SCDA Blog

Patterson Pump Gives Out $1,000 Bonuses Due to Tax Reform

2018-11-01T17:33:00.002-04:00

Local manufacturer Patterson Pump has awarded every one of its full-time employee a one-time bonus of $1,000. Patterson Pump is a division of The Gorman-Rupp Company and that company has awarded this same bonus to all of its full time employees, in every division and in every location worldwide. As stated in a press release from the company, “This bonus is in recognition of the contributions made by all of our employees to the success of The Gorman-Rupp Company this year, as well as the financial benefit we received from the recent reduction in our U.S. corporate income tax rate. This special bonus is being paid in addition to any regular profit-sharing payment which may be paid later this year.”

“This bonus is recognition that our people make a difference and that they matter to the company. Our employees contribute to our profitability and they helped create these funds. We are able to do this because the funds are available and we want to share it with them our employees.”
-    Al Huber, General Manager Patterson Pump

"We are proud to call Patterson Pumps a Stephens County industry. We are thrilled to hear that they believe in giving back to their employees. We value them and it’s not hard to see the dedication to their own. They are an asset to this county and we appreciate everything they do for the workforce right here in our region.”
-    Michelle Grafton Ivester , Chairman Stephens County Commissioners

“Christmas is coming early for employees of Patterson Pump! Thanks to cuts in the federal income tax rates and the hard work of its employees, the company is awarding $1000 to each employee. We are proud to have such a great company in our community and thank them for rewarding their employees.”
-    David L. Austin, Litt. D., Mayor City of Toccoa

“I can’t think of a better use or investment of tax-savings such as this. What a tribute and honor this is for their dedicated employees. All of us at the Stephens County Development Authority applaud Patterson Pump (Gorman) for helping to make our county a great place to work.”
-    Brian Akin, Chairman Stephens County Development Authority

“America is great, Georgia is great, Toccoa-Stephens County is great and Patterson Pump is great. Thank you for recognizing the value of each of your team with the tremendous $1,000 bonus you are giving to all of your full time employees!”
-    Bill Wheeler, Chairman, Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce

“We are grateful as The Chamber to partner with you, Patterson Pump. We appreciate your support as we work together to promote education, jobs, commerce and tourism in our community. Toccoa-Stephens County is a great place to do business and an even greater place to do life!
-    Julie Paysen, President, Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce

Patterson Pump is the second company in Stephens County to give out $1,000 bonuses. Earlier this year, local manufacturer CMC of Georgia also awarded full-time employees a $1,000 bonus.

Patterson Pump Company is one of the world's leading suppliers of quality pumps for the Fire, Municipal, Industrial, Flood Control, Plumbing, and HVAC Markets. Patterson offers an extensive line of products that serves customers World-Wide. They are a subsidiary of the Gorman-Rupp Company and are based in Toccoa, GA.

The Stephens County Development Authority is responsible for the recruitment of new businesses including industrial, manufacturing, distribution, corporate and regional headquarters and customer service centers as well as working with existing businesses and industries to ensure their continued success. It also provides support and assistance with all other types of economic development projects in both the City of Toccoa and Stephens County

Industry Spotlight: Fieldale Farms

2018-09-01T15:41:00.000-04:00

Company: Fieldale Farms
Located in Stephens County: 2005
Address: 270 Fdc Biproduct Dr Eastanollee, GA 30538
Company Website: www.fieldale.com

In 1995, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that Fieldale Farms Corporation was the sixth largest privately owned company in the state of Georgia. The company is a "fully integrated" facility for processing whole chickens smaller than 2.5 pounds and oversees its product at every stage. Chickens are bred at 700 different Fieldale breeder farms, hatched at one of four Fieldale hatcheries, fed with the product of Fieldale field mills, and processed and packed at one of Fieldale's three processing plants in North Georgia.

In January 1946, Tom Arrendale and Lee Arrendale started growing live broilers which would eventually evolve to include chicken processing. After years of successfully operating their business, the brothers opted to sell all their interests to Ralston Purina in 1961. During the same time, Joe Hatfield also decided to sell his Gainesville Fryers poultry operation to Ralston Purina. All three men went to work for their former companies’ new owner.

By 1971, Ralston Purina decided to sell off all of its poultry operations in the United States. Hatfield and the Arrendale brothers took advantage of the opportunity and bought a sizable share of the broiler operation and acquired the entire Northeast Georgia operation of Ralston Purina. Almost exactly a decade later, the three men reacquired their old company, this time a much larger company. They combined their last names and in February 1972 officially started operating as “Fieldale”.

Fieldale’s operations in Stephens County includes both a hatchery and a protein conversion plant which are located near the Meadowbrook Industrial Park. Both plants total approximately 95,000 square feet and have a total of 80 employees.

Fieldale continues to puts an emphasis on supporting students. In Stephens County, they support several groups including the Stephens County High School band and auxiliary as well as the Stephens County Middle School band and auxiliary.

Tom Arrendale, Lee Arrendale, and Joe Hatfield created one of the largest poultry industries in Northeast Georgia that continues to grow. All three founders have since passed away, but left a lasting mark on Northeast Georgia and Stephens County.

For additional questions on Fieldale visit their website at www.fieldale.com or leave a comment below.

Industry Spotlight: Osborne Wood Products

2018-04-02T14:53:00.000-04:00

Company Name: Osborne Wood Products
Located in Stephens County:1989
Address: 4618 Highway 123, Toccoa, GA 30577
Company Website: www.osbornewood.com

Osborne Wood Products was founded in 1979 by Stephens County native Leon and Janice Osborne. The Toccoa based company began as a sub-contracting wood supplier. Ten years after its founding Osborne saw the need for small quantities and custom sized furniture parts, leading the couple to open a specialized manufacturing plant.

