The Logan Economic Alliance for Development held its annual Business & Industry Appreciation luncheon Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the Logan County Extension office.
President Chris Milam opened the program with introductions of elected officials in Logan County and the LEAD Board of Directors.
The keynote speaker was Lt. Governor Jerry Abramson, who spoke on education and economic development. The linkage between education and successful employment is unmistakable and a high school degree is no longer enough. Technical or college training beyond high school is necessary for employment options in the future. Employers considering Kentucky are always focused on educational attainment. They need and require an educated work force. He congratulated the Logan County leadership for their regional point of view and progressive attitude toward regional cooperation.
Tom Harned, LEAD executive director, commented on a successful year for LEAD and Logan County. Unemployment is the lowest in the 10-county BRADD region for the past two months, second lowest prior to that.
*Leases are in place on two Industrial Development authority buildings in Logan County, providing a revenue stream to the IDA.
*Three small businesses matching of $2000 were awarded during the year, two more are in progress.
*LEAD participated in a ribbon cutting for a new 12-inch water line from Auburn to South Union capable of delivering over there million gallons of pure water per day.
*Lead successful advocated for the speed limit increase on US 68 to 65 mph.
*The Stampede mine has opened on KY 79 in north Logan to mine tar sands and shale, decreasing dependency on foreign sources of oil.
Looking ahead LEAD will continue to advocate for construction of the southern by-pass around Russellville. LEAD also works with RJ Corman on several projects.
MHM, the new aluminum company,y is working on engineering and contracts in Australia and plans activity in the first and second quarter of 2013.
Construction will start on a building pad in Shelton Lane Industrial Park next week on Nov. 1.
LEAD will continue to market all of the county’s industrial sites, including the data center site in Adairville.
“We are also working with our neighbors in Clarksville, Hopkinsville and Muhlenberg as well as our partnership counties in the BRADD region,” Harned said.
Awards for increased investment and employment were presented to Bluegrass Recycling Inc., Carpenter Co., Carter Douglas Company, Precision Soya of Kentucky, and Ventra Plastics. MHM Metals had previously received the South Central Kentucky newcomer award from the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.
Special recognition was made to Ralph Jordan of Colonial House Furniture for starting and continuing his furniture manufacturing operation beginning in 1947. He received a framed newspaper article chronicling his career and also a plaque recognizing him and Colonial House Furniture as a True Craftsman of Kentucky.
Representative Martha Jane King presented plaques to Judge-Executive Logan Chick and Tom Harned recognizing their organization of the US 68 speed limit initiative. She commented that their perseverance led to the successful outcome.
LEAD has a 14-member board of directors consisting of seven private directors from the business community. Two of them, Pat Suiter and Mark Wetton, are near the end of their terms and do not wish to be considered for another term. “We will be sending out election ballots on Nov. 1 to our qualified investors ($500 or more investment) for their vote. We will announce the new private directors at LEAD’s annual meeting in December,” explains LEAD Administrative Assistant Paula Timberlake.
LEAD officers are President Milam, 1st Vice President Mark Wilkins, 2nd Vice President Judge-Executive Logan Chick, Secretary Suiter, and Treasurer David Clark. Other members are Magistrate Thomas Bouldin, Ken Brown, Lewisburg Mayor Tina Callahan-Dye, Auburn Mayor Dewey Roche, Russellville Mayor Mark Stratton, Russellville Councilman Jack Whipple, Adairville Mayor Jim Wilkerson and R.V. Woodward.