Month: August 2010

Healthy Options Highlighted on New Ruby Tuesday Menu

Posted by admin – August 26, 2010

Maryville, Tenn. — Ruby Tuesday is making it easier to eat healthy while dining out, with the addition of lunch salads, more seafood, and new choices on the Fresh Garden Bar.  In addition, a new “Fit & Trim” symbol appears next to items on the menu that have 700 or fewer calories.

Ruby Tuesday founder and CEO, Sandy Beall, says, “We’re giving our guests more options and making it easier for them to identify healthier choices with the inclusion of the Fit & Trim symbol.  We’ve added new selections while keeping our focus on fresh ingredients and bold flavors.

“These are great tasting dishes,” says Peter Glander, Ruby Tuesday’s Executive Chef, “with absolutely no compromise on flavor.”  He cites the Herb-Crusted Tilapia, one of the restaurants’ most popular seafood dishes, as an example.  The tender, mild fish is crusted with panko garlic bread crumbs and topped with lemon-butter sauce. It is served with fresh, steamed broccoli and white cheddar mashed potatoe, and has less than 700 calories.  A total of 16 entrees on the new menu are designated Fit & Trim.

“The new menu offers even more variety,” says Kimberly Grant, Ruby Tuesday’s Executive Vice President.   “For example, our guests are free to choose which two side items they would like with any entrée selection.”  And the number of side dishes is growing, with healthy additions that include fresh grilled green beans and fresh grilled asparagus. To make the selection process even easier, the choices are divided into three categories. “We have our Classics, our new Fit & Trim sides, and our Premium sides – a group that includes a new baked macaroni-and-cheese,” says Grant.

For the lunch crowd, Ruby Tuesday has added a Petite Lunch Salad offering.  Smaller portions of the Grilled Salmon Salad, the Carolina Chicken Salad, and others are available until 4:00 p.m.  “The Petite Lunch Salad is perfect if you’re on the go or looking for something lighter,” says Glander.  Ruby Tuesday’s signature Fresh Garden Bar also now has more variety with the addition of pepperoncini, banana peppers, sun dried tomatoes, cauliflower, apples, and green olives.

Ruby Tuesday recently began serving complimentary fresh-baked Garlic Cheese Biscuits to all guests. “Our delicious biscuits are a savory, yet sweet accompaniment to the meal.  They are made from scratch and baked fresh throughout the day so they’re delivered to the table piping hot,” says Glander.  One final addition to the menu is the growing list of premium wines that includes Cellar No. 8, Gnarly Head, Bonterra, Coppola, and Rodney Strong, among others.

“Ruby Tuesday guests now have the freedom to choose, and not just their sides.  They can create their own Baby-Back Rib Platter with Louisiana fried shrimp or chicken wings, or they can add lobster tails or Lobster Mac-n-Cheese to their steak entrée for just $5 more,” says Beall.  The CEO says he is confident guests are going to like the new menu, based on feedback from the test markets.  “It’s clearly a departure from the not-always-fresh food that is still common at typical bar-and-grill restaurants,” says Beall.

All of the new menu changes are a continuation of Ruby Tuesday’s “Fresh Taste, Fresh Place” brand transformation.  In 2005, the company began a reimaging initiative that included a focus on fresher food and gracious hospitality and concluded with the creation of a contemporary new look for its restaurants. The updated look, feel, and menu offerings are all important components of Ruby Tuesday’s mission to consistently provide a high-quality, casual dining experience with compelling value that guests will enjoy and remember.

For more information about Ruby Tuesday, please visit the company website at www.rubytuesday.com or on Facebook at www.facebook/rubytuesday.

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About Ruby Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday, Inc. has company-owned and/or franchised Ruby Tuesday brand restaurants in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and 14 foreign countries. As of June 1, 2010, the company owned and operated 656 Ruby Tuesday restaurants, while domestic and international franchisees (including Hawaii and Guam) operated 165 and 58 restaurants, respectively. Ruby Tuesday, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (Symbol: RT).

