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A Flood of Emotions

Hurricane Helene Leaves Us Humbled, Not Defeated.

Battered, Not Broken

It was about 9:30 Sunday morning I received a text message from a 615 area code. It was an executive from a Nashville-based company I have known since my time in Middle Tennessee. Her first question was if I was okay from the storms and flooding that had ripped through our region and much of the Southeast caused by Hurricane Helene on the previous Friday. Once she learned that my home county had been left with little damage compared to many others, she asked if I could assist her company in finding the best resources for getting assistance to those in need.

I spent much of the remainder of Sunday and most of Monday morning tracking down the efforts going on across our region and had a list to her on Monday afternoon. That was between phone calls and text messages from others across our state, many of whom were in great distress themselves, checking in on me. And I checked on others in my circle who were in the path of much of the destruction. While some had suffered severe property damage, all were unharmed and safely sheltered.

At the writing of this, we are still unaware of just how great the loss of human life will prove to be from this disaster. While not as important, the monetary loss is sure to be incomprehensible. But as horrible as the news has been, we are buoyed by the reactions of those of us spared or at least less affected than many others. Donations of food, supplies, and money continue to pour into our region. We have seen Northeast State Community College, Bristol Motor Speedway, Eastman, Ballad, Food City, our United Ways, chambers of commerce, and fellow EDOs leading through their deeds. Truckload after truckload of donated goods has been on our roads every day since Helene pummeled so much of the southeastern United States.

Two truths continue to visit my thoughts: Mother Nature can and does remind us from time to time how powerless we can quickly feel and, conversely, mankind’s decency and compassion remind us how powerful to face any catastrophic challenge we are.

The overwhelming events have made much of the news shared in this quarterly update seem distant and less important to me at times. I remember, though, that we will recover from this because we have no choice but to do so. As we do, the strides our collective community has made recently will be greatly needed and play a part in that recovery.

Over the past three months, we have celebrated a new corporate citizen in Kingsport in Accoya North America with corporate partner Share Logistics hanging its shingle in both Kingsport and Phipps Bend Industrial Park in Hawkins County. Speaking of celebrations, I am thankful that I was asked to join the Bristol economic development team as Seaman Corporation Chairman Richard Seaman and CEO Jeff Swartz visited the company’s Bristol campus to throw a 75th-anniversary party with its local staff and their families. We welcomed Governor Bill Lee and TNECD Commissioner Stuart McWhorter as they toured Bell Flight and Cardinal Glass. We were honored to participate once again in the Education to Employment – better known as E2E – Summit, organized so well by Lottie Ryans of the First Tennessee Development District.

Working with Sullivan County Schools and BTES, we secured a TVA Workforce Investment Grant. This grant will be used to purchase virtual reality technology to enhance career exploration for students, building on the success of the same program, funded with the same grant a year ago, of Bristol City Schools.

Finally, congratulations to Paul Montgomery who was elected Mayor of Kingsport. A longtime alderman and community leader who has always been a champion of economic and community development initiatives, Mayor Montgomery brings a great deal of knowledge and perspective to the NETWORKS Board of Directors.

While we are dealing with the aftermath of the horrific weather along with so many of our neighboring states, we do see promise for good news in the final months of 2024. NETWORKS has closed on the 40-acre site on Airport Parkway and engineering work is underway as we begin to develop it into a shovel-ready opportunity for investment and job growth. We are also ready to begin the process of implementing the $1 million TNECD grant backed by NETWORKS and City of Bristol funding for two sites in Partnership Park. Seaman Corporation and AY McDonald are nearing construction commencement on their recently announced projects. And we are hopeful of a few other companies announcing their joining us in Sullivan and Hawkins counties.

There is much sunshine ahead of us in Northeast Tennessee. We will mourn those lost in recent days and honor them by continuing to grow and improve our wonderful home. Tennessee’s business day begins here and so does its spirit of volunteerism and perseverance.

Share Logistics officially announced today the company will locate new operations in both Hawkins and Sullivan Counties.

The project will allow Share Logistics to centralize logistics for its client, Accoya USA, which manufactures high performance and sustainable wood building products from its plant in Kingsport.

