Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

In a room packed with well-wishers, PYA colleagues, community members from across the state, friends, business partners, and family members saluted Tom Ballard as he approaches retirement at the end of 2025.

Tom is the Founding Editor of Teknovation and PYA’s Chief Alliance Officer. He joined the firm in January 2012 to launch the Teknovation initiative and further PYA’s interest in connecting with the technology, innovation, and emerging entrepreneurial community in Knoxville.

Over the course of a decade, the Teknovation initiative spread across the state and region. Today, Teknovation has subscribers and readers in all 50 states, with a unique niche audience of founders, investors, ecosystem partners, bankers, business leaders, elected officials, and economic developers.

Marty Brown, the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PYA, welcomed guests to the celebration on October 21.

He shared how Tom came to join PYA through Rhonda Clark, who, alongside her husband John, are the closest friends of Tom and his wife, Diane. Rhonda told Ed Pershing, the Co-founder of PYA, that Tom was looking to retire from his Partnerships role at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Ed Pershing is an entrepreneur at heart and has always felt a special connection to the entrepreneurial community.

“Many conversations later, I joined PYA to start teknovation.biz,” Tom said.

Tom Rogers, who attended the retirement celebration on Tuesday, said he remembered the day Tom and PYA started Teknovation.

“I remember Tom talking about the start of his career as a journalist, and when he took on the Teknovation job, it was a perfect fit. He immediately took everything and everyone he knew, and was able to communicate that to an audience that just grew and grew and grew,” he said.

Tom Ballard said Teknovation started with the goal of having enough content to publish for 60 days.

“Little did I know that 14 years later it would be as robust as it is today, and really a resource that is valued across the state of Tennessee and beyond,” he said.

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Marty said his relationship with Tom began to blossom when Marty was selected as the new President of PYA in 2015. They started working more closely together, and later began the practice of  “weekly recurring breakfast meetings.”

He shared that some of Tom’s key attributes are his skilled mentorship, leading by example, and investment in the next generation. The value of his mentorship was echoed around the room.

Katelyn Biefeldt spoke on behalf of her friendship and close working relationship with Tom over the past two years as his Assistant Editor for Teknovation. She is slated to succeed Tom in publishing the three-times-per-week publication.

“To succeed, someone is not to replace someone. Nobody can replace Tom Ballard; he is irreplaceable,” she said.

She also detailed her thanks for his meaningful mentorship, wisdom-packed advice, and trust over the past two years.

“I promise to be a good steward of Teknovation and what you have entrusted to me. I will continue to pioneer the mission, shared vision, and values that it brings to our entrepreneurial community,” she said. “I’m happy for your retirement, but I’m grateful to still have your phone number– and I plan to use it.”

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Cortney Piper, the Founder of Piper Communications, spoke on behalf of the entrepreneurial community.

“I met Tom when I was 28 or 29… At the time, Tom was already a legend. He had a 35-year career at UT and was leading partnerships at the National Lab…To this day, I am not sure why Tom entertained my request for a meeting,” she said.

That was 16 years ago.

She also discussed his unique ability to bring opposing parties to the table and help them find common ground.

“Tom taught me that big ideas don’t come from working in silos. They come from gathering people together, listening, brainstorming, and seeing what can emerge when smart, passionate people collaborate,” Cortney said. “If we could bottle up the ‘Tom Ballard method’ of making things happen– his curiosity, generosity, and relentless optimism– our community would be set for life.”

Tom Ballard wrapped with a “thank you” to his PYA colleagues. In typical Tom fashion, he also addressed the young professionals in the room, encouraging them to find a mentor and learn.

“I had a mentor at UT, Bob Hutchinson, and he saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself,” Tom said. “People helped me along the way, and it’s always been my passion to help others.”

Marty Brown toasted to Tom, a great “third career” and a job “well done.”

Tom Ballard will remain as the firm’s Chief Alliance Officer and Editor of Teknovation until the end of 2025.

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Tom, thank you for the impact you have had on our lives–We have all been so lucky to learn from you. The East Tennessee community is better because of you!

-Katelyn Biefeldt, Assistant Editor, PYA’s Teknovation

(Photos courtesy of PYA’s Trevor Davis. Thank you for capturing the day).

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