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KINGSPORT CHAMBERNEWS RELEASEFriday, December 2, 2016?????????? ???????????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ??For Immediate Release???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????? CONTACT:Bob FeaginsExecutive Director of Communications & DevelopmentKingsport ChamberOffice: (423) 392-8815bfeagins@Kingsport Chamber celebrates remarkable 2016, looks forward to centennial year in 2017NOTE:? Attached please find photos of CeeGee McCord, Stephen LaHair, Leland Leonard and Miles Burdine and the Kingsport Chamber logo.KINGSPORT, Tenn. – The Kingsport Chamber today celebrated another remarkable year filled with numerous accomplishments at its State of Your Kingsport Chamber Holiday Breakfast at the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center.More than 300 Kingsport Chamber members and business and civic leaders attended the event to hear about some of the Kingsport Chamber’s many achievements from 2016 and plan ahead for what promises to be an amazing 2017 in which the city will mark its centennial.The event was sponsored by Alpha Natural Resources; Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union; Appalachian Power; BAE Systems; Brown, Edwards & Company; Chef’s Pizzeria; Citizens Bank; City of Kingsport; Clean Rite; Eastman; First Tennessee Bank; Food City; Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes; Holston Medical Group; Holston Valley Medical Center; Indian Path Medical Center; Kingsport Imaging; King University; Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union; Milligan College; Phil’s Dream Pit; Rodefer Moss & Company; Tele-Optics; and The Regional Eye Center.Outgoing Kingsport Chamber chair CeeGee McCord, global public and community affairs director with Eastman, ceremoniously passed the Kingsport Chamber gavel to the incoming chair, Stephen LaHair, co-owner of Chef’s Pizzeria.“It’s been an incredible year,” McCord said.? “This list of accomplishments your Kingsport Chamber achieved this year is truly impressive.? The Kingsport Chamber has a strong and lasting impact on this community.? And it’s equally as exciting to see what 2017 brings as we come together to celebrate our city’s centennial.”LaHair echoed McCord’s comments, and noted 2017 would be a historic year as the Kingsport Chamber joins in the celebration of the city’s centennial.“It’s going to be a great year next year, indeed, one for the ages,” LaHair said.? “Your Kingsport Chamber will be heavily showcasing our city’s 100th Birthday through all of its programs and many of its events.”Some of the Kingsport Chamber’s numerous accomplishments from 2016 included:The Kingsport Chamber’s Membership program attracted more than 80 new members and topped $400,000 in membership revenue.? The Kingsport Chamber also hosted more than 30 ribbon cutting and groundbreakings during the year.? The Kingsport Chamber’s membership program placed thirteenth in the nation in new member dues for Chambers its size, according to the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).The Kingsport Convention and Visitors Bureau (KCVB) hosted and supported 26 sporting events.? These events brought 20,000 visitors to Kingsport, creating an economic impact that exceeded $25 million.? The KCVB donated more than $24,000 in tournament proceeds to the athletic programs of the Kingsport City Schools that hosted the events.? The KCVB’s sales department also booked and hosted 39 meeting groups with more than 10,000 room nights, creating more than $9.9 million in economic impact.? In total, the work of the KCVB generated more than $34 million for the Kingsport economy.Fun Fest celebrated its thirty-sixth year.? More than 120,000 attendees from 25 states enjoyed 130 events and activities, with most being free of charge.? Fun Fest’s total economic impact on Kingsport exceeded $6 million.The Kingsport Chamber’s nationally-recognized Keep Kingsport Beautiful program received the Affiliate Award of Excellence from Keep America Beautiful, the only program in the state to garner the national honor.? This marks the third consecutive year Keep Kingsport Beautiful has received the award and fourth time overall.? The program also secured a Cigarette Littler Prevention Program grant from Keep America Beautiful that helped reduce cigarette litter in downtown by 63 percent.? The program also hosted the Keep Tennessee Beautiful State Affiliate Directors Conference in Kingsport.? In total, Keep Kingsport Beautiful and its 33 volunteers contributed $18,594 worth of volunteer hours and returned more than $457,182 in total value back to the Kingsport community. The Kingsport Chamber’s Move to Kingsport program welcomed 1,957 new family households (4,501 new residents) in 2016, making a $112 million economic impact on the community.? Each newcomer generates $25,000 in buying power.? Move to Kingsport also had contact with more than 1,873 leads that inquired about Kingsport.? Since Move to Kingsport started in 2006, more than 19,457 families have moved to Kingsport from every state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and various countries across the world. The Kingsport Chamber’s Education program graduated more than 350 Tennessee/Virginia Scholars from Kingsport, Sullivan County, Hawkins County and Scott County, Va., schools, helped the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing with its Advanced Manufacturing Camps for rising eighth and ninth graders, partnered with Eastman and Junior Achievement to host the Eighth and Eleventh Grade Career Fairs, and coordinated the sullivanAchieves mentoring program.? ?The Kingsport Chamber’s legislative affairs committee reviewed more than 1,000 pieces of