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A Voice For Upper Cumberland Businesses
y
July 2007 | Issue 31
Norwalk poised to purchase Mullins Lumber
Bobbie Maynard
[email protected]
Option by major
developer could
spark growth
According to CBJ sources,
500 acres has been optioned
on Highway 111 north of
Interstate 40 by Crosland, a
property design, development
and management group
based in North Carolina.
Crosland is one of the
leading diversified real estate
companies in the Southeast
with a market portfolio value
exceeding $1.5 billion. The
company builds and manages
apartment communities,
shopping centers and
office and industrial space.
They are affiliated with
Brentwood-based CPS Land,
the developers of Montclair,
Riverwalk on the Harpeth,
Providence, The Links at
Temple Hills, Franklin Green,
Annandale, Burkitt Place and
The Reserve at Temple Hills.
Calls of inquiry from the
CBJ to CPS and Crosland
had not been returned by
press deadline.
Plans are in motion for
Norwalk Furniture Corp.,
which has a manufacturing
facility located in Cookeville,
to purchase Mullins Lumber
Co. in Pickett County.
According to Pickett County
Executive Stephen Bilbrey, the
purchase could create up to 30
new jobs at the Byrdstown
plant. As of press time, the
official purchase had not been
made.
“As a county, we have
worked with Norwalk,
assisting in helping them in
obtaining a Community Block
Development Grant for this
project, as well as working
with other entities like the
TVA [Tennessee Valley
Authority], Volunteer Electric
and Rural Development,” said
Bilbrey.
Government documents,
which are part of the public
record, indicate the total
purchase cost at an estimated
$3 million. This cost includes
the purchase of the lumber
company, as well as additional
equipment. These documents
further state, “Norwalk plans
to move their existing lumber
business from Cookeville to
Pickett County.”
See norwalk pg. 28
Plant closures
leave 107
jobless in U.C.
The Rising Economic Tide
at
Dale
Hollow
Bobbie Maynard
[email protected]
EGS Sola/Hevi-Duty and
Walter Dimension Co. recently
announced plans for closures
in Clay and Fentress counties,
respectively. EGS Sola/HeviDuty is in the process of
conducting a phased plant
closure, affecting 47
employees, with completion
scheduled for March 2008.
Walter Dimension’s phased
closure is already underway
and will affect a total of 60
employees. Final closure for
that plant is expected by the
end of July.
“EGS has informed
employees at its Sola/HeviDuty electric plant in Celina,
Tenn., that a decision has been
made to phase out
manufacturing of industrial
transformers at the Celina
location,” said David Baldridge,
spokesman for EGS. “We expect
work force reductions to begin
later this year.
“This phase out of Celina’s
operations is part of a
consolidation of EGS
manufacturing facilities due
to economic and competitive
pressures,” Baldridge
continued. “Work at the
Celina facility will be
consolidated into our
Rainsville, Ala., plant. Once
the phase out is completed,
the Celina plant is expected to
Oreck leases Times
Square for call
center
Oreck has leased 31,000
square feet of space in the
Times Square Retail Center
development on South
Willow Avenue in Cookeville
to house 225 national
call center employees.
According to Johnny Stites
(owner of the development),
J&S Construction is
finishing and expanding the
development’s lower level
to Oreck’s specifications.
Currently the only “green”
building applicant in the
Upper Cumberland, Times
Square has applied for
LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design)
certification. The LEED
Green Building Rating
See bizbuzz pg. 24
Photo: Lana Rossi
Rane headquarters moves to Sparta
Bobbie Maynard
[email protected]
Rane Bathing Systems Inc.,
a manufacturer of specialty
bathing tubs and equipment,
recently announced plans to
move its corporate
headquarters, including its
sales and marketing division,
from Ephrata, Pa., to Sparta.
Sparta is currently home to
the company’s sole
manufacturing facility, located
on Churchill Drive.
“We’ve already brought all
of our file information and
physical property to
Tennessee,” said Jack
Armstrong, president of Rane
Bathing Systems. “This move
will also be a corporate
expansion project involving
our current manufacturing
and assembly facility here. We
will be adding new assembly
and office space.”
With the new expansion
scheduled to begin this fall,
Armstrong said the company
will be hiring new employees
to fill office positions, as well
as manufacturing positions as
operations increase.
“Rane has had a lot of
support from the TVA
[Tennessee Valley Authority]
and local government
officials,” explained
Armstrong. “They’ve all
worked together to create an
attractive package for us to
expand here. We’re really
excited about growing our
business.”
Armstrong added that since
See rane pg. 28
See closures pg. 30
INSIDE This Edition
Legacy
Moveable Feast
Dale Hollow Real Estate
Bottled Water
Find out about how Pickett Countians made
a living before Dale Hollow Lake changed the
local economy.
Culinary magic meets natural
beauty in Byrdstown at
Sunset Marina Restaurant.
Pickett County’s real estate market is boosted
by the lake, which is the largest draw for
high-end development.
Clearblu Premium Tennessee
Spring Water is bottled at its
source, Beaty’s Spring.
See Feast pg. 9
See ReaLty pg. 15
See Water pg. 23
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July 2007
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www.ucbjournal.com
INSIDE
This Edition
UCDD accesses millions for
industry
5
Executive Profile: Dave Thomas
Briefcase: who’s doing
what in the U.C.
Houseboating
creates niche industry
near local lakes
8
Photos: Sumerset Houseboats
10
Industry Focus: Flexial Corp.
12
Internal communications vital
13
CBJ Special Focus
Dale Hollow Lake/Pickett Co.
14-22
Personal watercraft trends
14
Dale Hollow real estate
15
Pickett County Spotlight
16
Dale Hollow’s economic impact
Wolf Creek Dam impact
Spring water, custom labels
bring CCJ Bottling success
EEOC addresses caregivers
in workplace
Evaluation crucial to
investment planning
19
22
23
26
27
To subscribe to or advertise in the
Cumberland Business Journal
call: (931) 528-8852
or visit us online: www.ucbjournal.com
MIKE McCLOUD
Publisher
CLAUDIA JOHNSON
Editor-in-Chief
Darrell Kerley
Special Projects Coordinator
JESSE KAUFMAN
Creative Director
Staff writers
Bobbie Maynard
Senior Staff Writer
Greg LaPlant
Stephanie Garren
Dave Wright
Advertising account executives
Julie Bruington
Niketa Hailey-Hill
Maranda Fleming
Subscription/Circulation
Beth Garner
DESIGN/LAYOUT
Heather Garrison
MMA Creative
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Call for subscription rates.
This large 21-foot-by-106-foot, one-of-a-kind houseboat is part of Sumerset Houseboats’ Elite Series. The vessel features almost 3,000
square feet of living space, with four bedrooms, including a king-sized master stateroom. (Inset) Sumerset’s Elite Series houseboat is
complete with the spacious main salon featuring a custom coffered ceiling, a fireplace and a granite-topped television console.
Bobbie Maynard
[email protected]
Vacationers across the country who
enjoy spending weeks and even
months on houseboats may be
surprised that it’s almost a guarantee
that their houseboat was
manufactured in the south central
area of Kentucky and Tennessee.
From Lake Powell near Arizona to
Lake Ouachita in Arkansas to the
U.C.’s own trio of U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers’ lakes, houseboating is a
big business that continues to
increase in popularity.
According a report distributed by
the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Rural Studies division, “Clusters in
Rural Areas: Auto Supply Chains in
Tennessee and Houseboat
Manufacturers in Kentucky,” south
central Kentucky and Tennessee are
home to the largest concentration of
houseboat manufacturers in the
United States, producing more than
half of the country’s houseboats each
year worth more than $100 million in
sales. In addition, this area serves as
the historic birthplace for the industry.
“Here at Sumerset Houseboats, we
are the largest and oldest houseboat
manufacturer in the country,” said
Nancy Rimas, vice president of
customer relations for Sumerset,
which is located in Somerset, Ky.
“During the 1960s, we built about one
to two houseboats per year. Then, in
early 1973, our production team
created the first aluminum hull. Back
then it was a new technology that has
today become standard.”
The TVA cluster study reported that
full aluminum hulls are a style most
common to the Kentucky
manufacturers with average sizes
ranging from 72-110 feet in length
and 16-20 feet in width. Rimas
indicated that these types of
houseboats are the most luxurious,
and at Sumerset, are all customized
with many amenities. Typically, these
types of houseboats can be used for
20-40 years and can even appreciate
in value.
“At Sumerset, we produce about 70
vessels every year,” explained Rimas.
“About 20 percent of those stay in the
Kentucky/Tennessee area, and the rest
are shipped to other parts of the
country. In general, total production
time on one houseboat takes about 10
weeks from start to finish.”
Sumerset’s 200,000 square-foot
facility runs two production lines
throughout the year and employs
160 people.
Stardust Yachts, another houseboat
manufacturer based out of Monticello,
Ky., has produced more than 1,450
aluminum hull houseboats since the
mid-1980s, according to Theresa York,
an interior designer and marketing
official with the company.
“We employee approximately 74
people, and our facility has the
capability to produce a large number
of boats of different designs at the
same time,” said York.
Additional houseboat manufacturers
within the cluster, according to the
TVA study, include Fantasy Yachts,
Lakeview Houseboats, Thoroughbred
Cruisers, Harbor Master and Norris
Yachts, among others.
Both Sumerset and Stardust agree
that the clustering of the industry in
this area is driven largely in part by
surrounding lakes, such as Lake
Cumberland and Dale Hollow, which
make great destinations for
houseboating vacations. In fact, as
reported last year by USA Today, both
Dale Hollow and Center Hill lakes
made the top 10 list of “10 great places
to go float your houseboat.”
“When looking at a custom
aluminum hull houseboat built for
luxury, the investment is usually
going to start at $200,000 and can go
up to $450,000,” said Rimas. “Our
average boat size is 18 feet wide by 80
feet long.”
York said that, “price is determined
on what the customer’s wants and
See houseboating pg. 4
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July 2007
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Houseboating
From page 3
needs are to make his or her home on
the water a true reflection of their
lifestyle.” Amenities can include
ceramic tile, plush carpeting, top-ofthe-line electronics, plasma screen
TVs, custom all-wood cabinetry,
granite countertops, fireplaces and
professional interior design assistance
with custom interiors.
Rimas explained that additionally
houseboats will hold their value well
and that financing for such boats can
procure at competitive rates,
comparable to home mortgages. In
fact, interest paid on houseboat
financing can in some cases be written
off on the owner’s taxes, since the
houseboat acts as a second residence.
When looking at purchasing a
houseboat, buyers should weigh
several factors.
“When docking a houseboat, many
waterways have size restrictions,
therefore, this may be a determining
factor in the size of the boat that a
particular customer would build,” said
York. “A large amount of our
houseboats are docked in the
Kentucky and Tennessee area with the
average size being 18 by 85. Most
houseboats in this area are on average
15 by 56 but may feature a second
level to accommodate the needs of
larger houseboats since height
restriction is not evident.”
Besides aluminum hull boats,
houseboats can also be manufactured
out of performance fiberglass or be of
the pontoon variety. Fiberglass
houseboats are generally smaller,
ranging from 35 to 60 feet in length,
and track better in rivers that have
current. According to the TVA study,
production model pontoon boats are
composed of a cabin that sits on top of
a pontoon log instead of an aluminum
hull. They average 35-40 feet in length.
Slower to catch on, houseboating
has today become a very popular
recreational activity. Houseboats
usually do best on placid lakes since
the boats typically ride close to the
waterline and are not designed to
accommodate large waves. Besides
options for purchasing custom-made
boats, vacationers have countless
opportunities to rent houseboats at
local marinas on their favorite lake
of choice.
Depending on size, houseboats can
accommodate anywhere from four to
15 people at one time – making them
popular items for multiple families
and groups to split the rental cost.
“Houseboating is enjoyed by all
ages and all family members,” said
York. “On average, the travel time is
kept to a minimum and does not
require ‘flying’ to get to the vacation
spot, which can be a big advantage.”
Houseboat rentals are available on
all three of the U.C.’s major lakes.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, houseboat rentals can be
attained at the following marinas:
Cedar Hill, Dale Hollow, Holly Creek,
Hendricks Creek, Sulphur Creek,
Widsom, Wolf River, Eagle Cove,
Sunset, East Port, Willow Grove,
Mitchell Creek and Horse Creek all on
Dale Hollow Lake; Center Hill Marina,
Hidden Harbor Marina, Edgar Evins
Marina and Horseshoe Bend Marina
all on Center Hill Lake; and Defeated
Creek Marina, Granville Marina and
Cumberland Bend Golf & Recreation
Center all on Cordell Hull Lake.
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July 2007
5
www.ucbjournal.com
UCDD accesses millions for business and community development
Claudia Johnson
[email protected]
Millions of dollars are infused into
the Upper Cumberland annually to
assist communities and businesses
with development. One of the
numerous regional organizations that
partner with communities, state
agencies and federal funding sources
is the Upper Cumberland
Development District.
During the recently ended fiscal
year, several industries in the U.C.
benefited from industrial Community
Development Block Grants (CDBG),
the FastTrack Infrastructure
Development program (FDIP), the
Economic Development
Administration and other types of
grant or loan program funding. In
Cannon County, Cumberland Molded
Products received $500,000 CDBG
funds to build a new industrial
building, and Global Industries
received $464,000 in CDBG funds to
purchase a building and $98,000 from
FIDP to re-route spring water. FabCare
in Clay County obtained $519,000
through CDBG to purchase the Osh
Kosh building.
Warren County companies utilized
more than $4,094,901 in CDBG and
FDIP funding. Morrison Tool and
Fabricating’s CDBG was $750,000 for
building expansion with an additional
$585,918 from FIDP for site
preparation/drainage. Composite
Products garnered $750,000 in
industrial CDBG funding to purchase
equipment. Superior Walls is using
$750,000 in CDBG funds for an
industrial building and $389,870 in
FIDP money for site preparation and
access road. Receiving FIDP funding
were two Morrison companies, Master
Tool & Machine received $351,392 in
FIDP funds for infrastructure and
Yorozu received $517,721 FIDP funds
for an access road.
FDIP funds of $245,324 were
awarded to White County for
Preferred Logistics and to EPSCORTTU for $175,000.
