KNOXVILLE and CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., September 6, 2022 – Rains Insurance, Inc. (“Rains”), a wholly owned subsidiary of SmartBank, announced today that it has acquired the operating assets of Chattanooga, TN-based Sunbelt Group, LLC (“Sunbelt”). The transaction is effective September 1, 2022 and marks the first acquisition of an independent insurance agency by Rains.
Sunbelt, formed in 1984, is an independent, full-service insurance agency providing personal and commercial property and casualty insurance as well as life and health. In addition, Sunbelt has a dedicated transportation insurance department that focuses their attention solely on the insurance needs of the transportation industry. Mark Slater, President of Sunbelt Insurance, said, “Rains and SmartBank have a great culture and a proven track record of success. We are fortunate to join this outstanding team and look forward to our role in achieving the vision for growth and providing an exceptional customer experience.”
“Sunbelt Insurance represents many of the finest national and regional insurance companies in the industry,” said Billy Carroll, Chairman of Rains Insurance and President of SmartBank. “We are excited to add this team of hard-working and experienced insurance advisors to our company and look forward to further expanding our service areas in Tennessee and all across our footprint.”
For more information on Rains Insurance, visit www.therainsagency.com.
About Rains Insurance:
Rains Insurance is a subsidiary of SmartBank and an independent insurance agency providing clients with a variety of insurance products and services such as personal, commercial, life and health insurance with multiple locations throughout the Southeast. For more information on Rains Insurance, visit www.therainsagency.com.
About SmartBank:
SmartFinancial, Inc. (the “Company”), based in Knoxville, Tennessee, is the bank holding company for SmartBank. SmartBank is a full-service commercial bank founded in 2007, with branches across Tennessee, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle. Recruiting the best people, delivering exceptional client service, strategic branching, and a disciplined approach to lending have contributed to SmartBank’s success. More information about SmartFinancial, Inc. can be found on its website: www.smartfinancialinc.com.
Forward Looking Statements:
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of and subject to the safe harbor protections of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding anticipated future events and can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “intend” or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” Forward-looking statements in this release include, without limitation, statements regarding the expected impact of the acquisition of Sunbelt by Rains. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this communication because actual results could differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results include difficulties and delays in integrating the customers or business of Sunbelt, or onboarding its sales producers; Rains’ inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth or to fully realize revenue or expense synergies or the other expected benefits of the asset acquisition; the inability to implement integration plans and other consequences associated with the asset acquisition; the choice by customers of Sunbelt or its sales producers not to keep their respective business relationships with Rains; effects of competition in the financial services industry, including competitors’ success in recruiting away Sunbelt’s sales producers; developments in Rains’ market relating to the COVID-19 pandemic; and general economic conditions and legislative and regulatory changes that could adversely affect the businesses in which the Company, SmartBank and Rains are engaged. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof, and none of the Company, SmartBank, or Rains undertake any obligation, and each specifically declines any obligation, to revise or update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — JTV®, the national jewelry retailer and broadcast network, today announced its formal expansion into the Canadian market. JTV’s value-oriented jewelry, home shopping broadcast network and best-in-class jewelry and gemstone educational content will now be available to consumers in Canada.
Founded 28 years ago, JTV is one of the top jewelry companies in the United States with one of the largest assortments of jewelry, gemstones, and jewelry-making products available from a single-source retailer. After decades of relationship building both in the U.S. and abroad, JTV has established a competitive advantage at every stage of the buying and manufacturing process so customers can expect exceptional jewelry and gemstones at unparalleled value. From exotic to classic, JTV currently offers 68 different colored gemstones in a stunning array of precious metal settings and design aesthetics for every style and budget. JTV’s formal expansion into the Canadian market further positions it as a leading retailer and broadcast network within the jewelry and gemstone industries.
“JTV always strives to offer extraordinary products at exceptional prices, so we’re excited to bring JTV to new homes and hearts across Canada,” said Tim Matthews, Chief Executive Officer at JTV. “Our expansion adds over six million Canadian homes and we have plans for many more. Our goal at JTV is to open the world of jewelry and gemstones to everyone, so this milestone is especially meaningful for our brand and the consumers we serve.”
Already established as an industry leader in the jewelry ecommerce and home shopping spaces, JTV is committed to offering next-level expertise, experience and engaging educational content that enhances the consumer shopping experience. Unlike others in the space, JTV’s broadcast segments offer both education and entertainment on jewelry and gemstones. The company additionally offers best-in-class jewelry and gemstone educational resources – the Learning Library, Gemstones.com and Jewel School – informed by its staff of knowledgeable and certified TV hosts, guest experts, certified gemologists, geologists, applied jewelry professionals (AJP) and employees who are committed to providing value and education to consumers at every step of the way.
“At JTV, jewelry is more than gemstones and metal. It’s personal, celebratory, meaningful, and magical, which is what makes us so enjoyable, easy and efficient to shop with,” said Matthews. “Our customers are special and deserve both variety and value, which is why we prioritize all-around transparency, offer 24/7 customer service and ensure an exceedingly pleasant shopping experience. We believe in building lifelong relationships, customers, and friends and can’t wait to welcome a whole new market into our community.”
Committed to providing efficient and effortless ways to buy and learn about top jewelry styles, JTV offers a variety of shopping methods including TV, online, social media, apps and order by phone. Every order is quickly and carefully shipped through its state-of-the-art order-packing system and on its way to customers within a few hours.
To watch JTV’s broadcast shopping network from Canada, check your local listings. For more information on JTV, visit JTV.com and follow @JTV on Instagram, @jewelrytelevision on Facebook, @jewelrytv on Pinterest and @jewelry on Twitter.
About JTV:
JTV (Jewelry Television®) is a leading retailer of jewelry and gemstones in the United States. With a proven 28-year history, JTV leverages an omni-digital strategy designed to elevate the customer experience through holistic, digitally-driven touch points, including live TV programming, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to 70 million U.S. and Canadian households, an industry leading mobile optimized e-commerce platform, and a robust and engaging social media presence. As part of its commitment to customer satisfaction and the development and distribution of educational content, the company employs numerous Graduate Gemologists and Accredited Jewelry Professionals. JTV.com is one of the largest jewelry e-commerce websites in the country according to Internet Retailer’s Top 500 list for 2021. For more information, visit JTV.com and JTV’s social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn.
Tennessee Urban League Affiliates (TULA), including Knoxville, will share a $3 million grant to support and grow statewide business development programs for people of color over the next three years.
The grant, which was announced Sept. 7, will fund the affiliates’ workforce readiness training centers, information technology programs and executive leadership programs across the state.
“TULA and TVA share a common mission of economic growth and enhancing the quality of life for the communities we have the privilege to serve,” said Jeannette Mills, TVA executive vice president of External Relations. “This partnership will help create new opportunities for underserved communities to ensure no one is left behind during these challenging times of change and innovation.”
Locally, about $250,000 will support the Knoxville Area Urban League’s Economic and Business Development initiatives in 2022 to provide entrepreneurship training and technical assistance, business development growth training and small business capacity building.
“We deeply appreciate TVA’s dedication to our community through their continuous support of TULA’s successful mission,” said Phyllis Y. Nichols, president and CEO of the Knoxville Area Urban League. “This award will not only provide the resources to help our clients, but will also equip them with the skills to thrive in today’s dynamic economy.”
To learn more about these programs, contact Terrence Carter, the Knoxville Area Urban League’s vice president of workforce and economic development, at tcarter@thekaul.org or 865-524-5511.
About the Knoxville Area Urban League
Since 1968, the Knoxville Area Urban League has assisted disadvantaged people attain social and economic stability and self-sufficiency through direct services and advocacy. The League works to provide a skilled and diverse workforce; to increase homeownership; to support economic and small business development, and to enhance education efforts for our youth. The Knoxville Area Urban League is a United Way partner agency and affiliate of the National Urban League. The League’s work and results are evident in the lives of the over 8,000 people it impacts each year. For more information, call 865-524-5511 or visit thekaul.org.
About Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power distributors serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.
For this cohort, we are seeking applications from businesses in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Businesses that are tech-enabled (use technology to run the business) will also be accepted.
Types of businesses we are seeking include (but not limited to):
E-commerce, Energy, Sustainability, Cyber Security, Digital Marketing, Software Development, Hardware Installation, Business Systems, Information Technology, Research Services, Virtual/Digital Solutions, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Interpretation Services, Consulting Services, Healthcare & Wellness, and many others.
Visit our website for more information about the mission an goals of the 100Knoxville program.
TOWNSEND, Tenn., August 31, 2022 – Blount Partnership revealed significant gains in tourism in the 2021 fiscal year ended on June 30 according to recently released economic impact data from U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics. Blount County saw tourism increases of 9%. The county made $1.3 million dollars, on average, per day thanks to tourism increases in the area. The county was also one of only nine in the state to grow tourism spending by 40% or more.
Several factors contributed to the flourishing tourism industry including the festivals in Blount County, the growing culinary and whiskey/spirits/beer scene and visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains national park.
Festivals and events in the Townsend area in Blount County have been a big draw and reason to travel to the area.
Recent Festivals Attendance & Information:
Additionally, the eclectic Grains & Grits Festival, which boasts unique cuisine from the region and Tennessee spirits, is set to return this November after having sold-out attendance in 2021. Along with this, Grains & Grits Festival was named by Southeast Tourism Society (STS) one of the STS Top 20 Events in the Southeast for November 2020.
