Bear Stephenson Archives - Oak Ridge Today

Anderson County Chamber Headquarters Dedication Set for October 17

Posted at 4:38 pm October 10, 2025
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce will host the dedication ceremony for its new headquarters at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 17, 500 N. Charles Seivers Blvd., Clinton, after nearly three years of fundraising that brought $1,175,695 in contributions from individuals, businesses, and industries throughout the county.

The new building will honor those who founded the Chamber 93 years ago and community leaders and businesses today that have supported the Chamber and benefited from the Chamber’s work in economic development, community partnerships and preserving the county’s history.

The headquarters will be named the William “Bear” Stephenson Family Chamber Building, honoring the family of the lifelong resident of Anderson County who built the successful Stephenson Realty and Auction business in Clinton, now in its 43rd year. He is recognized throughout the region as an auctioneer who donates his time and talents to help nonprofit organizations raise funds.

Grateful for the support of the community, the Chamber, his parents and his brother, Stephenson is donating $1 million to the Anderson County Chamber Foundation for its headquarters.

“The Chamber is a vital part of economic development and economic activity in the community,” Stephenson said. His only immediate family members, his parents and his brother, have passed away, so he decided to make a major gift to the Chamber. “I’m leaving it to the future of Clinton and Anderson County. I’m just glad I could help.”

The Chamber headquarters is built on land donated by Clinton businessman Joe Hollingsworth, Jr., CEO of The Hollingsworth Companies, an industrial real estate development and construction company. The 1.35-acre lot at the corner of Charles Seivers Boulevard and Weaver Street locates the Chamber on a prominent site on a well-traveled commercial street.

“The new building and location are a clear statement about Clinton’s and Anderson County’s future economic destiny,” said Hollingsworth, whose Aspire Foundation created Clinton’s Aspire Park. “I’m proud to be a small part of helping Bear and Rick (Meredith, Chamber President and CEO) create this foundation for the future of business and industry in Anderson County.”

The Anderson County Chamber Foundation, a nonprofit formed in December 2022, headed the “Building a Better Future” capital campaign for the new headquarters.

The one-story Chamber headquarters, the first the Chamber has owned in its 93-year history, will include a diversified room with up-to-date technology for training and videoconferencing, available for Chamber members, nonprofits, and community partners. A welcoming lobby, a catering kitchen for events, and offices for Chamber staff and the Anderson County Economic Development Association are included in the building’s plans.

MBI Companies, Inc., an architectural, engineering and interiors firm with offices in Knoxville and Chattanooga, designed the building and served as project manager.

Chamber Board Chair Scott Rhea believes the new headquarters will foster talent in Anderson County and attract new and yet unknown resources to the area.

“The ‘GDP’ of our Chamber of Commerce is more than an economic measure used to indicate near-term growth or stagnation. This building represents a long-term commitment to Anderson County’s various measures of success that transcend simple short-term economic measures,” said Rhea, the Supervisor of Fiscal Services & Facilities for Clinton City Schools.

Callie Archer, Chamber Chair when the Anderson County Chamber Foundation began the fund drive for the new building in 2023, views the new headquarters as a hub for the community and a catalyst for future economic development.

“It’s new central and visible location will help elevate the work that the Chamber has always done, bringing local business and community leaders together for collaboration and driving positive initiatives,” said Archer, President of Junior Achievement of East Tennessee.

“I am also excited about it being a space that will be great for hosting workshops, mentorship programs and other business support services that we haven’t had the space for in the past,” she said.

Joey Smith, Chamber Chair in 2022 and Foundation Chair now, made sure the Chamber’s 1932 founders would be remembered with a large photo mural installed in the new headquarters.

“There were 10 founding directors, although quiet a few more folks were involved in wanting a Chamber and promoting business. It was 1932. TVA was about to change the landscape of the county with electricity and Norris Dam,” said Smith, with Sellers Realty in Clinton. “They saw opportunity.”

Trey McAdams, a State Farm Agent in Clinton, followed Archer as Chamber Chair in 2024, as the building campaign continued.

“We are incredibly excited to be moving into our new building. It would not have been possible without the effort and generosity of our Chamber members,” McAdams said.

“Our new building will not only be an excellent place for our Chamber home but will serve as an asset to our community as a meeting and event center for all to share,” he added. We want to thank all who were involved in this process and encourage you to be a part of our grand opening!”

Johnson & Galyon Construction, based in Knoxville since 1914, built and managed construction of the headquarters. United Community Bank, 1110 North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard, Clinton, is the Chamber’s lending partner for the new building. Steve Heatherly, of Commercial Construction Consulting of East Tennessee, is the Chamber’s construction consultant.

