JOIN WILLIAMSON,INC."Joining Williamson, Inc. has been like gaining a new support system. The team understood my business needs andbrought new opportunities to Doorstep Delivery that wouldn’t have been possible on my own. We catered the July FirstFriday event and introduced our service to more than 100 business owners." - Shane Putty, Co-Owner, Doorstep Delivery

615-771-1912 | WILLIAMSONCHAMBER.COM | 5005 MERIDIAN BLVD., SUITE 150, FRANKLIN

AUGUST 2015Vol. 17 | Issue 8

PAGE 4

Growth, schoolsshine in mayor’scounty address

PAGE 5

Five waysto polish yourpersonal brand

Grab your 2015 Annual Meeting sponsorship!

To get started, contact abby@williamsonchamber.com.

Looney stays, preps for State of the Schools

Presidential candidate Kasich visits chamber

The line had been drawn in the sand.Candidates were interviewed. The

offers were made. Community organizations, including Williamson, Inc., issued state-ments of support. Social media was abuzz as parents, resi-dents, leaders and activist groups took to Twitter to express their sentiments with the hashtags #KeepLooney and #wcsb. And two communities were on the edge of their seats waiting for “the decision.”

Will Dr. Mike Looney stay in Williamson County as superintendent or

accept the Director of Schools job with Metro Nashville Public Schools?

Based on the amount of sus-pense that lingered, you’d have thought LeBron James was announcing he was taking his talents to South Beach again.

After an intense, very public interview process with MNPS, Looney announced in a state-ment July 24 that he would remain in Williamson to con-

tinue the “journey to becoming a district recognized nationally in the academics, athletics and the arts.” Fortunately for Williamson County parents, students,

teachers and residents, Mike Looney will be the director of schools for at least four more years.

Looney will make his first public speech since his announcement, giving a ‘State of the Schools’ update during Williamson, Inc.’s monthly membership luncheon on Aug. 18 at Embassy Suites Cool Springs, 820 Crescent Centre Drive. Looney is expected to recap this past year’s highlights and preview the upcom-ing 2015-16 school year. The meeting is presented by Western Governors University Tennessee and costs $35 for members and $55 for guests.

Mike Looney

Ohio Governor John Kasich stopped in Williamson County July 9 to speak with Williamson, Inc. members in what seemed to be a prelude to his big announcement. The two-term governor announced 12 days later that he would be throwing his hat into the 2016 presidential race, join-ing a lengthy list of Republican hopefuls vying for the White House.

Among those in attendance were for-mer NASCAR driver Darrell Waltrip, sev-eral chamber board members, Kasich’s advisors, his two daughters and a host of staff and media.

Kasich has a decorated career in pol-itics, having been the youngest person ever elected to the Ohio Senate at the age of 26. From 1983-2001, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives,

where he was chairman of the House Budget Committee and member of the House Armed Services Committee under President Ronald Regan. After spending time as a Fox News commentator and investment banker, Kasich won the 2010 Ohio gubernatorial election and was re-elected in 2014 with 64 percent of the vote.

Kasich used his stacked resume to draw similarities between Williamson County and Ohio when it comes to eco-nomic development. According to johnkasich.com, Kasich helped balance the federal budget and, as governor, closed Ohio’s $8 billion budget shortfall without a tax increase, turned the state’s 89-cent rainy day fund into a $2 billion surplus, cut taxes by $5 billion

and created more than 300,000 private sector jobs in four years. He is also

l CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

in thisISSUE

Ohio Governor John Kasich, right, was greeted by Williamson, Inc. President and CEO Matt Largen when he arrived to speak to business leaders on July 9.

