ConnectTheKnox

Chad Zurcher is the Director of Baseball Operations at the University of Tennessee. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, Julia sits down with Chad to talk about the Volunteer's incredible connection with the community, the 95 million dollar upcoming stadium renovations, and the powerfully positive impact that NIL deals are having on the players. Chad goes in-depth on the numerous ways that fans can...

Representative Tim Burchett is a Republican Congressman serving the 2nd district of Tennessee. In this episode of Connect the Knox, Julia interviews Burchett about America's complicated history with UFOs, the Pentagon's ridiculous need for secrecy and spending, and how well-intentioned officials can quickly become corrupt or compromised. Rep. Burchett also gives listeners an in-depth look into his...

Dr. H.M. "Hash" Hashemian is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation (AMS), a nuclear engineering consulting firm headquartered in Knoxville. In this episode of ConnectTheKnox, Julia sits down with Dr. Hash to discuss the positives of nuclear energy, how AMS is doing control systems testing around the world to make nuclear energy even safer, and w...

Dr. Keith Carver is the Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President of the UT Institute of Agriculture, which plays a huge role in our community and the future of our local farmers. In this episode of ConnectTheKnox, Dr. Carver describes the programs that UT offers not only to students, but also to locals who want to get involved with agriculture or even just learn more about how to take adva...

Candace Viox is the owner of local restaurant and wine bar, Water Into Wine. Water Into Wine has become a staple in our community, and in this episode of ConnectTheKnox, Candace shares the incredible story of how she decided to open the business and the choices she's made that led to her success. Throughout our conversation, Candace reveals how she's been able to overcome the challenges of owning...

Michael Galyean is a viral sensation and content creator who gained international attention when he participated in a recent viral dance number at a UT Football game. But what many people don't know about Michael is how long he's been dreaming about dancing on the sidelines at Neyland Stadium, and how involved he is with the local community here in Knoxville. Throughout our conversation, Michael s...

Pierce LaMacchia is the Founder, Owner and Operator of K Brew Coffee. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, Pierce shares the incredible story of how he discovered that entrepreneurship was the only path forward for him and convinced his brother to drop out of college to help him start K Brew at 24 years old. Throughout our conversation, we discuss the importance of embracing change, how to evaluate...

Alexis Hornbuckle is an incredible athlete and member of the Knoxville community. As the first female athlete to ever win the Collegiate and the WNBA National Championships in the same collegiate year, she has become not only a local legend, but a legend in all of women's basketball. Throughout this episode, we explore how playing for UT and being coached by Pat Summitt was a dream come true for A...

Chris Lofton, legendary UT Basketball star, joins me on this episode of ConnectTheKnox to discuss why Knoxville has such a special place in his heart and his upcoming career goals. Throughout this episode, we discuss what it was like for Chris to celebrate having his UT jersey officially retired, and why sharing that celebration with the Knoxville community was so special. Chris also shares the li...

Andy Jeffers is the owner of Sports & Entertainment Media here in Knoxville. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, we discuss how he got his start running such a large media company from the heart of the Scruffy City, and we also discuss the surprising amount of businesses that are based right here in Knoxville. Andy reveals what it's like to work with NASCAR and how much travel is really required to...

Bear Stephenson is the owner of Stephenson Realty and Auction in Clinton, Tennessee. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, Bear explains how his early career was shaped by some of Knoxville's most influential business leaders, and what he learned about good growth versus growth that is detrimental to the region. Bear and I also discuss what he's learned from the ups and downs of real estate, and Bear...

Tyler Cauble is a commercial real estate broker in Nashville, Tennessee who is helping to improve the city through the use of mixed-use development. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, Tyler shares how Nashville has changed over the course of his lifetime and why he feels that mixed-use development is the future. Tyler describes his involvement in the zoning requirements in Nashville, and how that...

Mark Nagi, a long-time Knoxville resident, is both a TDOT employee and former sportscaster who recently wrote a new book on UT sports called Decade of Dysfunction. In this episode of ConnectTheKnox, Mark shares what brought him to Knoxville from upstate New York and why he decided to transition from his dream career of sportscasting to becoming the Community Relations Officer at TDOT. Mark and Jul...