A $1 million EDA grant went to
Macon County for Nestlé Waters
North America. Overton County
received an $850,000 EDA grant to
develop infrastructure for a new
industrial park, which was also
awarded a $500,000 grant from the
Appalachian Regional Commission.
Pending projects for which funding
has been sought but not confirmed
include a $750,000 for Norwalk
Furniture in Pickett County and a
$450,000 FDIP grant for Lafayette
for Stevens Manufacturing. Approved
in June was $1,250,000 in funding
for HydroSerre in Overton county.
Also vital to development for a
community is basic infrastructure.
Cannon, DeKalb, Macon and Warren
counties each received $500,000 in
regular CDBG funds for water
projects. The cities of Livingston,
Lafayette and McMinnville also
received $500,000 in water grants.
Smith County’s water line extension
project was awarded $332,000.
A Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conversation SRF
brought in another $3.5 million for
Photos: Claudia Johnson CBJ
Main Street, McMinnville
Livingston’s intake and raw water lines.
Woodbury and Cannon County
received $636,680 in department for
transportation grants for a downtown
revitalization project to improve
traffic flow.
A completed downtown
revitalization project in which local
officials and the McMinnville Main
Street Program worked with UCDD
received the “Rebuild Tennessee”
Award from the Tennessee
Development District Association.
The Cumberland Area Investment
Corp. (CAIC) worked with the UCDD to
foster growth and job retention in the
area. Using monies provided by the
USDA’S Rural Development
Administration, the EDA, the
Tennessee Growth Fund and the CDBG
programs, the CAlC leverages private
capital from area lending institutions.
The CAlC is able to provide low rate,
Master tool & machine,
Morrison
fixed term financing for area
businesses. To date the CAlC has made
more than 170 loans totaling $19.6
million. Private lenders have
contributed approximately three times
that amount, resulting in creating or
retaining more than 6,800 permanent
jobs in the U.C. In the last fiscal year
the CAlC approved more than $2
million in loans in the U.C.
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July 2007
LEGACY SERIES
a cultural retrospective
www.ucbjournal.com
Pickett Co. economy dependent on
natural resources before Dale Hollow
Lana Rossi
[email protected]
Kent Furcron,
oreck Plant Manager
Joe WALL
Averitt transportation Specialist
NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE
For 19 years, I have enjoyed listening to customers and helping them with
their transportation needs. So, when Oreck set up shop right here in Cookeville,
I was excited. Excited about another relationship and what their business
means for our community.
I’m Joe Wall. Proud Upper Cumberland resident and Averitt associate.
Cookeville • 1.800.AveRiTT • averittexpress.com
With the hilly land not much good
for row cropping, the bounty of the
hardwood forest has traditionally
been the mainstay for the inhabitants
of the Pickett County region, with
native trees – white oak, ash, beech,
black walnut, hickory, cherry,
chestnut and tulip poplar – playing an
important role.
The earliest European industry was
most likely hide tanning. Next came
the making of whiskey, gunpowder
and mills for the manufacture of
furniture and for the grinding of
cornmeal. Cordell Hull’s father, a
colorful character known as Uncle
Billy Hull, got his grubstake making
moonshine whiskey in what is now
Bunkhum Cave in the Cordell Hull
Museum State Park. He paid a $50
fine and sold the rest for $1,000,
which he used to buy a stand of
timber for what was to become a very
important industry for the area. Dr.
Jonathan Hale, a native of New
Hampshire, had a furniture mill on
the Wolf River. Since Dr. Hale was a
staunch Union sympathizer, Champ
Ferguson’s men burned the mill
during the Civil War.
Timber was used for firewood,
fencing, furniture and buildings. Not
until a short time after the Civil War
did a market emerge as a few men,
including Uncle Billy Hull, began
buying and processing logs and
shipping the lumber from Celina, the
junction of the Obey and Cumberland
rivers, to Nashville. As early as 1885
most of the local mills closed, finding
it more profitable to float whole logs
to Nashville mills than to ship sawn
lumber by boat. In his book “Cutting,
Rafting and Running Logs Down the
Obey River” Jess Rich states that more
than 100 million board feet of lumber
was produced between 1900 and
1904, but getting the logs to Celina
was an adventure that was not for the
faint of heart.
First the timber had to be cut, a feat
accomplished by at least two men and
more often four with a large twohandled crosscut saw and axes.
Gravity and resourcefulness were
used to get the logs to a holding place
close to the river. When the logging
business first started the logs closest
to the rivers or streams were cut. As
time went on they had to go higher on
the hillsides to access the finest
timber. The trees were cut and after a
heavy rain when the ground was
muddy and slick the logs either rolled
or slid to the bottom of the hills where
they were snaked out by oxen or
mules to a holding or skidding place.
The bluffs along the Obey and Wolf
rivers made for some exciting action
when it came time for the logs to go
in the river. The navigability of the
rivers depended upon the spring flood
of “tide.”
In a story “How Grandpa Bought
His Farm,” Joy Sisco relates that
Millard Filmore Gunter paid for his
100-plus-acre farm, in large part,
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S E R V I C E S
347 East Stevens Street • Cookeville, TN 38501
Phone: (931) 528-5514 • 24/7 Emergency Services: 520-8888
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LEGACY SERIES
a cultural retrospective
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from timber that he and his boys cut
and floated down the river. His son
Ambers Gunter, then a teenager,
helped cut and prepare logs for
rafting. As the youngest he remained
on top of the hill and pushed the logs
down a 200-yard embankment into
the Obey where others waited at a
safe distance in a boat to “catch” the
logs, transporting them to the other
side of the river for raft construction.
Building a raft was an art in itself.
Most hardwoods were “sinker” logs,
so “floaters” such as poplar or ash
were alternated in the raft, with
large logs positioned in the front and
the shorter logs in the back or stern
and tied together with a
perpendicular oak or hickory sapling
about 6 inches in diameter. Holes
were bored through this “whaler” at
each log, and an 8-inch raft pin
made of seasoned and hardened
hickory was driven into the log
below. The harder logs like oak
required a metal chain with hooks on
either end called a “chain dog.” Oars
and poles, fore and aft, were used to
guide the raft down the river.
The trips were dangerous and
numbing, but Rich writes that at one
time he had seen as many as 150 men
and boys waiting at Eastport to make
the trip. A trip from Eastport to
Celina took at least two days rafting
(it was too dangerous to raft at night)
and a full day for the rafters to walk
back home.
In the early 1900s the demand for
railroad ties kept the market going
until it slowly faded around 1920.
The advent of roads and trucks ended
the rafting.
With the River and Harbor Act of
July 2007
1938 came plans for 11 dams along
the Cumberland River for flood
control, water storage and a cheap
source of electricity. This was
devastating to families who had built
communities along the Obey and
Wolf rivers. Graveyards had to be
The hardwood lumber
industry still plays a role in
the economy of Pickett
County by adjusting to the
needs of the market whether
it be barrel staves, pallets,
trusses or furniture.
moved and in the case
of Willow Grove, a
whole town of
more than 74
families was
inundated. In
1943 Pickett
County lost
most of its best
farmland and a
quarter of its population
when the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers dammed the Obey River,
creating the Dale Hollow Reservoir.
The hardwood lumber industry still
plays a role in the economy of
Pickett County by adjusting to the
needs of the market whether it be
barrel staves, pallets, trusses or
furniture. The
moonshine making industry
has nearly evaporated, and Dale
Hollow Lake has turned into one of
the top economic generators of
Pickett County.
F irst gaspowered
boat to travel
up the Obey
to Eastport &
logging with oxen.
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(931) 372-1222
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Sparta, TN 38583
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July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
Dave Thomas – a healthy, active retirement
Claudia Johnson
[email protected]
Dave Thomas believes there are five elements to a successful
retirement: family, spiritual growth, health/recreation, fundraising
and business investments. Not that he’s advising initiating this plan
at the onset of retirement. It must be an extension of one’s action
plan for life.
“You’ve got to keep a balance,” said the 78-year-old former
radioman four years into a productive retirement. “You’re not retiring
from the world. People get blue
and despondent when they get out
of balance.”
Since leaving Clear Channel
Communications in 2003 after 14
years in the Upper Cumberland
radio market, Thomas has stayed
committed to the balance that
yielded a successful career and a
fulfilling personal life. He spends
time with Mary Elizabeth, his wife
of 52 years and the mother of his
two children. David Jr., 47, is a
computer graphics designer and
accomplished guitar player who
lives in Boston, and Rebecca, 49,
continues her retail career in
Memphis and is the mother of
Thomas’ only grandchild, 21-yearold Joshua.
Thomas lives what he calls “a
healthy, active life,” attending
both body and soul. He works out,
watches what he eats and is
committed to his church, First
United Methodist.
“By the time you retire, you
have a lot of experience you’ve
built up that can be used to make
a difference,” Thomas observed,
adding that although there are
many worthy causes, he elected to
focus on the YMCA and
Alzheimer’s-related charities for
his current fundraising efforts.
Finally, Thomas chose to trust
professional financial advisors to
handle his investment portfolio, a
decision he said resulted in not
only a comfortable retirement but
continuing growth of his estate.
Thomas grew up in Pensacola, Fla., the youngest of three brothers.
Inheriting communication skills from their father, a Presbyterian
minister, each of them translated the ability to communicate into
productive careers. At age 81 John lives in Memphis where he spent
his career as a manufacturer’s representative. Peter is 83 and lives in
Naples, Fla., but his voice is recognizable to millions. He’s spent a
lifetime as “voice talent” and currently provides the voice-over for
Court TV’s “Forensic Files” series.
A proud moment in the Thomas family’s life was when Peter’s
poem, Omaha Beach, inspired by his own World War II experience,
was read (by Peter) against the musical backdrop of the Naples
Philharmonic. His life story, which includes Dave’s family history, is
featured in a streaming video on the Web at www.forensicfiles.com/
THIS
E X ECUTI V E
P R O F ILE
You & Us.
Working together to address
your financial needs.
petervideo.htm.
In 1965 Thomas took his first radio job at WHBQ in Memphis as a
sales representative. He’d been in sales positions since his
graduation from Southwestern (now Rhodes) College. First he
represented an auto parts company in southern Louisiana and then
a billboard company, but with radio, he found his niche. Three years
after his 1969 promotion to WHBQ sales manager, Thomas moved to
WEZI, a Memphis FM station that was soon to fill a void in the
city’s radio programming.
Under Thomas’ direction, WEZI became the only Memphis station
offering “beautiful music,” an
instrumental format similar to
easy listening. The unusual format
attracted advertisers whose
clientele did not necessarily fit the
demographic of Memphis’ typical
blues, rock or jazz listeners in the
early 1970s. After six years WEZI
achieved top billing in audience
share for the Memphis market.
In 1983 Thomas left WEZI to
launch a consulting business,
Productive Partnership, which
advised radio stations on
increasing revenue and
developing marketing strategies.
Between 1985 and 1989 Thomas
managed Nashville easy listening
station WZEZ, but it was the move
to Cookeville that provided
Thomas his biggest challenge and
greatest success.
Hired to run a small country
music station named Q94 just
before it upgraded to
100,000-watts, Thomas sought the
best on-air personalities, sales
representatives and production
staff. In his 14 years managing the
business now known as Clear
Channel Radio, Thomas helped
establish one of the most
successful stations in Middle
Tennessee, 94.7 WGSQ-FM – “The
County Giant,” reported by
Arbitron Radio Research in 2003
as the top-rated country music
station in the United States.
Photo: Jesse Kaufman CBJ
Additionally, Magic 98.5 is a
leading station in the Top 40/Adult
Contemporary format.
“I like start-ups,” Thomas admitted, recalling how exciting it was to
see The Giant 94.7 become a truly regional station, providing
opportunities for advertisers to reach not only the Cookeville market,
but the entire Upper Cumberland and beyond through the strength of
the signal and the talent and professional commitment of Thomas and
his staff.
Ever able to see possibilities, Thomas accepted the invitation to
invest in the Cumberland Business Journal, which launched in 2005.
“The Cumberland Business Journal has a bright future as a niche
publication for those readers seeking business news,” Thomas said of
his investment, as he headed for the golf course to enjoy the
“recreation” component of his five-part plan for successful
retirement.
B R OUGHT
115 N. Washington Avenue
Cookeville, TN 38501
931-528-5426
800-359-2723
©2006 UBS Financial Services Inc. All Rights Reserved. Member SIPC.
TO
YOU
BY
UBS
July 2007
MOVABLE FEAST
www.ucbjournal.com
Claudia Johnson
[email protected]
Arrive by bus, car, yacht, boat,
pontoon or raft. There are many ways
to get to Sunset Marina Restaurant
and just as many reasons to go. First
there’s the easy access from Highway
111 or via Dale Hollow Lake. There’s
the marine-themed décor with nods to
Sunset’s and the marina’s history.
Then there’s the choice of deck seating
or dining in the air-conditioned
indoors. Breakfast, lunch and dinner
are served, and no one dressed for the
beach or the fishing boat is turned
away, yet dressy attire is not out of
place for a special evening.
However, it’s the combination of
nature’s artistry and one man’s
passion that makes the place
irresistible. The west-facing windowed
façade features daily sunsets, some
dramatic, some subdued, over the
cleanest lake in Tennessee and a
fringe of forested hills. In the kitchen
there’s chef William Miller, known by
all as Zoom, sprinkling his “magic
dust” to concoct a mesmerizing array
of eats.
“This food tastes like it was
prepared by someone who loves to
cook,” my dinner companion
observed, and Miller confirmed that
he cooks because he must.
He converted his interest into a
profession in Bardstown, Ky., cooking
for restaurants and events. Three
years ago he made the move to the
Sunset Restaurant, infusing his
intrigue with Creole and Cajun
cooking into the menu. His magic
dust is a secret combination of spices,
while Southern bourbons and Overton
County wines (from Holly Ridge
Winery) contribute their own
Sunset Marina
Restaurant
chef
William (Zoom)
Miller
Culinary magic meets natural beauty
In
Byrdstown
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
enchantment.
