SIMMONS BANK SUPPORTS UT MARTIN REED CENTER – Landy Fuqua, director of the University of Tennessee at Martin Regional Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Center, and Dr. Charley Deal, UT Martin director of research, outreach and economic development, accepted a check for $2,500 from the Simmons Bank Charitable Giving Program to support small business training in the northwest Tennessee area. The presentation was made Sept. 25 in front of the new REED Center facility on Lindell Street. Pictured are (l-r) Linda Rinker, REED Center; Justin Stokes, community executive of Simmons Bank, Union City; Andrea Hughes, community executive of Simmons Bank, Martin; Fuqua; Deal; and Valerie Freeman, REED Center. Visit utm.edu/reed to learn more about the center’s services.

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RURAL STRONG BUS TOUR STOPS IN MARTIN – The U.S. Small Business Administration brought their Rural Strong Bus Tour through northwest Tennessee with a stop in Martin on Sept. 25. The tour is meant to help small-business owners discover free and low-cost resources for their small businesses; connect with business mentors, bankers, lenders and investors in their towns; and find specialized assistance for issues in exporting, trade, environmental compliance, agricultural technology and innovation. Small-business owners participating in the bus tour were also able to use the Venture Mobile Lab to help develop ideas for new business ventures. Pictured in front of the Venture Mobile Lab are (l-r) LaTanya Channel, Tennessee SBA district director; Landy Fuqua, director of the University of Tennessee at Martin Regional Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Center; Dr. Charley Deal, UT Martin director of research, outreach and economic development; and Linda Rinker and Valerie Freeman, REED Center.

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