SEIDA Annual Report 2011

Igniting the Southeast Region

SEIDA 2011

Athens Utilities Board ▪ Blue Ridge Mountain EMC ▪ Chickamauga Electric System ▪ Cleveland Utilities ▪ Dayton Electric Department ▪ Electric Power Board ▪ Etowah Utilities ▪ Murphy Power Board ▪ North Georgia EMC ▪ Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative ▪ Tri-State EMC

IGNITING THE SOUTHEAST REGION

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The Southeast Industrial Development Association ignites economic development growth within its three-state, twenty two-county service delivery area.

Regional highlights for the SEIDA region include existing industry expansions and celebrations, new business locations, and entrepreneur resource rallies.

Although the future of some industries may seem dim, several existing industries within the SEIDA region were in the spotlight, celebrating company expansions and milestones of accomplishments.

The SEIDA staff was very pleased to play an instrumental role in the location of a new company to rural Southeast Tennessee. Announcement of this new company location sparked economic opportunities for residents in the Sequatchie Valley.

Two successful Entrepreneur Resource Rallies were held within the SEIDA region and several more are in the planning stages for the upcoming year.

SEIDA will continue to shine a light throughout the Southeast region as your regional source for sites, facilities and financing.

INDUSTRIAL RECRUITMENT AND EXPANSIONS New Locations Capital Investment

10 $208,500,000

Jobs Created/Retained Existing Industry

85

Prospect Inquiries

18

Request for Proposals Prospect Visits

Cover design by Š tuulijumala - Fotolia.com

1361

34 16

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Existing Industry Expansions and Celebrations Several existing industries within the SEIDA region announced plans for expansion. Six companies throughout Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia will collectively invest over $130,000,000 and add approximately 300 jobs.

Findlay’s Tall Timbers Distribution Center New Location in Rock Spring, GA Photo courtesy of Walker County Messenger

SSM Industries Expansion Announcement July 2011

Toyo Seat USA Corporation expanded their business in November 2001, establishing a new plant location in Pelham, Tennessee.

The company services the automotive industry with main products such as automobile seats, soft tops for convertibles, mechanical products, automotive exhaust pipes, door trims and other products.

Toyo Seat USA Corporation 10 Year Anniversary

On September 15, 2011, Toyo Seat USA Corporation celebrated 10 years of business operations in Grundy County.

SEIDA Executive Director Beth Jones along with SEIDA Board Member Mike Partin, presented the company with an engraved gift congratulating and thanking them for their continued commitment to the Southeast region.

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New Business Announcements In early November, MANN + HUMMEL, USA joined the ranks of other industries relocating or expanding to Southeast Tennessee.

The automotive parts manufacturer announced a $15 million expansion in Sequatchie County that will create 150 new jobs when fully operational. The company designs and produces air intake manifolds, air cleaner systems and fluid reservoirs for the Dunlap Team Planning Session June 2011 automotive, heavy duty and industrial markets.

The company also distributes MANN FILTER brand air, oil and fuel filter elements for vehicle and industrial applications.

“I am excited MANN+HUMMEL, USA selected Sequatchie County for its new facility and thankful for the jobs it will provide our citizens,” Claude Lewis, Sequatchie County Mayor, told state officials.

After an extensive site search supported by the Site Selection Group, LLC, Dallas, TX, the decision was made by MANN+HUMMEL, USA to establish its southern operations in an existing facility in Dunlap, Tenn. Headquartered in Portage, Mich., MANN + HUMMEL, USA is a subsidiary of MANN + HUMMEL Group, which is based out of Ludwigsburg, Germany.

"On behalf of the residents of Dunlap and Sequatchie County, we are excited that MANN+HUMMEL, USA has made the decision to locate its newest plant here in our town and community,” Dwain Land, Dunlap Mayor, said.

“We are especially excited for the workers and their families that will directly benefit from their employment at MANN+HUMMEL, USA, and we know they will make MANN+HUMMEL, USA proud to be a part of our community.”

Corporate Announcement with Governor Bill Haslam and Commissioner Bill Hagerty December 2011

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SEIDA 2011

"We work every day to help rural communities develop jobs," said Kathy Johnson, program manager for the Southeast Industrial Development Association. “We welcome MANN + HUMMEL, USA to Tennessee and will continue to assist them as they become part of the Sequatchie County community."

Employment Opportunities in Rural Communities The location of 10 new industries throughout the year to the SEIDA region brought opportunities for employment to area residents.

MANN + HUMMEL, USA hosted a job fair for positions at their new location in Dunlap, Tennessee. Over 900 individuals completed job applications and attended an informational workshop to learn more about the company.

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Regional Entrepreneur Resource Rallies Entrepreneurial Gardening Resource Rally: Growing Entrepreneurs in Rural Communities The Southeast Industrial Development Association partnered with the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and McMinn County to host the first "Growing Entrepreneurs in Rural Areas" rally in May. Attendees heard from a panel of entrepreneurs on how they started their businesses. County leaders followed-up by expressing their commitment to support entrepreneurship.

Mark Long, president of Long Performance Advisors, LLC, delivered a keynote address about entrepreneurialism in rural counties, and Dr. Michael Wilcox from UT discussed "Fertilizing the Seeds" of entrepreneurship.