Reflecting on the growth in tourism to Blount County, Blount Partnership’s Tourism Director, Kim Mitchell, shared her perspective.
“The growth in Blount County tourism is an achievement for this area and demonstrates that this is a desirable and sought-after destination,” said Mitchell. “People travel here to enjoy the growing and thriving restaurant and hospitality scene in addition to the beautiful mountain scenery and wealth of outdoor activities. For those who live here, these tourism dollars provide a tax savings and create a better place to live, work and play.”
Coming up, Blount County has several festivals that will take advantage of the lovely Fall foliage in the Smokies like the Grains & Grits Festival (Nov. 5) which already sold out our to popularity. There’s also the Great Smoky Mountains Half & 5K (Sep. 9-10), Dancing Bear Fall Bike Bash (Sep. 17) and the Townsend Fall Heritage Festival (Sep. 23-24).
As for the Smokies, they are consistently the most visited national park in the country. In 2021 alone, the park saw more than 14 million visitors and since 2011 has seen a 57% increase in annual visitors. The park’s well-known Cade’s Cove valley features numerous options for sightseers as well.
Tennessee tourism generated $24.2 billion in domestic and international travel spending in 2021. Tennessee’s tourism industry is the third largest employer in the state. Tourism dollars drive economic growth, job creation and the tax dollars spent by travelers save Tennesseans hundreds of dollars each year.
For more information on visiting Blount County, Tennessee visit https://www.smokymountains.org
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – September 6, 2022 – The St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF) is excited to announce the launch of the Highway Heroes Campaign in celebration of this year’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (NTDAW), which runs from September 11 – 17. The month-long campaign, which kicks off September 1, is sponsored by Brenny Transportation, Progressive Commercial Insurance, Pilot Company, Cobra Electronics, Intact Insurance – Accident & Health, Total Quality Logistics, and Echo Global Logistics.
This year’s campaign will recognize drivers as essential trucking heroes by highlighting and sharing their stories on a special NTDAW landing page on the St. Christopher website and on social media. Participating companies can submit stories and pictures of drivers they know, love and respect to share their stories with the rest of the country.
“We are excited to collaborate with new and existing sponsors to spend not just a week but an entire month showing truck drivers out there how much we appreciate them,” said Shannon Currier, director of philanthropy at St. Christopher. “This campaign will bring positive exposure to the industry and highlight the goodness and generosity of the entire trucking community.”
On participating in SCF’s NTDAW campaign, Brenny Transportation owner and SCF board president, Joyce Brenny states, “Brenny supports St. Christopher Fund’s mission because drivers pay attention to how you show your value towards professional truck drivers! I think Brenny’s 90% driver retention and being named a Best Fleet to Drive for says it all! Thank you to the participating companies. I only hope more trucking companies choose to donate and support St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund! Together, we can make a difference!”
Nearly every aspect of daily life is made possible because a truck driver delivered the goods and resources people need. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is an important time for America to pay respect and thank all the professional truck drivers for their hard work and commitment in undertaking one of our economy’s most demanding and important jobs. These 3.5 million professional men and women not only deliver our goods safely, securely, and on time, they also keep our highways safe.
The SCF is the only nationwide nonprofit that provides short-term relief to Class A OTR drivers suffering from an illness or injury that took them out of work within the last year. The SCF also provides several free preventative health and wellness programs for OTR drivers in an effort to keep them on the road, including tobacco cessation, diabetes prevention, and flu, pneumonia and shingles vaccines.
To make a donation, share a story of a highway hero or become a sponsor of the Highway Heroes Campaign, please contact Shannon Currier, Director of Philanthropy at St. Christopher Fund via email at shannon@truckersfund.org.
About SCF: www.truckersfund.org The St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF) helps over-the-road semi-truck drivers and their families who are out of work due to a recent illness or injury. Assistance may be in the form of direct payment to providers for household living expenses such as rent/mortgage, utilities, vehicle payments, and insurance. The SCF also provides health and wellness programs such as diabetes prevention and smoking cessation. For more information, visit TruckersFund.org.
Knoxville, Tenn. — Cohort One of the Spark Cleantech Accelerator (Spark CTA), a partner of the Heartland Climate Tech Partnership, marked its graduation after presenting final pitches during the Spark Demo Day event at the University of Tennessee’s Howard Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy.
“The Spark Demo Day marked more than just a graduation of five cleantech startups,” said Cortney Piper, Executive Director of the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC). “It was a testament to how far the Knoxville-Oak Ridge innovation and entrepreneurial community has come in the past decade, underscoring the region’s progress as a technology and innovation center. Knoxville is building a cleantech hub and TAEBC is proud to support the growth of that hub with programs like our Energy Mentor Network and partnership with Launch Tennessee that make initiatives like Spark CTA possible.”