Cellular Sales continues to climb on Inc. magazine’s list of the nation’s fastest growing companies

Posted by Erin Freeman – August 26, 2010

Knoxville, Tenn. – Inc. magazine listed Cellular Sales at No. 72 on its list of the nation’s fastest growing companies according to gross dollars of growth. Cellular Sales was ranked No. 1,856 on the fourth annual overall list of the nation’s fastest growing companies (up from No. 2,069 last year).  The “Inc. 5,000” represents a comprehensive look at America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs.

Growth for Cellular Sales was reported at 147 percent according to Inc. magazine.  The magazine ranked Cellular Sales No. 96 on the “Inc. 5,000” list of the nation’s fastest-growing privately held retail companies.  The magazine reported that Cellular Sales’ 2006 revenue of $127.9 million grew to $316.1 million last year.

“When we started with one Cellular Sales store in 1993, we said we were going to stand out from other companies by providing the kind of customer service that turns customers into dedicated fans who don’t want to do business anywhere else,” said Dane Scism, founder and CEO of Cellular Sales.  “We do things that other companies cannot or will not do – and our success comes from that philosophy.

“Every single customer who purchases a wireless device from us gets a call from Cellular Sales within 24 hours.  We call to see what their in-store experience was like.  We make sure they understand how their new phone operates and make sure they understand their service plan.  It’s just one more way Cellular Sales guarantees that our customers are getting unparalleled service.”

Cellular Sales, Verizon Wireless’ largest premium retailer, also conducts ongoing analysis of its customers’ phone usage so the company can notify customers when other service plans would be more cost effective for them.

“In spite of economic ups and downs, Cellular Sales has averaged 30 percent growth every year,” Scism explained.  “You can only do that by making sure your customers are happy with you.  We have customer satisfaction numbers that show our training and business model works.”

Cellular Sales is a 17-year old privately held company founded and headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn.  The company currently operates throughout the United States.  By year end, Cellular Sales will open at least 50 new stores in markets across the United States, bringing the company’s total number of locations to around 400.  For the past three years, Inc. Magazine has named Cellular Sales one of the nation’s fastest growing retail companies in the country.

For more information about Cellular Sales, or to find a Cellular Sales location near you, visit the company’s web site at www.cellularsales.com.  Read about the entire 2010 Inc. magazine “Inc. 5000” list at http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2010/index.html.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Internal Medicine Duo Joins East Tennessee Medical Group

Posted by Lisa Hood Skinner – August 25, 2010

ALCOA, Tenn. –Husband and wife duo Aaron Smyth, D.O., and Kathrine Smyth, M.D., both internal medicine physicians, have joined the staff of East Tennessee Medical Group, 266 Joule St., Alcoa, Tenn. They currently are accepting patients.
With a clinical interest in geriatrics and preventative medicine, Dr. Aaron Smyth completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, following his medical degree from Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine, Pikeville, Ky. He received his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Dr. Kathrine Smyth, who specializes in women’s health and preventative medicine, completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, after receiving her medical degree from East Tennessee State University College of Medicine, Johnson City, Tenn. She received her bachelor’s degree in microbiology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

The Smyths are members of the American College of Physicians and the Christian Medical and Dental Association.

East Tennessee Medical Group is a 50-provider multi-specialty medical group in Alcoa, serving Blount County for over 15 years.  For the second consecutive year, ETMG has been recognized as the # 1 Healthcare facility in Blount County by The Daily Times Readers’ Choice Awards. For more information, call 984-ETMG or visit its website at www.etmg.net.

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CONTACT

Ron German

East Tennessee Medical Group

(865) 984-ETMG

Ackermann PR’s founder and CEO discusses promising signs for the local economy

Posted by Erin Freeman – August 19, 2010

Cathy Ackermann, Ackermann PR’s founder and CEO, talked to WATE television in Knoxville to discuss promising signs on the local economic horizon.  Watch the entire interview by clicking on the image below.

