Podcast No. 88: Ryan Porter of the Jackson Chamber
Perhaps you recognize Ryan Porter from the Jackson Chamber—or you knew him when he was a kid at North Side. Or you met him a few years back through the police department or JEA. Any way you put it, Ryan is a Jackson man through and through, and today our podcast, Kevin Adelsberger interviews him about the many hats he wears and why he's planted roots in West Tennessee.
To learn more about the Jackson Chamber, visit their website.
Kevin Adelsberger and his wife Renae moved to Jackson for college (proud Union alumni) and have stayed ever since. Jackson has since taken hold of Kevin’s heart, and he looks forward to continuing to grow with the city. Kevin opened Adelsberger Marketing in 2014 and saw working with Our Jackson Home as a way that he could serve the city he loves. Kevin and Renae are members of First Baptist Church and volunteer with the youth group there and with Madison County CASA.
Production, editing, and photography by Kevin Adelsberger.
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There are plenty of conversations about what art is and isn’t, who it is and isn’t for. I’m interested in this conversation, but I can’t answer that question, unless I answer it for myself. This September, I painted a mural that is now one of the first things to greet you when you arrive in downtown Jackson. Nestled just past Grubb’s Grocery and the Jackson Walk on North Highland, it’s a bright and idyllic scene, and I’m not oblivious to the fact that it’s an even more idealistic message: Love your neighborhood.
The holiday magic may be over, but don’t worry that your January will be dull. Cozy up with these fun events throughout the community, and don’t forget to sync the full calendar with yours so you don’t miss a thing.
Never ever in a million years would I have guessed that I would be a small business owner living in Jackson, Tennessee. I am one of the most shy people you will ever meet. That ambitious entrepreneur spirit is in me, but growing up, it wasn’t readily apparent, even to me. My husband, on the other hand, always knew he would work for himself and probably stay here in Jackson. Both of our grandparents owned their own businesses, and their examples shaped our lives. When I think of Jackson, I think of my family.
Today may just be another Christmas morning for you, but for us, it's our third birthday! In honor of this special milestone in Our Jackson Home's history, here's a video by our own Kevin Adelsberger created for the Jackson Chamber's Women in Business event from earlier this month that highlights our mission and just how much we've grown in three years.
Poet and Nobel Prize winner T.S. Eliot once said, “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” This is certainly true for higher education opportunities that may have not been available to many students based on the space in which they find themselves in life. However, community colleges around the country have given a new hope to these students, providing them with an opportunity to “Stay Close, Go Far.” In fact, this is the slogan of Jackson State Community College.
I had forgotten how exhilarating it is to fly up in the sky. The takeoff, the landing, and the whole experience seems to take your breath away. Maybe that’s because I don’t travel by air as often as I would like. I still think it’s crazy that Katie Howerton and I managed to take time out of our schedules to enjoy a day trip to St. Louis—flown directly out of Jackson. Encouraging a getaway trip to St. Louis might not come across as a typical Our Jackson Home topic. At least that’s what I thought at first.
The annual event "A Taste of Jackson & West Tennessee" took place at the West Tennessee Farmers' Market last night. This evening allows local restaurants and food vendors to showcase their wares to benefit the March of Dimes. Taste of Jackson is a great opportunity to try to flavors of some of Jackson's most popular restaurants as well as those of some places you may have never visited.
This past Saturday afternoon I dropped by Lisa Garner’s Love Day Pop-Up Shop at the Neely House in search for a little something for my wife and two daughters. And while I walked out with a small stack of mini valentines for my loves (thanks, Courtney Searcy!), I left being reminded of why Jackson has my heart. As the sun began to slowly warm my skin from the cutting breeze, I realized it had been nine years since I last stood on the porch of the former Murphy Hotel.
The summer before my junior year of high school I had the amazing opportunity to travel to the island of Antigua on a mission trip. The majority of our trip was spent inland where we were able to see the heart, soul, and reality of this beautiful paradise. Tourism drove the economy of this small island, but the people drove the tourism. I witnessed a unity within the individuals of this community that far surpassed anything I had experienced in my young life.
Jackson's Chamber of Commerce awarded local businesses and volunteers at their 2014 Annual Celebration, and Trevor Masterson and Kevin Adelsberger were there to capture the celebration of the volunteers and businesses that help make our Chamber and city great.