2014 Jackson County Business Journal

Jackson County Business Journal 2014

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TAB L E OF CONTE NTS

TAB L E OF CONTE NTS

Jeff Massey

WELCOME! Jackson County is a community blessed with a rich heritage and resources. The values present in the people who reside here, combined with our heritage, create a recipe for a great lifestyle to work and raise your family.

Every successful community has certain attributes that are the building blocks for thriving businesses and comfortable lifestyles. Jackson County is no stranger to these attributes.

You can observe natural beauty, an unparalleled highway system, quality health care, a municipal airport, close proximity to ports and education that is highlighted by two prominent colleges.

The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce is focused on accenting our strengths to provide a healthy climate for existing businesses as well as future businesses looking to locate in an environment that is profitable and provides a great quality of life.

I hope you are beginning to recognize the recipe that makes Jackson County a special place. As you read these stories, please remember there is much more to talk about and for you to see.

I urge readers not to take my word for it. Come to Jackson County and say hello. You will be delighted with the Southern hospitality and charm that our community provides for all that come.

As I close, I would like to say, “Remember that Jackson County is open for business.”

Jeff Massey President/CEO Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

3 Demographics

10 Agriculture

4 Green Circle Bio Energy

12 Medical

6 Higher Education

15

Tourism

9 Airport

JACKSON COUNTY DEMOGRAPHICS

Leisure and Hospitality Other Services Government

$12,531 $25,317 $37,777

POPULATION 2013 Estimate Persons under 18 years (2012) Persons 65 years and older Female Male

49,292 19.2% 16.7% 44.8% 55.2%

Density (2013) 54.7 persons per square mile WORKFORCE Labor Force as Percent of Population Aged 18 and Older 2013 54.9% Unemployment Rate February 2014 Average Annual Employment % of All Industries, 2012 All Industries Natural Resource and Mining Construction Manufacturing Trade, Transportation and Utilities Information Financial Activities Professional and Business Services Education and Health Services Leisure and Hospitality Other Services Government

5.3%

14,197 1.5% 4.7% 4.5% 20.8% 1.1% 3.4% 5.2% 10.4% 9.3% 1.7% 37.4%

Average Annual Wage, 2012 All Industries $31,776 Natural Resource and Mining $30,271 Construction $37,463 Manufacturing $39,099 Trade, Transportation and Utilities $27,037 Information $44,457 Financial Activities $31,325 Professional and Business Services $35,008 Education and Health Services $29,493

EDUCATION Educational Attainment (Persons aged 25 and older) High School graduate or higher 79.1% Bachelor’s degree or higher 13.6% Colleges or Universities (within 65 mile radius) Chipola College, Florida State University, Gulf Coast State College, Baptist College of Florida, Tallahassee Community College, Florida A&M University, Troy University (Chipola campus and Dothan, Ala.) Applied Technology Schools (within 65 mile radius) Chipola Vo-Tech, Washington-Holmes Vo-Tech, George Wallace Vo-Tech, Gulf Coast Vo-Tech TRANSPORTATION Railroads CSX, east-west; Bay Line, north-south Major Commercial Airports/ Distance from Marianna Dothan, Ala. Panama City Tallahassee Deep Water Port Port Panama City Marianna

45 miles 54 miles 65 miles

32 feet, 54 miles from

Interstate Access Interstate 10 Interchanges U.S. 231, SR 276, SR 71, SR69, CR 286

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Source: Florida Legislature Office of Economic and Demographic Research; CareerSource Chipola; U.S. Census Bureau; Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

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GRE E N C I RC L E B IO E N E RGY

Each year this Green Circle Bio Energy plant in Cottondale produces 560,000 tons of wood pellets that are then shipped overseas for “co-burning.”

Green Circle Bio Energy J

ackson County may be small and rural, with a population of just under 50,000, but it’s a global leader in the emerging market of green energy.

Jeff Massey is new to the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce as president and CEO, but he isn’t new to renewable energy. He recently retired from Jackson County’s Waste Management plant, and he was there on the first day Green Circle Bio Energy Inc. began to operate. You could say he helped “turned the lights on.” As a district manager, Massey led a team that dug wells for pipes to safely convert methane gas — the toxic byproduct from the landfill — into electricity. “It was pretty cool to use green technology to power one green company from another. So, really we have two shining examples of green energy in Jackson, a rural county, that is something you will not find in every other county,” he says.

