Editorial
Front Page - Friday, September 11, 2009
YPAC to announce awards at Cirque Nouveau event
Samara Litvack
By Samara Litvack
For its third annual signature event, the Young Professionals Association of Chattanooga is transforming Loose Cannon Studios into a modern day circus. In the spirit of Cirque Nouveau, YPAC advertises the event as a menagerie filled with music, live performers, dancing, food and drinks.
“Cirque Nouveau means ‘new circus’ in French,” says event co-chair Terran Anderson. “The professional world is always going to be a circus.”
“It’s constantly changing,” adds her counterpart, Sarah Cook.
“We’re that new generation that’s coming up in Chattanooga,” Anderson says. “We are still the circus. We acknowledge that we are a part of that whole world, but we’re a new way of doing it – through social media, through professional connections. We’re not all Chattanooga born and bred, but we love Chattanooga and we want to do the best for Chattanooga and do it in a new way.”
“It basically just signifies a new wave, a new way of thinking,” says Elizabeth Crenshaw, YPAC public relations chair, “basically expanding on traditional models of what the business world should be.”
To celebrate this idea, YPAC’s Cirque Nouveau signature event will be slightly different than its predecessors. Breaking from the decade-related themes of years past, Cirque Nouveau brings with it exciting live entertainment, including a magician, a mime, belly dancers and aerial dancers.
“They’re all Chattanooga-based performers,” says Anderson. “Our goal with YPAC is to retain and attract professionals to this area. So it would be unfair of us to bring in different artist from different parts of the state.”
Held Saturday, September 19, from 8 p.m. until midnight, guests will enjoy hors dourves, wine and beer, as well as a live DJ at Loose Cannon Studios. Tickets for the event are only $25 and are available online at http://ypawardparty.com.
“We wanted to make sure that everyone would be able to come enjoy themselves for the night, regardless of ticket price,” says Anderson.
“We wanted to be mindful of young professionals and those just getting started in their career,” says Cook.
VIP tickets are also available for only $10 more, and give purchasers access to VIP lounge seating, liquor drinks and table service by servers painted in the likeness of various circus animals.
As the highlight of the evening, YPAC will announce the winner of its YP of the Year and YP Friendly Business of the Year. These awards recognize and celebrate the achievements of young, working residents of Chattanooga and their positive influence on the city, as well as the businesses that employ them.
E-mail blasts were sent to YPAC members and various people in the community earlier this summer requesting nominations. Recipients were asked to send in names of any “amazing young professional” they would like to see honored and celebrated. Examples offered for criteria included a nominee’s leadership, special skills, notable contributions, experience, community service, overall accomplishments and high standards of professionalism.
Nominations were also being requested for any business that “knows what young people want and makes sure that they get it.” Criteria examples included participation and support of local charities, encouragement of employees to participate and support local charities, recruiting and internship programs in cooperation with local colleges and universities, encouragement of continued professional development (tuition reimbursement and certification reimbursement) and encouragement and cultivation of new leaders (through programs like Leadership Chattanooga).
To be eligible for nomination, individuals and companies had to be under 50 years of age on Jan. 1, 2009; reside in the Chattanooga area; and demonstrate service and commitment to the community. Current YPAC board members were not eligible for nomination.
A record number of nominations were accepted at the YPAC Web site, and Cook and Anderson credit that to growing interest in the organization, growing membership base and YPAC name recognition.
Crenshaw says a panel of objective leaders from the local professional community selected 10 finalists for YP of the Year, based on professional accomplishments, community service and overall career. There were also 10 finalists named for YP Friendly Business of the Year, based on how friendly they are to young professionals and how advanced they are in terms of attracting young professionals to the area. (Examples of such include how technologically advanced a business is and whether it offers the types of positions young professionals are seeking.)
Finalists for YP of the Year included: Bryan Kelly, financial advisor at Edward Jones; Cathi Cannon, owner of Eyeprojector; Ethan Collier, CEO of Collier Construction; J. Ed. Marston, vice president of marketing and communications for Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce; John Hawbaker, senior programmer of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and founder of Chattarati.com; Laura Oakley, CEO of Professional Recruiting Services; Mark Cunningham, attorney with Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel; Matt Lea, special assistant to the mayor; Dr. Mukta Panda, M.D. FACP, University of Tennessee College of Medicine and Erlanger Hospital; and Valerie Swafford, marketing communications consultant from Unum.
Finalists for YP Friendly Business of the Year included: ARS, BlueCross BlueShield, Girls Inc. of Chattanooga, Gordon Biersch, May Create, Medium, Memorial Health Care, North Shore Yoga, Support Seven and Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union.
Anderson says the event will be divided into separate sections, including a dance floor area for attendees who want to dance and drink, as well as a lounge area for those who want to network and exchange business cards.
“We are a group of professionals but at the same time, we like to kick back and relax and enjoy ourselves,” she says.
YPAC, according to its Web site, has an ultimate goal of connecting young professionals with their surrounding community via professional, social and civic arenas. Through monthly luncheons, the organization offers a speaker series downtown and in East Brainerd. YPAC’s monthly after-hours events are designed to establish social connections. YPAC events are open to members, who pay dues, and non-members. For more information, visit www.ypacnow.org.
Sponsors for YPAC’s 2009 signature event include Big River, Blush magazine, Brewer Media, Divine Designs, Goetz Catering, Loose Cannon Studios, Mirabai Bellydance, Tennessee Valley Credit Union and The White Table.
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