Oak Ridge Today

Glazer, developer of former Downtown Shopping Center, dies at 93

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Guilford Glazer and Diane Pregerson Glazer

Guilford Glazer and Diane Pregerson Glazer (Source: Tel Aviv University)

 

Guilford Glazer

Guilford Glazer (Source: American Friends of Tel Aviv University)

Note: This story was last updated at 12:30 p.m.

Philanthropist and developer Guilford Glazer, whose company built the former Downtown Shopping Center in Oak Ridge in the 1950s, died at his Beverly Hills home in California on Tuesday. He was 93.

Glazer, who still owns property in Oak Ridge and Knoxville, was born in Knoxville in 1921. He was one of seven children born to Eastern European immigrants, according to a story in the Beverly Hills Courier. He studied engineering at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., for two years before joining the Navy during World War II, working in ship construction.

When he returned home from the war, Glazer entered the business world when he took over the family welding shop and turned it into a major steel fabrication business, Glazer Steel Corporation, the Courier said. Glazer Steel fabricated bridges and many other structures for the government of France, among many other customers.

“Glazer’s first development was a building in Knoxville that has been described as the city’s ‘first high-rise apartment building,'” the Courier said. “He entered the real estate business in 1951, when a company he led was selected by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission to build a shopping center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. That shopping center opened in 1955 and not long after, Glazer picked up and moved to Los Angeles.” [Read more…]

Photos: Breakfast Rotary Christmas Angels at Linda Brown Realty

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Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Christmas Angels at Linda Brown Realty

Members of the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club’s Christmas Angels and friends and family met at Linda Brown Realty on Saturday to load vans and SUVs with Christmas gifts for families in need. (Photos by D. Ray Smith)

 

Members of the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club’s Christmas Angels and friends and family met at Linda Brown Realty on Saturday morning to load vans and SUVs with Christmas gifts for families in need.

“Thanks to all who participated and thanks especially to Linda Brown and Nancy Donsbach for organizing the effort,” photographer D. Ray Smith said. “Linda has graciously made her office into ‘Christmas Angel Central’ again as she has for the past several years. I well remember when my grandkids were young and they came with me to distribute gifts to three families. My grandsons still recall that experience with fondness at each Christmas gathering of the Smith family!”

Here are are four more photos by Smith: [Read more…]

UT-Battelle donates $100,000 to Children’s Hospital expansion

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

UT-Battelle has donated $100,000 to the capital campaign for the proposed expansion of East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville.

The announcement was made during groundbreaking ceremonies for the expanded facility, a press release said. The planned expansion includes:

  • 250,000 square feet of new space;
  • a new neonatal intensive care unit with private rooms;
  • a new inpatient/outpatient-surgery center;
  • a family lounge and resource center overlooking a rooftop garden;
  • 60,000 square feet of renovated space to include a chapel, laboratory, and a neonatal abstinence syndrome care unit and resource center; and
  • a specialty clinic for diabetes, cleft palate, cystic fibrosis, and healthy ways weight management program.

[Read more…]

Centrus raises more than $16,000 for United Way

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Centrus Donates to United Way

Pictured above are Lou Ann Lawson, Faye Grantham, Amanda Smith, Lydia Birk (2014 United Way Campaign Chair), Larry Cutlip, Cindy Light, and Gayla Hunter. United Way Committee members not present are Jamie Poland and Lana DiFiore. (Submitted photo)

 

Centrus Energy Corporation, formerly known as USEC, recently announced that they raised more than $16,000 in their 2014 United Way of Anderson County campaign. That’s a 10 percent increase compared to 2013, a press release said.

The release said the increase is vitally important for United Way of Anderson County, helping it recover from the last two years, which have been difficult.

“We are delighted that we are part of the solution,” said Larry Cutlip, a Centrus deputy director. “We know our community has struggled the last two years due to changes in federal funding, so our growth is exciting.” [Read more…]

Anderson Chamber elects new board officers

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Stephen Harris

Stephen Harris

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce has elected new board officers for 2015. Here is submitted information on those elected.

Stephen Harris has been named chairman of the board, Rob Followell has been elected chair-elect, and Amy Allen has been elected treasurer for Anderson County Chamber of Commerce. Steve Heatherly has been named member-at-large.

Stephen Harris, engineering manager at Powell-Clinch Utility District, where he has worked for 14 years, is responsible for the daily operation of the Engineering, IT, and Building Maintenance Departments. Stephen is a graduate of Leadership Anderson County and has served as co-chair of the Chamber’s Government and Community Relations Council. [Read more…]

Randy Boyd named state commissioner of economic, community development

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Photo courtesy UT Torchbearer

Photo courtesy UT Torchbearer

East Tennessee businessman Randy Body has been named commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Governor Bill Haslam announced Thursday.

