News Roundup | STEM scholarships, awards, and celebrations
By Shannon Smith, Teknovation Assistant Editor, PYA
Here’s your weekly roundup of business news from throughout the Knoxville region.
If you have any business news or updates you’d like to feature in Teknovation Weekend, please send us an email at teknovation@pyapc.com.
LDA Engineering celebrates 40th anniversary with $500,000 commitment to STEM
Alcoa-based LDA Engineering celebrated its 40th anniversary this week by giving back in a big way.
They’ve committed $500,000 to local science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and outreach by 2030. This doubles the company’s 10-year, $250,000 commitment that was achieved early this year through donations, pro bono work, and volunteer hours.
They also announced three new scholarships totaling $120,000 to promote engineering education. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Maryville College, and Tennessee Tech University will each receive a scholarship commitment of $40,000. Additional funding will be given to each school for the immediate award of scholarships while the scholarship is being endowed.
The Tennessee Tech University scholarship was dedicated to longtime LDA Engineering employee and company partner Steve Bostic, who was surprised with this gesture at an anniversary celebration Thursday night.
Hardcoat Technologies expands Knox County operations with 85 new jobs
Hardcoat Technologies LLC officials announced Friday the company will invest $6.6 million to expand manufacturing operations at its Papermill Drive location in Knoxville. Hardcoat Technologies will create 85 new jobs in Knox County as the company locates additional operations adjacent to its headquarters and original injection molding plant.
As part of this project, Hardcoat Technologies will acquire an existing building and construct a new 23,500-square-foot facility on Papermill Drive. Both operations will support the company’s recent contract with SL Tennessee and, upon completion, will more than double Hardcoat Technologies’ injection molding, warehousing, and assembly capabilities.
Knox News announces ’40 Under 40′ class of 2022
Knox News and Knox.biz have announced this year’s ’40 Under 40′ list of top young professionals in the city.
“40 Under 40 recognizes outstanding young professionals living and working in the Knoxville area and across East Tennessee,” the newspaper said in the release. “These individuals are making a difference through their professional careers and philanthropic efforts. They are leaders, innovators, and achievers with creative ideas and a determination to succeed.
You can see who made this year’s list here.
Nominations open for United Way’s Change Awards
The United Way of Greater Knoxville’s annual Change Awards celebrate organizations, leaders, and employees driving significant change in our area.
Nominations are open now, and submissions are due by October 31, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.
This formal event will shed light on excellence in philanthropy, leadership, collaboration, and above all, the extraordinary change Knoxville’s nonprofit community has created together.
Keep Knoxville Beautiful uses grant to launch WasteWise
Keep Knoxville Beautiful was awarded a grant from the West Rock Foundation to launch WasteWise, a certification program recognizing businesses for different levels of sustainability focused on low-waste practices, beginning with recycling.
The group said the overarching goal of this program is to assist businesses interested in sustainability. Interested businesses can apply here.
Growth & Grit: Celebrating East TN’s INC 5000 Listed Companies
Join the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center and our region’s INC 5000 listed companies on November 14 for a night of spirited, engaging roundtable conversations about entrepreneurship, growth, economy, and everything in between!
Participating companies include Storage Pug, Avertium, Boldsquare, ’58 Foundations, Boston Government Services, AVERO Advisors, and KaTom Restaurant Supply Inc., with more companies to be announced. You can RSVP here.