Now they specialize in their own quality wood components and furniture lines which they manufacture in their Hwy. 123 plant with 80,00 SF. In 1994, the building burned to the ground leaving the company to rebuild quickly. Less than a year later OWP began to rapidly expand as they started selling their products internationally. In 1998, they had grown so much they launched their website and online catalog where customers could shop around the world.

In 2006, they adopted lean management after a consultation with Georgia Tech where processes and the floor layout were reorganized reducing lead time and costs. In 2008, they expanded and implemented a green initiative in their building.

In 2016, they were recognized as Manufacturer or the Year as well as Educational Partner of the Year in Stephens County. They were also the recipient of Wood 100 Highest Grown Companies in 2016.

They are also involved in many different community activities through sponsorships with organizations including Stephens County School System, Boys & Girls Clubs, Special Olympics, and Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce. IF you're a Stephens County local, you may see one of their many billboards around town.

For career opportunities, please visit Osborne's career website. For questions, please leave us a comment below.

Industry Spotlight: Patterson Pump

2017-11-06T10:05:00.000-05:00

Company: Patterson Pump
Located in Stephens County: 1989
Address: 2129 Ayersville Rd, Toccoa, GA 30577
Company Website: http://www.pattersonpumps.com

The Patterson Pump Company manufactures and supplies quality pumps for fire, municipal, industrial, flood control, plumbing, and HVAC markets. They serve customers worldwide in restoring and creating new pumps that are of quality and efficient flow power. Their larger pumps can empty an Olympic sized swimming pool of 660,000 gallons in roughly 30 seconds or less. The smaller pumps have half of that flow rate.

Patterson Pump broke ground in Stephens County in 1989 near Currahee Mountain. The company was purchased by machinery company Gorman-Rupp in the fall of 1988. In 2016, Patterson acquired Morrison Pump Company, adding to their pump manufacturers. Patterson is also one of Stephens County's international companies, having a branch in County Westmeath, Ireland.

Recently, they secured a $70 million contract where they manufactured and supplied 17 pumps to New Orleans which were placed in the canals and levees. New Orleans received 10 large pumps and 7 smaller ones, read more about their 150 day accomplishment in this article and more in this article.They have also been instrumental in expanding pump stations in Texas and reconstruction in Iraq.

Patterson Pump is located at 2129 Ayersville Rd, Toccoa, GA 30577, and occupies a 350,000 sq. ft. building where they manufacture and ship their pumps. Patterson Pump currently remains one the largest private employer in Stephens County, employing around 400 people.

For career opportunities, please visit the Georgia Department of Labor's career website. For questions, please leave us a comment below.

Industry Spotlight: American Woodmark

2017-10-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

Company: American Woodmark
Located in Stephens County: 1988
Address: 398 Woodmark Drive Meadowbrook Industrial Park Eastanollee, GA 30538
Company Website: http://www.americanwoodmark.com/

American Woodmark is a Winchester, Virginia based cabinet manufacturing plant founded in 1980. They offer over 500 KCMA certified cabinet styles nationwide under four major brands: American Woodmark®, Shenandoah Cabinetry®, Timberlake® Cabinetry, and Waypoint® Living Spaces. The four principles which guide their actions are Customer Satisfaction, Integrity, Teamwork, and Excellence. The American Woodmark brand operates 9 manufacturing facilities across the United States, two of which are located in Kennesaw, GA and Toccoa, GA. American Woodmark is currently the 3rd largest provider of cabinetry products in North America, and is also a preferred cabinet provider for both Lowes and Home Depot.

In 1995, AW launched the American Woodmark Foundation, an employee-run organization that coordinated the company’s charitable giving activities. The AMF’s primary giving areas include education, housing, fire and safety, domestic violence, and providing funds for operating expenses. “Our employees understand the value of being good neighbors. The American Woodmark family believes that when we reach out a hand to help others, everyone benefits.”

As well as charitable giving, AW is committed to conducting business in a manner than protects the environment and safeguards public health and safety. They have received certification from the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s Environmental Stewardship Program on all of their products. By working with suppliers, the company encourages sustainable forestry practices.

Just 6 years after its founding, American Woodmark went public with a $18.75 million initial public offering under the ticker AMWD. Following the IPO, the company expanded their product line and sales topped $100 million for the first time, reaching $116 million. In January 2007, AMWD stock had hit an all-time high at 45.23 with a volume of 2.73M. Then just like other businesses in America, they felt the repercussions of the housing bubble burst. For several years the company climbed back up the charts as the economic climate continued to change. Today, American Woodmark is more profitable than ever. Net sales in 2017 topped a billion dollars - a 9% increase from the past fiscal year.

AW’s Stephens County plant is located in the Meadowbrook Industrial Park behind Grace Baptist Church. This plant was established in 1988 and has created nearly 100 jobs to date. The Toccoa facility focuses on flat stock production, a component for side panel shelves, tops and bottoms. Then the components are shipped to other American Woodmark facilities, where they then complete the assembly process. Recently, they made a million dollar investment in a new top of the line piece of machinery to keep their processes and technology current.

For 30 years the American Woodmark Toccoa facility has played a key part in creating jobs for our residents and has spurred economic growth in Stephens County. We are grateful to be called home for an outstanding and underappreciated business in our region.

For additional questions or career opportunities at American Woodmark visit their website or leave a comment below.

Industry Spotlight: Nifco KTW

2017-09-05T09:35:00.002-04:00

Company: Nifco KTW
Located in Stephens County: 2015
Address: 325 Hammerstone Drive, Toccoa, Georgia
Company Website: http://www.nifcoktw.com/en#start

Nifco KTW has been the source of a considerable buzz around Toccoa-Stephens County for the past year, and for good reason. The company announced their intent to locate their American headquarters here in 2015 which would include creating 200 jobs and investing $27 million within the first 5 years. But before 2015, the two companies had very different backgrounds.