– PHOTO BY CHRIS BURGER

l CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Page 2 THE POINT l August 2015

THE POINT is published monthly as a partnership between the Williamson Chamber and The Tennessean. For editorial inquiries or advertising opportunities, contact Charlane Oliver at charlane@williamsonchamber.com. 5005 Meridian Blvd., Suite 150 | Franklin, TN 37067 | 615.771.1912 | www.williamsonchamber.com

Alliant Capital Advisors, LLC5214 Maryland Way, Ste. 300Brentwood, TN 37027(615) 519-5156Karen Schorkopf

Batch Nashville900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd.Nashville, TN 37208(615) 913-3912batchusa.comLaura Davis

Benchmark Realty, LLC Deborah Gregory of Gonzalez & Gregory Group318 Seaboard Ln., Ste. 115Franklin, TN 37067(615) 578-3166Deborah Gregory

Bluegreen Environmental, LLC4721 Trousdale Dr., Ste. 116Nashville, TN 37220(615) 927-5700bluegreentn.comChuck Kincade

Chandlerthinks407 Church St., Ste. 2Franklin, TN 37064(615) 498-8313chandlerthinks.comSteve Chandler

Color Burst Landscapes245 Wilson Pike Cir.Brentwood, TN 37027(615) 373-0722colorburstlandscapes.comDebra Edwards

EDEN Medical Clinic, LLC508 Autumn Springs Ct. #1BFranklin, TN 37067(615) 628-8852edenmedicalclinic.comJim Fitts

Elite Insurance Solutions1894 General George Patton Dr.Suite 100Franklin, TN 37067(615) 371-5400eliteinsurancesolutions.comMatt Wombacher

Essentials Wellness Medical Spa9000 Church St. E., Bldg. BBrentwood, TN 37027(615) 979-1519essentialswellnessmedspa.comCindy Ramsey

eXtracurricular, LLC1642 Westgate Cir.Brentwood, TN 37027(615) 944-6255extracurricularcenter.comJohn Bryant

H. Clark Distillery1557 Thompson’s Station Rd. W.Thompson’s Station, TN 37179(615) 478-2191hclarkdistillery.comHeath Clark

Holiday Inn Franklin-Cool Springs1738 Carothers ParkwayBrentwood, TN 37027(615) 277-8700holidayinn.com/franklintnHolly Buchanan

Jeff Beaudin408 Landrake CloseFranklin, TN 37069(615) 522-7218JeffBeaudin.comJeff Beaudin

Jump Goat Media632 Fogg St., Ste. 3Nashville, TN 37203(615) 477-4754jumpgoatmedia.comJoshua Pelletier

Keller Williams Realty - Jill Arnold9175 Carothers Pkwy., Ste. 110Franklin, TN 37067(615) 778-1818jillarnold.comJill Arnold

Larkin Trade International, LLC9501 Clovercroft Rd.Franklin, TN 37067(703) 965-4733larkintrade.comJohn Larkin

Lipscomb UniversityOne University Park Dr.Nashville, TN 37204(615) 966-5818lipscomb.eduLisa Shacklett

McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations, LLC

The Tower, 611 Commerce St.Suite 2800Nashville, TN 37203(615) 259-4000mpf.comAndrew Maraniss

Meloche Consulting, Inc.100 Wiggins Ct.Nolensville, TN 37135(877) 625-0195melocheconsulting.comMichael Meloche

Merryman-Farr, LLC305 Hill Ave.Nashville, TN 37210(615) 254-8050merryman-farr.comPJ Mezera

Meo Mio’s Cajun Seafood Restaurant3011 Longford Dr., Ste. 13Spring Hill, TN 37174(615) 302-8182meomios.comDavid Turner

Michael Chaney Consulting Corp.2214 Henpeck Ln.Franklin, TN 37064(615) 361-1244michaelchaney.comMichael Chaney

Nanny Connections9005 Overlook Blvd.Brentwood, TN 37027(615) 293-1635nannyconnections.comTiffanie Kinder

Network Technology Partners, LLC5868 Cane Ridge Rd.Antioch, TN 37013(615) 819-0600ntpit.comRobert Benton

Northwestern Mutual501 Corporate Centre Dr.Ste. 120Franklin, TN 37067(615) 503-2827jacobculton.nm.comJacob Culton