Cathy Ackermann appears on WATE (ABC) television August 18, 2010

Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Ackermann PR records 45 percent revenue gain for first six months of 2010

Posted by Erin Freeman – August 18, 2010

Knoxville, Tenn. – Ackermann PR, Knoxville’s only Top 100-ranked public relations and marketing agency, today announced that for the first six months ending June 30, 2010, the firm generated 20 new account relationships and a 45 percent increase in revenues, 2010 versus 2009.  The agency’s digital business strategies division contributed significantly to both increases.

“While we are extremely pleased and grateful for the increased business activity, these increases are most significant because they reflect what we see as the beginning of restored confidence and a return to economic health in the marketplace,” said Cathy Ackermann, Ackermann PR Founder and CEO.

“This resurgence doesn’t seem to be focused on any one sector, but rather across several industries.  We are even seeing some resumption of activity in extremely depressed sectors such as real estate development.  Two additional phenomena of the economic downturn is the number of new entrepreneurial start-ups we have seen and the requests we have received from non-profit organizations who are looking for strategic support to shore-up much needed fund raising efforts.”

Among the new clients are Pilot Corporation, Anderson Media Corporation, CityView at Riverwalk, HGTV, Tennessee Cancer Specialists, Wellness Centers of America and the Hearing and Speech Foundation.  The large number of new accounts contributed 24 percent of the agency’s year-to-date revenue growth.

Ackermann PR is a full-service, integrated firm providing strategic public relations, comprehensive marketing capabilities and digital consulting services.  The company is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and serves clients across the United States.  It is the only East Tennessee PR firm listed on PR Week magazine’s list of the nation’s Top 100 firms.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Moving Picture Books releases “Myles’ Pesky Friends” by Brad Martin, former Chairman and CEO of Saks

Posted by Erin Freeman – August 17, 2010

Knoxville, Tenn. – Moving Picture Books has just released a new digital book and packaged book/DVD called “Myles’ Pesky Friends” by Brad Martin, the former Chairman and CEO of department store retailer Saks Incorporated.

Brad Martin

“Myles’ Pesky Friends” is set in Grenada in the Eastern Caribbean.  The story chronicles the relationship between a four-year old boy, Myles, and the creatures that share his Grenada vacation home.  While Myles’ dad never understands the boy’s friendship with the animals, he comes to embrace the pesky friends when the family encounters an unexpected storm during the family’s vacation.

“This book began as a story I would tell to my three young sons at bedtime,” Martin said.  “The tale involved creatures we had become accustomed to sharing our home with when visiting the island of Grenada.

“The publication of ‘Myles’ Pesky Friends’ and the Moving Picture Books digital edition is a great opportunity to share this tale of friendship, trust and sharing with children everywhere.”

Martin, who divides his time between homes in Memphis, Tenn. and Grenada, served as Chairman and CEO of Saks Incorporated from 1989 until 2006.  Martin also served five terms as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives and holds the distinction of being the youngest person ever elected to the Tennessee General Assembly, as he was elected to this post two days after his 21st birthday in 1972.

Martin dedicated the new book to the Queen Elizabeth Home for Children located in Tempe, St. Georges, Grenada.  Opened in 1964, the Queen Elizabeth Home for Children provides housing and support for nearly 30 young children.  The R. Brad Martin Family Foundation provides financial support to the operations of the Queen Elizabeth Home.

In conjunction with the publication of “Myles’ Pesky Friends,” the Queen Elizabeth Home for Children announced a major renovation and expansion of its facility and construction of a new exterior pavilion.  The improvements will provide dedicated study hall areas for the children at the home, a new nursery and sick bay, additional staff and support space, and a new venue for recreational, educational, and cultural activities at the new pavilion.  A majority of the funding for these projects is coming from the R. Brad Martin Family Foundation.

“I’m particularly excited to introduce the wonderful country of Grenada to new people,” Martin said.  “Our family considers Grenada our home away from home, and this is one way for me to show my gratitude for the warmth and hospitality we have experienced through our association with this country and its wonderful people while spotlighting the children and staff of the Queen Elizabeth Home.”

