PIGEON FORGE, TN (April 16, 2009) – SmartBank is pleased to announce the launching of one of the area’s first “green-friendly” bank accounts. SmartBank has created the SmartGreen account designed to promote environmental awareness with innovative and unique benefits that will directly benefit Friends of the Smokies and Great Smoky Mountains Association.
SmartBank President & CEO, Billy Carroll stated, “We are thrilled to partner with Friends of the Smokies and Great Smoky Mountains Association with our new SmartGreen account. We are very fortunate to live in such a beautiful community surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We wanted to create something special that would help promote environmental awareness as well as benefit the organizations that work so hard to help promote, maintain and protect our mountains.”
The SmartGreen account has been designed so that a donation is made to both organizations every time a SmartBank account holder uses their debit card for signature-based transactions. Great Smoky Mountains Association Executive Director, Terry Maddox said, “This is a tremendous way for people to assist the national park we all love so much. Every transaction will help fund important programs that preserve nature and history in the Smokies.”
SmartBank is also a local retailer for the new commemorative Dolly Parton SHA-KON-O-HEY! audio/musical compact disc. SmartBank offices are supplied with these exclusive CDs containing 8 original Dolly Parton songs selling for $10.00 with proceeds directly benefitting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park through Friends of the Smokies. Friends of the Smokies President, Jim Hart stated, “It is so important for all of us to think creatively about what we can do to preserve and protect our precious natural resources and the national treasure that is Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Friends of the Smokies is honored by this opportunity to partner with SmartBank and benefit from this new and innovative program.”
Some “green-initiatives” SmartBank is making: In 2008, SmartBank opened its Gatlinburg office with a commitment to reduce the environmental impact, and constructed the facility within the city’s environmentally conscious parameters to receive the Gold Level Award in the Gatlinburg Goes Green program – the first business in the city to do so. Beginning May 1st, all SmartBank offices will be equipped with recycling bins for plastics and paper. SmartBank is also transitioning some of its paper products to a Green-e Certified, processed chlorine free, 100% post consumer waste paper product. SmartBank President Carroll said “As we go forward in our green movement, we will implement more green initiatives when feasibly possible”.
Friends of the Smokies is a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization which assists the National Park Service in its mission to preserve and protect Great Smoky Mountains National Park by raising funds and awareness and providing volunteers for needed projects. For more information visit www.FriendsOfTheSmokies.org.
Great Smoky Mountains Association was founded in 1953 as a nonprofit organization to support the educational, historical, and scientific programs of the park. It is a publisher of information on the Smokies, an operator of bookstores in the park, and a membership organization. Proceeds from these activities go directly to park projects. For more information, please visit www.SmokiesInformation.org.
SmartBank opened in January 2007, and currently has 4 offices in Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Gatlinburg and Knoxville. SmartBank, with $250 million in assets, continues to be one of the fastest growing financial institutions in East Tennessee. For more information, please call 865.453.2650 or www.smartbank.net.