Hawkins awarded Tennessee Chamber ‘Professional of the Year’
Janet Hawkins
TCCE President Stephanie Brackman presented the award.
“On behalf of the Tennessee Chamber Executives, we would like to congratulate Janet Hawkins for being selected as the Tennessee Chamber Professional of the Year.”
The award recognizes an outstanding chamber professional who has helped advance the mission of the chamber and is seen as a role model in the community. Hawkins was evaluated on outstanding achievements, involvement in TCCE and other professional organizations, program development and community participation.
Hawkins was instrumental in leading a steering committee to complete the application for the TN Downtowns Program for the City of Clinton in 2018 and a TN Downtowns Grant in 2019 for Wayfinding Signage, followed by the tedious 200-page application for the TN Main Street Program for Historic Downtown Clinton in 2021. During the pandemic Janet created the Chamber Champions Program to boost local small businesses. Over $8,000 was collected in sponsorships and returned to the community. Gift cards were purchased for prizes in “Shop Local” contests. Over 100 “Shop Local” yard signs were placed throughout Anderson County. Hawkins also facilitated the grant application for Marketing & Promotion of Anderson County for the county’s ThreeStar program through TN Economic & Community Development, which was announced in August 2021.
Hawkins joined the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce in December 2002 on a temporary 6-month assignment. Before the end of 5 months, the assignment became permanent. Beginning as Administrative Assistant, Janet soon became Director of Administration, then Director of Administration & Finance and to the current position of Executive Vice President, Retail Development. Her current duties include coordinating potential retail projects in the county, administration of the daily operations of the Chamber as well as coordinating the county’s ThreeStar program, and the Chamber’s Business Development Committee.
She has been serving the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce for more than 25 years. From 1976 – 1982 Hawkinsserved as the part-time secretary of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce while working full-time for J. Edwin Birdwell, Jr., President of First American Bank. During this time the organization changed its name to the Greater Clinton Chamber of Commerce. In 1984, the Chamber changed its name to the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce to depict its role more accurately in the county.
Hawkins is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Anderson County and the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives Institute. In 2018 she graduated from East Tennessee Regional Leadership before completing the requirements of the Institute of Organizational Management, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in 2019.
She is married to Dan, now retired, and together they have 3 children and 3 grandchildren. They are active at First Baptist Powell, where they serve as Life Group leaders, Community Group leaders and facilitate the counseling ministries of DivorceCare, GriefShare and Single & Parenting as well as individual counseling. Hawkins also serves on the Women’s Ministry Team at FBP.