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A busy couple of weeks lie ahead, beginning with the HR Supervisor Training this Thursday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. There are still slots available for the seminar at Fayerweather Hall (Lawson Auditorium) on the Maryville College campus. Email Vicky to register.
SPECIAL GUEST AT BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS
 There's a special guest from Washington, D.C., coming to speak at the Business Excellence Awards on Nov. 7 at the Clayton Center for the Arts. We can't divulge the name; but it is not a politician and it's his first trip to Blount County. Trust me, you'll want to be there.
That being said, tickets are now on sale. They are $30 for Chamber VIP members, $40 for Chamber members and $60 for the public. They are available at the Chamber office located at 201 S. Washington St. in Maryville, and by phone at 865.983.2241.
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WEEK
 We are tabbing the week of Oct. 21 as education and workforce development week as the Chamber is hosting two meetings that are integral to both.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 8 a.m. there is a special meeting about the state of education in the county. The meeting includes briefings by the three directors of schools in Blount County. Each has 15 minutes for their presentation and 15 minutes of Q&A. Presenting are Dr. Brian Bell, Director of Schools, City of Alcoa; Mr. Rob Britt, Director of Schools, Blount County; and Ms. Stephanie Thompson, Director of Schools, City of Maryville Then on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 8:30 a.m., Randy Boyd, Special Advisor on Higher Education for Governor Haslam, will outline the details of the Drive to 55 program for Chamber members. Governor Haslam has challenged our state with a critical new mission: the Drive to 55. It's not just a mission for higher education, but a mission for workforce and economic development, a drive to reduce unemployment and improve quality of life. Please RSVP to attend. MAKE CONTACTS QUICKLY AT SPEED NETWORKING  Speed Networking returns to Barley's in Maryville on Thursday, Oct. 17 from 5-7 p.m. Come out and see how many business contacts you can make in an accelerated format while enjoying the comfortable surroundings of Barley's. RSVP to Laura. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS YOUR AD IN BASICALLY BLOUNT It's that time of year when we start selling ads for the 2014 Basically Blount lifestyle magazine. We've added new features and other goodies for the 2014 edition. If you are interested, please check out the media kit. SPACE AVAILABLE IN SMOKY MOUNTAIN VACATION GUIDE TOO If Basically Blount isn't your thing, consider an ad in the Partnership's 2014 Smoky Mountain Vacation Guide that highlights all the lodging, restaurants and attractions in the county. In addition to those listings, there's a special Cades Cove section and hiking and biking trail maps. If you are intereted, please check out the media kit. BECOME AN AMBASSADOR TO AID TOURISTS  Do you work in the tourism sector? Do you meet visitors in your position? Then you need to become a certified Blount Tourism Ambassador where you'll learn facts about Blount County and this unique region that will help you better serve your customers, provide accurate information and give the "inside story" about our individual communities. It only takes one class to become a Certified Tourism Ambassador. So, pick a date that works for you: Oct. 23, Nov. 20, Dec. 18, then register for a free class at www.ctanetwork.com (click sign up for a class) For further information, contact: Deborah Nye at 865.273.1257 NEW EMAIL ADDRESS REMEMBER WHEN Let's go back to 1996 for the short-lived dance craze called the Macarena, which topped the charts for 14 consecutive weeks. One of the most iconic of 1990s dance music, it was ranked the "#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time" by VH1 in 2002.
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