Mayor Bill Haslam and Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Behan cut the ribbon opening the ETEBA's 10th Annual Business Opportunities Conference Monday afternoon at the Knoxville Convention Center.

The Energy, Technology and Environment Business Association is a non-profit trade association representing nearly 200 companies, large and small, that are mostly innovative firms in various environmental and energy-related fields, engineering and construction services. They provide their services primarily to government and commercial clients.

Most of the ETEBA membership is based in the Knoxville and Oak Ridge areas, though there is a significant contingent from New Mexico in addition to other companies located across the United States. There are also a growing number of companies from outside the U.S.

According to a 2007 survey ETEBA member firms employed nearly 10,000 people in Tennessee alone with a payroll of roughly $650 million. The conference provides information about contracting opportunities and energy and environmental market trends to the attendees.