Tennessee Economic Development Guide 2011-12 by Journal Communications

tennessee economic development guide

2013 | businessclimate.com/tennessee

Proceed with Speed

Automotive manufacturing shifts into high gear

Business Spoken Here Foreign investment adds global flavor to Volunteer State

Healthy Imagination Medical technology innovation gains global notice

A GIGABIT Community

Tennesse�

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POWER

• More than 1,000 acres of developable property available with exceptional utility service

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• Logistical advantage with access to I-40, I-81, I-75, I-26, and US 25E

• Experienced commercial/industrial supplier

• Home to 12 Fortune 500 companies

WATER

• Home to Tennessee Technology Center, one of the largest of 27 technology centers in the State of Tennessee. Programs include: Aviation, Machining, Welding, Industrial Maintenance, Business, Nursing and Industrial Electricity.

• Low cost, abundant supply with Class 3 ISO rating • Advanced Secondary Carbon Filtration System • TDEC “Approved” regional water supplier • High-speed, low-cost Internet, voice and video

• Home to Walters State Community College, serving a 10-county area including 350,000 people, and the college is ranked as a top community college in the State of Tennessee

• 100% FTTH fiber-optic infrastructure

• No state income tax on wages and salaries

• Full array of business solutions

• Regional labor shed of more than 250,000 workers

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economic development guide

26 Workstyle Proceed with Speed

Automotive manufacturing shifts into high gear

Innovation on the Move

Tennessee ramps up infrastructure for nurturing entrepreneurship

Healthy Imagination

State’s life sciences, medical device advances draw worldwide attention, expertise

Business Spoken Here

Foreign investment adds global flavor to Volunteer State

That’s Entertainment

Tennessee stars in film production, television, music

Bumper Crop

From farm to forest, Tennessee cultivates a robust agricultural economy Table of Contents Continued on Page 5

On the Cover A knee-replacement joint created by Smith & Nephew, one of Tennessee’s medical device innovators Photo by journal communications

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economic development guide

A CITY AS UNIQUE AS ITS NAME …

201 3 Edition , volum e 21

director of Content Bill McMeekin Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Content Coordinator Jessica Walker Staff Writer Kevin Litwin Contributing writers Pamela Coyle, John Fuller, Melanie Kilgore-Hill, Bill Lewis, Gary Wollenhaupt

CErTIfIEd dEAl-rEAdY INdUSTrIAl SITES

Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher, Kris Sexton, Jake Shores, Vikki Williams Graphic Designers Taylor nunley, Kacey Passmore, Kara Leiby

THrEE-STAr CoMMUNITY

CENTrAllY loCATEd Hohenwald is located within a day’s drive of more than 30 percent of the nation’s population.

Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Staff Photographers Todd Bennett color imaging technician alison hunter Integrated Media Manager scott voncannon Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan Chairman Greg Thurman

Low Taxes | RaiL Line | aiRpoRT TRansiTion Town | seasonaL CLimaTe Low LaboR CosT a CommuniTy wiTh DiveRse inDusTRies The perfect place for your business to fit in!

Tennessee Technology Center Job Training to meet your specifications. www.ttchohenwald.edu

wedlake industries LLC PVC compounding business. www.wedlakeindustries.com

oliver Fiberglass products Produces safe step walk-in tubs.

hohenwald Fabrication LLC Custom fabrication.

s.e. international Radiation alert quality hand-held detectors www.seintl.com

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./Agribusiness Publishing kim holmberg V.P./business Development Clay Perry 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 Rhonda Graham, 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 Web Creative Director Allison Davis Web Content Manager John Hood 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 New Media Assistant Alyssa DiCicco Distribution Director Gary Smith Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan Human Resources Manager Peggy Blake Receptionist Linda Bishop

oliver Technologies LLC Develops, manufactures and markets foundation products for the manufactured housing industry. www.olivertechnologies.com

b & b Fabrication Complete race car and custom fabrication. www.bbracecars.com

Kanson electronics LLC Produces world-class timers. All drilling, plastic injection molding, powder coating, circuit board designs and fabrication are in house. www.issc-Kanson.com

CITY of HoHENwAld ECoNoMIC dEvElopMENT CoordINATor Shelia Carroll | sheliac@lewisedc.org

Tennessee Economic Development Guide is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. 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.

For information on economic development opportunities in Tennessee, contact: Tennessee Economic and Community Development 312 Rosa L Parks Ave, 11th Floor • Nashville, TN 37243 Phone: (615) 741-1888• Fax: (615) 253-6443 www.tennessee.gov/ecd

Visit Tennessee Economic Development Guide online at businessclimate.com/tennessee ©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. Member Member

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CITY of HoHENwAld MAYor Johnny Clayton | citymayor@hohenwaldtn.net

106 N. Court St. | Hohenwald, TN 38462

www.hohenwald.com T e n931-796-6012 n e ss e e E c o n o mTi c| 931-796-6020 Development f G u| id e

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Digital Edition Nissan is one of the 735 foreign-owned companies with Tennessee operations. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

Business Spoken Here Foreign investment, exports give Tennessee global flavor

Story by Bill Lewis

he language of business has a global accent in Tennessee, where 735 foreign-owned companies employ more than 101,000 people and exporters delivered nearly $30 billion worth of products to the world in 2011. Direct investment by foreign companies is approaching $22.5 billion. For international companies such as Nissan, Volkswagen, Wacker Chemie, Electrolux and others wanting to do business in the United States, and for domestic companies reaching out to world export markets, Tennessee is the location of choice. “Tennessee is a low-cost state, in terms of regulations, energy costs and taxes,” says Dr. Steve Livingston, senior researcher and editor of Global Commerce at the Business & Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University. “It has lots of greenfield investment sites for investors. Its geographic location is another advantage. It is close to a larger percentage of the American population than virtually anywhere else in the country. That lowers shipping

TENNESSEE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

costs, gives advantage to supply chains and speeds delivery.” OPEN FOR BUSINESS International businesses looking for a business-friendly environment

discover it in Tennessee. “The state has flexible labor markets. It is a Right to Work state, which is controversial in some quarters but does seem to be an advantage in attracting

TENNESSEE’S TOP EXPORTS Tennessee’s export shipments of merchandise in 2011 totaled $30 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. The state’s largest market was Canada. Tennessee posted merchandise exports of $8.3 billion to Canada in 2011, 28 percent of the state’s total merchandise exports. Next were Mexico ($3.8 billion), China ($2.0 billion), Japan ($1.6 billion), and Belgium ($1.1 billion).

LARGEST TENNESSEE EXPORT CATEGORIES Transportation equipment

$5.4 billion

Chemicals

$4.6 billion

Computers and electronic products

$4.3 billion

Miscellaneous manufactured products

$3.6 billion

Machinery, Except Electrical

$2.9 billion

MORE AT BUSINESSCLIMATE.COM/ TENNESSEE

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DO MORE THAN JUST READ ABOUT IT Hear from decision-makers at leading companies, see video of the region’s success stories and find links to useful demographic information and information sources.

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tennessee economic development guide

2013 | businessclimate.com/tennessee

Proceed with Speed

Automotive manufacturing shifts into high gear

Business Spoken Here Foreign investment adds global flavor to Volunteer State

Lifestyle Find out what it’s like to live in Tennessee and what makes the state such a special place to call home.

Healthy Imagination Medical technology innovation gains global notice

Read the magazine on your computer, zoom in on articles and link to advertiser websites.

With the perfect balance of beauty, brains and ability, Jefferson County, Tennessee is fast becoming an ideal location. Offering corporations and individuals alike a unique blend of big-city amenities in a convenient, natural setting …

Jefferson County Is: ACCessIble

site guide >>

• Three Interstates – 40, 75, & 81

A link to available commercial

• Four U.S. highways

and industrial properties, with

• One rail – Norfolk Southern Class

a searchable database.

Workstyle A spotlight on innovative companies driving growth in Tennessee

success breeds success >> Meet the people who set the pace for business innovation. Dig Deeper >>

• 40 minutes to Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport

IntellIGent University of Tennessee, Carson Newman College, two community colleges and a regional technology center within 30 minutes.

Plug into Tennessee with links to local websites and resources to give you a big

• Two beautiful lakes

picture of the state.

• Five challenging golf courses

demographics >> A wealth of demographic and statistical information puts the entire state at your fingertips.

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

nAture lovInG

guide to services >>

• Most Visited National Park – Great Smoky Mountains

AvAIlAble • Diverse inventory of commercial and industrial buildings and sites • Professional, experienced staff ready to discuss your business needs

Links to a cross section of goods and services special to the state

go online

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Jefferson County ChAmber of CommerCe b u si n e ss c l i m a865-397-9642 t e . c o m / t e n n e ss e e www.selectjefferson.com

Overview

Where the World Comes to Do Business tennessee’s innovation and investment successes gain notice around the world is a four-pronged program that includes new financing support for next-stage companies and initiatives designed to help move new products and technologies from the research lab to the marketplace faster. Tennessee’s status as a center of automotive production was reinforced when Business Facilities magazine named the state No. 1 in automotive manufacturing strength for the third straight year in 2012. Tennessee is home to about 900 automotive-related enterprises. Automotive-related production accounts for one in three Tennessee manufacturing jobs, employing more than 105,000 people. Tennessee has a global reputation as a center of excellence in healthcare and biotech research, delivery and medical device manufacturing. Home to renowned research centers such as St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis and Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, and major clusters in such areas as biotechnology and health-care management, Tennessee is a recognized leader in all facets of the industry.

