NOTE: The following was sent from Thermocopy, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Thermocopy, East Tennessee’s largest business technology company, announced today that it was presented with the Environmental Achievement Award in the large business category at the annual Keep Knoxville Beautiful “Orchids and Onions Awards” banquet on October 9, 2008.

The Environmental Achievement Award is presented annually to a Knox County company that:

• Has implemented recycling/cleanup efforts that have resulted in community and/or economic development
• Has contributed time and energy for the good of the community rather than personal gain
• Is a model of creativity, hard work, leadership, unity, motivation, openness, integrity, and love for the community
• Has had a major positive impact on the environment in the Knoxville/Knox County area

Thermocopy won the reward as the result of:

• Internal initiatives such as the Thermocopy Greenworks program, which has resulted in over 69,000 lbs. of paper, e-scrap and other materials re-cycled thru September 2008 and Printworks, a print management strategy for clients that, if enacted, results in paper conservation and less land-fill use. Visit www.ThermocopyGreenworks.com for more information.
• Concept creation, Co-development and co-sponsorship of the “Business in the Green” contest administered by the Greater Knoxville Business Journal. This contest awarded $20,000 to the business that was judged to have submitted the “go green” plan that would net the most favorable results for the environment. There were over 60 applicants in the first year of this contest.
• GoGreenET.com, a free, online resource created to guide East Tennessee businesses and other organizations towards being more environmentally responsible. GoGreenET.com provides basic information about products and services that can help businesses meet their goals to go green. Founding and Media partners have generously committed over $500,000 of publicity for the site. Visit www.GoGreenET.com for more information.

J. Mark DeNicola, CFO and Executive Director of Sales and Marketing of Thermocopy, said, “As part of an ongoing effort to strengthen our corporate commitment to be an environmentally responsible business partner, Thermocopy is not only pursuing innovative new ways our company can reduce, reuse, recycle and renew the resources we consume while doing business but also providing resources to other East Tennessee businesses to help them meet their goals to go green. Taking care of the environment makes good business sense.”

NOTE: The following release was sent from WTNZ FOX 43, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Please join us on November 5 at 9:00 am at Howard Johnson Plaza, at 7621 Kingston Pike. Breakfast will be provided.

Paula Fambrough, Corporate Classified Internet Sales Manager for Raycom Media, will be speaking on the future of recruitment advertising.

The workshop will offer the following:

- Review important research on what you need to know about recruiting space over the next 5 years
- Show you ways to stand out and get results by attracting a more talented passive candidate
- Offer ideas on how to utilize the web more effectively to reach quality not quantity

Please RSVP by November 3, 2008 to Kevin Fox at 865-684-1519 or email kfox@wtnzfox43.com.

NOTE: The following release was sent from LBMC, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

The Nashville Business Journal has named the Health Care Heroes for 2008. Included on the list was Bill Siren, a partner in the Healthcare Consulting division of Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC.

Bill was named a Finance Champion and was recognized at a luncheon on September 19. Health Care Heroes Awards seek to honor workers in all levels of health care and to show appreciation for their contributions to the industry in Nashville.

Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC, and The LBMC Family of Companies has more than 400 employees, with offices in Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Founded in 1984 as a traditional accounting firm, LBMC has expanded its focus to meet a broad range of needs for its diverse client base. Services provided by the LBMC family of companies include accounting and assurance services, business and personal tax consulting, permanent and temporary staffing, human resources outsourcing, payroll services, technology services, healthcare consulting, planning services, business valuations, investment advisory services, and mergers and acquisitions. For more information on LBMC, visit its Web site at www.lbmc.com.

NOTE: The following release was sent from Sustainable Future, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Saturday, October 4, 2008, Sustainable Future’s Net Zero Energy solar home, as part of the East Tennessee solar home tour, hosted more than 200 guests. The tour of the home was an opportunity for people to educate themselves and ask questions about energy conservation and solar power generation.

The tour began with the exterior of the house and an inspection of the solar electric panels (PV), as well as the rooftop thermal panels that collect heat for hot water. After a stop at both the green and the grid meter, the tour moved inside. The interior of the house included the installation of environmentally friendly bamboo floors, foam instead of traditional fiber insulation in the attic, and energy star appliances in the kitchen. The tour concluded with a pop quiz: How many pounds of coal does the house offset per day? According to David Bolt, Founder of Sustainable Future, LLC, “28 pounds; the solar hot water heater offsets approximately 18 kilowatt hours, or 18 pounds of coal per day, and the PV system offsets approximately 10 kilowatt hours, the equivalent of 10 pounds of coal per day.”

On the day of the tour, the Sustainable Future Solar home had a utility bill of negative $300.00. Coincidentally, the tour was scheduled the day after one of the most significant pieces of legislation for residential solar power was approved by Congress.

