Note: This release was sent from Bandit Lites, a Knoxville Chamber member.

40 AT 40: STEPHEN POWELL
Job Title: General Manager
The people are what sets Bandit Lites apart from the rest of the industry. Once a week, for the next 40 weeks, Bandit will showcase an employee that has made a substantial contribution to the company, whether it be in an office, on the road or somewhere in between. Bandit would not be celebrating its 40th Anniversary without the hard work and dedication of every one these employees.*
*Employee Spotlights are released in no particular order.
Stephen Powell has worked at Bandit Lites for the last 9 years. Starting out as warehouse manager at the Knoxville location in 1999, Powell went on to be the lighting director for the Food Network, Board-op for Woodstock ’99, the project manager for WWE and various special events, and finally settled into the general manager position at Bandit’s Nashville location. Below are a few questions we asked to get to know him a little better.
Q: How did you get involved in this industry?
A: I was a professional musician in California for 10 years in the 80’s. I played with a bar band that traveled all over the western United States. I moved to Nashville in ’94 with my wife and two kids, partly because of the economy in Nashville, but also because of the entertainment business. I started doing sound for Cowboys LaCage and taught myself lighting with the help of a few friends. From there I did showcases for Starstruck Entertainment in the LaCage theater, which led to a job with the Louise Mandrell organization and then to Bandit in 1999.
Q: What is your favorite memory from working at Bandit Lites?
A: I think it was ’99 or 2000. We had set up lighting equipment for advanced elementary school and showed them some basics of lighting. It was at that event that I had a “light bulb” moment. I realized that I really enjoyed teaching and mentoring people.
Q: So you are a General Manager now. Are you mentoring people in your current position?
A: I feel as general manager my first priority is to help mentor the next generation of talent- lighting designers, crew chiefs, lighting technicians - the people that will be running this company 10 years from now. The 20-somethings here are highly motivated. Whereas baby-boomers were happy with being employed for 50 years, with the same company, with a pension, these new people want to rule the world in 2 years. They value change, expect it, and push to get it, quickly. The biggest and best challenge is finding ways to motivate these ‘millennials,’ focus their talent and move them forward to bigger opportunities.

Note: This release was sent from Pro2Serve, a member of the Knoxville Chamber.

Pro2Serve Professional Project Services, Inc. (Pro2Serve), announces that Joseph P. Hebert recently joined the company as Vice President, Physical Security Programs, and Manager of the Washington DC office.

Board certified by ASIS International in security management, Mr. Hebert has almost 40 years of experience and professional training in physical security, law enforcement, management and strategic planning both in the military and with civilian corporations. His most recent experience was with L-3 Communications in Chantilly VA where he served as the Business Unit Manager of Integrated Security Solutions and Services and as the Vice President for Division Programs. Previously Mr. Hebert was the Division Manager for Integrated Security Services with SAIC in McLean, VA.

Mr. Hebert’s military experience spans over 30 years in the United States Army’s Military Police including both senior command and staff positions and retiring with the rank of Colonel. In his last assignment with the Army, Colonel Hebert served as the Command Provost Marshal and senior Anti-terrorism Officer for the Army’s largest Command. He was selected as the Department of Defense’s best Senior Manager for Anti-terrorism Programs in 1999. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy (FBINA) and National War College.

Three Tennessee businesses, East Tech Company, Inc.; Mike Collins & Associates, Inc.; and Neely's BBQ are Blue Ribbon winners in the US Chamber's Small Business of the Year contest.

East Tech Company and Mike Collins & Associates are from Chattanooga. Neely's BBQ is in Memphis. They are among 55 small businesses competing for the Regional Awards in March and, from there, the Small Business of the Year Award in April.

According to the US Chamber, "the Small Business Blue Ribbon Award highlights businesses that demonstrate excellence in a variety of selection criteria, including financial performance and business history, staff training and motivation, community involvement, customer service, and business planning."

Read more about the Small Business of the Year awards, including important dates in the contest.

Note: This release was sent by the Amputee Coalition of America.

A Two-Day Workshop Conference – April 11-12, 2008, Norfolk, Virginia

A unique two-day Amputee Rehabilitation Conference hosted by Old Dominion University will be held April 11-12, 2008 in Norfolk, VA. This conference will bring together physicians, prosthetists, physical therapists, nurses, and case managers to discuss current best practices in the rehabilitation of amputees from pre-surgery to advanced rehabilitation, with special emphasis on how collaboration can improve outcomes. In addition, there will be a series of break-out sessions on April 12 which will include amputees. These sessions will engage health professionals in multi-disciplinary teams along with the patients to progress the plan of care.

