Southern Growth Policies Board is seeking nominations for the 2008 Innovator Awards. Each year, Southern Growth Policies Board honors Southern initiatives that are improving the quality of life in the region. The 2008 Innovator Awards will be chosen from initiatives that promote youth engagement and leadership in Southern Growth's member states.

Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor and former director of President Bill Clinton's economic transition team, will speak at the University of Tennessee on Oct. 19.

To learn more about the event click: Reich Event Information.pdf

Alcoa’s Tennessee Operations broke ground today on the first of many capital improvement projects slated for its two Blount County plants. Officials at Tennessee Operations are preparing for installation of two massive pusher preheat furnaces with 48-ingot capacity that will provide both quality improvements and significant energy savings.

The Knoxville Chamber is thrilled to announce that Direct IS has become the presenting sponsor of the Business and Technology Expo. The company boasts 25 years experience in the technology industry and is one of the strongest technology companies in the Southeast. Direct IS provides maintenance and repair solutions as well as security consulting, network design, large network solutions and disaster recovery consulting.

Dubbed the “Nation’s Worst” for economic development by the Commercial Appeal in March, Memphis has launched a new five year, $60 million campaign to generate thousands of new jobs. The economic development campaign is supported by private business, local government and state government. The Memphis effort has already raised $9.5 million.

Memphis’s experience is a lesson for other communities, including Knoxville.

In partnership with the Knoxville News Sentinel, the Chamber has installed a webcam. The camera is directed at Market Square and the still images are updated every few minutes. The webcam is an excellent way to see what's on at the historic Market Square. To see the images click here.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and its programs continue to be counted among the nation's top public research universities, according to national rankings released this week. Forbes Inc. ranked UT's MBA program in the College of Business Administration 9th among public programs. UT was ahead of programs at universities such as Vanderbilt, Georgetown, Indiana and Wake Forest.

In a recent development for business, the House Ways and Means Committee voted last week to delay for one year the application of the 3 percent witholding requirement on government payments for goods and services. To read more click here.

"Several locations within the South have developed significant innovative capacity, but the region as a whole has not made a full turn towards a knowledge-driven, innovation economy." This is according to Innovation with a Southern Accent, a study by the Southern Growth Policies Board.

The report includes recommendations on addressing education, and observations regarding the South's innovation infrastructure.

Expansion Management magazine has just named the Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) – Knox, Anderson, Blount, Loudon and Union counties – third among all mid-sized cities in the nation in its annual “Best Metro for Business and Expansion” competition.