ServPro Cookeville settles into new storefront

CBJ Admin
Wednesday, May 9, 2012

COOKEVILLE – SERVPRO of Cookeville recently moved from its Broad Street storefront to 3171 Highway 111 in Algood, the former Mayflower Moving & Storage building.

This move will allow SERVPRO, the nation’s leader in fire and water restoration, to increase its operating space from approximately 3,000 square feet to almost 15,000 square feet, which will greatly enhance its capability to serve Putnam and surrounding counties, said co-owners Steve DePillo and Sarah Brown, who purchased the Cookeville SERVPRO franchise in February 2011 and have seen growth ever since.

Both DePillo and Brown come from very different backgrounds. DePillo worked as a nuclear engineer for more than 25 years, and Brown spent more than 25 years in competitive intelligence.

About half their jobs are water-related cleanups.

SERVPRO offers 24-hour, seven-days-a-week emergency service coverage throughout the Upper Cumberland area and has the technical training and specific equipment to clean up and restore homes, apartments and commercial buildings that have been damaged by fire, smoke, soot, water and mold.

SERVPRO was established in California in 1967 and later moved to Tennessee. Today, the company’s national headquarters, training facilities and national call center are located in a 140,000-square-foot facility in Gallatin.
For more information, call (931) 528-9292.

CBI to host ‘Celebrations’ in June

CROSSVILLE – The Cumberland Business Incubator (CBI) and Jobs4UC are hosting the first “Celebrations of Success” regional conference, and all economic stakeholders – officials along the Plateau and in the Upper Cumberland – are invited to attend.

“Celebrations of Success” will be held from 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Friday, June 22, at Roane State Community College in Cumberland County, 2567 Cook Road, Crossville. During “Celebrations,” presenters will discuss organized and partnership driven initiatives that: brought a new business to their community; maintained business and commerce during the recent economic up and downturn; supported new services to businesses; established greater community involvement and an important volunteer network; stimulated a project that required community and or regional networking to bring the project to fruition; received local, county, state or federal dollars for a project that has a long term impact on future economic growth; established an industrial park or business incubator; and negotiated contracts to bring a new small business and put people to work.

Presenters will include local chambers, county and city officials, industrial boards, as well Upper Cumberland Development District, Economic and Community Development, USDA and other agencies.

“Although many of us wish we could hook and reel in a large industry creating livelihoods for thousands of people, we know that economic success in rural areas is often measured in smaller units, but those successes are just as important and impact the livelihoods of many people in our communities,” an informational flyer for the event says.

Attendees must register in advance; the fee is $14. To fill out the “Registration Form” electronically, click on the registration link at www.cumberlandincubator.com. For more information, contact CBI Director Robert Safdie at (931) 456-4910 (office) or (931) 337-1003 (cell). The registration fee can also be mailed to “Celebrations of Success” c/o Roane State CBI, 2567 Cook Road, Crossville, TN 38571.

Barbara Stebing joins First Volunteer Bank

COOKEVILLE – Barbara Stebing has joined First Volunteer Bank as mortgage loan officer for the Putnam County region. Her office is located at 351 S. Willow Ave. in Cookeville.

Stebing brings more than 20 years of banking experience, 15 of those years assisting customers with mortgages in the Cookeville area. She has a proven track record in helping customers find the right mortgage, says Delilah S. Clark, executive vice president for First Volunteer.

“I’m excited to be with First Volunteer Bank,” Stebing said. “I love working in the community bank environment where we are able to support the efforts of the communities we serve. I look forward to working with the people in our communities. There are many products and services we can offer to qualifying customers to help them accomplish their homeownership goals.”

Stebing attended Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. She and her husband Mark are the parents of three adult children and four grandchildren. They reside in Cookeville where she is an active member of the community. Recently she has been involved in the Cookeville Junior Women’s Club and with Mastersingers.

First Volunteer Bank is a $643 million financial institution with 22 branch offices throughout East and Middle Tennessee. First Volunteer operates four branch offices in the Putnam and Fentress County markets – Cookeville, Monterey, Jamestown and Clarkrange.

Mattress Firm opens new store in Cookeville

COOKEVILLE – Mattress Firm Inc., one of the nation’s leading specialty mattress retailers, has announced the opening of a new location in Cookeville. The new 4,000-square-foot store is located at 416 W. Jackson St., Suite 416D.
Mattress Firm is open seven days a week: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Monday–Saturday and noon–6 p.m. Sunday.

“We are thrilled to be opening a new location in Cookeville and look forward to offering our customers the same great shopping experience they have come to expect at our other locations throughout Tennessee,” said Steve Stagner, Mattress Firm’s chief executive officer.

Mattress Firm stores feature more than 55 different models of mattresses from manufacturers such as Sealy and Simmons. Specialty mattress and bedding products are also on display, including mattresses from Tempur-Pedic. The new store will also offer the company’s “Happiness Guarantee.”

Highland Rim relocating, adding 9th and 10th grade classes

COOKEVILLE – Highland Rim Academy, a classical Christian school in Cookeville, will be making some big changes in the 2012-2013 school year.

HRA recently announced the addition of grades 9 and 10 as the beginning of an upper school program. Grades 11 and 12 will be added in consecutive years. By the year 2014, HRA will be the only Christian school in the Upper Cumberland to offer grades K-12.

The school, currently located at The River Community Church campus on Miracle Road, will also be relocating to the Faith Building at Washington Avenue Baptist Church to allow for more growth. With construction on the new building scheduled to be complete in June, HRA will begin the new school year in a new building.
“We are in the midst of a very exciting time for the school as we continue to explore opportunities to fulfill the vision that began so many years ago,” stated headmaster Dan Bailey.

Founded in 2007, Highland Rim Academy has experienced significant growth in student enrollment in the last few years. The school began with 22 students in grades K-6 and now has 76 students in grades K-8.

Registration is currently open for the 2012-2013 school year. For more information, contact the school office at (931) 526-4472 or visit www.highlandrimacademy.org.

Verizon adds UC towns to 4G LTE coverage area

NASHVILLE – Verizon Wireless customers in more than 25 small towns in Middle Tennessee – and four in the Upper Cumberland – can now take advantage of the company’s high speed 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. Area residents affected include those in Carthage, McMinnville, Smithville and Woodbury.

The 4G coverage started April 19 and will give customers with 4G LTE devices speeds up to 10 times faster than Verizon’s 3G network. Verizon’s 4G LTE network covers more than 200 million people in more than 200 markets nationwide.

Cumby Construction adding elevator to 77-year-old Sparta Legion

COOKEVILLE – One of Sparta’s historic buildings is getting an upgrade, and local contractor J. Cumby Construction has been selected to install an elevator at the American Legion. The Cookeville-based builder was the low bidder among a group of six other local construction companies.

Built in 1935, the Sparta American Legion is located on the courthouse square. Over the years, it has housed several business and medical offices, but visitors have always had to climb steps to the second floor. That’s about to change.

“There are plenty of people who visit that building regularly and simply can’t climb the stairs,” said Justin Cumby, president of J. Cumby Construction. “We’re honored to have been chosen to make the Legion more easily accessible. The elevator is being installed in a way that won’t be obtrusive or take away from the classic look of the building.”

Construction on the project was slated to begin by the end of March and should wrap up around the end of summer. During the construction, a small portion of the Legion parking lot will be blocked off, but all public areas within the building will still be accessible.

J. Cumby Construction is a full-service commercial, industrial and residential construction company, offering general contractor, emergency restoration, construction consulting, and construction management services. For more information, visit www.jcumbyconstruction.com or call (931) 526-5158.