Tennessee is at the forefront in innovation, investment and jobs, and its successes are gaining worldwide attention . Tennessee received a Gold Shovel Award from Area Development magazine in 2012 for several high-profile expansions and new investments in 2011. With a laser focus on making Tennessee a leader in the Southeast in the creation of high-paying jobs, the state has crafted a strategy that includes cultivating organic growth and nurture innovative start-up companies. A major thrust of Gov. Bill Haslam’s Jobs4TN program focuses on assisting existing Tennessee businesses. The initiative also targets a halfdozen key industry sectors for strategic recruitment, creates job “base camps” in nine regions of the state, promotes rural economic development and supports investment and commercialization in knowledgebased enterprises. The state’s INCITE program – for innovation coordination, commercialization, investment, technology and entrepreneurship –

Some 735 foreign-owned companies have operations in the state and employ more than 100,000 people, with investments topping $22.5 billion. Japanese companies alone employ more than 34,500 people in Tennessee, where major international companies including Nissan and Bridgestone have a significant presence. Tennessee is also a rising star in all manners of entertainment, from its legacy in recorded music to film and television production, which is responsible for 11,770 direct jobs and $485.3 million in wages. A key component in Tennessee’s economic success is its roster of colleges and universities. The state has 51 public colleges, universities and technology centers that collectively educate 220,000 degree-seeking students across the state. Tennessee is home to 36 independent institutions that educate almost 65,000 students. Its rich and diverse cultural offerings, unparalleled natural beauty and range of lifestyle options make Tennessee an inviting place to live, work and invest.

Clarksville 75

Nashville

Knoxville Murfreesboro

Tri-Cities

40 40

Jackson 40

Memphis

TENNESSEE

Chattanooga

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Almanac

The Sweet Taste of Success A national leader in the manufacturing and sales of marinades, barbecue sauces, cooking wines and vinegars, and liquid smoke has found Paris to its liking – Paris, Tenn., that is. Allegro Fine Foods Inc., founded in 1978, built a 30,000-square-foot production and warehousing facility in Paris in 2010. The $1 million project added 30 jobs. The company has been an active exporter, shipping its products to countries that include Mexico, Japan, Singapore and China. Visit www.allegromarinade.com for more information.

Working Around the Clock With demand running higher for its flooring products, Armstrong World Industries is ramping up production at its plant in Jackson, where it is a major industrial employer. The company created 95 new jobs at the plant with the addition of a third shift. Company officials noted that demand for Armstrong products picked up following the economic downturn, and they added shifts in certain facilities like Jackson to fill customer needs. Armstrong designs and manufactures floor, ceiling and cabinet products. The Jackson plant is one of 32 the Lancaster, Pa.-based company operates in eight countries. Find additional information at www.armstrong.com.

Re-Shoring Flooring Mullican Flooring, a maker of hardwood flooring, is investing $12 million in Johnson City to increase production capabilities for its engineered flooring operations, replacing a segment of the company’s engineered volume that was sourced in Asia and effectively bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States. The investment will add 164 new jobs to the company’s 130-person workforce in Johnson City. The company is refurbishing a 309,000-square-foot former Superior Industries plant and will also move its headquarters to the facility. “We believe we’re on the leading edge of a trend by U.S. manufacturers to shift jobs back to American soil,” says Mullican Flooring president Neil Poland. “The high-quality workforce available in the Johnson City area has made the expansion of our production line a reality.” Learn more at www.mullicanflooring.com.

T e n n e ss e e E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t G u id e

Memphis Refined Valero Energy Corp., No. 12 on the Fortune 500 list of the largest public companies in the United States, is investing $298 million at its refinery in Memphis over a four-year period. Upgrades will include construction of a hydrogen plant, an addition to the facilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooling tower and improvements to storage tanks and other equipment. The Memphis refinery, one of 16 Valero operates, opened in 1941. For more, go to www.valero.com.

Waxing Nostalgic United Record Pressing is a Nashville-based company that is resisting the digital age by keeping the tradition of vinyl recordings alive. United, founded in 1949, is now one of only four remaining vinyl record manufacturers in the United States. The company produces vinyl records in the standard 7-, 10- and 12-inch sizes as well as custom sizes ranging from five to 13 inches. In addition to pressing vinyl, United offers other related services such as etching art, coloring vinyl and creating unique jackets, sleeves and inserts. The company also offers digital image retouching and a unique digital download option that gives customers the quality of vinyl sound but with the convenience of digital downloading. Learn more at www.urpressing.com.

Everything But the Rubber Ducky The Bath Works, a Columbia-based bathtub restoration and reproduction company with roots in the United Kingdom, is keeping good company. One of its tubs, modeled after an antique cast iron soaker, made the PBS television show This Old Houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s list of Top-100 Best New Home Products in 2011. In addition to selling original vintage bathtubs, The Bath Works, which was founded in Britain in 1981 and moved to the United States in 1998, hand-finishes reproduction bathtubs that mimic their antique predecessors. For more, go to www.thebathworks.com.

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T e n n e ss e e E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t G u id e

Almanac Cleaning Up Oreck Corp. has developed strong ties to Tennessee. The well-known vacuum cleaner manufacturer moved its manufacturing operations from New Orleans to Cookeville in 2006. In 2008, the company moved its corporate headquarters to downtown Nashville.

Batteries Included Procter & Gamble-Duracell is investing $36 million to expand its operations in Cleveland, Tenn., where it makes batteries. The investment creates 60 new jobs and enables Duracell to increase its manufacturing and packaging capabilities at the plant. The Cleveland facility, which employed about 350 workers before the expansion, is one of only three Duracell plants in the United States. It is slated to be the sole manufacturer of Duracell’s entire line of C- and D-cell batteries. The expansion will benefit local governments as well, with $500,000 in new tax revenue projected. The Cleveland plant opened in 1961 and began operating under the Duracell name in 1964. Find out more at www.duracell.com.

The Cookeville manufacturing operations now employ more than 350 people working in a 310,000-square-foot facility. Founded in 1963 by David Oreck, who became its popular frontman in a series of television ads, Oreck Corp. is an internationally known company that sells products around the world. While Oreck is best recognized for its vacuum cleaners, the company has diversified its product line to include steam mops, air purifiers and floor machines as well as residential and commercial cleaning supplies. For more information, visit www.oreck.com.

Roast of the Town If your morning cup of Joe comes courtesy of Green Mountain Coffee, you just might have Knoxville to thank for it. The Vermont-based Green Mountain came to Knoxville in 2008 and now operates a 334,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility. The company sells about 100 different whole bean and ground coffee products, hot cocoa and teas under the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Newman’s Own Organics brands, and it makes the Keurig single-cup coffee and tea brewing systems. In March 2012, Green Mountain and Starbucks announced a partnership to make, market, distribute and sell Starbucks’ single-serve Vue coffee packs for use in the Keurig system. For additional information, head to www.greenmountaincoffee.com.

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Business Climate

Making Way for Expansion State initiatives spark job growth in Tennessee Story by Bill Lewis

National notice June 2012: Area Development magazine awards Tennessee a Gold Shovel Award based on new investments and expansions in 2011 May 2012: Tennessee is named among the top four states for business in Chief Executive magazine’s annual survey of Best and Worst States for Business. April 2012: Amazon.com’s decision to place distribution facilities in Chattanooga, Cleveland and Lebanon earns a place on Site Selection magazine’s Top Deals of 2011 list.

t’s no secret that Tennessee is one of the most business-friendly places in the United States. Just ask companies like Whirlpool, ServiceSource, Sprint, Amazon.com or U.S. Nitrogen, which are investing millions of dollars and creating thousands of jobs in the Volunteer State. Or ask Chief Executive magazine, which for the second consecutive year ranks Tennessee in the top four states for business. More than 650 chief executive officers rated all 50 states in three general categories: taxation and regulation, quality of workforce and living environment. The proof is in the numbers. Tennessee’s jobless figures have dropped to their lowest levels since 2008, and in 2011 job creation hit a five-year high with

the launch of Gov. Bill Haslam’s Jobs4TN program. State economic development initiatives accounted for 28,535 new jobs and more than $4 billion in investment. Tennessee’s business development efforts focus on six industry clusters in which the state has an advantage – automotive, chemical products and plastics, transportation and logistics, business services, health care, and advanced manufacturing and energy technologies. The state is also fostering business through the INCITE program aimed at promoting entrepreneurship. The Incite Co-Investment Fund was established to increase access to seed-, early- and expansion-stage capital for Tennessee businesses, using $30 million

Right: Employees produce premium cooking products at Whirlpool Corp.’s 1 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Cleveland, which also includes a 400,000-square-foot distribution center.

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in federal funds from the State Small Business Credit Initiative. World’s Largest Facility For Whirlpool Corp., there was no better place than Cleveland, Tenn., for its new manufacturing facility that produces premium cooking products. The $200 million project is adding 130 new jobs to the company’s existing 1,500-person workforce. It includes a 1 million-square-foot manufacturing facility and a 400,000-square-foot distribution center, making the facility the

largest premium cooking-product plant in the world. “The Cleveland site offers the best opportunities with regard to cost, quality and delivery solutions,” says Dicky Walters, plant leader. “We have confidence in the Cleveland workforce and in U.S. manufacturing in general. The advanced production in Cleveland supports the growth of our premium cooking products business, which includes some of the most innovative ranges, ovens and cooktops offered in the marketplace.”

