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Teledyne EMS Announces Expansion of Lewisburg Facility

Teledyne EMS Announces Expansion of Lewisburg Facility

Product Line Relocation to Bring 96 High-Tech Jobs to Lewisburg

Teledyne EMS Facility - Lewisburg Industrial Park - Lewisburg, TN

Teledyne Electronics Manufacturing Services of Lewisburg, TN announced today that it will be the recipient of a new product line from one of its sister facilities in California that will bring new business growth and employee growth to the company.

Teledyne EMS of Lewisburg has been a leader in electronics manufacturing for the defense and aerospace industries for more than 30 years. When the opportunity came to compete with other sister facilities for a new Micro-electronics product line out of California, officials at the Lewisburg facility began working with Lewisburg and State of Tennessee Economic Development officials to help them demonstrate why moving the operations to Middle Tennessee was the right choice.

“The State of Tennessee made a very good presence at the meetings and provided a lot of background on what the state can bring to the project,” said Shane Green, VP and GM of Teledyne EMS of Lewisburg.

Working with the state and regional economic development partners, the City of Lewisburg put together incentive and relocation packages to help bring not only the new expansion and jobs, but people from the California facility.

“We wanted to show that it made good business sense to relocate the product line in Lewisburg and that Lewisburg and the entire Middle Tennessee region provide a great location for some of its highly-skilled workforce to relocate as well,” said Greg Lowe, Lewisburg Director of Economic Development.

The new product line involves micro-electronics manufacturing that has been in operation on the West Coast for the past 50 years. This high-tech manufacturing operation demands a highly-skilled workforce of engineers and those with the ability to obtain and retain security clearances from the Department of Defense. Training of existing workers and new hires will be essential to the success of the project, as well as recruiting of other highly-skilled employees from the west coast.

“The exciting part about it is that it contains a whole range of new technologies that we don’t currently perform here,” said Green. “This will allow us to provide a broader range of products and services to the customer base. We feel like this is going to be a strong competitive position for us and enable growth of the business over time.”

The expansion will create 60-70 new jobs at the Lewisburg facility around the middle of next year and is projected to create 96 new jobs total over the next five years. The positions will be all high-tech manufacturing positions from engineers and support services to operators, technicians, and production.

“To our knowledge, we will be unique in the area with hybrid manufacturing, chip and wire technology, and chip integration technology,” said Green.

The expansion announcement marks the second of welcomed news to the City of Lewisburg following a groundbreaking on November 26 of a new manufacturing operation scheduled to begin operations late next year. Imperial Foods Services will begin construction of a new facility in the Lewisburg I-65 Commerce Park soon with scheduled completion to be sometime around the second or third quarter of 2013. This project is expected to bring 50 new jobs to Lewisburg.

The Teledyne expansion will require the relocation or purchase of new equipment over the next several months and may involve the construction of an additional 25,000 sq. ft. to its existing facility in the Lewisburg Industrial Park. The company hopes to begin hiring for the expansion project by the summer of 2013.

Lewisburg Celebrates Groundbreaking Ceremony for Imperial Foods

Calsonic in Lewisburg Recognized by TDEC

Calsonic-Lewisburg Goes Zero Landfill
November 2012
Office of Sustainable Practices
www.tn.gov/environment/osp