For more information, see the Chamber’s website at www.andersoncountychamber.org.

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Children�s Museum Gala Celebrates the Rainforest

Posted at 5:09 pm November 2, 2024
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

Life in the Amazon Rainforest, covered by a canopy of trees and boasting a rich and biologically diverse environment of plants and animals, will be celebrated at the Children�s Museum of Oak Ridge Gala, with the theme �A Night in the Rainforest.�

Guests are invited to create costumes reflecting the rainforest theme. They will learn about the colorful hummingbirds that inhabit the rainforest during the Gala from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, during the evening featuring music, a live and silent auction, and dinner.

Guest speaker Stephen Lyn Bales, naturalist and author, will speak on �The Wonder of Hummingbirds,� focusing on those that inhabit tropical rainforests.

�What�s interesting about hummingbirds is there are over 330 species. More than half of those never really leave the tropics. They are either 10 degrees north of the equator or 10 degrees south,� Bales said. �In this country, six or eight species migrate up the California coast from Central America. On our side of America, only one species has found us � the ruby throated hummingbird.�

Those that migrate north in the spring are looking for �elbow room,� he explained. �They come north to find plenty of room to raise a family, without competition from other hummingbirds.� Bales was drawn to his profession � he was educator naturalist for Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville for 20 years before his retirement � after growing up in his own natural wonder.

�I�m from Gatlinburg. We lived a half-mile from the (Great Smoky Mountains) national park, back in the 1950s when it was all brand new, and I developed an interest in birds,� Bales explained. �Mother got a bird feeder and a little bird book and said, �We are going to learn our birds together.�

�I�ve basically always been a naturalist. I was one of those kids who would fall asleep reading a field guide,� Bales said.

The Gala evening will feature the Selma Shapiro Friend of the Child Award, which will honor Barry Stephenson, President and CEO of Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, Inc. (MCLinc).
Stephenson and the employee-owned company have been longtime friends and supporters of the Museum, contributing to improvements making the Museum accessible for strollers and for those with disabilities, and supporting the Gala over many years.

Heather Haley, WVLT-TV Chief Meteorologist, will emcee the Gala. Guest DJ Matt Sieger, whose day job is as a project director for Oak Ridge National Laboratory�s Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, will spin music with a rainforest theme.

Bear Stephenson, of Stephenson Realty and Auction, will again donate his skills to lead the live auction. The live and silent auctions offer opportunities for holiday shopping, and auction items include a Disney Cinderella Carriage necklace from Karen�s Jewelers, a smoked brisket dinner served in the Museum�s Environmental Center, pottery by Bill Capshaw, and a smart bird feeder camera. Gala guests will enjoy dinner by Birdwell Catering.

The Museum�s Rainforest exhibit, featuring a simulated Amazon rainforest, complete with sound effects, a waterfall, a railed walkway, beautiful murals showing the many species of plants and animals, and an observation deck high in the forest canopy, will be open during the Gala.

The Gala, held at the Museum, 461 West Outer Dr., Oak Ridge, is the annual fund raiser for the Children�s Museum, providing critical support for the Museum�s mission of educating children of all ages through play and discovery. Gala sponsorships are available at levels ranging from $10,000 to $500 and come with complimentary tickets and other benefits.

Tickets to the Gala are $125 per person. A table for eight may be purchased for $800, a savings of $200. Tickets may be purchased at: https://event.gives/cmorgala2024. If you can�t attend, you may donate at http://bit.ly/givetocmor. Call Beth Shea at CMOR at (865) 482-1074 or email her at bshea@childrensmuseumofoakridge.org to learn more about Gala sponsorships or for more information.

Photos:
Naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales, here with a barred owl, will be guest speaker at the Children�s Museum Gala.

Bear Stephenson, of Stephenson Realty and Auction, entertains as he auctions items during the 2023 Gala.

Anderson County Democrats host chili cookoff, auction on Thursday

Posted at 4:27 pm February 17, 2020
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Democratic Party will host its annual chili cookoff and live auction from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, February 20, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center Gym at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Clinton Auctioneer Bear Stephenson, of Stephenson Auction and Realty, will conduct the live auction, a fundraiser for the Democratic Party. Homemade desserts and other items will be offered during the auction.

Chili chefs will bring meat and vegetarian chili to the gathering. Attendees will vote on their favorite chili prepared by local Democrats. Chili fixings, cornbread, desserts, iced tea, and other beverages will be served. The admission charge is $5 per person.

For more information, contact Ellen Faby at elfab418@gmail.com.

This press release was submitted by an advertiser or subscriber to Oak Ridge Today.

