Production Line Prowess
Hundreds of manufacturers employ 70,000 workers
Here, There, Everywhere
Central location makes transportation a breeze
Ancient Hills, Modern Skills
BUSINESSTM
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On the Cover PHOTO BY IAN CURCIO
Hills near Kingsport, Tenn., at sunrise
OVERVIEW 5
BUSINESS ALMANAC 6
BUSINESS CLIMATE
Industrial-Strength Assets 10Area leaders team up to promote development.
Success Stories 13
TRANSPORTATION
Here, There, Everywhere 14Location and infrastructure facilitate shipping.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Ancient Hills, Modern Skills 16Preparing tomorrow’s workforce is today’s priority.
Collaboration Is Key 17
EDUCATION
Building Opportunities 18Region’s colleges cooperate for the greater good.
MANUFACTURING
Production Line Prowess 22Manufacturers employ about 70,000 people here.
Vat’s Up? 25
HEALTH
Doctors, Pharmacists & More 26ETSU students and graduates enhance care.
A Common Objective 28
LIVABILITY
The Eyes Have It 30Recreational and cultural opportunities abound.
Festive About Festivals 32
Two Towns, Two Andrews 33
ECONOMIC PROFILE 35
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N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 1
BUSINESS
contents
BUSINESS
NORTHEAST TENNESSEE VALLEY REGION
2009 EDITION, VOLUME 1
C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A
MANAGING EDITOR MAURICE FLIESS
COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS
ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, JESSY YANCEY
ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER MATT BIGELOW
STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SHARON H. FITZGERALD,
ANNE GILLEM, JOE MORRIS, JESSICA MOZO, AMY STUMPFL
DATA MANAGER RANETTA SMITH
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON
SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN MCCORD
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT,
ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW
CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS
WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN SMITH
ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN
PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS
MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER,
KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS
LEAD DESIGNER ERICA HINES
GRAPHIC DESIGN ALISON HUNTER, JESSICA MANNER,
JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER
WEB PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ
WEB DESIGN LEAD FRANCO SCARAMUZZA
WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ
WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES
COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN
AD TRAFFIC JESSICA CHILDS, MARCIA MILLAR,
PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY
CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN
SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER
SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN
SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER
V.P./SALES HERB HARPER
V.P./SALES TODD POTTER
V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER
V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART
V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS
MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS BILL McMEEKIN
MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM
MANAGING EDITOR/CUSTOM KIM NEWSOM
MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO
CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY
ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN,
MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS
RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP
DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE
NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR JAMES SCOLLARD
IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE
CUSTOM/TRAVEL SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY
SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN
OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM
RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP
Business Images Northeast Tennessee Valley Region is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional Industrial Development Association. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at [email protected].
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional Industrial Development Association2425 Highway 75, Building 102, Northeast State Technical Community College, P.O. Box 1022Blountville, TN 37617Phone: (423) 323-1203 • Fax: (423) 323-4016www.netvaly.org
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244 Love St. Erwin, TN 37650 (423) 743-1820
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N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 3
contents
Industry suitsour nature in
Hawkins County …
CONTACT:Hawkins County Industrial Development Board
All this – and more –in beautiful
East Tennessee!
water and sewer
4 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
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To Knoxville To Ashville
Jefferson City
AbingdonEmory
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RogersvilleTazewell
Jonesborough
Mountain City
Gate City
Dandridge
Sneedville
Newland
Jonesville
Pennington Gap
Beech Mountain
Duffield
BlountvilleArthur
Johnson CityMorristown
Greeneville
Elizabethton
BristolKingsport
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1. WORKFORCE. The region has more than 300,000
employees with manufacturing backgrounds and a
strong work ethic in right-to-work states.
2. TRAINING. Site selection consultants rank
Tennessee’s FastTrack Job Training as among
the 10 best nationally in training and effectiveness.
3. UTILITY COSTS. Tennessee Valley Authority
utility companies offer reliable power and rates
that are among the nation’s lowest.
4. LOCATION AND TRANSPORTATION. Our
strategic location offers one-day truck access to 76
percent of the nation’s population via Interstates 81,
40 and 26 as well as I-75 and I-77, with service from
55 interstate trucking companies; rail freight service
via Norfolk Southern and CSX; and commercial air,
charter and air freight service at Tri-Cities Airport.
5. QUALITY OF LIFE. The region offers
opportunities for a wide variety of outdoor
activities in beautiful surroundings; quality
education; affordable housing and low cost
of living; and friendly people.
6. INFRASTRUCTURE. Abundant supplies of natural
gas and water, advanced digital and fiber-optic
networks, and other amenities are available.
7. DEVELOPED SITES AND BUILDINGS. Updated
computerized site and community data – including
location, utilities, transportation, zoning and
demographic statistics – is readily available
by phone or Web site.
8. COST OF DOING BUSINESS. Costs are
among the nation’s lowest,
thanks to tax credits based
on investment and job
creation; no sales tax on
industrial machinery and
equipment, raw materials
or pollution-control
equipment; and
a pro-business attitude.
TOP 10 REASONS TO DO BUSINESS IN THE NORTHEAST TENNESSEE VALLEY REGION
SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of the Northeast Tennessee Valley region at imagesnetnvalley.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.
NORTH CAROLINA
VIRGINIA
TENNESSEE
9. TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES. Universities,
colleges, technical colleges and location in the
Tennessee Technology Corridor give companies
a competitive advantage.
10. DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY. Our economy
includes medical companies, educational
institutions, manufacturers, corporate
headquarters and distribution centers.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional
Industrial Development Association
2425 Highway 75, Building 102
Northeast State Technical Community College
P.O. Box 1022, Tri-Cities Regional Airport
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: (423) 323-1203
Fax: 423-323-4016
www.netvaly.org
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 5
overview
THE INN CROWDAndrew Jackson stayed there, and so did Andrew Johnson and
James K. Polk.
The Netherland Inn House Museum and Boatyard Complex was
constructed in the early 1800s on the Holston River in Kingsport, Tenn.
Today, the three-story building is a museum, and the inn is the nation’s
only registered historical site that was both a stagecoach stop and
a boatyard.
Now owned by the Netherland Inn Association, the building is
furnished to represent life in the frontier days of the 1800s. A first-floor
tavern, second-floor family quarters and third-floor guest rooms are
decorated with period pieces.
TUNNEL VISIONYes, Virginia, there is a
Natural Tunnel in your state.
The tunnel in Scott County
was long used by railroads,
beginning in the 1890s, and
20th century politician
William Jennings Bryan
called it the “Eighth Wonder
of the World.” The
commonwealth of Virginia
acquired the tunnel and 100
surrounding acres in 1967
and eventually established
Natural Tunnel State Park.
Today, trains don’t run
through the tunnel, and
pedestrians are welcome to
view the walls that show
evidence of prehistoric life.
‘WORLD’S FASTEST HALF MILE’Stock Car Racing might have said it best. The magazine listed Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway as one of the Top 10 Tracks to Watch and Race On.
Bristol is known as the “world’s fastest half mile,” and NASCAR hosts Sprint Cup races there every March and August. Those races draw 160,000 spectators to each event, compared to 18,000 fans at the speedway’s inaugural race in 1961.
