Cookeville-Putnam Chamber Expanding Coffee Events in 2019

The Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce is looking to expand its community coffee events in 2019.

Dianne Callahan is the Vice President of Organizational Development for the Chamber. She said the events help make connections between chamber members.

“Businesses can sponsor those coffee [events] and we will go to their business because most of our networking events are right here at the Leslie Towne Center,” Callahan said. “But we want to give… businesses a chance to bring the members to their business.”

The Chamber will expand the number of coffee events from three in 2018 to at least once a month in 2019. Events have already taken place in Baxter and Algood.

“We have done kind of a trial, two or three of those this year. They’ve been a huge success,” Callahan said. “It’s not real formal, not a real structured agenda. It’s more about the business that’s hosting, being able to bring people there to see their products and services and learn more about their business.”

Callahan said the networking event was inspired by the Blount County Chamber of Commerce in Maryville. The coffee events allow the Chamber to gauge how well businesses are doing and share successes with each other.

“We want ot go up and meet the businesses in their communities, get reports from their cities and elected officials, and what they got to be proud of which is always so much,” Callahan said. “Although Cookeville is the center and where the Chamber’s located, we want to show each city in the county how much they mean to their chamber.”

Businesses interested in hosting a coffee event in 2019 are encouraged to contact Callahan at the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.