For Massey, who has worked in the environmental industry for nearly 30 years, the fact that Green Circle Bio Energy is “green” is just the beginning of what this 4

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By Zandra Wolfgram

$100 million company has to offer. “It is the innovative processes and the things that happen there that create the atmosphere for attracting business. Jackson County is known for a lot of things, and innovative technology is one of them now because of Green Circle Bio and what they do,” he says.

Green Circle Bio Energy’s parent company is JCE, a privately owned investment company based in Gothenburg, Sweden, and named for entrepreneur J. Christer Ericsson. When a man walked up to Ericsson’s door and offered to pay a high price for the pile of wood in his backyard to use it for bio fuel, a multi-million dollar idea began to catch fire. Once formed, the company settled in the North Florida town of Cottondale and, after an 18-month build out, began production in May 2008.

Green Circle Bio was one of the first to the market to produce small, biodegradable cylindrical wood pellets. Trees harvested from Florida, Alabama and Georgia are turned into chips, which are dried, ground into a fine sawdust and

pressed into small pellets. Each year upwards of 560,000 tons of pellets are freighted overseas from Panama City to several European customers, mainly on long-term contracts. The company’s primary customer base is the industrial market. Essentially, it is selling to power companies and Combined Heat and Power (CHPs) companies that replace coal with biomass, also known as “co-burning.”

Green Circle Bio operates a sustainable production, which means more than 65 percent of the energy consumed to manufacture the pellets comes from renewable energy sources.

Jackson County and the town of Cottondale may seem an unlikely location for the world’s largest pellet plant, but Florida’s abundant yellow pine forests, available at low and stable prices, and an accessible location (in the Industrial Park off Interstate 10 and U.S. 231) make it a natural fit.

Massey sees Green Circle Bio’s success as a calling card for Jackson County. “Having businesses like Green Circle really gets the attention of other

PHOTOS COURTESY GREEN CIRCLE BIO ENERGY

A Shining Example for Jackson County

industries looking at this area, because they know they are a successful business that wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t the right climate for them to be in,” he says.

In fact, Green Circle Bio has been so successful it is expanding. In 2015, a $115 million plant is projected to open on 118 acres in George County in Lucedale, Mississippi, another rural community located approximately 40 miles northwest of Mobile, Alabama. Like Cottondale, the plant will produce up to 500,000 tons of pellets per year and ship them to European markets from the Port of Pascagoula near the Mississippi-Alabama border.

With European power plants mandated to use at least 20 percent of renewable energy in their fuel mix by 2020, the industry is expected to continue to grow.

And Green Circle Bio President and CEO Morten Neraas is ready. With a new plant underway, he reportedly already has set his sights on a new European customer: the United Kingdom.

A company this size has a significant economic impact on the surrounding area. According to the Jackson County

Products of local tree farms await processing.

Development Council, Green Circle will purchase 1.5 million tons of lumber annually, generating some $30 million in revenue for regional timber industries.

And producing tons of pellets yearround produces something else highly valuable: jobs. Green Circle Bio has a workforce of about 50, making it one of the largest companies in the area. “They are a great employer in the county and support this community and are a true asset,” Massey says.

Green Circle Bio is a testament to the fact that rural communities like Jackson County can compete on a global scale.

Massey is not surprised. His grandparents were one of the founding families of

Cottondale, so he knows firsthand what it has to offer.

“There is a reason Jackson County attracts these types of businesses, certainly because of our location but there are many others. Another piece of the puzzle is the hospital, the airport, the college, the road system and the proximity to the port … there are a lot of things we offer,” he says.

Out of all its attributes Massey contends what will keep Jackson County a “shining example” standing apart from many other counties is what he dedicated two decades of his career to and what made Green Circle Bio Energy a global player — “being innovative with technology.”