“Myles’ Pesky Friends” was illustrated by Micki Martin and Andrea Truan.  Martin is an artist and photographer who has worked in the retail and magazine industry in New York and now lives in Memphis, Tenn.  Truan is an established illustrator, designer and multi-media artist who has worked for clients ranging from Disney to Fisher-Price Toys to the HGTV television network.  Truan lives in Knoxville, Tenn.

“Myles’ Pesky Friends” is offered as a book and as an animated DVD and digital download produced by Moving Picture Books.  Knoxville-based Moving Picture Books has an extensive line of children’s books that can be downloaded directly to iPods, cell phones, computers and most mobile devices.

Moving Picture Books are designed to engage and inspire young readers.  The read-along text versions of the books have been hailed by education professionals and parents as a great early reading tool.  In addition, the books feature age-appropriate lessons that all parents can appreciate like caring, sharing, honesty and self-reliance.  Because Moving Picture Books can be viewed on mobile devices, they are popular with both busy parents and their children.

For more information or to purchase “Myles’ Pesky Friends” or other Moving Picture Books titles, visit www.MovingPictureBooks.com.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Titanic Museum Attraction prepares for spectacular Christmas Celebration

Posted by Erin Freeman – August 11, 2010

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee –  It will snow this holiday season in Pigeon Forge; Titanic Museum Attraction guarantees it.  Starting Saturday, November 13, it will snow – yes, REAL snow – at the Titanic every Friday and Saturday evening at 7 p.m. through January 1, 2011.  The snow is part of the museum’s “Christmas in a Winter Wonderland,” which is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the lives of the 2,208 passengers and crew of the Titanic.

Titanic Museum Attraction co-owner Mary Kellogg-Joslyn is pulling out all the stops this Christmas and has invested $150,000 in snow equipment (the same equipment used to make it snow at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom every Christmas) that will produce real, falling snow every weekend at the museum.  An additional $100,000 will be spent on Christmas trees, carolers and musical events, holiday lights, and ornamentation that will decorate the interior and exterior of the Titanic Museum Attraction.

Since opening in April, the Titanic Museum Attraction has quickly become one of the region’s premier destinations and was voted one of East Tennessee’s “Top Five Attractions” after being open less than three months.  Once visitors see the ship adorned bow-to-stern in Edwardian period holiday decorations, they will understand why approximately 100,000 people per month are flocking from all parts of the country to experience this one-of-a-kind attraction.

Everything at Titanic Museum Attraction is done on a large scale – from the amazing fireworks display and free concerts that kicked off the museum’s April Grand Opening (hosted by Regis Philbin) to the perfect re-creation of the Titanic’s Grand Staircase and the collection of more than 400 authentic Titanic artifacts on display in the museum’s 20 galleries.  The Titanic Museum Attraction gives its guests – young and old – an experience they will never forget, and its Christmas in a Winter Wonderland Celebration will be no exception.

“What is the Titanic Museum Attraction? It is a celebration of the ship and her passengers and crew” said John Joslyn, co-owner of the Titanic Museum Attraction.  “Every day the Titanic honors each and every one of them by telling their stories and bringing them to life for our guests.  Our visitors truly experience what it was like onboard the Titanic and, during the holidays, they will truly experience what Christmas would have been like on the world’s most luxurious ocean liner.”

“Everything about our Christmas in a Winter Wonderland Celebration is aimed at giving our visitors and their families a unique and memorable holiday experience.  A memory that will last forever – and isn’t that what Christmas is all about?”

Titanic Museum Attraction is a half-scale, permanent, three-deck re-creation of the Titanic.  All of the priceless Titanic artifacts displayed in the museum were either carried from the ship and into lifeboats by passengers and crew, or were found afloat soon after the sinking and quickly salvaged by rescue boats.

Inside the Titanic Museum Attraction, visitors find full-size re-creations (built from actual Titanic blueprints) of Third-Class quarters, a First-Class suite, dining rooms and – the museum’s centerpiece – a $1 million exact reproduction of the Titanic’s Grand Staircase.  The First-Class suite in the Titanic Museum Attraction, which is dedicated to Isidor and Ida Straus who co-owned Macy’s Department Stores, was also the cabin used in James Cameron’s blockbuster movie Titanic as Rose’s suite.