The company will invest nearly $400,000 across the two locations, creating at least 21 new jobs in Surgoinsville and 36 new jobs in Kingsport within the next 5 years.

Tennessee is the fifth state that Share Logistics has expanded to nationally, joining Georgia, Texas, Florida and New Jersey.

Since 2020, TNECD has supported nearly 40 economic development projects in Northeast Tennessee, resulting in approximately 3,500 job commitments and more than $1 billion in capital investments.

TNECD Press Release

“Innovation and a focus on the customer has been a priority for this company from its beginning,” said CEO Jeff Swartz. “This mindset is what will continue to propel our business going forward and I am excited about the growth opportunities in front of us.”

“This company began in the kitchen of our home in Canal Fulton, Ohio and no one could have predicted that it would grow to what it is today,” said Chairman Richard Seaman. “It is a tribute to what can be accomplished by investing in a business for multigenerational growth. Much of this has to do with creating strong partnerships throughout the communities, celebrating our past, and educating future generations.”

Paul Montgomery has been a familiar face in Kingsport for years, known for his community involvement. Now, he's serving in a different capacity as the Model City's newly elected mayor.

A native of Glade Spring, Virginia, Montgomery's career spans more than four decades and includes leadership positions at Eastman, Northeast State Community College and Texas Instruments.

Montgomery has held several important positions across the region including president of the Kingsport Chamber Board of Directors, chair of the 2001 Fun Fest, president of the Kingsport Rotary Club, assistant governor of the Area 13 Rotary Clubs, president of Kingsport South Optimist Club, president of the Kingsport Branch of the NAACP and chair of the Northeast Tennessee All-American Cities Committee. Read more

WJHL

Governor Bill Lee visited the Cardinal Glass and Bell Flight with a large contingent of state economic officials and legislators, including Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Butch Ely, Sen. Jon Lundberg and Rep. Gary Hicks.

Rogersville Review

WJHL

On Wednesday, August 28, 2024, the First Tennessee Development District hosted the 7th Annual Education 2 Employment (E2E) Summit at Grace Meadows Farm in Jonesborough. Sponsored by the Bristol TN/VA Chamber of Commerce, Elizabethton Chamber of Commerce, Greene County Partnership, Johnson City Chamber, Kingsport Chamber, NETWORKS Sullivan Partnership, NETN HUB, and the Washington County Economic Development Council, the event brought together employers, educators, and local officials to address workforce challenges and explore new opportunities.

This year’s summit featured discussions on crucial topics impacting the region's workforce, such as artificial intelligence (AI), the rise of remote work, integrating Generation Z into the workplace, and insights into business recruitment efforts in the area.

Panels included representatives from local chambers, economic development professionals, and educators, with presentations by MECO, Ballad Health, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, and Blackburn, Childers & Stegall. These discussions highlighted the importance of collaboration between education and industry to tackle workforce needs and foster economic growth in the region.

In the News - WJHL

NETWORKS Sullivan Partnership, in collaboration with Sullivan County Schools and BTES, is excited to announce that the TVA Workforce Invest Grant has been awarded. This grant will allow us to expand the successful implementation of career exploration programs, building upon the achievements seen in Bristol City Schools through our partnership with TransfrVR.

With this support, we will utilize virtual reality technology to immerse Sullivan County students in diverse career pathways, equipping them with essential skills for the future workforce. The program, made possible through the generous backing of TVA, BTES, and Sullivan County Schools, aims to foster greater student engagement by offering firsthand experiences in various industries.

The initiative will now be implemented across all Sullivan County Schools, ensuring equitable access to transformative career exploration opportunities for students. By building on the success of TransfrVR in Bristol, this program will enhance career awareness and empower students with practical skills essential for their future careers.

This grant underscores the collective commitment of NETWORKS Sullivan Partnership and its partners to drive economic growth and workforce development through innovative education. We are thrilled to move forward and make a lasting impact on the future workforce of Sullivan County and beyond.

It was a story of absolute domination on the part of Kyle Larson, who led 462 of 500 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway and won Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race by 7.088 seconds over Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott.

Larson’s advance to the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs was hardly in doubt, but the vicissitudes of the elimination race were unkind to Ty Gibbs, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski and Harrison Burton, who are no longer eligible to compete for the series championship.

Read more

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