The concrete track features banking of up to 30 degrees in the corners.
6 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
CELEBRATING NEW AND OLDThere was plenty of hoopla when the Boys & Girls Club
of Greater Kingsport opened its spacious Eastman
Center on Aug. 28, 2008.
Bruce Pearl, head coach of the University of Tennessee
men’s basketball team, was the event’s keynote speaker.
He also cut the ceremonial ribbon and stayed for
a couple of hours to chat.
Another Boys & Girls Club in Northeast Tennessee
celebrated a milestone in 2008 when the one
in Morristown observed its 50th birthday.
WHEN BALD IS A GOOD THINGForty Angora goats enjoyed munching on a mountain from July through September 2008.
The animals were used primarily to eat thick Canada blackberry vegetation growth along the four “balds”
of Roan Mountain, Tenn. This helped to preserve the views for hikers along the Appalachian Trail.
Several individuals, groups and universities backed the effort. Officials with the Appalachian Trail
Conservancy say they appreciated the initiative because managing the grassy balds is difficult.
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SKIING IS BELIEVINGThere is plenty of schussing and
whooshing in Avery County, N.C.,
during the cold-weather months.
The county is home to Beech Mountain
and Sugar Mountain resorts, which are
popular destinations for downhill and
cross-country skiers. Avery County is
in the northwest mountains of North
Carolina, in a section known as the
High Country.
The county’s population is under 18,000,
and most of its cities and towns have
fewer than 1,000 residents. However,
it is fast becoming one of the most
desirable tourist destinations and
second-home communities in the
southeastern United States.
business almanac
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 7
YES, WE DIG ITNo bones about it. On second thought, there are many bones about it.
In 2000, a highway crew was moving earth for a road-widening project near Gray, Tenn., when workers innocently uncovered some fossils. Paleontologists were notified and have since found fossilized bones of a red panda, rhinos, a three-toed horse, saber-toothed cats, short-faced bears, tapirs and turtles.
The discoveries led to the establishment of the East Tennessee State University and General Shale Brick Natural History Museum. It is located at the Gray Fossil Site just off Interstate 26.
MOUNTAINS OF MEMORIESIf you really want to know
about Appalachia, head
to college.
The Center for Appalachian
Studies and Services at East
Tennessee State University
in Johnson City has a large
collection of artifacts,
photographs and historical
documents. It is open Monday
through Friday from 9 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m.
The collections go back as
early as the 1700s and proceed
to the present, providing
perspectives of people from
all walks of Appalachian life.
DAVY CROCKETT SLEPT HEREThe king of the wild frontier spent the first eight years of his life
in Greene County, Tenn.
The Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park near Limestone features
a replica of the log cabin where Crockett was born in 1786, along
the Nolichucky River.
His birthplace actually
consists of 105
partially wooded acres
preserved as a historic
site by the Tennessee
Department of
Environment and
Conservation.
A museum at the park
showcases different
aspects of Crockett’s
life as a hunter,
politician, businessman
and one of the
legendary fighters
killed defending the
Alamo in 1836.
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 9
business almanac
Local leaders team up to promote the area’s advantages
for business
A ll for one, one for all – that would be an appropriate motto of the Northeast Tennessee
Valley region. Business and government leaders
here represent multiple organizations, numerous cities, 15 counties, even three different states, but when it comes to economic development, they’ve teamed up for a unified approach that benefits everyone involved.
“The whole theory behind a regional organization is that you’re pulling people in,” says Alicia Summers, executive director of the Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional Industrial Development Association, a 19-year-old coalition of power distributors within the Tennessee Valley Authority service area.
“It’s impressive that [the organization has] stayed together this long with the same vision: recruiting industry and put-ting people to work and getting capital investment into our region,” she says.
NETVRIDA’s advisory council, made up of developers, promotes the area’s assets to target industries, ranging from the automotive, plastics and chemical industries to high-tech data centers. In 2008, developers traveled to Germany
for Automechanika Frankfurt – the world’s leading automotive trade show – and networked with site-selection consultants in Atlanta and Dallas.
“Our goal is to establish personal relationships,” Summers says, “so that [consultants] will feel comfortable call-ing us up and asking us demographic numbers or workforce numbers or if we
have a building that may meet their clients’ needs.”
EMPHASIS ON INFRASTRUCTURE
Similarly, the Duffield, Va.-based LENOW ISCO Pla n ni ng Dist r ic t Commission, which covers the Virginia counties of Lee, Scott and Wise as well as the city of Norton, focuses on the electronics, education and energy sectors in its drive to recruit industry. The region’s attractions are many, and “number one is infrastructure,” says LENOWISCO Executive Director Glen “Skip” Skinner.
For example, a communications net-work on par with those found in major cities – featuring redundant fiber-optic cable – has attracted several data-center operations. Among them is Holston Medical Group’s $3 million Advanced Technology and Application Center in Duffield, the only certified Tier III electronic medical records storage facil-ity in the United States. (Tier III is the highest designation of reliability as certified by the Uptime Institute.)
“Businesses can’t say they won’t come to Virginia because of a lack of bandwidth,” Skinner says.
Assets
Right: Economic development is occurring at a good clip in many parts of the region, especially the Tri-Cities. PHOTO BY IAN CURCIO
Industrial-
ScorecardNORTHEAST TENNESSEE
VALLEY REGION
15counties
3states (portions)
1.2 millionpopulation (trade area)
300,000+workforce
Strength
10 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 11
business climate
FORMULA FOR SUCCESSFurthermore, electricity rates through-
out the tri-state region are about 25 percent below the national average, and in 2007 – for the eighth year in a row – TVA delivered power with 99.999 percent reliability. In addition, redundant power service ensures crucial industrial proc-esses will not be interrupted.
Likewise, natural gas abounds, indus-trial chemicals and gases are at hand, and municipal water and sewer services are available to virtually all indus-trial sites in the region, NETVRIDA’s Summers notes.
Couple those advantages with an excel lent location, comprehensive transportation network, skilled and eager workforce, low tax rates and incentive packages, and you have a formula for success, she adds.
And with the successful attraction of new industry has come retail growth, says Susan Reid, executive director of the First Tennessee Development District, an association of local governments that acts as a resource for community services and economic development.
Reid says retail sales have increased steadily in the Tri-Cities area (Bristol-Johnson City-Kingsport), as well as in some smaller communities such as Greeneville and Morristown.
– Carol Cowan
Alicia Summers says the region’s leaders are pursuing a uniform goal: recruiting industry and securing capital investment.
IAN
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12 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
Executives find the region to be a fertile place to plant and grow a company
So, what prompted the head of a 40-year-old company with headquarters in California and a manufacturing plant in Michigan to move everything to Johnson City,
Tenn.? The place and the people, says Alex Borla, founder and chief executive officer of Borla Performance Industries Inc.
Borla Performance Industries manufactures high-tech, stainless-steel exhaust systems, emissions-control systems and mufflers for premier street, off-road and racing vehicles. The company purchased and moved into the 325,000-square-foot EPIC Technologies plant, hired about 200 workers and commenced full operations in late 2008.