About the Project
Calsonic Kansei North America, Inc. (CKNA) is a major manufacturer of quality electronic components, aluminum and plastic cooling systems, front-end, and cockpit assemblies for most major automobile manufacturers. The CKNA facility in Lewisburg, TN, is the largest employer in Marshall County, with approximately 1000 team members.
In February 2012, CKNA-Lewisburg reached a very significant goal and milestone, and joined a small but steadily growing fraternity of sustainability leaders in Tennessee by becoming “landfill-free” at their manufacturing facility.
“Project Zero” was initiated in the fall of 2010, when a group of hourly employees was organized to help identify what materials were being sent to the landfill, and of these, which could be additionally diverted and recycled. CKNA-Lewisburg already had a robust recycling program, but a temporary closure of the local
solid waste landfill prompted them to make the commitment to completely eliminate landfill disposal. Once the additional items that could be recycled were identified, employees were educated and collection systems were put in place to capture the diverted materials. The initial goal was to achieve zero-landfill status by
2015. The results have been both dramatic and ahead of schedule. In FY 2009, the year prior to implementing “Project Zero,” CKNA-Lewisburg sent over 921 tons of waste to the landfill. By FY 2011, that amount was down to just over 187 tons per year, with February 2012 being the first month that “zero landfill” was accomplished – meaning that nothing from the manufacturing facility is currently being disposed by landfill. Underscoring the significance of this is the fact that these reductions have been accomplished during a period of rapidly increasing production at the facility. As one might expect, corresponding recycling metrics have also been impressive, with the tonnages of cardboard and plastic recycled increasing by almost 40% during this same time frame. In FY 2011, CKNA-Lewisburg recycled over 680 tons of cardboard and 815 tons of plastic. This represents 44,424 million BTUs of energy saved (equivalent to 355,396 gallons of gasoline), and 2914 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided, as compared to landfill disposal of these materials, according to the U.S. EPAs Waste Reduction Model (WARM) conversion calculator. The Zero Landfill initiative also resulted in the elimination of two trash compactors and one
30-yard open top container. Two compactors are now used to collect recycled material, which is sent to the Marshall County recycling center. Currently, all but approximately 5-8% of the waste material generated at the CKNA-Lewisburg manufacturing site is being recycled. This last 5-8% is sent to a waste-to-energy
facility in Huntsville, Alabama where it is incinerated to generate electricity. Although the cost per ton to send this remaining material to the Huntsville facility is significantly higher than it would be to landfill, it is still projected to be less than the total baseline landfill disposal costs, and further reflects CKNA’s commitment
to “do the right thing.” The CKNA “Project Zero” team also continues to look for ways to further reduce the waste that is being sent for incineration.
The effort to increase recycling and engage CKNA-Lewisburg team members was not limited to their assembly lines. Approximately 80 personal trash cans were removed from all desks from the administrative office areas located among four different buildings.
According to Kevin Reinhart, Safety/Environmental Manager at CKNALewisburg, office employees are now more likely to recycle since they have to take their personal items up to the main (front office)
recycle center, which has multiple collection.

Project Features:

• CKNA has achieved “Zero Landfill” status in less than three years
• Temporary closure of local landfill led to this project, which includes an approximate 40% increase in recycling efforts at the company.

http://www.tn.gov/environment/osp/docs/Calsonic-November-Recycling-Month_2012.pdf

MTSU Job and Career Fairs

College to Career Fair & Teacher Recruitment Fair

February 12, 2013 | 10:00am - 3:00pm

Williamson County Ag Expo Center

Hosted by the Career Development Center and the Nashville Area Career Fairs Consortium

These fairs are not held on MTSU's campus, but over ten Middle Tennessee universities attend these fairs making them great opportunities to reach a large diversity of students throughout the region. You can find out more at their website www.nashvillefairs.org

MTSU Agriculture Career Fair

March 20, 2013 | 8:00am - 12:30pm

Tennessee Livestock Center

Hosted by the School of Agribusiness and Agriscience

The Agriculture Career Fair is a chance to meet with employers looking for current students, graduating seniors, and alumni from the Department of Agribusiness and Agriscience, along with others who have an interest in agriculture. Read More at http://www.mtsu.edu/career/agfair.php/#top

Internship & Summer Job Fair

March 21, 2013 | 11:00am - 2:00pm

MTSU - James Union Building (JUB)

Hosted by the Career Development Center

On-campus fair for summer jobs and internships. Last year, around 700 students attended this fair.

Business Exchange for Student Talent

(BEST)

March 27, 2013 | MTSU - James Union Building (JUB)

Hosted by the Department of Management and Marketing

BEST is an chance for students to meet employers hiring for management and marketing positions.

SECURE YOUR FUTURE IN THE SOLAR INDUSTRYSOLAR INDUSTRY!

