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Click to view the online version of the Blount Partnership weekly newsletter for February 17, 2025.

The Christman Company’s Knoxville region has been recognized with the 2024 Diamond STEP Award by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Greater Tennessee Chapter.

The construction company received the Safety Training Evaluation Process (STEP) award, which signifies a commitment to jobsite safety and exemplary safety programs, at the chapter’s annual ceremony in Nashville in December.

“Safety is our top priority at The Christman Company,” said Marty Gibbs, senior vice president and general manager for Christman’s operations in Knoxville. “This acknowledgement of our efforts to foster safe work environments is significant because it comes from those who also work in our industry and understand our operations.”

The Christman Company has earned the Diamond award – the highest level – from ABC in Tennessee for two consecutive years. In 2023, the company earned the Associated Builders and Contractors’ national award at the Platinum STEP level. The Christman Company is now eligible again for national honors.

“We also want to acknowledge all of our team members and trade contractor partners,” Gibbs said. “It takes the contributions of everyone on the jobsite to maintain safety standards and earn this recognition.”

ABC developed the STEP program to assist construction companies in assessing and improving their safety practices and procedures. The program provides a detailed framework for companies to evaluate the effectiveness of safety programs and benchmark their performance against industry standards and peers.

Click to view the online version of the Blount Partnership weekly newsletter for January 27, 2025.

Eight individuals and businesses that gave their time and resources to make Blount County a special place to live, work, and thrive were honored at the Blount Partnership Best of Blount Awards held at the Airport Hilton Friday evening. Amazon, Blount Excavating, DENSO, Gear, ICC International, Joseph Construction, Massey Electric, Smith & Wesson, Above the Rest Balloon Designs, Hilton, AMR, CBBC Bank, Avero Advisors, BCI and First Horizon sponsored the event.

The awards program, which saw more than 600 attend, was hosted by television and radio personality Frank Murphy.

“This was a special night to honor those that give back so much to the Blount County community,” said Blount Partnership President/CEO Bryan Daniels. “These individuals and businesses work tirelessly to make sure that this community remains strong and vibrant.”

The program included a year in review video for the Blount Partnership and paid homage to Kathy Johnson, Chris Soro, and Randy Massey, who were named Blount County of Chamber Commerce lifetime members due to their outstanding dedication and work with the chamber and the community during their careers.

The Steve Coleman Family, owners of Anderson Lumber, were named the Philanthropist of the Year for their dedication to serving the public schools in the county.

Allevia Technology took home the Small Business of the Year honor and Amazon won for Large Business of the year.

Its work with many community issues, including being a resource for those dealing with poverty, the Blount County Community Action Agency won the Community Impact Award.

The Tourism Award was given to Oldham Hospitality for its investment in the Townsend community.

The Bright Future Award went to C.C. Martson & Co.,  while the City of Alcoa’s Brittany Spence was named the  Young Professional of the Year.

Deputy Shelby Eggers and Deputy Greg McCowan’s A Step Further 344 Foundation earned the First Responder Award for their heroic duty in a suspect apprehension. They were presented a $5,000 check from Cirrus Aircraft as part of the company’s initiative to recognize those who assist with emergencies.

2025 Best of Blount Award Winners

Philanthropist of the Year – Steve Coleman Family

Small Business of the Year – Allevia Technology

Large Business of the Year – Amazon

Bright Future Award – C.C. Marston & Co.

First Responder Award – Deputy Shelby Eggers and Deputy Greg McCowan’s A Step Further 344 Foundation

Community Impact Award – Blount County Community Action Agency

Young Professional of the Year – Brittany Spence

Tourism Impact Award – Oldham Hospitality

Click to view the online version of the Blount Partnership weekly newsletter for January 20, 2025.

This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So, here we go with our 219th installment visiting with Matt Vick, owner of Smoky Mountain Cattle Company which raises fullblood Japanese wagyu in Maryville and sells wagyu beef direct to consumers via our online store.

Why did you choose this business? This is our way of giving back and showing our love. In my family, if you wanted to show someone you loved them, you fed them. Whether that was at my grandmothers for Sunday lunch or my great grandmother bringing a pound cake over any time she visited or my grandfather providing an annual 4th of July BBQ for the community. Now nobody wants me cooking for them, but one thing that I can do is provide the uncooked food. By running a farm, we get to provide a food source and work to improve and protect the environment we all know and love.

How did you get started? The short answer is that I grew up on a cattle farm in Alabama that raised black angus. I went on to study finance in college at Wofford College and spent the early part of my career as an entrepreneur in the insurance industry. In 2019, I had the opportunity to change professions and ended up going back to my roots. Being a farmer I am able to combine my passions for the environment, being a business owner and supporting my community.

What is your background? It took years. The first set of skills I received was animal husbandry as a youth growing up on a family cattle farm. I learned how to feed cattle, how to identify sick animals, how to assist in laboring, etc. I also learned agriculture operations: how to check cattle indexes, harvest hay, haul animals, seed fields, etc. My next set of skills came in college when I studied finance. Here I learned how to read, interpret, manage and project business finances. Lastly my most recent set of skills that I use came from running my own insurance business. I learned the in’s and out’s of being a business owner.

Who is your biggest fan or mentor? That would be my business partner and father-in-law, Coll Thomson. Out of college, Coll hired me as an insurance salesman and the training began. It really has not stopped since. A few years after being hired, we started another insurance business together and now Smoky Mountain Cattle Co. Throughout the years he has offered insights, training, experience and most importantly encouragement to be confident in my decision making.

Describe your customers. Our customers are local individuals that share a passion for locally sourced food, high-quality food and protecting our environment and agricultural community.

What are three things you wish you knew when starting out?

1. I wish that I knew more about business to consumer marketing. I spent the early part of my career in business to business marketing. I am learning that reaching the consumer can be very different.

2. I wish I knew graphic design better. There are so many ideas that we have as a business, but lack the capability to quickly create needed documents. And being able to have a designer quickly and inexpensively create them can be difficult.

3. I wish that I knew more about financial instruments that could be used in the agriculture industry

What do you enjoy most about your business? There are lots of things I enjoy. First is that I love educating the community on wagyu, agriculture and sustainability. I love providing a local and sustainable food source to the community. I love being a steward of the land. I love being around animals.

Click to view the online version of the Blount Partnership weekly newsletter for January 13, 2025.