Whirlpool expects the facility to be LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council and meet the highest standards for environmental sustainability, says Walters. Whirlpool also has a call center in Cleveland and a trade partner support operation center in Knoxville. An Unbeatable Combination ServiceSource is growing in Nashville, thanks to Tennessee’s combination of advantages. The company increases service revenue for leading hardware, software,

Above: ServiceSource’s Nashville location, which is in the city’s downtown, is one of the company’s fastest-growing facilities. Right: Several of ServiceSource’s employees in Nashville work in the company’s STERIS Corp. division.

T e n n e ss e e E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t G u id e

health-care and life sciences companies including Adobe, Alcatel-Lucent, GE Healthcare, Affymetrix, Verizon and Blue Coat. “Nashville is home to one of our major sales centers, chosen for its access to top-notch talent, quality of life and supportive local government,” says Keith Leimbach, the company’s general manager for the Americas. “ServiceSource has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years in Nashville and has become the fastest-growing office for the company. We continue to look for new talent to join our teams in downtown Nashville working with some of the world’s bestknown brands.” US Nitrogen is investing $100 million to $110 million in a new state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly plant in East Tennessee where it will produce ammonium nitrate solution. Ammonium nitrate is used in fertilizers and for explosives, but it cannot be ignited unless mixed with other substances not present at the Greeneville facility. The plant is creating up to 80 full-time, permanent jobs and will have an annual payroll of $4 million. The project moved forward with the support of state and local officials, says Shawn Rana, vice president for Austin Powder, US Nitrogen’s parent company. “This illustrates that government and business can work together,” Rana says.

Tennessee Job Creation: By the Numbers

18,942

24,965

28,535

Jobs created in 2009

Jobs created in 2010

Jobs created in 2011

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Engine of Growth Tennessee automotive manufacturing shifts into high gear Story by Gary Wollenhaupt

with foreign and domestic auto assembly operations driving development of a supplier base of more than 860 companies in the state. Business Facilities magazine named Tennessee the No. 1 state for automotive manufacturing strength in 2012, the third year it has received such recognition. “Tennessee’s automotive cluster is very diverse and densely populated, with multiple-tiered automotive industries that support one another and the end OEM users, thus creating a great synergy,” says John Bradley, senior vice president of economic development for the Tennessee Valley Authority, which provides power to more than 9 million people in seven Southeast states and is a key economic development catalyst.

an automotive ecosystem that employs 105,000 people in Tennessee and generates a payroll of more than $5.5 billion. Tennessee is in the heart of the nation’s new Southeast auto alley,

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eet Tennessee’s Big Three. Volkswagen, which has begun making cars in Chattanooga, joins General Motors and Nissan in building new vehicles in the state, part of

T e n n e ss e e E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t G u id e

Auto Manufacturers Expand Volkswagen has begun rolling out vehicles from its $1 billion assembly plant in Chattanooga, which will employ about 2,000 workers at full production. Indirect employment at local suppliers and other spinoffs is expected to exceed 11,000 additional jobs. VW’s investment is expected to boost incomes in the region by $511 million annually and

generate more than $55 million per year in new state and local tax revenues, according to an analysis by the University of Tennessee. In Spring Hill, General Motors plans to increase operations at its manufacturing complex with a $61 million investment that will add 685 jobs for flexible operations. The revitalized plant will be able to assemble any GM car or crossover vehicle. GM also plans to invest an additional $183 million for future vehicle production capabilities. Nissan, which has its North American headquarters outside Nashville and major manufacturing operations in the state, has invested $1.6 billion in a production complex in Smyrna to assemble its

LEAF electric vehicles and the battery modules that power them. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in addition to the 1,000 jobs the company is adding to build the new Infiniti JX, the next generation of the Nissan Pathfinder, and Nissan sedans, SUVs and trucks. Sum of All Parts Automotive suppliers are ramping up in Tennessee. Bridgestone Americas, which has its North American headquarters in Nashville, will invest $36.6 million to increase truck and bus tire production capacity at its Warren County plant. Its Bridgestone Metalpha U.S.A Inc. subsidiary in Clarksville will begin producing the steel cords to

be used in a new off-road radial tire after a $75 million investment creating 45 new jobs. DENSO, a Japanese company, manufactures electronic products, instrument clusters, starters and alternators for automotive manufacturers around the world. The company plans to manufacture components to help vehicles improve fuel economy at its plant in Maryville. DENSO employs 3,000 people there, one of its four Tennessee locations. In Pulaski, Magneti Marelli is undertaking a $53.7 million expansion that will create 800 new jobs. The company, a global automotive systems and components supplier, will house a new auto lighting operation there.

Left: Volkswagen dealership in Chattanooga Above: Employees put together vehicles at Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production plant in Smyrna.

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Auto parts supplier Eagle Bend Manufacturing is expanding its Clinton facility, creating 188 new jobs and investing $64 million over the next five years. NYX Inc., a Michigan-based automotive supplier, is building a $23 million manufacturing facility in Perry County to produce injection molded plastics for a wide variety of automotive manufacturers, creating 400 jobs over a five-year period.

In Overdrive

105,000 Automotive employment in Tennessee

$5.5 Billion Annual payroll from auto manufacturing in Tennessee

1 Tennessee’s rank for automotive strength among all states by Business Facilities magazine in 2012, the third straight year it received the No. 1 ranking

860 Automotive suppliers, original equipment manufacturers and ancillary manufacturers with Tennessee operations

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In The Right Place Logistics play a key role in investment planning, and Tennessee’s connections with the rest of the country and the world make it an attractive location. About three-fourths of the country’s population is within a day’s drive on the state’s eight interstate highways. Tennessee is also home to the second-largest freight airport in the world, located in Memphis where FedEx has its hub. “Our infrastructure just makes it really easy to get around,” says

Tom Brewer, president of the Tennessee Automotive Manufacturers Association. Otics USA, a manufacturer of automotive components, operates a plant in Morristown. The Japanese-owned company came to Morristown in 2001, its first U.S. operation. In February 2012, the company announced a $24.8 million expansion that will add 67 jobs in Morristown, the third expansion since it came to the region. Relationships with state and local governments and the availability of a skilled workforce drove the expansion. Charlotte Jennelle, Otics general manager, says she appreciated the effort Tennessee put into supporting business expansion and attracting new investments. “I see a more diligent effort to bring businesses into the community to get people working,” she says. “Tennessee is a little more aggressive than other areas to showcase the state for business opportunities.”

Nissan LEAF vehicles at a charging station at the company’s North American headquarters in Franklin, Tenn.

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Spreading the Wealth

Clarksville www.cityofclarksville.com

Roane County project highlights VW’s impact beyond Chattanooga Volkswagen’s new $1 billion assembly plant is bringing jobs and investments beyond Chattanooga to other areas of the state. Roane County, located in the Cumberland Plateau about 90 minutes from Chattanooga, has been selected for a $40 million VW project. The 400,000-squarefoot Southeastern Regional Distribution Center will ship domestic auto parts for the Chattanooga-made Passat and other Volkswagen and Audi vehicles. The distribution facility will serve more than 100 dealers in the region as well as others in the United States, Canada and Mexico. When it’s completed in 2013, the facility will employ about 45 people with an annual payroll of more than $3 million. Initially, the facility will serve as a redistribution center to service warehouses. Later it will be expanded to include a parts distribution center. The construction will accommodate future expansion up to an additional 200,000 square feet. During construction, the local economic impact is expected to be about $10 million. “Our continued investment in the U.S. market affirms that Volkswagen is dedicated to the economic vitalization of the communities where we do business,” says Rawdon Glover, executive vice president of aftersales, Volkswagen Group of America. The new distribution center will be built on 54.6 acres in the Roane Regional Business and Technology Park adjacent to Interstate 40 and just a few miles from Interstate 75. – Gary Wollenhaupt

Vibrant

growing

More than $2 Billion in retail sales

One of Tennessee’s fastest growing cities

Unparalleled QUality of life New Liberty Park and Clarksville Marina, award-winning greenways, outdoor festivals and markets, blueways and waterways for boating, and more than 30 city parks

City Hall • one public Square • Clarksville, tn

37040 • (931) 648-6128

Brian McCord

Guy Kopsombut, founder of Kahootzz, works at the Entrepreneur Center.

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Innovation on the Move Tennessee ramps up infrastructure to let entrepreneurs thrive Story by Pamela Coyle

Supporting Entrepreneurs Tennessee is making sure they have support. Jobs4TN is Tennessee’s economic development plan that targets high-paying, knowledgebased business sectors for growth, among them business services, health care, advanced manufacturing and energy technologies. Encouraging

innovation is key, and INCITE is Tennessee’s strategy for innovation, commercialization, investment, technology and entrepreneurship. One component of INCITE, Startup Tennessee, leverages the best practices and national network of the Startup America Partnership to enhance and grow the state’s entrepreneurial companies.

The Regional Entrepreneurial Accelerators – in Memphis, Jackson, Martin, Crossville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville, Johnson City and a multi-site accelerator in Spring Hill, Clifton, Tullahoma and Fayetteville – provide mentoring, education and training, strategic and technical support, and help in identifying sources of capital.

