Weekly “News & Notes” includes a recognition and several celebrations
Not as many items for this week’s “News & Notes” feature due to the holidays, but they range from a recognition for retiring Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Thomas Zacharia to celebrations for the graduates of Cohort 2 of the CO.STARTERS program in Maryville and two Nashville area companies celebrating funding rounds.
From Knoxville:
- The Knoxville Entrepreneur Center (KEC) is recruiting for a full-time Marketing and Communications Coordinator. “This position is an excellent introduction to the entrepreneurial ecosystem for an organized, detail-oriented individual who is passionate about the Knoxville community and is excited by meeting new people and helping businesses grow,” KEC writes in the position description. The individual who is selected will report to the Director of Strategy and Engagement but also work collaboratively with the Operations Director and Director of Insights and Development. The full job description can be found here.
- “There’s never been a better time to join Real Good Kitchen,” Founder Bailey Foster wrote in an email last week. In that communique, she explained that those who sign-up to join the Knoxville area’s only full-service shared commercial kitchen by January 1 will find their onboarding fee waived. “That’s an up to a $225 savings,” Foster explains. For more information, click here.
From Oak Ridge:
The University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII) presented its Catalyst Award to Thomas Zacharia, the retiring Director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The award, which was presented last week at a retirement reception, recognized his role in strengthening the partnership between UT and ORNL. Joan Bienvenue, UT-ORII Executive Director, made the presentation to Zacharia (pictured here in the center with UT System President Randy Boyd). Photo courtesy of UT-ORII.
From Maryville:
The Sky City Entrepreneur Center is celebrating the graduates of its second cohort for the CO.STARTERS program. Thirteen entrepreneurs from 11 businesses, two of which are partnerships, completed the 10-week business start-up course. A number of existing businesses and others in the community participated in the “Sponsor-A-Starter” program. They included Pinnacle Financial Partners, Epic Nine Marketing Outfitters, Paul Boyles Executive Coach, The Neighborhood Chef, Allevia Technology, Lendio Greater Knoxville, Bob Hirche and Zac Denton. The Daily Times published an article about the participants who are pictured here in a Sky City photo.
From Chattanooga:
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that the Executive Committee of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce has selected the consulting firm Waverly Partners to help in the search for its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The person selected will succeed Christy Gillenwater who announced last month she is leaving for a similarly-titled position with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce. Charles Wood, Vice President of Economic Development for the Chattanooga Chamber, has been selected to serve as Interim President and CEO.
From Nashville:
Two local companies have announced new funding.
- Brentwood-based Interstate Health Systems (IHS) raised an undisclosed amount in pre-seed funding that included a dozen backers (see list here). IHS is a technology-enabled medical services company that provides urgent care, primary care and telemedicine services along the nation’s interstate highway system. IHS supports the needs of commercial truck drivers, rural residents, and all travelers across the nation’s interstates. Within six years, IHS plans to build more than 300 urgent care clinics near strategically selected truck stops and travel centers serving professional drivers, the traveling public, and the underserved communities living nearby.
- Local Infusion raised $4 million in seed funding in a round led by Brand Foundry. The infusion therapy company aims to treat patients with chronic autoimmune diseases on specialty medications within private, comfortable suites. According to the announcement, Local Infusion will use the strategic capital to open its first five locations in Maine and New Hampshire, hire key leadership positions across digital product, expand regional operations and payor/health system partnerships, and invest in its proprietary referral and care coordination technologies.