NOTE: The following release was sent from LBMC, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC (LBMC), one of the Southeast’s largest accounting and business consulting firms, has named Kathy K. Seagrist and Mark S. Worthington as Partners in the Knoxville office.

Kathy K. Seagrist, a Certified Public Accountant, has diverse experience with a variety of industries and focus in the real estate industry. She works extensively in the tax planning and compliance area of practice for individuals and businesses. Kathy joined the LBMC team in 1998 and prior to that spent nearly five years with a big four firm. She is a member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants and Cokesbury United Methodist Church. Kathy enjoys volunteering in the community for organizations such as Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR), Angel Tree, and ReachThem2TeachThem. A graduate from the University of Tennessee, Kathy earned her MBA from the Eli Broach Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University and now resides in Knoxville with her husband and three children.

Mark S. Worthington, a Certified Public Accountant, has diversified experience with a variety of industries including professional service, real estate, and hospitality. He has extensive experience in partnership taxation and S corporation taxation. With over 15 years of experience, Mark joined McWilliams & Co. in 1995 and became a member of the LBMC team during a merger in early 2007. Mark is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and earned a MACC degree from UT as well. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, State Taxation Committee for the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, Family Business Institute of East Tennessee, and Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church. He now resides in Knoxville with his wife and two children.

Knoxville's Crowne Plaza Hotel has spent $250,000 to put 37-inch LCD television sets in its 180 non-Club level guest rooms.

The high definition-capable TV sets were installed over the past several months as alterations were made to guest room furniture to accommodate the new TVs, said Ken Knight, Crowne Plaza general manager.

"Our other TVs were excellent sets, but they weren't big screens, flat screens, or high definition compatible," said Knight. "This is another feature our hotel has added for the enjoyment of our guests."

Each room armoire was modified by reducing its height by half and installing granite tops on which the new TVs sit.

Previously the Crowne Plaza put 42-inch flat screen TVs in all its Club-level rooms.

"We want our guests to have the best," said Knight.

The Crowne Plaza Knoxville is one of only two Crowne Plaza hotels in Tennessee; the other opened in Memphis earlier this year.

Among other guest amenities offered by the Crowne Plaza Knoxville are a 3,000-square-foot fitness center; an indoor swimming pool; Club level; Priority Club (the world's largest travel awards program); full service restaurant and lounge. The hotel-specific Web site is www.crowneknox.com.

NOTE: The following release was sent from the American Heart Association, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Knoxville area residents will embark on a 5K (3.1 mile) walk to raise lifesaving funds for the American Heart Association and this year, they’ll also be encouraged to start a journey to a healthier lifestyle — with the Start! program. The American Heart Association has reengineered its signature walking event into the Start! Heart Walk to be its “mission in action” and is proud to work with Joe Landsman, President and CEO of The University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville as chairman of the walk in Greater Knoxville. Landsman holds various community leadership positions across Knox County and has worked for The University of Tennessee Medical Center since 1999.

The Start! Heart Walk will be held on Saturday, November 15 at Market Square in Downtown Knoxville. Under Landsman’s leadership, the event is designed to create a stronger community among participants, instill passion for reducing disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke, and generate excitement for a new or renewed commitment to heart-healthy living through walking and eating well.

The Start! Heart Walk is just one component of the year-round Start! movement. Others include a free web-based fitness and nutrition tracker and the Start! Walking Program for companies. Additionally, the Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Recognition Program officially recognizes employers who champion the health of their employees and work to create a culture of physical activity in the workplace. East Tennessee companies who have earned this award include Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ImagePoint, Inc, PetSafe and Clayton Homes. ORNL also earned the Association’s Innovative Workplace Award. And finally, America’s workforce steps out each year in favor of more physical activity during National Start! Walking Day, set for April 8, 2009 because currently, more than 70 percent of Americans are not getting enough physical activity, a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

“The Start! Heart Walk is an outstanding opportunity for the American Heart Association and the community to come together and focus on creating a culture promoting a healthier lifestyle that’s aimed at reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke right here in our region,” Landsman said. “I’m proud to have the chance to serve as chair of the Greater Knoxville walk and I hope that through this event, we can begin to change lifestyles, resulting in improved quality of life, increased productivity and decreased healthcare costs.”

The Start! Heart Walk is a community-wide event composed of corporate walk teams, friends and family teams, individual walkers, “lifestyle heroes” who’ve made positive changes to reduce heart disease and stroke risk factors and survivors of the diseases. The fun begins at 9:00 a.m., featuring a Create Hope Village, Inspire Change Village and Celebrate Success Village. There will also be a kid’s area, healthy refreshments, music and more. The walk itself begins at
10:30 a.m.

