On the evening of Friday, October 28, attendees of Young Professionals of Knoxville’s 10th Annual Impact Awards gathered together at The Press Room, dressed in their best winter cocktail attire to honor and celebrate individuals and organizations in our community who make a difference. The result was an evening full of celebration, fun, making new connections, and honoring some of the best that Knoxville has to offer.
The evening began with a time of networking, where attendees had the opportunity to enjoy a drink, see familiar faces, and make new connections. After that, guests were invited to find their seat at their table and enjoy a delicious buffet catered by The Press Room.
YPK President Tyler Janow and President-Elect Grace Bennett opened up the main portion of the evening with a few reflections on what YPK has accomplished in 2022. A few highlights include:
Hosting over 75 events for young professionals
Supporting two nonprofit organizations in our community
Multiple service opportunities for both members and non-members
Membership has increased 230% since the beginning of Covid-19
Members of the YPK Board of Directors introduced the awards portion of the evening. They spoke to how each and every nominee deserved the recognition they received. As each award winner was announced, the recipient approached the stage to receive their award and posed for a photo.
YPK Impact Award Winners
The Connect Award - Individual
Kirby Deal, The Women’s Fund of East Tennessee
The Connect Award - Organization
The Develop Award - Individual
Catherine Porth, Knoxville Entrepreneur Center
The Develop Award - Organization
The Serve Award - Individual
Avery Howard, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The Serve Award Organization
Four young professionals were also honored for their work and commitment to the community of Knoxville:
Carter Hall, City of Knoxville
Kayla Klein, The Salvation Army
Lacey Mellott, Knox Heritage
Rachel Dellinger Stallings, Covenant Health
First Horizon Impact Award Winner
Phyllis Nichols, President & CEO of Knoxville Area Urban League
Phyllis Nichols has served as the leader of the Knoxville Area Urban League since 2000. Under her leadership, the organization’s impact has expanded to serve over 10,000 individuals and families each year. Many of these programs directly impact and support the young professionals in our community by providing a skilled and diverse workforce, increasing homeownership, and supporting small business development - to list just a few.
Her leadership has been recognized locally with many awards, including YWCA of Knoxville's Tribute to Women where she was named one of the community's 30 most impactful women of the last 30 years. The Tennessee Human Rights Commission has also recognized her for her advocacy for civil rights and social justice. Her advocacy for these initiatives has also gained national recognition - she is a senior fellow of the National Urban League and has received the Distinguished Service Award from the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission and the Women in Power award from the National Urban League. Her passion for education, equity, social justice, and economic development extends beyond her day-job.
YPK wants to extend a special thank you to all of our members for a wonderful year. We can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store for YPK!
As always, thank you to our annual sponsors Northwestern Mutual, 21st Mortgage, and Axle Logistics.