Josh Mancuso is a TikTok creator based out of East Tennessee who has started his own production company called Switchmen Studios. In this episode of ConnectTheKnox, we discuss Josh's East Tennessee roots and how he came to become a full-time content creator. Josh walks through his creative process, and why he feels consistency is what changed the game for him. Josh also talks about his future goal...

Stacey Campfield is a Tennessee politician, TV personality, and real estate mogul and on this episode of ConnectTheKnox, we explore how Stacey was able to build such a dynamic career right here in Knoxville. Stacey explains why he moved to Knoxville for the business climate, and how his political career led him to a career in television. Julia and Stacey also discuss Stacey's real estate portfolio...

Melissa Blettner is the Chief Executive Officer for Ancient Lore Village, a one-of-a-kind fantasy resort right in the heart of Knoxville. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, Melissa shares her philosophy of hospitality with purpose and how her role with Ancient Lore Village brought her from Wisconsin to Knoxville. Melissa describes some of the similarities between her hometown and Knoxville, as wel...

Glenn Jacobs is the Mayor of Knox County, but many people first knew him from his professional wrestling career. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, we discuss why Glenn chose to settle in Knoxville over all the other cities he's traveled to and how he decided to get involved in politics. Glenn discusses his collaborative approach to solving the challenges of the recent population boom, as well as...

In this episode of ConnectTheKnox I'm joined by Dave Hooker, owner of Off The Hook Sports. Dave is a Knoxville native who has made a name for himself breaking stories in sports and eventually creating his own sports media empire. In this episode, we discuss how the world of sports journalism has changed in the face of social media and a 24/7 news cycle, and why it's so important for up-and-coming...

Moshe the Chief Geek is my secret weapon when it comes to all things cybersecurity, and on this special episode of ConnectTheKnox, we're covering all the best practices when it comes to protecting yourself online. Moshe explains how common phishing scams are, and why it's important that real estate agents know exactly how to protect themselves and their clients. Moshe also gives invaluable best pr...

Marissa Kalsey is a pole vaulter and Olympic hopeful who moved to Knoxville to train with world-class coaches. In this episode of ConnectTheKnox, we explore how living in a central southern location like Knoxville affects training for track and field athletes. Marissa also describes the risk involved in pole vaulting, and the intense qualifying process athletes like her go through to compete at th...

Zane Chavez is a former pro baseball player who has traveled all over the U.S. and to 5 different countries in his career. So what made him decide to settle in Knoxville and open up a training facility for aspiring young athletes? Zane answers these questions and more in this episode of ConnectTheKnox. Tune in to learn the role No Chance HQ has had in multiple marriage proposals, why Zane feels th...

Kole Cottam is a professional catcher for the Boston Red Sox and a long-time Knoxville resident. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, Kole describes why he loves Knoxville compared to all the other cities in the country he's traveled to as a professional ball player. Kole also reveals what he thinks can be done to attract younger residents to Knoxville, and why he feels Knoxville is a perfect place...

Episode Summary  Gloria Johnson, State Representative in House District 90, is a former educator who ran for office after seeing certain political issues not getting the attention they deserved. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, she describes what that journey was like and how important it is to get involved politically if there's an issue that's important to you. Gloria also reveals her deep roo...

Tammy White, President & CEO of Leadership Knoxville, came to Knoxville in 1990 and has been working to shape the growth of the city ever since. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, she describes the incredible work that Leadership Knoxville is doing in our community, including the many programs they offer for UT Students, business executives, and the leaders of tomorrow - the youth of Knoxville.   ...

Randy Boyd, legendary Knoxville entrepreneur and current President of the University of Tennessee, is a lifelong Knoxvillian who's dedicated to giving back to his community. On this episode of ConnectTheKnox, he describes how an early failed business in his career lead him to where he is today, and the work he's doing to help send Tennessee kids to college free of charge. Randy and Julia discuss h...