In addition to being a world class museum in the truest sense of the word, Titanic Museum Attraction is also highly interactive and offers a hands-on experience for children, teenagers and adults.  The ship is anchored in water to create the illusion of Titanic at sea, and a two-hour self-guided tour gives guests the sensation of sailing on the original ship’s 1912 maiden voyage. Upon entry, each guest receives a boarding pass bearing the name of an actual Titanic passenger or crew member whose fate is revealed on the Memorial Wall at tour end. Along the way, powerful emotions surface as guests:

  • Walk Titanic’s Grand Staircase
  • Touch the frozen surface of an “iceberg”
  • Feel the chill of that fateful “Starry Night”
  • Study some of the largest, most detailed Titanic models ever built
  • Grip the ship’s wheel and follow the Captain’s commands
  • Tour world-class galleries and the rare historical artifacts they hold
  • Sit in a Titanic lifeboat and listen to actual survivors tell their stories
  • Send an SOS from the Marconi Wireless Room
  • Test their balance while standing on mini-decks built to show the ever-steeper slope of Titanic as she sank
  • Watch children eight years and younger explore the special interactive Tot-Titanic Play-and-Learn Room
  • Dive to Titanic’s wreck site via spectacular underwater camera footage

The Titanic Museum Attraction – which is conveniently located to all areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville – is now open every day from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. ET.  Tickets are available online at www.TitanicPigeonForge.com and visitors are strongly urged to purchase tickets in advance or make reservations by calling 1-800-381-7670.  The museum has something special for each and every member of your family.

Cedar Bay Entertainment, which owns and operates Titanic Museum Attraction, is a privately owned entertainment and development company headquartered in Branson, Missouri, the site of Cedar Bay’s first Titanic Museum Attraction. Since its April 2006 grand opening, it has welcomed more than 2,700,000 guests.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

AT&T donates $105,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Tennessee

Posted by admin – August 10, 2010

(L to R) State Representative Ryan Haynes; State Representative Harry Brooks; Boys & Girls Club of Halls/Powell Executive Director Josh Yarbrough; State Representative Bill Dunn; Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley President/CEO John D. Lee; Boys & Girls Club of Halls/Powell Advisory Board Chairman Wally Welch; AT&T Tennessee Regional Director of External Affairs Alan Hill

Knoxville, Tenn., - Today, AT&T* announced a $105,000 corporate contribution to Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee to support Project Learn in 21 clubs across the state. Project Learn features a program that provides supplemental learning activities to strengthen developmental skills.

Each of the selected clubs will receive $5,000 to support Project Learn. In Knoxville, the Boys & Girls Club of Halls/Powell was chosen to receive $5,000 for the Project Learn program. The Eagleton Boys & Girls Club in Maryville will also receive $5,000.
 
Project Learn reinforces and enhances the skills and knowledge young people learn at school through “high-yield” learning activities, including leisure reading, writing activities, homework help and games that develop and strengthen cognitive skills.
 
Gregg Morton, State President, AT&T Tennessee presented the donation to Boys & Girls Clubs officials during a ceremony at the Halls/Powell Boys & Girls Club in Knoxville today. “Working with the Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee through programs like Project Learn emphasizes our commitment to helping educate our youth and better prepare them for the future,” said Morton. “These children are tomorrow’s leaders. AT&T recognizes this and invests in Project Learn in order to provide them with the skills needed to succeed in tomorrow’s workforce. We applaud our state leaders for creating an environment that encourages business investment in educational initiatives.”
 
“Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee is grateful to AT&T for contributing to Project Learn,” said Bob Schrader, president of Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee. “The overall benefits through the education and training these children receive in this program are a direct return on investment for the state’s business community.”
 
