“At Work” News Brief

September 4, 2012

The Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce “At Work” News Brief

The “All Hands on Deck” Inside B-17 Flight Winner.………..……..2 2012 Membership Campaign is Now Underway Membership Luncheon…...…...2 The Annual Membership Matters Luncheon on Mon- Weekly Prize Sponsors Tools For Business.……...……….3 day, August 27th was the official kickoff of The “All Events Calendar……………..…….4 Hands On Deck” 2012 Membership Campaign. Danny

Ribbon Cuttings……………...…...4 Watson, Membership and Campaign Chairman, and Wendy Brock, Membership Director, announced the Member Spotlight………...……..5 goals of the competition and the exciting prizes for Leadership Class…………..……...6 top performers. New Members.………..…………..7 2012 Mid-Year Report…..…..7-8 With twenty-two volunteer teams formed by organizations within the membership, the campaign is full speed ahead. Individual team members will be com-

peting for top honors and prizes including a $1,000 cruise gift certificate, an apple iPad, and Kindle Fire. The top performing teams will be competing for cash Clark Distributing Co., Inc. prizes up to $500! There will also be weekly prize drawings for $250 in merchandise donated by our The Teams Buckets weekly prize sponsors. Burks Broadcasting There has never been a better time to “come aboard” Dyersburg Regional Dyersburg/Dyer County Dyersburg State as a Chamber Member. There is a real value to join- Eaton Chamber of Commerce ing the Chamber and the member benefits are con- First Citizens National Bank stantly growing and evolving. The latest additions to First South Bank 2000 Commerce Avenue the list of member benefits are My Chamber App, a First State Bank Dyersburg, TN 38024 Forcum Lannom Contractors mobile membership directory, and “Tools for Busi- Ford Construction & RFW Telephone: 731.285.3433 ness Success,” a full toolkit for businesses and organi- Hamilton-Ryker Fax: 731.286.4926 zations to start and grow their business. When you Nordyne become a member you are not only investing in your Regions Bank Email: [email protected] Rogers Jewelers Chamber, you are also investing in your business and Website: www.dyerchamber.com Security Bank your community. Staffmark Tennessee Technology Center If your organization would like information on form- The Cruizers ing a volunteer team, please contact Wendy Brock at The Diplomats [email protected]. The Highlands Wal-Mart “At Work” News Brief - September 4, 2012 Chamber Gives Away a Flight on a B-17 Bomber

The Chamber served as a Silver Sponsor for Wings Over Halls at the Dyersburg Army Air Base. The show this year featured everything from Russian made L-29 jets to a famous P-51 Fighter. As always, the center of attention is on the B-17 Bomber named Yankee Lady. Yan- kee Lady is one of only twelve B-17's still flying today. The air base was Joanne Parmenter waves as the Yankee Lady makes where hundreds of flight its way to the runway at Halls. crews received their training during World War II. As a sponsor of the Air Show, the Chamber B-17G Yankee Lady returns to Arnold Field after a gives away a flight on a B-17. This year, Joanne Parmenter of Dyers- VIP flight over Dyer and Lauderdale Counties. burg, was the lucky winner through a drawing held at the Main Street Farmers Market. Joanne joined a crew of twelve VIP's who took their exclusive plane ride on Friday at the start of the air show. 2012 Annual Membership Matters Luncheon

The Chamber recently held the Annual Membership Matters Luncheon on Monday, August 27th. Chamber President and CEO Allen Hester wel- comed a crowd of over 200 and discussed the 2012 Mid-Year Report which focused on the Chamber’s mid-year achievements in economic development and market growth, regional advocacy, community initiatives, business development, and communications. Guests filled the Chamber and were greeted by America’s Favorite Depu- ty upon their arrival. Guest Speaker Rik Roberts’ impersonation of Bar-

