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Business

Sitel expecting to add nearly 500 jobs

June 20, 2019 by Michelle Hollenhead

Sitel Americas CEO Mike Small, center, prepares to cut the ribbon at Sitel’s new main Tennessee location along Outlet Drive in Farragut Wednesday, June 12. Joining in the celebration were, from left, Jim Nixon (sunglasses), authorized representative for Kodak Properties, which owns the site; Farragut Alderman Ron Pinchok; Knox County Commission Chair Hugh Nystrom (Fourth District); Farragut Vice Mayor Louise Povlin; Kelin Mock, Sitel site manager; Farragut Mayor Ron Williams; Hernan Quintanilla, Sitel vice president of operations; Knoxville Chamber COO Rhonda Rice Clayton; and Knox County Commissioner John Schoonmaker (Fifth District).

Sitel Group, which hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, June 12, officially marking the grand opening of its new Outlet Drive location, has even more to celebrate as Sitel Americas CEO Mike Small took that opportunity to confirm earlier rumors the customer-service contact company is expecting to add 400 to 500 jobs by year’s end.

“We will hopefully shake hands on a 400- to 500-seat opportunity within the next week,” he told the more than 200 employees and officials who attended the event.

Small also thanked a number of people, including Farragut Mayor Ron Williams, Town administrator David Smoak, assistant administrator Trevor Hobbs, Knox County government officials and many others who have been working on the transformation of the former Outlet Mall building in recent months, which now houses Sitel employees who previously worked at two separate area locations.

“I am thrilled to be here today to recognize and celebrate the tremendous results of working together and building trust,” said Small, who cited many individuals as being responsive and dedicated to working through challenges that occurred during the process.

Talking trash: local waste pickup company sold to Waste Management

June 27, 2019 by Michelle Hollenhead

Long-time locally- and family-owned Tennessee Trash LLC, which performed residential and commercial waste pickup throughout Knox and Loudon counties for more than a decade, was sold to Waste Management of Tennessee in a move that was official Saturday, June 1.

“Tennessee Trash grew an outstanding business, and (the merger)complements Waste Management’s operations,” said Mitch Rowan, Waste Management director of market planning for Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and Kentucky. “It has been excellent timing for both companies.”

Tennessee Trash customers, which numbered around 30,000 for residential and about 1,500 for commercial, received notice of the change earlier this month, and in the announcement were advised they would see billing changes — but no increases — with their next statements.

“We do not anticipate any rate changes in services at this time,” Rowan said.

business briefs

June 20, 2019 by

• Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce will hold its second installment of FWKCC Focus, Unite, Engage, Lead from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11, in Calhoun’s-Turkey Creek, 625 Turkey Cove Lane. FWKCC F.U.E.L. is the Chamber’s new networking series/program intended specifically to help talented and up-and-coming young professionals make connections they need to succeed.

• Realty Executives Associates celebrates a record year going into its 40th anniversary. With more than 7,904 transactions and $1.83 billion in sales among its 578 agents, Realty Executives Associates ranked in the top 20 in the Swanepoel Mega 1000 Trends report recently released for 2018.