Month: August 2009

Sperry Van Ness/R.M. Moore Acquires Sevierville Firm

Posted by Amelia Daniels – August 6, 2009

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Roger Moore of Sperry Van Ness/R.M. Moore with David Gothard, formerly of Colonial Real Estate, Inc.

Knoxville, Tenn. – One of Knoxville’s largest commercial real estate companies, Sperry Van Ness/R.M. Moore, LLC is acquiring the commercial division of Colonial Real Estate, Inc. in Sevierville, Tenn.

“We’ve had a significant presence in Sevierville for the last four or five years,” says Roger Moore, founder and president of Sperry Van Ness/R.M. Moore.  R.M. Moore opened an office there in 2005 and assigned three brokers to the area.  “We got to know the folks up there really well; it’s been a tremendous market for us.” 

Through his work in Sevier County, Moore met Steve Lane, the owner of Colonial Real Estate, and formed a friendship.  Lane founded Colonial Real Estate, Inc. in 1983 and divided the company into the residential and commercial divisions in 2006.

As for why Lane is selling Colonial Commercial, “I practiced what I preached for so many years and invested in real estate,” says Lane.  “Selling the commercial division to Roger will allow me to focus on those investments.”   Lane says this deal makes sense because of R.M. Moore’s recent affiliation with the national real estate company, Sperry Van Ness. 

“We recognized the advantages of being part of a network of top commercial real estate firms across the country,” says Moore.  “It’s paying off in a number of ways; this acquisition is just another example.”  Lane agrees and says, “The marketing and technology that Sperry Van Ness provides is exactly what the Sevierville market needs.”

With the acquisition of Colonial Commercial, Sperry Van Ness/R.M. Moore will have more than 100 listings in the Sevierville area.  “That’s a credit to Steve’s folks at Colonial and their local expertise, as well as our hardworking brokers who are there day in and day out,” says Moore.  

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Moore talking with Gothard who will serve as Principal Broker for Sperry Van Ness/R.M. Moore's Sevierville office.

Currently, Colonial Commercial’s sales staff is led by Principal Broker, David Gothard.  “This market has really matured over the last decade,” says Gothard.  “Being affiliated with Sperry Van Ness will make a huge difference, as it will lend that national credibility to all that we do in Sevierville.”  All brokers and affiliate brokers from Colonial Commercial will stay on with Sperry Van Ness/R.M. Moore.  “It’s our hope that we will need to add brokers to the Sevierville office as our presence in this region grows,” says Moore.  

While Sperry Van Ness/R.M. Moore’s headquarters will remain at 4713 Papermill Drive in Knoxville, the real estate company will have a branch office at Colonial Commercial’s current location, 963 Dolly Parton Parkway in Sevierville.  In addition to property sales, leasing and full brokerage services, Sperry Van Ness/R.M. Moore has considerable expertise in property management and will continue to emphasize this important service.

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Media Contact
Amelia Daniels
adaniels@ackermannpr.com
(865) 584-0550

Second Harvest Announces Upcoming and Ongoing Food Drives

Posted by Ryan Willis – August 5, 2009

LogoKnoxville, Tenn. - There are a number of food drives planned for the end of summer and beginning of fall in and around the Knoxville area.  Listed below are Second Harvest Food Drives scheduled for August and September as well as a list of the ongoing collections. 

  • Knox County Schools’ First Days – August 17 & 18
     
  • East TN Irish Festival – August 22, 2009 – The 2nd Annual Irish Festival will be held in World’s Fair Park. This festival is a celebration of Irish Culture and features traditional music, dance, cuisine, beverages, workshops, cultural exhibits as well as contemporary venders, an inflatable jungle gym for kids and much more.
     
  • 6 Shares High School Football Challenge – Fall 2009 – High Schools across East Tennessee are paired with a rival High School, competing to see which school can raise more food and funds for Second Harvest Food Bank.  More than 20 high schools have signed up for this year’s 6 Shares High School Football Challenge.
     
  • Hola Hora Latina Festival – September 18-21
     
  • Apple Tree Nursery – Ongoing – Second Harvest will be the beneficiary of the sale of Japanese red maples (Acer Plamatum), as part of an ongoing promotion by Apple Tree Nursery. Fifty percent of the sales of the Japanese red maple trees will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank. 

A number of other ongoing collections are taking place at a variety of organizations in the area, including:  Knoxville Jewish Alliance, Temple Beth El, Camping World, Superior Financial Services, Baha’is of Knoxville, Consolidated Products Inc., Stonewall II Apartments, Wyngate Homeowners Association, US Dept. of HUD, Howard Baker Federal Courthouse Building, High Places Community Church and Christian Family Church.

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For more information, please visit www.secondharvestknox.org.