FROM ENTRY TO EXPERIENCED, PROVIDING THE TALENT YOU NEED CareerSource Chipola serves Jackson, Calhoun, Holmes, Liberty and Washington counties An Equal Opportunity Program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

All voice numbers can be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via Florida Relay Service at 711.

careersourcechipola.com | 850.633.4417 (local) | 800.382.5164 (toll free) 2014 J A C K S O N C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

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H IGH E R E DUCATION

Chipola College Changing to meet the needs of the future

By Rosanne Dunkelberger

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CHIPOLA COLLEGE FACTS Chipola College serves about 5,000 students each year — 2,200 in the fall and spring semesters and 800 to 1,000 during the summer term.

The college employs 185 full-time and 145 part-time employees.

Including federal work-study students, total payroll is about $11 million.

Last year, the Chipola College’s Foundation awarded $600,000 in tuition and books to 1,000 students.

Chipola’s Brain Bowl team won a seventh straight state championship and a third consecutive national championship.

In 2013, Washington Monthly ranked Chipola No. 14 among community colleges nationally.

For three years in a row, Chipola College has been nominated for the Aspen prize, which recognizes the top 10 percent of the nation’s community colleges.

Chipola’s first-year retention rate of 65 percent is fifth in the nation and its 57 percent graduation/ transfer rate ranked it 11th.

PHOTOS COURTESY CHIPOLA COLLEGE

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ew programs, new facilities and a new president — the future is looking bright for Chipola College in Marianna.

Jason Hurst took over in March for Gene Prough, who retired after 12 years in the college’s top position. Hurst isn’t new to the campus, however. Over the previous 2½ years, he had served as Chipola’s executive vice president and as vice president over bachelor’s degree and workforce programs.

While it was one of the first three community colleges in Florida to offer four-year degrees 12 years ago, Chipola’s primary mission remains the same as it has since its inception in 1947: “Our bread and butter is the AA degree … your freshman and sophomore years of general education classes preparing you to enter any university as a junior,” said Bryan Craven, Chipola’s director of Public Relations. “That’s the vast majority of our students.”

But because the five counties Chipola serves — Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty and Washington — are relatively remote from Florida universities, the college started adding fouryear degrees to its offerings. “Many of our students are placebound; that’s an educational term we use to mean that for whatever reason — families, jobs — they can’t just pack up and move away to go to college,” Craven said.

It now has 10 bachelor programs in teacher education, nursing and business. Degrees, Craven noted, that “are really about getting people jobs and getting people started on a career.”

The college has also recruited more than 100 area professional and business leaders to serve on advisory committees for its technical program. “We depend on the expertise of these professionals to provide real-world advice about the training we need to provide to our students,” said Hurst. These advisors also help in recruiting students for the career and technical education programs and finding jobs for the students.

Hurst’s plans for his tenure include rebranding Chipola as a baccalaureate-granting institution, an overhaul of the college’s website and a cleanup of the school’s grounds and facilities, some of which date back to the ’50s. In addition, “We need to add programs that are relevant to the economy of today,” he said.

“Expanding day programs into evening offerings and increasing our E-Learning program are efficient ways to grow the college.”

The college is also home to vocational education, including

a nationally recognized automotive program, cosmetology and a brand new welding program that maxed out with 20 students in its first term in a state-of-the-art facility.

While the mission is a classic one, Chipola is keeping up with the times via its E-Learning initiative, according to Craven.

“We are expanding our online offerings, but we’re also using technology to support our face-to-face classes. We’re putting more content on the Web, and we’re interacting with students electronically just to be more efficient.

Even though you go to the class every day, there’s still a lot of information posted on the Web and there’s a lot of opportunity for interaction between the student and the professor on the Web.” It is possible to complete an AA degree at Chipola totally online.

A point of particular pride for the college is the $16 million Chipola — Jason Hurst, Chipola Center for the Arts, College President which opened in 2012.

The 45,000-squarefoot facility includes a 655-seat theater and a 150-seat experimental theater as well as an art gallery, dance studio, teaching spaces and scenery, costume and paint shops.

It was created to not only serve the college, but also the wider community, including K-12 schoolchildren in the Chipola district.

Craven says more than 10,000 guests visit the facility each year.

“We need to add programs that are relevant to the economy of today. Expanding day programs into evening offerings and increasing our E-Learning program are efficient ways to grow the college.”

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H IGH E R E DUCATION

The Baptist College of Florida Sharing the ‘Unchanging Word’ in new and different ways

By Rosanne Dunkelberger

W

hile The Baptist College of Florida’s values are as old-fashioned as they were when it started 70 years ago, the tiny institution isn’t afraid to keep up with modern times.

