Business Images Ark-Tex Region: 2012

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Ark-Tex Region, texas

The Right Ingredients

Food manufacturers flock to region

Fertile Ground Agribusinesses tap resources, workforce

Road Best Taken Location, highway assets drive distribution growth

Sponsored by the Ark-Tex Council of Governments | 2012

Full Service Hospital www.etmc.org

Clarksville EDC (903) 427-3834 Ext. 4 Fax (903) 427-3907

• Historic Red River County Chamber of Commerce 101 N. Locust St. (903) 427-2645

Historic Sites & Museums • Texas Main Street City • Festivals & Bazaars Eastern Wild Turkey Capital • Low Tax Rate • Close Proximity to I-30 Manufacturing Tax Incentives • Industrial Buildings & Land Available

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Workstyle Fertile Ground

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Agribusinesses tap resources, workforce in Ark-Tex Region

The Right Ingredients

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Food manufacturers flock to region

Insight

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Overview

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Almanac

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Business Climate

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Transportation

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Energy/Technology

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Health

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Education

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Livability

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Economic Profile

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On the Cover The Ark-Tex Region is a crossroads for manufacturers and distributors with broad U.S. markets to reach. Photo by Jeff Adkins

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ARk-Tex ReGIon, TexAs

The Right Ingredients

Food manufacturers flock to region

Fertile Ground Agribusinesses tap resources, workforce

Road Best Taken

Lifestyle

Location, highway assets drive distribution growth

Find out what it’s like to live here and what makes the community such a special place to be.

sponsoRed By The ARk-Tex CounCIl oF GoveRnmenTs | 2012

Read the magazine on your computer, zoom in on articles and link to advertiser websites. site guide >> Find available commercial and industrial properties with our searchable database. success breeds success >>

Workstyle A spotlight on the region’s innovative companies

Ark-Tex Re gion 201 2 Edition , volum e 3

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Meet the people who set the pace for business innovation.

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editorial project manager Emily McMackin Content Director Bill McMeekin Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Content Coordinator Jessica Walker Staff Writer Kevin Litwin Copy Editor Jill Wyatt Contributing writers John Fuller, M.V. GREENE, HEATHER JOHNSTON JOHNSON, BILL LEWIS Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher, Janine Maryland, Kris Sexton, Vikki Williams Graphic Designers Rachael Gerringer, Taylor nunley Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier color imaging technician alison hunter Integrated Media Manager Matt McWhorter Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Senior V.P./Sales Todd Potter Senior V.P./Operations Casey Hester Senior V.P./Client Development Jeff Heefner Senior V.P./business Development Scott Templeton Senior V.P./Agribusiness Publishing kim holmberg V.P./business Development Charles Fitzgibbon V.P./external communications Teree Caruthers V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens V.P./travel publishing susan chappell V.P./Sales Herb Harper, Jarek Swekosky Controller Chris Dudley Senior Accountant Lisa Owens Accounts Payable Coordinator Maria McFarland Accounts Receivable Coordinator Diana Guzman Sales Support Coordinator Alex Marks Sales Support project manager sara quint system administrator Daniel cantrell Database Manager/IT Support Chandra Bradshaw Web Creative Director Allison Davis Web Content Manager John Hood Web project manager noy fongnaly Web Designer II richard stevens Web Development Lead Yamel Hall Web Developer I Nels noseworthy Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Creative Services Director Christina Carden Creative Technology Analyst Becca ary Audience Development Director Deanna Nelson Distribution Director Gary Smith Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan Human Resources Manager Peggy Blake Receptionist Linda Bishop

Plug into the community with links to local websites and resources to give you a big picture of the region.

Demographics >> A wealth of demographic and statistical information puts the community at your fingertips.

See the Video Our award-winning photographers give you a virtual tour of unique spaces, places and faces.

guide to services >> Links to a cross section of goods and services special to the community

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Business Images Ark-Tex Region is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Ark-Tex Council of Governments.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by email at info@jnlcom.com.

The accuracy of the information presented in this magazine is soley the responsibility of the publisher.

For more information, contact: Ark-Tex Council of Governments 4808 Elizabeth St • Texarkana, TX 75503 Phone: (903) 832-8636 • Fax: (903) 832-3441 atcog.org

Visit Business Images Ark-Tex Region online at businessclimate.com/arktex ©Copyright 2012 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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Overview

Jefferson J efferson

Ark-Tex Region

Top 10 Reasons to do Business in the Ark-Tex Region 1. Location. Centrally located within the United States,

the Ark-Tex Region is easily accessible by rail, road and air.

