Clarksville, TN – For many years, the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce has each month selected a Veteran Business of the Month, putting a spotlight on local businesses that were started by U.S. Army Veterans, a group of men and women who contribute greatly to our community
Past winners include Clarksville favorites – Waterdogs Scuba, MB Roland Distillery, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Rage’N Axe, Wiggins Medical Transport, Poppin’ in the City, Star Spangled Brewery, and many more.
Chamber President Mark Kelly recently passed the gavel to incoming President Mike Rainey, and Major General Walt Lord, U.S. Army (Retired) has been selected to be part of the Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee, the group that chooses the Veteran Business of the Month.
“We went through the transition of officers at the beginning of July,” MG Lord said. “We will be meeting in August to name the next in a long line of Chamber Veteran Business of the Month award recipients.
“What we’re hoping to do is feature two kinds of businesses. One, if there is a new business in the community, this would be a great way to promote them. Two, if there is an established business that is doing a lot in the way of community support and engagement, we certainly want to promote those businesses as well.”
MG Lord named as an example Star Spangled Brewery, owned by Josh Romaker. “Josh is always doing something big in the way of engaging and supporting the community, especially the military community. We want to recognize those types of businesses/business leaders for the great work they are doing.”
MG Lord says he is very excited to be part of the Chamber. For two years now he has been part of a group called Citizens for Fort Campbell. “We take the priorities of the Fort Campbell Commander and Garrison Commander and descend upon our legislators in Washington, D.C. for a couple of days. There, we educate them on issues and advocate for the things that our Fort Campbell leadership is looking for. Legally, the Commander of Ft. Campbell can’t lobby Congress for funds or support, but we as citizens can.
“The Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee Spearheads that effort. General Sylvia and his Garrison Commander have been very quality-of-life focused. Taking care of things like living conditions, barracks and family housing, but also upgrading motor pools and aircraft hangars where they spend their work days, therefore giving them a better quality of life at work. I’m looking forward to that aspect of the job as well.”
Andrew Kester, Director of the Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization, says Veterans and their families make up about 25% of the Clarksville-Montgomery County population.
“We have 34% of separating soldiers choosing to stay in the area,” MG Lord said. “Ft. Campbell separates about 400 soldiers a month. That number, 34%, blows the doors off other Army post communities’ retention. That says a lot for this community. When a soldier comes here, regardless of where they’re from, we want them to build their next lives, and take care of their families here.”
MG Lord was never stationed at Fort Campbell. After his retirement, he and his wife Grace came to check out Clarksville as they began the search for their “forever home.”
“We came here on a house-hunting, really more of a town-hunting trip,” MG Lord said. “Day one we spent a long day driving around, walking around, talking to people, going to shops and restaurants, and at the end of that day we said, this is it.
“We got the feel that there was a genuine love of our military and Veteran communities here in Clarksville, and that’s something we wanted to be part of. We are thankful to Clarksville Living Magazine and Rich Holladay for putting a spotlight on these Veteran-owned businesses. Rich epitomizes what we do. He was stationed here, fell in love with the community, and stayed after retirement. He does a lot for the Veteran community.”