BCF was started during World War II to serve those who felt called to ministry later in life but didn’t have the educational background, said Dr. Thomas Kinchen, who’s now in his 25th year at the helm of the college whose mission is, well, missions.

When he arrived, the institution offered three diploma programs. Today, 21 undergraduate degrees are offered, along with two master’s degrees — all available at the college’s Graceville campus, at satellite facilities based in churches in Jacksonville, Panama City, Pensacola and Orlando, and online.

Enrollment is about 700, with 500 on campus.

While many of the degree programs are directly related to church service — ministry, education, Biblical studies and Christian counseling, for example — and most of the graduates go on to work in churches and missions, Kinchen said his college also seeks to develop business leaders with Christian values. Even non-ministry majors are required to take 18 hours of theological study. “For way too long the church has been segmented out — you know, ‘This is my Sunday life, and (work) is the rest of my life,” he continued. “What we’re saying is, in the marketplace, it’s vitally important that you be who you are in the worship center.”

Kinchen said when it comes to planting new churches, some of the greatest resistance he encounters is not in developing nations, but right here at home. “I’ve actually been called by churches (that) are going to locate in areas that businesses didn’t want them to come to because they were going to take land off the tax roll,” he said.

But he’s got a rebuttal for that: “It’s good business to have a strong church in your community, whether you’re a believer or not.” Churchgoing people are honest, reliable and

have a good work ethic, he said, “and all of those are good business — and your tax money isn’t going to repair nearly as many broken lives.”

Kinchen proudly relates that BCF carries no debt and that programs are added and buildings are built on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Only about 20 percent of the college’s budget comes from the Baptist church. The rest is tuition, auxiliary services and “beating the bushes” for donations, he said.

The college is about to break ground on a $1.5 million dining facility and recently added a minor in aviation — so missionaries in far-flung regions can spread the Christian faith. When talking to people from a program in Brazil, Kinchen said, “I continued to run into folks who say, ‘We know of this group but they’re on the other side of the jungle and it takes three weeks to get there,’ or, ‘they’re on the other side of this big lake system and we can’t get there,’ or, ‘they’re on the other side of this canyon and we can’t get there.’ They didn’t mention anything that you can’t fly over.”

After attracting renowned Florida landscape and wildlife artist Keith Martin Johns, FBC will add a fine arts component to its worship arts program in the fall.

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AI RPORT

Airport Rebirth

Marianna Municipal Airport wings into the future via the past By Jason Dehart

T

he Marianna Municipal Airport earned its wings as a flighttraining center for the U.S. Army Air Corps (and later the U.S. Air Force).

Today, thanks to a new lease agreement, it could possibly feature military flight training again, part of an overall plan to revitalize the decades-old sky port.

City commissioners approved a lease agreement in March allowing SkyWarrior Flight Support Inc. to start up a private Fixed-Base Operator enterprise in the airport terminal. The lease is for five years, but it could be extended to eight years if the proprietor is successful in securing contracts for military flight training. The new FBO might also offer food services and amenities to attract general aviation pilots, including a fulltime airplane mechanic.

In short, this provides a great economic opportunity for the city, according to City Manager Jim Dean.

“The Marianna airport offers a good place to do that kind of (military) training,” Dean said. “We’ve never, under the city’s management, catered to or tried to win over that business.”

In conjunction with this new enterprise, the city is going to spend close to a million dollars on airport renovations. Improvements will be made to the terminal, the parking lot, landscaping, equipment facilities and new hangers that will make people get interested in this airport.

“It will be a facelift with interior and exterior improvements that will give it a new look,” he said.

Dean described SkyWarrior’s owner, George Sigler, as a former military pilot and successful businessman whose Bay Minette, Alabama, flight services center is an award-winning establishment. Marianna officials are hoping this former success is duplicated here in Jackson County.

“We’re hoping that based on his successes he’ll bring that to Marianna,

which is a bigger airport for him, and we’re hoping he can expand on the success he’s had at Bay Minette,” Dean said.