“We did get incentives, and they were good,” Borla says, “but that’s not [the main reason] we chose this area. It was the quality of life and the quality of the people.”
Borla cites numerous automotive manufacturers in the southeastern United States and the proximity to the Bristol Motor Speedway as additional attractions.
In nearby Scott County, Va., 300-employee Tempur Production USA – a wholly owned subsidiary of Tempur-Pedic International Inc. – has been cranking out space-age mattresses
since it opened in 2001. Generous government incentives and the area’s strong manufacturing workforce figured highly in the Denmark-based company’s decision to establish its only U.S. factory in the town of Duffield.
“With the local workforce, everything we do here is a start-to-finish process,” says Ken Mitchell, vice president and plant manager of Tempur Production USA, referring to the way ideas can move through development and into production.
Also in Duffield, Tempur Production USA in spring 2007 opened a $3.5 million research and development division, where employees focus on primary materials, textile devel-opment, new designs and testing, Mitchell says. “We have a large (new) testing facility where we put our mattresses through the ringer.”
Other expanding companies in the Northeast Tennessee Valley region include Seaman Corp. in Bristol, Tenn., and DTR Tennessee Inc. in Claiborne County and Greene County, Tenn.
Seaman Corp., which makes high-performance fabrics for industrial and recreational applications, plans to invest $7 million over the next three years to develop state-of-the-art products and equipment.
DTR Tennessee, which supplies anti-vibration and hose products to automotive-industry customers such as Toyota and Nissan, recently invested $10 million to expand its Claiborne County plant by 88,000 square feet. With this latest expansion, the company’s employment is expected to reach 1,500, and its total investment in the state will exceed $200 million.
– Carol Cowan
Stories
The availablity of incentives and a manufacturing workforce helped lure Tempur Production USA Inc. to Scott County, Va.
Success
“It was the quality of life and
the quality of the people.”
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 13
business climate
Here,There,Everywhere
ScoreboardHERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE
76percent of U.S. population within a day’s drive
3interstate highways in the region (26, 40, 81), plus two others nearby (75, 77)
4commercial airlines serving Tri-Cities Regional Airport
Flights from Tri-Cities Regional Airport go to Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis and Orlando. PHOTO BY IAN CURCIO
14 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
Getting there may be half the fun, but it’s also most of the challenge for manufacturers. Happily for those who’ve chosen to settle in the Northeast Tennessee
Valley, it’s a challenge that’s easily met.With three interstate corridors crisscrossing the area as
well as other federal and state highways, rail lines and a regional airport, moving raw materials in and finished product out is simple. Indeed, location is a prime selling point throughout the region, and the strong transportation infra-structure is usually one of the first positives mentioned by local economic development professionals.
“We’re in a great location in that we’re between Interstates 81 and 26, and that’s how we promote ourselves,” says Betty Martin, director of business development for NETWORKS-Sullivan Partnership, the economic development organization for Bluff City, Bristol, Kingsport and Sullivan County, Tenn. “And we’ve got between 60 and 70 transportation companies around here, so there’s no shortage of ways for people to get things moved.”
THE DISTRIBUTION CONNECTIONA major coup for NETWORKS – one that will benefit the
entire region – was landing an $8 million, 90,000-square-foot FedEx Ground distribution center in the Gateway Commons Park near the intersection of I-81 and I-26. That facility will anchor NETWORKS’ other development efforts. To that end, it’s snapping up large parcels near air and ground trans-portation hubs in a bid to prepare for the future.
“We’ve got several hundred acres under our NETWORKS’ responsibility,” Martin says. “We’ve got property by the airport, property in the cities, so we’ve covered all our bases as far as potential development (is concerned). The Bristol property is a rail site, and the airport site is well positioned for whatever comes along.”
Property adjacent to Tri-Cities Regional Airport in Blountville, Tenn., is made that much more attractive by the availability of more than two dozen commercial flights per day. The airport has eight hangars ranging from 8,000 square feet to 28,000 square feet of storage space, plus a 13,000-square-foot cargo facility. Designated a Foreign Trade Zone, the airport also offers full customs services.
FROM ROADWAYS TO RAILWAYSRailways round out the triad of convenient transportation
options in, around and through the valley. CSX Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp. serve the region, connecting it to ports that include Charleston, S.C., and Norfolk, Va. And given the area’s strong business growth and the bright outlook
for more light industry and manufacturing, it’s no surprise that the railways are looking to expand their presence.
“We’re conducting a study to find a possible location for a new intermodal facility in Tennessee,” says Robby Klein, industrial development manager for Norfolk Southern’s Knoxville office. According to Klein, the eastern part of Tennessee is part of the railway’s Crescent Corridor project, which has as its initial goal the removal of 1 million truckloads of freight from interstate highways – and the placement of them on the rails.
“We’re studying ways to improve the rail route along that corridor through Tennessee, increasing its capacity and trying to get rid of some of the restraints we currently have,” he says. “We’re also very excited about the opportunity to serve the new Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, and we’re going to compete aggressively for that business.”
– Joe Morris
BR
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MC
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CSX and Norfolk Southern provide access to Atlantic ports.
Central location and transportation options make travel here a breeze
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 15
transportation
Preparing tomorrow’s workforce is today’s priority in the region
W ith foresight, insight and unprecedented cooperation, educators, government offi-
cials, and leaders in business and industry are working to ensure economic vitality in the Northeast Tennessee Valley region for years to come.
The initiatives now under way were spurred by erosion of the historic man-ufacturing base here as some jobs moved overseas. Many of the remaining jobs demanded additional training or retraining of workers.
Addressing the issues head-on has resulted in new facilities and learning opportunities for companies as well as for residents.
EMPHASIS ON TRAININGEastman Chemical Co. has a large
presence in Kingsport, Tenn., both literally and figuratively. The firm was founded in 1920 by George Eastman to provide chemicals for his Eastman Kodak photography company. The chemical company split from Kodak in 1994 and now manufactures chemicals, fibers and plastics. It employs about 7,000 people in its headquarters city.
Eastman has long realized the impor-tance of keeping pace with changing needs.
“[In 2007], Eastman announced Project Reinvest, in which the firm will invest $1.3 billion in capital expansion in Kingsport,” says Karen Rowell, director of the Tennessee Operations Support Services Division. The project will include upgrades and retrofitting existing operations. The state of Tennessee has stepped in to lend a hand with funding, including $1 million for Northeast State Technical Community College in Blountville, which provides Eastman employee training as part of the Regional Center for Applied Technology in Kingsport.
The technology center, opened to stu-dents in 2002, is part of the downtown
Hills,
Eastman Chemical Co., which has its headquarters in Kingsport, Tenn., emphasizes up-to-date training.
SkillsModernAncient
16 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
Collaboration Is KeyEDUCATOR WORKS WITH OTHER LEADERS TO PREPARE A POOL OF QUALIFIED WORKERS
William W. Locke has been president of Nor t heast State Technica l Community College in Blountville, Tenn., for 13 years and has been involved with workforce development for a quarter century.
Northeast State is collaborating with government, business and industry leaders to help ensure the area has a prepared workforce for the present and future. About 5,300 students are enrolled at the college.
Dr. Locke took time out from his busy schedule to answer questions about workforce development.
