06/06/2018
Eric Mathis is this month’s “Where are They Now Wednesday” feature . Eric earned an Associate of Science degree from Pellissippi State before moving on to earn a nursing degree with a minor in business. Eric “loved it here” and says Pellissippi State, “was home.” He states that the “teachers went above and beyond.”
Eric later served as a helicopter medic in the air force for ten years. That experience gave him a love for food and travel. As Eric states, while in Korea there just so happened to be no one cooking food one night. Eric stepped up and cooked. The major loved the food so much that the job stuck. While on various tours of duty, Eric became interested in cooking and experimenting with different flavor combinations.
What started out as a hobby has now become “full blown.” Eric purchased trailer and turned it into a food truck. With the assistance of an entrepreneurial grant from The Change Center, Eric has rebranded and is now the owner of The “Flava” Shack. The “Flava” Shack is a catering service that offers “southern comfort food complete with all the fixins.” He sees his business as a ministry and mission to the community. Eric wants to give back to the community and help others achieve success in this same area of work. According to Eric, “a dream is a vision without a timeline. You have to put a date on it.”