According to city records, SkyWarrior Flight Support Inc. will act as a manager/agent for the city and will be responsible for collecting hangar rental fees, receiving 5 percent of the gross amount collected for rent. The FBO will be responsible for marketing, light maintenance, keeping the building and the parking lot clean and sweeping the runways as needed. It will also pay the city .06 cents per gallon on all fuel sales.

The city will also get 2.5 percent of any additional sales or services provided by the FBO. The airport has a rich history of service and training. The Army opened the airfield in 1943 and it served as a training base until 1947, at which point the U.S. government gave control of most of it back to the city. The base was reacquired by the U.S. government in 1952 to train more pilots during the Korean War era and became Graham Air Base. The base was deactivated again in 1960 and has belonged to the city ever since.

Dean said that the city has hosted special “fly-In” air shows to commemorate that important history, but at the same time the city needs to look forward and do things to help the airport and the community grow.

Vital Stats According to the city, the Marianna Municipal Airport runway consists of two 4,900-foot-long by 100-foot-wide intersecting runways. Both runways have pavement strength of 56,500 pounds single-wheel load (SWL). The airport apron is about 183,475 square yards and has more than 200 aircraft tie downs.

The 20,000-square-foot FBO building has a space dedicated for a pilot lounge, flight service station, weather briefing area and pilot training classroom.

ON THE RECORD: Real Estate From the volume of residential properties sold to the price point at which they’re situated, it appears that Jackson County’s real estate market is headed in a very positive direction.

According to Kathy Milton, broker and owner at ERA Chipola Realty, the upward momentum is undeniable.

“I feel like there’s an improvement,” stated Milton.

“It’s very obvious by the amount of activity we’re seeing and the amount of offers we’re receiving.”

FOR 2013, THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE: All statistics listed below contrast sales in 2013 to 2012, and were provided by the Florida Realtors.

• 180 single family homes closed in 2013 — a 9.8 percent jump from 2012.

• 62 of those homes sold were cash transactions.

151 were traditional closed sales, a 14.4 percent increase.

Only five short sales characterized 2013, an incredible decrease of 58.3 percent from the prior year.

• The median price of single-family homes remained the same ($85,000) while the average priced jumped 4.7 percent to $106,508.

• In Jackson County, the median days a single family home sat on the market in 2013 was 114 days, an 8.1 percent decrease from 2012. // Compiled by Chay D. Baxley

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AGRICULTURE

Family Matters

Farming in Jackson County is a family affair for four generations of Dietrichs By Chay D. Baxley

T

he Dietrich farm brings new meaning to the idea of a “family business.”

In this Jackson County homestead, four generations live, work and grow together — harvesting a variety of crops and raising cattle through their familial and agriculturally based partnership.

Theirs is a unique story — even for one of Northwest Florida’s most fertile counties.

At the head of this remarkable family sits Gordon and Lady Dietrich. Their son, Christopher, resides on the property with his wife and two boys. As a young and able-bodied worker, Christopher plays a major role in the farm’s daily successes, managing and tilling the land alongside his father.

Gordon’s own father also calls the farm home, lending a hand when and where he can, and often offering words of wisdom regarding a plot of land he’s known for decades.

“You can’t do it by yourself,” admitted Gordon, “or I sure wouldn’t want to try.

It’s a lot of work. Two people can do three times more than one person, we think.”

Though arithmetic may not support their cause, it’s a philosophy the Dietrichs apply most ardently. All for one, and that sort of thing.

Mornings on Dietrich Farms begin early, first with feeding the cattle, attending to any needs they may have.

Next, they work through a lengthy to-do list. This year, that list has often included rainy day substitutions.

“We try to plan our week every Monday, more or less,” explained Christopher. “We try to figure out our priorities, and then we work together to do whatever needs to be done. We work together real well, it seems like.”

Throughout the seasons, a rotating crop of corn, wheat, cotton and — above all — peanuts are planted and 10

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subsequently harvested, giving this agrarian family a bounty they can rely on.

The fruits of their labors end up in a variety of places, from peanut butters to poultry feed. It’s a fast-paced work environment for the Dietrich unit, who attribute much of their success to their responsible and sustainable farming practices.

Early on in their business they implemented a three-step approach to the land, consisting of the eco-friendly technique of strip tilling, crop rotation and dependable irrigation. Today, that three-tier system is the backbone of their husbandry operation.