The following Boys & Girls Clubs will each receive a contribution from AT&T:
·         Highland Park Club, Chattanooga
·         Benton Club, Benton
·         James Tucker Club, Cleveland
·         Madisonville Club, Madisonville
·         Maury County Club, Columbia
·         Smyrna Club, Smyrna
·         East Club, Jackson
·         Brownsville Club, Brownsville
·         Northwest TN Club, Union City
·         Ira Samelson Jr. Club, Memphis
·         Hickory Hill Club, Memphis
·         Goodwill Club, Memphis
·         Andrew Jackson Club, Nashville
·         Fairview Club, Fairview
·         Morristown/Hamblen County Club, Morristown
·         Pigeon Forge Club, Pigeon Forge
·         Eagleton Club, Maryville
·         Halls/Powell Club, Knoxville
·         Tennessee Club, Bristol
·         Johnson City Club, Johnson City
·         Riverview Club, Kingsport
 
“AT&T and Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee are setting a great example of what can be accomplished through partnerships between corporations and nonprofit organizations,” said State Representative Harry Brooks, chairman of the House Education Committee. “Identifying the relationship between business investment and educational initiatives directly benefits Tennessee’s children and workforce.”
 
“It is so important to invest in programs like Project Learn,” said Lisa Hurst, executive director of Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee. “AT&T’s contribution to the program shows its commitment to providing educational opportunities for our state’s children. We applaud our state leaders,

(L to R) Alan Hill, AT&T Tennessee Regional Director of External Affairs; Gregg Morton, AT&T State President; State Representative Ryan Haynes; State Representative Harry Brooks; State Representative Bill Dunn; members of the Boys & Girls Clubs

including Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, House Speaker Kent Williams, Senate Education Chair Delores Gresham and House Education Chair Harry Brooks for their attention and support to education initiatives like this.”

“AT&T’s commitment to education is something we need more companies throughout the state to follow,” said Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey. “AT&T’s investment in programs like Project Learn will strengthen Tennessee’s future economy and workforce.”
 
“Education goes so much further than the classroom,” said House Speaker Kent Williams. “AT&T’s investment in programs like Project Learn exemplifies its commitment to furthering education in Tennessee.”
 
“AT&T should be commended for its efforts and contributions to educational opportunities for Tennessee’s children,” said Senate Education Chair Delores Gresham. “Project Learn is one example of a program that is making a difference in Tennessee.”
 
Project Learn emphasizes collaborations between Boys & Girls Clubs staff, parents and school personnel, and focuses on the skills young people develop both at the Boys & Girls Clubs and in the home. Based on Dr. Reginald Clark’s research, Project Learn incorporates fun, but academically beneficial activities that increase overall academic performance. Formally evaluated by Columbia University, Project Learn has been proven to significantly boost the academic performances of Club members.
 
“Tennessee has made great strides in recent months toward strengthening its education efforts, and our state’s business leaders are playing a key role,” said Commissioner Tim Webb of the Tennessee Department of Education. “We are all in this fight together, and AT&T recognizes that partnering with local community organizations is important to the success of our education initiatives.”                                                                   
 
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
 
About Philanthropy at AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives and partnerships, AT&T has a long history of supporting projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs. In 2009, nearly $155 million was contributed through corporate-, employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs.
 
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world’s most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation’s fastest 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation’s leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE®magazine’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.
 
© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

Cellular Sales announces huge South Florida expansion and at least 100 new positions

Posted by Erin Freeman – August 10, 2010

Knoxville, Tenn. – Cellular Sales, the nation’s largest Verizon premium wireless retailer, announced today that it is expanding in South Florida.  The company will open six new stores and add at least 100 new sales consultants in the next four months.

Cellular Sales Verizon Wireless will open new stores throughout South Florida in Key West, Aventura Mall, Stuart, Wellington Mall, Fort Pierce and Lauderhill/Sunrise Area.  Currently, Cellular Sales operates 11 locations in South Florida and more than 300 stores across the United States.  According to Ann Snyder, the national recruiter for Cellular Sales, sales consultants for Cellular Sales earn an average of more than $51,000 per year.

Just two weeks ago, Cellular Sales announced it would hire between 200 and 250 new employees to work at its National Call Center in Knoxville, Tenn.  The new call center – which represents an investment of well over $1 million by Cellular Sales – will employ supervisors, managers and customer service representatives in full-time and part-time positions.