Michael Burcham is leading the Startup Tennessee entrepreneur initiative.

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ennessee is building a statewide network of regional business accelerators, matching next-stage companies with venture capital firms and enhancing an already solid reputation as a good place to launch a company. Michael Burcham heads the state’s Startup Tennessee initiative, and he’s been a busy guy. As of May 2012, seven of nine planned regional accelerators were launched, 20 communities had scheduled classes on building business models, and 600 new businesses had been screened for program participation and potential funding. “Entrepreneurs are people who are willing to go after their own American dream and build something special,” says Burcham, who also is CEO of the Entrepreneur Center in Nashville. “That doesn’t just happen.”

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“We also are creating a statewide network of angel groups and getting that organized in some way so they know each other and can find out about early-stage companies,” Burcham said.

New Efforts Existing incubators already play a big role in launching new businesses, and the state’s renewed efforts will incorporate best practices from each – among them the Nashville’s Entrepreneur Center, Tech 20/20 in Oak Ridge, The Company Lab in Chattanooga, and Emerge Memphis and LaunchMemphis. SecureWaters Inc., based in Soddy Daisy, took part in startup programs at The Company Lab. It now manufactures and sells the AquaSentinel, an electromechanical monitor/alarm

system for continuous protection of source drinking waters. The technology itself had been invented and patented at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for homeland security purposes but was not on track for commercialization. The AquaSentinel is now on the market, deployable to monitor water and signal when something goes wrong. Across all the programs, the goal is connecting local people to resources that can help them. The new regional business accelerators make such resources available more broadly, not just in Tennessee’s urban centers. For rural areas, technology helps level the playing field. “I can, through Web tools and Skype and mentoring, connect entrepreneurs to all kinds of people,” Burcham says. “Across Tennessee, different regions are in various stages of development,” he says. “It is sort of like God’s work – it is never really done.”

Brian McCord

Streamlined Capital search On the investment front, the Volunteer State also created a new model with TNInvestco, which will provide $200 million in tax credits to venture capital funds to help stimulate growth in new companies. BorderJump, a Nashville company whose software platform helps U.S. online retailers overcome barriers to selling goods in Latin America, received $1 million from XMI High Growth Investment Fund, one of several TNInvestco partners, in November 2011. “It was a really nice match,” says Bobby Frank, Border Jump’s president and CEO. “The (state program) streamlined the process considerably and it has accelerated everything.” Through INCITE, Tennessee

is committing an additional $30 million in co-investment funds and will partner with private investors to maximize impact and minimize risk. The INCITE Co-Investment Fund is being administered by the Tennessee Technology Development Corp., a private, nonprofit organization focused on increasing science and technology business development in the state.

Christopher Jaeger, founder of RentStuff.com, and Scott Rouse, founder of IdeaBang, work at the Entrepreneur Center in Nashville.

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Wired for Speed Chattanooga has advanced fiber-optic network “Gig City” may give “The Scenic City,” Chattanooga’s official nickname, some competition. Chattanooga is the first city in the Western Hemisphere to offer 1-gigabit-per-second fiber Internet service to its residents, 150,000 of them across a 600-square-mile area. EPB, the city’s publicly owned electric power system, finished installation in early 2011. EPB decided against interim steps toward a smart grid and opted for a 100 percent fiber-optic network as the best, most costeffective way to improve communications and network speed, says J. Ed Marston, a vice president at the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. The Gig City Initiative is capitalizing on the connectivity, using it as an economic development recruiting draw and sponsoring competitions to launch future uses of the superfast capability. GigTank, which vied for $300,000 in seed capital, was chosen in August 2012. “This event was the first of its kind to allow participating entrepreneurs and students to develop real-world, ultrabandwidth apps and test them with real-world users and then to launch businesses based on them,” Marston says. “No one else has a real-world network of users.” Chattanooga’s residents have Internet speeds 20 to 200 times the maximum available in most other communities. Homeserve USA picked Chattanooga for a new customer care center in large part because the network was under construction, and in April 2012 announced the addition of 120 new jobs. “It is having a real impact on existing industry and recruitment,” Marston says. – Pamela Coyle

BioTN aims to inspire exploration into science A catalyst for biotechnology research, business and education in Tennessee is BioTN, a Franklinbased nonprofit. Among other things, BioTN promotes collaboration among students in all grade levels – from pre-K to 12th grade – along with higher education institutions and businesses in order to create hands-on learning and training experiences for students and faculty in science and technology. One of the organization’s main goals is to encourage

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more students to enter scientific and technical fields, creating a better-educated workforce for technology companies expanding or locating in Tennessee. The organization advocates for improved science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs in Tennessee’s elementary schools, high schools and colleges, and promotes the growth of businesses in the state based on STEM innovations. To learn more about BioTN, go to www.biotn.org.

Life Savers Medical devices, biotech make state a lab leader

Story by Melanie Kilgore-Hill • Photography by Mitchell Franz

rom medical device manufacturers to bioscience entrepreneurs, the nation’s brightest minds are heading to Tennessee, and with good reason. The biotech and life sciences industry numbers nearly 740 companies in the state and employs more than 26,000 workers. The industry attracted more than $1 billion in private investment from 2004 to 2009 alone, according to Life Science Tennessee, a statewide industry advocacy organization based in Nashville. The state ranks seventh among states for the size of its medical device manufacturing industry, with manufacturers paying more than $275 million in wages annually. made in Memphis As the second-largest center for orthopedic devices in the United States, Memphis is a world-renowned destination for medical device manufacturers. Nurturing that growth is the Memphis Bioworks Foundation, which leverages

the region’s competitive strengths while expanding infrastructure, educational opportunities and entrepreneurial support. In 2007, the foundation launched Innova, a pre-seed, seed and early-stage investment fund that links capital with innovative ideas. Innova’s focuses on technology and defensible service companies based in Memphis including the medical device, biotech, bio agriculture, logistics and other bioscience sectors. “One of our core strategies involves organic growth, and helping companies move from research expenditures into something that will grow jobs for the community,” says Steven Bares, Ph.D., president of Memphis Bioworks Foundation. “Innova was formed as we worked through that process.” Innova’s success led to the 2012 development of Zero to 510, a medical device accelerator that provides experts, training, mentors and an infusion of capital to launch promising startups

By the Numbers

738 Life sciences and biotech companies in Tennessee

26,000 Industry employment in Tennessee

$69,000 Average wage of life sciences employee in Tennessee

1,100 Life sciences patents awarded to Tennessee companies between 2004 and 2009 Source: Life Science Tennessee

Left: An ABT Molecular Imaging employee prepares a product in the company’s manufacturing facility.

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within six months. A program of the Greater Memphis Accelerator Consortium, Zero to 510 is an intensive accelerator program attracting applicants nationwide. “The Memphis community is well understood to be a destination for this type of technology,” Bares says. “We’ve got the ecosystem to make a program like this work.” Partners include the city’s support supply chain companies, a joint biomedical engineering program of the University of Tennessee and University of Memphis, and major medical device manufacturers. Wright Medical Technology, Smith & Nephew and Medtronic all have operations in Memphis and employ more than 4,500 people combined. In 2012, Launch Medical announced plans to invest $4.8 million and create 40 jobs in Bartlett during a five-year period to manufacture medical device

prototypes. Founded in 2007, the company began as a medical device incubator, offering unique opportunities for surgeon inventors to develop new ideas for medical devices. In 2010, Launch Medical shifted from product development to the manufacturing market. state of the art While Memphis is paving the way in Tennessee’s medical device manufacturing sector, the industry is flourishing statewide. Powell-based DeRoyal employs more than 2,000 people and markets some 20,000 products for orthopedic, surgical and wound care. Chattanooga’s Glenveigh Medical caters to the obstetrics population and moved its headquarters to East Tennessee from Durham, N.C., in 2009. In Middle Tennessee, Stinger Medical makes medical carts, workstations and other equipment

Left: An ABT Molecular employee inspects a Dose on Demand Biomarker Generator. Above: A knee replacement implant manufactured at Smith & Nephew’s Memphis facility

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446-ACRE INDUSTRIAL SITE in Middle Tennessee PowerCom Industrial Center

• Dual-Feed Electric Power • Cumberland River Access Four Lake Authority (615) 374-4607 P.O. Box 464 • 100 W. Main Hartsville, TN 37074 (Nashville’s neighbor) Please visit us soon at: www.fourlake.org

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• Large Acreage Sites • Warehousing Space • Business/Manufacturing Incubator Facility • Local Workforce Training through Tennessee Technology Center/Hartsville

Hip and knee replacement implants are created at Smith & Nephew in Memphis.

used in health-care facilities. In April 2012, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development led a trade mission to China and South Korea that focused on opening new markets to Tennessee’s medical device manufacturers and other health-care companies. Among companies participating were Stinger and ABT Molecular Imaging in Knoxville. About 20 minutes from

downtown Knoxville, ABT Molecular Imaging manufactures the globally used Dose on Demand Biomarker Generator, which provides researchers and clinicians access to PET biomarkers on demand. ABT started in Knoxville because of the city’s legacy of expertise in the field of nuclear detection for medical applications, says Rick Rippin, ABT sales director.