Nifco KTW is made up of two separate entities – Nifco of Japan and KTW of Germany. Nifco is originally based out of Tokyo, Japan and was founded in 1967. Since then, they have expanded into 17 countries including 7 locations here in the U.S., the first of which opened in 1987. While there were already 7 Nifco factories located in America, Stephens County is home to the first Nifco KTW.

KTW was founded in 1997 in Weißenburg Bayern, Germany, where they focused on interior and exterior plastic components and employ over 570 people.

In 2014, Nifco acquired the KTW Group in Germany and became Nifco KTW. The core function of the combined company is manufacturing plastic components, but most notably key plastic components for the interiors and exteriors of several vehicles, including Ford, Nissan, Jaguar, Land Rover. The Stephens County plant focuses on BMW and Mercedes Benz who have manufacturing plants in South Carolina and Alabama respectively.

The company broke ground in 2015 on a 130,000 square foot building on 32 acres of Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development land in the Hayestone Brady Business Park. Within a year, the land had been prepared, the building was constructed, and the equipment was ready to be installed. Governor Nathan Deal and the heads of Nifco and KTW traveled to Stephens County for the grand opening of Nifco KTW in April 2017. Since then, they have found so much success that they had to start their first expansion by May. The 70,000 square foot expansion includes manufacturing and office space along with 50 more jobs.

The company has created more than 150 jobs in Stephens County to date. By 2018, they also plan to be producing components for Daimler, a company based in Germany that manufactures Mercedes Benz and Smart vehicles. To view career openings, visit their website and the GA DOL webstie.

While Nifco KTW is a large company who has had a significant impact on Stephens County, there are still countless local companies whose community influence needs recognition. Stay tuned for our monthly Industry Spotlight the first Monday of every month!

Thinking Beyond County Lines

2017-08-10T16:36:00.000-04:00

Every year, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs hosts the Georgia Academy for Economic Development for each region in Georgia. It is estimated that over 7,000 professionals have graduated from the program since its founding in 1993. This program is unique in that it does not only caters to professional economic developers, rather it welcomes all citizens who want to learn about economic development and foster growth in their communities.

This year we sent our newest Administrative Assistant, Elizabeth Jones, to the Academy to connect with our regional leaders and hopefully learn a thing or two. Today she is going to share some things she learned in the first class.

"I didn't have many expectations for the first day of my Academy class. I knew there would be some professional economic developers in attendance, but only one other person was going from Stephens County. To my surprise, there were people from many different professions; pastors, mayors, business people, librarians, and local leaders.

We started off the class like any other self-respecting class, by taking a personality test. This particular one was called "Mind Design" and was developed by Robert Black for this program. The 4 personality categories were "Meditative", "Intuitive", "Directive", and "Negotiative". "Meditatives" are the logical bunch who like facts and analysis. "Intuitives" are visual and creative, who like to see the bottom line and make decisions. "Directives" are the procedural and timely ones who like to follow the rules and complete every step. "Negotiatives" are the ones with all the feelings, they like to connect and work best in groups.

To no surprise, I was almost completely split between "Intuitive" and "Meditative". I am creative and like visuals but there is always logic behind every decision and a "right way to do things". Out of the class, it was evenly split between the other 3 groups, with the largest group being our "Intuitives". We had some great discussion and realizations on how ones personality affects others. Our strengths are others weaknesses and our weaknesses are their strengths. Something that satisfies our basic needs may be a potential obstacle to another. But together, we can compliment each other and understand how to work (or live) with someone of a different temperament. You can read more about the styles on Robert's website.

Our next (and most challenging) activity had no direction, we were just told to "WIN AS MUCH $ AS YOU CAN." We split into tables and were told to pick between two letters, and if everyone picks A, everyone wins $1. If B is picked by some, A's would loose $1 and B's would win $2.

Our brains told us "YOU" meant your table, so people would choose B in the hopes they would win the most amount of money for themselves. If we had interpreted "YOU" to mean the entire room - "win as much money as possible so that everyone wins", we all would have won $88. Instead, the highest scoring table only won $12 and the lowest scoring table was -$44.

The morale of the story was each table represented a community group. One of the tables was the development authority, one was the City, one was Public Works, one was ______ (insert whatever institution you want). When we only think of our own small section of the world, we miss out on the opportunities working together can bring.

But how much easier is that to say in class than to actually carry out? I think it is going to take intentional effort to start thinking beyond our own door frame.

We need to stop thinking it's us versus them. Whether "them" is a department, your city, your county, or the next county over. When one in our region succeeds, we ALL succeed - that's what I learned."

Hayestone Brady Business Park: 1997 v. 2017

2017-07-03T12:17:00.001-04:00

A great deal can happen in 20 years.

20 years ago the movie Titanic had just premiered, Dolly the sheep was cloned, OJ Simpson was put on trial, and Harry Potter was still unpublished.

In 1997, 425 acres of Stephens County farm land were purchased by the Stephens County Development Authority located between Toccoa and Lavonia on Hwy 17 (now Old Hwy 17). Those acres would later become the county's 4th industrial park; the Hayestone Brady Business Park.

Hayestone Brady Business Park in 1997

Since then, activity has boomed. North Georgia Technical College constructed their Currahee campus, Sage Automotive Interiors moved into the Milliken plant, geotextile manufacturer Crown Resources relocated, Nifco KTW built their American headquarters, and the four lane GA Hwy 17 was completed all on or adjacent to those 425 acres.