Q How do you see Northeast State’s role
in workforce development?
A We feel that our college’s main major goal is to prepare a
qualified workforce. The goal is to do two things – allow existing businesses and industries here to expand, and to aid in the recruitment of new busi-nesses and industries.
Q How do you accomplish that goal?
A We don’t talk about all this so much as an educational envi-
ronment here at the college; we talk about it as a workforce-prep environ-ment, because that’s the one thing that people looking to expand a business or to locate somewhere want to know: “Do you have a qualified workforce? Can you get me one?” So all of our educa-tional programs are focused on developing a qualif ied workforce, which we talk about in economic development terms.
Q What are recent successes you can point to?
A The Regional Center for Applied Technology, or RCAT, (which
opened to students in 2002 and is part of Northeast State), is part of a huge endeavor going on in Kingsport, with three new buildings coming on line. We have RCAT, the Regional Center for Health Professions, which just opened [in August 2008], and we’re going to have a Center for Higher Education and a Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing. It’s a big endeavor – no one in Tennessee is doing anything like it. We’re excited about it.
Q How have officials in your area been able to work
together to achieve your goal?
A We’ve had this goal since 1999. What has made the difference for
us is the thought that the one thing we needed to do to expand our economy was to make sure we could tell people that we had a qualified workforce. …We wanted to maintain and enhance our standard of living and quality of life. And the only way you do that is through economic growth.
– Anne Gillem
Dr. William W. Locke leads Northeast State Technical Community College.
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Kingsport Academic Village, which includes the Kingsport Center for Higher Education, the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing and the Regional Center for Health Professions. The health center houses Northeast State’s health and nursing programs and was built with funds from the city of Kingsport; it opened in August 2008. The other two centers are scheduled to open by fall 2009. (See story, page 18.)
“What we see happening is that manufacturing has gotten a black eye,” Rowell says. “People think there aren’t jobs in manufacturing left. There are jobs, but they are high-skill jobs. So the education requirements are greater. … We have an opportunity [at the manu-facturing center] to show people what it’s like to work in an advanced manu-facturing environment.”
CUSTOMIZED COURSESIn addition to the programs being
offered or on the horizon in Kingsport, community colleges and technology centers elsewhere are ramping up their workforce training for everything from computer programming to welding.
For example, at Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, Va., which serves students in Lee, Scott and several other Virginia counties, the Center for Workforce Development customizes courses for business and industry.
MECC also offers dual enrollment, permitting high school students to get college credit while fulfilling the requirements for high school diplomas. “I believe … we’re motivating some students who might not otherwise do dual enrollment to discover they can do college-level work,” says Dr. Terrance Suarez, president.
At the Tennessee Technology Center in Elizabethton, Director Jerry Patton says his school can respond quickly to a call for help.
“If we have a request from business and industry to provide some kind of specialized training to help them meet their particular needs,” Patton says, “we’re able to create those programs within a very short period of time.”
– Anne Gillem
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 17
workforce development
OpportunitiesBuilding
Academic institutions cooperate to expand students’ choices
18 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
The Northeast Tennessee Valley’s array of educational options includes 11 colleges and univer-
sities. But what’s more impressive than their sheer number is the institutions’ sense of cooperation, as they often work together to meet the students’ ever-changing needs.
East Tennessee State University in Johnson City is the region’s largest academic community. As one of six universities governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents, ETSU boasts 125 degree programs and serves nearly 14,000 students.
“Our programs of study encompass a good mix of offerings,” says Dr. Paul E. Stanton Jr., university president since 1997. “And we are the only Board of
Regents institution that has, as part of its mission, a focus on health sciences.”
Stanton says the university also is a leader in distance/online education, conducting a wide variety of online courses and a growing number of online degree programs.
“About 46 percent of our students are 25 years or older,” Stanton adds. “The challenges for these students are differ-ent than for the typical residential student. Flexibility is key in terms of reaching out to adults and helping them continue their education.”
CONSORTIUM CREATES NEW CENTER
That call for f lexibility and conven-ience echoes throughout the region,
says Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips, who sees the forthcoming Kingsport Center for Higher Education as a prime solution. Scheduled to open in August 2009, the 54,000-square-foot center will accommodate about 800 students with two 60-seat lecture halls, other class-rooms, laboratory space, a media center and a 220-seat auditorium.
The $12.9 million project represents a consortium of Northeast State Technical Community College, King College, Lincoln Memorial University, Carson-Newman College and the University of Tennessee. Tusculum College and Milligan College also have expressed interest in joining.
Nearby Northeast State will operate the center, providing students their first
Northeast State Technical Community College (left) and East Tennessee State University (above) are among the 11 colleges and universities in the Northeast Tennessee Valley. Others are Carson-Newman College, King College, Lincoln Memorial University, Milligan College, Tusculum College and Walters State Community College; and, in Virginia, Emory & Henry College, Virginia Highlands Community College and Virginia Intermont College. There are also two Tennessee Technology Centers in the region.
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N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 19
education
two years of core courses, Phillips says. Students then will have the opportunity to pursue a four-year degree in the same building by taking courses from partic-ipating universities.
“We know that having a well-educated workforce is important not only for our quality of life but also in terms of economic development. Our goal is to make education available to everyone,” the mayor says, noting that students living in his city or elsewhere in Sullivan County may receive two years of free tuition at Northeast State.
Dr. Patty Kraft, associate provost at Carson-Newman College, says response to the new education center has been extremely positive. “There’s a real sense of excitement,” she says. “Carson-Newman is all about reaching out to students who may not otherwise be able to pursue a degree, so this is a new way of doing that. All of the schools have been working very well together. I think we recognize how important this is for both students and the communities in which we live.”
ENTITIES FORM ACADEMIC VILLAGE
Kingsport City Manager John Campbell agrees, adding that the city already is reaping the benefits of the aptly named Kingsport Academic Vi l lage, which incorporates the Kingsport Center for Higher Education; the Regiona l Center for Hea lth Professions, which opened in August 2008; the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing, which broke ground in August 2008; and the Regional Center for Applied Technology, which opened in 2002.
“We’re seeing a real renaissance in the downtown, with several new restaurants and an incredible amount of interest in loft development,” Campbell says. “It’s an exciting time for students, businesses and the entire community.”
– Amy Stumpfl
The Kingsport Center for Higher Education is being built downtown.
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N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 21
education
Manufacturers bring thousands of jobs to the Northeast Tennessee Valley
The manufacturing sector in the Northeast Tennessee Valley is strong and getting stronger, with hundreds of companies
collectively employing about 70,000 workers. And if you want evidence, look no farther than Blountville, Tenn., home of the region’s commercial airport, Tri-Cities.
Blountville also is home of Leclerc Foods Inc., which moved its U.S. headquarters, manufac-turing facility, and research and development operations to Blountville’s Northeast Tennessee Business Park from Pennsylvania in 2008.
“It’s a $38 to $40 million investment for them initially, and they plan to build a distribution center on an adjacent 14 acres of land,” says Richard Venable, chief executive officer of NETWORKS-Sullivan Partnership, an economic development organization in Sullivan County. “They make all types of snack foods, including private labels for department stores such as Target, and they have a good number of national contracts.”
