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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