Clarksville airport posted a record 161 landings and takeoffs on eclipse day, more than 10 times normal.
-- SubmittedClarksville Regional Airport set a single-day record on the day of the solar eclipse as eclipse viewers flocked to the area, which lay in the “path of totality.”
“The total solar eclipse was a great day for the airport. Clarksville Regional safely supported the arrival and departure of 161 aircraft – ranging from light-sport aircraft to multi-passenger charter jets on Monday,” Airport Manager John Patterson says. “Not only did we welcome a record-number of aircraft, we had the opportunity to offer fuel sales and services to them. Pilots and their passengers not only got to experience totality, but they also enjoyed the great Clarksville experience we provide here at CKV. Our staff received so many compliments about the airport, and the ease of working with us during an unusually high-traffic day.”
Clarksville Regional Airport typically sees 80 to 100 transit aircraft per week. Preliminary estimates show $25,326 in additional airport revenue from the eclipse event alone.
Aircraft flew in from throughout the United States, and even internationally. The airport welcomed aircraft from Canada, Texas and as far away as England. Several pilots cited the ease of reserving parking space, as well as the size of the airport, as key reasons why they decided to fly into Clarksville, rather than Nashville or Hopkinsville.
The public was also invited to drive-in for a free unobstructed view of the eclipse. In total, the airport welcomed visitors from 18 states and four countries other than the U.S..
Pinnacle is rated again as a top place to work
Pinnacle Financial Partners is one of the nation’s Best Banks to Work For, having earned the No. 6 spot on the annual list compiled by American Banker magazine and Best Companies Group. This is the firm’s fifth appearance on the list.
As the 50th largest bank in the country by assets, Pinnacle is by far the largest of the top 25 banks on the list. The nearest comparable bank has less than a third of the number of employees and nearly a fifth of the assets.
“It’s impossible to separate the associate’s experience from the client’s,” said Terry Turner, Pinnacle’s president and CEO. “Turning our offices into a caring, nurturing places where people love to come to work every day is not only the right thing to do – it’s good business. Looking at this list, it’s clear that we are unique in that we’re able to deliver on our promises at scale as we grow.”
In previous years, Pinnacle has ranked No. 1 for its category (2013), No. 2 overall (2014), No. 3 (2015) and No. 6 (2016) on this list.
To be eligible for the Best Banks to Work For list, firms must have at least 50 employees working in the United States and be a commercial bank, thrift, mutual associate, mutual savings bank, savings and loan association or a savings bank.
Banks are evaluated on their workplace practices, policies and demographics, and employees are surveyed to assess their experiences in and attitudes about the workplace.
Houzz Inc. planning to double Nashville presence
Houzz Inc., which connects homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals for home remodeling and design, is planning to double its team in Nashville to more than 400 people in the next 12 months and has set a hiring event for Sept. 12.
In addition to building its customer support team, which works with the growing community of shoppers and sellers on the Houzz Marketplace, the company will also offer positions in sales, logistics and account management, among others.
Houzz announced the opening of its Nashville office in the UBS Tower in downtown Nashville in January 2017.
To accommodate its continued growth, Houzz has finalized the lease of an additional floor, bringing its total occupancy to 56,000 square feet across the 24th, 25th and 26th floors, with plans to continue expanding in the building.
“We have found the labor pool in Nashville to be so talented that we want to double the size of our local team to help meet the needs of our fast-growing Marketplace and to support our customers,” said Lisa Rambo, head of Marketplace Operations at Houzz. “We are now actively recruiting more great people to join the Houzz family and serve our growing community and demand for our product.”
Houzz will hold a hiring event on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at The Bridge Building, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. to fill positions on its customer support team. Information, scheduling of on-site interview: info.houzz.com/nashville.
Cracker Barrel shows financial strength
Lebanon-based Cracker Barrel reported strong sales year-over-year in First Tennessee’s recently-released Franchise Finance 2017 Restaurant Review.
The national report provides an in-depth look at the franchise restaurant industry.
