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| Pride of Obion County: Businesses, individuals honored |
By: Glenda H. Caudle, Special Features Editor
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Posted: Thursday, September 25, 2008 8:45 pm
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The Messenger 09.25.08
By GLENDA H. CAUDLE
Special Features Editor
The Eddie Cox Senior Center was bursting with “Pride” at Wednesday’s change-of-focus 2008 CornFest Business and Community Recognition Pride of Obion County Luncheon.
Instead of a single outstanding citizen, 22 guests were seated at the head table. Each was there in celebration of a personal or a business or organizational contribution to Obion County. Guidelines those providing nominations were asked to consider included the remodeling or expansion of a business, the new ownership or management of a business, the opening of a new business or building, an increase in the number of employees, the emergence of a major retention effort, the investment in new technology or equipment, other business improvements, involvement in the community, a century-long (or more) presence in Obion County and a personal accomplishment or contribution to Obion County.
The honorees and their guests were joined by five recently- crowned CornFest pageant winners, several CornFest board members and some fellow Obion Countians who have been “Pride” designees in the past.
Among the young beauties were Miss CornFest Nicole Har-din, Junior Miss CornFest Paige Hicks, Young Miss CornFest Isabella Castro, Little Miss CornFest Bailey Branum and Petite Miss CornFest Kaylee Tims.
Myrtle Harton and Robert Wood were former Pride of Obion County winners enjoying the festivities, which included a delicious meal, catered by Another Thyme, and a welcome by Lynn Glover, CornFest president.
Jeannine Cranford, chairman of the Pride luncheon, offered the invocation and Robin Wood, sponsor of the luncheon through Wood Communications, Ken-Tenn Wireless & Cellular Source and Cell Page, greeted guests and introduced the speaker for the occasion, Roger Williams. Williams, a 2008 honoree, introduced his own family and some co-workers who have been involved with his family business, Williams Sausage, for most of the 50 years it has been in operation. Williams Sausage is celebrating its mid-century anniversary in a special way during CornFest by providing free sausage and biscuit breakfast treats and hosting a Nashville radio station WSM live remote “party” in front of the Obion County Courthouse Friday from 6-10 a.m. Country music star David Frizzell will also be on hand to entertain and provide autographs.
Williams, who manages the company with his brother, David, showed his “pride” in the business their parents, Hazel Williams and the late Harold L. Williams, began in simple surroundings 50 years ago through a slide presentation. He also announced plans for a 30,000 square-foot expansion and the addition of 100 jobs over the next two years.
Other honorees included:
• Reelfoot Bank, represented by president and CEO Michael Hagan. The bank, which was founded as the Bank of Hornbeak in 1904, has been an independent home-owned and operated bank for more than a century and today has a board of directors of eight, with 57 full-time and 14 part-time employees at seven office locations and five remote ATM locations. There are more than 200 shareholders and the bank boasts a commitment to profitable growth and a continuing presence as a strong, independent community bank. Their goal is excellent customer service through exceptional employees who are provided an environment for success.
• Tyson Foods: Obion County Complex, represented by Cecelia Holloway. In 2008, Tyson Foods launched several new products and reconstructed two lines to assist in this effort, investing more than $4.5 million in the local facility. The company has also supported numerous community, civic and educational projects, such as Hometown Walk of Hope, the Junior Livestock Auction, the Obion County Poultry Show and the CornFest and Soybean Festival barbecue cookoffs. On Saturday, Tyson will sponsor a free CornFest Family Feed at Kiwanis Park in downtown Union City from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., with 2,000 meals being prepared and given away.
• CBK Styles, represented by Beverly Gidcumb. This local wholesale importer of home decor and gift lines has a strong community-involvement commitment, as evidenced by the leadership role of employees in the Tennessee Scholars initiative in Obion County. This business-led partnership between businesses and schools focuses on encouraging students to stretch their academic muscles and plan for a future of higher educational attainment. Seven CBK employee have also graduated from the Leadership Obion County program and many of those who are employed at the company are involved in community programs.
• Wal-Mart No. 675, represented by Jordan Rogers. Community involvement won this shopping giant a place at the table. Employees are directly involved in raising funds for Make-a-Wish, Hometown Walk of Hope and Chimes for Charity and the store has established programs of its own such as the Teacher of the Year award; a $1,000 scholarship program; PSP (Personal Sustainability Program) that is based on store personnels’ involvement in a project to benefit the community and that this year focused on providing time and supplies needed and then planting flowers, weeding and mulching flower beds in the downtown area; and establishing an expanded recycling program.
• Higher Ground Coffee Company, represented by Kevin Herrell. Higher Ground began with the goal of offering more than “just coffee” and has seen that dream come alive over the past year. The popular gathering place for specialty hot and cold coffee drinks and other beverages, desserts and other fresh bakery items and specialty chocolates is also a favorite “hang out” for those who enjoy musical entertainment with a local face, free wireless Internet, board and card games and a relaxing place to visit.
• Obion County Fair Association Inc., represented by Brenda Baker. Eight times the Obion County Fair has been state champion at the annual Tennessee Association of Fairs. Mrs. Baker credits the hard work of volunteers from all over Obion County and every segment of the population and says the fair is an excellent showcase for Obion County’s reputation as the state’s top producer of corn and soybeans and its wide range of livestock. She touts the excellent rural-urban interaction and the agricultural-industrial-commercial relations with helping the fair attain its success.