2. Thriving and Diversified Industries.

Manufacturing, energy, timber, health care and distribution businesses have all found the Ark-Tex Region to be fertile ground for their growing businesses.

The broad base of the region’s economy has helped insulate it from extreme ups and downs.

3. Low Cost of Living. Housing prices are among the lowest in the nation, making the region an attractive destination for relocating families who find they can get a lot more in return for their housing dollars.

4. Scenic Beauty. From vast open ranchlands to pineywood forests to scenic lakes, the Ark-Tex Region offers nature in all its splendor.

5. A Skilled, Adaptable Workforce. The region offers high-quality education and top-notch workforce training institutes.

6. Favorable Tax Climate. The State Business

Tax Climate Index ranked Texas as having the sixth best business tax environment in the nation. Local officials work hard to create favorable tax incentives for businesses.

7. Hospitality. City, county and economic development officials actively work together to address the needs of relocating businesses.

8. Mobility. Interstate 30 and U.S. Highways 59, 67, 71 and 82 converge in Texas’ northeast corner. Plans are underway to lay Interstate 69, also known as the NAFTA Highway, directly through the region, making it an ideal place for distribution.

9. Recreation. The Ark-Tex Region has an abundant

supply of recreational activities, from boating and fishing to museums and festivals to rodeos and retail shopping.

10. An Ideal Climate. The climate is consistently mild, with more than 245 days of sunshine.

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Almanac Only in Paris France isn’t the only place in the world with an Eiffel Tower. A replica of the renowned landmark is situated near the civic center in Paris, which bills itself as the “Second Largest Paris in the World.”

The 65-foot replica was erected in 1993, and though it is much shorter than the original 1,063-foot tower in France, this monument is topped with a giant red cowboy hat. With Eiffel Tower replicas in several of the 15 U.S. municipalities named Paris, Texas officials had to find some way to distinguish theirs!

A Treasured Collection The world’s largest, most diverse collection of music boxes comprises an exhibit showcasing more than 150 rare music boxes at the Leo St. Clair Music Box Museum in Sulphur Springs. Former Sulphur Springs resident Leo St. Clair collected the music boxes while serving in the U.S. Navy during the first and second World Wars and the Korean conflict. The Queen of Belgium presented him with a box that is considered the star of the collection – and many of the others were once owned by movie stars and soldiers.

Round ‘Em Up

Hear and Now Linden is known for being the home of musical legends, including Don Henley of the Eagles, ragtime composer Scott Joplin and blues artist Aaron “T-Bone” Walker. Its star-studded heritage is celebrated at the Music City Texas Theater, which opened in May 2003 to promote tourism in Linden, Cass County and the surrounding area. Today the theater hosts all genres of music and is available for entertainment rentals, as well as for civic and private functions.

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One of the best known ranching equipment businesses in the Southwest – perhaps the entire country – is Priefert Ranching Equipment out of Mount Pleasant, Texas. Started in a one-room shop by Marvin Priefert, the family-owned business has grown to become one of the nation’s top manufacturers and suppliers of equipment for the ranching industry.

Priefert’s has nearly 50 employees and sells equipment for horses, cattle, poultry, sheep, hogs and goats, with specific items for sale such as fencing, round pens, rodeo gates, feeders, water tanks and walking horse arenas.

Tribute to a True Cowboy One of Mount Vernon’s most famous natives was former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith whose greatest claim to fame was serving as one of the three original hosts of ABC’s Monday Night Football with Frank Gifford and Howard Cosell. Joseph Don “Dandy Don” Meredith passed away in 2010, but his memory lives on, thanks in part to pieces of his sports memorabilia on display at the Mount Vernon’s Old Fire Station Museum. The city also happens to be a birding and nature tourism destination, so the museum also houses a National Bird Egg Exhibit featuring a Smithsonian-quality bird egg collection.

Best Dairy, Beef in Texas For decades, Hopkins County has been known as the Dairy Capital of Texas, and its proud heritage is celebrated at the Southwest Dairy Museum and Education Center. Today, 160 dairies still operate throughout the county, which also boasts a burgeoning beef cattle industry. Local agribusiness leaders recently banded together to form the North East Texas Beef Improvement Organization to improve the quality of beef calves produced in the area. Hopkins County is also gaining attention among equine breeders as a prime spot for raising thoroughbreds.

