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The Bristol Chamber of Commerce is committed to stimulating business and economic growth, regional cooperatives, and community awareness. Its various divisions are the tools through which the Chamber’s goals for Bristol are accomplished.
KEEP BRISTOL BEAUTIFUL
Genette Patton - Director
Keep Bristol Beautiful (KBB) was developed by the Chamber to meet the environmental needs of the Bristol community. KBB is a broad-based beautification program that is certified by Keep America Beautiful, Keep Tennessee Beautiful and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Its numerous activities reinforce a sense of pride in the Bristol community. KBB activities include The Great American Cleanup, Regional Public Lands Day, Beaver Creek Cleanup, South Holston Lake and River Cleanup, and various other recycling, environmental education and beautification activities.
LEADERSHIP
LEAD! BRISTOL
Paula Hurt - Vice President Adminstration
LEAD Bristol! is a nine-month training program designed to provide skills essential to leadership development. The program incorporates transcendental leadership skills as well as servant leadership and community issues. Another benefit of the program is the opportunity to gain new contacts through networking and relationship building. Local area colleges and universities partner with the chamber to provide professional personnel, facilities and other aspects of the sessions. Through the support of area businesses as sponsors, this program continues to be a model for other leadership programs throughout the country.
BRISTOL YOUTH LEADERSHIP
Tiffany Ramsey - Program Director
Bristol Youth Leadership (BYL) is a seven-month program in which area high school sophomores and juniors are empowered to become trustees of the Bristol community. Throughout the seven months of the program students will learn a variety of valuable leadership skills including time management, community awareness, and business ethics. The program also provides training in the area of personal development, skills training, volunteering opportunities and team building. In addition to the monthly class sessions, the BYL students are assigned to Community Service Project to increase awareness of the community and provide the opportunity to serve. These projects are submitted by various agencies, governmental entities and nonprofit organizations and require the participants to complete research, plan various events, participate in the community activities and create presentations. The students work diligently to determine a course of action and follow through with success.
CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU
Matt Boles - Vice President CVB
Beth Stockner - Communications & Events
Kimberley Leonard - Marketing & Sales
The Bristol Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB) works to promote Bristol as a destination for vacationers, group tours, business travelers, retirees, special events, meetings and conventions. The BCVB encourages tourists to visit the area by hosting and assisting with a variety of events including the State Line Classic softball tournament, Food City Family Race Night and the annual Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion Festival. The BCVB also assists with the promotion and planning of other events organized by the cities of Bristol, Tenn., and Bristol, Va., and coordinates guided tours of the area as well as a full range of travel and meeting planning services.
The BCVB is also excited to implement a new customer service training program in 2005. The Achieving Customer Excellence (A.C.E.) program will include seminars and instruction from nationally known training organizations, including the Disney Institute. Co-sponsored by Bristol Motor Speedway, A.C.E. is suited for employees in all areas of business.
GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
Tiffany Ramsey - Program Director
Governmental Relations activities are aimed at giving a political voice to the people of the Bristol community that is timely, effective and clearly heard. The Governmental Relations Committee advocates issues that could affect the Bristol community. Public forums and debates are conducted as needed in conjunction with local elections and other issues of concern.
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Paula Hurt - Vice President Finance & Administration
The Bristol Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit entity. The Finance and Administration are of the Chamber is responsible for the coordination of not only the Financial aspects of the organization but also the Human Resource, building and grounds, and other daily operational concerns. The ability to offer a warm, inviting and unique experience to visitors, the community and the businesses is an important function of the Chamber’s mission. Through the use of additional Gold Club funding the Chamber is able to perform needed capital improvements to achieve this goal.
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY COUNCIL
Karen Witcher - Program Assistant
The Manufacturer’s Council was created by the Bristol Chamber of Commerce as a partnership with representatives of local business and industry. Representatives meet each month to discuss current matters of interest to area businesses and industries, such as deregulation of power, international trade, grant writing, tax laws, IT security and workforce development.
MEMBER RELATIONS
Kathy Blackwell - Director of Member Relations
Member Relations makes up the core of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce by providing an avenue through which local business can work together. Small businesses can gain a huge advantage by taking part in Chamber sponsored programs aimed at providing opportunities for small businesses such as Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) and Small Business Month activities.
SERVICE CORPS OF RETIRED EXECUTIVES (SCORE)
Steve Willinger- SCORE
SCORE is a free small business counseling service, comprised of business professionals who have been successful as their careers as business owners or company executive. The organization counsels anyone interested in starting a business or who has an existing business in need of business advice or problem-solving assistance.
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