Among the outstanding speakers presenting at the conference are Dr. Paul Pasquina, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, John Fergason, CPO, Brooke Army Medical Center, Dr. Michael Pinzur, Loyola University and Robert Gailey, PT, PhD, Miami University. The conference has applied for CME credits for those in relevant disciplines. The conference brochure, speaker bios and registration information is posted on www.odu.edu/amputeeconference08.

Knoxville-based business Tindell's Lumber and Building Materials has won the 2007 ProSales Dealer of the Year award for excellence in the lumber and building materials market. Tindell's is a Chamber member.

According to an article in their monthly publication, the company won for its, "logistical innovations, creative thinking and service to its business and local communities."

Read the ProSales Magazine article announcing the award.

Bandit Lites has recently added new equipment to their inventory. After examining the upcoming needs for 2008, Bandit worked with manufacturers to purchase a variety of new equipment including everything from LED products to media servers to spot and wash fixtures.
One thousand Element Labs Versa Tube HDs were purchased for World Wrestling Entertainment, Carrie Underwood plus additional units to fulfill future lighting obligations. Bandit also bought six Green Hippo Hipotizer Media Servers, 4 Grand MA Video Media Servers and all the associated equipment. Fifty Elation PZ720 Stage Panels were purchased to fulfill WWE lighting needs.
Other general purchases include an additional 72 VL 3000 Spots, 72 VL 3500 Washes, and 48 VL 2500 Spots, which have been added to the already significant Vari*Lite inventory. Several new Grand MA Consoles, Compulite Vector Consoles and Lycian M2 Spotlights were also added to the existing stock of these fine products. Bandit added several of the new Elation Impressions moving LED fixtures to their rental stock as well as the new Elation LED PAR.
Recently named Pollstar’s ‘Lighting Company of the Year,’ Bandit looks forward to the upcoming year and the addition of new equipment, which will help Bandit to provide even better service to a growing client base.

Note: This release was sent from the Transportation Planning Organization. The Tennessee Department of Transportation's Environmental Bureau Chief Ed Cole recently spoke to members of the Knoxville Chamber about the proposed "Orange Route." You can read more about his visit here.

The Executive Board of the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) will meet Wednesday, February 27, to consider a resolution requesting the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to study the feasibility of constructing the Knoxville Regional Parkway or a longer bypass route as a toll facility.

The TPO Executive Board meets at 9 a.m. in the Small Assembly Room on the main floor of the City County Building in downtown Knoxville, and welcomes public input at all of its meetings. Members of the public who wish to address the TPO Executive Board are asked to sign up to speak when they arrive at the meeting.

The resolution to consider the Parkway or a longer Knoxville bypass as a toll facility, if approved, would be only an initial step in the process of one of these roads potentially being designated a toll road.

If approved, this resolution will be followed by additional study undertaken by TDOT of whether tolling is appropriate for the Parkway or the longer bypass route. After TDOT reports back to the TPO Executive Board with the results of that study, the Executive Board will decide whether to recommend one of these projects to the Tennessee General Assembly as a pilot toll road.

The Knoxville Regional Parkway, also known as the Orange Route or State Route 475, is a planned link between I-75 in Anderson County to I-40/I-75 in Loudon County, and is included in the TPO’s Long Range Transportation Plan. The longer bypass route would include the Parkway plus an eastern leg from I-75 north of Knoxville to I-40 east of Knoxville.

No definitive route has been selected for this eastern leg, and it has not been included in the Long Range Transportation Plan for the Knoxville region. The entire bypass route, including the Parkway and the eastern leg, was the subject of a conceptual tolling study completed by Wilbur Smith Associates for TDOT in 2007.

The results of that study are available at the TDOT website.

The Tennessee Tollway Act, approved by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2007, directed TDOT to study potential toll projects and to recommend two pilot toll projects by January of 2009. The Tollway Act prohibits the ownership of toll roads or bridges in Tennessee by private companies.

The voting members of the TPO Executive Board include the governor of the State of Tennessee; the mayors of Knox, Blount, Sevier and Loudon counties; the mayors of Knoxville, Farragut, Alcoa, Maryville and Lenoir City; the chair of the Knox County Commission; the vice mayor of Knoxville; and a representative of the East Tennessee Development District.

The Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon is once again teaming up with the Knoxville Chamber to encourage local businesses to “get fit” by hosting the Fittest Company Challenge during the event set for March 30, 2008.