Rippin says proximity to nationally renowned research universities, such as the University of Tennessee, is another important benefit. “Tennessee’s central location also provides advantages in logistics, and due to the many medical device manufacturers in the state, offers a talented workforce for growth in manufacturing products for the market worldwide,” Rippin says b u si n e ss c l i m a t e . c o m / t e n n e ss e e

Nissan is one of the 735 foreign-owned companies with Tennessee operations. P h o t o b y J e ff A d k i n s

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Business Spoken Here Foreign investment, exports give Tennessee global flavor

Story by Bill Lewis

costs, gives advantage to supply chains and speeds delivery.” Open for Business International businesses looking for a business-friendly environment

discover it in Tennessee. “The state has flexible labor markets. It is a Right to Work state, which is controversial in some quarters but does seem to be an advantage in attracting

Tennessee’s Top Exports Tennessee’s export shipments of merchandise in 2011 totaled $30 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. The state’s largest market was Canada. Tennessee posted merchandise exports of $8.3 billion to Canada in 2011, 28 percent of the state’s total merchandise exports. Next were Mexico ($3.8 billion), China ($2.0 billion), Japan ($1.6 billion), and Belgium ($1.1 billion).

Largest tennessee Export Categories Transportation equipment

$5.4 billion

Chemicals

$4.6 billion

Computers and electronic products

$4.3 billion

Miscellaneous manufactured products

$3.6 billion

Machinery, Except Electrical

$2.9 billion

more at businessclimate.com/ tennessee

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investment. And labor rates are quite competitive compared to the rest of the U.S.,” Livingston says. Tennessee is home to companies that manufacture what the world wants. “In terms of exports of goods, Tennessee is more heavily invested in manufacturing than are most other American states,” Livingston says. “It is also concentrated in the automotive, chemical, machinery, and medical industries, all of which are globalized industries with supply chains that span the world. So much of Tennessee’s performance is driven by its industry profile. At the end of the day, export performance depends upon having great companies in the right economic sectors – and

that’s where we’ve been.” Many international businesses grow larger once their initial investment in Tennessee takes root. Sam Dong Inc., for example, is investing $2.8 million in a second manufacturing facility in Rogersville, where it produces specialty magnet copper wiring products. The expansion is creating 85 new jobs. “With increasing customer demand as well as an overall increased market share in the North American market, Rogersville was the obvious choice for our expansion,” says Sun Gi Park, vice president and general manager of Sam Dong Inc. MANN+HUMMEL USA is locating a satellite production

facility in Dunlap, where it plans to invest nearly $15 million during the next three years. The company expects to employ about 150 production workers and technicians by the end of 2013. Pro-business Environment “This expansion demonstrates MANN+HUMMEL’s customer focus and our recognition of the qualified workforce and support for manufacturers in the state of Tennessee,” says Francisco Gomes Neto, group vice president, MANN+HUMMEL AMERICAS. The company designs and produces parts for the automotive, heavy duty and industrial markets. It is a subsidiary of the MANN+HUMMEL Group, which

Foreign Direct Investment in Tennessee

$14.1 B Japan

$6.3 B Europe

$1.7 B Canada

$489.2 M Other

$22.5 B Total

Above: An employee of The Pasta Shoppe, which is based in Nashville, makes sure pasta mix and recipe cards are packaged properly. Right: John Aron, president and co-founder of The Pasta Shoppe, has made exporting part of the company’s business strategy.

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grow and expand our production lines.” Tennessee businesses are active when it comes to exporting. Tennessee ranks 15th among the states in export volume. Even more significantly, exports are up more than 37 percent since 2007. For businesses like The Pasta Shoppe, Tennessee is the perfect doorway to the world. The Nashville-based company ships its specialty pastas to markets in North America, South America and Asia. It recently entered the Japanese market. From Nashville, East Coast and West Coast ports are within easy reach by rail. “We made 100 decisions to be in Nashville. We’ve accrued a lot of benefits from being here and not on the coast,” says John Aron, The Pasta Shoppe president. “Tennessee is a very effective place to do business.”

TN Export Volume by Year ($ billions) • 2011: $29.97 • 2010: $25.94 • 2009: $20.48 • 2008: $23.24 • 2007: $21.86 Source: WiserTrade

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has its headquarters in Ludwigsburg, Germany. Another international business, Nakatetsu Machining Technologies, is investing $6.3 million to expand its Telford facility. The company is creating 35 new jobs in addition to its 60 existing positions. Nakatetsu Machining Technologies is a manufacturer of tapered roller bearings for the automotive industry. This latest expansion allows the company to operate two additional production lines. The manufacturing facility has been located in Telford since 2007 and has undergone two expansions. “Since locating our facility in Washington County, Nakatetsu has enjoyed great success,” says Katsumi Okita, president of the company. “This success has allowed us to continue to

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Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Entertainment Tennessee stars in film production, television, music Story by Jessica Walker

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ome to Music City, Beale Street and the Birthplace of Country Music, Tennessee is often thought of as a musiccentered state. But the Volunteer State isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a one-note performer when it comes to entertainment. From film and television production to music and new media, Tennessee has created a vibrant entertainment industry that is bringing new opportunities for economic development. Legacy recording industries in Nashville and Memphis have evolved into a full range of musical artistry, attracting talent and

generating billions of dollars in economic impact. Tennessee economic development officials estimate that film and television production is responsible for 11,770 direct jobs and $485.3 million in wages in Tennessee. Tennessee Media Incentives To encourage film production in the state, Tennessee offers an incentive program that was revamped in 2012. The Film & Television Production Incentive, administered by the Tennessee Film Entertainment and Music Commission, enables productions

Left: Zac Brown Band at the CMA Music Festival Above: Bonnaroo Music Festival b u si n e ss c l i m a t e . c o m / t e n n e ss e e

Keith Urban performs at the CMA Awards.

with budgets of more than $200,000 to receive grants equal to 25 percent of their qualified in-state spending. Production companies can also receive a refund of hotel occupancy tax after a room has been utilized for more than 30 days, and sales tax is no longer applied once a room has been rented by the same person for 90 continuous days. In addition, buildings and land owned by the state can be used by filmmakers for no charge. a leading role Tennessee gained increased notice as a shooting location following Gov. Lamar Alexander’s founding of the Tennessee Film, Tape and Music Commission in 1979. The commission attracted filmmakers quickly, and as a result movies such as The River, Rhinestone, The Dollmaker and Star Man were shot in the state. The Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission

is also drawing industry professionals to Tennessee. It offers a production directory designed to help filmmakers put together their crew in the city. “Producers have said one reason they want to film in Memphis is because of the quality of the crew base,” says Linn Sitler, Memphis & Shelby County film commissioner. A study shows how even small productions can have an impact. Between 2008 and 2009, two films shot in Memphis – Nothing But the Truth and N-Secure – brought in a combined $7.22 million and created 465 full-time jobs, according to The Economic Effects of Film Production in Tennessee, by William F. Fox and Todd Yarbrough, published in 2009. “Hotels, restaurants, supply stores, construction firms and rental car companies are part of the economic ripples that move through the entire community when a production is filmed,” Sitler says. “And it continues even

afterward as tourists come to visit places where movies were filmed.” Television production also thrives in Tennessee. The state is home to Scripps Networks Interactive, based in Knoxville, which provides lifestyle-oriented programming and content for broadcast and digital properties that include HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel and Great American Country. The company had operating revenue of more than $2.1 billion in 2011. Nashville is home base for Scripps Interactive’s Great American Country Channel as well as Country Music Television, part of Viacom-owned MTV Networks. In fall 2011, Viacom bolstered its presence in the Nashville area when it announced a shared services center in the region that will create 100 jobs in accounting, finance and other corporate support function areas.

striking a chord While the film and television industries continue to grow, the state’s music scene also flourishes. Jeff Cuellar, director of connectivity at AC Entertainment in Knoxville, has seen firsthand how musicians are flocking to Tennessee to create their art. “There’s so much history here,” he says. “A lot of artists are drawn to the state because of that.” AC Entertainment is a producer, promoter and marketer of some 750 concerts, festivals and other

live events across the nation each year. One of its signature events is Bonnaroo, staged in Manchester annually since 2002. Drawing musicians from around the world, Bonnaroo has an estimated $20 million economic impact on Coffee County each year. Other festivals impacting the state’s economy include the CMA Music Festival and Chattanooga’s Riverbend Festival. “I see constant growth,” Cuellar says. “We’ve got a great scene here in Tennessee.”

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Bumper Crop From farm to forest, Tennessee cultivates a robust agribusiness sector

Story by John Fuller

ennessee’s agricultural and food industry furnishes a broad array of food and fiber products for U.S. and international consumers. The state has three distinct farming and forestry regions linked by a network of highways and waterways to U.S. and international markets. The Volunteer State’s 77,300 farms leverage a temperate climate, abundant water supply and excellent transportation systems to produce more than 50 agricultural commodities on nearly 11 million acres of land. Agriculture is a mainstay of the state’s economy. Tennessee’s farms generate more than $3 billion in receipts annually and exported $1.3 billion in product to overseas markets in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The state’s top

agricultural products include beef cattle, soybeans, corn, broiler chickens and greenhouse, nursery and forestry products. Tennessee products are enjoyed across the United States and globally. Leading exports from Tennessee include soybeans, cotton, wheat and poultry products. Half the state’s agricultural income comes from livestock. The gentle, rolling terrain and plentiful grass make beef cattle the livestock leader across the state. More than 45,000 cattle producers raise 1 million head each year. Most of the 52,000 dairy cows are raised in the eastern part of the state. The poultry industry represents $475 million to the state’s economy. Swine and meat goats are also raised in the state.

