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ETEC Annual Meeting Features Governor Lee, Three Award Presentations

Three recognitions, including two presentations of the prestigious “Muddy Boot Award,” and a speech by Governor Bill Lee highlighted the annual meeting of the East Tennessee Economic Council (ETEC). Held on Thursday morning in the banquet facilities at the Hilton Knoxville Airport hotel, the event drew close to 400 people who heard the Governor talk about the importance of economic development initiatives that change the lives and livelihoods of Tennesseans.

ETEC Annual Event Features Governor Bill Lee and Award Winners

At today’s 2022 Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration, ETEC named two new recipients of the Muddy Boot Award, a tribute to individuals who through their work and community activities make East Tennessee a stronger region. It also presented one Postma Young Professional Medal to a deserving young professional who is making a difference in their workplace and in the community. The Council’s annual celebratory event was keynoted by the 50th Governor of the State of Tennessee, Bill Lee at the Hilton Knoxville Airport.

Record Crowd Attends Yesterday’s “Nuclear Opportunities Workshop”

More than 200 people turned out yesterday for the “Nuclear Opportunities Workshop” organized by the East Tennessee Economic Council with sponsorship support from a number of organizations that have a stake in the region’s long-standing place in the sector and the nuclear renaissance that is occurring.

“NOW” Panels Explore Four Aspects of Nuclear Industry and Implications for Region

Judging by the turnout – a record of more than 200 people at the all-day program, interest in nuclear power is clearly a “top of mind” item for many in a region with a long and well-known legacy in the nuclear sector as well as a strong footprint in the future in areas like advanced reactor technologies, next-gen reactor designs, and fusion power.

4th Annual Nuclear Opportunities Workshop (NOW) to be Hosted by ETEC in Oak Ridge, Tennessee

The East Tennessee Economic Council (ETEC) is hosting its fourth in-person nuclear opportunities conference on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This day-long conference will focus on supply, technical, production, and workforce-related opportunities in the nuclear industry. Registration is open and available until July 28, 2022. Panel discussion topics include advanced reactors, nuclear fuels, radioisotopes, and the workforce needed to make all of these efforts successful.

The People in the Room: Lessons Learned Along the Way

It all started with a committee. That’s probably how it ends too, but let’s wait a minute for that. Roy Pruett, a friend and former Mayor of Oak Ridge, chaired the meeting. I had just been a part of his retirement roast, and wasn’t totally sure he was still a friend. Joe Lenhard, retired from the Department of Energy, was full of energy. Joe would be the chair of ETEC after Mayor Pruett and was the strongest proponent of Oak Ridge until his dying days. Also around the table was former ORNL Director Herman Postma, my old boss and Oak Ridger newspaper owner Tom Hill, entrepreneur Pete Craven, then Oak Ridge Chamber President Tom Rogers, and business owner Ben Adams (whose wife worked for me at The Oak Ridger). I knew them all, and all of them were a lot smarter than me.

ETEC Presents Two Muddy Boot Awards

The East Tennessee Economic Council presented Muddy Boot Awards last Friday to Tennessee State Senator Ken Yager and Robert S. Eby, P.E. at a special edition of ETEC’s Friday morning meeting. Both of these deserving honorees have impressive resumes of service in East Tennessee and a passion for education. The Muddy Boot Award was created in the 1970s to honor individuals who have gone above the call of duty—like those who served the nation during the Manhattan Project—to make the community, the state of Tennessee, and the nation a better place to live and work.

PART 3: Jim Campbell has Nothing but an Optimistic Outlook for Oak Ridge

Jim Campbell has nothing but an optimistic outlook for the Oak Ridge region as he prepares to step down in days after a more than 26-year career as President of the East Tennessee Economic Council (ETEC). As noted in an earlier article in this series, he says, “This community is well-positioned to compete for new (federal) missions.” That was not the case at the time that Campbell started his ETEC role, but it is today, thanks to investments in the federal facilities along with strong performance by those contractors who were charged with delivering results.