NEW TRAINING COURSE FOR THE NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners)

Entry Level Exam/Certification Length: 40 hours (classroom & hands-on training utilizing industry standard equipment & practice exam)

Location: Northfield Training Center, Spring Hill, TN
Cost: $800 per person (includes textbook & NABCEP exam)
Schedule: 8am—4:30 pm (Monday-Friday)
Start Date: January 28, 2013 (Maximum 15 students)

For each hour of classroom training, students will need to utilize 2-3 hours of personal study time.

For additional information, contact
TTC Pulaski at 931-424-4014
TTC Pulaski is an EOE/ADA/AA Institution

TN Technology Center at Pulaski announces a NEW TRAINING PROGRAM

STARTING NOVEMBER 26TH

Train for a career as a:
Call Center Support Specialist
This is a 5 month program to be held at NORTHFIELD CAMPUS, SPRING HILL, TN

Course subjects:

• Succeeding in Today’s Business World 
• Keyboarding Skills 
• Customer Service Skills 
• Mobile Operating Platform 
• Computer Operating Systems 
• OSX Networking 
• Windows Networking

Financial Aid Available for Qualified Applicants

PLEASE CALL TODAY: 931-424-4014

Tennessee Technology Center at Pulaski is an EOE/ADA/AA institution

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR CREATIVE COMMUNITY SUMMITS

Statewide Series Presenting Innovative Solutions for Rural Economic Development

NASHVILLE – Registration is now open for the Tennessee Main Street and Tennessee Downtowns Creative Community Summits to be held in September in Jackson, Franklin and Greeneville. Sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and USDA Rural Development, the summits will focus on innovative solutions and strategies to generate economic growth in rural communities.  The summits are free of charge; however, seating is limited.  Please visit www.tennesseemainstreet.org/workshop.html to register.

“The Creative Community Summits are a direct response to needs identified during our recent rural development roundtables held across the state,” Bill Hagerty, ECD commissioner, said.  “By leveraging the natural assets of our rural communities and helping prepare our rural areas for competing in today’s global economy, we will lay the ground work for future economic growth.”

The Creative Community Summits will be held in three locations across the state:

• Tuesday, Sept. 25 - The NED, Jackson, Tenn.
• Wednesday, Sept. 26 - The Franklin Theatre, Franklin, Tenn.
• Thursday, Sept. 27 - The Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn.

These day-long summits will offer attendees interactive presentations, educational sessions, networking opportunities and access to resources across the state that will encourage businesses and communities to refocus and improve their marketing strategies and turn their business or marketplace into a destination.  

Topics include “Growing Destination Businesses” with nationally recognized speaker Jon Schallert and “Cultivating Local Heritage Tourism, Arts, Culture and Agriculture to Jump Start a Rural Economy” presented by the National Trust Main Street Center Senior Program Officers Kathy LaPlante and Norma Ramirez de Miess.

“The summits are an excellent opportunity for stakeholders, business leaders and community partners to hear from national experts on what is working for similar communities across the country and learn what communities can do in their own backyards to encourage economic development and growth,” Dan Hawk, ECD Rural Development director, said.

Each summit is free of charge, and lunch is included for the first 200 registrants at each location.  Additional lunch tickets may be purchased once the 200 capacity is met.  For more information or to register to attend one of the Creative Community Summits, visit www.tennesseemainstreet.org/workshop.html.

About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to develop strategies which help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Find us on the web: tn.gov/ecd.  Follow us on Twitter: @tnecd.  Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/tnecd.  

CHANGE IS COMING TO DOWNTOWN LEWISBURG

Have you notice the changes taking place Historic Downtown Lewisburg?

In the past 12-18 months many changes have taken place on and around the Lewisburg Courthouse Square.  More changes and improvements are being planned. 

Primitive Blessings Christian Bookstore has opened a Coffee House and is now serving lunch and dinner on Friday evenings.

A local developer has purchased the former "Chinese Restaurant Building" and now has it fully leased. 

Tillis Jewelers has moved to that corner.

Chickee's, Off the Square will be moving to the Square,(next door to Tillis').

John Price Music is moving into two of the small shop spaces on W. Commerce (behind Tillis').

And the apartments upstairs on that corner are rented. 