The annual review is published by First Tennessee Bank, the regional bank of First Horizon National Corp.
Cracker Barrel was ranked No. 31 in the overall sales category and placed 3 in Family segment.
The nation’s Top 100 restaurant chains accounted for nearly half of total restaurant sales last year. The report also stated quick-service restaurants continued to steal market share from full-service restaurants.
Consumer spending increased for the seventh consecutive year.
“Since 2007 fast casual restaurants have led market share growth, fueled by consumers’ lifestyles, dining preferences and spending habits,” says Todd Jones, managing director and group head of franchise finance at First Tennessee Bank.
“Leading the way in system-wide sales and average unit volume were chicken and snack chains, which have exploded in popularity and in 2016 outpaced all other segments.”
Frist sets its 2018 exhibition schedule
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts has announced its 2018 schedule of exhibitions. The coming attractions are:
Ingram Gallery
-- “Rome: City and Empire.’’ The exhibit explores how Rome grew from a cluster of villages into a mighty empire through hundreds of engaging and beautiful objects. February 23-May 28
-- “Chaos and Awe: Painting for the 21st Century,’’ showcases paintings by an international array of artists, from Franz Ackermann to Sue Williams, that portray forces of staggering magnitude. June 22-September 16
-- “Paris 1900: City of Entertainment,’’ an exhibition of paintings, decorative art, costumes, posters, photographs, and more, revives the splendor of the French capital when the Paris Exposition Universelle as the 20th century began. October 12-January 6, 2019.
Upper-Level Galleries
-- “Nick Cave: Feat.’’ continues through June 24, and the artist will direct a free public performance on April 6 featuring live dance, music and soundsuits (wearable fabric sculptures) at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
-- “Image Building: How Photography Transformed Architecture,’’ explores how works by photographers Iwan Baan, Andreas Gursky, Candida Höfer and others transformed our vision and concept of architecture. July 20-October 28
-- “Life, Love & Marriage Chests in Renaissance Italy’’ focuses on domestic arts designed to celebrate love and matrimony in Florence, Siena, Venice and other Italian cities. November 16-February 18, 2019.
Gordon Contemporary Artists Project Gallery
-- “Slavery, the Prison Industrial Complex: Photographs by Keith Calhoun and Chandra McCormick,’’ February 23-May 28
-- Exhibitions of work by Afruz Amighi, June 22-September 16
-- Exhibitions of work by Do Ho Suh, October 12, 2018-January 6, 2019
Conte Community Arts Gallery
-- “We Shall Overcome: Civil Rights and the Nashville Press, 1957–1968,’’ which documents Nashville’s important role in the national civil rights movement. The exhibit is March 30-October 7
Captain D’s makes inroads in Texas
Nashville-based Captain D’s has announced the opening of its newest franchised location in Garland, Texas.
The Garland opening signifies Captain D’s accelerated development plans for Texas, with an additional location slated to open in Houston this fall.
Captain D’s also announced its sixth consecutive year of same-store sales increases and fourth successive year of record high system-wide AUV (annualized unit volume) in 2016.
Captain D’s franchise development efforts and nationwide growth include agreements signed in 2017 to open an additional 25 new restaurants in states across the country, including Florida, South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas and Virginia.
Captain D’s has 521 restaurants in 21 states.
VU launches $30M Chair Challenge
Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos has announced a yearlong $30 million initiative to create 30 new endowed faculty chairs.
Alumni, donors and supporters are invited to participate in the Chancellor Chair Challenge.
Zeppos is pledging a million-dollar match from the university’s endowment for each chair gift of $1 million or more made by June 30, 2018.
Vanderbilt has added approximately 200 chairs over the last decade and currently has 420 endowed chairs.
Two donors have kicked off the challenge.
A gift from Theresa L. and Robert S. Reder, JD ’78, of Long Beach, New York, has established the Enterprise Chair at Vanderbilt Law School.
A gift from Jennifer and Andrew Hoine, BA ’96, of New York City has established the Andrew and Jennifer Hoine Chair in economics at the College of Arts and Science.