On Event Services Inc.1443 Donelson Pk.Nashville, TN 37217(615) 301-6740oneventservices.comMark Herrington

Radnor Wealth Management, PLLC5409 Maryland Way #214Brentwood, TN 37027(615) 346-0239radnorwealthmanagement.comMark Richards

Sadler & Company, LLC1011 Wade Ave.Nashville, TN 37203(615) 775-1055sadlerandcompany.comSteven Sadler

Signature Relocation23923 Research Dr.Farmington Hills, MI 48335(877) 373-0691signaturerelo.comDale Fisher

Staples2000 Mallory Ln., Ste. 40Franklin, TN 37067(615) 771-2013staples.comJean Cooper

Three Dog Bakery1556 W. McEwen Dr., Ste. 112Franklin, TN 37067(816) 213-7948threedogbakerynash.comJean Kessinger

Toyota of Cool Springs1875 W. McEwen Dr.Franklin, TN 37067(615) 790-8401toyotaofcoolsprings.comKris Krabill

TSD Global Designs317 Fitzgerald St.Franklin, TN 37064(615) 585-1685tsdunner.comTamara Dunner

Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network512 Autumn Springs Ct.Ste. 100CFranklin, TN 37067(615) 875-9390vhan.comTroy Williams

kudos

These companies and individuals have made a commitment to business growth and to their community by joining the Williamson Chamber. They will enjoy the benefits of a robust business directory listing on the Chamber website and referrals from our office and from fellow members. When you need products or services, please search the directory on the Chamber website and do business with a Chamber member.

WELCOME new membersJOIN THE MEMBER BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT THE WILLIAMSON CHAMBER – CALL US TODAY AT 615-771-1912.

Thank you to these volunteers for their contributions this month to the Williamson Chamber membership committees.l FREDDY SATTERFIELD, Costco

Wholesale, of the Engagement Committee for mentoring the most new members through the orientation process.

l JILL ROSENBERRY, SunTrust Bank-Spring Hill, of the Member Relations Committee for excelling in her efforts to reach out to members.

REGISTER AT williamsonchamber.com | EVENTS ARE HELD AT THE CHAMBER OFFICE.

l Member Connect! Leads Exchange Wednesday, Sept. 2 • 7:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.

l Chamber 101 Tuesday, Sept. 8 • 3:30-5 p.m.

THE POINT l August 2015 Page 3

Page 4 THE POINT l August 2015

When is one arm better than than two?

Please RSVP for this event by calling 615-435-6780 or through Williamsonmedicalcenter.org/calendar.

If you have questions, or would like more information about surgery with MAKO, call 615-435-MAKO (6256).

Let the area’s top orthopaedic surgeons tell you:Williamson Medical Center Meeting Rooms A, B & CThursday, August 2711:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Williamson County has experienced another strong year of growth, accord-ing to Mayor Rogers Anderson’s annual state of the county address. He recapped the things that make Williamson the fastest-growing county in the state during Williamson, Inc.’s July 21 membership meeting to nearly 400 elected officials, county employ-ees, business leaders and community members.

Anderson began by recognizing mil-itary veterans in attendance to pay respects to the July 16 Chattanooga shooting that claimed the lives of five servicemen.

Anderson declared 2014 the “year of growth and resilience,” stating that Williamson’s population has risen to approximately 202,000. This growth is attributed to millennials surpassing baby boomers as the median age is now 38.3.

The county saw solid numbers for job growth, property values and unem-ployment, and retail growth continues in almost every part of the county.

“The Cool Springs area is bursting with new restaurants, shops, car deal-erships, music venues, hotel expan-sions and upgrades,” Anderson said.

The county averaged a whopping 182 new business start-ups per month. Several large companies expanded their operations including: Community Health Systems (CHS), United Bank of Switzerland (UBS), Tractor Supply Company, Mars and the new Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital Vanderbilt at Williamson Medical Center, to name a few.