Dairy cattle, like these at Daniel’s Dairy Farm near Charlotte, Tenn., number more than 52,000 in the state. S taff P h o t o

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With its abundance of resources, the state has built a thriving food production industry, many of whose products are sold across the globe. Such famous brands as Bush’s Beans, Yoplait, Little Debbie snack cakes, Pringles, Jimmy Dean sausage, Jack Daniels and Allegro Fine Foods are among the scores of popular brands that come from the Volunteer State. Tennessee’s horticulture industry is another major boost to the state’s economy. The state has more than 700 nurseries, 300 greenhouses, 2,500 plant dealers and 400 landscapers certified across the state. The state’s mild winters, warm summers and excellent soil content are major contributors to the success of the nursery and greenhouse industry. Keeping Them on the Farm Agriculture in Tennessee has a long legacy. One positive trend for the industry is the increasing number of younger adults staying on the farm. “Our young farmers are staying on the farm and producing more than ever before,” says Pettus Read, director of communications for the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation. “There are more opportunities for these young people; they have college degrees with plenty of business savvy.” Read says another growing phenomenon in the state is agritourism, which involves any agriculturally

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Below: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, produced in Lynchburg, is a mainstay of the state’s food and beverage industry. Right: Tennessee is home to more than 77,300 farms.

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TN Farm & Forestry Facts

$3B

The state’s cattle producers raise 1 million head of cattle each year

Farms in the Volunteer State generate more than $3 billion in receipts each year

Exports

Forestry industry

Head of cattle

$1.3B The state’s agricultural exports have risen steadily and topped $1.3 billion in 2010

Farm receipts

$13B

The state’s forestry industry is a $13 billion business in Tennessee, supporting 60,000 jobs.

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based activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch. In Tennessee this includes buying produce direct from a farm stand, navigating a corn maze or picking fruit. More than 100 farmers markets operate across Tennessee. Forestry Continues to Grow in Tennessee The forestry industry is a nearly $13 billion business in Tennessee with more than 60,000 jobs created. Forests cover more than half of the state, which has an abundant supply of forest resources, highly skilled workers and a strong environmental commitment to replenish those resources. Tennessee

is one of the top five hardwood producers in the nation, according to Candace Dinwiddie, executive director of the Tennessee Forestry Association. Most of Tennessee’s forests are hardwood; timber processed at the state’s 200 sawmills includes oak, yellow poplar and hickory. The state produces more than 800 million board feet of hardwood annually. In addition, more than 2,400 master loggers live in Tennessee and more are being trained to secure the future of the industry. “We add a lot to the rural economy of the state,” Dinwiddie says.

Cotton is one of Tennessee’s more than 50 agricultural commodities.

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Energy/Technology

Highly Energized Tennessee leads charge in solar, biofuels, EV breakthroughs Story by Pamela Coyle

ublic priorities and private investment have put Tennessee at the forefront of innovation in energy technology, from solar to advanced materials and biofuels to batteries. The Volunteer State, with its Jobs4TN plan, has identified advanced manufacturing and energy technology – including solar, wind, biofuels and electric vehicles – as areas in which it has a clear competitive advantage. Combined with high-profile

Innovation Grants to 35 companies in the sector’s value chain. The grants, made possible by federal stimulus money, help companies with everything from marketing to workforce training to process improvements and manufacturing upgrades. Cara-Sol Energy in Knoxville, for example, received a $189,500 grant that allowed it to begin manufacturing solar thermal panels. “Without TSI funds, they would not be able to do this,” says John Sanseverino, director of programs for the Solar Institute. Other new companies using grants to set up manufacturing/ fabrication operations include Soltility in Spring Hill, Outpost Solar in Pulaski and Midsouth Sustainable Energy Solutions in Memphis.

assets such as the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory that not only conduct cutting-edge research but partner with companies to grow the value chain, Tennessee is creating jobs and building a robust new energy economy. Solar Grants Shine The Tennessee Solar Institute, a partnership of ORNL and the University of Tennessee, has awarded $12.5 million in Solar

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High in Fiber Research in solar, battery technology and wind have long been part of the mission at ORNL, but advanced materials research and manufacturing is a growing component of the federal laboratory’s new energy program. With a $35 million federal stimulus grant, ORNL will start producing lower-cost carbon fiber by the end of 2012. The implications for fuel savings are huge – reducing vehicle weight by just 10 percent boosts fuel efficiency by up to 8 percent. “We have the potential to really revolutionize an entire industry

A scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory inspects carbon fiber. b u si n e ss c l i m a t e . c o m / t e n n e ss e e

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Tennessee Solar Institute grants are helping the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solar installation industry gain traction.

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because you can make super lightweight autos, strong windmill blades and reinforce bridges, but carbon fiber composites are very expensive,” says Tom Rogers, ORNL’s director of industrial and economic development partnerships. With new feedstocks and conversion technologies, ORNL and industry partners have demonstrated they can lower the cost of carbon fiber by up to 50 percent. The new Carbon Fiber Technology Facility will show the potential at commercial scale, Rogers says. Membership in the Oak Ridge Carbon Fiber Composites Consortium tripled in a year’s time, to 40 members in early 2012. Energy Projects Heat Up Major new energy projects are coming online. In Vonore, one of the first U.S. cellulosic ethanol demonstration plants also is

the only facility dedicated to converting both agricultural residue and bioenergy crops to fuel ethanol. In Smyrna, production at Nissan’s $1.6 billion plant to produce zero-emission vehicles and the lithium-ion battery packs that power them is set to begin later in 2012. The battery plant can produce 200,000 batteries each year; the adjacent auto plant plans to roll out 150,000 allelectric LEAF vehicles each year. The investment will create about 1,300 jobs. Hemlock Semiconductor Corp. is on track to open the first phase of its $1.2 billion polysilicon production plant in Clarksville in late 2012, with expected employment of 500. Near Cleveland, Tenn., Wacker Polysilicon, a division of Germanbased Wacker Chemie, broke ground on its $1.5 billion polysilicon factory in 2011.

Production is expected to begin in early 2014 with 650 workers. Big names are not the only players adding jobs. Diversified Power International in Piney Flats received more than $800,000 in TSI grants for multiple projects including process improvements, workforce training and energy efficiency improvements to its facility, with significant reductions in energy consumption and related costs. With the savings, says the Tennessee Solar Institute’s Sanseverino, the company is expanding operations. It added 14 workers in 2011. “This is a unique opportunity for Tennessee to become a national leader in the solar industry,” Thom Mason, ORNL director, says of the Solar Institute. “By leveraging all of the state’s assets on the single goal of making solar energy more affordable, the Solar Institute will help bring even more jobs to Tennessee.”

An emerging 1,100+ acre park focusing on economic, environmental and social sustainability.

James Fenton Director of Economic Development Cheatham Connect 615.792.2379 Office 615.418.1535 Cell JamesFenton@CheathamConnect.com

Margot Fosnes President & Chief Economic Development Officer Robertson County Chamber of Commerce 615.384.3800 Office 615.308.3380 Cell MFosnes@RobertsonChamber.org

Transportation

Here, There and Everywhere State’s highway, rail, waterways and airports provide global links

Story by John Fuller

ennessee has assumed a leadership position in the transportation and logistics industry with an excellent network of highways, waterways, rail lines and airports. The Volunteer State is centrally located between Canada and the Gulf of Mexico, bordering eight states and located within a day’s drive of 75 percent of major U.S. markets. This combination of ideal location and excellent transportation resources has drawn a growing distribution and logistics industry to the state. Tennessee is home to nearly 14,000 distribution centers, employing more than 146,000 workers.

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FedEx’s headquarters and super-hub is located in Memphis.