E-Z Does It Texarkana is the home and headquarters of E-Z Mart Stores, a well-known chain of convenience stores started by retail tycoon Jim Yates in the 1970s. Yates started his franchise empire with only one small store in Nashville, Ark., and today there are nearly 308 stores across a five-state region encompassing Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Oklahoma. Not only do the stores have the usual convenience items, almost all of them sell gasoline as well. E-Z’s motto? “Making Life EZR 4 U.”

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Business Climate

Environment for Growth Diverse industries expand, thrive in Ark-Tex Region Story by Bill Lewis • Photography by Jeff Adkins

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usinesses in search of a skilled workforce, abundant water and natural resources, a well-developed transportation network and incentives to grow are discovering the nine-county, bi-state Ark-Tex Region.

“We have a well-developed business ecosystem” says Steve Gilbert, Executive Director of the Paris Economic Development Corp.

That environment fosters the growth of diverse businesses – from the 777-employee International Paper Co. and the 1,700-employee Cooper Tire & Rubber to 42-employee Applied Control Technology, a maker of control devices, and the 143-employee JCM, a manufacturer of pipeline fitting, says Charles Nickerson, Vice President-Economic Development for the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce.

Attracting Agribusiness, Foreign Investment Recent developments in the region include the arrival of two major agribusiness companies – Rose Acre Farms, which is developing a $20 to $30 million egg-laying operation in Bogata, and Daisy Brand, which is establishing a 6,000-acre dairy operation near Paris. International businesses are investing in the area as well. Huhtamaki, the global food service and paperboard packaging company whose brands include Chinet tableware, recently acquired Paris Packaging Inc., a maker of folding cartons.

Gilbert predicts Huhtamaki will find continued

success in the Ark-Tex Region.

“We will create a value proposition for them,” he says.

The health-care sector is growing as well, with the $30 million expansion of Paris Regional Medical Center, Gilbert says.

“The medical sector is a significant contributor to the region’s economic well-being,” he says.

TexAmericas Center Draws Industry The establishment of the TexAmericas Center is creating new opportunities for industrial development, says Bill Cork, the industrial park’s Executive Director and CEO. With nearly 20,000 acres of land converted from a shuttered military base at Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, TexAmericas Center is one of the largest rural business and industrial centers in the Americas.

“Its size and flexibility make it attractive to largescale industrial development in a way that urban areas cannot offer at a low price,” Cork says.

“The proximity of TexAmericas Center to abundant, reliable and low-cost utilities, multiple modes of surface transportation, a regional airport and the cultural and recreational amenities of the two Texarkanas make it a prime location,” he continues. “Furthermore, we have a high-quality, adaptable workforce. Our people make the difference.”

Students work on a truck engine during a Diesel Technology class at Texarkana College’s training facility at the TexAmericas Center.

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Building Entrepreneurship Another forward-looking community asset, the Red River Region Business Incubator (R3bi), is strengthening the economy by helping entrepreneurs turn their vision into reality and become job creators.

“We take people and teach them how to run a business, and they make the business grow,” says Fred Green, R3bi’s Director.

One of the start-up companies fostered by R3bi, Bodyguard Truck Accessories, is graduating from the incubator and hiring additional employees.

“The partnerships we’re building with businesses are a two-way street,” Green says. “It’s creating jobs.

It’s creating sustainable businesses.”

The effects of growth are reverberating throughout the region. In New Boston, Christus St. Michael Health System opened a quick care clinic with

extended hours, and the Dollar General store relocated into a newly built, larger building. Recently, Guaranty Bond Bank and First Bank-New Boston opened branch offices, says Karen Lightfoot, who heads the New Boston Special Industrial Development Corp.

“Within minutes of New Boston, we have Red River Army Depot, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and several contractors at Red River Army Depot employing several thousands between them,” Lightfoot says. “The New Boston Special Industrial Development Corporation is always looking for ways to increase economic development in our area.”

Businesses are discovering a growing list of advantages to a location in the region, Nickerson says. The top ones include educational opportunities, transportation assets, low-cost utilities and abundant natural resources.

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Fertile Ground Agribusinesses tap resources, workforce in the Ark-Tex Region Story by Bill Lewis • Photography by Jeff Adkins

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griculture-related businesses are growing in the Ark-Tex Region, bringing new investment and creating jobs while responsibly managing the region’s abundant natural resources.