Unlike traditional tillage, which rummages through the soil completely, kicking up organic matter prematurely and without discretion, strip tillage focuses only on the land necessary for that season — allowing nutrients to build up in the earth.

For the Dietrichs, who refer to themselves as mere stewards of the land,

longevity is crucial to keeping the family business alive.

“They take really good care of this property,” explained Lady, a Cottondale native who’s lived on the farm since 1984.

“They try not to do anything that would harm the potential down the line. We aren’t making any more dirt. So they’ve got to take care of what we have, and this is what we have.”

Horticulture isn’t their only game, though.

More than 200 head of cattle also grace the Dietrich farm. Certified all natural, these bovine are a lean, hearty, goodnatured breed that the Dietrichs sell for a premium to Laura’s Lean Beef, a Kentuckybased company that champions healthful eating. It’s a niche market, but together, the Dietrichs have filled it well.

Their success and ingenuity in such matters has garnered notoriety within Jackson County’s agricultural community. For many, it’s a collaboration worth admiring.

“Theirs is a family that’s all been interested in carrying on a tradition and working together,” said Doug Mayo, director at the Jackson County Extension office. “That’s very unique any more.

“I think that the key story is that they’re the kind of folks that work together. And together, they make it work.”

It isn’t all hard times and long hours, though. There’s a lot of fun doing an honest day’s work alongside the ones you love.

For instance, to keep the livestock in line, the Dietrichs made an executive decision to forego the traditional method of herding via horseback, instead opting for a far more modern locomotive: dirt bikes.

“We use the horse power instead of horses,” said Lady, with special comedic emphasis.

On any given day, you can see them zipping and zooming around the property, kicking up dirt and herding up cattle.

In a couple of rare cases, the cows’ personalities, docile ways and motherly instincts have earned particular adoration from the family, resulting in their permanent residency on the farm.

“We’ve actually made some pets out of them,” laughed Lady.

As for the future, the Dietrich clan very much intends to keep their multi-generational farm in the family. Their goal, though approximately 70 years away, is to be dubbed a Centennial Farm — a distinction only awarded to land that has been used for agricultural purposes by the same family for at least 100 years.

“My grandfather used to tell Gordon that this was God’s country,” reminisced Lady. “It’s got fertile soil, good land and a great aquifer and water systems.

“What a remarkable honor that would be.”

AGRICULTURE ARITHMETIC Jackson County is best known for producing peanuts, cotton, beef cattle and corn, but the county’s 1,000+ farmers also grow soybeans, wheat and melons.

In 2013, 47,840 acres in Jackson County were devoted to cotton crops — the largest allotment of any county in Florida.

22,251 acres are utilized to grow peanuts — also the highest acreage of any Florida county.

In Jackson County, 29,441 acres are devoted to pasture/hay producing lands, primarily for the raising of cattle.

In 2012, the county was home to 49,000 cattle and calves, 27,000 of which were beef cows.

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M E DICAL

Jackson Hospital Celebrates 75

Jackson Hospital has expanded its offerings — from cancer care to elective knee replacement.

M

ost 75-year-olds are playing it safe and taking it easy during their “sunset” years. As it celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2014, Jackson Hospital in Marianna has never been more active, cutting-edge or healthy … so to speak.

The 100-bed community health care system, founded the same year World War II began, has always been committed to quality service. But in recent months, it has experienced more growth than any period in its long history. Today, the hospital employs 425 professionals, including more than 30 medical staff and consulting with 65 additional caregivers, dedicated to providing exceptional care across more than a dozen specific health care services every day.

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As the U.S. population grows and the Baby Boomer generation eases into its senior years, medical care facilities all across the country are challenged to answer the demands of its residents’ health care needs. Jackson County Hospital is answering the call by adding new state-of-the-art treatment centers, upgrading to cutting-edge equipment and expanding both its medical care services and quality medical staff.

“During these turbulent times of health care reform, Jackson Hospital is plowing ahead with positive change and preparing for the future,” says Jackson Hospital CEO Larry Meese.

Jackson Hospital’s 75-year anniversary is just the beginning of several milestones worthy of celebrating. Just after the New

Year, thanks to proceeds from several community fundraisers and a $150,000 gift from the Jackson Hospital Foundation, the community welcomed a special delivery — newly renovated and modernized Labor & Delivery suites.