Zoom insisted I taste a variety of
dishes, so I sipped wine (which I took
since the bar serves beer only),
watched the sunset and talked with
restaurant manager Brian Mueller
about the challenges of operating on a
seasonal schedule. Late May through
September the Sunset serves three
meals per day every day. Between the
first weekend of April and Memorial
Day and from Labor Day until late
October, it’s weekends only for lunch
and dinner with breakfast also served
on Saturday and Sunday. In addition
to managing the restaurant for the
past eight years, Mueller works with
businesses and organizations to plan
conferences at the Sunset complex, a
full-service facility featuring not only
the floating restaurant but a fullystocked ship’s store offering groceries,
souvenirs, clothing, fishing gear,
tackle and other amenities, lakeshore
cottages and luxury houseboat
accommodations.
“We specialize in small group
functions of 25-80 people in the
banquet-style meeting room setup,”
Mueller explained. “The different
conference packages provided are
tailored to make the most of the
client’s planning dollars.”
He noted that many companies
prefer to hold meetings during the
off-season because of competitive
package prices, lighter tourist crowds,
comfortable weather and the
spectacular natural beauty of budding
spring trees or falling autumn leaves.
Sooner than expected, food
appeared. First there was crab and
shrimp pasta salad in a creamy
dressing served on greens with
tropical fruit. Then came the Obey
River Bourbon Beef, an 8-ounce chuck
loin marinated in Zoom’s original
bourbon marinade, grilled and sliced
into medallions. The 8-ounce catfish
fillet was served with the best tarter
sauce I’ve ever tasted, containing
magic dust no doubt. The 8-ounce
walleye (from Canada) was grilled in
butter and lime with just a hint of
Zoom’s secret seafood seasoning
blend. Soft, yeasty rolls were perfect
for dipping up the last drops of
bourbon cream sauce from the Shrimp
Baton Rouge – shrimp, celery,
peppers, onions and mushrooms
sautéed with Zoom’s Cajun spice blend
and served over linguini. There was
no room for the grilled pork chops
with other tempting dishes like
bourbon-spiced apples or salmon with
bourbon and honey glaze. Room was
made for cheesecake prepared by local
baker Frank Siegel, served with rich
roasted coffee.
As the last rays of sunlight
glimmered on the water, Mueller
offered a pontoon tour of the marina
with a ride by the impressive Obey
River Campground and Recreation
Area. For six decades a dock has
existed here, growing, expanding,
beginning anew after a devastating
1996 fire and surviving due to love of
water, outdoors and perhaps the site of
the sun’s daily performance over food
creatively and passionately prepared.
BUILDING
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LOCATION: Crossville, Tennessee
SQUARE FOOTAGE : 22,252
PROJECT TYPE: Construction of a new medical office
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SPECIAL FEATURES: Used a pod design for seven
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SINCE 1957, J&S has successfully
completed over 5,000 unique projects
for our various clients, 75% of which are
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nearly 100 of the finest craftsmen and
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including nationally recognized
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9
CONSTRUCTION
1080 South Willow Ave.
COOKEVILLE, TN 38501
www.jsconstruction.com
931.528.7475 • 800.933.1121
10
July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
Against the Flow expands
kayak tour business
Last fall the CBJ featured young
Pickett County entrepreneur Jesse
Walton and his business, Against the
Flow. Walton has recently expanded
his water tour and kayaking business
by adding 10 new kayaks and two new
clear bottom kayaks. He is operating
his business (which covers all
waterways in the Upper Cumberland)
from a new location on Highway 111 in
Byrdstown. Additionally, he has
teamed up with Dale Hollow Lake area
restaurants to offer “dinner and a
paddle” outings. Finally, Walton is now
in charge of the Lake Times News, a
publication geared toward the Dale
Hollow Lake communities. For more
information on Walton’s offerings, call
(931) 510-6939.
Averitt honors associates for
20 years of service
Mike Durham, Randy Dunn, Elise
Leeson and Judy Morgan have recently
been honored for their 20 years of
service for Averitt Express. Durham is
a corporate accounting assistant, and
Dunn is director of purchasing. Leeson
is Averitt’s director of human
resources, and Morgan is a corporate
account bid coordinator.
“Loyal associates like these are
ver y valuable to our team,” said
Gar y Sasser, Averitt’s president and
CEO. “They’ve helped build the
solid foundation on which Averitt
stands today.”
Averitt’s “Over 20 Team” has more
than 250 members and is an exclusive
group of associates who have served
20 or more years with Averitt.
Chamber positions filled
Cookeville-Putnam County
Chamber of Commerce has selected
Debbie Adams and Brian Otuonye to
fill vacant positions in the Chamber
staff. Adams is executive assistant to
Chamber President/CEO George
Halford. She
gathers and
distributes
information in
response to
inquiries and
performs other
general
administrative
duties. Adams
previously worked
Adams
in customer
support for DACCO, Inc., where she
managed credit and collections for
all domestic and international
accounts and trained new store
managers and sales teams in credit
procedures.
Otuonye coordinates efforts to
enhance economic growth in the
Highlands of Tennessee, which
includes Putnam, White and Overton
counties. His efforts focus on
business recruitment and retention,
development research and
information
acquisition and
dissemination. He
most recently
worked for
Tennessee Tech
University as a
senior project
manager of MBA
Productions and
Operations.
Otuonye
Wiggins, Canada Named to
UCTA Board
The Upper Cumberland Tourism
Association Board (UCTA) has added
Monterey Mayor Ken Wiggins and
Cookeville-Putnam County
Convention & Visitors Bureau
Coordinator Laura Canada as
Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber
of Commerce representatives.
UCTA, a not-for-profit
organization, has a membership
comprised of Upper Cumberland
businesses, governments, chambers
of commerce and individuals. The
organization’s main goal is to
increase the economic impact of
tourism in the 14-county region. It
also is a voice for the region and
cooperates with the state and other
organizations to promote the region.
Marketing boot camp
completed
Dale Hollow Marketing Group
(DHMG), located in Byrdstown,
awarded several Pickett County
residents with certificates and awards
in June celebrating their completion
of the organization’s first business
boot camp.
Rachel Sells, graduate of Tennessee
Tech University, Kelsey Crockett of
Augsburg College in Minneapolis,
Minn., and Christopher Asbury and
Cody Hull, 2007 graduates of Pickett
County High School, contributed to
the boot camp. Crockett has accepted
a full-time employment position
with DHMG.
DHMG is owned and operated by
Pickett County residents Terry and
Andrea Burckhard. Those interested
in applying for the four internships
must send their resumes to DHMG,
8500 Hwy. 111, Suite 100, Byrdstown,
TN 38549 before Aug. 20.
Mayberry, Davis promoted at
JB&T
Teresa
Mayberry and
Pat Davis have
been promoted
by First Security
Group, Inc.,
holding
company of
Jackson Bank &
Trust (JB&T).
Mayberry
Mayberry, a 30year employee of JB&T, has been
promoted to assistant vice president
and manager of
deposit
operations for
First Security
Group. Davis,
also a long-time
employee of
JB&T, was
promoted to
assistant vice
president and
Davis
Labor, Employment
& Commercial Law
“Care is Our Business”
• Physical Therapy
• Speech Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Sub acute & Skilled Care
• Traditional Care
• Respite Care
• Respiratory Therapy
• Medical Nutritional Therapy
1420 Neal Street | Suite 201 | PO Box 655
Cookeville, TN 38503 | 931-372-9123 tel
931-372-9181 fax
www.wimberlylawson.com
www.nhchighlands.com
Cookeville Knoxville Nashville Morristown
Cookeville: (931) 528-5516 · Smithville: (931) 597-4284 · Sparta: (931) 836-2211
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July 2007
11
www.ucbjournal.com
manager of data processing for First
Security Group. Davis holds a
bachelor’s degree in computer science
from TTU.
Mid-State expands staff
Mid-State Construction is expanding
its staff by adding three new project
managers and a junior estimator.
Jason Gentry works for Mid-State
at the company’s Livingston office
and has become the project manager
of the Geothermal Division. The other
three work in the Commercial and
Industrial Division in the Cookeville
office: Kevin Billbe and Robb Garner
are project managers, and Jonathon
Conohan is a junior estimator. Gentry
grew up in Huntingdon and holds a
bachelor’s degree in engineering
from the University of Tennessee at
Martin and a master’s degree in
mechanical engineering from
Oklahoma State University.
Kevin Billbe attended Hutchinson
Junior College and Kaw Area Vocational.
Technical school both in Kansas. He
began as a laborer, progressed to
superintendent, then project manager.
Robb Garner attended Tennessee Tech
University. Before joining
Mid-State, Garner worked for Warren
Engineering in Murfreesboro, where he
inspected residential and commercial
structures. He served four years in the
U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Jonathon Conohan attended
Madison West High School. After
graduating from high school he
served three years in the U.S. Army
with a tour of duty with Operation
Enduring Freedom in Iraq.
For more information about MidState Construction visit www.midstateconstruction.com.
Bar Association.
Wimberly Lawson is a full-service
labor and employment law firm
representing management with offices
in Cookeville, Knoxville, Morristown
and Nashville. The firm’s office in
Cookeville opened in 1996.
Crossville insurance agents
elected professional
association president
Art E. Gernt II is the newly elected
2007-2008 president of the
Professional Insurance Agents (PIA).
Gernt, owner of Art E. Gernt
Insurance, Inc. in Crossville, has
earned the professional designations
of Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC)
and the Certified Professional
Insurance Agent (CPIA). He has
served on the PIA Board of Directors
since 1999. He is the 71st president of
the association and has served on the
board since 1999. In 2006 he was
named PIA’s Agent of the Year.
Bill Oglesby, CIC, CPIA, has been
elected to a three-year term on the
PIA’s board of directors. Oglesby is
president of Brown Insurance Group
in Crossville; he serves on the board
of directors for the CrossvilleCumberland County Chamber of
Commerce and for the Crossville Noon
Rotary Club.
PIA of Tennessee, founded in 1939,
is a trade association of independent
insurance agents throughout
Tennessee. PIA members service and
sell business, home and auto
insurance and represent multiple
insurance companies.
Contours Express marks
first year
Young entrepreneur Missy Pack, 27,
is set to celebrate one year as a
franchise holder for Cookeville’s
Contours Express. Launched in 1998,
the company is the second fastest
growing in women’s circuit gyms
with more than 600 locations
worldwide in 20 countries and is rated
among the most affordable. Pack said
the primary reason for such growth is
superior equipment that utilizes real
weight stacks versus the hydraulic
equipment used by other gyms.
“All of our machines are specifically
designed and sized for a women’s
body,” she said. “The product
difference means members will not
plateau or max out, and they will see
real results that will encourage
member retention and loyalty.”
Pack’s gym offers amenities like
treadmill, tanning bed, stationary
bikes, excursive ball classes and ionic
aqua cleanse. Call (931) 526-9118 for
monthly membership specials.
To submit items to the Briefcase call: (800) 499-2332
or e-mail at: [email protected]
For Over Half A

HOME n AUTO n BUSINESS n
Protecting the Dreams of
our Families and Friends
Travis earns master of laws
degree
Mark C. Travis, regional managing
member of the law offices of
Wimberly Lawson Seale Wright &
Daves PLLC, recently received a
master of laws degree from the Straus
Institute for Dispute Resolution at the
Pepperdine
University
School of Law
in Malibu, Calif.
The Straus
Institute
program is the
number one
rated law school
program for
dispute
resolution,
Travis
according to
U.S. News and World Report’s 2007
“America’s Best Graduate Schools.”
The curriculum consists of 28
academic credit hours in areas such
as negotiation, mediation and
arbitration practice, as well as other
selected topics including
environmental dispute resolution,
labor disputes and mediation of
employment law disputes.
Travis received his undergraduate
degree from the University of
Tennessee and his initial law degree
from the University of Louisville. He
is a Rule 31 listed general civil
mediator for the Tennessee Supreme
Court and has also received
certification in labor relations
studies from the Cornell University
School of Industrial and Labor
Relations. Travis currently serves on
the executive council of the dispute
resolution section of the Tennessee
HOME n AUTO n BUSINESS n PROPERTY n HEALTH n LIFE n
HOME n AUTO n BUSINESS n PROPERTY n HEALTH n LIFE n HOME n AUTO n HEALTH n LIFE
The Swallows Newman Agency
480 Neal Street, Suite 100
Cookeville, TN 38501
Tel: (931) 526-4025
The Swallows Ward Agency
31 East Bockman Way
Sparta, TN 38583
Tel: (931) 836-3100
HOME n AUTO n BUSINESS n
The Swallows Agency
1020 W. Main Street
Livingston, TN 38570
Tel: (931) 823-5641
www.swallowsinsurance.com
931-526-4025
12
July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
industry focus
Hi-tech in the Highlands…Flexial shoots for the stars
Claudia Johnson
[email protected]
Flexial Corporation may be located in
Cookeville, but its edge-welded metal bellows
are actually leaving the planet. In fact, they
will be aboard NASA’s new Constellation
program including the Orion Crew Vehicle and
the Ares Launch Vehicles, as well as several
applications on the next Mars Rover.
With projected sales at $6 million, Flexial
will invest approximately half a million
dollars in new equipment and add 20 jobs this
year as part of a continuing commitment to
Cookeville by owners Richard Larsen, David
Prowse and Roger Colglazier.
Larsen moved to Cookeville in 1988 from
Daytona Beach to launch a welded bellows
company for Robertshaw. At that time he and
Prowse designed the 35,000 square-foot
building where Flexial currently operates at
1483 Gould Drive. Robertshaw moved out of
Cookeville a few years later and eventually
shut down.
“We love this community so much that we
decided to drop out and start a competing
company rather than leave,” Prowse said,
explaining how Flexial began in 1994 in
Larsen’s garage, later obtaining the
Robertshaw building for the growing
company. “Other significant reasons for being
here are our close ties with Tennessee Tech
University, the fantastic workforce available
and the tremendous quality of life that this
area offers.”
One obstacle identified by Flexial
management is the need for a greater supply
of higher-level technicians – the skill/
knowledge band that falls between graduate
engineers and vocational education. Flexial’s
human resources director, Tammie Herron,
said Nashville State Community College is
“working hard” to fill this void. The company
regularly participates in co-op and intern
programs with area colleges. Presently, 80
percent of Flexial’s salaried staff are graduates
of TTU – many of them engineers. Herron also
finds the company Web site, www.flexial.com,
a useful tool for recruiting the kind of quality
employees Flexial wants.