In 2009, the Hayestone Brady Business Park was named Georgia Ready for Accelerated development by the State of Geogria, one of only 30 certified sites in the state. In an ongoing effort to make Stephens County a more prestigious site for industrial developers, the SCDA voted to file an application in 2013 with the State of Georgia to make the park and adjacent properties an enterprise zone. Locating a business in an enterprise zone has many benefits including tax various credits. These zones are designed to stimulate business growth and job creation in rural communities.

Hayestone Brady Business Park in 2017

These 425 acres provide a place for industries to establish a successful business, who partner with Stephens County and the City of Toccoa to provide a flourishing business ready environment. The last 20 years have included tremendous strides in developing this business park and the SCDA looks forward to continuing to create a thriving business park that brings value and business to our community.

Learn more about the Hayestone Brady Business Park on our website.

Drag the bar below to inspect the differences between the 1997 park and the current 2017 park. You can view a larger version in your browser of the comparison pictures.

City of Toccoa's 2016 Water Quality Report

2017-06-20T14:49:00.001-04:00

Clean drinking water is one of the most vital factors in city's ecosystem. The United States has one of the cleanest and most reliable source of drinking water across the globe. In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to protect public health, including by regulating public water systems. This act requires the EPA to establish and enforce standards that public drinking water systems must comply with. You can read about the regulations on the EPA's website where they cover things such as microorgansms, disinfectants, and inorganic chemicals. About 90% of people in the U.S. rely on water from regulated systems, the other 10% use private wells which are not regulated under the SDWA. People who use private wells need to take precautions to ensure their drinking water is safe. Learn more about private wells on the EPA website.

The City of Toccoa's Water Department provides water to over 10,000 customers and serves in excess 40,000 people. They also export water to two cities, one in Stephens County and one in Habersham County, as well as two adjacent counties, Franklin County and Banks Countyernate approximately 2.5 miles north of the city, which is supplemented by pumping water from Davidson Creek and Lake Yonah.

The City of Toccoa recently released their 2016 Drinking Water Quality Report. But why should you care? How does this report impact you and your household?

This is the 19th edition of COT's water quality report. In 2016, they treated 1.36 billion gallons. They performed over 47,320 chemical analyses and 3,552 microbiological tests.

The most important term on this report is MCL. MCL is the maximum contaminant level which is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed. How do you know if your drinking water is safe? It's simpler than it seems - compare the Amount Detected to the Maximum Contaminant Level.

For Copper, the Amount Detected is only 1.3% of the maximum level allowed where they detected 160 ppb and the maximum level allowed is 1300 ppb. This means copper is not an issue. Fluoride was detected at .81 ppm (parts per million) when the max level is 4.0 ppm, which can most likely be attributed to corrosion of household plumbing systems.

The most astounding and reassuring figure on this report is the Lead detection. When it comes to paint or water, the word 'lead' brings fear. Thankfully, the City of Toccoa detected no lead in our water system, even though the MCL is 15 ppb - so we can all rest easy.

Turbidity is how water cloudiness is measured - which has a different measurements than the above substances. It is a factor we hardly notice because we are numb to the clearness of our drinking water, but some developing and third world countries have to resort to drinking water that has the cloudiness of Lake Hartwell. In the 2016 report, the amount detected was 100%, meaning the 100% of the samples were below 0.3 NTU. The smallest turbidity the human eye can see is 5 NTU and our water is currently below 0.3. Our water meets 100% of the EPA's standard.

Making 1.36 billion gallons of water drinkable is no easy task, and yet in every category, the City of Toccoa's water supply is significantly under the MCL. Our city does an incredible job at getting our citizens and our industries the clean water they need.

You can view and download the report on The City of Toccoa's Website. In an effort to keep out valued customers informed about our water utilities, tours are offered throughout the year and can be arranged by calling John Estes at 706-282-3264.

Ritenour Recieves Saftey and Instructor Certification for Global Tank and Tower

2016-03-17T13:26:00.000-04:00

Local company Global Tank and Tower, LLC has been in Toccoa a little over a year now and they are already having an impact on our local economy and workforce. Last week they shared with us that through working with the Stephens County Development Authority and the Georgia Mountains Workforce Development office, they were able to help employee, Tim Ritenour, receive certification for Tower Climbing Safety and Rescue and In-House Instructor/Trainer.

Dan Thornton, Adult-DW Case Manager with the Georgia Mountains Workforce Development office said, “The Georgia Mountains Workforce Development office was excited to be able to assist Global Tank and Tower and Tim Ritenour in achieving this Certification for "Tower Climbing Safety and Rescue" and for "In-House Instructor/Trainer". Workforce Development was able to reimburse a large portion of the tuition cost for this certification training through the Incumbent Worker Training program grant.

The Incumbent Worker Training grant is designed to provide funding assistance to qualifying Georgia for-profit business to provide skills training to full-time, permanent company workers. The training must be a business necessity that will enhance companies' abilities to compete in global economies, expand present markets, and help ensure the permanency (layoff aversion) of business in Georgia. For the worker, the training will upgrade present work skills, heighten job security, provide marketable skills, and increase the possibilities for higher wages and promotional opportunities".

Global Tank and Tower LLC. is a professional company offering high quality construction and maintenance services in the broadcast, microwave, and cellular industries. They place the highest emphasis on customer satisfaction in all aspects of their services. The job is not complete until they have earned their customer's full vote of confidence by providing dependable personalized service. They offer telecommunication and broadcast system installations on water tanks. cell towers, rooftops, and steeples.

Sark Wire is Shipping from Toccoa-Stephens County

2015-12-23T14:50:00.000-05:00

Sark Wire announced they had shipped their first local manufactured product from their Toccoa Plant earlier this week.