But that was just the beginning of gifts for the community. In late January, the hospital opened the doors to the Infusion Center. Located on the first floor of the Hudnall Building, the Center gives Jackson County residents the opportunity to have chemotherapy, antibiotic therapy, IV therapy or blood transfusions locally performed.

“The Center has allowed us to double the number of infusion chairs from seven to 14. This obviously allows us to better serve the needs of the community,” Meese says. The impact on this rural community is expected to be far reaching.

Meese projects that the newly expanded Infusion Center will treat as many as 3,300 patients in 2014 alone.

Jeff Massey, president and CEO of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, understands the personal impact of this new addition more than some. “Now people don’t have to go to Tallahassee, Panama City or Dothan to get chemotherapy if they are a cancer patient.

They can get it right here, which is huge, because these people don’t feel well.

Being a person who had to drive to and from 42 radiation treatments, I can identify with the benefit of having it here in our community. That’s one great service that’s been added,” he says.

In February, the ribbon was cut on the Starlight Fun Center, another state-ofthe-art improvement for the hospital’s

PHOTO COURTESY JACKSON COUNTY HOSPITAL

With state-of-the-art treatment centers, cutting-edge equipment upgrades and expanded services, the community has never been stronger or healthier By Zandra Wolfgram

youngest visitors. The Center offers the latest and greatest in pediatric gaming, which helps young patients forget about their treatments and conditions by providing them a fun distraction. The device is a hospital version of a Wii gaming system that can be rolled up to any patient’s bedside. “This gaming machine changes hospitalization from scary to comforting,” Jackson Hospital nurse manager Amanda Trino says.

And in April, Jackson Hospital added a specially equipped member to its medical team to fight the fourth highest cause of death in the United States — the InTouch RP-7 robot. The telestroke robot allows the hospital’s medical staff to use webvideo streaming to consult with Panama City neurologists to assess a patient in real time, diagnose if a patient has had a stroke and decide upon the best plan for the patient. Trino says the robot is a valuable addition, because every second counts when it comes to a stroke. “This device allows the patient to be assessed by the neurologist within the first 10 minutes of stroke symptoms,” she explains.

What does it mean that Jackson Hospital is now able to provide all of these new specialty services? Massey says it is a win-win on many levels, and ultimately it is about improving the community’s quality of life. “Jackson Hospital is attracting good, qualified doctors, so our level of expertise gets better all the time.

— Jeff Massey, Now folks who may have president and CEO had to go to Dothan to of the Jackson see a certain doctor, can see them right here now,” County Chamber of he says. “You combine Commerce that with the renovations, the upgrades to make sure it’s a great place to stay if you are sick and ensuring the doctors have what they need to do their job, altogether it means that we, as a community, are that much stronger because of the continued growth of Jackson Hospital.”

If Meese’s five years at the hospital’s helm are any indication, this valued asset will only make the entire area “healthier” as it matures. “Jackson Hospital has supported the community for 75 years, and we look forward to providing quality care for the next 75 years and beyond,” he says.

“Jackson Hospital is attracting good, qualified doctors, so our level of expertise gets better all the time … You combine that with the renovations, the upgrades to make sure it’s a great place to stay if you are sick and ensuring the doctors have what they need to do their job, altogether it means that we, as a community, are that much stronger because of the continued growth of Jackson Hospital.”

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Paddle Pristine Paradise Along the Chipola River

Explore 55 miles of nature, caves and calmness An hour west of Tallahassee merges nature and history

Historic Russ House Visitors Center tours daily

Merritt Mill Pond fishing

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2014 J A C K S O N C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

ECOTOURISM

‘U-Pick’ Tourism

Jackson County is adding more value to the tourists’ buck

By Jason Dehart

PHOTO COURTESY JACKSON COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

H

ey, there’s a lot more to Northwest Florida than sand and surf.

There’s exciting history and colorful culture a daytrip away from the coastal resorts. All you have to do is get off the beaten path to see it. Jackson County in particular welcomes all visitors to fathom the mysteries of its caves, thrill at its ghost stories, walk in the footsteps of 17th-century Spanish soldiers and priests, and take in the wholesome goodness of its orchards, ranches and farms.

