“Replanting yourself in a new city is a challenging experience. The reinvention, relearning, and building of new relationships is something that even the most experienced human can struggle with. The knowledge boost, relationship building, and opportunity highlights given to me by Introduction Knoxville were empowering and encouraging. I think this is a must have for any professional replanting themselves in Knoxville, Tennessee.”

Daniel Hereford
Chief Information Officer
SmartBank

“IK exceeded my expectations. Being a Knoxville native, I know a lot about my city; however, IK provided a gateway to understanding the inner workings of Knoxville and the need for civic engagement. If you are willing, and have the heart to serve, our community needs you.”

John Phelps
Contracting Officer, Department of Energy Office
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

“As a transplant with a new company expanding in the area, Introduction Knoxville was the perfect mix of discovery, networking and business. Every minute of my time was treated as a precious commodity. The program is well executed and topics are extremely relevant to senior leaders investing in themselves and their companies. It created immediate relationships outside my normal sphere which eased the transition.”

Stephen Deucker
Vice President and GM, Vision Center
Cirrus Aircraft

“I moved to Knoxville to become the executive director for Centro Hispano, an educational nonprofit for the immigrant community. The Introduction Knoxville program was recommended by a host of community leaders. Intro Knox opened a whole new world to me. I can’t say enough about the meaningful connections I made through this program and the incredible network and Knoxville fabric I have become a part of. I recommend this program to everyone I meet! It doesn’t matter if you moved here yesterday or if you’ve lived here your whole life, it’s one of the best investments you could make in becoming better connected to community.”

Claudia Caballero
Executive Director
Centro Hispano de East Tennessee

“You don’t know Knoxville until you’ve been part of Introduction Knoxville. Lifelong residents and new arrivals alike get a behind-the-scenes look at where Knoxville came from, where it is today, and where we’re going as a community. Through the class, you will increase your local connections by 50x and make a lot of great friends in the process.”

Brandon Bruce
Entrepreneur and Co-founder
Cirrus Insight

“I honestly loved everything about this class.”

Bobby Maze
CEO
B. Maze Elite

“Introduction Knoxville provides instant connectivity and unique opportunities to explore our community. This was one of the most valuable investments of time provided to me in my professional career. Jump on the chance to participate!”

Aneisa McDonald
Executive Director
Pellissippi State Foundation

“Introduction Knoxville provides an incredibly insightful view of the community from many perspectives – historical, political, economic, educational, and cultural. Perhaps more importantly, the program provides a catalyst to the unique talents of each class member, unleashing their leadership and energy to drive Knoxville forward. As a newcomer to the area, I felt blessed by both the class and my classmates.”

Dave Miller
President East Tennessee Region
First Horizon 

“I really enjoyed Intro Knoxville because this program not only allowed me to learn more about the history, culture, and politics of the city, but it connected me to other passionate people who want to make a huge impact on this city. Thank you for helping me to get out of my comfort zone, and discover new ways to connect to my community!”

Dr. Janelle Coleman
Executive Director for Diversity and Engagement
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 

“Introduction Knoxville is an invaluable experience for anyone wishing to learn more about Knoxville and our rich heritage. It doesn’t matter if you are new to our area or if you’ve lived here all of your life, I guarantee you that the Introduction Knoxville program will open your eyes to a Knoxville you never knew existed. The opportunity to be a part of the program is something I am very grateful for. My employer believes in this program and its value and I appreciate their asking me to participate.  Also, the camaraderie of the class was electric!”

Debby Saraceni
Vice President Marketing and Physician Services
Covenant Health

“I couldn’t recommend the experience highly enough. Each week I have come home from the class eager to share information with my wife and family. It has opened my eyes to so much about the city of Knoxville and the surrounding areas, and given me a sense of how I might fit into the community in which I now live. The course hasn’t shyed away from the issues that face the city, but has given all of us a sense that by being involved, we can all grow Knoxville for the better.”

Dylan Jones
Parter
Boldsquare

“I will be inviting everyone in my office (TVAMP). They loved hearing my stories each day when I arrived back from class. We think it’s a great investment.”

Kallee Botkin
Brand Manager
TVAMP

“I’ve lived in Knoxville for 24 years. I thought I knew all there was to know about my town. BOY WAS I WRONG! I have ten years of a to-do list of things that I cannot wait to do. All the times I thought, “I wish we had that in Knoxville”, it turns out that most of the time we do and I had no idea! Thanks for opening my eyes and changing my relationship with Knoxville.”

Vaiden Taylor
Director of Club Projects
The Club at Gettysvue