Here’s your chance to bless a woman who has given a lot to this community.

Cindy Bradley, owner/broker of Signature Homes Real Estate and founder of Sacred Ground Hospice House, is a Top 10 finalist for the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Good Neighbor Award.

The public can vote for Cindy as a web choice favorite until Tuesday, November 6, 2025, by visiting realtor.com/goodneighbor/. The top vote-getter will take home $2,500 for their charity, and the second- and third-place finishers will each receive $1,250. Both the winners and the web choice favorites will be announced on Monday, Nov. 10.

“You can vote all day every day,” Cindy posted on social media.

After losing her husband, Rudy Bradley, Cindy turned her personal grief and expertise in real estate into a gift for families facing the death of a loved one. Sacred Ground Hospice House is staffed 24/7 with professional caregivers and many volunteers. Cindy checks in daily while continuing to operate her real estate agency full-time.

“I sold my rental houses,” she told me in an earlier interview. “I’ve gotta keep working!”

Cindy looked first at purchasing the former St. Mary’s Hospice on Andersonville Pike in Halls, but she couldn’t make a deal with the owners. Then she struck a deal to purchase a virtually new church building on Dry Gap Pike, near the intersection with Rifle Range Road.

With the proceeds from her rental houses and whatever other money she could find, Cindy built a wing specifically designed for hospice patients with space for the families who want to stay overnight and day-time visitors. A central commons area and a screened room for family gatherings round out that wing.

Cindy then turned to the former sanctuary with a vision to restore it as a gathering place for funerals or even community meetings. She learned that the building didn’t conform to codes, costing more than anticipated to restore. “How did it get built in the first place?” she wondered out loud. Say what you will, Cindy Bradley is not shy about raising money or challenging building inspectors.

She got the sanctuary restored.

She’s also got an account on Amazon where hospice staff list needed supplies and donors check in, buy online and have the items shipped directly to the hospice. https://a.co/1orcjeJ

Cindy intended to serve everyone as space allowed, regardless of ability to pay. So far, nearly 800 patients needing end-of-life care have lived there.

She has had solid support from local Realtors. She was honored with the 2025 TN Realtors Good Neighbor Award and the 2023 ETNR Good Neighbor Award.

Looking for digital ad users

Susan Richardson Williams

Do you use digital advertising to grow your business and attract new customers?

Susan Richardson Williams, founder of SRW & Associates, says the time to organize is now. Online advertising is essential for success in today’s online economy, she says, yet decisions are being made that could severely impact the ability of small businesses to start up and/or grow.

Internet for Growth (I4G) is a nationwide coalition of thousands of small businesses, entrepreneurs and creators that advocate for small businesses’ access to affordable, effective digital tools that help them compete with big companies. The coalition is helping policymakers and the public understand the benefits digital advertising and the ad-supported internet bring to communities across the country.

The group is encouraging Congress to consider thoughtful approaches that will protect consumers while also protecting small businesses’ access to the digital advertising tools they need to survive and grow. I4G members have met with their members of Congress and shared their stories on how they use digital advertising with not only their elected representatives but through social and traditional media.

If your business uses digital advertising, Internet for Growth would love to hear from you and share your story about how internet advertising is helping you grow your business.

Email Susan Richardson Williams, SRW & Associates at susan@srw-associates.com, or to simply stay in the loop, sign up at: https://internetforgrowth.com/advocacy/subscribe/.

The Trust Company of Tennessee promotes four, adds Nikirk and Wallen

The Trust Company of Tennessee has promoted four team members and hired two others.

Laura Beeler to relationship manager. Beeler joined the firm in 2022 as client specialist. She specializes in financial planning, serving wealth management clients and those nearing or entering retirement and is a Certified Financial Planner.

Marissa Hahn to retirement plan services (RPS) junior compliance administrator. Hahn joined the firm in 2013 as a customer service representative. She helps ensure that retirement plans, reports and plan documents adhere to regulations and performs compliance functions.

Michaela High to RPS client experience coordinator. High joined the firm in 2024 as a customer service representative and now serves on the client experience team. She consistently delivers exceptional customer service and plays a key role in coordinating and enhancing the overall support for RPS clients.

Jacob Lorino to associate relationship manager. A Certified Financial Planner, he joined the firm in 2022 as client service associate.

Brittney Nikirk is new as client service associate. She has experience in relationship banking, identifying client needs and providing guidance on financial products and services. She is licensed by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System, is Medallion Signature Guarantee certified and is a certified notary public.

Erin Wallen is new as a trust officer. Wallen manages and oversees trusts and estates, ensuring that assets are properly managed and conducts other administration duties. She earned both a bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee and is a member of the Tennessee and Knoxville bar associations.

Founded in 1987 and with offices in Chattanooga, Knoxville and the Tri-Cities, The Trust Company of Tennessee currently has more than $6 billion under management. Daniel Carter is president of the firm which was founded by Sharon Pryse.

Scott Byrd provided information for this report. Photographs are by Charles Brooks Photography.

In Memoriam: Engineer introduces rowing to area

Bruce Wilson

Bruce Ahrend Wilson, 80, of LaFollette passed away on Friday, October 3, 2025. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1966 and went on to get a master’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Washington. Full obituary is here.

Mr. Wilson performed military service at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, then worked for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He moved to Tennessee in 1997, working for the Y-12 National Security Complex. After retiring in 2014, he consulted with Consolidated Nuclear Security.

He was a founder and coach of the Atlanta Juniors rowing program. He rowed for the Atlanta Rowing Club and for Oak Ridge. He was a rowing official for 29 years, including the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

Family will receive friends from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, October 11, at Cross-Smith Funeral Home with funeral service to follow at 1 in Cross-Smith Chapel. Interment to follow in Campbell Memorial Gardens with military honors given by Honor Guard of Campbell County.

Notes & Quotes

The KAUL (Knoxville Area Urban League) will host its annual Equal Opportunity Awards Gala in October to honor deserving community and business leaders with a 2025 theme of “Celebrating Resilience.” The gala will be held Thursday, October 23, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at the Knoxville Convention Center.Tickets and information are available here.

October is the Jimmy Carter Month of Service, called by the Knox County Democratic Party, according to chair Stuart Hohl. He is recruiting volunteers to fill gaps in service for youth and elderly programs during the government shutdown. You can find volunteer opportunities and donation information here.

Quote: “A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.” – George Bernard Shaw

Follow KnoxTNToday on Facebook and Instagram. Get all KnoxTNToday articles in one place with our Free Newsletter.