The 12-week Spark Cleantech Accelerator program, directed by John Bruck at the Spark Innovation Center within the University of Tennessee Research Park and supported by TAEBC’s Energy Mentor Network, led companies through a comprehensive curriculum including customer discovery, product-market fit, financial modeling, organizational development, and investor outreach.
Read more about the graduation and Demo Day event in Teknovation, here.
About Spark Innovation Center
The Spark Innovation Center is an initiative of the University of Tennessee Research Park and builds on the facilities and expertise at the University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Spark focuses on helping promising energy technology companies grow, offering access to top quality lab space, expert mentoring, and coordinating support services from nine partner organizations in the region.
About Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council
TAEBC champions advanced energy as an economic development and job creation strategy. Advanced energy is technology neutral and includes electricity and transportation. Anything that makes energy cleaner, safer, more secure or more efficient is in the tent. No other entity in the state concentrates specifically on this robust sector. We educate public officials and business leaders about Tennessee’s advanced energy economy, establish strategic partnerships to connect assets with opportunities, and inform policy that expands and strengthens the industry. For more information, visit: https://tnadvancedenergy.com/.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — August 31, 2022 — Pickles and beer, an unusual yet oddly beloved pair, unite in this collaboration between two acclaimed innovators within each field – Dadeville, Alabama-based Wickles Pickles and Asheville, North Carolina’s Hi-Wire Brewing.
“Here in the South, we love our pickles and a nice, cold craft beer, and now we love Hi-Wire Brewing’s Wickles Pickles Beer,” said Will Sims, co-founder of Wickles Pickles alongside his brother, Trey, and their buddy Andy Anderson. “We can’t think of a better combination than our 90-year-old custom blend of spices at work with an award-winning brewery known for fun and approachability.”
Hi-Wire Brewing’s Wickles Pickle Beer (5% ABV) is an easy-drinking sour ale brewed with all the pickle-making ingredients you would expect including cucumbers, dill, coriander, Himalayan salt, and black pepper. Cracking open a can conjures the same tangy aromas that come with twisting the lid off of a pickle jar, while the beer is refreshingly tart with notes of fresh dill and subtle spice reminiscent of Wickles Pickles’ famously sweet, sour, and spicy brine.
“It was a fun challenge bringing Wickles’ unique flavors into a beer,” said Hi-Wire head brewer, Luke Holgate. “While many flavors in pickles clash with beer, we were able to take advantage of Wickles’ bright dill flavor and peppercorn spice to build on a tart ale that’s refreshing and crushable.”
This limited release is rolling out now in four-packs of 16-ounce cans across Hi-Wire’s nine state distribution footprint as well as the brewery’s eight taproom locations. A limited number of cases were also available for shipping directly to consumers in 34 states at shop.hiwirebrewing.com but sold out the day of their release.
Sims said, “We’re truly excited (and thirsty) for this partnership and particularly happy that this ‘Wickedly Delicious’ brew is going to be available just in time for SEC football across Hi-Wire’s growing taproom footprint – CHEERS to that!”
About Hi-Wire Brewing
Hi-Wire Brewing is known for producing approachable and balanced lagers and ales, most notably Hi-Pitch Mosaic IPA, Lo-Pitch Hazy IPA, and Pink Lemonade Session Sour Ale, and it boasts an award-winning sour and wild ale program. Founded in Asheville, N.C. in 2013, Hi-Wire has three locations in Asheville – the Biltmore Village Production Facility, Taproom & Event Space, the South Slope Specialty Brewery & Taproom located downtown, and the RAD Beer Garden & Distribution Center in the River Arts District – along with taprooms in Durham, N.C., Knoxville, Tenn., Wilmington, N.C., Louisville, Ky., and Charlotte, N.C. Additional locations in Birmingham, Ala., and Cincinnati are set to open in the next 12 months. Hi-Wire Brewing’s Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup award-winning beers can be found on draft and in cans across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, Virginia, and Indiana. To learn more about the company, visit hiwirebrewing.com.
About Wickles Pickles
In 1998, a 90-year-old secret family pickle recipe once reserved for family and friends was unleashed to the public as Wickles. Today, Wickles Pickles is known as the South’s best pickles. Its custom blend of spices and fresh ingredients produce sweet, tangy and spicy pickles, relishes, and spreads – a wickedly delicious experience unlike anything else. An iconic fixture at any gathering, tailgate, or meal; no other pickle has this much personality, earning Wickles a fanbase across the U.S. Learn more about our delicious products and grab some for yourself at https://wicklespickles.com/
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