August 7, 2008

VW Begins First Wave of Hiring

Human resources staffers for Volkswagen Group of American launched the first wave of hiring for the company's new Chattanooga manufacturing operations at a job fair at the Chattanooga Convention Center on Wednesday. About 100 applicants were invited for interviews as the automaker begins filling 50 purchasing positions assigned to the new production facility. Those applicants were chosen from a pool of about 2,200 resumes filed online with the company.

"We have had an overwhelming response from the community, and are impressed with the quality of the resumes and wide skill set of the applicants," said Mike Beamish, executive vice president, human resources, Volkswagen Group of A America. 

"It's important to note that this is only the first in a series of recruitment efforts. Ultimately, we will hire 2,000 employees for our new facility, and there will be ample opportunities as we move toward that goal.  All resumes will be stored in a database, and with the assistance of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Volkswagen will draw from these candidates and others throughout the recruitment and selection process."

In addition to the support from the Chamber and the State, representatives from Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Northwestern Tech and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga also attended the event.

"I'm pleased to see this process begin as Volkswagen starts down the road of ramping up its presence in Tennessee," said Matt Kisber, commissioner, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. "The skill and productivity of the local workforce is one of the biggest assets we had in selling Volkswagen on Chattanooga and it's my belief this and subsequent job fairs will demonstrate that point."

Additional hiring fairs will be scheduled for assembly workers and for applicants at supplier firms at a later date. Applicants interested in filing their resumes online with the company can go to the web site for ECD at www.tnecd.gov and click on the button titled "Work for Volkswagen".

Governor's Conference Hotel Rate Set to Expire

The Delta Atrium inside the resort.

The 55th Annual Governor's Conference will be September 15 and 16, and the deadline to receive the conference hotel rate at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center is just eight days away. August 15 is the last day to reserve a room for the discounted rate of $107 per night (plus tax, parking and a daily $15 resort fee).

Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center is the largest non-gaming in-hotel facility in the continental U.S. The resort includes more than nine acres of indoor gardens, cascading waterfalls and an indoor river with its own Delta flatboat.

Within this lush landscape are fine dining and casual restaurants, unique shopping experiences, the new Fuse Nightclub, and a 20,000-square-foot resort spa and fitness center. In addition to Fuse, the resort includes or offers shuttle service to the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium, Wildhorse Saloon, Gaylord Springs golf course and General Jackson Showboat.

A newly-renovated room.

The hotel features more than 2,800 guest rooms and 220 suites, all including high speed Internet access.

The room rate will be honored three days before and three days after the conference, subject to availability. To reserve a room, call 1-888-777-6779 and provide the code N-TDEC8. Or register online here.

For more information about Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, visit the hotel Web site.


For general information about the Governor's Conference, visit the conference Web site.

Davidson County is home to the Tennessee State Museum.
In 1937 the General Assembly created a state museum to house World War I mementoes and other collections from the state, the Tennessee Historical Society and other groups.

Source:
Tennessee State Museum

Sat.-Mon., August 9-11
White Sulphur Springs, W.V. Commissioner Kisber will participate in workforce development sessions at the Southern Governors' Association Annual Meeting.

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.

Business Development

BERO

New BERO Events On Calendar

There are new BERO events on the calendar! Upcoming educational opportunities include Congressman Lincoln Davis' Federal Funding Seminar in Manchester, a free workshop in Knoxville on doing business with the government and the Agritourism in Action Tour. Check out details here.

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JETRO

Three Companies Invited to Japan

The Tennessee office of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) announced that three more Tennessee companies will be invited to Japan.

As part of promoting and assisting Tennessee companies' investment to Japan, JETRO Tennessee will be inviting Chattanooga-based AquaShield, Harriman-based EET Corp. and Collinwood-based Hassell and Hughes Lumber Company to Japan to participate in JETRO Zone at Eco-Techno 2008, in Kitakyusyu-City, Fukuoka, Japan.

As part of this program, the companies will be participating in the largest show on environmental technology and instruments in west Japan. Local governments advertise the companies' exhibits to local Japanese companies. Companies will also have an opportunity to make a presentation at the fair. A portion of exhibit costs is subsidized by JETRO, which will provide round trip airfare, hotel stay and free booth space at JAIMA Show for those three companies.

"JETRO received more 40 applications from all over the world for 18 booth spaces. Three out of 18 invited companies are from Tennessee. This indicates how Tennessee companies kept the environment as their priority," said Kazumi Iino, Tennessee JETRO business advisor. "In addition, I can see more and more Tennessee companies are interested in doing business with Japan."

For more information on JETRO or on participating in future trade shows, contact Kazumi Iino at kazumi.iino@state.tn.us or visit www.tnecd.gov/jetro/main.htm.

Community Development

Local Planning

FIRM Mapping Progress Continues

The national map modernization program in which Tennessee has participated is in its final year, and mapping partners recently gathered in Nashville for their annual meeting. Representatives from FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, TVA, contract engineering firms, ECD and other state agencies discussed the progress of current and pending mapping projects.

The final 20 counties in Tennessee are being digitally mapped utilizing the Tennessee Base Mapping Program as the GIS base. Preliminary map releases have begun for the 14 counties that began mapping in 2007. All remaining Tennessee maps are scheduled to become effective in 2010. At the start of the mapping effort in 2004, there were 301 communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  As the result of mapping efforts, there are currently 334 communities in the NFIP.

For information regarding mapping efforts or the NFIP contact Stanley Harrison at (423) 434-6476 or stanley.harrison@state.tn.us.

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Program Management

ECD Awards Small Biz Energy Loan

Browder Hardware, Inc. is the most recent recipient of a Small Business Energy Loan from ECD's Grants and Loans Division. The company, which operates a hardware store in Kingston, Tenn., received $15,228 at a low interest rate to install new energy efficient lighting. The new lighting will save Browder Hardware $5,640 every year in energy costs, as well as improve the work environment.

For information about how your company can receive a free energy assessment, call ECD Grants and Loans at (615) 741-6201.