“Our staff members are involved in various
aspects of this community including active
board members for the chamber of commerce,
Leadership Putnam, United Way, TTU’s Center
for Manufacturing Research, Rails with Trails
and many others as well as numerous
committees,” Prowse said. “We sponsor and
coach youth sports teams. We do four blood
drives annually through Blood Assurance and
have one of the highest blood donor ratios in
the area.”
From engineering design to running a
hydraulic press, from contract review to
program status, if employees need information
they won’t find it in a three-ring binder.
Flexial is a digital company with detailed
David Prowse, vice president manufacturing, and Scott
Higbie, engineering manager, study a new, titanium
welded bellows extendable sunshade mounted on a fullsize mockup of the Standard Missile III Kinetic Warhead.
The bellows will shield the warhead’s seeker optics from
stray light as it tracks and destroys an intercontinental
missile if launched against the United States.
Frontworx is Flexial’s bellows prototyping and development
area where high-technology products are developed and
tested. Flexial produces millions of inches of flawless
microscopic edge welds in the production of welded
bellows. Welds range in size from about the diameter of
the wire in a paper clip to as small as a human hair.
Flexial engineers and machines the components that
make up its welded bellows products. Metals include
various stainless steels, titanium alloys and high-strength
nickel alloys. Drawings are transmitted electronically
from engineering to machining where they are converted
into machine code. The machine instructions are then
transmitted directly to the machines that make the parts.
Photos: Rick Larsen
Pernell Williams, quality assurance technician,
prepares to examine a section of microscopic weld
prior to releasing the weld procedure for manufacture.
The area to be examined can be as small as the end of
a human hair. Flaws as small as 1/10th that size can
be cause for rejection.
This Industry Focus is sponsored
by the Cookeville-Putnam County
Chamber of Commerce’s Existing
Industry Committee, in
conjunction with the Leadership
Putnam class of 2007.
information at every employee’s fingertips,
including work instructions, engineering
specifications, drawings, interactive process
flow diagrams, inspection and test
instructions and data collection.
Company leaders credit the conscientious
commitment to quality by their 71 employees
as a reason Flexial has twice earned a perfect
score on its AS-9100 audit by Underwriters
Laboratory. AS-9100 is the more stringent
form of ISO-9100.
“We have undergone three TOSHA voluntary
survey audits and have been recommended for
the Federal SHARP award,” Prowse noted.
Larsen said that the Engineering Directorate
at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is
patterning part of its Quality Management
System on Flexial’s system and has sent two
teams of reviewers to learn how the company
operates.
Larsen explained that Flexial’s core
technology – welded metal bellows – is in six
or seven unrelated markets, and the company
is experiencing growth in most of them.
“Our fastest growing sector is aerospace as
our reputation spreads among the primes,” he
said. “Aerospace is an area where growth is
more by reputation and qualification than
price, so we are pleased that we are working
into the number two position among our
competitors.”
The company’s bellows industry experience
spans across four decades in virtually every
major market and product arena from
aerospace, military and space applications to
down hole, oil and gas programs. From
vacuum and semiconductor products to
precision medical devices, to electrical
transmission and distribution, Flexial’s
product breadth ranks with its largest
competitors. The company’s creative
knowledge of engineering, metallurgy,
manufacturing, quality assurance,
microscopic welding and precision assembly is
demonstrated by several patents and a range
of new bellows technologies unique to Flexial.
Larsen said many customers learn about
Flexial through the Web site, adding that word
of mouth within NASA and across various
engineering teams within companies like
Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing
and others is extremely effective with regard
to Flexial’s specialized product.
“We also do teaching programs (Lunch-andLearn) for engineers in these companies to
teach the technology,” he said. “Flexial has
always been an engineering and
manufacturing operation, engineering the
products we build. In the past several years,
our engineering reputation among the
aerospace primes has grown significantly and
is overtaking our leading competitor. We will
assume the lead position with our products in
aerospace programs scheduled over the next
15 years.”
July 2007
13
www.ucbjournal.com
When it comes to internal communication, it’s all about trust
Like many of you, I have several
books about communication on my
shelves, each offering bits of good
advice. Every time I browse back
through one, something jumps out
that I wish I’d remembered at some
critical moment.
Then I must remind myself – as I do
my coaching clients – the secret is
Practice, Practice, Practice. Just
reading this stuff isn’t what changes
your behavior. It’s being intentional
and then consistently investing the
effort to change.
A common theme among my client
organizations is this: How can we
use better communication to
cultivate trust?
In one case it’s about managing
change around a redirection of the
mission. Another is trying to
strengthen the level of
professionalism and accountability
among staff members without demotivating them. A third knows it
can improve productivity by
strengthening communication and
cooperation between satellite sites
and the home office, but that would
be a change.
One is struggling to develop a model
of open, shared, transparent decisionmaking following the departure of a
leader who allowed a dysfunctional
style of behind-the-scenes
maneuvering to become the norm. One
involves a volunteer board of directors
that wants to micromanage the
company’s paid professionals.
In all these situations the critical
element – the magic elixir for health –
is to develop trust. Two principles are
guiding my work in all the above
situations, both related to trust. The
bad news is that they are both
difficult, and the boss has to go first.
The good news is that they are almost
magically effective at strengthening
working relationships.
The first principle comes out of the
Harvard Negotiation Project. Two of
its participants, Roger Fisher and
Scott Brown, wrote a couple of books
based on that work. One is “Getting
to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement
without Giving In.” The other is
“Getting Together: Building
Relationships as We Negotiate.” In
this latter book they put forth the
idea that the most successful
strategy for building a successful
working relationship is to be
“unconditionally constructive.”
In spite of our grounding since
grade school in the Golden Rule, this
is counterintuitive for most of us. We
usually take the “Do unto others...”
thing to mean “the first time.” After
that, reciprocate.
In other words, once you have
started in the positive, then your best
course of action after that is to do to
them whatever they just did to you.
Most call this the tit-for-tat approach.
But it’s a flawed strategy.
Instead, the authors say, “In any
relationship, I want to be able to
take steps that will both improve
our ability to work together and
advance my substantive interests,
whether or not you respond as I
would like. In short, I am looking for
guidelines I can follow that will be
both good for the relationship and
good for me, whether or not you
follow the same guidelines.” In that
sense, this strategy is
“unconditionally constructive.”
The authors go on to outline what
they mean in very practical terms and
BROADEN YOUR REACH
with Steve Chapman
clarify that their guidelines are not
meant to be advice on how to be
“good” but only on how to be
effective. They reflect an extremely
pragmatic approach to what it takes
for the relationship to work better,
thus allowing me (as well as you) to
get what I need from it.
The second principle that has been
pivotal for my clients’ growth is this:
it is enormously costly to avoid
difficult conversations.
We all “sort of know that,” but that
knowledge doesn’t change the fact that
conflict-avoidance is an extremely
common self-crippling behavior. A
good articulation of this point comes
from the book “Crucial Conversations:
Tools for Talking when Stakes are
High” by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan
and Switzler (2002). The authors
originally began researching why,
among equally trained and
experienced colleagues, some are so
much more effective at influencing
outcomes and getting things done.
They discovered that the critical
differentiator was their ability to have
difficult but crucial conversations –
honestly, directly, but in a way that
strengthened rather than damaged
relationships. In the words of the
authors, “Strong relationships, careers,
organizations and communities all
draw from the same source of power –
the ability to talk openly about highstakes, emotional, controversial
topics.” The book describes how to
master the principles that will let you
do just that.
As we track the changes in our
culture – the coarsening, the
seemingly reflexive cynicism – it’s
easy to feel that honesty and
integrity have lost their power. That’s
a cop-out because it’s not true.
People are more desperate than ever
to find relationships that are worthy
of their trust. It is not only possible
to foster that trust, it is imperative
that we do so. Besides that, it’s still
good business.
Steve Chapman is president of Broad
Reach Strategies, a company that helps
executives identify where even small
changes in their communication, hiring
and management habits can be leveraged
into significant organizational gains. He
may be reached by phone at (931) 8583940 or via email at SChapman@BroadR
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July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
Personal watercraft evolving
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more adventure is
desired, such as
with water sports,
boats
recommended for
these activities
include: allpurpose fishing
boats, bass boats,
bowriders, close
bow runabouts,
cuddy cabins,
deck boats, fish and ski boats, inboard
ski boats, inboard wakeboard boats,
inflatable boats, jet boats, pontoon
boats and stern drive cruisers
If speed is more your style, Boating
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purchase a 70-plus mile-per-hour
boat, it can cost up to an estimated
$100,000 for a 26-inch single engine
offshore model. Sacrificing actual size
for speed, the magazine recommended
a two-person waterbike, such as SeaDoo’s RXP, which ranges between 6769 miles per hour.
To learn more about boating, visit
NMMA’s Discover Boating Web site at
www.discoverboating.com.
Photo: Pickett Chamber
How critical is your business data?
Do you have a disaster recovery plan?
Are your backups automated? Is your
Data secured offsite? Are you sure?
Whether you’re a sport boating
enthusiast or like the rush of
powerboating, many options exist for
those craving action on the water.
From fishing to waterskiing to
wakeboarding, your desired activity
can help determine which boat is
best for you.
According to the National Marine
Manufacturers Association (NMMA),
the number of boats on the water grew
to approximately 18 million in 2006.
Breaking that number down by type of
boat according to use, NMMA reported
that outboards led in use with 48
percent of the market. Other types of
boats include inboards, stern drive
boats, personal watercraft and sailboats.
Total retail sales for new boats and
motors was $14.7 billion in 2005.
Pleasure boating ranks among
America’s most popular recreational
activities, according to the National
Sporting Goods Association. The best
boats for pleasure boating include
houseboats and yachts. Alternately if
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the number of
boats on the water grew to approximately 18 million across the country in 2006.
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July 2007
15
www.ucbjournal.com
Dale Hollow Lake boosts Pickett County’s real estate market
The lake remains the largest draw
for high-end properties and
developments.
Bobbie Maynard
bobbie@ucbjournal
Although Pickett County may have
one of the smaller populations among
Tennessee’s counties, the area is
chock-full of high-value, lake view
properties overlooking Dale Hollow
Lake. Real estate values there have
steadily increased over the years with
people purchasing vacation homes or
retiring to the area.
“Real estate sales have increased
tremendously here,” said Larry
Anderson, Pickett County property
assessor. “I’ve seen lots go from
$15,000 each to $92,000 each just in
the last 11 years.”
According to Anderson, many
people moving into the county are in
the market for five to 15 acres. One
attractive feature the county has to
offer is low property taxes, which
according to Anderson, are the eighth
lowest in the state at $1.86 per $100 of
assessed value.
Realtor Joanne Jordan of
Byrdstown’s Peavyhouse & Associates
commented that many incoming
residents choosing the Dale Hollow
area are from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan
and Florida.
“Most recently, almost 65 percent of
my customers have been from Florida,”
said Jordan. “Many are moving here
from Florida because the hurricanes
there have priced homeowners out of
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
Typical homes with lake views on Dale Hollow can range in price from $250,000$325,000.
insurance and property taxes – they
can’t afford to live there anymore.
Most of my customers looking at a
second home for vacation are from
Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.”
Besides the lake, Jordan explained
that many people moving into the
county are attracted by the small
town quality of life and affordability
of living in this region.
Jordan said that on average, a oneacre lake view lot next to a marina on
Dale Hollow will cost anywhere
between $80,000-$120,000. A threebedroom, two-bath home that is 1,800
square feet in size with a lake view
typically falls into the $250,000$325,000 price range. For a similar
house near a marina but with no lake
view, the average selling price is
$150,000-$250,000.
“Last year, a total of 122 residential
properties were sold in Pickett
County,” said Jordan. “On the highend, one home sold for more than $1
million. On the low-end, a mobile
home sold for $13,500.”
Realtor Randall Cross of Cross
Realty added, “The lake view is
really what makes the price here.
Just for the view alone, it can cost
$50,000-$75,000.”
Cross and Anderson both noted that
although the lake view properties
enhance the real estate values around
Dale Hollow, many local residents
living in Pickett County have been
priced out of the market when it
comes to buying property on the lake.
“However, buying property out in
the country, like rural farmland, is
still affordable,” said Cross.
One expanded development
underway close to Dale Hollow in
nearby Overton County is Cornerstone
at Mitchell Creek, a planned, gated
community composed of 350 acres of
private property. Home sites for the
community range from one to five
acres. According to the community’s
Web site, home sites feature city
water, electric, paved streets and a
sand-filtered waste treatment facility.
“Homes inside the development
originally fell into the $200,000 price
range,” said David Wilson, owner and
developer of Cornerstone at Mitchell
Creek. “Now, home prices are
$500,000 and up for a home that is
between 3,600-8,400 square feet in
size. We seem to be bringing in a
higher clientele.”
According to Wilson, many retirees
from Indiana, Ohio, Maryland and
Georgia are locating in the community.
So far, 10 homes have been completed,
and six are under construction. Lots
are still available for sale.
“We have plans for a community
clubhouse, and we have community
boat slips,” added Wilson. “Our
community also has many hiking
trails with streams and waterfalls.
With retirees coming in, that’s good
for Overton County’s economy
because retirees bring in money and
don’t take away from the county in
terms of services used. They also have
more disposable income.”
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
16
5
Questions
with Stephen Bilbrey, Pickett County Executive
Q: How has tourism developed to become one of the top industries
for Pickett County?
A: Historically, Pickett County has always been a strong agriculture
community. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that tourism outpaced
agriculture in terms of economic impact. Of course, Dale Hollow Lake is the
draw for tourism in our county. The lake and its accompanying businesses,
like marinas, are our largest employers with about 160-175 people being
employed at the docks. Even though our tourism around the lake is
seasonal, it still has the largest impact.
Pickett County offers
history, outdoor sports,
music and natural beauty
Claudia Johnson
[email protected]
Tennessee’s smallest county, Pickett,
was formed because a former Civil
War soldier recognized that the
Tennessee Constitution provided that
no citizen should be more than 11
miles (or one day’s travel) from the
county seat.
county seat was named Byrdstown.
Pickett County was created from parts
of Fentress and Overton counties and
officially became a county in 1881.
