The May issue begins The Business Journal's look at summer seasonal business with a feature on fly-fishing guides and retailers. The combination of mountain streams, TVA lakes and multiple rivers means outdoorsmen (and women) have ample opportunities to wet a line. In addition, you'll read about how a group of former AFG employees are re-opening the old AFG plant in Kingsport under the Heritage Glass banner ...

Heritage Glass to begin production by July By Jeff Keeling State and local officials made the announcement April 29: Local investors are purchasing and restarting the Blue Ridge glass plant that AGC North America mothballed in late 2012. The move by the newly formed “Heritage Glass Co.” could create 120 jobs by mid-summer and nearly 250 within five years. Ten private investors, the majority of them former A ...

By Scott Robertson Randy Ratliff runs a guide service called East Tennessee on the Fly. He guides trout fishing expeditions on the Watauga and South Holston Rivers and smallmouth bass fishing expeditions on the Holston River west of Church Hill. “I’ve built up my client base since I was guiding part-time,” he says. “I started guiding full-time in 2000.” Those clients range from businesses that bring teams o ...

By Jeff Keeling Medicare drives the train of hospital system finance, but Mountain States Health Alliance continues looking for innovative ways to control cost and create revenue streams outside the Medicare piece, CEO Alan Levine said. In last month’s issue, we relayed part of a conversation with Levine and Chief Financial Officer Marvin Eichorn about issues facing the hospital system. Discussion points in ...

By Jeff Keeling Bill Haslam’s unveiling of the “Tennessee Promise” proposal during his Feb. 3 State of the State address drew broad attention for its boldness, but it wasn’t a shock to Northeast State Community College President Dr. Janice Gilliam. “I was excited that it was as far-reaching as it was,” Gilliam said of the proposal to make community college tuition-free for Tennesseans coming directly out of ...

Business is very good at Eastman Chemical Co., CEO Mark Costa told a capacity crowd gathered March 5 at Meadowview Convention Center for Eastman’s annual Regional Leaders Breakfast. He warned against complacency, though, and exhorted the area’s political and business leaders to work at maintaining and enhancing the Tri-Cities’ quality of life so Eastman can continue to attract and retain top talent from aro ...

By Jeff Keeling Judging from a wide-ranging interview on just his 86th day on the job, Alan Levine doesn’t appear to have wasted any time in his first 90 days as CEO of Mountain States Health Alliance (MSHA). Then again, with hospital systems facing the twin challenges of declining admissions and reimbursement cuts as the full weight of healthcare reform bears down, Levine does not enjoy the luxury of a len ...

From Wellmont Health System GREENEVILLE – (May 9)A thorough strategic assessment and review of the nation’s changing healthcare environment has led Wellmont Health System and Adventist Health System to conclude ownership of Takoma Regional Hospital would best be placed with one organization. The two health systems have reached agreement to return Takoma Regional to AHS’ full ownership. Wellmont and AHS, whi ...

By Jeff Keeling It’s 8:30 on a crisp, late February morning. Under a brilliant blue sky, large fans hum gently, competing with the chirping of songbirds in the middle of a 250-acre tract of land in rural Stanley Valley, Hawkins County, Tennessee. In a four-acre section of land sit 40 greenhouses covering 4,320 square feet each. Inside the warm, humid houses, hanging from the ceilings and on platforms severa ...

Dr. Richard Ray, interim president, King University Following the weeks of growing rancor that led to the resignation of Dr. Greg Jordan as King University president, the King Board of Trustees has gone in a completely different direction in naming the interim president. Jordan’s hallmark was aggressive action. He often spoke as an eager salesman, whether pushing a medical school, an increased online presen ...