April 24, 2008

Business Magazine Gives TN Top Honors

ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber and several Tennessee communities received nods in the latest Southern Business & Development Magazine.

SB&D celebrated their 15 year anniversary in 2007, and to mark the occasion, they recognized the Top Ten contenders in a wide swath of categories for their Winter 2008 issue.

The magazine called Commissioner Kisber "One of the Top 10 People who Made a Difference," alongside actor Brad Pitt and retired Bank of America Chairman Hugh McColl.

"ECD has done more with less than any other state economic development agency in the South," the article reads. "Kisber and the department are light years ahead of where they were when they started back in 2002. From our point of view, ECD is as consistent of a performer as there is."

The Memphis and Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin areas also claimed high honors, ranking third and fifth, respectively, among the Top 10 Major Markets in the South from 1993 to 2007. Memphis drew on its successful partnership with FedEx to earn its award, and the magazine touted Nashville's burgeoning automotive industry, including the facilities of Saturn and Nissan, as a reason for its award.

SB&D called Dyersburg number four on the list of "Top 10 Small Towns in the South That Deserve a Second Look." Dyersburg is home to corporate facilities for Jimmy Dean Foods, Caterpillar and Dr. Pepper/Pepsi Bottling, as well as a $2.6 million conference facility. The article also cited Dyersburg's mention on Fox News as one of the best places in the U.S. to retire.

Knoxville/Oak Ridge and Memphis rang in fourth and fifth, respectively, among the "Top 10 Markets in the South for Advanced Manufacturing." The magazine mentioned Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Knoxville/Oak Ridge and Smith & Nephew, Medtronic and Wright Medical in Memphis as indicators of success in the two regions.

CentrePoint Distribution Park in LaVergne and Elam Farms in Murfreesboro both made the list of "Top 10 Incredibly Large, Nicely Positioned Distribution Sites in the South You May Not Know About."

Finally, Clarksville, outside Nashville, and Cleveland/Bradley County, outside Chattanooga, were both named among the "Top 10 Great Edge Markets You Might Not Know About." Clarksville is home to Middle Tennessee's only TVA-Certified Megasite, Commerce Park, as well as Austin Peay State University and Fort Campbell Army Post. The area has recently received investments from American Standard Trane, Quebecor World, Robert Bosch, LLC and others. Bradley County boast 147 manufacturers, as well as the Cleveland/Bradley County and the Hiwassee River Industrial Parks just off Interstate 75.

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development works routinely with new and existing businesses to establish and expand their presence in the state.  For more information, visit www.tnecd.gov. 

Samuel Sevier, son of Tennessee's first governor, John Sevier, was the Upper Cumberland's first doctor. His daughter Joannah lived most of her life in Overton County and is buried in Monroe.

Sevier's widow, "Bonnie Kate," moved to Overton County in 1815 and settled in the Dale community. Dale, or Lily Dale, no longer exists. The community was one of those flooded to create Dale Hollow Lake, yet its name endures in the choice of the lake's name.

Source:
Tennessee Encyclopedia

There are no public events scheduled for this week.

To request ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber to speak or attend an event, please contact Jennifer Alward at (615) 253-1852 or jennifer.alward@state.tn.us

We invite your thoughts on the ECD Hot Sheet. Please click here to contact ECD Communications with any questions, concerns or suggestions you may have.

JETRO

Applications are now being taken to exhibit in the JETRO ZONE at the Japan Analytical Instrument Manufacturers Association Show September 3-5 in Japan. Businesses looking to expand into the Japanese market are invited to attend and showcase their products before an expected audience of 22,000 people. The Japan External Trade Organization will help up to 15 companies bear the cost of exhibiting, including airfare, accommodations and interpreting services.

Click here for an application. The deadline to apply is April 24. For more information, contact the Tennessee JETRO Office at (615) 741-4815 or kazumi.iino@state.tn.us.

Business Development

BERO

 

BERO Specialist Honored by SBA

Left to right: Kena Dixson of SBA, Toone, Penney, Pender and Myra Fisher, SBA

Wisty Pender, Middle Tennessee Enterprise Specialist, was presented with a certificate of appreciation by SBA staff during the Clarksville "How to Do Business with the Government" workshop. As part of their nationwide events, SBA is recognizing its partners in providing services to small businesses. BERO works with the SBA to promote SBA programs and services to small businesses in Tennessee. SBA also presented Russell Toone of the University of Tennessee Procurement Technical Assistance Center and Heather Penney of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center at Austin Peay State University with certificates.

BERO Will Talk about Small Business on Woodbury Radio

The Cannon County Historic Chamber of Commerce's Carolyn Motley has invited BERO to an informal talk about small business on their early morning radio program on 1540 WBRY.  Listen in at 1540 am WBRY at 7:45 am on Thursday, April 24. 

