What an incredible evening it was at the City of Lebanon’s Annual Christmas Tree Lighting! A huge crowd of guests joined us as we kicked off the holiday season at the historic Mitchell House.
Guests enjoyed a variety of activities, including Christmas caroling by our local elementary school students, a chance to take photos with Santa, and browsing a variety of local vendors offering holiday treats and gifts. The energy in the air was electric as the band SweetN3 took the stage.
The highlight of the night of course was City of Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell and Necole Bell, accompanied by members of the City Council, who had the honor of lighting the Christmas tree, officially ushering in the holiday season.
The City’s grounds, including City Hall and the Historic Mitchell House, will remain illuminated throughout the holidays! Thank you to everyone who attended and made this year’s Tree Lighting such a memorable occasion. We look forward to seeing you around town as we continue to celebrate the season together!
The Christmas Tree Lighting was presented by the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Lebanon.
Our new members at Durci Chocolate hosted a Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening on November 14.
Founded by Cassandra Durtschi and Dr. Eric Durtschi — a visionary chocolatier, Durći Chocolate has become a leader in the world of artisan chocolate-making and education. Durći Chocolate is dedicated to sustainability and ethical sourcing. For nearly 15 years, Dr. Durtschi has worked closely with farmers to teach them superior cacao processing techniques, empowering them to produce some of the finest beans available while earning a premium for their hard work. With a reputation as pioneers in the artisan chocolate movement, the Durtschi family is dedicated to sharing their knowledge and helping to elevate the entire chocolate industry.
Now based in Wilson County, Durći Chocolate has made our community their home, and we couldn’t be more excited to support their continued success. We encourage everyone to visit their facility, sample their exquisite creations, and learn more about the art of chocolate-making from a true expert.
Durći Chocolate is located at 1221 South Hartmann Dr, Lebanon, TN, 37087
Pictured with owners Dr. Eric Durtschi and Cassandra Durtschi are friends, family and supporters. Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Melanie Minter, Chamber Ambassadors & representatives are also pictured.
Ribbon Cuttings are sponsored by Edward Jones-Financial Advisor: Lyn Williams
A-Squared Realty & Auction hosted a Business After Hours during the Grand Opening of its new office in Wilson County. The Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce conducted a Ribbon Cutting ceremony at the event.
Pictured with A-Squared Realty & Auction CEO AJ Stafford, Realtor and COO Adrian Kelley is Kimberly Ivery, Director of Operations & Strategy, and their outstanding team of agents. Surrounding the A-Squared teams are friends, family and community supporters. City of Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell, Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Melanie Minter, VP Membership & Finance Andrea Wilke, Chamber Board of Directors, Ambassadors and representatives are also pictured.
Wilson County is growing rapidly, and A-Squared Realty & Auction’s specialized services are helping shape the area’s future, providing innovative solutions to home buyers, sellers and businesses alike.
The Business After Hours was filled with drinks, delicious refreshments and great conversation. With a packed-house of local professionals, it was the perfect opportunity for new members to introduce themselves and forge valuable connections. We love seeing our members come together and build strong professional relationships.
An amazing variety of door prizes provided by local businesses and stakeholders were awarded throughout the evening. The Chamber Pot drawing was valued at $275, with Pinnacle Financial Partners – Jeff Porter was drawn as the winner. Remember, you must be present to win! but with no representatives present to claim the prize, the Chamber Pot will now roll over to $300 for our next Business After Hours. Remember: You must be present to win!
A-Squared Realty & Auction is located at 704 Cadet Ct, Lebanon, TN 37087
First Presbyterian Church of Lebanon hosted a Columbarium Dedication ceremony. The Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce conducted a Ribbon Cutting ceremony following the dedication.
Reverend Sherard Edington led the dedication ceremony for the church’s new columbarium — a sacred space for the cremated remains of beloved church members. The columbarium provides a peaceful and respectful place for families to honor their loved ones. The vision for the columbarium began in 2019, when the church recognized the need for such a space to meet the growing needs of our congregation. A dedicated committee was formed to explore the project. Hal Bone, a church member and the owner of Horizon Construction, helped in bringing the vision to life — making the construction process a reality.
Pictured with Reverend Sherard Edington are members of the columbarium committee and members of First Presbyterian Church of Lebanon. Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Melanie Minter, Board of Directors, Ambassadors and representatives are also pictured.
The columbarium committee includes: Pat Bone, Suanne Bone, Jane Hay, Wayne Patton, Jim Stueck, Margaret Ann Trail, Van Turner, Caroline Walker, Allen Vance, and Reverend Sherard Edington.
On Thursday, November 7, the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce had the honor of conducting a Ribbon Cutting ceremony on the patio of Cumberland University’s Catron Alumni House to celebrate the launch of Stage Local — a new performing arts company in Lebanon, TN.
Born from a simple “what if?” conversation between two best friends, Stage Local aims to make the arts accessible and fun for everyone — regardless of experience. Offering theatrical productions, classes, camps, and more, Stage Local provides opportunities for all ages to engage in the arts while fostering collaboration between artists, business leaders, and the community.
We are excited to welcome Stage Local to Wilson County and look forward to their debut production of The Sound of Music and their future contributions to our local arts scene!
Pictured with Beth Harrison, Founder/ CEO and Sarah Collins, Co-Founder of Stage Local are friends and family. Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Melanie Minter, Support Admin Stephanie Hollis and Chamber Ambassadors are also pictured.
On November 7, the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce staff and Board of Directors made a special trip to Nashville to visit the State Capitol in celebration of our 100th Anniversary. It was a historic day for our Chamber as we received a Resolution at the state level, following the Proclamations delivered at the city and county levels earlier this year.
