(COLUMBIA, Tenn. – Nov. 4, 2013) – – – Selected for its unique initiatives that impact the future of workforce development, Columbia State Community College was awarded a 2013 Workforce Innovation Award. President Janet F. Smith accepted the award at the “Conversation with Governor Bill Haslam” and Workforce Innovation Project kickoff event that took place Sept. 30. 

The award was given by The Council on Workforce Innovation in Tennessee and highlighted public and private partnerships that exist at Columbia State in the areas of film crew technology and healthcare programs,  as well as the emergency medical services/paramedic and advanced integrated industrial technology programs that are offered at the Northfield Workforce Development and Conference Center. 

In response to the economic climate in Middle Tennessee, Columbia State has renewed its workforce development focus in recent years to center on healthcare, manufacturing, information technology and the entertainment industry. Columbia State partners with community leaders, regional employers and school districts to provide educational programs and training activities that have been responsive to the needs of existing and future employers. 

As a result of these partnerships, programs and initiatives have been put into place to assist with industrial recruitment, develop dual enrollment for high school students, create customized training for area employers, and provide specific services for dislocated workers. 

The award was presented by Governor Haslam at a luncheon representing Tennessee higher education and business. Other winners included Fifth Third Bank and Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Tennessee. 

Lewisburg, Tenn., October 22, 2013 – The city of Lewisburg, Tenn., has been named a Valley Sustainable Silver Community by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The Valley Sustainable Communities Program initiated by TVA Economic Development helps communities document and improve existing sustainability programs to increase their competitiveness when companies are considering investing in new or expanded locations. 

Lewisburg recently completed the program sponsored by TVA, which was developed and administered by consultant Boyette Strategic Advisors (BSA). 

“We are proud that Lewisburg has completed the Valley Sustainable Communities Program,” said Del Boyette, president and CEO of Boyette Strategic Advisors. “The Silver level designation recognizes that Lewisburg has community-wide sustainability in place, with some programs available to support the business community and take advantage of economic development opportunities.” 

Sustainability has become a key issue for economic development organizations and communities as more corporations have demonstrated an increasing commitment to sustainability. More than 90 percent of corporate real estate executives who responded to a CoreNet Global survey on sustainability said that it is a consideration in their company location decisions. The typical reasons for this corporate commitment are reduced operating costs for increased profitability and greater employee satisfaction. 

 “We are extremely proud to receive this recognition from TVA,” said Lewisburg Mayor Jim Bingham. “We work very hard to be the kind of community people want to live and work and one that supports its business and industry. It feels very good to have those efforts rewarded by agencies such as TVA and Boyette Strategic Advisors.” 

“I am very excited to be able to market this accomplishment along with our partners at TVA,” said Lewisburg Director of Economic Development Greg Lowe. “I believe that our being recognized for our sustainability by TVA and BSA will help us to better demonstrate to prospective industries, businesses and potential residents that Lewisburg is not only looking forward, but moving forward.”

 

(Middle Tenn) — The Mayor’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities recognized Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee for its commitment to improve the lives of persons with disabilities. The Employer Award recognizes a business that hires, accommodates, supports, develops and retains employees with disabilities. Betty Johnson, Vice President and Chief People Officer and Debbie Grant, Development Director were on hand to receive award on Thursday, October 17 during a reception at the Nashville Farmer’s Market. 

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee has both served candidates with disabilities and employed individuals with disabilities since its inception in 1957. In 2007, Goodwill began the Transitional Employment Services Program. The goal of this program is to provide up to six months of paid work experience for candidates with disabilities. At the end of the six months, case managers assist the trainees as they apply for jobs both at Goodwill and with community employers. 

“The proof of Goodwill’s success is in the increase in number of employees who have a disability,” said Betty Johnson, vice president and chief people officer. “Today, our Goodwill employs more than 600 people with disabilities. That’s up from 300 just two years ago.” 

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee is one of Tennessee’s largest employers of persons with disabilities.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation today graduated its annual class of local law enforcement officers who attended and completed the annual TBI State Academy. 

The TBI State Academy was created as a professional and prestigious training ground for Tennessee law enforcement officers who long for the opportunity to expand their education and training in the criminal justice field. The TBI State Academy was developed with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s origin, tradition and mission in mind and is geared toward advancing techniques, science and strategy for the law enforcement community. Some of the coursework included about leadership, constitutional law, communications intelligence and undercover investigations. 

A graduate of the TBI State Academy has the opportunity to earn nine undergraduate or six graduate semester hours toward a degree at Bethel University’s College of Criminal Justice. It was a five day a week commitment for six weeks and is held at Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy in Bell Buckle, Tenn., at no cost to attendees. 

Candidates were nominated by their department heads and selected to attend. They were required to have five years of experience as a full-time commissioned officer of a Tennessee law enforcement agency, show excellent character and a professional reputation. They exhibit an interest in public service and are committed to remain in law enforcement for a minimum of three years after the TBI State Academy graduation. 

Included in the 2013 TBI State Academy Graduates is Captain Robert Johnson of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department 

TBI will begin accepting applications for the 2014 TBI State Academy in the spring.

 

KNOXVILLE, Oct. 22 – The senior Republican on the Senate health committee today announced on a Knoxville radio show that he will introduce a bill requiring the administration to provide weekly reports to Congress and to states with data about Obamacare enrollment, efforts to resolve the site’s technological problems, and information about organizations contracted as navigators. 

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said of his legislation: “As millions of Americans have sat frustrated at their computers and on their phones, wasting hours trying to fulfill the Obamacare mandate and enroll in the exchanges, the administration has refused to provide critical information about what’s going wrong, or has dribbled out news through anonymous statements to reporters. This bill will require the administration to be honest and transparent with the public, governors overseeing state exchanges, state consumer protection regulators, and decisionmakers in Congress. No more hiding the damage of the train wreck—Americans are on this train.” 

The bill would require the Obama administration to provide weekly reports to Congress, states, and the public about the 36 federally run exchanges, including easily tracked data such as the number of individuals who have visited the site and the number who have successfully enrolled, their zip code, and the level of coverage they’ve obtained. The reports would also be required to contain information on the department’s efforts to resolve the site’s widespread technical problems. 

Recent analysis by an outside firm found that traffic to the HealthCare.gov website fell 88 percent between Oct.1 and Oct. 13, as users were scared off by problems with the site, the Washington Post reported. Less than half of 1 percent of Americans who tried to use the site in the first week were able to successfully enroll, according to the Post.  

Yet, as technological problems with the site prevent Americans from being able to satisfy the Obamacare individual mandate and purchase insurance, the administration has provided little to no information about the cause of the site’s problems and its efforts to resolve them, and has provided no information about who has successfully enrolled. 

He noted the requirement that Americans sign up for health insurance by mid-February to avoid the tax penalty was confirmed by an anonymous administration official to an AP reporter on October 9 and the revelation that problems with the federal exchange website were also due to a design failure that needed to be fixed was made to a Wall Street Journal reporter on Sunday, after the administration repeatedly told Americans that the problems were due to volume. 

Alexander announced his legislation on the Knoxville area’s Hallerin Hilton Hill Morning Show.