Bob Gary

Jan 1, 2025 | timesfreepress.com | Bob Gary

Having opened a restaurant and a catering business, it stood to reason that Michelle Wells' next venture would be -- retail? "I'd never even worked in retail," says Wells, who, with her husband, Ted, launched The Kitchen Collection at Events with Taste 13 months ago. "There's been a 100% learning curve," she adds. "I've learned a lot, but the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive."Wells describes her new store as a "cute, fun kitchen store -- a baby version of Williams Sonoma.

Jan 1, 2025 | timesfreepress.com | Bob Gary

Bob Corker didn't just clear his decks in preparation for his 2006 campaign for a U.S. Senate seat -- he sold them. Nine months after he concluded a single four-year term as Chattanooga's mayor, Corker sold the majority of his real estate holdings to local investor Henry Luken. No terms were disclosed, but the sale was believed to be the largest transaction of its kind in Chattanooga history.

Jan 1, 2025 | timesfreepress.com | Bob Gary

The Launch Pad is a 12-step-based sober-living community for women dealing with addiction to alcohol or drugs. Residents can live at Launch Pad for up to 18 months, during which time they participate in 12-step meetings, group therapy and get life-skills coaching. "We are dedicated to providing a safe place for our residents to focus on their recovery and family reunification," says Shelley Armstrong, Launch Pad's executive director.

Jan 1, 2025 | timesfreepress.com | Bob Gary

Adam Myers didn't have to dig deep to find the motivation to succeed in what's become his career. He'd lived it. "One of my inspirations (to work in) economic development was my own journey," says Myers, who's in his second year as vice president for economic/talent development at the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. "I know what it means to help create jobs. Nothing improves quality of life like a good-paying job.

Jan 1, 2025 | timesfreepress.com | Bob Gary

When Inc. magazine named Dalton, Georgia-based Workzbe one of its 2024 Power Partners a couple of months ago, it could just have well been referring to its CEO, Emily Elrod. The magazine tapped Workzbe in its "small and mighty" category for "small businesses that thrive at powering other businesses, often without the resources of their larger peers or competitors. These are the companies that have done the most with the least."So why would "small and mighty" apply to Elrod?