With more than 165 companies already entered, the marathon’s Fittest Company Challenge is gearing up for a spectacular contest and heated competition. Clayton Homes, Comcast, Pet Safe, ORNL, Jewelry Television, and LeBlanc Financial are among the Knox area companies with teams registered for the competition.

“The Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon’s Fittest Company Challenge is a great program to motivate and encourage employees to pursue healthy lifestyles,” said Mark Field, Knoxville Chamber Vice President of Membership. “It’s a friendly competition and fun for the participants.”

The Fittest Company Challenge combines points of an organization's employees based on the race mileage each employee completes. The 5K equals 3.1 points, the half marathon earns an individual 13.1 points, and the full marathon is worth 26.2 points. Each participant in the 4-person relay earns 6.55 points. For the competition, the fastest times do not matter. Points are solely awarded on completion, regardless of time.

"This is our third year featuring the Fittest Company Challenge,” said Jason Altman, director of the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon. “The original idea was to generate more fun and teamwork for businesses and their employees. It has far surpassed our expectations.”

Nearly 25 percent (917 participants) of the total marathon participants in 2007 were employees representing their employers. Together they completed 8,601 total miles with an average mile per participant of 9.38.

Altman said many companies invest in this event to reap the benefits of a healthy work force. Many studies have shown that corporate wellness programs can lead to increased productivity, improved morale and reduced health insurance and medical costs.

The Knoxville Chamber presents awards to the top three companies based on points earned in the small (1-100 employees), medium (101-500 employees) and large (>500 employees) categories. Only Knoxville area companies are eligible, and only employees who finish the races qualify for company points. The Fittest Company Challenge does not count spouses and other family members of employees.

Points are awarded to employees who volunteer. For each employee that volunteers on race weekend, one point will be added to the company’s cumulative total. Volunteers can register online via a volunteer registration module.

To participate in the Fittest Company Challenge, employees register online at www.knoxvillemarathon.com and simply select their employer from the drop-down list on the entry form. If a company name needs to be added, contact Jason Altman at (865) 805-2476.

Online registration for all running events is available until midnight on March 26.

Download a customizable poster for your group: PDF document | JPG image.

Note: This release was sent from Sandler Training. They are a member of the Knoxville Chamber.

Sandler Sales Institute announced today that it has adopted a new corporate name - Sandler Training - to reflect its broader capabilities and expansion plans.
Sandler, the leading provider of sales and management training and consulting programs for the past 40 years, has approximately 225 licensed franchises in the U.S. and internationally. One of those franchises is locally owned and operated by Steve Herzog of Herzog & Associates, Inc. Herzog has been providing a full range of sales and management training programs in Knoxville and surrounding areas for the past 12 years.
'It is a busy and exciting time to be a part of Sandler. The corporate leadership has mapped out ambitious expansion plans as part of its vision for Sandler's second 25 years,' said Herzog. 'The new plans will allow us to expand out training offerings and emphasize broader management and leadership guidance to targeted industries such as banking and insurance,' adds Herzog.
Herzog's firm has helped thousands of professionals and companies learn more effective non-traditional sales and management strategies for their businesses by offering powerful and unique methods in his training.
More recently, Herzog has been recognized in the top ten percent of Sandler's 225 franchises world wide. To learn more visit www.firstinsales.com.

Ed Cole, Environmental Bureau Chief for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, recently suggested that the Knoxville Parkway could be the state’s first toll road. He also said that if the road were approved as a tollway it could be completed as much as a decade sooner than if the road was funded from Tennessee’s general fund.

The Knoxville Parkway – formerly known as the “Orange Route” – would connect I-40 near Watt Road with I-75 in northern Knox County. The Knoxville Chamber has been the project’s chief advocate.
Cole provided his update on the road during a presentation to the Knoxville Chamber. Organized by the organization’s Transportation Committee, the event was an opportunity to hear about the current status of the Knoxville Parkway project.
The General Assembly passed legislation authorizing toll roads during the 2007 legislative session. The law stipulates that the only one road and one bridge may be approved as a toll project per year, and that the Legislature would have to approve those projects. The projects must go through the stringent environmental and public approval process associated with highway construction. In addition, the toll project could not be a privately owned road.
The Knoxville Parkway is estimated to be a $600 million project and final approval for it is not expected until 2010. If it were financed traditionally, Cole did not expect completion until 2020 or 2022. If it were a toll road he said it might be finished by 2012 or 2014.
Cole said the need for this new highway construction financing mechanism is a result of lower levels of federal transportation funding and a softening of the state’s gas tax revenues.

Click here to download Cole's presentation.