The former Dance Studio (Nancy Brandon's building on W. Commerce) now houses South Central's Child Care Resource and Referral Service. 

Q's Casa Mexican Restaurant is now open at Second Ave. S and Ewing Street. 

Jim Bingham is reworking the facade of his vacant building and preparing the interior for some future tenant. 

The First Presbyterian Church is involved in a major restoration project. 

Bob and Faris Phillip's vacant lot is being prepared for future improvements. 

Don Wright's building next to the Dixie Theater has been purchased and the new owner plans future facade improvements. 

And others.  More new businesses and improvements are in process or planned.

The O'More College of Design's Studio on the Square returned to Lewisburg for a second summer, and produced free design projects for eight businesss or properties.

The TN Downtowns Program is still in process and "Change is coming to Downtown Lewisburg".

Get involved, become a friend or supporter of the Lewisburg Downtown Alliance.  Meetings are held every 3rd Tuesday, at the Historic First Ave, Building (former Historic Ladies Restroom).

Manufacturing - There is a Job for You

http://www.mfgday.com/pdfs/WP-MFG-Predicament_FinalSecure.pdf

Teledyne Proudly Powers NASA’s Curiosity Rover

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY) announced today its most sincere congratulations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on the successful deployment of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) “Curiosity” rover in Gale Crater on Mars. Curiosity is the largest rover ever launched by NASA, and it will be used to determine whether Mars is, or ever has been, hospitable to microbial life.

Teledyne is also very proud of its contributions to the launch, landing, and operation of the mission. Teledyne developed the radioisotope thermoelectric generator system that provides nuclear power to the rover. Teledyne also supplied two complex radio frequency modules which were part of the terminal descent and landing unit. The company’s electromechanical relays and electromechanical transfer switches are used on the rover and the Atlas V launch vehicle, respectively. Finally, Teledyne DALSA manufactured the image sensors for Curiosity’s navigation and hazard avoidance cameras, just as it did for the prior Spirit and Opportunity rovers.

“It gives me great pride to be able to contribute to a project that poses such technical challenges and holds such promise for the advancement of science and knowledge,” said Robert Mehrabian, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Teledyne. “I am also delighted to see how many ways and in how many places Teledyne contributed. From the deepest parts of our planet’s oceans to the surface of Mars and beyond the edges of our solar system, Teledyne’s technologies enable exploration, analysis and communication.”

For more on the Mars Science Laboratory and Curiosity, visit http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/.

Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated instrumentation, digital imaging products and software, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne Technologies’ operations are primarily located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Mexico. For more information, visit Teledyne Technologies’ website at www.teledyne.com.

Read more at http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2012/08/06/teledyne-proudly-powers-nasa%E2%80%99s-curiosity-rover#jzvjEWpuK2cCZGfI.99

Contacts

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated
Investor Contact:
Jason VanWees, 805-373-4542
or
Media Contact:
Robyn McGowan, 805-373-4540

                                  

SCTWA Recognizes Brianna Roberts

The South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance recognized Brianna Roberts of Lewisburg as the Youth of the Quarter at the recent SCTWA meeting at Columbia State Community College in Lewisburg.
Brianna is a 2012 graduate of MCHS where she played softball and served as a member of the Beta Club and Sub-Deb Sorority. Brianna was also enrolled in the Jobs for Tennessee Graduates program where she was elected as the Social Coordinator for the Career Association Club.
Brianna is currently participating in the "Hire Youth!" Summer Employment Initiative and is employed with the Lewisburg Recreation Center. She is working with children in the Recreation Center's Summer Camp program.
"Brianna has been a blessing to our Summer Camp. Her spirit and enthusiasm has touched the lives of these kids. You can tell she enjoys her job because she always has a smile on her face," said Parks and Recreation Director Jimmy Stitt.
In the fall, Brianna will be attending Tennessee State University where she has received a softball scholarship. Her plans are to study physical therapy and to one day open her own practice.

Pictured are : Lewisburg Parks and Recreation Director Jimmy Stitt, Brianna Roberts and SCTWA Youth Coordinator Tonja Garrett.