New business expansions brought

more jobs. At 4 percent, Williamson has the lowest jobless rate in the state and has the fifth highest employment increase in the nation at 6.1 percent. Anderson gave a shout out to Matt Largen, Williamson, Inc.’s president and CEO, and Ellie Westman Chin, executive director of the county’s Convention & Visitors Bureau, for bringing economic diversity.

The county ranks fourth in the state on the 2014 property tax aggregate report behind Davidson, Shelby and Knox counties and has passed Hamilton in appraised and assessed values.

“This is an amazing statistic, con-sidering we don’t have an airport or major river port,” said Anderson.

Another amazing fact is the school district’s top state ranking, boasting a 94 percent graduation rate and a 23.5 ACT composite score. This is largely due to the leadership of Superintendent Mike Looney, who received a standing ovation at the luncheon. The county recently passed a budget of $472.8 million, of which 65 percent goes to Williamson County Schools.

Anderson is addressing growth chal-lenges with new construction projects including a public safety center sched-uled to open spring 2016, a Nolensville recreation center that opened spring 2015, an emergency services facility, two fire departments and two schools in Nolensville. In September the mayor will host a transit summit called “Williamson Moves” to discuss ways to alleviate traffic woes.

Check out the entire State of the County Address online at williamson-county-tn.gov.

Mayor recaps a year of ‘growth and resilience’

JULY MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Mayor Anderson highlights the county’s growth during in his State of the County address to nearly 400 business leaders.

New members were well-represented. They are, from left, Scott Kimbro, Virginia Walker, Jill Arnold, Eric Strickland and Deborah Gregory.

Jeanie Holder, Allen Lovette and Debbie Vandiver Martin were excited to be in attendance.

From left, Williamson Source writer Jodi Rall, Linda McGill and Brentwood Vice-Mayor Jill Burgin connected during the networking hour.

Katie Beth Sitz, Adrienne Bero and Jenna Eckert made Williamson Medical Center’s presence known as the presenting sponsor.

Costco’s Barry Osborne exchanges business cards with Maria Griego, who runs the WCS Transition II program that connects disabled students with job training oppor-tunities through local business partners.

THE POINT l August 2015 Page 5

what’s new IN WILLIAMSON WE CELEBRATE WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AS THEY OPEN, EXPAND AND RENOVATE!

New opportunities in 2015 (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1)

AMERICAN JEWELRY7011 Executive Center Dr., Ste. 103 • Brentwood

Ribbon Cutting – July 8

American Jewelry, a three-generation family-owned full service jewelry store with locations in Middle Tennessee, is excited to expand into Williamson County. They offer a stunning, quality selection of jewelry at the highest grade and from popular brand names.

GOODALL HOMESCOTTAGES AT BENT CREEK 216 Siegert Place • Nolensville

Ribbon Cutting – July 9

The Cottages at Bent Creek in Nolensville is the fifth new model opened in less than a year. Goodall Homes currently builds single family, townhomes, villas and courtyard cottages in six communities in Williamson County and 17 communities across Middle Tennessee.

ABRA AUTO BODY & GLASS 244 Seaboard Lane • Franklin

Ribbon Cutting – July 14

ABRA Auto Body & Glass meets automotive repair needs through quality workmanship, state-of-the-art technology, superior service and dedication to detail, all backed by a written lifetime limited warranty. ABRA has eight repair shops located across Middle Tennessee and 309 nationwide.

PEAK 10, INC.4600 Carothers Pkwy • Franklin

Groundbreaking – July 28 • 35 employees

Peak 10 held a groundbreaking for their fifth data center in the Nashville area, third in Williamson County and 10th nationwide. The IT infrastructure solutions provider offers data center, network, cloud and managed services.

TAZIKI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFÉ7021 Executive Center Dr., Ste. 101 • Brentwood

Ribbon Cutting – July 7 • 19 employees

Now with a third location in Williamson County, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café provides a fresh, fast, casual dining experience and catering services throughout Middle Tennessee. This is Taziki’s eighth location in the Nashville region and 44th in the U.S. across 13 states.