From Rose Acre Farms, which is investing up to $30 million in its new egg-laying operation in Bogata, to Daisy Brand, which will manage a herd of more than 10,000 cows on its new 6,000-acre milk farm outside Paris, new agribusinesses are planning for a profitable future in the Ark-Tex Region.

They join established businesses that include Kimberly-Clark Corp., which makes Huggies disposable diapers, Pull-Ups, Goodnights and Little Swimmers at its Paris mill; Domtar, which manufactures fine, finished paper; and International Paper, whose Domino, Texas mill makes bleached board for packaging, folding cartons, and hot and cold cups.

Initiatives put in motion by Red River Region Business Incubator (R3bi) and the Paris Economic Development Corp. should help keep that momentum going, says Fred Green, R3bi’s Director.

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The incubator operates as a partnership between Paris Junior College and Paris Economic Development Corporation.

“We feel there are even more concepts yet to be developed that we can help foster,” Green says.

Innovating, Tapping Natural Resources Giant oak trees grow from tiny acorns, Green says, and the incubator is working with entrepreneurs whose ideas may take root and create tomorrow’s jobs. For example, one returning U.S. military veteran has an idea for growing cattle fodder hydroponically, which could boost production while conserving water. It’s already being done in Mexico and Australia.

Beyond their direct investment, growing agribusinesses stimulate the economy by creating new markets for local farmers and suppliers of goods and services. With more than 2 million birds on hand, for example, Rose Acre will be in the market to purchase ample amounts of feed.

“It will give farmers a very local option to consider

One of several agribusinesses in the Ark-Tex Region, Domtar’s pulp mill in Ashdown, Ark. produces fine, finished paper.

for the sale of their grains,” says Chips Everhart, the company’s Director of Environmental Affairs.

Rose Acre expects the egg-laying facility to create 35 jobs initially, a number that may go up once the farm is fully operating. Construction of the farm, including roadwork, a water line, the pullet facility, the layer farm, processing facility and an office building, is expected to take up to two years.

Rooted in Agriculture With its extensive transportation network and long tradition of supporting agribusinesses, Red River County is the perfect location for a company like Rose Acre, according to Everhart.

“Red River County is an agricultural county,” he says. “They [the people there] understand ag and have values that are important to Rose Acre Farms.

There is a labor market that is anxious to apply and go to work.”

The company also received support from local governments and the state of Texas, as well as residents of the region. “The people of Red River

County and of Bogata are the real assets of this area,” Everhart says. “They have been outstanding to work with.”

Daisy Brand is enjoying a similar experience in the Paris area, where the company will debut its first-ever milk production operation. The company is best known for its pure and natural sour cream and cottage cheese. Its farm will feature high-speed Internet links to allow state-of-the-art animal monitoring. It will also have its own feed center and a waste treatment facility to keep the farm and the surrounding community clean, says farm manager Ben Sokolsky.

“Daisy Farms is pleased to work within the local Paris community for all employment needs,” Sokolsky says. “In fact, one of the reasons Daisy Farms elected to come to Paris was because of its sizable workforce that is eager to share its expertise and passion for dairying.”

Thriving agribusinesses are vital to the local economy, Green says. “Agribusiness is part of building a sustainable economy,” he says. b u s i n e s s c l i m at e . c o m / ar k t e x

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The Right Ingredients Food manufacturers have appetite for Ark-Tex Region Story by Betsy Williams • Photography by Jeff Adkins

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egetarian or carnivore, dieting or indulging – no matter what suits your taste buds, chances are that something in your grocery cart has ties to the Ark-Tex Region.

Some of the country’s biggest names in food products are located here. Food manufacturers are drawn to the region because of its assets: the work ethic of its labor force, a strategic location for distribution, an abundance of water, and workforce training programs and partnerships with local colleges.

Competitive advantages Water and roads were key ingredients that drew renowned cranberry juice company Ocean Spray to the region back in 1980.

“Logistically, we’re in a good spot,” says Craig Miller, Plant Manager for Ocean Spray. “We can get to our markets east and west with Interstate 30 and Interstate 40, and north and south with Interstate 35 and excellent state routes. We can distribute our product efficiently to all customers without having a production facility in the metroplex.”

The Ocean Spray plant in Sulphur Springs produces cranberry juice products from concentrate – a process requiring plenty of clean water.

