Maryville, Tenn. – With NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace in attendance as the guest speaker, top honors were handed out at the Blount Partnership’s Best of Blount Awards held at the Clayton Center for the Arts Tuesday evening.
The Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority took home the Tourism Award for its efforts to promote tourism with a strategy of attracting new airlines and destinations.
The Blount County Eye Center headed by Dr. Will Tantum was named the Small Business of the Year, while Newell Brands was selected as the Large Business of the Year for its education supplies donations.
Comic book store, The Golden Age 1942, received the Bright Future Award for its work in creating social opportunities for reading, while the Community Impact Award went to the Pregnancy Resource Center, for its Save the Stork bus which provides a mobile ultrasound unit in rural areas.
The late Jack Campbell was named the Philanthropist of the Year for his giving to customers and employees.
The Best of Blount Awards focus on the Blount County community as a whole rather than only on the business sector. It celebrates those individuals and businesses that give their time and resources to make this area an outstanding place to live and work.