We had the pleasure of meeting with Representative Clark Boyd and Senator Mark Pody, who graciously took us on a tour of both the House of Representatives and Senate Chambers. It was an incredible experience to witness firsthand where important decisions are made for our state and community.
In addition, we were honored to meet Governor Bill Lee, who took the time to congratulate our Chamber on 100 years of success and service to the business community. He expressed his appreciation for the vital role a Chamber of Commerce plays in supporting local businesses and recognized some of our recent achievements. We are incredibly grateful for his kind words and for the recognition of our Chamber’s impact.
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our journey!
Congratulations to Rackley Roofing Company, Inc. on their new location! Monday, November 4, the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce conducted a Ribbon Cutting ceremony at Rackley Roofing’s new Middle Tennessee location right here in Lebanon!
Established in 1974, Rackley Roofing has become one of the leading industrial and commercial roofing contractors in Tennessee. As a full-service roofing company, Rackley Roofing has dedicated, in-house crews who each focus on one specialty.
Rackley Roofing is located at 1673 West Main Street, Lebanon, TN 37087
Pictured with Rackley Roofing President Curtis Sutton and COO Michelle Boykin are CFO Eric Shumate, Director of Brands Vanessa Williams and staff. Randall Hutto, Wilson County Mayor, City of Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell, Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Melanie Minter, VP Membership & Finance Andrea Wilke are pictured. Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Ambassadors and representatives are also pictured.
On Friday, November 1, the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce proudly unveiled a new mural at the corner of East Main Street and South College Street (114 East Main Street). This artwork commemorates our 100-Year Anniversary and represents our mission: to coordinate the talents and energies of business, industry, and individuals to make Wilson County a better place to live, work, and raise a family. The mural showcases our mission through imagery depicting the Chamber’s seven Divisions — illustrating how each contributes to our community and encouraging our members to “Connect. Grow. Belong.”
A special thank you to the talented Kim Waddle Gregg, who painted this mural. Kim shared that while working on the project, she had the pleasure of meeting many people, including visitors to our wonderful town. She enjoyed learning about how the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce supports its members and local businesses.
Thank you to Kenny & Kellie O’Connell Sallis of Sallis Realty Group and Derrick & Jesse Fish for graciously allowing the Chamber to use their building for this mural. We would also like to thank City of Lebanon, TN Mayor Rick Bell, Lebanon’s Historic Preservation Commission, Lebanon City Council and Wilson County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau for their support and guidance throughout this project.
During the unveiling, Jason Johnson, Director of the Wilson County Convention & Visitors Bureau (Visit WilCo) and mural sponsor, spoke about the local art initiative. He shared that in 2020, Visit WilCo embarked on an exciting journey into the arts called Paint WilCo, with the goal of installing 10 murals throughout Wilson County by the end of that year. Johnson reported that Wilson County has far exceeded that initial goal, and the county continues to be positively impacted by this initiative.
We are proud to be a part of Lebanon and Wilson County for 100 years, and we look forward to the future as we continue to serve our community. We invite everyone to visit the mural, take pictures and celebrate this milestone with us! Our hashtag for the year is #LebChamber100 — please use this when posting pictures of the mural, along with #PaintWilCo, so we can see the faces of the community we love so much!
Randall Hutto, Wilson County Mayor; City of Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell; and City of Lebanon Economic Development Director Sarah Haston are pictured with Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Melanie Minter and Andrea Wilke – VP Membership & Finance. Chamber Board of Directors pictured include 2024 Chair of the Board – Ja’Rob Coggins, Past Chair – Wes Dugan Clu Lutcf, Membership Division Vice-Chair & Chair-Elect – Ian Isbell, Greg Butler – Board Treasurer, Education Division Vice-Chair DeJeay Woods, Sports Council Vice-Chair – Phillip Vance, James Neuble, Cory McDonald and Kenny Sallis. Chamber Ambassadors and representatives are also pictured.
On Thursday, October 17 the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce hosted our Women in the Lead luncheon, where we explored communication and discussed accountability. Thank you to Julie Swain, our guest speaker and licensed executive coach, for sharing her expertise with us!
Julie is dedicated to empowering high-performing individuals and teams to achieve their goals. Through her insights, we learned how to lift our leadership potential and align our values, ultimately unlocking our innate abilities to enhance communication and foster meaningful connections.
One of the highlights of the event was a hands-on demonstration of effective communication. Guests were challenged to navigate the room blindly, relying solely on the directions of their partners who could see. This unique exercise required us to put our trust in each other, showcasing the importance of clear communication and teamwork.
Women in the Lead is a Lunch & Learn series focused on health and wellness, finances, and balancing home and work life. We’re committed to encouraging women in Wilson County to grow as professionals while supporting one another.
Thank you to everyone who joined us! Let’s continue to inspire and uplift each other on our journeys.
On Tuesday, October 22 the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce conducted a Ribbon Cutting ceremony at The Village Play Place.
At its core, The Village Play Place was created to offer space for five important things: for kids, for parents, for celebrations, for education and for relevance. A space that is safe for kids to play, learn and, frankly, just be kids. A space for the parents to find support, other same-stage families to go through life with and feel connected to their community.
The Village Play Place is located at 703 S Cumberland St., Suite C-1, Lebanon, TN
Pictured with The Village Play Place owners Corey & Misty Shadd are staff, friends and community supporters. Lebanon Wilson County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Melanie Minter, Chamber Ambassadors and representatives are also pictured.
