NOTE: The following release was sent from the American Heart Association, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Knoxville area residents will embark on a 5K (3.1 mile) walk to raise lifesaving funds for the American Heart Association and this year, they’ll also be encouraged to start a journey to a healthier lifestyle — with the Start! program. The American Heart Association has reengineered its signature walking event into the Start! Heart Walk to be its “mission in action” and is proud to work with Joe Landsman, President and CEO of The University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville as chairman of the walk in Greater Knoxville. Landsman holds various community leadership positions across Knox County and has worked for The University of Tennessee Medical Center since 1999.

The Start! Heart Walk will be held on Saturday, November 15 at Market Square in Downtown Knoxville. Under Landsman’s leadership, the event is designed to create a stronger community among participants, instill passion for reducing disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke, and generate excitement for a new or renewed commitment to heart-healthy living through walking and eating well.

The Start! Heart Walk is just one component of the year-round Start! movement. Others include a free web-based fitness and nutrition tracker and the Start! Walking Program for companies. Additionally, the Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Recognition Program officially recognizes employers who champion the health of their employees and work to create a culture of physical activity in the workplace. East Tennessee companies who have earned this award include Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ImagePoint, Inc, PetSafe and Clayton Homes. ORNL also earned the Association’s Innovative Workplace Award. And finally, America’s workforce steps out each year in favor of more physical activity during National Start! Walking Day, set for April 8, 2009 because currently, more than 70 percent of Americans are not getting enough physical activity, a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

“The Start! Heart Walk is an outstanding opportunity for the American Heart Association and the community to come together and focus on creating a culture promoting a healthier lifestyle that’s aimed at reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke right here in our region,” Landsman said. “I’m proud to have the chance to serve as chair of the Greater Knoxville walk and I hope that through this event, we can begin to change lifestyles, resulting in improved quality of life, increased productivity and decreased healthcare costs.”

The Start! Heart Walk is a community-wide event composed of corporate walk teams, friends and family teams, individual walkers, “lifestyle heroes” who’ve made positive changes to reduce heart disease and stroke risk factors and survivors of the diseases. The fun begins at 9:00 a.m., featuring a Create Hope Village, Inspire Change Village and Celebrate Success Village. There will also be a kid’s area, healthy refreshments, music and more. The walk itself begins at
10:30 a.m.

For further information about the Start! Heart Walk, call (865) 212-6500 or visit www.americanheart.org/greaterknoxvilleheartwalk. To learn more about the Start! movement, visit www.heart.org/start. National sponsors are SUBWAY®, Healthy Choice® and AstraZeneca. Start! Media sponsors of the Start! Heart Walk are WVLT VOLUNTEER TV, B-97.5, Lamar Outdoor Advertising and The Metro Pulse.

About the American Heart Association

Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to reducing disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. These diseases, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, claim about 870,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2005–06 the association invested over $543 million in research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.

NOTE: The following was sent from the Second Harvest Food Bank, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Get your taste buds ready! Second Harvest Food Bank and Bush Brothers and Company will partner for the Third Annual East Tennessee Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, November 1 at World’s Fair Park Festival Lawn from 1:00pm until 7:00pm.

“Every dollar spent at the East Tennessee Chili Cook-Off goes directly to help Second Harvest feed the hungry in our community,” said Elaine Streno, Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. “People don’t realize how many of our neighbors are going hungry. By eating delicious chili folks will actually be helping feed east Tennesseans in need.”

Thirty amateur cooking teams will whip up their tastiest recipes to compete for the best chili in town. Each team will produce 25 gallons of their homemade chili. The $10 admissions fee includes a “Tasting Pass” to sample each chili and vote for a favorite. Last year’s first place winner, Open Range Chili, will return as the Farragut Shrimp Dock to defend the title and re-claim the ultimate chili bowl trophy along with other prizes. The Bailey Farms Hot Chili Pepper Eating Contest will return allowing hot chili lovers the opportunity to compete for bragging rights.

The cook-off isn’t just for the culinary connoisseur; it’s a true family affair. Kids can play on the inflatable playground at the Kids Fun Zone compliments of All Occasions Party Rentals while Mom and Dad enjoy live music. Four bands are slated to take the stage, including southern rocker Deanna Johnston of CBS’s hit show Rockstar: INXS.

Additional sponsors include Kroger, Comcast, Lamar Advertising, American Airlines, Folly Publishing, Vulcan Materials Company, Loudon County Sound, Pepsi, Miller Lite, WBIR-TV and B-97.5.
For more information visit www.etnchilicookoff.com or contact the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee at 865.521.0000.

About Second Harvest

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee works to eliminate hunger throughout 18 counties, distributing food to roughly 130,000 hungry people every month through a network of partner agencies. These agencies are non-profit organizations dedicated to feeding the hungry and include church pantries, shelters, group homes, local kitchens, after-school program sites, rehabilitation centers and many others. Second Harvest of East Tennessee is part of a national network of food banks called Feeding America. Feeding America members cover every county in America.
For more information visit www.secondharvestknox.com.

NOTE: The following was sent from the FCC.

FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate announced she will visit Knoxville, Tennessee, on October 13th to hold a Town Hall on the digital television (DTV) transition. This visit is part of an extensive nationwide initiative the Commission has launched to increase awareness about the upcoming transition to digital television.

WHO: FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate
WHAT: Town Hall on the DTV Transition
WHEN: Monday, October 13, 2008, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
WHERE: University of Tennessee
Shiloh Room
University Center
329 University Center
1502 West Cumberland Ave.
Knoxville, TN 37996-4800
Phone: 865-974-2225
Free parking in University Center Garage
The FCC identified target television markets for specific DTV outreach, including all those markets in which more than 100,000 households or at least 15% of the households rely solely on over-the-air signals for television reception. The five FCC Commissioners and senior Commission staff will visit these and other markets to raise awareness and educate consumers in the days leading up to the DTV transition on February 17, 2009.

Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation you will need with as much detail as possible. Also include a way we can contact you if we need more information. Please provide as much advance notice as possible; last minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY).

The following release is from Fox Fitness, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Help yourself by helping others!
This workout is open to the public and is serving as a fundraiser for the Girls on the Run Foundation. Donations are not mandatory, but are strongly encouraged!
When: October 25th at 12:00 pm
Where: West Hills Park: 420 N Winston, Knoxville, TN
What to bring: Yourself, friends, and family, a pumpkin for each person (kids small, females medium, males large,), towel, water, healthy snack, and a costume that you can move in! Children are welcome with an adult.
What to wear: Costumes are a must! They are your ticket through the door! They can be as simple or as elaborate as you want, but please remember you need to be able to move! Also, please wear sneakers as footwear.
Enjoy a fun Halloween-Themed Workout with treats to follow! Best of all, it's free! First timers please arrive early. Class will start at 12pm, run for an hour, and be followed by a healthy snack potluck. Those attending will receive a special offer for November classes!

For more information and to RSVP contact Becky at 243-5361 or becky@foxfitnessonline.com

NOTE: The following release was sent from Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Vault Accounting Employer Prestige Rankings names Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC, Tennessee’s largest regional accounting and consulting firm to the national list of top 40 firms in the U.S.

The 2009 edition of the Vault Employer Guide to the Top 40 Accounting Firms, the definitive guide to the most prestigious firms in accounting, rated accounting firms across the U.S. to comprise its coveted list of the Top 40. Firm were asked to distribute Vault’s online survey to employees and then asked employees to rate firms based on questions on life at the firm and a prestige score. Industry leaders outside of the firms were also asked to rank them. LBMC ranked among the Top 40 for prestige and career growth. “It is exciting to make Vault’s list. LBMC is a great place to grow a career because the firm really lives by its core values,” says Jessica Utley, Human Resource Director.

NOTE: The following release was sent from PODS, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Volunteers Portable Moving & Storage, LLC, the local franchise of PODS® (Portable on Demand Storage) in Knoxville, Tennessee, has announced an expansion into a new 41,000-square-foot building at 10155 Gallows Point Drive in Knoxville.

The Brelsford family developed the new building in the Westbridge Business Park, which is only one mile east of the intersection of Pellissippi Parkway and Hardin Valley Road. The Brelsford family owns the building and is leasing it to PODS. New capital investment for the project was approximately $2.2 million, including the value of the land.

"This is great news and is an example of how a well run company can grow here in the Knoxville region," said Mike Edwards, the Knoxville Chamber's President and CEO. "PODS has filled a need in the marketplace and has really worked hard to make the best of it. That's a good job well done."

The local PODS franchise serves 13-counties in the greater Knoxville area and the new Storage Center provides a central location for its customers to access their PODS® brand containers that are being stored in the new building. The new Storage Center is climate controlled with heating, air conditioning and humidity control, and also has sophisticated security and fire repression systems.

“We are pleased with the growth we have experienced in Knoxville since launching service here in 2005 and excited about our customers being able to store their possessions in such a safe and secure building” said Scott Rhodes, a managing partners of the PODS Knoxville franchise.

Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC (LBMC), one of the Southeast’s largest accounting and business consulting firms, has added Amy R. Sharp in its Knoxville office.

Amy Sharp has joined the accounting firm in a staff position in the tax division. She is a recent graduate of Tennessee Technological University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA with a concentration in accounting. Amy is working toward her CPA and enjoys playing tennis and scrapbooking in her spare time.

Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC, and The LBMC Family of Companies has more than 400 employees, with offices in Chattanooga, Nashville (Brentwood), and Knoxville, Tenn. Founded in 1984 as a traditional accounting firm, LBMC has expanded its focus to meet a broad range of financial, human resources and technology needs for its diverse client base. Specific services offered by the LBMC “Family of Companies” include: accounting assurance services, business and personal tax consulting, investment advisory services, professional staffing, human resources outsourcing, payroll services, technology solutions, healthcare consulting, planning services, litigation support, business valuations, and mergers and acquisitions. For more information on LBMC, visit its Web site at www.lbmc.com.

NOTE The following was sent from the Knoxville American Heart Association.