A 105-year-old company based in Quebec City, Canada, Leclerc began producing granola bars – including peanut-free varieties – at the new factory
in fall 2008. The company plans to add cookies to its product line in early 2009.
Leclerc executives chose Sullivan County because of its central location and because they had formed good relationships with economic developers in the area.
“They made a very quick decision that Northeast Tennessee and our workforce met their needs,” Venable says.
The company prides itself in adopting cut-ting-edge technology. “Their entire process is computerized, and they run a dark warehouse for storing and picking out the product,” Venable says. “They could turn off the lights – and the robots wouldn’t even know it.”
Elsewhere in Sullivan County, Edwards & Associates Inc. refurbishes helicopters and assembles new aircraft.
“We have two companies in Piney Flats,” says Carolyn Ferrell, vice president of administration for Edwards & Associates. “The other is Aeronautical Accessories Inc. Edwards & Associates services, sells and refurbishes helicopters, and Aeronautical Accessories manufactures the parts we use.”
ProwessLine
John Deere Power Products has been making lawn mowers in Greeneville, Tenn., for two decades. With plant expansions, production is now more than 300,000 units annually. PHOTO BY TODD BENNETT
A SAMPLING OF OTHER PRODUCTS FROM THE NORTHEAST TENNESSEE VALLEY
A.O. Smith Corp., Johnson City, Tenn. – water heaters
Berkline/Benchcraft LLC, Morristown, Tenn. – upholstery
Foliot Furniture Inc., Greeneville, Tenn. – furniture for college dormitories and motels
Sam Dong Co., Rogersville, Tenn. – specialty magnet wire products
U.S. Fence Inc., Bulls Gap, Tenn. – PVC and wood fencing
Vifan USA Inc., Morristown, Tenn. – polypropylene fi lm for food packaging
More InsightI
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 23
manufacturing
Greeneville Light & Power System
110 North College St.
Greeneville, TN 37743
(423) 636-6200
Your Local Public Power System
Serving Greeneville and Greene County Since 1945
RUNNING LIKE A DEEREGreeneville and surrounding Greene
County, Tenn., is another manufac-turing powerhouse, boasting more than 90 industrial employers.
At its Greeneville plant, John Deere Power Products Inc. manufactures seven models of riding lawnmowers – more than 300,000 annually – and a variety of attachments and baggers. The company employs between 500 and 1,000 people locally, depending upon the season and customer demand.
“We celebrated our 20th anniversary here in September (2008), so this is a great time for us,” says Dave Smith, factory manager. “We started here producing walk-behind mowers in a 50,000-square-foot facility. Over the years, we’ve transitioned into making riding lawn (mower) equipment and grown to more than 300,000 square feet.”
The company appreciates Greeneville for its central location, hard-working residents, and low tax base and cost of living. “There’s a very competent work-force here. Our employees come to work with a can-do attitude,” Smith says. “The tax base and cost of living in this region are attractive, and it’s a wonderful life-style. When I sit on my front porch, I look at mountains.”
In 2008, John Deere Power Products celebrated 10 million hours – nearly six years – of continuous production without a lost-time accident.
“We have an intense focus on work-place organization, and teamwork is in everything we do,” Smith says. “We watch out for each other. The spirit of this facility is, ‘I’ve got your back.’ We preach it and live it.”
– Jessica Mozo
This space provided as a public service. ©2004, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Sometimes winning a race is not about beating the other runners.
It’s about honoring survivors and those
who’ve lost the battle. It’s about raising
funds for research, education, screening
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Cure® is about support, not competition.
Join us at komen.org or 1.800 I’M AWARE®.
Leclerc Foods Inc. relocated its U.S. headquarters, manufacturing and R&D to this Blountville, Tenn., location.
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24 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
Johnson City Power Board2600 Boones Creek Rd.Johnson City, TN 37615
www.jcpb.com
Northeast Tennessee... where bright
futures begin.
Vat’s Up?TURNING WASTE COOKING OIL INTO BIODIESEL FUEL, THAT’S WHAT
Some companies in the
Northeast Tennessee Valley
region are turning the energy
crisis into an economic
opportunity.
Nu-Energie LLC, with
headquarters in Blountville in
Sullivan County, Tenn., produces
biodiesel fuel from used cooking
oil. In 2008, Nu-Energie secured
an agreement to collect
5 million gallons of used
cooking oil from 20,000
restaurants annually, which
constitutes 5 percent of the
used cooking oil in the nation.
Hawkins County native
Brian Hullette founded the
company in early 2007, and
as of September 2008 it had
13 employees.
“I felt this was the right way
to help get our country back on
track so we can stop relying on
foreign oil,” Hullette says. “A lot
has happened in the short time
since the company began.”
Indeed, Nu-Energie recently
built a 12,500-square-foot
facility in Hawkins County’s
Phipps Bend Industrial Park
that will allow the company to
expand its annual processing
capacity in the future to 15
million gallons. Furthermore,
the company plans to add
10 facilities elsewhere in the
southeastern United States.
“We’ll be offering turnkey
facilities to people wanting to
start up a biodiesel company,”
Hullette says.
Similarly, from a
45,000-square-foot plant in
the Hickory Flats Industrial
Park in Lee County, Va., Synergy
Biofuels LLC planned to begin
producing biodiesel from waste
cooking oil by the end of 2008.
“We will offer a free service
to restaurants by collecting
their waste cooking oil for free,
and we’ll turn that oil into
biodiesel and sell it to fuel
distributors, power generators
and whoever wants to purchase
it in bulk quantities,” says Ankit
Patel, founder and chief executive
officer. “We hope to give back to
the local community by allowing
farmers and individuals to come
fill up in our parking lot once
or twice a week.”
As of September 2008,
Synergy Biofuels had six
employees.
Initially, the company plans
to produce about 3 million
gallons of biodiesel a year,
eventually ramping up to about
8 million gallons annually.
– Jessica Mozo
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 25
manufacturing
East Tennessee State University leads the
emergence of a health-care hub
When it comes to expecting and providing quality health care, “no” just isn’t in the vocabulary of Northeast Tennessee Valley residents.
In the 1970s, a shortage of rural physicians prompted a push for a public medical school at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. Despite a bruising political battle, proponents prevailed, and in August 1978 the first class entered what is now named the James H. Quillen College of Medicine.
Fast-forward about three decades, when a shortage of pharmacists was the impetus for ETSU’s Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, which admitted its first students in January 2007. The pharmacy school is unique in the country – the only privately funded college within a state institution.
“The community raised more than $5 million in donations and pledges in 58 days,” Pharmacy Dean Larry Calhoun says. “To date, we’ve had well over a 1,000 people and corporations donate money to the college. They realize the impact that the College of Medicine has had on this region, and they see a similar impact long-term that the College of Pharmacy will have.”
Studies indicate that the college, which has 220 students and 30 faculty members, eventually will bring $30 million annually to the local economy.
Calhoun says the region’s hospitals and pharmacies are training grounds for students. “They all realize that the pharmacist shortage is not only acute, but it’s going to be a long time before we actually meet the needs of the United States, especially in rural communities.”