Photo: Lana Rossi
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
Q: Outside of the lake, what other kinds of industries make up Pickett County’s
economy?
A: Hutchinson FTS used to be our largest employer, supporting about 275 jobs
at its height. That company has since downsized significantly with
production moving to Mexico and Brazil. We also have many wood- and
timber-based companies here, like Mullins Lumber and Specialty Wood
Working. Some of our other manufactures include Storco, which produces
auto frame equipment; Kardol, which makes automotive parts and coating;
and DA-LO Industries, which produces fabricated metal parts.
The Borderlands
Pickett County Courthouse
Q: How will the new welcome center help support tourism efforts?
A: Pickett County received a $320,000 enhancement grant from the state’s
department of transportation to help build Amonett Place, the Borderlands
Living History Village and Welcome Center, which will be located off
Highway 111. Once finished, it will be a living history village with the oldest
standing house in Pickett County, Amonett Place, and will eventually
include cabins and crafts and educational programs. The welcome center
will assist motorists and tourists and to serve as an information
distribution center.
Q: What other community projects and initiatives are underway in Pickett
County?
A: We are also working on becoming a certified Three-Star Community, which
will aid us in applying for grants, providing matching funds and give
assistance to some of our small businesses. Other projects underway
include a new theater in downtown Byrdstown for the Good Neighbors
theater group and a new library addition to the Cordell Hull Museum to
house original documents from his collection.
Q: What is your biggest strength in economic development?
A: Both the county and city recently sat down with state officials to go over our
five-year strategic plan for Three-Star certification. We invited both
stakeholders and the public to comment on what our biggest strength is. First,
I believe it’s our people. But overwhelmingly, respondents wrote down the
lake. We are continuing with our community projects and looking at recruiting
smaller manufacturers, but the lake remains our top economic asset.
In 1878 Lem C. Wright, a local man
who had been a lieutenant in the
Union Army during the War Between
the States, was elected to the Tennessee
General Assembly and began
promoting formation of the county in
the northern part of the Upper
Cumberland, where the distance was
great between vital communities.
According to Pickett County
historians, a radius of 11 miles was
drawn from Livingston and from
Jamestown. What was left over went
into the new county. The eastern neck
was left because it needed to be
enough territory to meet the
constitutional guidelines.
The county was named in honor of
state representative H.L. Pickett. The
county seat was to have originally
been called Wrightsville when the bill
passed the house in 1879, but when it
got to the senate a senator named
Byrd, a former colonel in the Union
Army who had tried to prevent
Tennessee’s secession from the Union,
sent it back to the house saying he
would see that it passed as long as the
Two decades earlier the lands
bordering the civil boundaries of
Kentucky and Tennessee,
geographically fixed on the Highland
Rim of the Cumberland Mountains
and the surrounding lands of the Wolf
and Obey rivers, became a political
boundary between the Union and the
Confederacy. Sept. 29, 1861, marks the
date of what has become known as the
Affair at Travisville, where the first
fatalities of the Civil War within
Tennessee’s borders occurred. This
year on Sept. 22 The Borderlands
Foundation will sponsor an
educational bivouac, complete with
more than 200 re-enactors and
several large cannons,
commemorating the event.
The Civil War is not the county’s
only historic draw. Cordell Hull,
Secretary of State under President
Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933-1944
and recipient of the 1945 Nobel Prize
for Peace for his role in establishing
the United Nations, was born in a log
cabin at Byrdstown. It is now part of a
museum complex that includes an
activities center and a museum
exhibition building housing
documents and artifacts pertaining to
Hull’s life and career, including his
Nobel Peace Prize medal.
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Pickett COUNTY
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
Cordell Hull Birthplace
Recently, with the help of the
Friends of Cordell Hull Association,
the state purchased additional land
containing the scenic and historic
Bunkum Cave with a mouth more
than 100 feet wide by 30 feet high
and bisected by a small, clear stream.
A scenic 2.5-mile round trip
moderate-level hiking trail leads to a
newly installed staircase allowing
access to the spectacular cave.
Photo: Lana Rossi
Bunkum Cave
Though the county is small in
population and square mileage,
community leaders have many big
plans.
“It’s a regular square dance of
partnerships up here. After four or five
years of hard work and a great
partnership with Randy Williams
(historic preservation planner for the
Upper Cumberland Development
District), The Borderlands Foundation
and Pickett County won a TDOT grant
of $320,000 to build a welcome center/
museum on Hwy 111 right outside of
the Byrdstown city limits,” said Lana
Rossi, owner of Lovelady Graphics and
current president of the Byrdstown
Pickett County Chamber of Commerce.
Borderlands Foundation and the
Friends of Cordell Hull often partner
with the history department at
Tennessee Tech, the Tennessee Civil
War National Heritage Area at Middle
Tennessee State University and with
preservation specialists from the
Tennessee Department of Environment
and Conservation and the Upper
Cumberland Development District.
Chamber director Desiree Peterson
often pursues grants and takes
advantage of technical assistance
offered by regional and state agencies.
She’s partnered with economic and
community development experts to
offer a day of one-on-one Counseling
sessions in Byrdstown for local
businesses. She’s exploring
participation in the Main Street
program with state director Kim
Nygar to enhance downtown with
lighting, signage and landscaping
improvements.
“A community foundation will be
established to support the effort,”
Peterson said.
Rossi believes that partnerships are
key to survival and development of a
small community, offering examples
of how Pickett County, the chamber
and several of the civic organizations
are involved in regional promotion
with the Alliance for the Cumberlands
and the Friends of Big South Fork and
that TVA is assisting with a study to
help the county achieve the state’s
Three-Star designation.
“Interesting thing about this small
town is you could take about 40
community leaders, put their names in
a bag and shake them up and you
would find a good portion of them
represented in each of our civic groups,”
Rossi noted. “The county executive and
the town mayor are very active in the
community and are involved in
everything in one way or another. This
overlapping of minds helps give us
knowledge, strength and focus and
some pretty amazing things have
developed out of these partnerships.”
Losing a great area of fertile
farmland after the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers flooding that formed Dale
Hollow Lake in the middle 1940s, the
citizens of Pickett County diversified
through development of family
businesses, the textile industry,
hardwood manufacturing and
logging, Rossi said. While many
families moved away to the North to
find employment, the textile industry
alone at one time employed more than
1,000 residents in Pickett County.
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
Good Neighbors Theatre
theater productions.
“The unusual things are that the
effort is a spin off of the Friends of
Cordell Hull and that the group is in
partnership of a sorts with Jim
Crabtree and the Cumberland
Playhouse,” Rossi said. “There is a
building that they have purchased
and are in the process of getting
funding to really make downtown
spectacular with their plan.”
Bluegrass jam sessions are held on
Friday nights at the Dixie Cafe on the
Byrdstown square beginning at 6 p.m.
and featuring local and regional
artists such as Marty and Charmaine
Lanham, the Bilbrey’s from
Cookeville, Lonesome County Line
and others. The public is invited to
bring musical instruments and join
Lumber Business
These days the county’s marinas
provide seasonal employment, with
several automotive and hardwood
related industries providing
permanent jobs.
Entertainment
If Pickett Countians love their lake
(see additional stories in this issue),
they also enjoy the visual and
performing arts, music and festivals.
The Good Neighbors Theatre
provides quality performing arts for
the region by sponsoring concerts, as
well as professional and amateur
See Spotlight pg. 18
FASTSTATS
ABOUT Pickett COUNTY
Property tax rate:
Financial health:
w/ combined deposits of:
2006 retail sales:
2005 per capita income:
Total employment:
Average unemployment:
Largest employer:
$1.86 per $100
2 banks
$89 million
$28.8 million
$20,405
1,701
8.5 percent
Hutchinson 50
Source: Tennessee
Department of
Economic and
Community
Development
Population (2006 estimates)
Pickett County: 4,855
Byrdstown: 903
NEXT SPOTLIGHT: Cannon County
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18
July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
Photo: Desiree Peterson
entertainment. This year’s three-day
event begins Aug. 23.
Pickett County is home to Sierra Hull,
the teenage musical prodigy who began
playing the mandolin at age 8 with the
fiddle and guitar soon to follow. (hear
Live Music at the Dixie Cafe
in. An annual gospel singing is held
in June showcasing bluegrass gospel,
folk and country gospel with musical
performances by local groups.
For the past decade the annual
street festival has presented beauty
activities like pageants, look-a-like
contests, lip synching and amateur
singing competitions, little-kids
tractor pulls, food and free
Photo: Sandy Hull
Sierra Hull
her music at www.sierrahull.com). In
September 2002 she (along with older
brother Cody) appeared on the Grand
Ole Opry. Later that year she performed
(for a CMT airing) at the Ryman
Auditorium with Alison Krauss & Union
Station. She toured with Krauss in 2005
and appeared in Carnegie Hall on May
12 of this year. On Sept. 8 her home
county will host the fifth annual
bluegrass festival bearing her name.
The Rollercoaster Yard Sale in
Kentucky started in 1986 to bring
attention to the Cordell Hull Highway, a
57-mile ribbon of road designated in
1935 by Kentucky and Tennessee
legislatures as a connector route
between Mammoth Cave and the Great
Smoky Mountain National Park in
honor of Cordell Hull as a tribute to his
services to the nation. In 2002 the
Rollercoaster Fair was extended into
Tennessee from Highway 63 through
Celina, Livingston and Byrdstown.
Known now as the Rollercoaster Yard
Sale and making a complete circle
around Dale Hollow Lake, the 150-mile,
weekend extravaganza begins this year
on Oct. 4.
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Past preserved
for future gain
Claudia Johnson
[email protected]
Pickett County and Byrdstown,
in partnership with the Upper
Cumberland Development District
and The Borderlands Foundation,
have recently been given the
approval from the Tennessee
Department of Transportation to
proceed with a much anticipated
Welcome Center project on
Highway 111 just south of the
Kentucky border.
“One of the strongest selling points
of the welcome center project, in the
eyes of TDOT, is the fact that
between the Kentucky state line and
just north of Chattanooga on
Highway 111, there is currently no
welcome center facility of any kind,”
commented Upper Cumberland
Development District Historic
Preservation Planner Randy
Williams, who prepared grant
applications to secure funding. “The
proposed living history component
[Amonett Place/The Borderlands] has
been a real selling point of the
overall project throughout the Upper
Cumberland region. This aspect is
unlike anything else in the area and
will offer tangible possibilities
related to economic development,
heritage tourism and education.”
An existing draw to the county
in addition to Dale Hollow Lake is
Pickett State Park and Forest,
11,752 acres of scenic, botanical
and geological wonders. It offers
camping, group camp, picnicking,
a swimming beach, hiking,
fishing, boating, canoeing and
naturalists programs. Of particular
interest are the uncommon rock
formations, natural bridges,
numerous caves and the remains
of ancient Indian occupation.
Byrdstown mayor Billy K. Robbins
said that community leaders have
recognized the value of tourism to
the economy of the town and county,
which is why many economic
initiatives underway capitalize on
area history.
“That’s why we are working to
develop a Main Street program,”
Robbins said. “We already have
events and festivals that bring
tourists to the Byrdstown square, so
we want to fix it up and really focus
on revitalizing it economically.”
Robbins said the city has been
expanding its park, recently
completing phase four of a project
to provide softball and T-ball
fields, covered picnic pavilions
and a playground.
Robbins is working with Pickett
County Executive Stephen Bilbrey
and other community volunteers to
achieve 3-Star certification from
the state.
“We are making efforts to improve
and to entice jobs to this
community,” he said, adding that the
3-Star program helps communities
assess what is necessary to be
prepared for economic development.
Robbins noted how the city,
county, chamber and volunteer
organizations put aside personal
opinions and work together for the
betterment of the community.
“We saw early on that if we don’t
work as a team we can’t get anything
done,” Robbins said.
July 2007
19
www.ucbjournal.com
Dale Hollow Lake
anchors itself as an
economic
powerhouse
The region’s northern lake acts as
a central tourist draw for
surrounding counties.
BOBBIE MAYNARD
bobbie@ucbjournal
With summer well underway,
countless families throughout the
U.C. and across the nation are
gearing up for long weekends and
getaways at the lake. These kind of
vacations close to home are rising in
popularity, thanks largely in part to
record-setting gas prices.
are a big boost to our revenues.”
According to the ByrdstownPickett County Chamber of
Commerce, flood control dollars,
which translate to roughly 5-10
percent of the marinas’ annual gross
sales paid to the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, are paid back to Pickett
County (less 25 percent for Corps’
management fees of the lake). This
revenue has increased steadily over
the past 10 years. In 1995 flood
control dollars totaled $13,681. For
the 2006 fiscal year flood control
dollars reached a high of $129,901.
Tourism is our biggest industry. The lake not only supports
many jobs here, but the county also receives flood control
dollars, which are a big boost to our revenues.
Stephen Bilbrey – Pickett County Executive
SUNSET OVER SUNSET MARINA
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
T E N N E S S E E H I G H WAY 111
• Houseboat Vacations
• WaveRunner Rentals
• Dockside Restaurant
• Boat Slips 20 feet
• Pontoon Boat Rentals
• Lakeview Cottages
• Boat Storage
to 110 feet
www.sunsetmarina.com Reservation Line: 1-800-760-8550
One U.C. lake already in full swing
for the summer season is Dale Hollow
Lake. Located within one day’s drive
of 60 percent of the country’s
population, Dale Hollow attracts 3
million plus visitors each year and has
become an economic bedrock for
surrounding counties, including Clay,
Overton and Pickett, which is known
as the “Gateway to Dale Hollow Lake.”
Many marinas, hotels, outdoor stores
and restaurants depend on the lake’s
tourism draw for customers.
“Tourism is our biggest industry,”
said Pickett County Executive Stephen
Bilbrey. “The lake not only supports
many jobs here, but the county also
receives flood control dollars, which
“Tourism contributes to our overall
economic, social and environmental
development,” said Desiree Peterson,
executive director of the ByrdstownPickett County Chamber of Commerce.
“Dale Hollow Lake is Pickett County’s
number one tourist attraction. With
more than 3 million visitors annually
for several years, the lake surpasses
Tennessee’s current top tourist
attraction of Dollywood.”
In the latest project visitation report
from the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Nashville District for fiscal
year 2006, Dale Hollow Lake had an
estimated 3.4 million visits/persons.
