Posted July 2006

For their work on the Chamber’s Business Retention and Expansion Visitation Team (BREVT), EPB and the Chamber received the 2006 Community Program Award, presented by Business Retention and Expansion International (BREI). Steve Hiatt, the Chamber’s director of existing business development, and Judy Burnett, EPB’s manager of economic development, accepted the award during the BREI 13th annual conference in Omaha. “The Chamber is pleased to be recognized with the EPB for a program that serves our regional business community,” said Trevor Hamilton, vice president of economic development for the Chamber. “The program illustrates how our partnerships with other organizations can strengthen the businesses of our commercial and industrial customers.” The Chamber established the BREVT in 2003 to call on companies in a six-county region, make them aware of local and state incentives available to them and offer assistance the businesses may need in dealing with a variety of issues. The visits give team members the opportunity to meet with company executives, tour plants and form relationships with the businesses. During the meetings BREVT members survey the companies about their plans and publish reports based on the findings. BREI is a nonprofit professional association of economic development professionals working for the advancement of business retention and expansion as an economic development strategy for communities. Other BREVT member agencies are Chattanooga State, the Chattanooga Manufacturers Association, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, the Tennessee Small BusinessDevelopment Centers and TVA.