The same is true for other health professions, and ETSU spokesman Joseph E. Smith says the College of Medicine has been “a revolutionary force,” swelling the numbers of physicians in the region.
About 240 medical students are enrolled at any one time, and they fan out across Southern Appalachia to learn with health-care professionals on the job while improving contem-
porary medical care. Community “preceptors” are physicians who aren’t faculty
members yet accept students into their practices. Also, because ETSU doesn’t have a medical center of its own, area hospitals fill that void.
“The hospitals, particularly, have been vital to our success. They have welcomed us with open arms,” Smith says.
Medicine and pharmacy fall under ETSU’s Division of Health Sciences, as do the colleges of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, Public Health and Nursing.
FORGING COMMUNITY TIESAlso training nurses in the region is King College in
Bristol, Tenn., which offers a bachelor of science in nursing, a bachelor’s degree tailored to registered nurses and three options for a master’s degree – nurse educator, clinical nurse specialist or administrator.
In the administration specialty, students may elect to attend one extra semester in summer and receive a dual degree in nursing and business administration. The clinical nurse specialist is “the only program in the region that is an advanced-practice nursing degree that actually keeps nurses at the bedside,” says Carolyn Robinson, dean.
King College nursing students attend classes at several sites in the region. “One of our missions is to go where they are and to provide opportunities to enrich their academic achievement while maintaining their ties within their community,” Associate Dean Jane Castle says.
An example is King College instruction at the new Regional Center for Health Professions in downtown Kingsport, Tenn., where several institutions have joined forces to offer health-related studies at a central location. (See story, page 18.)
– Sharon H. Fitzgerald
MoreDoctors,
Pharmacistsand
26 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
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More Insight
James H. Quillen College of Medicine
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N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 27
health
“For over 63 years we have been energizing the future of Carter County and the tradition of excellence continues today!”
Elizabethton Electric
www.eesonline.org
Thanks to two respected health
networks, Mountain States Health
Alliance and Wellmont Health
System, the Northeast Tennessee
Valley benefits from high-quality
medical facilities across the region.
Founded in 1998 when Johnson
City Medical Center purchased six
other medical facilities, Mountain
States today has 14 hospitals in
Tennessee and Virginia, with the
443-bed JCMC as its centerpiece.
Calling medical treatment for
children “the heart of health care,”
Dennis Vonderfecht, Mountain
States president and chief
executive officer, says the alliance’s
$36 million Niswonger Children’s
Hospital should open in March
2009 on the JCMC campus. A
testament to the region’s
support, the construction
project received $20 million
in private donations.
At Wellmont Health
System, which has 14
hospitals in Tennessee and
Virginia, the new emergency
department at Bristol
Regional Medical Center is
“absolutely state of the art,”
says Brad Lifford, media
relations coordinator.
Lifford says emergency-
patient volumes have grown
“exponentially,” prompting
the $13 million construction
and renovation project that
was finished in June 2008.
Under way at Holston
Valley Medical Center in
Kingsport is Project Platinum,
a $100 million expansion and
overhaul that includes a new
patient tower, emergency
and same-day surgery
expansions, additional
intensive-care beds, and
technology upgrades.
– Sharon H. Fitzgerald
A Common ObjectiveMOUNTAIN STATES, WELLMONT NETWORKS OFFER QUALITY CARE
Dennis L. Vonderfecht presides over the 14-hospital network of Mountain States Health Alliance.
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health
The future of Crown
Laboratories is so bright, it just
might need to lather on some of
its signature product, Blue Lizard
Australian Suncream.
Crown is a shining example of
manufacturers of prescription and
over-the-counter products that are
finding the Northeast Tennessee
Valley an ideal locale.
“There’s no question that, as a
distribution center, this is probably
as good as it gets,” says Crown
Chief Executive Officer Jeff
Bedard, who consolidated all
operations into one Johnson
City, Tenn., facility in 2000.
Bedard says his company has
more than 40 employees and likely
will grow – in part because the
nonpartisan Environmental
Working Group in July 2008
ranked Blue Lizard as the
top sunscreen for safety and
performance. “We’re looking at
further expansion, further growth
in our brand, and continuing to
build a pharmaceutical
manufacturing presence as well.”
Under the Crown umbrella
are two divisions, Blue Lizard
and Del-Ray Dermatologicals,
offering therapeutic shampoos,
moisturizers, cleansers and
prescription steroid lotions.
With an emphasis on
neuroscience, hospital and
acutecare products, King
Pharmaceuticals Inc. is the
region’s giant in the industry.
Headquartered in Bristol, Tenn.,
and with manufacturing facilities
there and in four other cities,
King makes products to treat
such conditions as chronic pain,
hypothyroidism and insomnia.
Founded in 1994, King employs
about 2,000 people and reported
2007 revenue of about $2.1 billion.
– Sharon H. Fitzgerald
Problem SolversPHARMACEUTICAL FIRMS INNOVATE
©2002 American Cancer Society, Inc.
questionsanswers
8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r . o r g
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 29
Living it up is easy in the Northeast Tennessee Valley, and the region continues to show up often on national livability lists.
For example, Walk! Magazine named Kingsport, Tenn., the 2008 Best City for Walkers, thanks to the city’s nine-mile Greenbelt as well as more than 25 miles of walking trails in Bays Mountain Park. Meanwhile, Golf Digest magazine ranked the Tri-Cities area of Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol as the second-best place in the United States to live and golf.
“Golfing around the entire Northeast Tennessee Valley is pretty incredible,” says Tommy Olterman, who works for the Tennessee Valley Authority and has been an avid golfer since 1980. “In southwest Virginia, I especially enjoy Deerfield Golf Course in Damascus. Some of my favorite courses in northeast Tennessee are Dandridge Golf & Country Club, Cattails at Meadowview in Kingsport and Clinchview Golf & Country Club in Bean Station. There are more than 40 beautiful public and private courses in this part of the country.”
FROM SKIING TO NASCAR WATCHINGThe region that encompasses northeast Tennessee, south-
west Virginia and northwest North Carolina also draws rave reviews for its temperate, four-season climate. Typical scenery here includes green landscapes, hilly terrain and shimmering waterways.
“There is hiking, with mountains all around us, and the whitewater rafting and snow skiing opportunities are excellent,” says Alicia Summers, executive director of the Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional Industrial Development Association. “Meanwhile, Bristol Motor Speedway is the world’s fastest half-mile racetrack and is packed with 160,000 of our closest friends whenever NASCAR arrives here every March and August.”
The area also boasts several lakes for boating and numer-ous freshwater streams that are ideal for trout fishing.
“This region has been rated one of the premier spots for fishing in the United States by Fly Fisherman magazine,”
Lush hills of this beautiful region contain great venues for recreational and cultural pursuits
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30 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
More than 25 miles of trails – some offering lake views – draw hiking and biking enthusiasts to Kingsport’s Bays Mountain Park. The 3,500-acre nature preserve also features exhibits with deer, wolves, bobcats, raccoons, otters, snakes, turtles and hawks.
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Summers says. “And, of course, having the Great Smoky Mountains gracing our area makes the Northeast Tennessee Valley an incredible place to visit.”
