BRIDGE Regional

07/27/2026

We were excited to run this report for the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center and showcase their nearly $30 million dollar annual economic impact.

Interested in seeing what data we could pull for you? Visit our website to see what we currently have available. 📈

A newly released economic impact analysis shows that the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center generates nearly $30 million in annual economic activity, supporting jobs, businesses, and local tax revenue throughout Southwest Virginia. The study, compiled by BRIDGE using IMPLAN economic modeling...

07/23/2026

07/06/2026

After a highly impactful two-year tenure marked by unprecedented regional collaboration and economic growth, Board Chair Julie Bennett, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Governance Officer at Ballad Health, is completing her term as chair but continuing to serve on the BRIDGE Board.

BRIDGE is excited to announce that Adrian Holt, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Eastman, will succeed Julie Bennett as the 2026-27 BRIDGE Board Chair.

Under Julie Bennett’s leadership, BRIDGE successfully crossed city, county, and state boundary lines to foster regional approach to economic advancement. Her tenure was highlighted by major milestone victories, most notably bringing together public and private stakeholders to invest heavily in expanded regional air service. This historic initiative established a new Air Service Committee (made up of public, private and elected officials), introduced a new carrier and flights aimed at boosting tourism, and generated a compounding economic “snowball effect” across communities.

Adrian Holt, an accomplished leader, is poised to steer the organization into its next phase of innovation and growth. Holt has been a proactive engaged leader during his time on the BRIDGE Board, and he shares the vision established in BRIDGE’s strategic plan that he helped develop.

The leadership transition officially took effect on July 1st. Holt will chair his first board meeting on July 16th.

You can find the full press release on our website here:https://www.bridgeregional.com/_files/ugd/aba04e_4682f0c704f0427598d7be25aec5ff6b.pdf

06/25/2026

Today we're proud to spotlight LEAD SWVA alumnus John Rose, whose experience reflects the connections, growth, and leadership development that are at the heart of our program.

"My experience with LEAD SWVA was inspiring, as the program greatly expanded my network and allowed me to forge lasting friendships with dedicated leaders across the region. The leadership examples shared throughout the program were helpful, providing me with fresh perspectives and new thoughts on how to be a more effective leader. I am grateful for these connections and insights."

John's story is a great example of how LEAD SWVA brings together leaders from across Southwest Virginia to learn from one another, strengthen regional relationships, and build the skills needed to make a lasting impact in their communities.

Interested in joining a future cohort? Applications for LEAD SWVA 2027 are not currently open but will be available in early 2027. To learn more about the program, visit leadswva.org.

06/24/2026

06/22/2026

Our team had a wonderful time volunteering at Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee last week during United Way of Greater Kingsport’s 34th Annual Week of Caring! 🫶🏻

We were able to pack boxes of food for the nonprofit’s summer feeding program that serves children in 8 counties. 🍽️

06/17/2026

The regional blood drive competition returns! 🩸

Make an appointment now or walk-in on Monday at any of the following locations from 10am-4pm for your donation to count towards their respective YP group in this fun challenge:

Bristol Chamber of Commerce
Greene County Partnership
Kingsport Chamber of Commerce
Johnson City Chamber of Commerce

Donors receive a fun t-shirt and tote bag!

Local stops. Regional impact. Which YP group will win? 🏆

06/15/2026

Met a room full of great people at Kiwanis Club of Elizabethton last week! Thank you for having us. We were thrilled to present on our organization’s mission and give an update on our tourism support in Carter County.

Thank you to McKenzie Ketron, Development Director at BRIDGE Regional, for speaking at our weekly meeting! We appreciate you taking the time to share about the important work BRIDGE is doing in our community and the impact your organization is making in the lives of so many. Your insight, passion, and dedication were truly inspiring. We enjoyed learning more about BRIDGE's mission.

06/08/2026

We were proud to sponsor the regional Resource + Job Fair again this year and thankful for our ongoing partnership with the Unicoi County Long-Term Recovery Group.

“Recovery is about more than rebuilding homes; it’s about restoring livelihoods and strengthening communities,” said John Rose, Executive Director at BRIDGE, in a news release. “We’ve seen incredible resilience across our region. Ongoing efforts and events like this help ensure that no one has to navigate this recovery alone.”

ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL) — A job fair in Erwin on Thursday saw several long-term recovery groups in the region come together to provide employment opportunities and resources to community members who we…

06/04/2026

We were proud to sponsor the regional Resource + Job Fair in Erwin last week in continued partnership with the Unicoi County Long-Term Recovery Group. 💼

With 60+ job seekers and 50 employers/service providers in attendance, we were also able to document 500+ interactions between them.

A huge thank you to all of the volunteers, partners, other sponsors, elected officials, and media personnel who made the event a success.