According to a new promotional video, their new Toccoa Plant gives them a presence in the Southeastern United States that allows them to ship anywhere in the United States in 24 hours. To learn more about Toccoa's newest up and running industry please watch this video.

ASI Southeast is Making Progress on Their Expansion

2015-12-02T14:35:00.000-05:00

The ASI Southeast, formally known as Gem Industries, expansion announced earlier this year has begun to take shape despite the weather. Over 91,000 cubic yards of dirt have been moved along with a fair amount of rock. The 112,000 square foot building constructed and designed by the J. Davis team started earlier this year and has current plans to be completed before March 2016. Joel Davis, president of J. Davis Construction, a full service GA Licensed General Contractor says “We love working for ASI Southeast and in North Georgia. They are perfect customers. The entire process from starting the design through working with all of the governing agencies has been a great experience. We were honored to have been selected for this project and look forward to further opportunities to serve the area.”

ASI Southeast manufactures and distributes the highest quality and widest selection of Washroom Accessories, Toilet Partitions and Lockers in the world. They employ over 1,000 people, with the largest group being located in Stephens County, GA, USA. “ASI Southeast is proud to be working with the J Davis company on the new expansion as we continue our growth in Toccoa Stephens County”, said Doug Hitchon, Executive Vice President & Chief Operations Officer for ASI Southeast. “We echo Joel’s sentiments that the City and County government in Toccoa-Stephens County are strong partners to our business and the leadership of the Stephens County Development Authority works for the citizens to establish itself as one of the best in the state of Georgia.”

“It’s exciting to see the progress being made on ASI’s expansion project”, Brian Akin, Chairman of the SCDA said. “Any time an established industry is growing and making new investments in the community, there is certainly reason for excitement. All of us at the SCDA look forward to seeing this project come to fruition and doing our part to ensure that ASI continues to be successful in Stephens County.” Stephens County Development Authority is a constitutional development authority in the state of Georgia to encourage and support expansion and development of industrial and commercial facilities in Stephens County, Georgia so as to promote employment. Learn more at scda.biz.

Stephens County Graduates from the Georgia Academy for Economic Development

2015-11-23T09:01:00.000-05:00

The Board of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development announces Stephens County graduates from the 2015 Region 2 Multi-Day Training Program. Class participants represented a number of professional and non-professional economic development fields, including elected officials, public servants, business leaders, educators, and social service providers from 13 counties in Region 2 Georgia. The Academy provided each of the graduates an opportunity to gain a unique understanding of the complexities of economic and community development on the local, regional, and state levels.

Stephens County graduates at the November 19 ceremony included:Deborah Gibby, Rick Phillips, Clay Fisher, Julie Paysen, and Tammy Riddle pictured with
Pat Merritt (Georgia EMC), Rope Roberts (Georgia Power Co.) and
Brian Dill (Georgia Department of Community Affairs)

Created in 1993, the Academy assembles a cross section of economic development professionals and resources to provide this training in all twelve service delivery regions in Georgia. The Board of Directors of the Academy represent public and private economic development organizations and agencies from across Georgia. Since its organization, the Academy has provided training for thousands of professional and non-professional economic developers around the state, and since 1998 the Academy has been offered annually. Georgia EMC and Georgia Power provide facilitators for the program, and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs provides staff support to this important program.

“One of the goals for the multi-day regional Academies is to encourage multi-county cooperation,” says Corinne Thornton, Director of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development. “Many times the participants discover the issues facing their community are the same as those facing other communities in their region, and can then combine limited resources to address the issue.”

The Academy’s multi-day program, taught one day a month over a four-month period, includes training in the basics of economic and community development, plus specialized segments on business recruitment and retention, tourism product development, downtown development, planning, and other essentials for community success. In addition, the curriculum features specific leadership skills such as consensus building, ethics in public service, collaborative leadership and other segments needed for effective community leadership in economic development. Local elected officials may receive certification training credits through the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association for completion of this program.

The next Region 2 Georgia Academy for Economic Development will begin in August 2016. For more information on this, please contact Kathy Papa at 770-362-7078 or by email at Kathy.papa@dca.ga.gov

Stephens County Receives Award For Small Community Deal Of The Year By The Georgia Economic Developers Association

2015-11-18T11:40:00.000-05:00

The Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA) recognized the Stephens County Development Authority for an “outstanding achievement in the location/expansion of business in Georgia.” Stephens County was recognized because of the NIFCO KTW project.

Lonnie Smallwood & Nico Wijnberg, State Project Manager; Bryan Kelley, Vice President NIfCO America; Tim Martin, SCDA; Commissioner Gretchen Corbin,Technical College System of Georgia; Reiner Sagenmueller, Plant Manager; Brian Akin, SCDA

“As if the addition of Nifco-KTW to our community was not exciting enough, receiving the GEDA's Deal of the Year Award for our efforts on this project is certainly something the SCDA and Toccoa-Stephens County can be proud of. Everyone at the Development Authority's table is committed to bringing continued economic development to our great county, and this award is a testament to that fact. I cannot offer enough gratitude to Tim, Brittany, my fellow board members, and the other leaders in the city and county for their efforts on this project. This is only the start of many great things to come for Toccoa-Stephens County!" Brian Akin, SCDA Chairman

"We are excited, Nifco/KTW, selected Toccoa Stephens County as their North American Headquarters. Their investment and the teamwork of our City, Chamber, Stephens County Development Authority, and our County, has provided a great boost to the economic atmosphere of our community. We are blessed to receive the Georgia Deal of the Year from, GEDA. Our leaders are focused on providing excellent employment opportunities to our community, as we focus on the future of Toccoa and Stephens County.” Clay Fisher, Chamber of Commerce Chairman

The plastic injection molding automotive parts manufacturer will invest $27.3 million to construct a 130,000 square-foot facility on a 32 acre site in Stephens County. This will be the company’s North American headquarters and will create 200 jobs over the next five years.