MOMMA NIK’S CHEESECAKE7024 Church St. East • Brentwood

Ribbon Cutting – July 9 • 2 employees

Momma Nik’s Cheesecake, a family-owned enterprise, provides fresh, great-tasting, made-to-order cheesecake made with only the finest ingredients. Each step of their 12-hour process is taken with great pride, from their hand-pressed crust right down to their eco-friendly packaging.

PR pro’s tips leave mark at Women in Business luncheonWhen Kia Jarmon started the

MEPR Agency in 2006, she was look-ing for ways to stand out from her industry counterparts.

“I needed someone to pay atten-tion to the brand of me,” she told Women in Business members at their July 28 luncheon, presented by Williamson Medical Center.

After being fired from a record label, Jarmon built a successful career using five components that she says make up one’s personal brand.

“People will believe what you say, but then you have to prove it,” Jarmon said.

The award-winning PR strategist, who started her first business selling jewelry in the second grade, told the all-female audience to consider the attributes people associate with their brand in person or on social media. Second, physical appearance plays a role. Whether it’s wearing glasses or being cognizant of facial expressions, posture or tone of voice, making a lasting impression is key to garnering authority. Successful brands are also involved in the community as volun-teers, board members and relation-ship builders.

Jarmon said don’t be afraid to ask

for accolades and awards, as she believes not doing so works against personal branding and diminishes the worth of hard-working professional

women. “If you want people to know who

you are, you’ve got to get noticed,” said Jarmon, who has been deemed a “Woman of Influence” and “Top Forty Under 40” by the Nashville Business Journal.

Jarmon ends by saying profession-als must have a digital footprint, including a website with a personal-ized name and a few well-managed social media accounts.

If you don’t tell your own story, people will fill in the blanks,” she advised. “Either the brand will own you, or you will own the brand.”

Kia Jarmon, PR strategist and brand coach of the MEPR Agency, speaks at the monthly Women in Business luncheon.

The CHAMBER OFFICE is located in Cool Springs at 5005 Meridian Blvd., Suite 150, Franklin.

AUG 12 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FOCUS LUNCHEON 11:30 a.m., Mars Innovation Center 4530 Columbia Pk., Thompson’s Station Speaker: Brett Swayn, The Cookery Presented by Saint Thomas Health AUG 13 FUTURE MEMBERS INFO SESSION 9 a.m., Chamber office AUG 18 MEMBERSHIP MEETING 11:30 a.m., Embassy Suites 820 Crescent Centre Dr., Franklin Speaker: Mike Looney Presented by WGU Tennessee AUG 19 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ACTIVE CONNECT 6 p.m., Iron Tribe Fitness 214 Ward Cir., Ste. 600, Brentwood AUG 24 FUTURE MEMBERS INFO SESSION 4 p.m., Chamber office AUG 25 WOMEN IN BUSINESS LUNCHEON 11:30 a.m., Brentwood United Methodist 309 Franklin Rd., Brentwood Speakers: Kelly Gilfillan & Amy Tanksley Presented by Williamson Medical Center AUG 28 PUBLIC AFFAIRS ROUNDTABLE 7:15 a.m. Williamson County Administrative Complex 1320 W. Main St., Franklin Topic: Small Town Mayors Presented by Vanderbilt Office of Community, Neighborhood, and Government Relations SEPT 2 MEMBER CONNECT! LEADS EXCHANGE Two sessions, First 30 members 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Chamber office Presented by Trevecca Nazarene University SEPT 4 FIRST FRIDAY: YOUR SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE 7:30 a.m., E|SPACES 1550 W. McEwen Dr., Ste. 300, Franklin Presented by FirstBank SEPT 8 CHAMBER 101 MEMBER ORIENTATION 3:30 p.m., Chamber office Presented by First Citizens National Bank

RIBBON CUTTINGSAUG 13, 9 a.m. • Three Dog BakeryAUG 14, 10 a.m. • Pro Health Community HealthSEPT 10, 11 a.m. • Burns Insurance Group

Allstate Agency

PLEASE CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATES AND MORE INFORMATION.

events&meetingsBlackburn updates Williamson constituents

Last month’s Public Affairs Roundtable was a full house as con-stituents flocked to the Williamson County Administrative Complex to get a legislative update from U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn. The 13-year congressional lawmaker touched on topics relating to: the Iran Deal, Obamacare, cyber secu-rity, traffic, regulation, education, overtime pay for managers and the tragedy in Chattanooga where five servicemen were gunned down.