Media Contact:
Ryan Willis
(865) 584-0550
rwillis@ackermannpr.com

Gentry, Tipton & McLemore Announce Staff Addition

Posted by Ryan Willis – August 5, 2009

Knoxville, Tenn. - Gentry, Tipton & McLemore continues to grow as they have recently added another attorney to their expanding practice.  Greg Meadows, a University of Tennessee Law School graduate, brings more than 15 years of experience to his new position at Gentry, Tipton & McLemore.Meadows - smaller

Greg Meadows has extensive and diverse commercial transaction experience as corporate counsel and counsel to lenders, borrowers, buyers and sellers.  Additionally, he possesses extensive experience in negotiating and communicating with a wide variety of disciplines and levels of authority within local, national, and international companies.

While in law school at the University of Tennessee, Meadows was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and the Order of the Coif.  After graduating magna cum laude in 1993, he began his career at Long, Ragsdale & Waters, P.C., where he primarily focused on commercial real estate law.  Prior to joining Gentry, Tipton & McLemore, Meadows served as president of Leland Dean Properties, LLC, a real estate consulting services and development company.  

He is a member of the Knoxville and Tennessee Bar Associations.

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Media Contact:
Ryan Willis
(865) 584-0550
rwillis@ackermannpr.com

Layoffs, Furloughs, and Cutbacks Continue, According to Latest APR Survey

Posted by Amelia Daniels – August 4, 2009

Knoxville, Tenn. – Add “vacations without pay” to layoffs, cutbacks, no raises or bonuses, and elimination of matching 401K payments.

The latest quarterly survey of East Tennessee business leaders by Ackermann PR shows cost cutting is not yet over.  However, despite the continued economic problems, business leaders are cautiously optimistic about the future.

“While vacations without pay were occasionally mentioned in our previous surveys, this is the first time that this was named as a strategy by approximately half of our respondents,” said Cathy Ackermann, President and CEO of Ackermann PR.  “Employers are obviously looking at every available means to try to keep their businesses viable during this economic storm.”

Additionally, East Tennessee is not finished with lay-offs.  A majority of survey respondents – 70 percent – anticipate additional lay-offs at their businesses between now and the end of 2009.

However, almost 90% of the respondents expect their business outlook and revenues to improve in 2010, with most also predicting an end to the recession by December, 2010.  This reflects more optimism than was cited in the two previous Ackermann PR surveys when a substantial number of participants thought the recession would last 3-5 years.

Sent to approximately 300 business leaders in East Tennessee, the survey also listed broad areas of concern.  The top three worrisome areas were:  continuing tight credit for businesses, high unemployment and the national debt.  Lower-ranked concerns included the housing market, the stock market, and government bail outs.  This contrasts with the first-quarter survey, which listed government bail-outs as the number-one concern.

Predictions relative to business volumes/revenues for the third and fourth quarters of 2009 were as follows:

  • 60 percent predict a modest increase (up from 50 percent last time)
  • 15 percent predict a decrease (compared to 28 percent)
  • 10 percent predict a significant increase (down from 12.5 percent)
  • 15 percent predict no change from the first half of the year to the second half (compared to 9.5 percent).

“Comparing this quarter’s answers to last quarter’s, more business executives think their revenues will either stay the same or increase modestly,” said Ackermann.  “Fewer CEO’s think that their revenues will either increase dramatically or decrease.  They are tending now toward more conservative middle ground.”

About Ackermann PR
Ackermann PR is a full-service, integrated marketing and communications firm providing strategic consulting, public relations and marketing.

Media Contact
Mike Cohen
Ackermann PR
(865) 584-0550
mcohen@ackermannpr.com

Sevier County Bank Completes New Building for Seymour Branch

Posted by Ryan Willis – August 3, 2009

Sevierville, Tenn. – As many businesses and organizations are being forced to downsize or close completely, one local bank is continuing to invest in new and improved facilities to serve it’s customers.  On Friday, Sevier County Bank officially opened a new building for its Seymour banking operations and announced plans to open a new branch in Gatlinburg in September.
Jud Wilkerson, Jeff Catlett, and Mary Summitt of Sevier County Bank serve customer Jack Whitted and others during the Open House

Jud Wilkerson, Jeff Catlett, and Mary Summitt of Sevier County Bank serve customer Jack Whitted and others during the Open House

“We have experienced a great amount of growth in the Seymour area, and with the opening of this new bank building, we hope to make trips to the bank more convenient for our loyal Seymour customers and their families,” says R. B. Summitt II, Sevier County Bank President.  “After 100 years in business, we feel very fortunate to be in a position where we continue to expand, and look forward to serving this community for many years to come.”

This has been an exciting and extremely busy year for Sevier County Bank.  In March, the bank celebrated its centennial anniversary with a week-long celebration thanking customers with a variety of events. 

The next month, Sevier County Bank, along with Sevier County Schools, announced a partnership in underwriting the establishment of the Sevier County Education Hall of Fame.  The Hall of Fame will memorialize teachers, administrators, school employees and school board members who have made outstanding contributions to the education of Sevier County students.

On Friday, July 31, the bank held an open house at the new branch in Seymour, located at 11403 Chapman Highway.  Refreshments and cake were available for customers throughout the day, with hot dogs and drinks being served for lunch.

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For more information about Sevier County Bank, visit www.SevierCountyBank.com

Media Contact:
Ryan Willis
(865) 584-0550
rwillis@ackermannpr.com