Mike Gault, South Florida Regional Director for Cellular Sales, said, “This unbelievable growth Cellular Sales is experiencing is directly related to the ultimate customer service we provide.  We do things that other companies cannot or will not do.

“We want every customer who purchases a wireless device in one of our 300-plus stores across the country to get a call from us within 24 hours of the time they leave our store.

“Every customer we call is asked what their in-store experience was like, we make sure they understand how their new phone operates and make sure they understand their service plan.  It’s just one more way Cellular Sales guarantees that our customers are getting unparalleled service.”

Cellular Sales Verizon Wireless also conducts ongoing analysis of its customers’ phone usage so the company can notify customers when other service plans would be more cost effective for them.

“Everyone uses their wireless phone differently,” said Gault.  “Here at Cellular Sales, we monitor how our customers are using their phones and reach out to them if we recognize usage trends that are better-suited to other service plans.  It’s one of the extra steps we take to establish a strong, one-on-one relationship with our customers.

“As a company, we have grown by about 30 percent every year.  Our expansion in South Florida is not a one-time event.  We have every intention to continue this pattern in South Florida and in all of our markets.”

Cellular Sales is a 17-year old privately held company founded and headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn.  The company currently operates throughout the United States.  By year end, Cellular Sales will open at least 50 new stores in markets across the United States, bringing the company’s total number of locations to around 400.  For the past two years, Inc. Magazine has named Cellular Sales one of the nation’s fastest growing retail companies in the country.

Cellular Sales currently operates locations in South Florida in towns including Deerfield Beach, Jupiter, Homestead, Key Largo, Miami Beach, Pembroke Pines, South Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Westchester, and Cutler Bay.

For more information about Cellular Sales, or to find a Cellular Sales location near you, visit the company’s web site at www.cellularsales.com. Job seekers should call 888-915-MOBILE (6624) or visit www.cellularsales.com/opportunity to schedule an interview.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Clayton Homes to Help in Haiti

Posted by Ryan Willis – August 6, 2010

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Clayton Homes, the nation’s largest modular and manufactured home builder, will soon be shipping classrooms to Haiti as part of an agreement with the Clinton Foundation…all part of an incredible humanitarian effort spearheaded by former President Bill Clinton. 

During the groundbreaking ceremony in Haiti with former President Clinton, Kevin Clayton, CEO of Clayton Homes, announced, “We are delighted to work with the Clinton Foundation in participation with the UN, Red Cross, World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank to help rebuild Haiti.  This program will help get children back in school and create much needed Haitian jobs.” 

Clayton, a Berkshire-Hathaway Company, has significantly reduced the cost of the classrooms in support of this important initiative. The company plans to also supply discounted homes, specially designed for international shipping. 

“Ultimately our goal is to help Haiti develop facilities where they can build classrooms and homes themselves,” said Clayton. “This will help meet their ongoing housing requirements and build a new local industry.”  Clayton also hopes the program can be a model for assisting other nations with their housing and school initiatives. “We have dozens of production facilities all across the U.S.,” he said. “We hope to use that expertise to help developing nations learn the quality, cost and eco-friendly benefits of this building process.” 

When former President Bill Clinton was named to head the relief effort, Clayton’s Director of International Development, Paul Thomas, called the Clinton Foundation to see if there was a way to help.  That led to the involvement with the UN and to the announcement today in Haiti. 

Such international efforts are not new to Clayton Homes.  Through its Building Solutions Group, the company has tackled such challenges before.  “We have been engineering and designing structures that can be shipped around the world since the 1980s,” said Thomas.  “We have the expertise to assist emerging economies with their affordable housing, right down to the coordination of on-site development.” 

“We agree with President Clinton’s assessment that this is an important and critical first step in a sustainable future for Haitians and we are grateful to be a part of it,” added Clayton.

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About Clayton Homes:  A Berkshire-Hathaway Company, Clayton Homes is a national, vertically integrated housing company with more than 12,000 employees at over 500 locations nationally. Learn more at www.claytonhomes.com.

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