Roundtable moderator Dave Crouch held a brief moment of silence for the shooting victims and two county civil service employees.

“We managed to get through an entire hour without mentioning Donald Trump,” Matt Largen, the chamber’s president and CEO, joked after an audience member asked if Blackburn would run for president.

Blackburn expressed her disap-proval of President Obama’s deal with Iran saying it is “troubling” and should have never been nego-tiated. She doesn’t expect it to pass in Congress.

Other Capitol Hill updates

included a forthcoming bill to allow military service members to carry firearms, more legislation to tighten data security and prevent future company breaches, reducing the number of testing days in schools to allow more instructional time, possibly funding mass transit options, and no gas tax increase.

At the roundtable’s conclusion,

Blackburn was presented with the prestigious Spirit of Enterprise Award by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in recognition of her pro-business, pro-growth, pro-jobs votes on critical business legislation.

Watch the entire public affairs roundtable on Williamson County Television’s (WC-TV) YouTube Channel at youtube.com/wctvnet.

Page 6 THE POINT l August 2015

Congressman Marsha Blackburn receives the Spirit of Enterprise Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce during the July 31 roundtable. She is pictured with, from left, Williamson, Inc. President & CEO Matt Largen, Amy Martin, associate VP of environment & energy at the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, and Moore Hallmark, executive director of the southeast region for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

proud that Ohio small business owners will pay no income taxes next year.

Kasich recalled his McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania upbringing to sell his alignment with traditional values of family and faith. Also among his core values are personal responsibility, resilience and empathy — the latter being something he says is needed to reach bipartisanship in Washington.

“I’m interested in looking at the problem and fixing it,” Kasich said about why he’s running for president.

On his last visit to the nation’s capital, Kasich said he was “amazed” and “aghast” by the infighting between Democrats and Republicans and that we need “cooperation, not dysfunction.”

He hopes to “Uber-ize” the federal government by giving powers back to the states to run programs. Balancing the budget, deregulation of industries and building the national defense would be part of his pol-icy agenda. On the education front, Kasich wants to lower the cost of higher education and only pay col-leges when students graduate.

During his closing remarks, he stated that he ulti-mately wants to give people a sense of hope.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The views and opinions of John Kasich expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Williamson, Inc. and does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation or favor-ing. Williamson, Inc. does not endorse political candidates but sim-ply seeks to inform the community.

Looney has put up impressive numbers for WCS during his tenure, and Williamson County Schools’ track record is often the definitive reason why com-panies and residents relocate to the county.

The 35,000-student district ranks number one in the state for its achievement scores, and their ACT composite score of 23.5 tops all districts in every subject area and has consistently improved since 2010.

According to 2014-15 TCAP data released last month by the state department of education, 80 percent or more of Williamson County students scored proficient and advanced in all subjects except for English II, exceeding state averages. High school students made gains in all subjects except for English II and English III. Students in grades 3-8 exceeded state averages in reading/language, math and science by 32.3 percent, 25.9 percent and 26.6 percent, respectively.

State Education Commissioner Candice McQueen praised him for improving test scores and increasing the graduation rate to 94 percent during her keynote speech at the Chamber’s May membership meeting.

Be among the first to hear Looney address the public about the direction of WCS for the upcoming year. Register online by noon Friday, Aug. 14 at wil-liamsonchamber.com to receive a pre-meeting attendees list. The event begins with networking at 11 a.m. followed by the lunch and program at noon.

