing jobs as part of a $80.5 million expansion in the Clinton I-75 Industrial Park in Clinton. It could be the largest expansion of industrial employment in Anderson County since World War II.

The South Korean company plans to invest $80.5 million to build a 250,000-square-foot plant on Frank L. Diggs Drive in the industrial park. It will be SL Tennessee’s LLC third building in the park, and the company’s fifth expansion since locating in Clinton in 2001. The new building will manufacture automobile head lights and tail lamps for General Motors.

Construction on the new building in Clinton will begin in August, and the new plant could be operating by April 2015.

Here is a collection of photos from Friday’s event. [Read more…]

SL Tennessee expansion could be largest in industrial employment since World War II

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SL Tennessee Expansion Media Availability

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, center, announces 1,000 new jobs as part of an $80.5 million expansion at auto parts manufacturer SL Tennessee in Clinton. Also pictured from left are Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, Clinton Mayor Scott Burton, and U.S. Senator Bob Corker.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:30 a.m. July 26.

CLINTON—The 1,000 new jobs announced at SL Tennessee in Clinton on Friday could be the largest expansion of industrial employment in Anderson County since World War II, officials said.

SL Tennessee, an auto parts manufacturer, plans to invest $80.5 million to build a 250,000-square-foot plant on Frank L. Diggs Drive in the Clinton I-75 Industrial Park. It will be SL Tennessee’s LLC third building in the park, and the company’s fifth expansion since locating in Clinton in 2001. The new building will manufacture automobile head lights and tail lamps for General Motors.

The jobs announcement was made in the South Korean company’s Chassis Plant on Friday near workers assembling gear shifters and brake assemblies, mostly for GM. Marking the importance of the announcement, Gov. Bill Haslam was invited to speak and so were U.S. senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander and Rep. Chuck Fleischmann.

“This is obviously a big day,” said Haslam, who announced the new jobs. “It shows our growth in the automotive business.”

It’s the second announcement of more than 1,000 jobs at an automotive plant in East Tennessee in the past two weeks. Last week, Volkswagen announced a $600 million investment and 2,000 new jobs in Chattanooga. [Read more…]

State, SL Tennessee announce 1,000 new jobs in Clinton

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CLINTON—Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty, along with SL Tennessee LLC officials, announced Friday that the company will build a new 250,000 square foot building to join its two existing facilities in the Clinton/I-75 Industrial Park, a Select Tennessee Certified Site. The South Korean automotive parts manufacturer will invest $80.5 million and create 1,000 new jobs in Anderson County. Located in Clinton since 2001, this will be the company’s fifth expansion.

“I want to congratulate SL Tennessee on its latest expansion and thank the company for the 1,000 new jobs created in Clinton,” Haslam said. “SL Tennessee has been an outstanding corporate citizen in Anderson County for nearly 15 years, and we are grateful to the company for bringing us one step closer to our goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”

“Tennessee has the greatest concentration of automotive industry employment in the South and with the addition of 1,000 new jobs from today’s announcement, we continue to build on this momentum,” Hagerty said. “Upon completion of this project, SL Tennessee will more than double its workforce, making it the largest employer in Clinton and one of the largest in Anderson County. I appreciate SL Tennessee’s continued investment in our state and for providing quality jobs to our citizens.”

This is the second 1,000 plus jobs announcement in the past two weeks in the automotive sector. Last week, Volkswagen announced a $600 million investment in Tennessee and 2,000 new jobs being created in Chattanooga. [Read more…]

Photo: Ribbon-cutting at The Real Estate Office

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The Real Estate Office Ribbon-cutting

The Real Estate office celebrated their new location in Oak Ridge with an Anderson County Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting on Friday, May 16. Cutting the ribbon are owners Kimberly and Richard Bell. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Chamber of Commerce)

 

The Real Estate Office celebrated their new location in Oak Ridge with an Anderson County Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting on Friday, May 16, a press release said.

Formerly Briarcliff Realty, The Real Estate Office moved to its new location inside the Citizens First Bank building.

“One of the fastest-growing privately owned real estate companies in the area, The Real Estate Office is a full service, comprehensive real estate company,” the release said.

The ribbon-cutting was held in conjunction with their fellow Chamber member, Citizens First Bank, who offered a customer appreciation event complete with food, ice cream sundae bar, and giveaways, the release said.

Anderson Chamber hosts business planning seminar

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Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Logo

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, will host a free workshop on Wednesday for small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to increase their chances for successful self-employment, a press release said.

The workshop will also be useful for existing businesses who are looking into obtaining financing. Business plans are required by lenders.

This free seminar will be held from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, at the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce office, 245 N. Main St., Ste., 200, in Clinton, with Jutta Bangs, senior business specialist with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center. The workshop covers business planning in detail, specifics of marketing and finance, operations, financial projections, and information-based planning and management. [Read more…]

Anderson Chamber offers business counseling Wednesday

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Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Logo

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce will host free and confidential one-hour business counseling sessions from 9-11 a.m. Wednesday.

Jutta Bangs, senior business specialist with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, will advise and assist future entrepreneurs and existing business owners.

To make an appointment for June or future scheduled sessions, call (865) 457-2559 or email [email protected]. To learn more about the TSBDC, visit www.roanestate.edu/tsbdc.

Honors: Anderson Chamber announces R.C. Hoskins Awards

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Natalie Erb

Natalie Erb

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce announced the two winners of the R.C. “Dudley” Hoskins Volunteer Awards at their 3rd Annual “Tribute to Business” Dinner on June 6.

Natalie Erb, one of the two recipients, is co-owner of Allstate-The Erb Agency in Clinton. Natalie serves on the Chamber board, Youth Leadership Anderson County board, and Events Council, and she is currently enrolled in the Leadership Anderson County Class of 2015. A positive voice for the Chamber in the community, she has provided numerous hours of in-kind support to the Chamber.

Interested in the Chamber’s future, Natalie’s professional approach to business has been a driver to bring the Chamber to a higher level. Despite her busy schedule with business and family, she makes time to give back to the community.

Steve Sumner, the second recipient, is chief executive officer of Thermocopy of Tennessee and a longtime Chamber member. Steve serves on the Chamber board and Chamber Operations Council, offering support through financial and in-kind contributions. [Read more…]

Anderson Chamber announces ‘Tribute to Business’ award winners

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Oak Ridge High School String Quartet

Rising juniors from the Oak Ridge Schools Orchestra Program will be providing live music for the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce’s 3rd Annual Tribute to Business on Friday, June 6, at the Museum of Appalachia. From left to right are Megan Peters, cello; Brittany Rowe, violin; Evelyn Pieper, violin; and Lucas Potter, viola.

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce has announced its Tribute to Business Awards, and they will be honored during a June 6 celebration at the Museum of Appalachia.

Here are the winners:

  • Small Business—Samuel Franklin,
  • Mid-Sized Business—All Occasion Party Rentals,
  • Large Business—Techmer PM,
  • Woman-Owned Business—Temp Systems Inc., and
  • Lifetime Achievement Award—The Fox Family. 

“Everyone is invited to join us in honoring these businesses for their contribution to the economic growth of Anderson County,” a press release said.

The Friday, June 6, celebration will start at 6:30 p.m. with valet parking, social hour, photos, and live music, the press release said. Dinner on the Lawn begins at 7:30 p.m. with a brief live auction and awards ceremony. The Museum of Appalachia is at 2819 Andersonville Highway near Norris. [Read more…]