The GRHEATER GOOD

RheaECD’s official newsletter, vol. 1, issue 1 | Jan. 2026

Rhea County is on the move — from the pending launch of our new, $20 million TCAT campus in Dayton to the recent completion of a brand-new, 20-acre shovel-ready site in Spring City, economic development is happening.

And there’s no better time for it. Following last year’s economic shakeup at the hands of tariffs and changes in U.S. global policy, our partners in private industry are eager to return to forward progress in 2026.

The good news is local employment remains strong, led by healthy manufacturing, government and retail jobs. Rhea County continues to outpace the nation in each of those top three job sectors.

But challenges remain. Affordable childcare, affordable housing and employee acquisition and retention are at the top of every employers’ wishlist.

We’ll solve these problems, but it will require working together and being creative.

Fortunately for Rhea County, our private sector is strong, and united. We saw this firsthand at a December roundtable of the community’s largest employers (more on that below).

And with the help of local leadership, Rhea Economic & Tourism Council — via RheaECD, Rhea Education Foundation and Rhea Industrial & Manufacturing Association, among others — will continue to identity and combine resources to move our community forward.

Great things are happening. We invite you to be part of it.

Move forward with us.

Alex Green
Executive Director
Rhea Economic & Tourism Council, Inc.

But First — a thank you

A few months after RheaIMA launched, we received a phone call from our friends at FirstBank in Dayton.

They wanted to know how they could help support Rhea County’s growth and its employees, and how they could help RheaIMA.

From there, a partnership was born. We’re proud to say Tennessee-based FirstBank is the official bank partner of RheaIMA, offering both personal and business banking products and services.

Located at 1525 Market Street in downtown Dayton, FirstBank’s team is friendly, local and willing to roll up their sleeves to help you get from A to Z.

Plus, they’re always here to help.

We couldn’t do it without them. Call or swing by their Dayton office and tell them RheaIMA sent you.

Good to know: Dr. Benton Jones

Dr. Benton Jones
Director of Online Studies & Associate Professor of Management | Bryan College

Recently, Dr. Benton Jones stopped by the RheaECD office to talk up-skilling.

Having spent the first and formative years of his career in manufacturing, Jones fundamentally understands how to help large employers move their best people up through the ranks.

With ample (and local) resources at Bryan College, Jones and his team are able to help prep workers for the next step via education and targeted knowledge acquisition.

His bio and contact info are below. Reach out to find out how curated classes can help create the next generation of leadership for your organization, right here at home.

BIO

Dr. Benton Jones brings a wealth of experience to his current role at Bryan College, having spent over a decade managing operations functions in the manufacturing sector.

His journey with the college began as a student, where he pursued further education to complement his practical expertise. Over time, Dr. Jones embraced various opportunities within Bryan College, ultimately assuming the role of a dedicated faculty member. Drawing upon his extensive knowledge, he now imparts valuable insights to students enrolled in Business and Management courses across both the undergraduate and graduate programs.

He has held the esteemed position of Chair of the Faculty Senate, demonstrating his leadership and commitment to fostering a collaborative academic environment. Additionally, he has taken on the role of Directing the Doctoral program in Business Administration and now Administration of Online Programs, in general. With his diverse background and multifaceted contributions, Dr. Jones continues to make a significant impact at Bryan College, where his dedication to teaching, leadership, and program coordination serves to enrich the educational experience for students and colleagues alike.

Bryan College offers degrees at the bachelors level in Business, Criminal Justice, and Applied Psychology, at the masters in those areas and in Education and leadership, and a doctorate in Business Administration online. The residential campus offers over 30 residential programs.

Email: bjones1426@bryan.edu
Phone: 423-775-2041 EXT: 150

Roundtable: RheaIMA

On Dec. 12, representatives from many of Rhea County’s largest employers met at Bryan College for a RheaIMA-organized lunch and roundtable discussion.

Combined, the assembled group was responsible for approximately 3,400 to 4,000 employees — a number equal to roughly 10 percent of Rhea County’s population.

Main takeaways from the meeting include creation of a variety of locally-led training sessions and workshops, plus increased opportunities to bridge the gap between industry and education.

Looking ahead to 2026, RheaIMA will soon announce its events calendar and programming, all aimed at issues identified by real employers, tackling real issues.

Be on the lookout for more, but 2026 announcements to include:

Industry forum-style presentation/discussion with K-12 students
Financial literacy programs and training
Apprenticeship awareness and resource guidance
Increased networking and industry-specific events

Want to be included on future RheaIMA events? Join today!

The final word: energy

Even if you’ve been only halfway paying attention, you can’t ignore the noise being made in the advanced energy sector, especially just up the road from us in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Historic investment in advanced energy — led by the White House — seeks to head off pending energy crunches due to increased use by data centers, AI and sheer population growth.

[READ: Centrus announces $560 million project in Oak Ridge]

But also, federal and state officials are pumping money into advanced energy in a bid to see the U.S. once again overtake global rivals like China.

This is good news for Rhea County, which is positioned only an hour away from the epicenter of American advanced energy, Oak Ridge National Lab and Y-12 National Security Complex.

By the numbers, Tennessee Economic and Community Development reports that more than $10 billion has been invested in advanced energy in Tennessee alone over the last 24 months, with 2,000 new jobs being created.

Yes, there is a need for nuclear engineers and nuclear-adjacent professionals, like chemists and operators.

But there is also an ever-growing need for project managers, operations leaders, construction experts and trade professionals like welders, plumbers and builders.

Here’s the catch: careers in the highly-specialized advanced energy space require more than squeeky-clean resume. Professionals with advanced energy IQ and knowledge will have a leg up when it comes to hiring.

That’s why RheaECD is working with Rhea County Schools, Dayton City School, Chattanooga State, TCAT and Bryan College to build an education pipeline for Rhea County students to graduate at all levels ready for a career in advanced energy.

Additionally, RheaECD in Q1 2026 is launching its first Advanced Energy Committee to study our community’s place in the energy investment space and provide information and education about advanced energy to our community.

Working with our partners at the State of Tennessee and Tennessee Valley Authority, RheaECD is committed to making sure we move forward, together.

Move forward with us.

THANK YOU, RHEAIMA PARTNERS