• Community Involvement, represented by Ed Youngblood. Obion Countians who are moved by the new memorials to service men placed on the Obion County Courthouse lawn can thank Ed Youngblood for his desire to honor these veterans and his hard work in carrying the project through to completion.
• University of Tennessee at Martin Regional Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (REED) Center, represented by Hollie Holt. During the past year, the REED Center has conducted nine small business seminars in partnership with the Obion County Chamber of Commerce, assisting more than 94 small business owners and aspiring business owners at sessions held in Union City. The REED Center provides free training sessions and business consulting to entities and individuals and is committed to seeing Obion County grow for years to come.
• Prather Properties, represented by Connie Prather. Created almost exactly a year ago, Prather Properties is owned by Jim and Connie Prather and is comprised of Prather’s Flowers and Gifts, Court Square Wedding Chapel, The White House Restaurant and the Moffatt Center, all in Troy, and Sassafraz Restaurant and management of the Hampton Centré in Union City. Prather Properties now employees 75 people and is a contributor to Main Street Union City and many local charities and community efforts.
• Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City, represented by Kara Ward. The local hospital’s new mammography suite for women won it the nod from the “Pride” selection committee. The center provides convenient scheduling, advanced technology and dedicated expert care, all in one location, with premier equipment, such as digital mammography, to increase the accuracy of the diagnosis. The center also provides stereotactic biopsy, a non-surgical method of removing tissue from suspected abnormality in the breast, computer-aided detection and ultrasound.
• Joe’s Steak House, represented by May Simpson. Those associated with Joe’s Steak House value their community involvement credentials and have burnished them with participation in the Carl Perkins Center Gala and Auction to prevent child abuse. The local eatery won “Best of Taste” awards there from among 32 vendors in Obion and Weakley counties.
• Obion County Schools Coordinated School Health, represented by Heather Kendall. The CSH program looks forward to continuing its emerging community involvement over the next several years. Already, the program has begun to educate students, school staff and faculty in the Obion County School System about healthier life styles and is looking at ways to find “healthy” input in many areas of community life.
• Celebrations by Sheila, represented by Sheila Ervin. When Sheila and Mike Ervin returned to Obion County with his job assignment five years ago, they invested in a building on East Main Street and opened the area’s only “party” store. Today, they are planning on doubling the size of their business in square footage and adding new lines of gifts, retail products and party and wedding rental supplies. Mrs. Ervin is involved in Main Street as membership chairman and the business couple support many other local efforts, including City Beautiful Commission, Downtown Merchants Group, Discovery Park of America, the local Chamber of Commerce and Community Concert Association.
• Union City Ballet School, represented by Sacchi Doss. While Mrs. Doss recently announced her “official” retirement from the ballet school she founded and operated for many years in Union City, she remains very actively involved in many efforts involving the arts in this area. Her support for and hard work with Masquerade Theatre and many other arts-centered efforts brought her to the attention of the CornFest board.
• Promethean Foundation, represented by Cathy Waggoner. The Promethean Foundation, supported by the Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation and based on their commitment to at-risk children from infancy through pre-school, is a scholarship program for children who are not old enough to be in kindergarten. This effort has touched more than 300 children who have been provided the opportunity to attend high-quality local day-care and pre-school facilities and to enjoy a specially-designed character-based curriculum provided for these schools.
• First Citizens National Bank (Troy location), represented by Joe Ward. Community involvement is a hallmark of the bank’s commitment to this area. From the Troy Community Involvement Days support to efforts to assist with the Obion County Central High School Academic Decathlon team, the bank has a finger in many local pies. The bank encourages membership of its employees in local service organizations, such as Troy Lions Club, and contributes to the OCCHS Quarterback Club. It also sponsors the Obion County Youth Girls Basketball team and provides a float for the community Christmas parade, in addition to sponsoring a scholarship for a child who has participated in the Obion County Fair Association by showing livestock each year.
• Main Street Union City Inc., represented by president Michelle Creswell. This organization deserves credit for several major improvements in the downtown Union City area and has improved its own efficiency and “presence” in the community with the recent addition of advanced computer technology. Without Main Street, there would be no CornFest or Adult Leadership Obion County program and the image the city’s original shopping area would present to potential customers would not be nearly so appealing.
• Greenfield Products, represented by plant manager Bobby King and director of the machine shop Bill Coleman. Greenfield Products both enabled employees of an existing Union City industry to retain their jobs when it purchased the former Blue Steel Tool and Die in August 2007 and provided many new jobs – a 50 percent increase in employees — when they moved their main operation into a new spec building just east of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in November and December of 2007. King was named plant manager in August 2008 and the company is settling into what it hopes will be a long and profitable relationship with the community.
• Penelope’s, represented by Penny Autry. Local artists have found an outlet for their work at Penelope’s in downtown Union City. The store, which accepts a variety of artistic endeavors on consignment, also offers many classes for youth and children who want to explore or develop their own artistic bent.
• Acupuncture and Biofeedback Center LLC, represented by Robert Jones. This new business, located on South First Street downtown, is looking forward to becoming involved in the community in a variety of ways.
“We had a great turnout for our first year in a new approach to showing our Pride in Obion County and everything went very well,” said CornFest vice president Robin Wood. “I think everyone enjoyed the presentation by Roger Williams. It brought back lots of memories and reminded us we can find ways to meet our personal goals and benefit our friends and neighbors while we do so, right here in Obion County.”
Mrs. Caudle may be contacted at glendacaudle@ucmessenger.com. |
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