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Hub of commerce in memphis The location advantage is the major reason why the world’s largest transporter, FedEx, based its headquarters and super-hub at Memphis International Airport. The hub connects to every international market served by FedEx Express. FedEx employs more than 34,000 workers in Tennessee. At its Memphis hub, FedEx operates a fleet of about 150 aircraft out of 186 gates. Its facilities, spread across 832 acres at Memphis International, include 42 miles of conveyor belts, creating a network of state-of-the-art automated package-sorting systems capable of processing more than 500,000 packages per hour. Tennessee has six commercial airports and 74 general aviation airports, and the state also has one of the South’s most extensive rail networks, with

Tennessee Transportation Facts

An Ingram Content Group employee packages books. S taff P h o t o

Miles of Highway: 87,000, including 1,110 miles of interstate highways Major Waterways: Mississippi, Cumberland and Tennessee rivers Miles of Navigable Waterways: 1,062 Class I Railroads: CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, Canadian National/Illinois Central, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Kansas City Southern, Union Pacific Commercial Airports: Memphis International, Nashville International, McGhee Tyson (Knoxville), Tri-cities Regional (Bristol-Johnson City-Kingsport), Chattanooga Metropolitan, McKellar-Sipes Regional (Jackson) General Aviation Airports: 74 Heliports: 126

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FedEx Consolidates Flight Training in Memphis FedEx has announced it will consolidate its flight training in Memphis, representing a nearly $150 million dollar investment in the region. FedEx has approximately 5,000 pilots across the globe who require flight training on a periodic basis. The consolidated facility will have state-of-the-art simulators approved for training by the Federal Aviation Administration. The simulators will include special equipment for training of pilots on the new Boeing 777 and the Boeing 767 wide-body aircraft. The current facility houses approximately eight simulators. When completed, the expanded training facility will house 20 simulators and several classrooms.

more than 3,200 miles of Tier I and short line railroads. Centrally located on the nation’s inland waterway system, Tennessee has the Tennessee, Cumberland and Mississippi rivers running through it, making connections to major inland ports in 21 states and ocean ports in Houston, New Orleans and Mobile. Waterway shipments will get another major boost when the Port of Cates Landing opens late in 2012. The port will have a major transloading facility serving barge, rail and truck traffic and will be adjacent to the 350-acre Lake County Industrial Park. “We are very optimistic about the impact the port will have on this region,” says Jimmy Williamson, chairman of the Port of Cates Landing. Located near several interstate highways as well as air and rail centers in Memphis, the port is being built on the only developable site on the Mississippi River above the 100-year flood plain between Memphis and Cairo, Ill. road ready Highways are plentiful in Tennessee, which is crossed by seven interstates – I-24, I-26, I-40, I-55, I-65, I-75 and I-81. I-59 is just a few miles south of the Tennessee border. Tennessee ranks sixth in the nation in cargo carried by trucks.

This interstate network is a magnet for logistics and shipping firms locating in the state. “We are a dream location for logistics companies,” says Holly Sears, vice president of economic development for the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce. Several companies, including Nissan and Ingram Content Group, have established shipping and logistics operations in Rutherford County, which offers ready access to I-65, I-24 and I-40. In 2012, Amazon.com broke ground on two Middle Tennessee distribution centers. The new fulfillment centers, one in Murfreesboro, the other in Lebanon, will create more than 1,300 jobs and represent an investment of $135 million. Combined with existing facilities in Hamilton and Bradley counties, Amazon will create more than 3,300 jobs and invest more than $270 million in Tennessee. La Vergne-based Ingram Content Group, with its operating unit, Ingram Book Co., is the largest book wholesale distributor in the world. The company is a leader in distribution, print-on-demand and digital solutions, and provides libraries and booksellers with immediate access to the largest selection of trade books, e-books, interactive textbooks, audio, magazines, and other book-related products in the industry. Rendering of the Ground Transportation Center at Memphis-Shelby County Airport

P h o t o C o u rt e s y o f M e mp h i s - S h e l b y C o u n t y A i rp o rt A u t h o r i t y

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New Orders In millington, a section of a Naval base takes on a new identity A U.S. Navy base in Millington has a new mission: To thrive as an industrial park. The facility, located near Memphis, has been downsized by the federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, and now operates as Naval Support Activity Mid-South. As a result of the downsizing, the Navy gave 1,900 acres of base property to the city of Millington and the Millington Industrial Development Board, which established the West Tennessee Regional Business Center on site. The property runs along the main line of the Canadian National Railway. Millington Regional Jetport is on the property, with the thirdlongest runway in Tennessee, says Charles Gulotta, president/CEO of the Millington Area Chamber of Commerce. “The runway is 8,000 feet long and 200 feet wide, and can accommodate the largest of cargo aircraft,” he says. Navy operations still on site, which employ 7,500 people, are on the south end of the property, with the north end now open to be redeveloped. A $26 million project is under way to establish a five-lane highway that will link to Highway 385, a four-lane divided highway with connections to Interstate 40. “If I was a distribution company serving the Southeast, Southwest or Midwest, I would seriously consider being headquartered at the West Tennessee Regional Business Center,” Gulotta says. Some former Navy buildings remain on the industrial site and are available for possible re-use. “This industrial-business center is going to be a key focal point for commercial and industrial development in Millington’s immediate future,” he says. – Kevin Litwin

5th most affordable U.S. metro (Kiplinger 2010) Top regional university Retail, residential, medical hub for metro of 600,000 EPA air quality attainment Tennessee’s first Green City

Strategic location: Interstate, rail crossroads Two-day shipping radius to 65% of the U.S. population

Washington County: Jewel of the Mountain South www.thewcedc.com

855-885-3685

The City of White House is a great prospect for industrial and commercial development for several reasons. Location, accessibility to Interstate 65, availability of land and utilities, demographics, and quality of life all contribute to making White House a wonderful community for businesses. • Located 22 miles north of Nashville on I-65 • Low crime rates • Excellent public schools • Excellent parks and recreation opportunities and community events 105 College St. • White House, TN (615) 672-4350 • (615) 616-1050 Fax www.cityofwhitehouse.com

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A scientist conducts research at the Memphis Bioworks Foundation.

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Health

A Healthy Outlook Tennessee charts a diverse health-care industry

Story by Melanie Kilgore-Hill

into catastrophic childhood diseases, mainly cancer, and shares research findings with doctors and scientists worldwide. “Perhaps the greatest asset of Memphis is the geographic location in the center of the U.S.,” says Dr. William E. Evans, director and CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “This is advantageous for St. Jude because our patients come from

Medicine in Memphis In West Tennessee, patients and researchers flock to Memphis for medical research, manufacturing and treatment. Nestled on 10 acres at Memphis Medical Center, the UT-Baptist Research Park is on path to include 1.5 million square feet of lab research, education and business development space. Neighbors include the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, the Memphis Bioworks Foundation and Methodist University Hospital, nationally ranked in five categories on US News’ Best Hospitals for 2011-2012. Also nearby, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital treats nearly 8,000 kids free of charge each year. St. Jude was the first institution established for the sole purpose of conducting basic and clinical research and treatment

across the U.S. to receive treatment and participate in research protocols.” Evans says more donor and grant dollars can stay in Memphis thanks to the city’s ability to build first-rate facilities at a cost less than that of many top academic medical centers in pricier cities. Coordinating citywide research efforts is the Memphis Research Consortium. The group promotes

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ast to west, Tennessee is home to some of the nation’s top hospitals, health-care companies and medical research centers. Health care in Tennessee boasts a $30 billion economic impact and supports some 200,000 jobs, making it a leading industry statewide.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville is a major research hospital and was nationally ranked in 21 specialties on US News’ Best Hospitals list. b u si n e ss c l i m a t e . c o m / t e n n e ss e e

as a key location for relocation or expansion. Local expertise, a strong business infrastructure and high quality of life make the region an attractive choice.

Nashville’s Health-care Arena Major health-care assets in Middle Tennessee include Vanderbilt University Medical Center, nationally ranked in 21 specialties by US News’ Best Hospitals. More than 250 health-care companies are headquartered in the Nashville area, including major for-profit hospital companies HCA and Community Health Systems. “Nashville has long been known as a center of health-care expertise, beginning with the founding of HCA more than four decades ago,” says Caroline Young, president of the Nashville Health Care Council. Young says health-care companies nationally and globally identify Nashville

East Tennessee Home to Knoxville’s University of Tennessee Medical Center, East Tennessee also boasts nationally ranked, locally owned health systems. With five hospitals in Northeast Tennessee, Wellmont Health System delivers care to patients in Bristol, Johnson City and beyond. Wellmont’s Bristol Regional Medical Center was recognized nationally for orthopedics by US News. In Chattanooga, Thomson Reuters recently named Memorial Health Care System a 2012 “Top 100 Hospital.” In addition, the system was ranked by U.S. News as one of the 2011-2012 Best Hospitals in the country for ear, nose and throat services.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis is a world-renowned pediatric research institute.

HCA EXpands Nashville-based hospital company HCA is increasing its investment in Tennessee. In 2012, the company announced plans to build a new data center in Nashville and expand its existing information technology locations in the region. The project represents a $200 million investment that will create approximately 155 IT jobs during a five-year period. HCA, the nation’s leading provider of health-care services, comprises locally managed facilities that include 163 hospitals and 111 freestanding surgery centers in 20 states and England. The company and its affiliates employ approximately 199,000 people.

P h o t o C o u rt e s y o f S t. J u d e C h i l d r e n ’ s R e s e ar c h H o sp i ta l

collaboration among the University of Memphis, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the medical device industry and Memphis hospitals.

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Education

In With the Knew Tennessee offers standout higher education options

Story by Kevin Litwin

on its list of America’s Best Colleges. That list also included standout public universities in the state including the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro, the University of Memphis, East Tennessee State University in Johnson City and Tennessee State University in Nashville. High-caliber programs The state’s colleges and universities provide Tennessee employers a pool of skilled and knowledgeable workers, and are centers of innovation. The University of Tennessee’s flagship Knoxville campus is a research powerhouse, collaborating with partners such as the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in areas ranging from biofuels to advanced materials to cancer treatment. East Tennessee State’s Quillen College of Medicine is consistently ranked as one of the top colleges

The University of Tennessee in Knoxville offers more than 300 degree options.