SCTWA Recognizes Marshall County

Marshall County government and County Mayor Joe B. Liggett have been significant partners with the South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance and the Tennessee Career Center for many years.
During a recent quarterly meeting of the SCTWA, Marshall County and Mayor Liggett were recognized as Partner of the Quarter.
Marshall County has been utilizing the Tennessee Career Center's services by posting all open positions through the center and assisting with the "Ratchet Up Marshall" industry training program. Mayor Liggett is actively involved on the Workforce Development and Conference Center at Northfield as a member of the Oversight Committee and has played a key role in its development.
Marshall County government participates regularly at job fairs held at the center and uses the National Career Readiness Certification program as a pre-screening tool for applicants, as well as using other screening services available to employers. In 2010, due to high unemployment, the SCTWA was given ARRA dollars to implement the Marshall County Jobs Recovery Program. Marshall County government, among other partners, was instrumental in making this program a success.

Pictured are County Mayor Joe B. Liggett and SCTWA Chairman Tony Beyer

SCTWA Recognizes Brother's Fine Foods

During its quarterly meeting, the South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance Board recognized Brother's Fine Foods as the Employer of the Quarter.
Brother's Fine Foods is a family-owned and operated business dedicated to producing high quality specialty foods with both great taste and looks. Located in the Lewisburg Industrial Park, the company started with one product and very basic equipment in 1997 and has now grown to capabilities of producing over 20 products at 65 bottles per minute. In addition to bottling, Brother's can also handle packaging design, cooking, labeling and transporting for those who already have a product or a recipe. Since 2006, Brother's Fine Foods has partnered with and used the Tennessee Career Center for many different circumstances. They have used the services to find employees and have received $3,600 in On-The-Job Training reimbursements. Brother's also was a participant in the Marshall County Jobs Recovery program.

Pictured are Kelly Jorgensen and Nick Phillips of Brother's Find Foods with SCTWA Chairman Tony Beyer.

Recycle Bank Project for Lewisburg

Strollin' Down the Park 5K Run - Click Here for More http://ping.fm/Oc43q

Job Fair in Lewisburg

Taking an Assessment of Lewisburg

The Community Development Board of Lewisburg has a project coming to Lewisburg in which state and municipality officials and economic development experts from Wyoming are coming to town to conduct a community assessment for future planning.
The group of seven from Wyoming will be coming to Lewisburg April 9-12 to hold listening sessions with twenty segments of the community from education and health care to small businesses and churches. The intent is to hear about the issues facing Lewisburg and the plans each segment would like to see over the next 5, 10 or 20 years.
The idea came from a USDA Rural Development Conference held in Cookeville, TN last year where Mary Randolph of Wyoming gave details of their community assessment program. The group has visited more than 120 cities in the West and one in Alabama since it began in Wyoming.
The group tours each community, holds listening sessions with segments of the population and then conducts a town hall meeting to hear from anyone in the community interested in taking part. They will then take the information they find and put together a report on their findings and offer a plan of action with accompanying resources for each community to use as a guideline for improvements.
The listening sessions will begin on April 10 following a tour of the community and will continue throughout Wednesday, April 11. More listening sessions in Lewisburg will take place on Thursday leading up to the town hall meeting event at the Lewisburg Recreation Center the evening of April 12 at 7 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend the Town Hall meeting with the group and express their hopes for a better Lewisburg.
Once the group has visited and issued their report, within six to eight weeks, the Community Development Board of Lewisburg will review the report and decide how best to incorporate their recommendations into a strategic plan of action for Lewisburg.

Saddle Creek Golf Course Member Mixer March 2 at 6 pm. Saddle Creek will have an informal Member Mixer (kind of a meet and greet) for current and prospective members. It’s going to be on Fri, Mar 2 starting at 6pm. We’ll have some free wings and beer and want to share our vision with anyone who wants to come by and say hello.

The Joint Economic and Community Development Board and
The Marshall County Chamber of Commerce

Meet and Greet Networking Breakfast

Thursday, March 1st
Russell’s at the Warehouse
8:00 AM

To sign-up call: 359-5536 or 359-3863
e-mail: Mike.Wiles@marshallcountytn.com or director@marshallchamber.org

Mark your calendars and plan to attend!