“Water is key,” Miller says. “We can’t be anywhere that we can’t access good quality water. Sulphur Springs offers us all the water we need.”

Sweet Success Jim Webb and his wife and business partner Krista visited Mount Pleasant to see an available building, but it was more than real estate that convinced the couple to move their company, Sweet Shop USA, from Fort Worth to Mount Pleasant.

“The building is certainly a factor, but there is more to choosing a location for any business than the building,” says Webb, whose company produces fine hand-dipped chocolates sold to candy shops, florists, specialty gift stores and upscale department stores. “We had to have an adequate workforce, one that could produce our products,” he says. “Our business is as much a craft and art as it is anything else, and that requires people who are dedicated and detail-oriented. We found those people here.”

More Name Brands Other brand-name manufacturers that make up the region’s food processing industry include: • Paris: Campbell Soup Company • Sulphur Springs: Morningstar (Hershey’s Chocolate Milk, Land O’Lakes, Dairy Ease, International Delight) and Owens Country Sausage (a Bob Evans company) • Mount Pleasant: Newly Wed Foods Inc. (food coatings, spice blends and batters) and Pilgrim’s. (chicken)

A skilled, dedicated workforce drew Jim Webb and his wife Krista, owners of Sweet Shop USA, to the Ark-Tex Region.

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Transportation

Interstate 30 is one of several key transportation corridors running through the Ark-Tex Region.

The Road Best Taken Ark-Tex location, highway assets drive growth in distribution Story by John Fuller • Photography by Jeff Adkins

Ark-Tex Region’s Transportation Network • Major Distribution Terminals: 40, including terminals for Ocean Spray, Lowe’s, Campbell’s Soup, Grocery Supply Company and Southern Refrigerated Transport • Major Highways: I-30, U.S. 59, 67, 71, 82 • Airports: Texarkana Regional Airport, Mount Pleasant Regional Airport, Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport • Major Railroads: Union Pacific, Kansas City Southern, Texas Northeastern Railroad

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ou don’t have to be “deep in the heart of Texas” to be in the middle of economic activity. With its central location at the corners of four states, the Ark-Tex Region is perfectly situated for manufacturers and distributors with a wide U.S. market.

Bordering southeast Oklahoma, the region encompasses the corners of northeast Texas and western Arkansas, and is just a short distance from Louisiana.

Location Lures Distributors Not only is its location ideal, Ark-Tex’s highway access is exceptional. Major transportation corridors include Interstate 30 and U.S. 59, 67, 71 and 82.

I-30, which connects Dallas-Fort Worth with Little Rock, Ark., along with the U.S. routes, have spawned an abundance of business opportunities in distribution and logistics.

Proposed Interstates Hold Promise The Ark-Tex location advantage is expected to get even better with

the development of two proposed interstates, I-69 and I-49, both of which would bisect I-30.

Texarkana Airport Connects to Hub The region is well served by Texarkana Regional Airport, which has regularly scheduled flights via American Eagle to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, one of America’s largest and busiest airports.

Texarkana Regional Airport officials plan to build a new terminal with construction expected in 2013. Air cargo services are also available at Texarkana Regional, and Mount Pleasant Regional Airport and Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport offer general aviation services.

Two Class I railroads, Union Pacific and Kansas City Southern, serve the region, and Texas Northeastern Railroad, a short line, is available between Texarkana and New Boston, where the TexAmericas Center operates a foreign trade zone.

Amtrak also provides daily passenger service to residents in the region.

Energy/Technology

In the Green Companies pursue sustainable practices, renewable energy initiatives Story by M.V. Greene • Photography by Jeff Adkins

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reen policies and renewable energy programs are no longer novelty initiatives for companies in the Ark-Tex Region. In Lamar County and other counties, local plants of major corporations are turning sustainable practices into good business and environmental stewardship.

International Paper and Sustainability International Paper Co. has invested millions of dollars in environmental protection equipment at its Coated Paperboard Mill in Domino, Texas. The mill, which manufactures bleached board for packaging, folding cartons and hot and cold drink cups, produces its own electricity and recycles water in-house.

The 960-worker mill was an early adopter of sustainability as the first pulp and paper facility in Texas to participate in Clean Industries 2000 – a voluntary environmental impact reduction and prevention program sponsored by the governor’s office and the Natural Resource Conservation Commission. The mill is certified by the Sustainable Forest Initiative and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification chain-of-custody standards, which maps the mill’s fiber supply chain from the forest to the consumer.

