LOCAL BUSINESS owners, community leaders, and chamber members recently came together for the annual 2022 Membership Celebration hosted by the Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce. Held at the Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center, the sold-out event recognized individuals and businesses impacting the community.
Sponsored by Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital, the evening began with one hour of open networking and the annual awards banquet, followed by Cat Murray emceeing. The following individuals and businesses received recognition for their impact on Tullahoma and the surrounding area: James Fuller, the President’s Award; Kaycee Edwards, Rising Star Award; Carol Fulmer, Ambassador of the Year; Allen Potter, Board Member of the Year; Stan McNabb Automotive, CEO Business Partner of the Year; F.I.T. Beyond Therapy, Small Business of the Year; Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital, Business of the Year, and Nancy Fuller received Citizen of the Year.
Concluding the evening was a live auction where items such as a unique selection of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, Ed Binkley’s classic car dinner experience, flowers for a year from The Flower Shoppe, and much more were auctioned off.
Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce Marketing and Communications Coordinator Lily Thompson said the event was a huge success. This was the second year for Thompson, who has been with the chamber for over a year. For her year with the chamber, she said she had enjoyed a plethora of hands-on experience in seeing a community of businesses working together.
While the evening was busy for Thompson, who’s in charge of capturing the evening’s events and awards for the chamber’s website and social media outlets, she said she was in awe and inspired to see a glittering room full of individuals who support each other.
“It’s incredible,” she explained. “I wasn’t completely aware of how connected these businesses were until I took the position. But to see the sense of community that everyone has with each other has been outstanding. It was great to see everyone together.”
She added that everyone’s support of each other was palpable.
“It’s great to see how everyone builds each other up, along with building up other businesses too. It’s been an incredible year, and this was just a great way to celebrate it,” said Thompson.
For anyone involved with local businesses who aren’t yet a member of the Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce, Thompson said the chamber said it offers a community of people ready to not only welcome them but who are excited to help them succeed.
“The chamber adds so much ease and assistance to business owners,” she said. “We are helping people to make connections, meet people, and get them the recognition they need. It makes it so much easier to be seen in the community.”
The Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce has several networking opportunities for local businesses to take advantage of. For the latest news and events, visit them online at tullahoma.org. You can also find them on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. GN