Fitzsimmons Joins U.S. Tank and Cryogenics

Lewisburg, TN – (February 20, 2012): US Tank & Cryogenic Equipment, Inc. announced that Hoyt Fitzsimmons has been named to the position of Chief Operating Officer. Fitzsimmons has over 25 years of experience in the gases and welding industry with major equipment manufacturing firms. He will operate from the headquarters location of US Tank in Lewisburg, TN.

Jim Brown, CEO and Chairman of US Tank, commented that, “Hoyt brings a track record of successful operating experience in the Industrial and Specialty gas industry that will help us to support the growth of our business. We are confident that he will be a significant contributor to our goal of continuing to provide outstanding products and services to our customers.”

US Tank & Cryogenic Equipment is a leading provider of parts and repair services for Cryogenic equipment, including liquid cylinders, bulk tanks, on-site medical Oxygen piping installations, home medical tanks, manifolds and control panels, and a variety of other gas-containment products. Additional information can be found at www.ustankcryo.com.

GOVERNOR HASLAM, COMMISSIONER HAGERTY RELEASE ECD 2011 ANNUAL REPORT DETAILING HISTORIC, TRANSFORMATIVE YEAR

28,535 Jobs Created, $4 Billion Invested, Average Incentive Cost per Job Reduced by 50 Percent

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty today released the department’s 2011 Annual Report, which details successful changes and historic milestones achieved  by the department over the past year.  In 2011, ECD projects and private sector growth accounted for 28,535 new jobs in Tennessee and more than $4 billion in investment.  After reshaping the model for economic development, ECD had one of the most productive years in the state’s history, and job creation hit its highest mark in the last five years and since the onset of the global recession. 

 

“Making Tennessee the No. 1 state in the Southeast for high quality jobs continues to be a top priority for this administration,” Haslam said.  “Our Jobs4TN plan is working.  We continue to focus on regionalism, existing businesses, and key clusters while also pursuing new businesses for Tennessee.  I am convinced that Tennessee can compete with anyone when it comes to attracting jobs.”  

 

“Tennessee transformed its economic development model in 2011, applying solid business principles to set the stage for long-term growth,” Hagerty said. “The state experienced a record year for private sector job creation in this challenging, new economy. Tennessee is well-positioned to compete nationally and globally with one of the most business-friendly climates in the world.”

 

After becoming the first department in state government to undergo  Haslam’s top-to-bottom review, ECD saw a significant realignment of departmental resources accompanied by a reduction in overall staff size by more than 40 percent.  At the same time the business development team, which includes those on the frontlines of recruiting and retaining companies, grew by more than 70 percent.

 

Additionally, ECD was able to significantly lower the average cost of incentives per new job created compared to the previous decade.  In 2011, the average incentive cost per job was $2,640 versus $5,586 for the years 2002-2010, a reduction of more than 50 percent.

 

The top-to-bottom review resulted in the Jobs4TN economic development plan announced in April 2011.  This new strategy narrowed ECD’s focus to key sectors where the state holds a unique competitive advantage along with a renewed emphasis on assisting existing Tennessee companies that create the vast majority of all new jobs in the state.  Other components included a decentralization of ECD with the establishment of jobs base camps in nine regions throughout the

state, a $50 million investment in innovation through the INCITE program, and a review of burdensome and business-inhibiting federal and state regulations.  

 

Some key results since implementing the Jobs4TN plan include: 

  

·          Haslam, Hagerty and ECD staff traveled the state to meet with more than 2,000 companies and over 700 economic development stakeholders. 

 

·         Each jobs base camp worked with local stakeholders to complete a strategic plan for their region.

 

·         ECD partnered with the Entrepreneur Center in Nashville to make Tennessee the second state in the nation to start a state-level version of the Startup America Partnership, resulting in Startup Tennessee, a public-private partnership designed to connect and align entrepreneurial efforts across the state.

 

·         Nine Regional Business Accelerators were selected in each jobs base camp to assist area entrepreneurs as they develop business plans and launch companies that have the potential to create new jobs.

