Roberts Joins Kingsport Chamber as Women’s Business Center Director

Serving 10 Counties in Northeast Tennessee, Appalachian Highlands Women’s Business Center Appoints New Director

Kingsport, Tenn. — The Kingsport Chamber has announced the appointment of Brea Roberts as the director of the Appalachian Highlands Women’s Business Center (AppH-WBC). The AppH-WBC was recently established as one of 17 new Women’s Business Centers across the United States, as announced by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

While the AppH-WBC operates from the Kingsport Chamber located at 400 Clinchfield St., Ste. 100 in Downtown Kingsport, it serves a regional demographic. The center’s jurisdiction covers 10 counties in Northeast Tennessee; Carter, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington. Satellite locations will be established throughout the said areas to enhance accessibility.

AppH-WBC’s Vision and Mission

The Appalachian Highlands Women’s Business Center aims to be the premier resource for female entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses in Northeast Tennessee. The center’s goal is to equip women with the required knowledge and resources to gain access to capital and opportunities for government contracting.

90-Day Initial Plan

Roberts, having been appointed, intends to develop a comprehensive 90-day plan to ensure the center’s activities are in line with the specific requirements of the SBA Office of Women’s Business Ownership. As part of her inaugural plan, she intends to collaborate with East Tennessee State University to develop and administer a survey aimed at women small business owners and entrepreneurs.

The goal of the survey is to collect data that will inform the creation of personalized services and solutions, and to uncover the unmet needs of their clientele. Having graduated as one of the top MBA students at East Tennessee State University, Roberts brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in market research, analytics, and teaching.

A History of Success

Brea Roberts has a rich history of success. She has previously served as the President of the Board of Directors at the Kingsport Child Development Center and the Executive Director of iPartnr Technologies, an e-commerce management and development group that provides end-to-end services for nationwide e-commerce businesses.

The Choice for Leadership

Aundrea Salyer, Chief Business Development Officer at the chamber, explained that Roberts was chosen from over 70 candidates. The factors that propelled her to the top of the list include her exceptional leadership skills, her drive, and her genuine desire to establish an institution dedicated to supporting and empowering women entrepreneurs.

Roberts’ experience in building key relationships and consistently meeting or exceeding targets and goals ideally suit the requirements of her new role. This new appointment is a welcome move towards empowering women in business, and is anticipated to bring about significant positive changes for female entrepreneurs in Northeast Tennessee.