With that many visitors, trip spending
within a 30-mile radius totaled
20
July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
Fiscal Year
Dale Hollow Visitation 2006
Source: U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers – Nashville District
Visits/Persons
Visitor Hours
Trip Spending Within 30-Mile Radius (millions) Direct Sales To Tourism-Related Firms (millions)
Direct Personal Income (millions)
Supported Direct Jobs
Total Sales (millions)
Total Personal Income (millions)
Total Jobs
Average Spending Per Visit
Federal Tax (millions)
State Tax (millions)
3,390,984
56,620,861
$64.87
$35.40
$13.35
893
$45.66
$16.72
1,038
$19.13
$2.57
$5.62
Economic powerhouse
From page 19
EAGLE COVE RESORT
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
$64.87 million. The average amount
spent per visit was $19.13.
Dave Treadway, public affairs
specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Nashville District,
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explained that Dale Hollow ranks as
the 19th most visited lake in the
nation among the Corps’ lakes.
“Dale Hollow Lake is definitely a
very popular vacation spot,” said
Treadway. “With the number of visits
topping 3 million last year, that
accounted for a total of 1,038 jobs.”
Dale Hollow’s History &
Heritage
With the distinction as the Corps’
oldest lake for the region, the Flood
Control Act of 1938 and the River and
Harbor Act of 1946 authorized the
creation of Dale Hollow Dam and
Lake. The project was completed for
flood control in 1943 with powergenerating units added later. The lake
covers portions of Clay, Fentress,
Overton and Pickett counties in
Tennessee and Clinton and
Cumberland counties in Kentucky.
Covering a water surface area of
27,700 acres and 24,842 acres of
surrounding land, Dale Hollow offers
many activities for recreation,
including fishing, hunting, camping,
picnicking, boating, canoeing, hiking
and even horseback riding. The lake is
the home of one of the largest
wintering Bald Eagle populations in
the area. The eagles are generally
seen from mid-December through
mid-February.
According to the Corps, Dale Hollow
Lake takes its name from the Dale
Hollow farm, which had once been a
full-fledged plantation in antebellum
times. Among the attractions near the
lake are the Sgt. Alvin York Home
Place at Pall Mall, the Cordell Hull
Birthplace and Museum State Park
Byrdstown and the Dale Hollow
National Fish Hatchery just below
Dale Hollow Dam. Built in 1965 and
expanded in 1994, the Dale Hollow
Hatchery is the largest federal trout
hatchery east of the Mississippi River,
producing 1.5 million trout annually.
More Than Recreation
According to Treadway, Dale Hollow
Lake’s original purpose was threefold, with tourism and recreation
evolving into added benefits outside
of the lake’s main functions.
“The Corps built Dale Hollow for
flood control, water storage and to
generate hydroelectric power,”
explained Treadway. “In addition to
these established purposes, the lake
provides recreation simply because it
is there.”
According to the Corps’ Web site,
Dale Hollow is one of the
multipurpose projects that make up
the Corps of Engineers’ system for
development of the water resources of
the Cumberland River Basin. As a
major unit in the system, Dale Hollow
Dam and Lake function to control the
floodwaters of the Obey River and
contribute to the reduction of flood
July 2007
21
www.ucbjournal.com
levels at municipal, industrial and
agricultural areas along the
Cumberland, lower Ohio and
Mississippi rivers.
“The Cumberland River is required
to keep at least 9 feet of water in it for
commerce purposes, such as barge
transit,” said Treadway. “Dale Hollow
Dam is part of the system that ensures
that water level.”
As for the production of
hydroelectric power, Dale Hollow
generates an estimated energy output
of 127 million kilowatt-hours for a
yearly average. According to the
Corps’ Web site, that is enough power
to supply the needs of an average city
of 45,000 people.
“The power generated by Dale
Hollow Dam is sold to the TVA
[Tennessee Valley Authority],”
commented Treadway. “The dam helps
to regulate the flow of water for the
TVA if energy is needed immediately.
That’s why our area doesn’t experience
any brownouts or blackouts in the
continuity of our power supply. The
dam doesn’t need any extra start-up
time. It’s ready to generate more when
a need is present.”
Dale Hollow Lake
Commercial Marinas
Marina
City
Phone #
Web Site
Cedar Hill
Dale Hollow
Eagle Cove
East Port
Hendricks Creek
Holly Creek
Horse Creek
Mitchell Creek
Star Point
Sulphur Creek
Sunset
Wolf River
Willow Grove
Wisdom
Celina
Celina
Byrdstown
Alpine
Burkesville, Ky.
Celina
Celina
Allons
Byrdstown
Burkesville, Ky.
Byrdstown
Albany, Ky.
Allons
Albany, Ky.
1-800-872-8393
1-800-321-1669
1-800-346-2622
1-800-736-7951
1-800-321-4000
1-800-331-1780
1-800-545-2595
931-823-6666
1-866-782-7768
270-433-7272
1-800-760-8550
1-800-922-2459
931-823-6616
1-800-840-8523
www.cedarhillresort.com
www.dalehollowmarina.com
www.eaglecove.com
www.eastport.info
www.hendrickscreek1.com
www.hollycreek.com
www.horsecreek-resort.com
www.mitchellcreekmarina.com
www.starpointresort.com
www.sulphurcreek.com
www.sunsetmarina.com
www.wolf-river.com
www.willowgrove.com
www.wisdomdock.com
Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Nashville District
Annual Events on Dale Hollow Lake
Dale Hollow Bass Classic
Sunset Marina & Resort. Trophies for smallmouth
and largemouth bass with the potential of
$25,000 in prize money. (Oct. 6 & 7, 2007) Cost is
$150 per boat, two-man buddy system.
Annual Tennessee Sky-Ski Fly-In
is the Mountain Division Fishing Event on Dale
Hollow Lake. For more information, visit:
http://bfl.flwoutdoors.com or contact (270)
252-1000.
is held on Dale Hollow Lake near Sunset
Marina and Resort. Hydrofoilers from all over
the world participate in this annual exhibition
on Dale Hollow Lake. For more information,
visit www.tnflyin.com.
For more information, contact East Port Marina
& Resort at (931) 879-7511 or Toll Free: 1-800736-7951.
Annual Community Bank of the
Cumberlands BASS CLASSIC
Photo: Desiree Peterson
www.snrmarine.com
CARRYING THESE FINE BRANDS
YOUR FULL-SERVICE BOATING CENTER
FOR THE UPPER CUMBERLAND!
• Full Line of New and Used Boats
• Boating/Skiing Gear & Accessories
• Marine Parts
• Factory Trained Repair Service
• Dockside Service for all U.C. Lakes!
• Personal Watercraft • Outboard Motors
•
Service Certified Technicians
• ATVs • Portable Generators
OPEN: Monday-Friday 8-6 • Saturday 9-1
(931) 528-1765 • 866-497-8676
1423 Interstate Drive
Dale Holloawr’sadise
Lakeside P
• COTTAGES
• CAMPING
• FISHING
• FULL-SERVICE MARINA
www.starpointresort.com
TOLL
FREE
1-866-STAR-PNT (782-7768)
Contact the Chamber of Commerce toll free at
1-888-406-4704 or e-mail
[email protected]. Wal-Mart BFL Tournament
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
Charity Bass Tournament
Walleye caught spring ‘07 near East Port Marina
Annual Golf Scramble~Chamber
Benefit
For more information, contact The Boys & Girls
Club of Fentress County at (931) 752-7671.
Annual “Pig Tournament” at the
Forbus General Store
For more information, call 931-879-5427.
For more information on these events, contact
the Byrdstown-Pickett County Chamber of
Commerce at 1-888-406-4704 or visit
www.dalehollow.com.
22
July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
Dale Hollow Lake may see tourism increase
Repairs to Wolf Creek Dam lower
water level on nearby Lake
Cumberland.
Bobbie Maynard
[email protected]
Already serving more than 3
million visitors annually, Dale Hollow
Lake may see an increase in the
number of people vacationing on its
shores due to maintenance happening
across the state line. Repairs are
underway at Wolf Creek Dam in
Kentucky, decreasing the water level
at Lake Cumberland and affecting
some boat ramp access points.
According to the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers Nashville District, Lake
Cumberland’s water elevation has
been lowered to 680 feet above sea
level from its usual 723 feet. This
means that the lake’s surface area is
an estimated 35,000 acres instead of
its normal summer size of 50,000.
“The water level was lowered out of
safety concerns while repairs are
underway on the dam,” said Dave
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
the water
downstream.”
The Corps of
Engineers
recently began
I believe the repairs underway at Wolf
Creek Dam and their effect on Lake
Cumberland will have somewhat of a
positive impact on Dale Hollow Lake.
Stephen Bilbrey – Pickett County Executive
Treadway, public affairs specialist for
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Nashville District. “The effect has
been that the water level on Dale
Hollow is now increased because we
are storing extra water there to offset
repairs on Wolf
Creek Dam that includes the
construction of a modern “grout
curtain.” According to the Corps’ Web
site, a permanent concrete wall is
being designed that will be longer and
deeper than the previous wall
installed in the 1970s. The initial
phase of construction recently began
and, once fully underway in 2008, is
expected to take up to six years.
Lake Cumberland, which was
created from the construction of Wolf
Creek Dam during the 1940s, is the
largest manmade reservoir east of the
Mississippi River. According the
Corps’ latest project visitation data,
the lake saw 4.4 million visitors in
fiscal year 2006 with trip spending
within a 30-mile radius totaling
$91.84 million. In comparison, Dale
Hollow Lake had an estimated 3.4
million visitors, and trip spending
within a 30-mile radius totaled
$64.87 million for fiscal year 2006.
“I believe the repairs underway at
Wolf Creek Dam and their effect on
Lake Cumberland will have somewhat
of a positive impact on Dale Hollow
Lake,” said Pickett County Executive
Stephen Bilbrey. “I don’t think the
impact is going to be as big as some
folks think with an all-out influx of
people coming here instead of there. I
know that some of our marinas have
rented houseboats and permanent
boat slips already to some customers
who have chosen to come here
because of the repair situation.”
According to some news reports,
houseboat and cottage rentals on Lake
Cumberland are down by as much as
25 percent. Other reports indicate that
several Kentucky tributaries of Lake
Cumberland have little or no water,
such as Seventy-Six Falls in Clinton
County and Fishing Creek Recreation
Area in Pulaski County. However,
despite decreased water levels, Lake
Cumberland remains largely open for
visitors and recreational activity.
Because of the increased water
levels this summer, visitors to Dale
Hollow Lake are cautioned by the
Corps that some access ramps to
courtesy floats may be underwater, as
well as some campsites and parking
lots. Alternative launch, parking and
camping locations are available.
Photo: Pickett Chamber
July 2007
23
www.ucbjournal.com
Spring water bottler offers private label design, free delivery from Pickett County
Stephanie Garren
[email protected]
Clearblu Premium Tennessee Spring
Water is quenching the thirst of many
Tennesseans, and its popularity has
ventured into parts of Kentucky and
other surrounding states.
“Water is the earth’s most abundant
resource, and it is found flowing
naturally at our source,” said Nelda
Riley, co-owner of CJR Bottling in
Pickett County. “Our water is bottled
as natural as possible; we do not add
anything. We have been asked to
bottle flavored water but at this point
have chosen to remain as natural as
the earth has given it to us.”
Clearblu is bottled at its source,
Beaty’s Spring, and is disinfected by
the use of ultraviolet lights –
ozonation– and is filtered to remove
any sediment.
Riley said her husband, Steve, was
approached by a close friend, Jimmy
Jewell, about purchasing the bottling
company. Jewell, along with the other
investors, lived too far away to see to
the daily operations and asked for help.
“Susan Beaty had worked with the
previous owner of the company, and
therefore was the best candidate for
the job,” Riley said.
Riley was planning to retire from
Pickett County Schools in May of
2002, so the investors decided she was
the most fitting to run the company.
The company was purchased in
December 2001, and by February of
2002 Riley and Beaty were bottling
water. At that time CJR
only had two main
customers and three
employees. Soon the
company saw the need
to expand and started
making plans in
December 2002 for the
expansion. By March of
2003 the manufacturing
and storage area had
increased by 6,000
square feet with all new
equipment. Two months
later 1,200 square feet of
additional space was
added for holding tanks.
“As hoped, the
company began to
grow,” Riley recalled.
Clearblu is CJR’s
trademark water, but
private labels have grown
to approximately 150-200
clients, and the demand
continues to climb.
“CJR can help promote
a business or
organization with the ever-lasting
popularity of bottle water amongst
consumers,” Riley said. “With labels
custom designed for business, bottled
spring water can be used as a
marketing or promotional tool, a
souvenir or a sales product.”
CJR is currently bottling various
sizes to supply the needs of the
clients. The spring water comes in 8,
12, 16.9 or 20 oz. with flatcap or
sportscap, 1 liter, 1 gallon and 3 and 5
Photo: Lana Rossi
gallons with coolers.
“Private labels have become a
growing niche for us,” Riley said,
adding, “but without the help of two
other businesses, Lovelady Graphics
and Livingston Labels, our business
would not have grown as rapidly.”
Riley said she had often been asked
why Pickett County was chosen for a
bottled water business.
“My comment: I didn’t choose it, it
chose us,” she said “We bottle directly
at the natural water source, and with
other good business partners in the
county and adjoining county, how
could we go wrong?”
CJR has developed delivery routes
into Byrdstown, Livingston, Celina
and Jamestown, as well as the
Kentucky towns of Albany, Monticello
and Burkesville. Headquartered at
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24
July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
bizz buzz
From page 1
system is a voluntary, consensus-based
national standard for developing highperformance, sustainable buildings
that are environmentally responsible,
profitable and healthy places to live and
work. Times Square was designed by
AEI in Cookeville. Stites noted that the
building’s design should save Oreck uo
to 60% on their energy costs. Oreck will
make the move in mid-September.
Emergencies interrupt
production at Crossville
industries
Flowers Snack of Tennessee on North
Main Street in Crossville was evacuated
for a few hours last month in response
to a leak of anhydrous ammonia in a
refrigeration area of the plant. Within
a few hours firemen were dispatched
to a separate emergency at the Delbar
Products facility on Oaklawn Road.
