Our history
In June 2003, six interested people met at the Shoney's Restaurant on North Broadway to talk about the need for an organization for businesses and professionals in North Knoxville. All six agreed it was time.
How did NKBPA begin?
The six founders wrote a letter inviting local businesses and professional people to a meeting two weeks later at the Fulton High School Library. The turnout was good, and interest was high enough to give the idea a try. Another letter went out, and the second meeting, held the next month in the library, was even larger.
The founders set out to help the area be better recognized, keep businesses informed about activities and events in the community, pool resources to help this part of Knoxville, and be able to organize when there is a need to fight for the rights of the community.
Who were the founders?
The six founding members were Larry Cox, Jerry Askew, Mike Reynolds, Kitty Hatcher, Bill Warwick and Eddie Willis.
Larry Cox is honored in the name of the Larry Cox Legacy Suite at Fulton High School, where NKBPA holds its November meeting each year.
Where has NKBPA met?
Since 2003 NKBPA has held meetings in more than thirty locations in North Knoxville. For years the group chose not to have a permanent home, because members enjoyed volunteering their own places of business to host. Today we usually meet at St. John's Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 544 N. Broadway.
Since 2003
From a breakfast at Shoney's to 544 N. Broadway
NKBPA was started by neighbors on North Broadway, and it still meets there every month. Here is how it got from there to here.
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June 2003 · Shoney's, North Broadway
Six neighbors meet over breakfast
Six local business people met at the Shoney's on North Broadway and agreed North Knoxville needed an organization of its own. They wrote a letter inviting local businesses and professionals to a meeting.
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Two weeks later · Fulton High School Library
The first open meeting
Turnout was good, and interest was high enough to give the idea a try. The second meeting, the next month, was even larger.
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The years since · Over thirty locations
Members open their doors
NKBPA has met in more than thirty North Knoxville locations, as members volunteered their places of business to host and show off their work.
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May 2011 · IRS 501(c)(3)
A recognized nonprofit
The IRS recognized NKBPA as a 501(c)(3) public charity (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (opens in a new tab)).
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2013 · More than 100 members
A full room every month
NKBPA had grown to more than 100 member businesses, averaged about 45 people per meeting, and gave more than $4,000 in scholarships and more than $2,000 to local nonprofits the year before.
Figures from a 2013 press release.
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2026 · Fulton High School
Three first-generation scholars
Money raised at the annual Corn Hole Tournament has helped three first-generation college students from Fulton High receive additional scholarship money.
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Today · St. John's Lutheran Church, 544 N. Broadway
Breakfast on the second Friday
We usually meet in the Fellowship Hall at St. John's Lutheran Church. Watch the calendar and Facebook for any change.
From our records
Honored to be a part of this great group of businesses and professionals.
Be part of the next chapter.
Guests are always welcome. Breakfast and networking begin at 7:45 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, 544 N. Broadway, and the program starts promptly at 8:00. Membership is $60 a year for individuals and $150 for businesses.