PROMOTING MUSICAL HERITAGEThe performing arts also are well represented in the region,
with ballet companies, symphonies, unusual museums and theater groups. Examples of premier arts venues include the Paramount Center for the Arts on the Tennessee side of State Street in Bristol, the castle-like Rose Center in Morristown, Tenn., and the nationally recognized Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Va.
And now, a 24,000-square-foot Birthplace of Country Music Cultural Heritage Center is being developed in Bristol, Va., with a scheduled opening in 2011.
“We are an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and will ultimately become a destination for visitors to learn about mountain music that originated in the local hills of Appalachia,” says Bill Hartley, executive director of the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance and board member for the Crooked Road Heritage Trail.
The trail is a roadway that stretches from the Virginia-Kentucky state line and goes 230 miles into Virginia. “Motorists can visit eight major music-related venues through 10 counties, and this can truly become an economic development tool that ties together the region’s musical heritage,” Hartley says. “Stops include Carter Family Country, the Ralph Stanley Museum, Blue Ridge Music Center, the Galax Fiddlers Convention, Floyd Country Store and the Tennessee Blue Ridge Institute.
“And once the Birthplace of Country Music Cultural Heritage Center opens, it will be added as a Crooked Road Heritage Trail destination,” he says.
Back at the Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional Industrial Development Association, Summers says the entire region can boast numerous big-city amenities, but on a smaller scale.
“Many people from the northern U.S. who retired to Florida are now moving halfway back to live in the valley,” she says. “A lot of developers are interested in this region, and plenty of nice homes are being built. It is really exciting and interesting around here these days.”
– Kevin Litwin
SEE VIDEO ONLINEVisit Kingsport’s parks at imagesnetnvalley.com.
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 31
livability
Fans of fun, rejoice.Feel free to dust off your kilt and head to Elizabethton,
Tenn., for the Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival. And be sure to wear your clogging shoes when attending the Clinch Mountain MusicFest in Scott County, Va.
The Northeast Tennessee Valley region has dozens of festivals each year, with just about every month covered. Springtime events include the Iris Festival in Greeneville, Tenn., while summertime attractions include the Appalachian Fair in Gray, Tenn., each August. In the fall, there is the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tenn., and wintertime attractions include A Candlelight Christmas in Piney Flats, Tenn., as well as Speedway in Lights from November to January in Bristol, Tenn.
“In Northeast Tennessee, events are our specialty,” says Claudia Moody, chief executive officer of the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association. “Live music performances are abundant at festivals, some of which include the nation’s finest Americana, old-time, country, bluegrass and gospel
music. After all, this is a land where country music was born and where mountain music thrives.”
One of the biggest annual attractions, Fun Fest, takes place in Kingsport, Tenn., over nine days. Activities include a Tour de Possum Creek bike ride, an 8K run, concerts, a f ilm festival, arts show, block parties and a Mardi Gras parade. “We actually schedule 100 events,” says coordinator Lucy Fleming. Fun Fest draws about 180,000 people annually.
Also in Tennessee, the Independence Day Celebration at Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park in Limestone extends to a second day. And the Rhythm & Roots Reunion is held on a weekend each September on both sides of the Tennessee-Virginia state line in Bristol.
Other annual events of note include, in Tennessee, the Blue Plum Festival in Johnson City, the Unicoi County Apple Festival in Erwin and Heritage Days in Rogersville; and, in Virginia, the Mountain Treasures Festival in Dungannon, Nickelsville Days and Duffield Daze.
– Kevin Litwin
The nine-day Fun Fest draws about 180,000 people to Kingsport, Tenn., each year for concerts and many other kinds of events.
Celebrations are year-round magnets in the Northeast Tennessee Valley
Festive AboutFestivals
32 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
Ranked in the Top 10 Metros of Best Places for Business and Careers in the Country– Forbes Magazine, May 2006 and 2007
AVAILABLE BUILDING:
Located on 8.9 acres
Reinforced concrete floors
Four dock doors
Three drive-in dock doors
Three bridge cranes
All utilities on-site
Located 2.2 miles from Interstate 26
Snap-On tools building – 64,550 sq. ft. Other buildings available up to 296,000 sq. ft.
Johnson City/Jonesborough and Washington County Economic Development Board 603 E. Market St., Ste. 200 Johnson City, TN 37601 (423) 975-2380 www.jcedb.org
Two Towns, Two AndrewsHISTORIC TOWNS OF JONESBOROUGH AND GREENEVILLE HAVE BEEN HOME TO PRESIDENTS JACKSON AND JOHNSON
Andrew Jackson practiced
law as a young man in
Jonesborough, Tenn., during
the late 1780s. Andrew Johnson
moved to nearby Greeneville
in 1826 to work as a tailor.
Both eventual U.S. presidents
are honored in their respective
towns, especially since both
Jonesborough and Greeneville
enjoy showcasing history.
“Andrew Jackson, the
nation’s seventh president,
actually stayed for an extended
period at the Chester Inn
on Main Street during his
law-practicing days, and
that inn still exists today,” says
Melissa Cloyd, marketing and
advertising manager for the
Historic Jonesborough Visitors
Center/Department of Tourism.
“In fact, the bottom floor of the
old inn was transformed into
the Jonesborough Museum
in the fall of 2008. That is
very exciting for the 5,000
residents who live here.”
Jonesborough is the oldest
town in Tennessee, having been
founded in 1779. Today, it is a
magnet for tourists attracted
to its architecture, quaint shops
and restaurants.
“If you are a history buff,
Jonesborough is a must-visit
place,” Cloyd says. “We publish
a Jonesborough strolling-tour
brochure that describes an
amazing 40 sites here that are
listed on the National Register of
Historic Places. All are within easy
walking distance of one other.”
As for Greeneville, it is
Tennessee’s next-oldest town,
established in 1783. As vice
president, Johnson ascended
to the presidency following the
assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
The nation’s 17th president, he
subsequently was impeached
– and acquitted – and after
leaving the White House in 1869
went home to Greeneville.
Johnson later returned to
Washington to serve in the U.S.
Senate, but his longtime home
and burial place are in Greeneville.
In addition, the President
Andrew Johnson Museum is
on the campus of Tusculum
College in Greeneville.
“I know that Greeneville
promotes its interesting history,
and so do we,” Cloyd says.
“Truly, it is history that brings
most people to our community
each year.” – Kevin Litwin
Jonesborough, founded in 1779, is the oldest town in Tennessee.
SEE VIDEO ONLINEVisit downtown Jonesborough
at imagesnetnvalley.com.
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livability
ECONOMIC PROFILE
BUSINESS CLIMATE
Strong training and workforce development programs that produce
skilled, educated workers – combined with low utility costs and low
tax rates – make the Northeast Tennessee Valley region an attractive
location for doing business.
SCOTT COUNTY, VIRGINIA“We’re a Natural …”
For Your Next Business Location
TRANSPORTATION
Centered around the
Tennessee/Virginia Tri-Cities
metropolitan area of Bristol,
Kingsport and Johnson City,
the Northeast Tennessee Valley
region offers convenient access
to Interstate 81, I-40 and I-26 as
well as nearby I-75 and I-77.
