I am Heather Waggoner, and I am a Field Representative for Congressman Stephen Fincher. I cover four counties in the 8th District including Obion, Weakley, Henry, and Carroll, and I have been in this position since August of 2012. My role is to be the liaison between Congressman Fincher and his constituents. Therefore, it is extremely important that I be involved with the communities in my counties in order to be successful in my field of work. The Obion County Chamber does an outstanding job at providing opportunities to make this happen. Lindsay and Katie work very hard to give people the chance to network and learn with one another. They are also very diligent in making sure that the members know about current events that are occurring in the community! This has been a major benefit for me! Because of their willingness to make the community knowledgeable, I am able to attend many events that I might otherwise miss out on. I encourage each of you to take advantage of the Business Matters meetings they have each month at the Obion County Library, the ribbon cuttings that occur quite frequently, the banquets, the tournaments, Business After Hours, and the list could go on and on. The Obion County Chamber does its job in providing opportunities for each member to better themselves and their line of work. The question is whether or not we will recognize and appreciate the opportunities before us. You will not regret being involved in this great organization!  

Heather Waggoner

Field Representative for Congressman Fincher

406 Lindell St.

Martin, TN 38237

731-588-5190

 May Small Business Spotlight

The Hamilton-Ryker Company was founded by Wayne McCreight in 1971. Crawford Gallimore joined him in his business in 1972. Together, the two have grown Hamilton-Ryker to a Regional Human Resource company with multiple locations, in multiple states, providing flexible staffing solutions in the manufacturing, distribution, healthcare and information technology sectors. Additionally, Hamilton-Ryker is a leader in offering strategic human resource services including executive recruitment, outplacement, consulting, training and risk management support to clients.

The Hamilton-Ryker Company opened the Union City staffing office in 1992 and for 24 years have continued to provide innovative employment solutions for Obion County.

Angie Worley, the current Branch Manager of the Union City office, became part of the Hamilton-Ryker team in February of 2012. She was joined by Penny Webber, Staffing Coordinator, in May of 2012. Crystal Morris serves as the Administrative Assistant for the Union City team and has since September.

Together, these ladies strive daily to meet the needs of both Hamilton-Ryker clients & associates. Hamilton-Ryker is proud to be part of Obion County! Contact them today at 731-885-1540!

Breakfast with the President

Quarterly, new chamber members gather with our Chamber President Todd Petty over breakfast to discuss how to benefit most from their chamber membership. Over 10 new chamber businesses and their employees were present along with several of our board members. Connections were made, networking took place and relationships were built. Thank you to all of our new chamber members and we look forward to all of your involvement in the years to come! 

 (Chamber President Todd Petty with Daniel Keller of Lowe's)

April Business Matters

Steve Smith with Touching Hearts at Home was our guest speaker for April's Business Matters. Touching Hearts at Home is state licensed for personal care assistance, memory care services, accompaniment, and outpatient accompaniment. The event was sponsored by Goodwill Career Solutions. Join us next month!

Union City Hosts Main Street Managers across State

Tennessee Main Street managers had their second quarter meeting in Union City in April. The Tennessee Historical Commission organized the day and did a "Preservation 101" presentation. The Commission discussed historic building surveys, National Register nominations, grants and tax credits, historic building codes and how to build preservation partners. Preservation planners from the Northwest Tennessee Development District and the Memphis Area Association of Governments were also present. Additionally, the Main Street managers toured the new Discovery Park of America in Union City. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Friday, May 18, 2014   Contact: Andrew Weller 202-463-5802

U.S. Chamber's Institute Awards Lindsay Frilling of Tennessee the Regent Scholarship

A Leadership Training Program Produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, is pleased to announce that Lindsay Frilling, Economic Development Director, of the Obion County Joint Economic Development Council, has been awarded a Regent Scholarship. Given to professionals across the country, the Regent Scholarships recognize each recipient for their involvement in industry professional organizations, community service, and professional background.

"Regent scholarships offer executives the opportunity to attend Institute and learn about emerging industry trends, expand their organizations' influence, and grow their peer network," said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, vice president of Institute for Organization Management at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. "We are pleased to help these talented professionals advance their careers and organizations."

Since its commencement in 1921, the Institute program has been educating tens of thousands of association, chamber, and other nonprofit leaders on how to build stronger organizations, better serve their members and become strong business advocates.  Institute's curriculum consists of four weeklong sessions at five different university locations throughout the country. Through a combination of required courses and electives in areas such as leadership, advocacy, marketing, finance, and membership, Institute participants are able to enhance their own organizational management skills and add new fuel to their organizations, making them run more efficiently and effectively.

Each of the Regent Scholarship recipients will attend one of Institute's five sites in 2014. At the completion of the four-year curriculum, each of the recipients will receive the IOM graduate recognition, signifying completion of 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management and their commitment to the industry. In addition, all credit hours earned through Institute may be applied toward the Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) or Certified Association Executive (CAE) industry certification.

Graduates of Institute receive the IOM recognition, signifying completion of 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management. In addition, participants can earn credit hours toward the Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) or Certified Association Executive (CAE) certifications. Nearly 1,000 individuals attend Institute annually.

Institute for Organization Management is the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. It is the premier nonprofit professional development program for association and chamber professionals, fostering individual growth through interactive learning and networking opportunities.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to strengthening America's long-term competitiveness by addressing developments that affect our nation, our economy, and the global business environment.

institute.uschamber.com            @IOMeducates        

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Giveit2goodwill

If you haven't used it, worn it, or played with it in the last year, it's time to give it to Goodwill.

DE cluttering doesn't have to be daunting. Get tips for combating clutter, and learn more about how your donations change lives, on our website.

12 Donation Sites Extending Hours

January 2014 turned out to be the coldest month in more than a decade. When the weather turns cold, donations tend to drop. That's why we're extending hours at more donation sites, giving more people an opportunity to donate. Find your nearest Donation Express Center.

Goodwill relies heavily on donations to fulfill its mission of providing employment and training opportunities to people who have trouble finding and keeping jobs. You can make an immediate impact by shopping in the stores, or by donating the following items: clothing, household goods, shoes and accessories.

Searching for good employees?

Let Goodwill Career Solutions help. We not only help employees go to work; we also help employers find qualified, ready to work job applicants. We are a free service for the community.

For employers, we can host a job fair for your company. We will handle all the work whether you use online or paper applications.

We can also keep your applications on file.  You can have all your job application traffic flow through our office.

We are available to help in a number of ways.  Please call to set up a time to meet with our Career Counselor, Sandy Hickey at 731-884-4324.

1430 S. First Street, Union City, TN 38261 731-884-4324

List Your Available Commercial Property With Us

Let us help you spread the word about your available commercial property by listing it at www.obioncounty.org. If you have commercial property you would like to list, please contact Lindsay Frilling, Economic Development Director.

lfrilling@obioncounty.org