Looney (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1) Kasich visit(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1)

Save the date • Nov. 192015 ANNUAL MEETING

From welders, engineers and electricians to IT opera-tors and designers, manufac-turing represents the world’s ninth largest economy and 17.6 million U.S. jobs. But 80 percent of U.S. manufacturers cannot find the skilled workers they need. In Williamson County the industry makes up only 3 percent of businesses. Local manufacturers want to change this outlook.

The Point spoke with Amanda Murray, vice presi-dent for economic develop-ment at Williamson, Inc., to learn what new, game-chang-ing initiatives are in the works.

l How did the Manufac-turers Roundtable begin?

The first roundtable took place in October 2014 with representatives from Williamson, Inc. Economic Development and local manu-facturing companies, as a way to understand the needs and best practices of the manufac-

turing companies in Williamson County. We found that there’s a shortage of labor in the industry due to an aging work-force and high school gradu-ates being pushed to go attend a four-year college instead of pursuing a skilled trade.

There’s a big misconcep-tion about what the manufac-turing industry is today versus what it used to be in the past. It’s no longer the dirty, “smoke stack” industry.

Through a series of meet-ings, and bringing in our part-ners at Williamson County Schools and Columbia State Community College, we looked

at how we could address the workforce shortage, change the perception and steer stu-dents toward manufacturing as an attractive field of career opportunities.

As a result of the Manufacturers Roundtable, companies agreed to transition part of its focus to become a

Manufacturing Advisory Board helping Williamson County Schools develop content for the new Mechatronics program launching in Fairview High School in fall 2015.

l Tell us about the Mechatronics program.

The Mechatronics program is a partner-ship between Williamson County Schools and Columbia State Community College to create a pipeline of skilled workers for local companies that are projected to have career opportunities open over the next five years and currently face a shortage of talent in skilled trades.

In conjunction with the Manufacturers Advisory Board, which comprises local manu-facturers who provide direction on the real world skills required, equipment needed and course offerings, William-son County Schools are devel-oping a curriculum that will train high school students for a career in manufacturing.

The goal is to allow juniors and seniors at Fairview High School to take dual enroll-ment classes and receive an Advanced Integrated Industrial Technology (AiiT) certification from Columbia State Community College upon graduation. Eventually

we hope that students will also be able to graduate with an associate’s degree.

l How will this partnership impact the local economy?

We understand that a strong, stable economy is supported by diverse industry and career opportunities throughout Williamson County. This means support-ing not only our companies that largely employ talent with professional or four-year degrees, but also those that need skilled trades to grow and be successful.

Ultimately, we’re aiming to present the range of career options available in local

manufacturers, from woodworking to repair-ing robots, and pro-vide a spotlight on manufacturing as not just a job but a viable career option in Williamson County.

l What is Manufacturing Day?

Manufacturing Day is a North American celebration of modern manufacturing meant

to inspire the next generation of manufacturers and offi-cially occurs on the first Friday in October. MFG Day addresses common misper-ceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordi-nated effort, what manufac-turing is — and what it isn’t.

Join us on Friday, Oct. 2 for #MFGDAY15 to participate in local events and facility tours.

THE POINT l August 2015 Page 7

AMANDA MURRAY Williamson Inc.Vice President, Economic Development

Q A&Roundtable aims to draw students to manufacturing careers

Leadership Brentwood class announced

Williamson, Inc. Economic Development hosted its third Manufacturers Roundtable July 14 to discuss the Mechatronics program at Fairview High School and plan upcoming events for Manufacturing Day 2015, scheduled for Oct. 2, an annual grassroots industry event celebrated across North America on the first Friday in October.

Leadership Brentwood, a program of the Williamson County Chamber Foundation, has selected 19 business and community leaders for its class of 2016. The class members were chosen among a high-quality pool of applicants and demonstrate outstanding leadership quali-ties and a commitment to Brentwood and the surround-ing community.