Fifty-five interstate trucking
companies serve the region,
providing access to more
than 70 percent of the U.S.
population within one
day’s truck delivery.
Tri-Cities Regional Airport
in Blountville, Tenn., is a full-
service facility for passenger
and cargo traffic.
Freight also moves in and out of
the region via CSX and Norfolk
Southern rail lines.
TENNESSEE
CARTER COUNTYPopulation 59,157Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of CommerceP.O. Box 190500 Veterans Memorial ParkwayElizabethton, TN 37644(423) 547-3851 or (423) 547-3859www.elizabethtonchamber.com
CLAIBORNE COUNTYPopulation 31,347
Claiborne County Chamber of Commerce3222 Highway 25-E, Suite 1Tazewell, TN 37879(423) 626-4149 or (800) 332-8164www.claibornecounty.com
GREENE COUNTYPopulation 65,945Greene County Partnership115 Academy St.Greeneville, TN 37743(423) 638-4111, www.greenecountypartnership.com
HAMBLEN COUNTYPopulation 61,026
Morristown Area Chamber of CommerceP.O. Box 9825 W. First North St.Morristown, TN 37815(423) 586-6382www.morristownchamber.com
HANCOCK COUNTYPopulation 6,713Sneedville/Hancock Community Partners & Hancock County Chamber of CommerceP.O. Box 277Sneedville, TN 37869(423) 733-4466www.hancockcountytn.com
N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M 35
visit ouradvertisersBristol Chamber of Commerce www.bristolchamber.org
Bristol Tennessee Essential Services www.btes.net
Bristol Virginia Utilities www.bvub.com
Eastman Chemical Company www.eastman.com
Economic Development Board www.jcedb.org
Elizabethton Electric Department www.cityofelizabethton.org
Erwin Utilities www.erwinutilities.com
First Tennessee Bank www.firsttennessee.com
Goins Rash Cain Inc. www.grcinc.com
Greeneville Light & Power System www.glps.net
Holston Electric/Hawkins County www.holstenelectric.com
J.A. Street & Associates www.jastreet.com
Johnson City Power Board www.jcpb.com
King College www.king.edu
Morristown Utility Systems www.musfiber.net
NETWORKS-Sullivan Partnership www.networkstn.com
Northeast State Technical Community College www.northeaststate.edu
Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional Industrial Development Association www.netvaly.org
Scott County Economic Development Authority www.scottcountyva.org
Sleep Inn – Inn & Suites www.sleepinn.com/hotel/tn288
TCI Group – Jerry Petzoldt Agency www.tcigroup.com
Tri-Cities Regional Airport www.triflight.com
HAWKINS COUNTYPopulation 56,850
Hawkins County Industrial
Development Board
403 E. Main St.
Rogersville, TN 37857
(423) 272-7668
www.hawkinscounty.org
JEFFERSON COUNTYPopulation 49,372
Jefferson County
Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 890,
Dandridge, TN 37725
(865) 397-9642
www.jefferson-tn-chamber.org
JOHNSON COUNTYPopulation 18,043
Town of Mountain City
210 S. Church St.
Mountain City, TN 37683
www.mountaincityonline.com
SULLIVAN COUNTYPopulation 153,239
Bristol Chamber
of Commerce
20 Volunteer Parkway
Bristol, TN 37620
(423) 989-4850
www.bristolchamber.org
Kingsport Chamber
of Commerce
P.O. Box 1403
151 Main St.
Kingsport, TN 37662
(423) 392-8800
www.kingsportchamber.org
UNICOI COUNTY Population 17,663
Unicoi County
Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 713
100 S. Main Ave.
Erwin, TN 37650
(423) 743-3000
www.unicoicounty.org
WASHINGTON COUNTYPopulation 114,316
The Chamber of
Commerce serving
Johnson City-Jonesborough-
Washington County
603 E. Market St.
Johnson City, TN 37601
(423) 461-8000
www.johnsoncitytnchamber.com
NORTH CAROLINA
AVERY COUNTYPopulation: 17,674
Avery County
Chamber of Commerce
4501 Tynecastle Highway
Unit 2
Banner Elk, NC 28604
(828) 898-5605 or
(800) 972-2183
www.averycounty.com
VIRGINIA
LEE COUNTY Population, 23,787
Lee County Industrial
Development Authority
P.O. Box 912
Jonesville, VA 24263
(276) 346-7766
www.leecountyida.com
SCOTT COUNTYPopulation 22,882
Scott County Economic
Development Authority
180 W. Jackson St.
Gate City, VA 24251
(276) 386-2525
www.scottcountyva.org
WASHINGTON COUNTYPopulation 51,984
Washington County
Chamber of Commerce
179 E. Main St.
Abingdon, VA 24210
(276) 628-8141
www.washingtonvachamber.org
Note: Population figures are 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimates
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Northeast Tennessee
Valley Regional Industrial
Development Association
2425 Highway 75
Building 102
Northeast State Technical
Community College
P.O. Box 1022
Tri-Cities Regional Airport
Blountville, TN 37617
Phone: (423) 323-1203
Fax: (423) 323-4016
www.netvaly.org
36 I M A G E S N E T N VA L L E Y. C O M N O R T H E A S T T E N N E S S E E VA L L E Y
economic profile
Ad Index 35 BRISTOL CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
4 BRISTOL TENNESSEE
ESSENTIAL SERVICES
29 BRISTOL VIRGINIA UTILITIES
8 EASTMAN
CHEMICAL COMPANY
33 ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT BOARD
28 ELIZABETHTON
ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
3 ERWIN UTILITIES
C2 FIRST TENNESSEE BANK
2 GOINS RASH CAIN INC .
24 GREENEVILLE LIGHT & POWER SYSTEM
4 HOLSTON ELECTRIC/ HAWKINS COUNTY
34 J .A . STREET & ASSOCIATES INC .
25 JOHNSON CITY POWER BOARD
34 KING COLLEGE
12 MORRISTOWN UTILITY SYSTEMS
8 NETWORKS-SULLIVAN PARTNERSHIP
©2002 American Cancer Society, Inc.
questions
answers
8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r . o r g
Ad Index (cont’d) 20 NORTHEAST STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
C4 NORTHEAST TENNESSEE VALLEY REGIONAL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
35 SCOTT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
C3 SLEEP INN – INN & SUITES
34 TCI GROUP – JERRY PETZOLDT AGENCY
21 TRI-CITIES REGIONAL AIRPORT
The Sleep Inn & Suites® hotel in Kingsport is conveniently located off Interstate 81, just one mile from the Tri-Cities Regional Airport. This Kingsport, Tennessee hotel is minutes from area points of interest like the Fort Henry Mall, East Tennessee State University and Bays Mountain Park. The Bristol Motor Speedway is also nearby.
The Allandale Mansion, Bristol Caverns, Historic Jonesborough and Johnson City are all only minutes away. Several shops are nearby. A variety of restaurants are located in the area. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and restaurant is within walking distance.
Full-service amenities and features include:Free airport shuttle serviceFree continental breakfastFree wireless high-speed
Internet accessFree USA TodayFree local calls
200 Hospitality Place Kingsport, TN 37663 (423) 279-1811 www.sleepinn.com/hotel/tn288