This is now the eighth year that GEDA has recognized the major projects from the previous year. In what has become a major portion of the Annual Awards Ceremony – GEDA recognizes recipients in four categories:

SMALL – a county with population 50,000 and under,
MID-SIZE – a county with population 50,001 – 100,000,
LARGE – a county with population over 100,000,
REGIONAL – any multi-county effort

"There were 400 deals in the state of Georgia this year. To be recognized by our peers as the Deal of the Year is truly a humbling experience. Our County, City, Chamber of Commerce & SCDA pulled together to bring this deal to fruition. It is truly an honor to be a part of this team." Dennis Bell, County Commission Chairman

“We are pleased and blessed beyond measure to be recognized as making the Deal of the Year. We welcome NIfCO KTW to our growing international business community. We are excited that the state leaders recognize Stephens County by promoting us as a prime destination for companies to locate their business. This is a great win for Stephens County.” Chuck Wright, SCDA Treasurer

“We are excited about this special recognition and proud to partner with NIfCO KTW. It's our hope this exposure throughout the state will lead to additional development opportunities and jobs for our community."Terry Carter, Toccoa Mayor

“The Lord provided our community with a tremendous amount of harmonizing guidance that led to this deal. So many did so much to make this happen. I was very proud to be a part of this, and North Georgia Tech looks forward to a long relationship with Nifco/KTW from the standpoint of workforce development. It was an amazing team effort which I feel justified the “Deal of the Year” recognition.”

Greg Roach, NGTC Currahee Campus Director

The Deal of the Year Awards recognize outstanding achievement in the location of new businesses or expansion of existing firms in the state of Georgia that meet community economic development goals and involve significant community program support, such as financial or permitting assistance, workforce development, state financial support, etc.

Sark-USA Expands in Stephens County

2015-05-28T10:38:00.004-04:00

Sark Wire Corporation, part of Sarkuysan (“SARK”) Group of Companies, is pleased to announce that its second Copper wire manufacturing/distribution facility in the United States will be on stream in Toccoa.

Sark Wire Building, formally known as the Eddy West Building, is located in Meadowbrook Industrial Park.

“SARK is excited to be expanding our operations into the Southeast,” said Sarkuysan Chairman. “The state of Georgia has lived up to their reputation of having a favorable business climate and Toccoa-Stephens County has already made us feel so at home. We know our business will continue to thrive in our new location.”

Stephens County Commission Chair Dennis Bell said he is proud to welcome Sark Wire into the community.

“Sark Wire will be a real asset to our community and I believe one of the events that is the beginning of economic growth for Stephens County,” said Bell. “I personally thank God for the blessings of these new jobs for the citizens of Stephens County.”

Meanwhile, Toccoa Mayor Terry Carter echoed that welcome.

“Toccoa’s life blood has always revolved around industry and trade,” said Carter. “We extend our thanks to SARK for giving us the opportunity to prove that the citizens of Toccoa-Stephens County are reliable and talented. We appreciate SARK for choosing to make Toccoa home for its new facility. The city of Toccoa is committed to providing quality public service which will make this a profitable decision for all concerned.”

SARK is a publicly owned Turkish entity with annual gross sales revenue in excess of $1.2 billion, consisting of several companies serving wire and cable industries for over 43 years, employing 750 people worldwide, and being Turkey’s largest copper wire manufacturing company.

The company’s first U.S.-based manufacturing plant was established in 2009 in Albany, New York.

Stephens County Development Authority Chairman Brian Akin said that the Authority is very happy that Sark Wire has chosen Stephens County for its second U.S. location.

“The SCDA is serious about its desire and commitment to attract world-class employers to our community and Sark Wire fits the mold perfectly,” said Akin. “They have already demonstrated their desire to be a good corporate citizen that will invest in the local community. It has been a true pleasure to become acquainted with Sark Wire’s leadership team over the past several months and we look forward to a long-lasting relationship.”

Sark USA said it has been successfully offering SARK products in North America and will continue to serve its clients with improved lead times and a wider variety of products through this new facility in Stephens County.

Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce Chairman Greg Roach said that the Chamber looks forward to a long relationship with Sark Wire.

“It has been a delight to work with the SARK executives during this selection process,” said Roach. “Here in Toccoa-Stephens County, we are truly honored to be one of the first communities in Georgia to welcome a Turkish company. We know they will find our community to be a true home for them. The Chamber of Commerce is eager to work with them in any way possible to help them integrate into the community.”

SARK will work with agencies including the Georgia Department of Labor through the hiring and recruitment process in the coming weeks and months in order to get the facility open.

Adams Building Supply Hosts Ribbon Cuttting

2015-04-17T10:57:00.003-04:00

Store Owner Romeo Adams is pictured with employees and several excited community members as he cuts the Ribbon at their newest operation.

A new building supply store opens its doors to the community. Adams Building Supplies had its Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting Thursday to celebrate its grand opening. Adams Building Supplies in Toccoa will be their fourth chain, there are also stores in Hartwell, Abbeville, South Carolina, and Clinton, South Carolina.

Toccoa Store Manager Rick Hackney said Adams is looking to meet the needs of area builders and contractors, along with the rest of the public. “We are mainly a contractor yard,” said Hackney. “We keep a premium grade of lumber and framing materials, also high-end tools, really just a better grade of material. Everybody can sell the cheap stuff, but we though we would better serve the public by selling a better grade of material.”

Adams Building Supplies in Toccoa is located at 2545 Big A Road in the old Poly Steel building, next to where Fred’s used to be located.

The hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon.

The phone number for Adams Building Supplies in Toccoa is 706-898-5600.

ASI Breaks Ground on New Facility

2014-12-12T10:56:00.005-05:00

Officials Present: Tammy Caudell, Regional Project Manager GDEcD;
Doug Hitchon, ASI Exective VP & COO; Toccoa Mayor Gail Fry; Peter Rolla,
ASI President, State Senator John Wilkinson; Tim Martin, SCDA, Barry
Roberts, ASI Director of Operations; Stephens County Commissioner Chair
Dean Scarborough; Julie Paysen Chamber of Commerce President and State
Representative Dan Gasaway.

Local company officials broke ground on December 3 on a new facility at ASI Plastics, formly known as GEM Plastics in the Meadowbrook Industrial Park.

The addition is planned to be a 110,000 square foot facility. The expansion represents a $10 million investment and will create about 25 new jobs.

Company President Peter Rolla said the company has done well in Georgia and credits the strong relationship with the local and state government for that. Mr. Rolla said that Stephens County Development Authority Executive Director Tim Martin, played a very instrumental role in the discussions that lead to this expansion in Stephens County.

“Toilet partitions, accessories, and lockers have been very, very good to me, for us, Toccoa, Stephens County, and Georgia,” said Rolla. “GEM has been here for about 50 years and throughout those years, we have experienced steady growth.”

Stephens County Development Authority Executive Director Tim Martin said the Rolla family has always led a strong business that has allowed this growth to happen. “There is verse in Proverbs, Chapter 24,” said Martin. “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts. That is certainly what has happened in this company in this place.”

Toccoa Mayor Gail Fry said this is a great day for the community as leaders continue to try to make Stephens County the best place in Georgia to do business. “That is what we are doing by investing in our community, investing in the businesses that are already here, and when a business that is already here decides it wants to expand and create jobs, that tells us we are doing something right,” said Fry.

Meanwhile, Stephens County Commission Chairman Dean Scarborough said the employees deserve a lot of the credit for this expansion in Stephens County. “Your work ethic and what you mean to this company lets them know they can expand,” said Scarborough. “You folks are the bedrock of this company in this community. Thank you for helping us helping Mr. Rolla expand his company.”

Company Executive Vice President and COO Doug Hitchon said the company is excited about the opportunity to continue the company’s strong growth in Toccoa and Stephens County. “Thank you for being a part of that future and creating the environment and for having the relationships with us,” said Hitchon. “None of us do this on our own. This is an ‘us’ thing. It will benefit us.”

Hitchon also thanked the team of employees at the company for their efforts and letting him be a part of their team.

The expansion will be complete at the end of 2015 and the company will move its Highway 123 operations into the expansion. Then, the company will donate the existing Highway 123 building to Stephens County government for its use.

Meanwhile, the company also announced it will be changing its name to ASI to align all of its brands under the same banner. That means local companies will now become known as ASI Southeast, ASI Global Partitions, ASI Plastics, and ASI Storage Solutions.

Tiny House on Wheels

2014-12-02T08:37:00.000-05:00

Have you seen Kokoon Homes Steel SIPs, “Tiny House on Wheels” driving around town? This 8’ X 20’ tiny house on wheels is the creation of Toccoan Dave Rades and comes in three basic roof lines and is designed for full time living.

The shell is soy foam insulated and weather tight and is ready to be finished as the consumer likes. The factory painted steel roof comes in five colors and has an industry first, 10 year warranty. Kokoon exclusive innovations include a retractable 4’ X 7’ rear covered porch, a double floor inside that allows all water lines and electrical service to be installed easily before final interior sheetrock or wood walls are in place.

A small affordable 115 volt AC/heat unit can keep this unit comfy year round. Any full size pickup can tow this with no special permits necessary. Many in the tiny homes community want to build theirs from the ground up. The base price of the trailer frame is $4,750.00. A basic insulated shell trailer can be purchased for $ 11,835. 60 – $13,291.60.
For further details please contact KoKoon Homes, 226 Elberton Street, Toccoa, GA 30577, www.kokoonhomes.com or Amy Griggs at amyg@kokoonhomes.com or706-244-0162.

Stephens County Graduates from the Georgia Academy for Economic Training

2014-11-24T16:48:00.001-05:00

The Board of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development announces Stephens County graduates from the 2014 Region 2 Multi-Day Training Program. Class participants represented a number of professional and non-professional economic development fields, including elected officials, public servants, business leaders, educators, and social service providers from 13 counties in Region 2 Georgia. The Academy provided each of the graduates an opportunity to gain a unique understanding of the complexities of economic and community development on the local, regional, and state levels.

Stephens County graduates are Chuck Wright, Debbie Whitlock, Tug Carter, Brittany Ivey, Gail Fry, and Brian Akin. They are pictured with Pat Merritt (Georgia EMC Facilitator), Dennis Chastain (Georgia Academy for Economic Development Board) and Rope Roberts (Georgia Power Facilitator).

Currahee Club: Georgia's Number 1 Golf Course

2014-11-05T10:47:00.003-05:00

Currahee Club's Jim Fazio designed course has been named the number 1 best golf club in Georgia and included in the top 100 courses in the nation list for 2015.

Currahee Club was selected by the Georgia Golf Course Owners/Operators Association (GGCOA) as its 2014 Club of the Year. Matt Brown, GGCOA’s Executive Director said that “with 7,513 yards from the tees, significant elevation drops, bentgrass greens, over 250 acres of ‘golf course’ and 9 miles of cart paths to maintain, Currahee Club is a significant agronomic challenge.” Brown continued, “what Andrew and his team have done at Currahee Club in such a short period of time is very impressive. I have had the pleasure to work very closely with Andrew over the years, and it is quite apparent that his vision and leadership are helping to make Currahee Club one of the premier destinations in the SE USA.”

