Nicholas Hodge Recognized as Young Entrepreneur Recipient at Pinnacle Business Awards

The Knoxville Chamber is pleased to announce Nicholas Hodge as the recipient of the Pinnacle Business Award in the Young Entrepreneur category. Hodge is the co-CEO of Advent Electric. Advent Electric offers commercial, residential, and facility maintenance electric services in Knoxville and thirty surrounding counties. The Young Entrepreneur award, sponsored by Axle Logistics, is presented to a young professional who lives and works in East Tennessee and has achieved success while overcoming obstacles, to become one of tomorrow’s top business leaders.

“Being recognized as Young Entrepreneur is an honor and something that wouldn’t be possible without all the amazing people in my life, both personal and professional,” said Hodge. “My wife and daughter are an amazing, supportive duo who are always there for me, alongside my parents and my entire family who are so supportive. My business partner and friend, Kevin Ramsey, makes taking on new ventures and opportunities exciting. The amazing team we have at Advent makes it a joy to be involved in an organization with such roots in Knoxville and an honor to represent the brand. I’m thankful for the support of the Knoxville community and excited to see what the future holds.”

Nicholas was a serial entrepreneur spanning different industries including entertainment, transportation, wholesale, and real estate when he purchased Advent Electric in 2018. Since the purchase, Advent has gone from 35 employees and $5 million in revenue to nearly 100 employees and $12 million in revenue. While managing Advent, Nicholas has continued his other business ventures and has grown his real estate portfolio.

“Innovative entrepreneurs are part of what makes the Knoxville business ecosystem so great. Our area needs more of them in order for Knoxville to be prepared for the Imagination Age,” said Mike Odom, Knoxville Chamber president and CEO. “I am thankful for the contributions being made by individuals like Nicholas Hodge who continue to drive regional economic prosperity.”

The annual Pinnacle Business Awards, presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners, celebrate regional business excellence, honoring outstanding professionals in nine categories for their contributions to the greater Knoxville economy. Winners are selected by the Knoxville Chamber Board of Directors. Over 80 companies were nominated for 2023 recognition.

“Congratulations to all Pinnacle Business Award winners. When local businesses thrive, so do the communities they serve. That’s why Pinnacle Financial Partners set out to be a small business and commercial bank from the very beginning,” said Mike DiStefano, Pinnacle’s Knoxville president. “We know how hard it is to run a company, much less make it successful, and we’ll do everything we can to help build that success. It’s an honor to be part of this program and help recognize the home-grown players in Knoxville’s economy.”

For in-depth video interviews and more information on the 2023 Pinnacle Business Award recipients, visit www.knoxvillechamber.com/pinnacle.