Business and Innovation Resource Rally: Where Imagination Meets Innovation On August 19, 2011, the Southeast Industrial Development Association partnered with the Cherokee County Economic Development department to host a Business and Innovation Resource Rally for Cherokee, Clay and Graham Counties in North Carolina.

There were over 150 attendees who had the opportunity to network with one another as well as available resources.

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SEIDA 2011

Global Entrepreneurship The Chattanooga/ Hamilton County Business Development Center, assisted by a $1.5 million EDA grant as a part of its almost $5 million renovation, held an open house for local elected officials and others who were instrumental in supporting the project.

The Southeast Tennessee Development District and the Chattanooga/Hamilton County Business Development Center sponsored an Entrepreneurs’ Studio event during Global Entrepreneurship Week in November where business owners and hopeful entrepreneurs were invited to explore the business resources accessible in the SETDD and SEIDA region.

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Greater Chattanooga Regional Growth Initiative (GCRGI) Economic development success does not occur without strategic moves to insure that sites and facilities have adequate infrastructure, that the region has a reliable and trained workforce and that the quality of life throughout the region is affordable and desirable.

The GCRGI is the next step toward planning for economic development success throughout our tri-state region and culminated in November with three top national consulting teams competing to lead this initiative. McBride Dale Clarion, led by Greg Dale, from Cincinnati, Ohio, was selected by the public participating in an open forum at The Chattanoogan and by the founders and working groups of the initiative.

Contract negotiations are underway. SEIDA is playing a major role in organizing and raising money for the planning process. The goal of the Regional Growth Planning Process is to engage people from across the region in developing strategies to preserve what we love about our home communities while making the most of our economic momentum. The planning process should begin in early spring.

Top 7 Intelligent Communities In January, Chattanooga was commended by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) for leveraging some of the latest information and communications technology to spark job creation and joined six of the world’s most innovative cities as the Top Seven Intelligent Communities. The IFC highlighted Chattanooga’s deployment of the largest and fastest 100 percent fiber optic system in America, a network that creates up to 1,000 megabit-per-second services accessible to every home and business within a 600 square mile area.

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Business & Industry Grants and Administration 

Fast Track Industrial Development Program grants for $48,000 to assist O’Neil Color & Compounding in Marion County; $2.2 million for Amazon in Bradley County; and $402,000 to assist Dunlap Industries and Precision Parachute in Sequatchie County.

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Over $110 million in State of Tennessee Endowment Grant and local matching funds to assist Wacker Chemical and Whirlpool Corporation in Bradley County.

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$1.5 million in EDA funding to extend broadband capacity to the Niota Industrial Park in McMinn County; $1.5 million for broadband in Marion County; $1.5 million for the Chattanooga/Hamilton County Business Development Center; $1.9 million for wastewater infrastructure for Amazon in Chattanooga.

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Industrial Development Board Endowment Grant for $750,000 to assist with building improvements for Mann + Hummel, USA in Dunlap/Sequatchie County.

SEIDA 2011

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Regional Economic Development Conferences & Training In August, SEIDA sponsored and participated in the Georgia Competitiveness Initiative that brought state government and the business community together throughout 2011 to develop a long-term strategy for economic development in the state.

The Initiative, led by the Georgia Department of Economic Development and Georgia Chamber of Commerce, conducted a process that assessed the state’s current strengths and weaknesses, gathered information and ideas from various regional and industry leaders, and resulted in recommendations that will ultimately stimulate job creation and economic growth. To learn more about the Initiative or to view a copy of the report, you may visit the Georgia Competitiveness Initiative website at www.georgiacompetitiveness.org.

SEIDA staff attended regional conferences and meetings such as the Tennessee Governor’s Conference for Economic Development, TVA’s Economic Development Forum, and USDA’s Rural Development Conference. Staff participated in webinars for entrepreneurial development and completed sixteen hours of training for Arc GIS software.

SEIDA 2011

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2011 Manufacturing Summit: We Can Make It In America SEIDA was pleased to be a supporting sponsor of The National Manufacturing Summit which took place on May 19, 2011 in Dalton, Georgia. The summit was held to highlight the importance of manufacturing to our overall economy.

This event was organized to help educate ourselves about the current state of US manufacturing, understand the challenges that manufacturers are facing, and discuss how America can retain manufacturing strength by learning to reinforce and grow business at home.

Photo Courtesy of: Dalton Chamber of Com-

Featured leaders from private sector, manufacturing, education, and the government addressed how these sectors can positively affect manufacturing.

Jobs4TN Initiative In April 2011, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and ECD Commissioner Bill Hagerty announced the Jobs4TN plan, laying out the administration's economic development strategy. Planning sessions/roundtable discussions were held throughout Tennessee including a portion of SEIDA’s service delivery area. The Jobs4TN plan will leverage existing assets within the region to assist in the recruitment of new businesses as well as the expansion of existing businesses.

Photo Courtesy of: Dalton Chamber of Com-

Southeast Industrial Development Association 1000 Riverfront Parkway Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 P.O. Box 4757 Chattanooga, Tennessee 37405

www.seida.info Your Regional Source for Sites, Facilities and Financing