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TCAPWA/SWANA CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS By Klair Kimmey & Lisa Hood Skinner
2024 Conference Overview

The hospitality of Chattanooga greeted more
than 300 attendees and vendors gathered for the
2024 Tennessee Chapter of the American Public
Works Association (TCAPWA) and Solid Waste
Association of North America (SWANA) Annual
Conference.
Held in downtown Chattanooga, the conference
center was a short drive to all of the event
locations.
Official activities included a mix of memorable
experiences, from the Equipment Rodeo to the
yearly Golf Tournament, to a presentation about
and tour of Chattanooga’s Solar Electrification,
and evenings at TopGolf and the Dinner Cruise
on the Southern Belle Riverboat. And this is not to
mention two days of Exhibit Hall booths, awards,
speakers, and technical sessions.
Monday: Golf Tournament and Solar Electrification
Demonstration and Tour
Brown Acres Golf Club in Chattanooga was
the site of the annual golf outing’s friendly
competition. Eighteen teams enjoyed the day as
they traveled about the golf course trying to score
the winning points. The chilly day was slightly
warmed by the bright sunshine. Team photos are
on page 12.
Later that afternoon, a group of conference
attendees enjoyed a presentation about and tour
of one of the Chattanooga Solar Electrification
sites. The group went on a nearly two-hour
behind-the-scenes tour of this innovative
technology. Many thanks to Kimberly Strong and
Bonnie Mumpower-Dodson for coordinating the
presentation and tour.
Tuesday: Competitive Rodeo, Lively Exhibit Hall
Opening, YP Event at TopGolf
On Tuesday, Lee-Smith Inc.’s lot was the venue
for the Annual Equipment Rodeo, where over 100
competitors from across the state demonstrated
their skills on various pieces of equipment, such
as a knuckleboom or Gradall. Lee-Smith Inc. also
provided a cornhole competition.
Rodeo winners are spotlighted on pages
10-11. Lee-Smith Inc. also treated the field of
Public Works operators (plus bystanders) to
a tasty barbeque lunch. NuOrigin provided
electronic scoring again, with thanks to Bimal
Shah who oversaw the data onsite. Rodeo caps
were sponsored by Stowers CAT, with equipment
provided by both Stowers CAT and Komatsu.
Later Tuesday afternoon, exhibitors and vendors
manned their booths and displays to start off
the Trade Show in the Chattanooga Conference
Center. The Chattanooga Host Branch reception
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