 

·         The INCITE Co-Investment Fund was established to increase access to seed-, early- and expansion-stage capital for Tennessee businesses using $30 million in federal funds from the State Small Business Credit Initiative. 

 

·         ECD authored the Regulatory Reform Report summarizing an ECD-led a review of federal and state regulations that negatively impact businesses and identifying possible obstacles to new investment.

 

·         The challenges of job creation in rural Tennessee were addressed through new programs that included a statewide site certification program, a partnership with TVA to provide best practices regional training for economic development professionals, and a digital factory pilot to create work-at-home business services opportunities.

 

·         The TNTrade program was launched to boost Tennessee exports and consists of two primary components: the Market Access Program and a 2012 trade mission to China and South Korea focused on medical device manufacturers.

 

To read more or download a copy of ECD’s 2011 Annual Report, please visit tn.gov/ecd/pdf/2011AnnualReport.pdf.

 

About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to develop strategies which help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. To find out more, go to www.tn.gov/ecd

2012 Welding Competition

Junior Leadership Marshall Learns about Industry in Marshall County

The 2011-2012 class of Junior Leadership Marshall nears its graduation date of April 4 by continuing to learn about local and state agencies including a recent tour of local industry.

The class of 35 seniors from MCHS, Forrest and Cornersville were treated to a tour of two industrial facilities in the Lewisburg Industrial Park on January 18 including Southern Carton and Calsonic Kansei of North America (CKNA).

The Lewisburg Gas Department served as breakfast and luncheon host for the class of future leaders of Marshall County before the group was met by Southern Carton President Dave Kennedy. Kennedy gave a thorough tour of the Southern Carton facility detailing how the business began and what challenges it faces moving forward in the new business and industry global economy. The students saw box manufacturing up close and learned what it takes to run a major industry in Lewisburg.

The class next visited Calsonic Kansei of North America where Dickie Archer and a group of CKNA officials focused on education and training. Archer outlined the importance of educated and trained associates in developing and growing a global automotive supply company from America in the face of challenges from other countries including China, India and Brazil. The students were then given a tour of the facility and saw how CKNA produces quality interior automotive parts for major automotive manufacturers including Nissan. Many of the students were amazed at the amount of new technologies being utilized by CKNA to manufacture the parts and to compete in the global market.

Finally, the class sat down for a luncheon where they were taught proper dining etiquette by adult Leadership Marshall Director Lynda Potts and local caterer Sharon Deitz. The students learned how important it is for each of them to take advantage of the education and training opportunities afforded them in high school, and soon at the college level; so that each will be able to compete in the future workforce that has become a global endeavor. The students were taught that each of them should think of himself or herself as a business and a product to be marketed to the companies of their futures.

Pictured – Jeff Doss of CKNA begins the tour of the facility with a group of Junior Leadership Marshall Students as they see the final dashboard products manufactured here in Lewisburg. 

Brandon Talks ECD with Rotary

Recent recipient of the Tennessee Economic Development Council Lifetime Membership Award, Joe B. Brandon, recently presented a program to the Lewisburg Rotary Club on economic development in Lewisburg and Marshall County.

Brandon’s dedication to Tennessee’s economic strength is exemplified in his many roles in economic development throughout his career. He has served at the State of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, where he introduced the Retention and Expansion (R&E) program. Also deeply involved in economic development on the local level, Brandon served on Lewisburg’s first Industrial Development Board and as a County Commissioner. He is a dedicated, long-time member of TEDC, having served as Middle Tennessee Director and, for a decade, as principle fundraiser.

Brandon gave the Lewisburg Rotary an overview of the challenges in economic development facing Lewisburg and the region, but he also outlined some of the positives he sees as building blocks on which Lewisburg and Marshall County can grow and strive. Lewisburg’s location, its rich tradition in industry and its focus on business expansion and retention as well as new industry recruitment programs Brandon believes are strong points Lewisburg can use to market the community in the new age of economic development.

Pictured – Joe B. Brandon gives the Lewisburg Rotary Club a lesson in economic development – past, present and future. 

Economic Benefits of Diplomas