Four area businesses have been recognized by the American Heart Association’s Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Program for promoting physical activity and health in the workplace. These include ImagePoint, Inc, Radio Systems Corporation and Clayton Homes. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, currently recognized as a Platinum-Level Start! Fit-Friendly Company, was the first recognized in East Tennessee.

“These companies should be applauded,” said Joan Lawson, ORNL Wellness Program Manager. “They have made big strides in an area critical to their overall health. I know that these companies will soon begin seeing the positive outcome by having more healthy employees, which is a win-win.”

A special advertising section in the Oct. 27, 2008 issue of Forbes magazine will include a list of the 944 companies across the nation participating in Start!

Adult Americans spend the majority of their waking hours at work, many in sedentary careers — amplifying the risk for medical problems such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Obesity alone costs American businesses $12.7 billion in medical expenses and $225.8 billion in health-related productivity losses per year.

“Time constraints and job responsibilities are employees’ biggest obstacles to exercising. That’s why the Start! Fit-Friendly Companies program encourages employers to allow employees to walk while at work,” said Joe Landsman, President and CEO of The University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville and chairman of the Greater Knoxville Start! Heart Walk scheduled November 15 at Market Square.

“Walking has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity. Furthermore, studies suggest that implementing a worksite physical activity program and promoting this culture will help companies increase productivity, reduce absenteeism, lower turnover and reduce hard costs. Research shows that employers can save $16 for every $1 spent on health and wellness programs.”

Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Program participants implement various options to encourage physical activity, nutrition and culture enhancements such as on-site walking routes, healthy food options in cafeterias and vending machines, annual employee health risk assessments and online tracking tools.

Companies interested in joining the Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Program should contact the Knoxville American Heart Association office at (212) 6500 or visit www.americanheart.org/start to download an application. Applications are due in January for review by a volunteer expert panel. The panel consists of seven physicians, all of whom are American Heart Association volunteers.

Start! is sponsored nationally by SUBWAY® restaurants, Healthy Choice® and AstraZeneca, For more information about the Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Program, visit heart.org/start.

NOTE: The following was sent from the University of Tennessee, a Knoxville Chamber member business.

"Can Women Really Have It All?" is just one topic that will be explored during a conference at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, on Oct. 2 for business women and students interested in starting careers.

"Women in Retailing and Hospitality Leadership Conference" will be held from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the University Center. There will be 11 speakers, including women executives from several large corporations and a panel discussion during the day.

The UT Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management is planning the conference, but the topics have relevance to working women in all fields. Topics include leadership traits, career management and overcoming barriers. Men also are invited to attend.

"These are the same issues women face across all industries," said Wanda Costen, assistant professor in the hotel, restaurant and tourism program. "We hope this conference appeals to all women whether they are students, women just entering the workforce or mid-stage career women."

Conference speakers include:

• Nancy Rutherford, professor and department head in retail, hospitality and tourism management
• Susan Martin, UT provost and vice chancellor
• Bob Rider, dean and professor, UT College of Education, Health and Human Sciences
• Ann G. Bordelon, senior vice president, chief audit executive, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
• Celia M. Swanson, senior vice president, change management, Wal-Mart Stores, USA
• Anneli Adams, executive director, Center for Academic and Professional Excellence and International Development, College of Southern Nevada
• Stephanie Turner, Atlanta Division key retailing manager, Kroger
• Mitzi Short, vice president of multicultural marketing and strategic initiatives, Pepsi Cola North America
• Merilyn Mangum, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, Peabody Hotel Group
• Roxanne Flanagan, operations vice president, Walgreens
• Pam Inman, executive vice president and COO, American Hotel and Lodging Association

To see a complete schedule and to register, please visit http://web.utk.edu/HRL08 . For more information, call the RHTM office at (865) 974-2141.

The final deadline for registration is Friday, Sept. 26.

The cost of the conference is $50 for all day, including lunch. If you register before Friday, Sept. 26, the cost is only $40, including lunch. The cost to attend the morning sessions with no lunch is $30.

The conference is free for students with a $10 charge for an optional lunch.

NOTE: This release is from Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain (LBMC), a Knoxville Chamber member business.

Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC (LBMC), one of the Southeast’s largest accounting and business consulting firms, has added Thomas Ingle to its information technology department in the Knoxville office.

Thomas Ingle was previously a data analyst with EMBARQ Corporation and an IS Analyst for XOS Technologies. In his new role, Thomas will assist employees in the Knoxville office in resolving user, machine and network issues. Ingle is a certified web designer and web programmer and holds numerous Microsoft certifications.

Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC, and Affiliates has more than 400 employees, with offices in Nashville (Brentwood), Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tenn. Founded in 1984 as a traditional accounting firm, LBMC has expanded its focus to meet a broad range of financial, human resources and technology needs for its diverse client base. Specific services offered by the LBMC “Family of Companies” include: accounting assurance services, business and personal tax consulting, investment advisory services, professional staffing, human resources outsourcing, payroll services, technology solutions, healthcare consulting, planning services, litigation support, business valuations, and mergers and acquisitions. For more information on LBMC, visit its Web site at www.lbmc.com.