Fire was discovered in an enclosed
shipping area where wooden pallets were
placed before being loaded onto trucks
for distribution. The plant’s sprinkler
system kept it from spreading from the
shipping area.
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
Business center opens in
Cookeville
South Maple Business Center, a multioffice facility created through renovation
and expansion of an existing warehouse,
opened last month in Cookeville.
“There are a number of people working
together that made this a success, but we
would not be here today if it weren’t for
Allen Linder and Mark Odom, our major
shareholders,” said chairman and CEO Terry
Wilson of New South Maple Partners LLC.
“We have a great board made up of Doug
Graves, Donnita Hill, Gary Carwile and
Wade England.”
Stamps Design Group redesigned the
existing building to add 4,500 square
feet to the ground floor, which is now the
22,700 square-foot office of the Tennessee
Department of Human Services (DHS).
The renovation, which began in
2006, was undertaken entirely by
local businesses including Mid-State
Construction, Highways Inc., Carwile
Mechanical, Lakeland Electric and Upper
Cumberland Decorating. Citizens Bank
financed the project.
The current tenants in addition to DHS
include ReMax Preferred Group and the
Upper Cumberland Community Services
Agency. An office and a training center are
currently under construction for Prospect
Inc., a sub-contractor to DHS for its Family
First Program.
“We are all really pleased on how
this turned out, and I think our tenants
are happy with their accommodations,”
Wilson said.
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Wilson said 13 acres adjacent to
the business center remain available
for development, and there is a 2,700
square-foot house for sale or lease on the
property. For more information call Wilson
at (866) 869-1919.
Organizational development
conference set for October
Planning is underway for an Upper
Cumberland Organizational Development
Conference during which area businesses
will share best practices, information and
useful tools with one another. According
to organizer Lisa Norris of the Upper
Cumberland Employer’s Association, the
purpose of the conference is to help
accelerate the pace of growth and change
in the area.
“It’s a simple design for companies from
the region to come, share a tool or best
practice with other companies and meet
a few people with common struggles and
innovative solutions,” said Norris.
Currently, the conference board is
reviewing proposals for more than 30
presentations. The conference is scheduled
for Oct. 16 at Tennessee Tech University’s
Johnson Hall in Cookeville. For those
interested in participating as a presenter or
learning more about the conference, email
Norris at [email protected].
Averitt receives supplier
award from Hytrol Conveyor
Averitt Express was honored with
the 2006 Supplier Award from Hytrol
Conveyor Company during Hytrol’s
annual supplier appreciation day held
in Jonesboro, Ark. Hytrol presented the
award to Averitt because of the carrier’s
ability to consistently meet or exceed their
expectations. Based on criteria such as
billing accuracy, claims service, competitive
pricing, technology and commitment to
quality, this award recognizes Averitt
for its accomplishments in providing
transportation solutions. Averitt’s
outstanding performance in every category
in 2006 earned it a total of 105 points, the
highest score possible for a carrier. Since
the two companies’ partnership began
1995, Averitt has received the Hytrol
Supplier Award a total of eight times and
has been named a member of Hytrol’s
“150 Club” five of those times for perfect
scores. Since its beginnings in 1947,
Hytrol has grown into one of the largest
manufacturers of conveyors and conveying
hardware in the world.
White Oak Crafts Fair
exhibitors sought
White Oak Crafts Fair is expected
to attract record crowds on Sept. 8-9,
bringing in more than last year’s 6,000
attending patrons. The Cannon Association
of Craft Artists is seeking craft artists
who want to display and sell their work.
This event celebrates the traditions of split
white oak basket-making and chair-making
that have earned Woodbury the title of
“Basket-making Capital of Appalachia.”
This fair, free and open to the public,
takes place along the banks of the East
Fork Stones River adjacent to the Arts
Center of Cannon County on Highway
70S. A distinguished jury will award cash
prizes of $1,000 as a way of promoting
quality and integrity in the craft arts.
Booth spaces are still available and an
application can be downloaded at www.
artscenterofcc.com/pdffile/application.pdf
or for more information call (615) 5632787 or (800) 235-9073.
Contractor recognizes 50
years with special gift
J&S Construction Company is
celebrating 50 years in business with gifts
to others. Not only did each employee
with more than one year’s service to
the company receive a six-piece DeWalt
rechargeable tool kit, the Stites family and
the employees of J&S viewed the familyowned business’s Golden Anniversary as
an opportunity to do something special for
the community.
July 2007
25
www.ucbjournal.com
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
Cumberland County awarded
Three-Star Innovation Grant
A $15,000 Three-Star Innovation Grant
will help fund a business incubator in
Cumberland County to facilitate economic
opportunities and assist new and existing
businesses and organizations throughout the
Cumberland Plateau. The incubator will be
housed at Roane State Community College
in Crossville and will focus on agriculture
and biofuels, transportation and distribution,
ceramics, materials and medical applications.
The company and its employees are set
to build a facility for Mustard Seed Ranch,
a start-up non-denominational children’s
ministry set on 109 acres in Putnam
County. The materials are being recovered
from a church building on property J&S is
clearing for retail development on Jackson
Street in Cookeville.
“We’ve known for the past few years
that as our 50th anniversary approached,
we wanted to give something back to the
community that has given our company
so much,” said Johnny Stites, CEO of
J&S. “After speaking with Mustard Seed’s
founder, Rex Buckner, and discussing it
with our leadership team, we decided that
this was the right way to commemorate
such a special occasion.” The employees
of J&S voted to support the Ranch by
donated their labor as a significant part of
the company’s gift.
The Stites family began in construction
as a small sand and gravel operation
started during the Great Depression by
Stites’ grandfather, Pat. It was the first
to introduce ready-mix concrete to the
area, the first to open a cash-and-carry
lumberyard and the first to design and
build a concrete block plant. In 1957
Pat’s son John began the company J&S
Construction and expanded it into a fullservice general contractor. It now provides
plan and spec and design/build services
throughout the Upper Cumberland. For
more information call (931) 528-7475 or
visit jsconstruction.com.
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State’s General Assembly
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The Tennessee General Assembly has passed
the Tennessee Regional Megasite Authority
Act of 2007, authorizing Tennessee cities and
counties to work together to develop regional
industrial megasites designed to attract new
jobs and capital investment.
The act creates the same rights and
requirements for regional megasite authorities
as Tennessee law currently holds for industrial
development boards, including the ability to
issue bonds, enter into payment-in-lieu-oftax agreements and receive grants or loans.
The legislation also specifies that authorities
are subject to the same open meeting and
open records requirements as industrial
development boards.
The legislation defines a megasite as an
industrial site of “generally 1,000 contiguous
acres in size” and establishes governance
by a board of directors consisting of the
mayors of each county, along with a
member of the industrial development
boards of each participating community.
Each director will serve a two-year term
without compensation. The legislation
requires each megasite authority to file
an annual report with the state board of
equalization and to provide an economic
impact plan defining the boundaries of
the megasite, and it will detail how costs
and revenues will be apportioned among
the participants.
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26
July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
EEOC issues guidelines on workers with caregiver responsibilities
Last month the U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC) issued guidance on how EEOCenforced laws apply to workers with
caregiving responsibilities. The new
guidance is being issued as a
proactive measure to address an
emerging discrimination issue in the
21st century workplace. The
document, “Unlawful Disparate
Treatment of Workers with Caregiving
Responsibilities,” available online at
www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/
caregiving.html, provides examples
under which discrimination against a
working parent or other caregiver
may constitute unlawful disparate
treatment under Title VII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
The guidance notes that changing
workplace demographics, including
women’s increased participation in the
labor force, have created the potential
for greater discrimination against
working parents and others with
caregiving responsibilities, such as
eldercare – all of which may vary by
gender, race or ethnicity.
This document is not intended to
create a new protected category but
rather to illustrate circumstances in
which stereotyping or other forms of
disparate treatment may violate Title
VII or the prohibition under the ADA
against discrimination based on a
worker’s association with an
individual with a disability. An
employer may also have specific
obligations toward caregivers under
other federal statutes, such as the
Family and Medical Leave Act, or
under state or local laws. The
LEGAL FORUM
with Mark Travis
guidance is intended to assist
employers, employees and EEOC staff
alike.
Employment decisions based on
such stereotypes violate the federal
anti-discrimination statutes, even
when an employer acts upon such
stereotypes unconsciously or
reflexively. As the Supreme Court has
explained, “We are beyond the day
when an employer could evaluate
employees by assuming or insisting
that they match the stereotype
associated with their group.’’
Thus, for example, employment
decisions based on stereotypes about
working mothers are unlawful
because the anti-discrimination laws
entitle individuals to be evaluated as
individuals rather than as members of
groups having certain average
characteristics.
“With this new guidance, the
Commission is clarifying how the
federal EEO laws apply to employees
who struggle to balance work and
family,” said agency EEOC Vice Chair
Leslie E. Silverman. “Fortunately,
many employers have recognized
employees’ needs to balance work and
family and have responded in very
positive and creative ways.”
“This guidance recognizes the
connection between parenthood,
especially motherhood, and
employment discrimination,” EEOC
Commissioner Stuart J. Ishimaru said.
“An employer may violate Title VII
color like reassigning a Latina
worker to a lower-paying position
after she becomes pregnant.
when it takes actions or limits
opportunities for employees because
of beliefs that the employer has about
mothers and caretakers that are
linked to sex.”
A wide range of problematic
circumstances are highlighted in the
guidance, including:
•stereotyping based on association
with an individual with a disability
like refusing to hire a worker who
is a single parent of a child with a
disability based on the assumption
that caregiving responsibilities will
make the worker unreliable.
•treating male caregivers more
favorably than female caregivers
and denying women with young
children an employment
opportunity that is available to men
with young children.
•hostile work environment affecting
caregivers like subjecting a female
worker to harassment because she is
a mother with young children or
because she is pregnant or has
taken maternity leave.
Again, while these guidelines do
not have the effect of law or create
“caregivers” as a protected category
under federal anti-discrimination
laws, they do emphasize that an
employee’s duties as a caregiver may
invoke certain protections under those
laws. Under this guidance, employers
may be under a closer watch from the
EEOC. Thus, when making
employment decisions that affect
employee-caregivers, employers must
be attentive to treating employees
consistently, regardless of gender and
national origin and avoid making
stereotypical assumptions in relation
to job abilities and responsibilities.
•sex-based stereotyping of working
women like reassigning a woman to
less desirable projects based on the
assumption that, as a new mother,
she will be less committed to her
job, or reducing a female employee’s
workload after she assumes fulltime care of her niece and nephew
based on the assumption that, as a
female caregiver, she will not want
to work overtime.
•subjective decision making where
an employer lowers subjective
evaluations of a female employee’s
work performance after she
becomes the primary caregiver of
her grandchildren, despite the
absence of an actual decline in
work performance.
•assumptions about pregnant
workers like limiting a pregnant
worker’s job duties based on
pregnancy-related stereotypes.
Mark C. Travis is regional managing
member of the law offices of Wimberly
Lawson Seale Wright & Daves PLLC, a fullservice labor and employment law firm
representing management with offices
in Cookeville, Knoxville, Morristown and
Nashville. He may be reached at (931)
372-9123.
•discrimination against working
fathers like denying a male
caregiver leave to care for an infant
under circumstances where such
leave would be granted to a female
caregiver.
•discrimination against women of
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July 2007
27
www.ucbjournal.com
Managing investment risk through asset evaluation helps create long-term investment plan
How does an investor create an
appropriate, long-term investment plan?
Spreading assets over a variety of
different investments is perhaps the
most important rule one can follow.
Because no single asset class performs
best in all economic environments,
the performance of a diversified
portfolio is expected to fluctuate less
as losses from some investments are
offset by gains in others.
Asset allocation is the act of
balancing the three common
investment classes: stocks, bonds and
cash alternatives. Knowing the
differences among them is important.
Common stocks, which represent
ownership rights in a corporation,
entail more risk than other types of
financial assets in the short run, but
over longer holding periods they
have historically provided the
highest returns and the greatest
margin over inflation. Common
stocks also have the greatest
potential for short-term downturns.
Bonds are IOUs issued by
corporations, governments and
federal agencies. They typically
offer higher yields than cash
alternatives, but their value can
fluctuate dramatically in response to
changes in interest rates. Bonds
historically have offered higher
current income with less volatility
than stocks but have limited
potential for increased returns.
Cash alternatives include money
market securities such as Treasury
Bills and short-term certificates of
deposit. Because these investments
have shorter maturities, they typically
provide a stable investment value and
current interest income. However,
inflation can quickly erode the
purchasing power of these
investments, leaving investors short
of reaching their financial goals.
Stay on Course
FINANCIAL STRATEGIES
with Larry Taylor
potentially rewarding strategies
because of the ability to wait out any
short-term fluctuations in the
market. Of course, the time won’t
matter if you misjudge your
emotional response to a downturn.
For this reason, an investor must
always weigh the desire for higher
returns against a willingness to
tolerate market setbacks.
An effective asset allocation can
help balance the risk assumed with
the return earned. But it is still
important to remember that the stock
and bond markets are inherently
volatile. All too often, investors
become nervous at the first sign of a
market downswing and may be
tempted to alter their investment plan.
By understanding what to expect, an
investor will be able to stay on course
and resist the urge to revise one’s
investment mix based on short-term
market events.
To find out about asset allocation
An investor must always weigh the desire for higher
returns against a willingness to tolerate market setbacks.
and how a customized asset allocation
strategy may assist in pursuing your
financial goals, contact your financial
advisor. Asset allocation does not
ensure gains nor can it prevent losses
from occurring in a portfolio or
account. Your financial advisor as
well as your tax and/or legal advisors
can assist you in analyzing your
personal circumstances before making
investment decisions.
Larry Taylor is an investment advisor
for UBS Financial Services, 115 North
Washington Ave. in Cookeville and may
be reached by calling (931) 528-5426
or (800) 359-2723 or via email at
[email protected]. UBS is a leading
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Diversification within Asset
Classes
As the stock or bond portions of
your portfolio are refined, consider
spreading investments among the
various categories within a single
asset class. For instance,
diversification of the stock portion
among several strategies to target
growth stocks, value stocks and blue
chip stocks or across market
capitalization in order to own
companies of various sizes, whether
large, medium or small.