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ith 51 public colleges and universities across the state, Tennessee offers students multiple choices for students ready for higher education. Those academic entities collectively educate 220,000 degree-seeking students each year. Enrollment at the state’s 36 independent institutions tops 65,000 students, with many of those colleges and universities achieving national recognition for academic excellence and high value. US News ranked Belmont University and Lipscomb University in Nashville and Union University in Jackson in the top 20 on its 2012 list of Best Regional Universities in the South. And Forbes magazine included Belmont, Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Fisk University in Nashville, Maryville College, Union and Vanderbilt University in Nashville

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nationwide for rural medicine. Middle Tennessee State, with more than 26,400 students, offers 140 undergraduate degree programs, including an aerospace curriculum. small college, big impact With a student population of just under 2,000, Carson-Newman emphasizes small class sizes and a more personal style of learning. “Students should choose Carson-Newman because our student-faculty ratio is 12:1, allowing faculty to know their students’ abilities, aspirations and personalities,” says Kina Mallard, Carson-Newman provost and vice president of academic affairs. “Faculty work with students to help them find places of service that fit their vocational goals.” In April 2012, Carson Newman seniors were awarded $1 million in scholarships for graduate studies at a number of highly regarded universities around the country. Mallard says Carson-Newman continues to expand its academic offerings, including two of its master’s programs – an MBA and master’s in education – in an online format. The university will launch three new online degree programs in spring 2013 including a doctorate in education, its first doctoral degree. In addition to colleges and universities, 13 community colleges, which had enrollment in fall 2011 of more than 96,000 students, and 27 technology centers strategically located across Tennessee provide vocational and technical skills and training, ensuring business and industry have access to a qualified workforce.

Clockwise from top: Vanderbilt University; Carson-Newman College; The University of Tennessee in Knoxville

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Livability

These Outdoors Are Great Tennessee offers plenty of room to roam

Story by Kevin Litwin

ennessee has plenty of outdoor sights to see, with natural play areas that include mountains, lakes, rivers, parks and numerous opportunities to canoe, kayak, raft, fish, hike and bike. Tennessee boasts 12 national parks, 53 state parks and 79 natural areas including major attractions such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Great Smoky Mountains National Park borders Tennessee and North Carolina, and is the most visited national park in the United States. A number of surrounding cities receive a large portion of their income from tourism associated with the park including Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville in Tennessee.

Hikers can enjoy 840 miles of trails and unpaved roads located within the park; other popular activities include fly fishing, horseback riding and bicycling. Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, a popular destination in Fentress County, contains 125,000 acres along the Cumberland Plateau. It provides visitors with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities including hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and watching sunsets from gorge overlooks. Take a Hike Tennessee has a multitude of excellent hiking trails stretching throughout the state. Chattanooga leads the way with six registered trails, followed by Memphis with five and Ocoee with four. Top hiking destinations include Cades

Cove in Maryville, Rock City in Lookout Mountain, Indian Boundary in Tellico Plains, Chickasaw Trace in Columbia, and Foster Falls in Jasper. Two of Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular hiking trails are Enterprise South in Chattanooga, and Chinquapin Ridge Trail in Fall Creek Falls. Enterprise South opened in October 2010 on 2,800 wooded acres of land that has been heavily protected and left to flourish since its establishment in the 1930s. The nature park offers miles of bicycle/pedestrian paths, off-road biking and horse trails, and a two-acre lake that attracts deer, turkey and other park animals. Chinquapin Ridge Trail is ideal for an outdoor workout, offering good climbs, swift descents and a couple of creek crossings. The six-mile loop features some

Families enjoy fishing in the Little River in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

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Loverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leap in Chattanooga

challenging stretches. The most avid outdoor adventurers make it a point to visit Chinquapin Ridge Trail. Other top trails in Tennessee include Clingmans Dome Overnight Loop in Gatlinburg, stretching 25 miles, Maddron Bald Overnight Loop in Waynesville that measures 17.8 miles, and Fiery Gizzard Trail in Monteagle that spans 12.5 miles. Kayaking, Boating and Mountain Biking Tennessee also offers major kayak/rafting opportunities, such as on the Ocoee and Pigeon rivers, and boating opportunities on major waterways such as Kentucky Lake and the Tennessee River. Good mountain biking opportunities abound at such places as Cemetery Loop in Chattanooga, Concord Park in Knoxville, and Buffalo Mountain in Erwin. Clockwise from top left: Hiking near Clingmans Dome, the highest point in Tennessee; Cades Cove in Maryville; A hiker traverses the Appalachian Trail.

visit our

advertisers Blount Partnership www.pellissippiplace.com

Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce www.memphischamber.com

Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce www.chattanoogachamber.com

Metropolitan Nashville International Airport www.flynashville.com

City of Clarksville www.cityofclarksville.com City of White House www.cityofwhitehouse.com Cleveland Bradley County Chamber of Commerce www.clevelandchamber.com

Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association www.mtida.org Morristown Utility Systems www.morristownchamber.com

EPB Fiber Optics www.epb.net

Networks Sullivan Partnership www.networkstn.com

Four Lake Region Industrial Development Authority www.fourlake.org

Oak Ridge National Laboratory www.ornl.gov

Gallatin Economic Development Agency www.gallatingetsit.com

Pulaski-Giles County Economic Development Commission www.gilescountyedc.com

Greene County Partnership www.growinggreene.com Hohenwald/Lewis County Economic Development www.lewisedc.org Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce www.selectjefferson.com Joint Economic & Community Development Board of Wilson County www.doingbiz.org Knoxville-Oak Ridge Innovation Valley www.knoxvilleoakridge.com Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance www.mauryalliance.com

Red River Preserve www.redriverpreserve.com Rhea County Economic & Tourism Council Inc. www.rheacountyetc.com The Roane Alliance www.roanealliance.org Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation www.thinktullahoma.com Washington County Tennessee Economic Development Council www.thewcedc.com

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Gallery Beale Street in Memphis is renowned for its night life. Photo by Brian McCord

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Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City Staff Photo

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The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville is known as the Mother Church of Country Music. Photo by Brian McCord

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Sunrise on Lake Graham near Jackson Staff Photo

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Ad Index

2 Blount Partnership 46 Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce

21 City of Clarksville

55 City of White House

40 Cleveland Bradley County Chamber of Commerce

36 EPB Fiber Optics

30 Four Lake Region Industrial Development Authority

8 Gallatin Economic Development Agency

7 Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce

25 Joint Economic & Community Development Board of Wilson County

C4 Knoxville-Oak Ridge Innovation Valley

30 Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance

1 Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce

63 Metropolitan Nashville International Airport

30 Greene County Partnership

4 Hohenwald/Lewis County Economic Development

6 Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association C2 Morristown Utility Systems

Ad Index (cont.)

12 Networks Sullivan Partnership

48 Oak Ridge National Laboratory

63 Pulaski-Giles County Economic Development Commission

51 Red River Preserve

72 Rhea County Economic & Tourism Council Inc.

C3 The Roane Alliance

12 Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation

55 Washington County Tennessee Economic Development Council

economic profile

Nashville, Nashville International Airport, (615) 275-1600 www.nashintl.com

Business snapshot Tennessee is home to nine Fortune 500 headquarters. Nissan, General Motors and Volkswagen assembly plants make auto manufacturing one of Tennessee’s top industries, along with health care, chemicals and energy technology.

Demographics

Transportation

Population

Seven interstates (I-24, I-26, I-40, I-55, I-65, I-75 and I-81) Eight interstate spurs around major metropolitan areas 87,259 miles of roadway 1,074 miles of interstate 13,752 miles of state roads 8,114 state-owned bridges 13,752 locally owned bridges

2000 – 5,689,276 2011 – 6,403,353 Change – 12.5%

Per capita income (2010) $23,722

Median household income (2010) $43,314

Largest Cities (2010) Memphis – 652,050 Nashville – 609,644 Knoxville – 180,761 Chattanooga – 167,978 Clarksville – 136,231

Employment Admin. Support – 522,832 Specialized Fields – 421,837 Management – 317,857 Retail – 278,392

Commercial Airports Bristol-Johnson-Kingsport, Tri-Cities Regional Airport, (423) 325-6000 www.triflight.com Chattanooga, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, (423) 855-2200 www.chattairport.com Knoxville, McGhee Tyson Airport, (865) 342-3000 www.tys.org Memphis, Memphis International Airport, (901) 922-8000 www.mscaa.com

Technology – 108,535

Memphis International is a central hub for FedEx and is the No. 1 transporter of air cargo in the world. The state also has 75 publicly owned, general aviation airports and 39 Automated Weather Observing Stations.

Rail Six major rail lines operate on 2,340 miles of rail and 20 shortline railroads operate on 829 miles of rail. Three major railroads cross parts of the state: NorfolkSouthern, CSX, Illinois-Central/ Canadian National. Memphis is the third-largest rail center in the United States.

Waterways The state has 1,062 miles of navigable waterway. Major rivers that flow through Tennessee include the Cumberland River, Tennessee River, Duck River, Clinch River and Mississippi River. The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, also known as the TennTom, provides direct access to Gulf of Mexico harbors and international markets and the East Coast. Memphis is the fourth-largest inland port in the United States.

What’s Online

Construction – 95,028 Agriculture – 80,229

For more information about Tennessee, go to businessclimate.com/tennessee and click on Demographics in the Facts & Stats section.

Sales – 75,862

Discover Rhea County see TENNESSEE

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what we have to offer.

John Payne, Executive Director 107 Main St. • Dayton, TN 37321 (423) 775-6171 • (423) 775-7653 Fax www.rheacountyetc.com

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