“Visitors are looking for something different,” said Faith Clarke, coordinator and management analyst with the Florida Cooperative Extension Service in the College of Agriculture and Food Science at Florida A&M University. Clarke’s job is to develop new forms of tourism that promote the region’s agriculture. This new venue is titled “agri-tourism.” And it’s something Florida is working hard to establish to capture a new wave of tourists tired of the same old thing.

“The traditional tourism draws on sand, sea and surf. That’s what our tourism has always been about, but there comes a time when visitors are looking for something different and are eager to explore beyond the theme parks and seaside,” Clarke said.

“They’re looking for something different, and tourists have evolved in terms of taste and what they want to do.”

The way Clarke describes it, agritourism is all about venturing out into the heartland’s farms, ranches, groves and fields for some quality time with our roots.

Literally. For some, it may mean a close look at how food is grown and harvested.

“They want to get off the bus, and walk in your fields and orchards, pick your strawberries and blueberries,” she said. “They want to see where their food comes from. And urban families want to get away for the weekend, to get away from the hustle and bustle of the urban landscape and do something different.”

And as this venue is developed over time, there could be other activities for

Chacato Revolt in 1675 in Graceville, a stop along the Jackson County Spanish Heritage Trail.

visitors aside from stopping at a U-pick field. Think of the possibilities for barn dances, hayrides, music and other types of fun, farm-related entertainment, she said.

“It’s definitely a new enterprise,” she said. “It offers the potential for farmers to increase their profits and the activities they can offer.”

Agri-tourism isn’t the only venue being developed. There are plenty of historical attractions in Jackson County to sate the appetite of visitors longing for interesting new things to do. With agri-tourism, these venues belong to a new category of “rural tourism” that local stakeholders are actively promoting.

“The author Sam Ewing once said the average tourist wants to go places where no tourists go. And that’s true for us when we go out and we tour the rivers and the streams and the parks and the trails. We enjoy being out in nature,” said Chipola College President Jason Hurst during the Rural Tourism & Economic Development summit held in April. “We like going places where there aren’t thousands and thousands of people. So that’s important to me and my family. And that’s what rural tourism is all about.”

As it relates to cultural tourism and

eco-tourism, the Jackson County Spanish Heritage Trail, the Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail and the Battle of Marianna Walking Tour provide visitors a glimpse into Jackson County’s past.

The Spanish Heritage Trail is a 150-mile trail consisting of 11 historically interesting sites that tell the story of the Spanish presence in Jackson County back in the late 17th century. The Bellamy Bridge over the Chipola River is perhaps the oldest standing bridge in all of Florida. The trail is a half-mile-long multi-use walking trail that leads visitors through a beautiful floodplain forest and culminates at the bridge itself. Interpretive kiosks tell the story of the surrounding natural setting and the history of the area — including the legend of the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge, a spirit you might be able to glimpse flitting through the trees.

And unlike many other Civil War battlefields, the battlefield of Marianna is the town itself — which makes touring it convenient, because you can have lunch in a downtown restaurant and still be able to see the battlefield. The city and Jackson County are currently gearing up for the 150th anniversary of this battle in September.

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The Marianna Municipal Airport …

A NEW BEGINNING

FRONT VIEW

Built in 1942 as a World War II Army Air Force Base and in 1953 reactivated as Graham Air Base, the Marianna Municipal Airport has been a general aviation facility serving North Florida and South Georgia for over 70 years.

An upgrade in services and the remodeling of the facility have begun as the City of Marianna in Jackson County prepares for regional growth in the decade ahead.

REAR VIEW

SERVICE UPGRADES • Privatization to Sky Warrior Flight Support, Inc. • Potential to develop a flight school and construction of new hangar space • Potential to contract with the Army at Fort Rucker • FBO will provide Aircraft Maintenance

FACILITIES UPGRADES Upgrading present facilities to include: • New roof • Re-painting of terminal interior and exterior • Pilot lounge and restroom upgrades • New signage and covered walkways • Future runway extension to 6,000 ft.

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MARIANNA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 3689 INDUSTRIAL PARK DR, MARIANNA, FL 32446

2014 J A C K S O N C O U N T Y B U S I N E S S J OW UR AL C I T YO F M A R I A N N A . C O M WNW.

| 850.482.2281