Chattanooga Spirit of Innovation

The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the annual Spirit of Innovation luncheon this year on April 29. Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, is the keynot speaker.

The awards recognize Chattanooga "area companies whose innovative ideas resulted in a creative new product, service or way of doing business."

Six companies are finalists for the Kruesi Award which is given in honor of John Kruesi, a Swiss born immigran who immigrated to the United States and worked with Thomas Edison as the head machinist for many of Edison's key inventions.

The Kruesi Award is America's first community innovation award. It was started in 2001 to honor John Kruesi and the family who settled in Chattanooga in the early 1900's and have been active in the community since then.

The finalists this year are Airnet Group, Andersen Flaps, DJO Chattanooga, Thermal Transfer Composites, and Utiliflex.

The Kruesi Award points to Chattanooga's commitment to entrepreneurship and business innovation.

It will be especially exciting to hear from Stefan Jacoby to update the progress of the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga.