North Knoxville Business & Professional Association
NKBPA is a volunteer-run association of North Knoxville businesses, professionals, nonprofits and neighbors. We meet for a free breakfast on the second Friday of each month at St. John's Lutheran Church, 544 N. Broadway, and we support the students of Fulton High School.
NKBPA meets on the second Friday of each month. Guests are welcome, and you don't need to be a member to come.
Grab a plate and meet North Knoxville business owners, nonprofit leaders, school staff and neighbors.
A local speaker or panel on something that matters to North Knoxville, plus member announcements.
The program wraps up at 9:00, so you can get on with your workday.
Since 2003
NKBPA was started by neighbors on North Broadway, and it still meets there every month. Here is how it got from there to here.
June 2003 · Shoney's, North Broadway
Six local business people met at the Shoney's on North Broadway and agreed North Knoxville needed an organization of its own. They wrote a letter inviting local businesses and professionals to a meeting.
Two weeks later · Fulton High School Library
Turnout was good, and interest was high enough to give the idea a try. The second meeting, the next month, was even larger.
The years since · Over thirty locations
NKBPA has met in more than thirty North Knoxville locations, as members volunteered their places of business to host and show off their work.
May 2011 · IRS 501(c)(3)
The IRS recognized NKBPA as a 501(c)(3) public charity (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (opens in a new tab)).
2013 · More than 100 members
NKBPA had grown to more than 100 member businesses, averaged about 45 people per meeting, and gave more than $4,000 in scholarships and more than $2,000 to local nonprofits the year before.
Figures from a 2013 press release.
2026 · Fulton High School
Money raised at the annual Corn Hole Tournament has helped three first-generation college students from Fulton High receive additional scholarship money.
Today · St. John's Lutheran Church, 544 N. Broadway
We usually meet in the Fellowship Hall at St. John's Lutheran Church. Watch the calendar and Facebook for any change.
To North Knoxville's students and the nonprofits that serve our neighbors. ZIP code 37917 is home to 24,615 people (US Census ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)), and NKBPA has been showing up for them since 2003.
3 first-generation college students
With the Fulton High School Alumni Association, NKBPA supports Fulton students and teachers. Our Corn Hole Tournament has raised enough for three first-generation college students to receive additional scholarship money.
How we support Fulton HighEach November we meet at Fulton High's Larry Cox Legacy Suite and give to the Secret Santa Fund, which provides gifts and needed items to student families.
The November 13 meetingEvery December, NKBPA honors a Business of the Year and a Non-Profit of the Year. First Horizon was named Business of the Year in January 2020 (Knox TN Today (opens in a new tab)).
About the awardsSmall donations go to groups serving North Knoxville, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, Emerald Youth Foundation and Volunteer Ministry Center.
Nonprofits we supportBreakfast meeting
Our November meeting at Fulton High highlights the Fulton Secret Santa initiative. Please bring a breakfast donation.
Breakfast meeting
Networking led by Natalie Walz with Best Choice Inspections, plus our Business of the Year and Non-Profit of the Year awards.
Breakfast meeting
Free breakfast at 7:45 a.m., then each member has 30 seconds to 1 minute to tell the group about themselves or their business.
Breakfast meeting
Free breakfast at 7:45 a.m. The Helen Ross McNabb Center will speak about its new programs.
Apply online in about five minutes. Bring a check to the next breakfast. Online card payment is coming soon. Your listing goes in the member directory as soon as your dues are in.
$60 a year
One person. Free breakfast at every meeting and a name listing in the directory.
Join as an individual$150 a year
A business or organization. One representative attends meetings, and you can list a second. Directory listing with your logo.
Join as a businessTell us about you or your business and upload your logo.
Bring a check, payable to NKBPA, to a meeting. Online card payment is coming soon.
Your listing goes live once dues are in. Sign in anytime to update it.
I love this organization. There are many great people who attend the meetings. They are well connected to the community!
On the second Friday of each month. Free breakfast and networking begin at 7:45 a.m., and the program runs 8:00 to 9:00, usually at St. John's Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 544 N. Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917. Dates sometimes move for school breaks, so check the events calendar or Facebook.
No. Guests are welcome at every meeting. Please RSVP on the event page so we can plan breakfast.
Yes, breakfast is provided at each meeting. For the November Fulton Secret Santa meeting, we ask everyone to bring a breakfast donation for the Secret Santa Fund instead.
$60 a year for an individual and $150 a year for a business. Apply online and bring a check to a meeting. Online card payment is coming soon.
Dues and fundraising support students at Fulton High School, through scholarships and the Secret Santa program, and small donations to North Knoxville nonprofits.
No. NKBPA is a volunteer-run business and professional association focused on North Knoxville. It is not part of any chamber.
The second Friday of each month. Free breakfast and networking at 7:45 a.m., program 8:00 to 9:00 a.m.
Get directions (opens in a new tab)
In November we meet at Fulton High School, Larry Cox Legacy Suite, 1036 E. Emerald Ave.
Dates sometimes move for school breaks. We'll email you the date, speaker and place before every meeting.
Guests are always welcome. Breakfast and networking begin at 7:45 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, 544 N. Broadway, and the program starts promptly at 8:00. Membership is $60 a year for individuals and $150 for businesses.