In International Paper’s most recent sustainability report, John Faraci, chairman and CEO of the Memphis, Tenn.-based company, noted that the company strives to “produce these materials in a minimally invasive way, relying on clean fuels and self-sustained energy.”

The project is part of Campbell’s sustainability and corporate social responsibility pledge, which the Camden, N.J.-corporation lists as one of its seven core business strategies.

Campbell’s most recent Corporate Social Responsibility Report notes its commitment to cutting its environmental footprint and investment of more than $6 million in environmental sustainability projects. The company is working toward reducing its energy use by 35 percent by 2020 and deriving 40 percent of its energy from renewable or alternative energy sources, such as solar.

Campbell Plant Embraces Solar Another well-known corporation with manufacturing facilities in the Ark-Tex Region, Campbell Soup Co., which employs 900 workers in Lamar County to process soups, juices and sauces, recently received a $100,000 grant from the Paris Economic Development Corp. to help fund a solar panel project. The solar panels will provide the plant with an alternative electric source.

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Health

CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System in Texarkana, Texas is one of several key health-care providers and top employers in the region.

A Healthy Outlook Medical advances, facility upgrades at local hospitals boost care and business EAST TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER REGIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM facilities in the Ark-Tex Region: • Hopkins County: ETMC First Physicians Clinic-Sulphur Springs ETMC Fitness SatelliteSulphur Springs • Red River County: ETMC First Physicians Clinic-Bogata ETMC Clarksville ETMC Home Health

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Story by Heather Johnston Johnson • Photography by Jeff Adkins

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ortheast Texas residents rely on the area’s cutting-edge hospital network for top-notch medical service. Here is a look at the region’s top hospitals.

The 312-bed CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System offers heart, orthopedic, cancer, and women’s and children’s care, and is home to a Level III Trauma Center.

With 2,100 employees, CHRISTUS is more than a top employer – it was also voted the No. 2 Best Place to Work by Modern Healthcare – and has been recognized as a top 100 hospital by Thomson Reuters.

Stroke and vascular treatments are top priorities for Texarkana’s oldest hospital, 370-bed Wadley Regional Medical Center – the area’s first Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Center and the first statedesignated Level II Primary Stroke Center.

HealthGrades also ranked it among the top 10 percent of the nation’s hospitals for orthopedic care and cardiac surgery.

Affiliated with Baylor Health, the

96-bed Hopkins County Memorial Hospital in Sulphur Springs owns a physician’s clinic – Memorial Clinic – with 23 providers, is a top choice for maternity care and offers ambulance service and hospice care, along with a new emergency room and catheterization laboratory.

Titus Regional Medical Center is a lead Level III Trauma Center between Dallas and Little Rock. In addition to its new oncology treatment facility, it offers surgical oncology and breast reconstruction surgery, micro vascular extremity surgery and interventional pulmonology.

A top employer, the 360-bed Paris Regional Medical Center is known for its cardiac specialty care at its Heart Hospital, which offers the area’s only carotid artery stenting procedure. Listed among the top 5 percent in orthopedics and spinal surgery

by HealthGrades, Paris Regional recently began offering weight-loss and reconstructive surgeries and will soon complete a 31,000-square-foot addition.

Education

High Marks Colleges, universities produce skilled graduates, workers for region’s top industries Story by Kevin Litwin • Photography by Jeff Adkins

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hen it comes to achievement, colleges and universities in the ArkTex Region refuse to settle for the status quo. Schools in the region are continually adding programs and facilities to produce the most skilled graduates and trained workers for the area’s top industries.

Texas A&M University-Texarkana offers baccalaureate, graduate and doctoral degrees in its four colleges: Business, Health and Behavioral Sciences, Education and Liberal Arts, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The university is working with the city of Texarkana to provide environmental job training and workforce development to rural areas of northeast Texas.

Texarkana College was recently ranked one of the nation’s 120 best community colleges by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. One of the college’s current initiatives is partnering with pharmaceutical manufacturing company HUMCO Holding Group Inc. to provide workers with training to increase

production and upgrade industryspecific skills.

Paris Junior College was named one of the top 50 fastest growing two-year colleges by Community College Week magazine, and PJC has an annual economic impact of more than $95 million in Lamar County and surrounding counties.