legislation that impacted business and hosted eleven events, including ones with Senator Lamar Alexander; Senator Bob Corker; Congressman Phil Roe; Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey; Tennessee commissioners of economic and community development, education and transportation; Representatives Jon Lundberg, Bud Hulsey, Mike Harrison, Matthew Hill and Timothy Hill; Deputy Comptroller Jason Mumpower; Tennessee and U.S. Chambers of Commerce; and Kingsport City and Sullivan County elected officials.The Kingsport Chamber’s Leadership Kingsport program presented five Community Impact Projects, ideas and efforts that seek to sustain the economic vitality and enhance the quality of life for our City.? These included:? Riverbend Park; Sustainability of our Animal Shelters; Maker’s Space in Downtown Kingsport; State Theatre in Downtown Kingsport; and Secure the Greenbelt/Increase the Comfort Level.The 30 class members contributed more than 1,600 community service volunteer hours to various organizations and projects in Kingsport.The Kingsport Chamber’s S.H.O.U.T.!? Youth Leadership program graduated 41 sophomores and juniors from home schools and from Dobyns-Bennett, Sullivan South, Sullivan Central and Providence Academy high schools.The Kingsport Chamber’s small business program, Kingsport Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE), provided counseling and training to more than 105 individual clients; assisted in capital formation of more than $4 million; held 20 events; supported 15 new business starts; and helped create 67 new jobs and retain 57 jobs.? KOSBE’s client base employs 425 individuals and generates annual sales exceeding $15 million. More than 150 clients have benefited from KOSBE’s small business education programs.The Kingsport Chamber also continues to enjoy a strong partnership with Healthy Kingsport, which has its offices in the Kingsport Chamber building.Healthy Kingsport hosted more than 1,000 participants at its Walk for Wellness and supported 14 businesses in becoming a tobacco free campus.? Through its most impressive Live SugarFreed campaign, Healthy Kingsport placed water bottle re-filling stations in every school in Kingsport and Sullivan County (38 schools) and distributed Tritan water bottles to every student in both systems (17,200 students).“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as chair for such an outstanding place as the Kingsport Chamber,” McCord commented.? “We have a great team of staff, volunteers and businesses who show every day how much they love this great city of Kingsport.? What a year…and 2017 is going to be even better.”“This is a great organization,” LaHair added.? “Your Kingsport Chamber works every single day to promote, sell and market our city…to make sure our community is better and stronger for the generations to follow.? The work and impact of your Kingsport Chamber and its programs will last longer than this year or next.? Future generations will enjoy the fruits of our labors today.During the ceremony, the Kingsport Chamber also presented its most prestigious honor, the Lifetime Member Award, to longtime Kingsport business and community leader Leland Leonard.Leonard is the award’s thirtieth recipient.Leonard has worked for Armstrong Construction for 63 years in various leadership capacities, including serving as president from 1977 to 2014.“I love coming to work every day for such a superb organization in the Kingsport Chamber and for such a great team,” said Miles Burdine, Kingsport Chamber president and CEO.? “The accomplishments we celebrated this morning are just a few of the many ways your Kingsport Chamber impacts this community.? We are most appreciative to our members, sponsors and volunteers who support their Kingsport Chamber every single day.? It’s most certainly been an exciting year and we can’t wait to celebrate our city’s centennial all year long in 2017.” The Kingsport Chamber will continue to celebrate Kingsport and its centennial at its 70th Annual Dinner.“Kingsport’s Social Event of the Year,” the Kingsport Chamber 70th Annual Dinner is Friday, February 3, 2017, at 6 p.m. at the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center.? Tickets will go on sale in January.KINGSPORT CHAMBER The Kingsport Chamber is a non-profit organization composed of two entities:? the Kingsport Chamber Foundation and Kingsport Chamber of Commerce.? The Kingsport Chamber Foundation manages, supports, promotes and assists a number of educational, charitable, environmental, wellness and leadership programs that have a tremendous impact on the Kingsport community.Programs of the Kingsport Chamber Foundation include:? Communications & Development; Downtown Concert Series; Education & Workforce Development; Fun Fest; Healthy Kingsport; Keep Kingsport Beautiful; Kingsport Convention & Visitors Bureau (KCVB); Kingsport Leadership Programs (Leadership Kingsport and S.H.O.U.T.!? Youth Leadership); Kingsport Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE); Move to Kingsport; Santa Train; and Tennessee/Virginia Scholars.The Kingsport Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to utilize resources and focus efforts on enhancing a strong and viable business environment for the Kingsport area.? Programs of the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce include:? Communications & Development; Government Relations; and Membership.? The Kingsport Chamber of Commerce has nearly 1,000 members.For more information on the Kingsport Chamber, go to or call (423) 392-8800.? We’re social too; follow us on our Facebook page, Your Kingsport Chamber, and on our Twitter account, @kptchamber.##### ................
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