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About Locally Owned Murfreesboro

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    In early March 2015, local business owner Gretchen Bilbro and downtown resident Leslie Russell Yost attended an event in Nashville where a representative from the American Independent Business Association spoke about the national organization.

    AMIBA’s mission of helping communities and local businesses thrive resonated with the pair. They then recruited the original board — Roxann Covington, Cheryl Lisi and Michelle Willard — to help organize a local AMIBA affiliate for Murfreesboro.

    From there they recruited charter members and developed a mission statement.

    That’s how Locally Owned Murfreesboro became an organization of independent local business owners dedicated to promoting the benefits of shopping locally to the community and building a stronger local economy by joining together in marketing, government advocacy and networking.

    Now, after more than 5 years, we want to be the one stop shop for all locally owned businesses, where the pubic goes to find our independent businesses.

    To put it simply, LOM was formed because Murfreesboro Matters.


    Christy Hackinson, Matthew Joseph and
    Chantell Kennedy-Shehan

    Our Board of Directors


    PRESIDENT

    Missy Lay is a Rutherford County native who believes this is a GREAT place to live, work and raise a family. Lay owns Wild Goose Chase events and specializes in unique events for individuals, team-building and non-profit fundraisers. She believes in our community and loves to support all things local.

    Roxann Deasy

    TREASURER

    Roxann Deasy is the director of new business at Contract Management Services, a Murfreesboro-based company that provides administrative and bookkeeping services for independent businesses. Deasy works with small businesses on a daily basis and sees the kind of support they need to be successful.


    VICE-PRESIDENT

    A Rutherford County native, Michelle Willard is a local journalist who has covered topics in the county from government and schools to business and events. She believes a town’s character can be found in the businesses that make it unique.


    TSBDC Liaison

    Kayla Miller


    PAST PRESIDENT

    Gretchen Bilbro is the owner and manager of Cultivate Coworking, an independent communal office space in downtown Murfreesboro. Bilbro spearheaded the formation of Locally Owned Murfreesboro because she felt there needs to be a unified group to speak for independent businesses and promote the benefits of supporting your neighbors’ businesses.


    MTSU Entrepreneurship Liaison

    Dr. Joshua R. Aaron is a Professor of Management at Middle Tennessee State University and the holder of the Pam Wright Chair in Entrepreneurship. Dr. Aaron currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Small Business Institute and serves on the Tennessee Small Business Development Center Advisory Board as well as the advisory council for the MTSU ACE Learning Center. 


    SECRETARY

    T. Matthew Chase is the Principal and founder of Tandem Financial, a boutique investment firm located in downtown Murfreesboro. Matthew has lived in Murfreesboro for 12 years with his wife Kristen and two sons. As a business owner and father, Matthew is committed to leading by example for his children and doing everything he can to help local business, and philanthropy.

    Marketing

    Kenzi Keene

     Marketing

    Terry Lea


    Locally Owned Murfreesboro is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization through Amiba. 
    Copyright 2021 - Locally Owned Murfreesboro


    9044359

    Call us: (615) 904-4359

    107 W Lytle St
    Murfreesboro, TN 37130

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