“The quality, character and reputation of this year’s class is very impressive and represents the very best of

our community,” said John Byers, Leadership Brentwood’s board chair. “We look forward to seeing them use their leadership skills to make a significant impact on the Brentwood community and beyond.”

Leadership Brentwood, now in its 25th year, identi-fies leaders from the civic, educational, government, reli-gious and business communi-ties who will use the princi-ples learned to leave a lasting legacy on the Brentwood community. The eight-month

program includes an overnight retreat in August, six daylong sessions held on the second Thursday of each month from September through February, planned community service projects, and a wrap-up ses-sion and graduation in March. Class members discuss topics pertaining to business, educa-tion, entertainment and media, history, government and quality of life.

Nissan North America is the presenting sponsor for the Leadership Brentwood Class of 2016.

l LEARN MORE

www.mfgday.coml FOLLOW ON TWITTER

@MfgDayl GET INVOLVED – CONTACT

Morgan@williamsonchamber.com

SAVE THE DATEFriday, Oct. 2

2016

LEA

DERS

HIP

BREN

TWOO

D JENNIFER ANDERSON Genesco, Inc. CHIP BRATTEN TMPartners SHEILA CLEVELAND Terragena Group DAVID CRIPE Skanska USA LORI SHARPE DAY The Ashcroft Law Firm PAUL DEMASTUS Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain BRIAN GOSS City of Brentwood CHRIS HENSON Columbia State Community College DENNIS JACKSON WorX Solutions Management KELLY LEE City of Brentwood PRYOR MANNING Nissan North America DAVE MORGAN JR. HealthTrust DAN PRICE BL Harbert International JOHN REIDY Gresham Smith and Partners JODI SCHROER YMCA of Middle Tennessee CHERYL STEWART United Way of Williamson County MARK THOMPSON Healthways JORDAN WALDRON FirstBank NANCY WINDLEY Community Leader

Page 8 THE POINT l August 2015

FIRST FRIDAY

NOLENSVILLE AREA BUSINESS COUNCIL

In his presentation “Size Doesn’t Matter: How and Why Small Businesses Matter More Than Ever,” Davidson shared how his rapidly growing business evolved from a monthly subscription service to a gift company with stores in Nashville, Memphis, Austin, Charleston and, coming in the fall, Atlanta.

Guest speaker and Batch USA co-founder and CEO Sam Davidson, middle, is welcomed to the July 10 First Friday event by Williamson, Inc. COO Cindi Parmenter, left, and Keely Hall of FirstBank, the event’s presenting sponsor.

The July 16 Nolensville Area Business Council luncheon at Providence Baptist Fellowship hosted a Q&A session with local entrepreneurs on the keys to successfully start, maintain and grow their business. From left, the panelists were Patrick Martin, owner, Martin’s BBQ Joint; Corrine Chapman, co-owner, the Nesting Project; and William Bradford, president and CEO, United Communications.

FIRST FRIDAY Friday, Aug. 7

7:30 a.m. E|Spaces

JOIN US NEXT TIME!

OPEN HOUSE

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Guests were invited to a Prospective Member Open House on July 13 to learn more about Chamber membership and mingle with current Chamber members.

Members whose guests signed up for Chamber membership were entered into a drawing for a round of golf at Westhaven Golf Club. Congrats to new member Jacob Culton of Northwestern Mutual for winning the prize.

Williamson, Inc. Young Professionals went on location July 16 at the new First Tennessee Park to enjoy a night of Nashville Sounds baseball. Advertising Manager Ryan Madar shared how the baseball club rebranded itself with a new park, mascot and logo in his presentation, “Promoting a New Brand of Baseball.” The 10,000-seat stadium that opened April 2015 in downtown Nashville features a guitar-shaped scoreboard — one of the largest in minor league baseball.

Bobbie Jo Beach, left, and Lauren Shepard enjoy the mixer and buffet on the Hyundai Deck before the game.

YOUNGPROFESSIONALSACTIVE CONNECTWednesday, Aug. 19

6 p.m.Iron Tribe Fitness

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