A crowd of over 227 guests were in attendance at this year’s ney Fife from The Andy Annual Membership Matters luncheon. Griffith Show brought a smile to guests and the laughter continued as he delivered his down- home Southern comedy during the luncheon. The kick-off of The “All Hands on Deck” 2012 Membership Campaign was announced by Membership and Campaign Chairman, Danny Watson, and Membership Director, Wendy Brock. Candidates for State Representa- tive, Mark Oakes and Hayden Pendergrass (speaking on behalf of State

Representative Bill Sanderson), spoke to the crowd during the Candi- Paul Carson smiles as he is greeted by Guest Speaker Rik dates Forum portion of the agenda. The luncheon ended with door priz- Roberts as he impersonates Barney Fife. es being awarded to many guests. Prizes included gift cards from Apple- bee’s and Subway, a free round of golf from The Farms Golf Course, and two Kindle Fires were also awarded to the lucky winners. “At Work” News Brief - September 4, 2012 Tools for Business Success NEW Check Out BENEFIT!! Adding Value to Your Our Website Member Benefits

The Chamber recently launched the new members www.dyerchamber.com only web portal equipped with a full toolkit for businesses and organizations to start and grow their business. Members will find valuable resources to help navigate their business in the right direction such as business networking, funding, human resources , and important local information. Click on The Tools For Business Success Banner on the Chamber’s webpage at www.dyerchamber.com. This new benefit is password protected for members only login. If you need help accessing the new portion of the webpage or have questions about your Chamber Master login and password, please contact Membership Director, Wendy Brock, at [email protected].

Chamber Members….. Accessing Tools for Business: 1. Go to dyerchamber.com

Did you know you have a free 2. Click on the Tools for Busi- website just for being a ness Success Banner. member? You can even post 3. Enter your Chamber Master Hot Deals, Job Postings, and login and password. Events to our website. The picture on the left shows the Tools for Business menu Contact Wendy Brock at that you will see upon success- [email protected] ful login. The information available ranges from Marketing and for Selling to Green Business more information. Pratices. Click on the QuickTour for a tour of all the available Join our Facebook Group resources. There are topics on human resources, business net- Look for us on Facebook! working, social media, and getting through tough economic times just to name a few.

Search for The Dyersburg/ Main Street Fall Festival is September 29th Dyer County Chamber of Annual Main Street Fall Festival is set for Saturday, Sep- Commerce and request to tember 29th at the Veterans Square and River Park. See the antique car show, tour the 100 year old Courthouse join the group! and paddle the Forked Deer. Blues music and lots of food at the Farmers Market!. “At Work” News Brief - September 4, 2012

Events Calendar Now thru October 5th “All Hands on Deck” Membership Campaign Ribbon Cuttings

September 3rd-8th Dyer County Fair New Wave Link-August 6th New Wave Link is located at 1130 Hwy 51 By-Pass West in the Olympic Plaza Shopping Center. Their hours of operation are Monday thru Friday from 15th Newbern Depot Days 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and closed on Sunday. NewWave Link is one of the nation’s largest AT&T Authorized Retail- ers and provide a full range of AT&T wireline and 18th 12@12 Luncheon wireless products and services including AT&T U- Contact Wendy Brock at Verse. Right now they have a TV, Internet, and Phone offer for only $89/month for 24 months, [email protected] receive up to 130 channels, downsteam speeds up to 3 Mbps, and 250 minutes including 20 features to attend plus voicemail. For more information about this offer or any of their services, give Kevin and his staff at call at (731)287-1300.

25th TSBDC’s Small Business Buckets– August 9th Lending Fair at The Learning Buckets Neighborhood Pub and Grub held a ribbon cutting on August 9th at their new Dyers- Resource Center at DSCC burg location. A family-friendly atmosphere has been created in the restaurant and they are now offering 29th Main Street Fall Festival ‘Crunch for Lunch’ for customers in a hurry. Buckets Neighborhood Pub and Grub is “Your Contact Steve Guttery at Family Sports Place” and is located at 2495 Lake Road in Dyersburg. The business phone number [email protected] is 731.287.3420.