For further information about the Start! Heart Walk, call (865) 212-6500 or visit www.americanheart.org/greaterknoxvilleheartwalk. To learn more about the Start! movement, visit www.heart.org/start. National sponsors are SUBWAY®, Healthy Choice® and AstraZeneca. Start! Media sponsors of the Start! Heart Walk are WVLT VOLUNTEER TV, B-97.5, Lamar Outdoor Advertising and The Metro Pulse.

About the American Heart Association

Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to reducing disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. These diseases, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, claim about 870,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2005–06 the association invested over $543 million in research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.

NOTE: The following was sent from the Second Harvest Food Bank, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Get your taste buds ready! Second Harvest Food Bank and Bush Brothers and Company will partner for the Third Annual East Tennessee Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, November 1 at World’s Fair Park Festival Lawn from 1:00pm until 7:00pm.

“Every dollar spent at the East Tennessee Chili Cook-Off goes directly to help Second Harvest feed the hungry in our community,” said Elaine Streno, Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. “People don’t realize how many of our neighbors are going hungry. By eating delicious chili folks will actually be helping feed east Tennesseans in need.”

Thirty amateur cooking teams will whip up their tastiest recipes to compete for the best chili in town. Each team will produce 25 gallons of their homemade chili. The $10 admissions fee includes a “Tasting Pass” to sample each chili and vote for a favorite. Last year’s first place winner, Open Range Chili, will return as the Farragut Shrimp Dock to defend the title and re-claim the ultimate chili bowl trophy along with other prizes. The Bailey Farms Hot Chili Pepper Eating Contest will return allowing hot chili lovers the opportunity to compete for bragging rights.

The cook-off isn’t just for the culinary connoisseur; it’s a true family affair. Kids can play on the inflatable playground at the Kids Fun Zone compliments of All Occasions Party Rentals while Mom and Dad enjoy live music. Four bands are slated to take the stage, including southern rocker Deanna Johnston of CBS’s hit show Rockstar: INXS.

Additional sponsors include Kroger, Comcast, Lamar Advertising, American Airlines, Folly Publishing, Vulcan Materials Company, Loudon County Sound, Pepsi, Miller Lite, WBIR-TV and B-97.5.
For more information visit www.etnchilicookoff.com or contact the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee at 865.521.0000.

About Second Harvest

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee works to eliminate hunger throughout 18 counties, distributing food to roughly 130,000 hungry people every month through a network of partner agencies. These agencies are non-profit organizations dedicated to feeding the hungry and include church pantries, shelters, group homes, local kitchens, after-school program sites, rehabilitation centers and many others. Second Harvest of East Tennessee is part of a national network of food banks called Feeding America. Feeding America members cover every county in America.
For more information visit www.secondharvestknox.com.

NOTE: The following was sent from the FCC.

FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate announced she will visit Knoxville, Tennessee, on October 13th to hold a Town Hall on the digital television (DTV) transition. This visit is part of an extensive nationwide initiative the Commission has launched to increase awareness about the upcoming transition to digital television.

WHO: FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate
WHAT: Town Hall on the DTV Transition
WHEN: Monday, October 13, 2008, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
WHERE: University of Tennessee
Shiloh Room
University Center
329 University Center
1502 West Cumberland Ave.
Knoxville, TN 37996-4800
Phone: 865-974-2225
Free parking in University Center Garage
The FCC identified target television markets for specific DTV outreach, including all those markets in which more than 100,000 households or at least 15% of the households rely solely on over-the-air signals for television reception. The five FCC Commissioners and senior Commission staff will visit these and other markets to raise awareness and educate consumers in the days leading up to the DTV transition on February 17, 2009.

Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation you will need with as much detail as possible. Also include a way we can contact you if we need more information. Please provide as much advance notice as possible; last minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY).

The following release is from Fox Fitness, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Help yourself by helping others!
This workout is open to the public and is serving as a fundraiser for the Girls on the Run Foundation. Donations are not mandatory, but are strongly encouraged!
When: October 25th at 12:00 pm
Where: West Hills Park: 420 N Winston, Knoxville, TN
What to bring: Yourself, friends, and family, a pumpkin for each person (kids small, females medium, males large,), towel, water, healthy snack, and a costume that you can move in! Children are welcome with an adult.
What to wear: Costumes are a must! They are your ticket through the door! They can be as simple or as elaborate as you want, but please remember you need to be able to move! Also, please wear sneakers as footwear.
Enjoy a fun Halloween-Themed Workout with treats to follow! Best of all, it's free! First timers please arrive early. Class will start at 12pm, run for an hour, and be followed by a healthy snack potluck. Those attending will receive a special offer for November classes!

For more information and to RSVP contact Becky at 243-5361 or becky@foxfitnessonline.com