McGuire, Wood & Bissette managing partner receives award for Excellence in Law Practice Management

Thomas C. Grella, managing partner of McGuire, Wood & Bissette in Asheville, N.C., today was named recipient of the Samuel S. Smith Award by the American Bar Association’s Law Practice Management Section. The award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated excellence in law practice management. He will receive the award at a reception Aug. 3 during the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Grella, a former LPM section chair, serves on the LPM Executive Committee in his role as a member of the ABA House of Delegates and on the Editorial Board of Law Practice Magazine. He is a fellow of the College of Law Practice Management and the National Institute for Teaching Ethics and Professionalism.  He is co-author of The Lawyers Guide to Strategic Planning. At McGuire Wood, Grella is chair of the firm’s Management Committee.

“I cannot think of a more deserving honoree than Tom Grella. He epitomizes everything this award was created to recognize,” said Thomas Mighell, chair of the ABA Law Practice Management Section. “Tom stands out as a leader in LPM, the ABA and his law firm. His commitment to the improved growth and education of law practice management is steadfast, as demonstrated through his continued participation and leadership in LPM section activities.”

The Samuel S. Smith Award, named in honor of the late Samuel S. Smith, a founding member and early chair of the section, who later became ABA Treasurer, was established in 1999 to mark the section’s 25th Anniversary. It is the highest honor bestowed by LPM, recognizing an individual who has demonstrated outstanding lifetime achievement in the field of law practice management.

The ABA Law Practice Management Section is a professional membership organization providing resources for lawyers and other legal professionals in the core areas of the business of practicing law -- marketing, management, technology and finance.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

DoubleTree hosts Moonshine Madness, June 28th

The TreeHouse Lounge at the DoubleTree Biltmore Hotel in Asheville, N.C. will be partnering with Troy and Sons Distillery for Moonshine Madness, an evening of still and southern spreads.  The event will take place on Thursday, June 28 from 5:30 -7:30 pm in the ballroom and outdoor terrace of the DoubleTree Biltmore Hotel, and will feature Troy and Sons Moonshine, paired with DoubleTree Catering cuisine and live bluegrass music.  Charlie Ball, master distiller at Troy and Sons, along with members of his staff, will be in attendance to showcase their product and discuss the evolution of moonshine.  DoubleTree executive chef Dan Moore will be creating three signature Troy and Sons moonshine cocktails, each complimented by his southern fare menu using local products. 

Tickets are $20 in advance and can be purchased at the DoubleTree front desk or at Troy and Sons Distillery, and will be available at the door for $25.

Ben Hamrick recognized as Volunteer of the Year

At the 115th Annual Meeting, the Chamber honored nine community members with our annual leadership awards. We will be highlighting one award winner each week.

Ben Hamrick of Johnson Price Sprinkle PA was awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award. The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes a Chamber member who has given of his or her time and talents beyond the call of duty in volunteer efforts with the Chamber.

Ben has served on the Chamber Board of Directors since 2010. Over the past year, he has been instrumental in helping the Chamber improve its financial footing, providing solid financial guidance and working diligently with Chamber staff.

While interviewing for the annual meeting award videos, Hamrick joked that he didn't know when he was asked to head up the Chamber's finance committee that he was really being set up for volunteer of the year and that Chamber staff probably saw him more over the past year than they wanted to.

Hamrick is chief executive officer at Johnson Price Sprinkle PA, a leading accounting firm in Western North Carolina, providing innovative financial solutions created specifically for small to mid-sized businesses. He is active in numerous community organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Rotary and ABYSA.

Ben will be Second Vice Chair of the Chamber's Board of Directors for the 2012-2013 fiscal year.





Chamber Award - Ben Hamrick from Amplified Media on Vimeo.

CAYLA intern joins the Chamber

CAYLA is a youth leadership program through the City of Asheville that helps teenagers build leadership and give back to the community. We have 30 participants who are high school students who are leaders in the community.  CAYLA is a year-long commitment with a 7.5-week internship with local businesses. I am one of the 30 CAYLA participants this year and am interning at the Chamber of Commerce.

During my first week interning at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce, I have learned more about Asheville as a whole and more in depth about the business environment.  When I first walked into the doors of the Chamber, I had this idea that the Chamber was a place where visitors come find directions or learn about the history of the city. The perception that I first possessed wasn’t even the halves of what the Chamber is all about. The work environment is very warm and welcoming, reminding me of Asheville in a building. My first week consisted of ribbon cuttings, business calls, business before hours, as well as the benefits of becoming a member of the Chamber. Also, the Chamber of Commerce had their annual meeting, that I was excited to be a part of. I was very much fortunate to be in the presence of “Asheville’s Finest Business People.” I look forward to learning more about the Chamber, and experiencing the different roles of each department. I am also eager to become more familiar with small businesses that help form the city of Asheville. The journey begins here. 

- Asia Porter (CAYLA Intern)

Entrepreneur of the Month: Eagles Nest Outfitters

The Chamber is pleased to recognize Entrepreneur of the Month Eagles Nest Outfitters, designers and manufacturers of breathable nylon hammocks, rain flies and bug nets that are a breeze to pack, carry and set up.

 

Motivated by a desire to escape the traditional workplace, brothers Peter and Paul Pinholster launched Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO) in 1999 sewing hammocks out of their sister’s garage and selling their products at festivals across the east coast.

After years on the road, the pair settled in Asheville, a community that is open to business while fitting well with the Pinholsters’ penchant for a laid-back lifestyle. 

“We love surrounding ourselves with like-minded individuals as it keeps us inspired to keep innovating (eno-vating) and it also keeps us grounded at the same time.” 

From these humble beginnings, ENO has grown into a thriving business selling in major outdoor retailers.

“Moving from 2500 sq ft to 18,000 square feet was a huge milestone in our company’s history. We have 15 full time employees and 5 part timers occupying a new building on Buxton. We work with 8 rep agencies throughout the country.”

Throughout, ENO has remained committed to its mission to help, inspire and motivate people to go outdoors and relax with the highest quality hammocks and accessories in the industry. The company fondly calls its loyal customers ENOpians.

“ENOpians are the folks that have gotten us to where we are today.  They are the users that have spread the word about ENO on a grassroots levels and truly enjoy the lifestyle that our products allow them to have.”

WNC business leaders visit Raleigh to advocate for business

Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce staff and 50 business leaders from across Western North Carolina were in Raleigh last week advocating for your business. The Asheville Chamber partnered with the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber, Brevard/Transylvania Chamber, Haywood County Chamber, Henderson County Chamber, and Madison County Chamber to advocate for job creation, regulatory reform, tax reform and education/workforce funding.

The delegation was able to meet with legislators from across Western North Carolina and the House and Senate leadership. This included Sen. Tom Apodaca, Sen. Martin Nesbitt, Sen. Jim Davis, Rep. Trudi Walend, Rep. Tim Moffitt, Rep. Chuck McGrady, Rep. Ray Rapp, and Speaker Pro Tem Phil Berger.

The Chamber’s delegation also made visits to the offices of every member of the General Assembly and let them know the combined Chambers' top legislative priorities. The event was a great demonstration of regional collaboration and advocacy and allowed attendees to network with business leaders from across Western North Carolina. 

Many thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, Mission Health System; Gold Sponsor, Roberts and Stevens; and Silver Sponsor, UNC Asheville for making this trip possible.

Entrepreneur of the Month: Craig McAnsh, Mojo Coworking

The Chamber is pleased to recognize Entrepreneur of the Month Craig McAnsh of Mojo Coworking.

 “Craig has played a critical role in moving our entrepreneurial scene forward, ”  said Pam Lewis, Director of Entrepreneurship at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. “Mojo Coworking is Asheville’s only coworking space literally busting at the seams.”

Craig launched Mojo Coworking in April 2011 giving individuals and small businesses access to typical office amenities with flexible space and payment options. Mojo can accommodate 20 workers at one time and has more than 20 members.

“Beyond just creating better places to work, coworking spaces are built around the idea of community-building and sustainability. Coworking spaces agree to uphold the values set forth by those who developed the concept in the first place: collaboration, community, sustainability, openness and accessibility.”

The idea has definitely caught on in Asheville. “Using only Facebook and Twitter, we were sold out of private desks before we opened the doors,” said Craig. “We’ve reorganized the space three times since opening to accommodate growth among coworking members.” 

“An awesome community of coworkers has found its way to Mojo. I couldn’t have dreamed we’d have such a great collection of enterprising, creative, conscious coworkers,” Craig said.

“This collection of members has found Mojo to be an energizing environment for their personal and professional growth. JB Media – one of our members- has grown from two people to six people. Native Marketing has grown from one person to four people. People are collaborating together and business is being shared among members.”

After just one year, Mojo Coworking has outgrown its current space and will be moving this summer to a new location three times bigger than the current facility.