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The judges also noted the 70-plus events the chamber hosts annually, creating diverse opportunities for business connections and growth. One of the most compelling initiatives, Nunley said, was the Creating Educational Opportunities (CEO) program, which is a unique partnership with Tullahoma City Schools. Businesses partner with one or more schools for various events and programs, such as banks hosting Bank Day, business partners reading to classes of students, or having lunch with students at school. Local business leaders teach students how to correctly tie a tie and shake hands with eye contact. Clayton\u2019s Shoe Store, a staple in Tullahoma for over a century, invites younger classes to learn to tie their shoes. The CEO program fosters deep community connections between businesses and local schools. These partnerships help meet classroom and student needs through unique experiences and fundraising efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe CEO program is intended to not only build relationships between the business community and our school system, but also to help fill in some of those gaps,\u201d Nunley explained. \u201cI think we all know that there are teachers who have had to dig into their own pockets in years past to provide things for their classrooms, and so this is meant to eliminate or alleviate some of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nunley credits the success of the CEO program to the multitude of people willing to work together to support local students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCEO is such a special program because of the variety of partners that contribute in their own way. It really elevated our nomination,\u201d Nunley said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nunley, a Tullahoma resident for most of her life, has been involved with the chamber for decades, starting as a member, then an ambassador, and eventually joining the board of directors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI started working in Tullahoma as a young professional for Exchange Media Group when I was 20 years old,\u201d Nunley said. \u201cI grew my network through working for Exchange. That was actually how I became involved with the chamber. I became a chamber ambassador to network more, meet new people, and grow both personally and professionally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She led the chamber through several monumental events, including navigating the 2020 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe made it through the global pandemic where we were seeing chambers close across the country or sell their buildings,\u201d Nunley said. \u201cWe were very proud to come out on the other side of the pandemic, still very healthy and thriving.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nunley also led in 2021, when the chamber had the honor of celebrating its 100th anniversary, a month-long celebration filled with ribbon-cuttings, fundraisers, and a special member banquet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The chamber excels at hosting community events, and one of its most cherished annual traditions is the Tullahoma Christmas Parade. Not only is it a chance for families and friends to celebrate together, but it is a group effort to bring businesses, schools, churches, and other organizations together to create incredible floats and promote their contributions to the city. Even local students play a pivotal role: Tullahoma\u2019s public elementary students submit ideas for the Christmas parade theme, and the winning idea becomes that year\u2019s theme. The winning school also earns a prime spot near the front of the parade for its float, making it an exciting event for the entire community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nunley is quick to acknowledge that the Tullahoma chamber\u2019s success is unequivocally a group effort that involves leaders, business owners, community members, and students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe recognition we\u2019ve received in recent years is truly a testament to every single person who has contributed to this organization \u2014 every past president, every past and current employee, every past and present member, past and current board member, and past and current ambassador. Each person has given their time and energy to make the chamber better and better each year,\u201d Nunley said. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CHAMBERS OF commerce boost local economies and strengthen communities. This past year, the Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce (TACC) stood out, earning the statewide 2025 Chamber of the Year award. This award was earned under the leadership of Hope Nunley, executive director since 2017. The ceremony was held at the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":25079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,73],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","category-tullahoma"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/tullahoma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/05\/1-1-1024x683.jpg\")
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