News & Notes | Registration is open for ETEC annual meeting and awards celebration
All of the events this week are in the hot greater Knoxville region.
From Oak Ridge:
The East Tennessee Economic Council (ETEC) will hold its annual meeting and awards celebration from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. EST on December 12 at the Hilton Knoxville Airport.
During the event, which will feature keynote speaker Dr. Lynne Parker, a former White House artificial intelligence leader, robotics pioneer, and higher education leader, the organization will announce the winners of the Muddy Boot Award and Postma Young Professional Medal. The two awards recognize different stages of an individual’s career.
- In 1973, the founders of ETEC, then known as the Roane Anderson Economic Council, created the Muddy Boot Award to reflect the efforts of the Manhattan Project founders of Oak Ridge, who worked through adverse conditions to build the community. The award has been presented to 107 people, including elected officials, business leaders, and representatives of the Department of Energy. The objective is to recognize an individual – not an institution – for significant and long-term contributions to the East Tennessee region with respect to the federal government programs and their spin-offs by leveraging the federal presence to create private-sector jobs. Participation in the community beyond the workplace is essential.
- In 2005, ETEC created the Postma Young Professional Medal to honor the accomplishments of young professionals who have made an impact and fostered a community culture in Oak Ridge and the region. Former Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Herman Postma epitomized this community spirit during his life, and his wife, Pat, continues the tradition of service today through her local involvement. A total of 28 young professionals have received this award.
To register for the breakfast event, click here.
TBR – The College System of Tennessee has announced that a Nuclear Workforce Summit will be held on October 28 on the Oak Ridge Campus of Roane State Community College. This event, which will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT, will provide an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the ongoing nuclear renaissance in Tennessee.
“The development of a robust nuclear workforce to fill the highly skilled jobs available in our state is essential in solidifying Tennessee’s status as a national nuclear industry leader,” said Chancellor Flora W. Tydings. “Our Nuclear Workforce Summit, in partnership with Roane State Community College, will help identify opportunities and resources to prioritize workforce development in this specialized industry sector. This will ensure we are prepared to address immediate, emerging and long-term needs of nuclear companies looking to establish their operations here.”
Attendees will hear from industry leaders during a panel discussion at the event. They will also learn more about industry issues, including how nuclear energy organizational structures impact workforce planning, artificial intelligence and its role in the industry, and current College System programs in place to enhance workforce development in this emerging sector.
From Knoxville:
With support from the Nasdaq Foundation, Launch Tennessee and Pinnacle Financial Partners are bringing the “InvestTN Road Tour” to 10 cities statewide to share key info on funding, investment opportunities, and how to tap into resources right in your community. The next stop for the Capital Conversations is on Friday, November 14, at 3 p.m. EST at 121 Tech Hub in Knoxville’s Old City.
This free event is designed to help founders connect with capital, meet fellow entrepreneurs, learn about InvestTN (LaunchTN’s $70 million equity investment fund), and discover how to access resources and get involved.
In attendance will be members of LaunchTN’s Capital team, financial sector experts from Pinnacle Financial Partners and Pathway Lending, and representatives from the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center.
To register, click here.
Probably 150 to 200 people turned out last Thursday evening for the second annual “Celebration of Knoxville’s Food Community.”
Hosted by the Real Good Kitchen Foundation, it was both a celebration of Real Good Kitchen’s shared facility that opened on January 8, 2021, and a fundraising event to support the facility and its several programs, including the Food Business Incubator Program.
Keynote speaker for the celebration was Chef Katie Button, a five-time James Beard Foundation award-nominated chef. She is the Founder of Asheville, NC’s Curaté, a collection of restaurants, an online marketplace, wine club, and culinary journeys designed to create a portal to Spanish culture.
Button earned a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering and was pursuing a Ph.D., but her passion for food and travel ultimately guided her towards a career in the food world after being immersed in the industry at a young age. She honed her craft in the kitchens of some of the world’s best chefs, most notably Ferran Adrià and José Andrés, before finding her own success with her restaurant group,
Button applauded the work of Real Good Kitchen and its Foundation and lamented that she did not have such a resource when she returned to Asheville to launch her first restaurant.
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