Jimmy Johnson Auto Sales– August 9th Jimmy Johnson’s Auto Sales celebrated their new location at 308 Highway 51 North in Dyersburg. The location features a newly renovated facility, a huge selection of pre-owned vehicles including se- dans, SUV’s, coupes, trucks and vans, and Check Out Our Website a full detail shop. Jimmy Johnson Auto Sales specializes in helping customers find the right vehicle, right away. The business phone number is 731.286.0006

Drive-Train– August 17th A ribbon cutting was held at Drive-Train’s new location on August 17th. Drive-Train offers state authorized training and is the only state authorized school to train in two weeks! Placement rate with partner trucking firms is one of the highest in the State of Tennessee. They offer state of the art facilities, instructors have eighty-three years of combined road and classroom experience. Drive-Train is Chamber Members….. located at 2045 Saint John Avenue in Dyers- burg. Call them toll free at 800.423.8820. Did you know you have a free website just for being a member? You can even post Hot Deals, Job Postings, and Events to our web- THE DYER COUNTY FAIR site. Contact Wendy Brock at PICTURE YOURSELF AT THE DYER COUNTY FAIR [email protected] SEPTEMBER 3RD - 8TH for more information. “At Work” News Brief - September 4, 2012 Member Spotlight: Hampton Inn A focus on guest service, a commitment to customer satisfaction, and a friendly and helpful staff are what you will find upon a visit to the Hampton Inn in Dyers- burg. General Manager, Tina Christian, has been in franchise property management for over 24 years. When asked to describe the hotel she manages Tina shares, “managing the hotel gives me the opportunity to meet different people from different cultures and I am proud that we can provide excellence in service for the Dyersburg area.” Excellence in guest service satisfaction, operations, and product has earned Tina and her staff 22 consecutive scores of outstanding during surprise inspections. With over 2,800 Hampton Inn’s worldwide, that’s an honor that only 2% of the brand- branch has ever achieved. The Hampton Inn of Dyersburg has also been ranked in the top 10% of all Hamp- tons and based on their service rankings have been invited to participate as a host in a Hilton training. One out of only three properties that were invited.

In addition to her responsibilities as General Manager, Tina serves on the Tourism and Economic Develop- ment Commission Committee at the Chamber. “Being on the TED Committee at the Chamber has shown me how hard the Chamber, city, and county officials work to keep Dyersburg/Dyer County as a prospect for in- coming industry and retail opportunities for growth.” Tina also enjoys the member benefits, resources, and networking opportunities that are available to her business such as the free web portal, attending events, and the opportunity to interact with other business members. “I have confidence that the Chamber is con- stantly and consistently researching leads and promoting the advancement of Dyer County. I know that Dy- ersburg/Dyer County will continue to thrive.”

The Hampton Inn of Dyersburg is located at 2750 Mall Loop Road. They offer group, reunion, and wedding discounts to help with your event. Call Tina or her staff for more information at 731.285.4778. Put the Chamber on your smartphone! Download My Chamber App-it’s Free!

To join the Chamber, contact Wendy Brock at [email protected] or by phone at (731)285-3433. “At Work” News Brief - September 4, 2012 2012-2013 Dyer County Leadership Class Will Assemble in October

The Dyer County Adult Leadership Class of 2012-2013 will assemble in October. Now is the time to discuss with your employees their desire to become a better leader. Adult Leaders find that there are resources available to them here in Dyer County that they never knew existed. Steve Guttery, Director of Leadership for the Chamber reveals, "Each year we hear the same re- sponse for the Leadership Classes. They may have lived here all their lives, but just didn't know that much about what goes on here." Employers often use the Chamber's Adult Leadership Program as an extension to their own employee training. The ten-month program is inexpen- Leaders gather on a dusty day at the Mississippi River near Bunge. During Ag Day they learn about Dyer Counties number one industry. sive, challenging and has proven to be very worthwhile to some 500 graduates since 1987. The Alumni Association pays for two 50-50 matching scholarships each year. This allows self employed and retirees to join the class. "We have had 22 year old college graduates to 67 year old retirees in the same class," says Guttery. Contact the Chamber if you have questions about enter- ing your employees, coworkers or possibly yourself in the next Dyer County Leadership Class. Call Steve Guttery at 731-285-3433. Applications are available at the Chamber of Commerce. Thank You to Our Corporate Sponsors:

“At Work” News Brief - September 4, 2012 “ALL HANDS ON DECK” The 2012 Membership Campaign

WELCOME ABOARD NEW MEMBERS! Anderson Printing & Office Products Smith Reed Asset Management 405 Highway 51 Bypass North 508 Troy Avenue Dyersburg, TN 38024 Dyersburg, TN 38024 (731) 286-2679 (731) 287-4646

Barron Surveying & Mapping Soul Reflections Photography 100 North Church Avenue 40 White Oak Circle Dyersburg, TN 38024 Dyersburg, TN 38024 (731) 285-5263 (870) 623-7002

Fine Arts Warehouse Suzy’s Suitcase 1815 Saint John Avenue 114 East Main Street Dyersburg, TN 38024 Newbern, TN 38059 (731) 286-2787 (731) 377-6412

Ron’s Catering Woodmen of the World 1063 Vendall Road Representative Kyle East Dyersburg, TN 38024 3556 Old Mounds Road (731) 325-5516 Dyersburg, TN 38024 (731) 693-0182

To Find out how you can support the 2012 Membership Campaign … Contact Membership Director, Wendy Brock, at 731.285.3433 or email [email protected] .

“At Work” News Brief - September 4, 2012 2012 Board of Directors 2012 Mid-Year Report

Executive Committee I. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & MARKET GROWTH  Dyersburg was ranked among the Top 100 Micropolitan areas in the March issue of Site Jeff Agee, 2012 Chairman of the Board Selection, We are ranked tops in West Tennessee for Economic Development. Joe Emery, Immediate Past-Chairman  We have worked on 10 new industrial projects so far this year and have had site visits by Larry White, Chairman Elect several companies interested in locating a facility in Dyersburg. Allen Hester, President/CEO  We assisted with pending expansion plans at three local industries; over 100 new potential jobs Joe M. Enoch, Treasurer to be added. Eddie Anderson, Vice Chair  The Chamber has an average of 228 unique visitors to our website each day, 7,250 monthly, Agribusiness and 87,000 annually. Don Crews, Vice Chair Business Dev.  Our Existing Industry group has held 1 Industry Roundtable at PolyOne so far this year. Joe Yates, Vice Chair Downtown Dev. Paul Carson, Vice Chair Community Dev.  We supported the Foreign Trade Zone application process which is now near completion. Dr. Karen Bowyer, Vice Chair Education  One Retail Action Team meeting was held; went to ICSC meeting in Nashville to recruit new Aaron Tiede, Vice Chair Existing Industry retailers Bob Kirk, Vice Chair Government  We held the 2012 Industry Appreciation Golf Tournament on May 11th with an upturn in Legislative participation and sponsorship. David Taylor, Vice Chair Industrial &  We held the 2012 Industry Appreciation Cookout in May with Arnold Perl as the speaker. Economic Development  Continue to support and promote the development of the Port at Cates Landing; have held Danny Watson, Vice Chair Membership eight meetings to assist & Organizational Dev.  Started process of the Select TN Certified Sites Program to certify two industrial sites. David Hayes, Vice Chair Regional Dev.  Traveled to Atlanta, Austin, Nashville, to promote Dyersburg/Dyer County and meet with John Ford, Vice Chair Transportation various site selection consultants and other economic development professionals Russell Pigg, Vice Chair Healthcare Ben Edwards, Vice Chair Retail Dev. II. REGIONAL ADVOCACY & COMMUNITY INITIATIVES Board Members  Maintained accreditation in the TN Three Star program by meeting requirements for Bill Reffert Scott Shipferling Benchmark II Whitney Allmon Steve Bullard  Hosted annual West Star session on Education Walt Bradshaw Rhonda Lee  TEP Phase II/III is ending with the completion of the downtown Dyersburg streetscape Ray Lowrance Kurt Walker project. New period appropriate lighting is ordered and should complete the project on Penny Guthrie Pollyanna McClure schedule. The communications plan involving the merchants, engineering, construction, Main Carol Harris Mike Pennington Street and the City of Dyersburg was successful. Andrew Harrington York Walker  In the second season of the Main Street Farmers Market, growers only format, customers and Vince Haymon Cathy Strawbridge growers increased. Actual profits are near the predicted 10% increase. The first Certified Ricky Torain Domestic Kitchen baker joined the growers this season.  Continuing to partner with the Dyer County YMCA and Y-USA for the Pioneering Healthy Ex-Officio Members Communities to advocate for healthier lifestyles