Children’s Museum Gala will be a celestial celebration on Friday, Dec. 1

Posted at 12:05 pm November 29, 2017
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

Guests will experience a “Starry CMOR Night” at the 16th annual Gala benefitting the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. The celestial celebration of children, the arts, and science will be from 6-10 p.m. Friday, December 1, at the Museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge.

The Gala evening will feature entertainment by local youth, fine dining, and auctions, a press release said. With science and the arts among the themes of exhibits and classes at the Children’s Museum, as well as the Gala theme, those attending are invited to dress as their favorite scientist or artist, or to come in semi-formal attire.

David Fields, director of the Tamke-Allan Observatory at Roane State Community College, will present a “Starry Nights” chat that evening, the press release said.

Entertainers will include the Oak Ridge High School String Quartet, the Oak Ridge Academy of Dance, and harpist Amy Carty. [Read more…]

MCLinc sponsors ADFAC, Bow Tie Event

Posted at 2:53 pm November 11, 2017
By Annie Cacheiro Leave a Comment

Pictured above from left, ADFAC representatives Annie Cacheiro and Louise Mixon accept a corporate contribution from McLinc representatives Barry Stephenson and Michele Sanders. (Submitted photo)

Materials and Chemistry Laboratory Inc., or MCLinc, is a sponsor for ADFAC’s 2017 Corporate Membership Campaign, and the company is also a sponsor for this year’s Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Event, which will be held Saturday, November 11, a press release said.

MCLinc’s President and Chief Executive Officer Barry Stephenson and Laboratory Manager Michele Sanders met recently with ADFAC representatives to celebrate their corporate support for the local agency.

MCLinc is a commercial applied research company providing high-quality consulting and analytical testing for industrial forensics, materials characterization, environmental chemistry, and process optimization, the press release said.

“As MCLinc is an employee-owned company, all corporate charitable gifts are generously supported by the employees,” Stephenson said. “I am so pleased that our company and our employees are able and excited about supporting such a worthy cause as ADFAC. We are very much looking forward to the Bow Tie Award Event this year as we all celebrate local volunteer Tom Row.”

See previous story on the Bow Tie Award Event here. [Read more…]

Local volunteer Tom Row to be honored at ADFAC Bow Tie Award Event on Saturday

Posted at 3:30 am November 9, 2017
By Annie Cacheiro Leave a Comment

Tom Row

ADFAC’s Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Award Event will be held Saturday, November 11, and it will honor local volunteer Tom Row.

The Bow Tie Award Event is from 5-10 p.m. Saturday at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge. Row is the fifth winner of the Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Award.

Also Saturday, ADFAC will posthumously honor Kathy Stimpson, whose committed efforts to help those less fortunate led to the inspiration and establishment of ADFAC in the mid 1980s, a press release said.

The Bow Tie Award Event is designed to honor a local volunteer and serve as a signature fundraising event for ADFAC and the Bow Tie Endowment Fund, which was established to ensure the short and long-term sustainability of ADFAC. Previous Bow Tie Award winners include Ray Smith (2013), Tim Myrick (2014), Cande Seay (2015), and Bear Stephenson (2016). [Read more…]

Free Medical Clinic’s FMC Bash: Auctions, dinner, dance contest on Aug. 12

Posted at 9:53 am July 10, 2017
By Carolyn H Krause Leave a Comment

Some of the dancers who will compete at the FMC Bash on Aug. 12, 2017, are, from left in front, Brianna Sprunger, Heidi O’Steen and Cande Seay; from left in the middle row, Laura Lynn Riden and Leslie England; and from left in back, David Vudragovich, Bruce England, and Hans Vogel. (Submitted photo)

Submitted

The best party in town, many attendees have said! A lively dance contest, delicious dinner, drinks, and delightful auction items. A Hawaiian sunset theme. Dance music by popular disc jockey Dave King. Casual attire.

Elaine Graham, the entertaining emcee and auctioneer and 2016 dance contest winner, will run the show, the annual “fun” fundraiser for the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge. FMCOR volunteers and staff will present the FMC Bash on Saturday, August 12, from 5 to 10 p.m. in the Parish Life Center of St. Mary’s Church, 327 Vermont Avenue, according to an FMCOR press release.

The dance contestants include Leslie and Bruce England of Jada Blade, Hans Vogel, Cande Seay, Laura Lynn Riden, Ruby Miller, Heidi Osteen, David Vudragovich, Briana Sprunger, Samantha and Matt Berven. You can “vote” now and that evening on the amazing and amusing Oak Ridge dancers as they compete in the celebrity dance contest.