Boyd, 55, is chairman of Radio Systems Corporation, which he started in 1991. Radio Systems is headquartered in Knoxville and has more than 650 associates worldwide with offices in seven countries, a press release said.

Radio Systems is the company that donated $100,000 donation to the PetSafe Dog Park at Big Turtle Park in Oak Ridge.

The press release said Boyd is a successful entrepreneur who served as a full-time, unpaid special adviser to the governor for higher education in 2013, focusing on the “Drive to 55” initiative to bring the percentage of Tennesseans with college degrees or certificates from 32 percent up to 55 percent by the year 2025. Boyd’s work resulted in the Tennessee Promise, a program that provides two years of community college or a college of applied technology free of tuition and fees to graduating Tennessee high school seniors. [Read more…]

MSTI hires Inklebarger as vice president, business unit manager

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Randy Inklebarger

Randy Inklebarger

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Randy Inklebarger, who has been hired by MS Technology Inc., said he didn’t have to think long about joining the company as its new vice president and business unit manager for engineering projects.

The choice was easy, he said, since his history with the company goes back to when it was founded. That was more than 20 years ago, and he has been impressed with them from the day they launched.

“I worked with them on some projects from the early days of the company,” Inklebarger said, adding that he was working with another local company at the time that had partnered with MSTI. “The decision to go work for them was easy.” [Read more…]

Hibachi Pizza open in Oliver Springs

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Hibachi Pizza Ribbon-cutting

Hibachi Pizza owners Michael Pfeiffer and Darian Crossno recently celebrated their grand opening with an Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting and Business After Hours. (Submitted photo)

 

Hibachi Pizza owners Michael Pfeiffer and Darian Crossno recently celebrated their grand opening with an Anderson County Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting.

Hibachi Pizza is located at 526 East Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs.

The restaurant opened July 16 where Mountain Pizza used to be. It’s affiliated with Hibachi Burger in Oak Ridge and specializes in Japanese and American cuisine such as hibachi, burgers, sandwiches, and pizza.

The restaurant is open from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 3 to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Hibachi Pizza is closed on Sunday. [Read more…]

Piper, Prine win 2014 Postma Young Professional Medals

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Cortney Piper and Betsy Prine

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. [Read more…]

Mason, Coffey receive 2014 Muddy Boot Awards

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Thom Mason and David Coffey

Thom Mason, left, and David Coffey, right (Photo courtesy East Tennessee Economic Council)

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Two titans of East Tennessee’s business community were honored Friday with the Muddy Boot Award, given by the East Tennessee Economic Council in an ongoing tribute to individuals who through their work and activities build a better community.

This year’s honorees were Thom Mason, director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and leader of other  state and local organizations, and David Coffey, a serial entrepreneur, past member of the Tennessee General Assembly, and a leader in promoting better education in the state.

ETEC also presented two Postma Young Professional Medals. Betsy Prine, a vice president of Gilmartin Engineering Services, and Cortney Piper, principal of Piper Communications, received the medals. The Economic Council’s annual celebratory event was keynoted by Tennessee Commissioner of Finance and Administration Larry Martin. University of Tennessee President Joe DiPietro and Pete Craven also participated, with the event chaired by Bonnie Carroll of Information International Associates. [Read more…]

Reminder: Clinton, Oak Ridge Christmas parades tonight

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Clinton Christmas Parade First Place

A float by Second Baptist Church featuring a large sleigh and reindeer won first place in the Dec. 1, 2012, Christmas parade in Clinton. (File photo courtesy of Janet Hawkins)

 

The Oak Ridge and Clinton Christmas parades are both scheduled to start at 6 p.m. today (Saturday, December 13).

The Clinton parade is organized by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce. Floats and parade vehicles will follow a route from the old train depot on Market Street through Historic Downtown Clinton, then left on North Main and continue on just past the Anderson County Courthouse, and make a right onto West Broad Street.

Several downtown area streets will be closed during the parade activity. If you are planning to travel through Clinton on Saturday evening, your best option would be to stay on the four lane Charles G. Seivers Boulevard. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Christmas Parade on Saturday

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Santa in Oak Ridge Christmas Parade

Santa Claus and helpers ride on an Oak Ridge fire truck during the 2013 Christmas Parade. (File photo by D. Ray Smith)

 

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Parade starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, December 13. More than 100 entries have registered to participate.

The parade will start at Corporate Center on the corner of Lafayette and Laboratory Road. From there, the parade will travel down Lafayette to the Oak Ridge Turnpike. It will continue west on the Turnpike to Oak Ridge High School. The judge’s stand will be located in front of the Chamber. [Read more…]