 Have held 107 events at The Lannom Center thus far Mayor Richard Hill, Dyer County  Renewed the biannual contract with City of Dyersburg for Tourism & Economic Development Mayor John Holden, Dyersburg Mayor K.W. Dennison, Newbern  Retained accreditation in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Mayor James Davis, Trimble  Staff members Hester and Hall served as instructors for the TN Chamber Institute John Lannom, Legal Counsel  Dyer County Adult Leadership held graduation for 13 new community leaders; Dyer County Brian Collins, TN Vocational Training Youth Leadership graduated 39 tenth graders Center  Supported efforts of Mississippi River Corridor Tennessee Chapter Neel Durbin, City Schools  Provided funding for Big River Bowl, Halls Air Show, The Big Deal, Hoopfest, Duckfest Superintendent  Held a Legislative coffee which was attended by about 100 people Dr. Dwight Hedge, Dyer County  Held a Community coffee on March 9, where Mayor Holden gave a presentation of the “State Superintendent of the City” Debbie Bradshaw-Hart, Dyer County Fair Board  3rd Annual Duckfest broke previous attendance and vendor records. A record number of Steve Lane, Power Board attendees registered for the TWRA Blind Drawing in Tigrett. Eddie Burks, Planning Commission  The Agribusiness Committee has met two times this year. Lobbied members of Congress Jimmy Williamson, NWTN Regional with letters addressing trade issues.

Port Authority Chairman “At Work” News Brief - September 4, 2012 2012 Mid-Year Report continued

III. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

 Retained our memberships and participation in the International Economic Development Council, Southern Economic Development Council, Industrial Asset Management Council, TN Economic Partnership and International Council of Shopping Centers, as well as the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, TN Chamber of Commerce Executives and TN Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Dyersburg’s Chamber CEO is president-elect of the TCCE.  Annual Destination publication was published in June.  Held five Ribbon Cuttings thus far with assistance from our Diplomats, Mayors, and other dignitaries.  Held 8 12@12 luncheons for Chamber and prospective members to learn about current programs and member benefits.  Continue a bi-weekly “At Work” News Brief to keep members informed on important Chamber news and events.  Held the 2012 Business Expo on May 24th with record attendance and 56 vendors  Print advertising done in Site Selection, Area Development and Business Facilities magazine, as well as State Gazette.  Received new retail marketing materials from Shopping Center Group  Purchased a mobile phone app for our members  Held a Business After Hours at Professional Realty Group’s new office

A message from your 2012 Chairman of the Board

For the past two years, it has been my privilege to serve as Chairman of the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce. It’s a volunteer task that I really have enjoyed. I like everything about it—the community planning, the business networking, the pursuit of new business and industry and the challenge of keeping our business climate positive here in Dyer County. Once again this year, our staff and volunteers have been diligently working on multiple fronts to advance our community, put our best foot forward and build our assets through a broad spectrum of activities, programs and initiatives. Please take a few minutes to read this report. You’ll see how busy we have been, in everything from agribusiness to tourism, and hopefully you will share my view that this chamber of commerce is strong, active, effective and goal-oriented. I urge you to communicate these positive accomplishments to your colleagues, to continue to support this organization, and to say and do things that contribute to our spirit of collaboration and community pride. If we continue this work, as we have for over 65 years since the chamber was founded, great things will continue to happen in Dyersburg and Dyer County!

Sincerely,

Jeff Agee