The live auction, to be officiated by “Bear” Stephenson, will include big items such as a week’s stay in Maui, Hawaii, in a two-bedroom, two-bath condo that sleeps six and sits on the beach; an incredible Indian experience for eight at the home of Ginny and Sam Basseen that features an authentic Indian dinner, traditional Indian dancers, and more; a week’s stay in a two-bedroom, two-bath condo that sleeps eight and is in Crescent Beach, Florida, near historic St. Augustine; a dinner in the garden for 30 that offers wine, food and fun, and an evening of Hawaiian hospitality with dinner for 20. [Read more…]

Janelle Arthur is the special guest at CASA Barbeque & Bluegrass Bash on Saturday

Posted at 1:56 pm May 8, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Janelle Arthur

The Barbeque and Bluegrass Bash by CASA of the Tennessee Heartland on Saturday will include a barbecue buffet and live music by the Mt. Le Conte Jug Band, along with special guest Janelle Arthur. There will also be a silent auction along with a live auction with Bear Stephenson, a press release said.

Tickets are $65 each, or $520 for an eight-person table.

The Barbeque and Bluegrass Bash is scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at Elizabeth Claire’s at 364 Market Street in Clinton.

You can see the CASA events here. You can see the event page on Facebook here.

Arthur is from Oliver Springs. She began singing in the heart of the Smoky Mountains at eight years old, when she landed the role as a young Dolly Parton in a production at Dollywood, the press release said. She performed thousands of shows in the Smoky Mountains area before moving to Nashville in 2010, where she soon began her “American Idol” journey. After three years of persistence, Arthur made it all the way to the Top 5, the release said. [Read more…]

United Way has its annual meeting at New Hope Center on Thursday

Posted at 1:37 pm April 18, 2017
By naomi asher Leave a Comment

United Way of Anderson County has its annual meeting on Thursday morning at the New Hope Center at Y-12 National Security Complex on Scarboro Road.

The 2017 Annual Meeting starts at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, April 18. More than 100 community members, leaders, and volunteers are expected to attend. There will be a waffle and coffee bar, among other breakfast items, a press release said.

2016 Campaign Co-Chairs Carroll Welch and Bear Stephenson will welcome the crowd, and they will talk about the successes of the past year, the press release said. [Read more…]

Marlow Volunteer Fire Department has chili supper, auction fundraiser on March 11

Posted at 3:26 pm March 2, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Marlow Volunteer Fire Department will have a Community All-You-Can-Eat Chili Supper and Auction at Grand Oaks Elementary School on Saturday, March 11. Chili, hot dogs, and drinks with all the trimmings will be served starting at 6 p.m.

Bear Stephenson will oversee the 7 p.m. auction of homemade desserts provided by Marlow volunteers, along with gift cards and items donated by local businesses.

Tickets are $5 for adults. Children age five and under eat free. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum supports fire relief efforts in Gatlinburg

Posted at 11:02 pm December 21, 2016
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

Guests at the Gala Evening at the Children’s Museum on December 2 contributed $6,260 for the fire relief effort as Clinton auctioneer Bear Stephenson extended the auction of a Gatlinburg activities package to accept contributions for organizations supporting the community and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after the wildfire that spread from the park into Gatlinburg earlier that week. (Submitted photo)

The generosity of Gatlinburg merchants in providing an auction package for the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge Gala resulted, in return, in generosity from the Children’s Museum and Gala attendees, who opened their wallets to support Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after the devastating Chimney Tops fire.

Martha Hart first raised the idea of donating to fire relief efforts by donating the proceeds from the Gatlinburg activities package back to the community. Hart, whose family owns Karen’s Jewelers, was helping manage the silent auction with her family as a volunteer at the Gala and suggested moving the Gatlinburg activities package from the silent to the live auction. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum to celebrate national parks at gala in December

Posted at 5:13 pm November 13, 2016
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

Martha Hart of Karen’s Jewelers, left, with Lee McGetrick and Mike Morris, all members of the Children’s Museum Gala Committee, display a National Park poster for the Gala, which will celebrate the National Park Service Centennial. (Submitted photo)

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will celebrate the 100th birthday of the National Park Service at its annual Gala Evening, a benefit for the museum on Friday, December 2.

“Tribute to the National Parks—A Centennial Celebration” will feature National Park trivia and prizes, National Park-inspired cuisine by Rosa’s Catering, music from the Oak Ridge High School Choral Ensemble, an exhibition of children’s photographs from the parks, and a surprise for Gala attendees.

The Gala will be an official National Park Service Centennial Event. In honor of that designation, the museum will offer free admission Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, inviting the public to view the “Parks-in-Focus” National Parks photography exhibit in the Imagination Gallery. Photos of area parks taken by girls from Girls Inc. of Oak Ridge will be shown in the exhibit.

Guests are invited to come dressed to represent a favorite National Park or in semi-formal attire to the Gala, to be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. December 2 at the museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]