A bond allocation may be
diversified to include instruments
characterized by specific maturities
(short, intermediate or long-term) or
different types of bonds, such as U.S.
government, corporate or tax-free
municipal bonds. Also consider a
mixture of domestic and international
stock and bond investments.
What Should the
Allocation Be?
The level of emphasis placed on
stocks for growth, bonds for income
and cash alternatives for safety and
liquidity will depend in part on an
investor’s tolerance for risk and the
time horizon for pursuing financial
goals. If the goal is the near-term
purchase of a house or car, it may
have a shorter time frame calling
for lower- or moderate-risk
investment approaches.
A goal like college education or
retirement may have a longer time
horizon that allows an investor to
pursue more aggressive and
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28
July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
Norwalk
From page 1
Rane
From page 1
However, that part of the purchase
remains unclear as to whether or not
it is indeed a relocation of the
company’s Cookeville operations to
Pickett County or if it is an expansion
of Norwalk’s operations inside the
U.C. Officials from the Cookeville
plant declined comment and referred
the CBJ to Norwalk’s corporate offices
in Norwalk, Ohio. Stephen Lewis,
assistant to Norwalk’s CEO, declined
comment, neither confirming nor
denying an intent to purchase.
Bob Mullins, current owner of
Mullins Lumber, told the CBJ, “As of
this time, we do not have a signed letter
of intent or contract for this purchase.”
In addition, workers at the
Cookeville facility currently have an
active union, which is part of the
International Brotherhood of
Teamsters and is represented by
Teamsters Local 327 out of Nashville.
According to its corporate Web site,
Norwalk Furniture was founded in
1902 and operates as a family-owned
company that makes upholstered
furniture sold under the Norwalk, J.
Raymond and Hickory Hill trade
names by furniture retailers and
Norwalk’s own retail business. Besides
its manufacturing facility in
Cookeville, Norwalk’s other plants are
located in Norwalk, Ohio, Valdese, N.
C., and Fulton, Miss.
As reported on its Web site, Mullins
Lumber currently sells Appalachian
Hardwood Lumber to furniture
manufacturers, flooring manufacturers
and pallet companies. The company
produces mostly red oak, white oak,
poplar and maple lumber.
last summer, the company has
experienced 100 percent growth and
is on target to attain that level again
this year.
“We are very pleased and proud
that Rane has decided to make
Sparta and White County home to
their corporate operations,” Wallace
Austin, president of the SpartaWhite County Chamber of
Commerce, commented. “With their
exports to the domestic and foreign
markets, it has given us exposure
as a community, and we will assist
them in any way we can. It’s
always better for the economy
overall to see us exporting
products overseas than importing.”
As reported last year by the CBJ,
Rane Bathing Systems completed an
exclusive distribution agreement
with Plus, which is known as a
leader in the manufacturing of
whirlpool bathing systems and
shower cabinets for the Italian
residential market.
“Our partnership with Plus has
definitely expanded our
opportunities in the international
market,” said Armstrong. “In fact, we
will be going to Italy this summer to
aid them in expanding operations
there. Things are going really well
there. Plus just signed a deal with the
Health Ministry of Hungary to
supply them with Rane tubs.”
Currently, Rane employs an
estimated 35 people at its Sparta
plant. The number of new employees
scheduled to be hired will not be
know until expansion plans are
finalized and underway this fall.
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July 2007
29
www.ucbjournal.com
Civic Events
Photo: Claudia Johnson CBJ
Van Buren county
July 28
Bluegrass Concerts on Rocky River. Contact
James Johnson (931) 686-269.
cannon county
July 4
For more information, call the Van Buren
County Chamber (931) 946-7033.
Fireworks Display. Contact Frank Patrick (615)
464-4213.
Warren county
July 7
Lions Club Walking Horse Show. Contact
Bruce Steelman (615) 563-2554.
July Friday Nights
July 14
Main Street LIVE! Free concerts. Main Street
McMinnville (931) 506-5335.
National All Breeds Horse Show. Contact
Angela King (615) 563-5518.
July 7
July 19
Cruisers’ Cruise-In. Contact Jean Ann Knudson
(931) 668-8386.
1ST Annual Goat Show. Contact Ken Smithson
(615) 563-2956.
For more information, call the Warren
County Chamber (931) 473-6611.
August 3-4
Red Apples Days In Auburntown. Contact
Frank Patrick (615) 464-4213.
White county
For more information, call the Cannon
County Chamber (615) 563-2222.
July 20
cumberland county
July 6-7 Smithville Jamboree (615) 597-8500
July 21
July 24-26
Frontier’s Women’s Open Championship.
Contact Steve Hill (931) 456-6632.
July27
Bluegrass at Sparta Amphitheater. Contact Ed
Baker (931) 738-8604.
macon county
overton county
The Cruise In Car Show. Contact Bill & Kathy
Saylors (931) 761-8687.
July (TBD)
July 19-21
July Friday Nights
August 2-5
MA Haney Day Car Show. Contact Shane
Stenstrom (931) 666-2675.
Bluegrass Festival. Contact Mac McLeod (931)
498-4667.
Film Festival at Sparta Amphiteater. Contact
Rhonda Dawson (931) 836-1005.
127 Corridor Sale. Call 800-327-3945.
July 21
July 23-28
For more information, call the SpartaWhite County Chamber (931) 836-2216.
Art Guild’s 5TH Annual Golf Fundraiser.
Contact Dawn Robb (931) 456-5601.
For more information, call the Cumberland
County Chamber (931) 484-8444
Fentress county
July 14
Horse Show. Contact the Rotary Club.
July 27-28
27TH Annual Bluegrass Festival, Fentress
County Fairgrounds.
For more information, call the Fentress
County Chamber (931) 879-9948.
Lions Club Walking Horse Show. Contact Brad
Tuttle (931) 688-6000.
August 5-11
Macon County Fair. Contact Debbie Mason
(931) 666-2121.
For more information, call the Macon
County Chamber (615) 666-5885.
County Fair . Contact Tina Williams (931)
823-4276.
For more information, call the Overton County
Chamber 1-800-876-7393.
Pickett county
More event information:
www.uppercumberland.org
July 18
Ward Robbins Chamber Golf Outing. Contact
Desiree Peterson 888-406-4704.
For more information, call the Pickett
County Chamber (931) 864-3879.
Add your event to this list!
call: (800) 499-2332
or e-mail at: [email protected]
August 4th-5th
Ironwood Golf Course
FOR SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
Call: Lisa Carter at 931-432-4111
30
July 2007
www.ucbjournal.com
Closures
From page 1
close by March 2008.”
Baldridge went on to say that this
decision is no reflection on the
quality of work being performed at
the Celina plant. He said everyone
associated with the plant can be
proud of the excellent work done at
the plant over the years.
As for the 25,000 square-foot
manufacturing facility the company
leaves behind in Celina, Baldridge
said that EGS owns the building, and
that “the building may potentially be
sold, but that is yet to be finalized.”
The EGS Sola/Hevi-Duty plant has
been a member of Clay County’s
business community since 1974. The
company has been known under
several names, including Hevi-Duty
Electric, as ownership has changed
through the years. According to its
Web site, EGS Sola/Hevi-Duty
manufactures products for industrial
power quality, including
uninterruptible power supply.
In Fentress County, Walter
Dimension, which at its height
employed 112 people, is in the final
phases of its plant closure. The state’s
Department of Labor and Workforce
Development/Dislocated Worker Unit
reported a total of 60 employees have
been affected by this announcement.
Walter Dimension Plant Manager
Adam Levendosky said the closure
was a result of foreign imports into
the U.S. furniture market.
“We’ve seen a definite loss of
business because of imports,” said
Levendosky. “Our plant here
produced wooden table slides and
supplied them to the major furniture
manufacturers. More and more, those
manufacturers are turning to foreign
imports, which has negatively
impacted our business.”
Walter Dimension is the wood
division of Walter of Wabash, an
Indiana-based company, which was
the world’s first manufacturer of
wood table slides. According to its
Web site, the Jamestown plant
produced wood table slides, drawer
guides and curved plywood products.
In regards to the 250,000 squarefoot facility, Levendosky said the
plant itself is in the process of being
sold to another company, which has
not yet been named.
The state’s latest unemployment
numbers from April reported Clay
County’s unemployment rate at 6.8
percent and Fentress County’s
unemployment rate at 6.5 percent.
Even with these recent closure
announcements, those rates may hold
steady through the summer with an
increase in seasonal tourism
employment for both counties.
For a list of NEW BUSINESSES in the
Upper Cumberland, visit www.ucbjournal.com
CUMBERLAND BASIN
WASTEWATER SYSTEMS LLC
PREPARED TO MEET all your
onsite management needs
with
quality
construction,
ownership and maintenance.
W&O CONSTRUCTION COMPANY WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE
Gifts for
all occasions.
931-864-4808
|
Just off Hwy 111
|
Byrdstown, TN 38549
the newly established Cumberland Basin Wastewater Systems.
This full-service wastewater management organization specializes
in the operation and maintenance of decentralized wastewater
management systems throughout Middle and East Tennessee.This type
of service will be especially valuable in rural areas where centralized
MEET YOUR BUSINESS
JOURNAL SALES REP
public sewage systems are not feasible, and the topography/soils
do not allow for traditional
onsite septic systems.
“Call Me Today
To Advertise”
JULIE ANN
BRUINGTON
[email protected]
RESERVING SPACE
FOR
• Commercial
• Insurance Restoration
• Municipal
931-403-1000 tel
|
800-264-0836
2007!
|
www.wocc.com
JUST CALL 800.499.2332
July 2007
CLASSIFIEDS
www.ucbjournal.com
To place your CBJ Classifieds
call Beth @ (800) 499-2332
Exclusive Dale Hollow Lake
properties:
•13 exclusive, flat, creek side 1-2 acre lots
under a mile to Willow Grove Marina/
Dale Hollow Lake. $49,900-$79,000.
•Private, 11-acre lake view hilltop under
a mile to Willow Grove Marina/Dale
Hollow Lake. Multiple septic sites. Can
be subdivided. $300,000.
Business For Sale:
Established Cookeville wedding retail and
rental store. Opportunity is knocking!
Business is so good that it has
overwhelmed the owner. Inventory alone
is worth more than the asking price of
$239,927. Call Heather Skender, Realtor,
with American Way at 931-261-1810 or
(931) 526-9581.
Professional Office Space
•Lavish gated estate on 50 acres, multiple
breathtaking lake views. Guest &
caretakers homes, pond. 5 minutes to
Willow Grove Marina/Dale Hollow Lake.
Joins Corps of Engineers. $1,350,000.
For Lease professional office space 450sqft
$450/mo.
RE/MAX Cross Roads - Dino Cates – (931)
510-6233
HWY 25 Carthage   615-418-6958 or 615735-0440
2300sqft $1400/mo. T1 internet in place
divided into offices
BUMBALOUGH’S MACHINE SHOP
Welding &
Steel Sales
Hot Roll
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Cold Roll
Brass
Aluminum
Tool Steel
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Millard Oakley Public Library
Livingston, Tenn.
Construction
Restoration
Family owned and
operated since 1986
email: [email protected]
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Serving our
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since 1978
Committed to:
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HOURS: M-F 7am-5pm
305 N. Spring St.
SPARTA
31
931.836.2428
2525 Hwy 111 North
Algood, TN 38506
If you are looking to sell
or purchase commercial
property, please call Pam
Fountain with Century 21
Fountain Realty, LLC.
931-707-2100
(931) 537-6563
w w w. n o r r o d b u i l d e r s. c o m
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Cell: 931-248-2100
Email: [email protected]
3867 Peavine Road • Crossville, TN 38571
Fax: 931-707-2105 • www.c21fountain.com
MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE
REALTOR
®
PEN
SALE
DING
PARK LANE INDUSTRIAL PARK EXIT 322 at I-40
High traffic location. 2.72-acre tract. Inside city limits.
$450,000
PARK LANE INDUSTRIAL PARK EXIT 322 at I-40
High traffic location. 5-acre tract with 14’x36’ mobile office
building. All public utilities. Inside city limits.
$1, 200,000
LOCATED on EXIT 322 at I-40
Peavine Road property with 3.60 acres with great potential
for commercial development. Great visibility, only 1,000 ft.
from I-40. All public utilities. $1,200,000
FAIRFIELD GLADE: BROWNSTONE STORE
Excellent established business. Includes real estate. Exclusive
distributorship on several lines. Inventory to be purchased at
cost at time of contract. $350,000
HWY 127 S. GREAT POTENTIAL FOR PROFESSIONAL USE
3300 Sq. ft. building on 6.22 acres. Building can be renovated
to accommodate growing commercial area. 4 additional acres
back up to creek. Could be used as homesite. $549,000
CUMBERLAND COUNTY- BAR – Very clean establishment in
Cumberland County. Approx. 4032 sq. ft. w/pool tables, dart
boards, big screen TV, band area, horseshoe pit. See agent for
complete list of equipment. $143,000
LOCATED CLOSE TO EXIT 322 at I-40
Excellent opportunity to own an established convenience
store. 2146 sq. ft. Gas pumps, fast food, lottery sales,
deli/dining area. Includes real estate. $369,000
149 Scenic Drive – Fantastic property for a summer camp
on 14+ acres. Several buildings which include main building,
sleeping quarters, and bath house. Enjoy nature as you walk the
grounds to this rustic, private cabin in the woods. $130,000
LOCATED CLOSE TO EXIT 322 at I-40
Great potential for commercial use on 16.60 acres. Located
across from Bean Pot Campground. $399,000
GENESIS ROAD EXIT 320 at I-4O
High traffic location in growing area. 3.1-acre corner tract.
Building. Frontage on Genesis Road, Woodlawn Rd. and Tabor
Drive. Inside city limits. $965,000.
LOCATION OFF PEAVINE ROAD EXIT 322 at I-40
Great steel building w/ 5000 sq.ft. located on 2.33 acres.
Utilities available include: gas, electric, telephone, city water.
Septic. $299,000
WITHIN CITY-MAIN ST. LOCATION
- CLOSE TO EXIT 317 at I-40
Prime commercial real estate on 1.69 acres. 564’ road
frontage. $850,000