Posted October 2003

The Chamber established the Business Retention and Expansion Visitation Team (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 public entities.

Steve Hiatt, director of existing business development for the Chamber, supervises the team.

Other members are: Joyce Brinkmeyer, Chattanooga State economic and community development department; Steven Moore, TVA economic development department; Celeste Longwith, Chattanooga Manufacturers Association; Mattie Moran, Chamber director of workforce development and education; and Mike Moss, Tennessee department of economic and community development.

"The Chamber formed the team at the request of Mayor Corker and Mayor Ramsey," Hiatt said. "As (Chamber president) Tom Edd Wilson and I discussed the idea, we determined that the visits wouldn’t be simply feel-good meetings. We wanted to ensure that they would be substantial and valuable for both the company and the Chamber."

As a result, the Chamber decided that the team would conduct a survey of the businesses during their BREVT visits.

"The surveys are designed to let us know if the companies are experiencing any difficulties that we may be able to help with," Hiatt says. "They also let us know if the companies are planning expansions – in which case we can inform them of expansion incentives. And if the survey and exchanges suggest that the business may be considering closing, we may be able to provide assistance to prevent such action."

The visits also give the team the opportunity to tour plants, meet face-to-face with company executives and form a relationship between the Chamber and the business.

For more information on the Business Retention and Expansion Visitation Team, contact Steve Hiatt at shiatt@chattanoogachamber.com or (423) 763-4333. 

The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce is the leading business and economic development organization for the Chattanooga region. For over 100 years, the Chattanooga Chamber has provided community engagement and opportunities for businesses, large and small, including networking, business promotion, business discounts, and public policy advocacy, as well as leadership development and training opportunities.

In addition, the Chattanooga Chamber is a one-stop-shop for site selectors and business decision-makers considering investments and job creation projects in the Chattanooga region. The Chattanooga Chamber is also responsible for marketing Enterprise South Industrial Park, a top-tier industrial park that offers significant strategic business advantages. In addition, the Chattanooga Chamber administers the Chattanooga Hamilton County Business Development Center, the largest business incubator in the U.S. in terms of the number of start up companies it houses, and the Center for Entrepreneurial Growth, an innovative effort to nurture technology-based start-up companies.

As the first stop for people interested in moving to the Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Chamber provides a range of relocation information including demographics, informational videos, connections to Chattanooga Area jobs, and frequently asked questions.