BERO to Present at 'Let's Do Business' Expo

Ronald Wade, BERO Upper East Tennessee Specialist, will be providing information to entrepreneurs and small businesses at the April 25 Anderson County Chamber of Commerce "Let's Do Business" Expo. The Expo will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Clinton Community Center, which is located at 101 S. Hicks Street. Admission is free. Wade's presentation begins at 11 a.m.

BERO to Participate in Black Business Expo

The Memphis Black Business Expo and Showcase will be held Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis.  The Expo is designed to promote economic growth and the development of African American small businesses and enterprises throughout Memphis. The "Experience" provides an environment for African American-owned businesses to gain exposure and increase revenue by presenting their products and services to potential clients in a face-to-face setting. 

The event will include a host of entrepreneurial workshops for youth, prospective and established small business owners, as well as an exhibition showcasing African American vendors.  

Sharon Taylor McKinney, BERO West Tennessee Specialist, will staff an exhibit at the Expo featuring information on state services available to African American entrepreneurs. 

The convention center is located at 255 Main Street in Memphis. Admission is free. For more information, go to www.memphisblackbusinessexpo.com or call (901) 949-2679 or (901) 626-3994.

 

Doing Business with the Government Workshops

Save the dates for the upcoming workshops in Cookeville and Chattanooga on how to do business with the government. Attendees will learn valuable tools and insights to enable them to more successfully work with federal, state and local governments and agencies.

WHAT: Doing Business with Federal, State and Local Governments
WHEN: May 6, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
WHERE: Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, One West First Street, Cookeville, Tenn.
WHO: Small business, woman-owned, minority-owned and rural businesses interested in working with the government. The workshop is free of charge, but reservations are required. To register contact the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce at 931-526-2211.

WHAT: Doing Business with Federal/State/Local Governments
WHEN:  May 22, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
WHERE: DRC (Development Resource Center) at 1250 Market Street, Chattanooga, Tenn.
WHO:  Small businesses, woman- owned, minority-owned and rural businesses interested in working with the government.

Community Development

Main Street

Savannah Earns Main Street Community Certification

Savannah, located in Hardin County, has joined the list of certified communities in the Tennessee Main Street Program, bringing the total to 22 Tennessee communities certified through the program.

"The Main Street Program helps communities preserve the physical appeal of their downtown districts, which is an essential component of economic growth," said Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber. "I applaud the leaders of Savannah for recognizing the importance of downtown revitalization and for utilizing this program to attract new industries and grow jobs."

The Main Street program is part of the Community Development Division at ECD. It provides communities with technical assistance and guidance in developing long-term strategies that promote economic growth and development. The program provides information and assistance in forging public networking and training opportunities for downtown commercial districts.

"Participation in this program places emphasis on downtown historic preservation, which is a great way to secure the economic viability of an area," said Kimberly Nyberg, Tennessee Main Street program coordinator. It also qualifies the community to participate in state-funded grant programs to improve their downtown revitalization efforts."

Tennessee has participated in the Main Street Program since 1983. The program requires communities to meet several requirements before becoming certified, including broad-based community support for the program, a comprehensive work plan, a sufficient operating budget and adequate staff and volunteer support.

Main Street revitalization is a comprehensive, incremental, self-help economic strategy that also focuses on developing public-private partnerships to enhance community livability and job creation, while maintaining the historic character of their downtown district. For more information on the Tennessee Main Street Program, visit the ECD Web site at www.tnecd.gov.

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Local Planning

New Flood Maps Becoming Effective

Dyer County received notification from FEMA last week that their preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps will become effective October 16. The local communities now have six-months to adopt the new maps to stay compliant with the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA also notified Rutherford County that nine new map panels will replace a portion of the previous panels released through the Map Modernization Program. These panels will also become effective October 16.

For additional information regarding these or other Flood Insurance Rate Maps, contact Stanley Harrison at (423) 434-6476 or stanley.harrison@state.tn.us.

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Grants and Loans

Registration Available for DRA Conference

The Delta Regional Authority's annual conference is scheduled for June 23-25 in New Orleans. The theme is "Reimaging the Delta." Registration, agenda and hotel information for the conference are available at dra.gov.

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Tennessee Leadership Center

TBEDC Registration Now Available

The Tennessee Leadership Center is offering the second annual Tennessee Basic Economic Development Course May 12-16, 2008 for community leaders and local, state and federal economic development professionals. Topics for this year's course will include global trends, community development and process and practice of economic development.

The course is accredited by the International Economic Development Council and can be applied toward certification as a professional economic developer. Registration is $525 through May 2. Scholarships for tuition and hotel costs will be available. For more information about scholarships, contact Michelle Williams at Michelle.Williams@state.tn.us.

To view the pdf brochure and registration form, click here. Online registration is currently available. To register click here and click on "TBEDC register online" on the upper right of the page.