A recent program at PJC was working with Campbell Soup Co. to provide customized job training to more than 300 workers.

Northeast Texas Community College in Mount Pleasant recently opened the solar-powered Elizabeth Hoggatt Whatley Agriculture Complex – the only LEED-Platinum agricultural facility of its kind in the state – to train students in sustainable agriculture. The college is also home to the Carroll Shelby Automotive High Performance Academy, which teaches students how to transform stock vehicles into high-performance race cars, as well as a new million-dollar industrial technology program designed to provide advanced manufacturers in the region with the skilled workers they critically need.

Texarkana College

Regional Advanced Manufacturing Academy trains workers Established in 2008 by local industries to provide advanced manufacturing training to businesses in the North East Texas Workforce Development area, the Regional Advanced Manufacturing Academy is a collaboration of Northeast Texas Community College, Paris Junior College, Texarkana College and Workforce Solutions of Northeast Texas.

The academy’s mission is to interest young people in advanced manufacturing, so they can eventually replace current craftsmen who are approaching retirement age. So far, 16 manufacturers and seven economic development corporations throughout northeast Texas have committed to participating in the program.

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Livability

Adventure Awaits Ark-Tex Region offers playground for hikers, hunters and water lovers Story by Kevin Litwin • Photography by Jeff Adkins

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ull of lakes, parks, nature trails, wildlife and reserves, the Ark-Tex Region is a natural playground for outdoor buffs.

Hikers and campers are excited about the return of Daingerfield State Park, which reopened in June after extensive renovations. Improvements include a new sewer system to all campsites, renovations to buildings constructed in the 1930s and a modern upgrade of all bathroom facilities.

Amenities at Daingerfield State Park include 30 full hookup campsites, three rental cabins with all conveniences and an 80-acre Little Pine Lake Families enjoy the last days of summer while playing in the lake at Daingerfield State Park in Daingerfield, Texas.

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that is spring-fed and stays crystal clear year round.

“The park is a jewel,” says John Thomas, Daingerfield State Park superintendent. “It’s family-oriented and allows busy people to get back to nature.”

Other scenic outdoor attractions in the Ark-Tex Region include West End Nature Preserve in Mount Vernon and Atlanta State Park in the Texarkana area.

In Paris, the Trail de Paris pedestrian and bicycle pathway is a viewing wonder.

Water Sports and Hunting Paradise Water lovers can fish, swim or take their boat out on Millwood Lake and Wright Patman Lake in the New Boston/Texarkana area, as well as Pat Mayse Lake in Paris. Sulphur Springs is home to Lake Fork and Cooper Lake State Park, and the Mount Vernon/ Mount Pleasant area has Lake Bob Sandlin, Lake Cypress Springs and Lake Monticello.

For those who like to hunt, the New Boston vicinity is home to the Wildcat Creek River Quail Hunting Resort. Hunters at Cooper Lake State Park can find duck, deer, fox and hogs. The Ark-Tex Region also offers other recreation options such as golf, with courses within 20 miles of every town, and thousands of acres of public parks for individuals and families to enjoy.

“We’re lucky because we are fairly close to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, so many people from that part of Texas make our region’s outdoors a destination,” says Greg Dillon, Superintendent at Cooper Lake State Park. “Our park is all about adventure, with campsites, fishing and hunting, plus we recently received a grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife to develop more recreational trails.”

Cooper Lake is known for its crappie fishing as well as catches of catfish and hybrid bass, Dillon says.

“For hunters, there are plenty of whitetail deer, and this is a popular place to go after beryl hogs,” he says. “Cooper Lake State Park is an ideal spot to get outdoors and enjoy nature. The Ark-Tex Region is lucky to have many outdoor attractions.”

A Walk Down Main Street Region’s cities offer distinct downtown attractions From distinct downtown districts to iconic landmarks, cities throughout the Ark-Tex Region are full of historical and cultural sites worth visiting.

Texarkana is home to the historic Perot Theatre, which dates back to 1924, and a mural paying tribute to famous ragtime composer and native Scott Joplin, as well as four museums, a regional arts center and the State Line Post Office and Federal Building – the only U.S. post office located in two states with two zip codes: 71854 for Texarkana, Ark., and 75501 for Texarkana, Texas.

Nearby, Paris has quirky shops, a Bywaters Park near downtown, a farmers market and the Lamar County Historical Museum. A Texas Main Street city for more than 10 years, Paris’ attractions include everything from a bakery, cafe and trails to art galleries like the Hayden Museum of Art, a 65-foot Eiffel Tower replica, the historic Paris Community Theatre and the Culbertson Fountain.

Mount Vernon, also a Main Street city, has a farmers market and the 57-acre Dupree Park Nature Center.

Home to the late Dallas Cowboys

quarterback and Monday Night Football announcer Don Meredith, the city’s Old Fire Station Museum displays memorabilia items that Meredith donated.

Sulphur Springs has an antique shopping district that offers selections ranging from European imports to Texas primitives. The city also offers an all-stadium seating Starplex Cinema 6 as well as three museums, including the Leo St. Clair Music Box Museum showcasing a collection of 150 rare music boxes.

– Kevin Litwin

Linden “Music City” Texas Located on naFTa Highway Us 59 30 Minutes to i-20 and i-30

Small-Town Quality of Life

www.musiccitytexas.org

Cass County Performing arts Council Music City Texas Theater • T-Bone Walker Blues Fest The academy of Texas Music Headquarters Good shepherd Medical Center & excellent schools

Come Join Our Community Linden economic development Corporation P.O. Box 1229 • Linden, Tx 75563 (903) 756-7774 • ledc@valornet.com www.lindentexas.org

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Linden Economic Development Corporation www.lindentexas.org

City of Clarksville www.redrivercoc.com

Paris Economic Development Corporation www.paristexasusa.com

Hampton Inn & Suites www.mountpleasantsuites. hamptoninn.com

Queen City Economic Development www.queencitytx.org

economic profile Business snapshot

Population (2010)

The Ark-Tex Region encompasses nine counties in Texas and one county in Arkansas, including the population centers of Paris, Texas; Texarkana, Texas; and Texarkana, Ark. Top industries in the region include manufacturing, transportation and logistics, agriculture and food production, energy and health care.

Miller County, Ark: 43, 462

Top Employers

Transportation

Red River Army Depot & Tenants, 5,500 employees

ROAD:

Bowie County, Texas: 92,565 Cass County, Texas: 30,464 Delta County, Texas: 5,231 Franklin County, Texas: 10,605 Hopkins County, Texas: 35,161 Lamar County, Texas: 49,793 Morris County, Texas: 12,934

I-30 and U.S. Highways 59, 67, 71, 82

CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System, 2,055 employees

AIR:

Cooper Tire & Rubber, 1,700 employees

Texarkana Regional Airport txkairport.com

Texarkana TX Independent School District, 1,100 employees Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club, 1,100 employees

Red River County, Texas: 12,860 Titus County, Texas: 32,334

Paris Regional Medical Center, 1,100 employees

Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport www.slr.aero

Domtar Inc., 940 employees

Major Population Centers (2010)

Campbell Soup Corporation, 900 employees

Texarkana, Texas: 36,411

Kimberly Clark Corporation, 800 employees

Texarkana, Ark.: 29,919 Paris, Texas: 25,171

Mount Pleasant Regional Airport www.mountpleasantairport. com/default.htm

RAIL:

Texarkana, Ark., School District, 785 employees

Class I Union Pacific and Kansas City Southern rail service; plus short-line rail, Texas Northeastern Railroad WATER:

What’s Online

Red River

For more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information on the Ark-Tex Region, go to businessclimate.com/arktex and click on Demographics under Facts & Stats.

Sources: quickfacts.census.gov, www.paristexasusa.com, www.texarkana.org

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Ad Index

19 Century 21 Harvey Properties

C2 City of Clarksville

20 Hampton Inn & Suites

17 Linden Economic Development Corporation

C4 Paris Economic Development Corporation

C3 Queen City Economic Development

QUEEN CITY, TEXAS Advantages of a Queen City Location: • Near major transportation - Rail, air, water - U.S. Highways 59, I-20, I-30, I-49 • Low tax rates • Tax abatements for new business startups

• Affordable housing in restricted subdivisions • Excellent public schools • UIL State Marching Champions 2007-2011

• Centrally located for arts and entertainment • Near major retail and restaurants • Near major medical centers, colleges and universities • Lake Wright Patman for fishing, camping and water sports • Youth sports – softball, soccer, baseball and football

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QUEEN CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT P.O. Box 219 • Queen City, TX 75572 • (888) 286-3836 • Fax: (903) 796-4170 • Email: queencityedc@aol.com • www.queencitytx.org