Nashville’s Economic Engine Stays in High Gear
Published Apr 30, 2009
In the world of corporate recruiting, you’re only as good as your last “get.” That being the case, look for things to keep “getting” better in and around the Nashville area in the coming months.
The region is coming off one of its best recruiting years ever, and 2008 was a continuation of some very solid years before that. As Verizon Wireless was settling into its new regional headquarters in Williamson County, companies as diverse as Tasti D-Lite, Arch Aluminum and Glass Co., Superior Inspections, Deloitte & Touche and Amsino Medical USA announced relocations to or expansions in the Nashville area.
Between June 2007 and June 2008, more than 3,000 jobs came into the area, along with $238 million in new capital investment and more than 3 million square feet of leased office space.
In Gallatin in Sumner County, the combination of a newly expanded industrial park, a tuition-assistance program at nearby Volunteer State Community College and the Gallatin Expansion and Retention Program, or GEAR, all have come together to help the community secure plenty of new business.
Gallatin has landed Superior Inspections of Los Angeles, which will hire the bulk of its workforce locally, as well as Shoals Technology Group, GF Puhl Co. and Samick Music Corp., says Clay Walker, executive director of the Gallatin Economic Development Agency.
“What makes these stories special is that each of these shows why economic-development groups need to be working together, and also with their existing industries,” he says.
The GEAR program, which is strongly supported by the local business base, has proven to be a valuable and viable public-relations tool for Walker and his staff when they meet with corporate scouting teams.
“They are able to make deals between themselves when they meet, but they also talk to other industries in their field and tell them about us,” Walker says. “It’s this kind of communication, and this kind of regional economic development, that allows communities of our size to have the home runs that we want to have.
“We’re able to maximize our potential by working with our companies and our partner economic-development groups, in a real spirit of cooperation,” Walker says. “Gallatin is a great community to do business in, but being a part of the Nashville area also really helps. We’re greater than the sum of our parts, and everybody around here realizes that. It’s the whole package.”
Story by Joe Morris
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