Currahee Club will now compete with other prestigious golf courses in the nation. The 2014 National Course of the Year will be announced at the National Golf Course Owners Association Annual Conference held in February.

“Everyone at Currahee Club is beyond thrilled to receive these outstanding recognitions of our course and club,” said Andrew Ward, managing partner at Currahee Club. “At Currahee, we strive to set the standard for real estate and golf communities, not just in the Southeast, but across the nation. These recognitions show what our members and residents have known all along- that the Currahee lifestyle is extraordinary.”

In addition to this award, Currahee Club was also picked by Southern Living Magazine to become one of only 7 Southern Living Inspired Communities in America.

SCDA Recognizes Outgoing Board Members

2014-06-10T15:00:00.001-04:00

Three SCDA board members are completing their terms on the SCDA Board. Brian Akin was recognized for his year of service as the chairman of the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce. Tim Ash and Barry Roberts are completing their county appointments. Greg Roach is the incoming chamber chairman and will take the chamber of commerce position on the SCDA Board in July. Stephens County Commissioners are expected to name the replacements for Tim and Barry later this month.
(Pictured left to right are Tim Martin, SCDA executive director, Dean Scarborough County Commission Chairman and SCDA Board Chairman, Barry Roberts, Tim Ash, and Brian Akin.)

Solar Panels Up & Running for Georgia Power

2014-04-25T10:41:00.000-04:00

The solar panels are located in the area of Turner and Wolf Pit roads.

Development Authority Executive Director Tim Martin said that the panels were turned on and began producing 700 kilowatts of electricity to send to the Georgia Power grid on Tuesday morning.

Martin said it is part of an initiative by Georgia Power to increase solar power usage.

“Georgia Power Company wanted to increase the percentage in their portfolio of all sources of electricity, they wanted more solar,” said Martin. “So they created this advanced solar initiative and we became part of that.”

United Renewable Energy of Alpharetta, Georgia actually built and is running the solar panel farm.

URE leases the land where the solar panels sit from the Development Authority.

Martin said he feels participating in this project has a couple of different benefits for Stephens County.

“We own this land,” said Martin. “It was doing a good job of holding the world together, but nothing else. It was not productive. Now, with this addition to our community, it is in productive use.”

He also said it is exciting to be a part of the future that is solar power.

Martin said that the initiative was so popular in its first year that Georgia Power is selecting more sites to install more solar panels and grow the program.

He said Stephens County has submitted a number of sites for Georgia Power to consider.

“We have submitted the balance of our property out at that site for this round of consideration,” said Martin. “The other site that we did present (was) our roof mount, the rooftop at Stephens County High School.”

Martin said they hope to hear in late May or early June whether Stephens County has additional sites selected for more solar panels.

By: Charlie Bauder, WNEG

Toccoa-Stephens Co. One of “Four for the Future”

2014-04-10T10:59:00.002-04:00

Toccoa and Stephens County are receiving recognition for the “Toccoa-Stephens County Tomorrow” program.

Earlier this week, the city and county were recognized by Georgia Trend magazine and the University of Georgia’s Public Service and Outreach division with a “Four for the Future” award.

Georgia Trend magazine says the award is designed to recognize communities that are working across the public and private sectors and nonprofit boundaries on challenging issues that will improve quality of life, economic development, and community well-being.

Stephens County Commission Chairman Dean Scarborough and Toccoa Mayor Gail Fry, along with others, recently received the award on behalf of Toccoa and Stephens County.

Scarborough said it is quite an honor.

“There were only four awards for the whole state, so we are happy to receive that,” said Scarborough.

“Toccoa-Stephens County Tomorrow” is a privately funded effort that is being done in conjunction with the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce and the Fanning Institute from the University of Georgia.

The program looks at and focuses efforts on issues such as education, economic development, land use, that the community has expressed an interest in through focus groups and other comments.

Other recipients of this year’s “Four for the Future” award include Covington and Newton County, Cairo and Grady County, and Adel and Cook County.

WNEG

NGTC Announces State SkillsUSA Winners, Participants

2014-04-03T09:52:00.004-04:00

Five North Georgia Technical College students will participate in the National SkillsUSA competition later this year after winning at the state level.

Those five, who won their competitions at the state SkillsUSA competition in March, are Patrick Bell of Cornelia in CNC Milling Technology, Adreona Howard of Toccoa in Criminal Justice, Jacob Hester of Cleveland in First Aid/CPR, Austin Duley of Toccoa in Marine Service Technology, and Georgia Zumwalt of Jefferson in Photography.

They will represent North Georgia Technical College at the 50th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City in June.

SkillsUSA is a national career and technical student organization with chapters at high schools and colleges across the country.

The five state winners led a strong showing by North Georgia Tech at the State SkillsUSA competition.

This year, 40 students from 15 programs at the college competed and a total of 26 medals were won.

The contests are planned by technical committees made up of representatives of labor and management in the industries and are designed to test the skills needed for a successful entry-level performance in given occupational fields. As part of that, safety practices and procedures are judged and graded and constitute a portion of a contestant’s score.

North Georgia Technical College President Dr. Gail Thaxton said the college’s students did an outstanding job representing themselves, their instructors, and North Georgia Tech.

Thaxton also thanked the school’s faculty and staff for their dedication and enthusiasm, pushing and pulling the best from the students to get them to this point.

Placing second in their competitions were Ashley Jordan of Martin in CNC Turning Technology, Daniel Rico of Lavonia in Electrical Construction Wiring, Frank Johnson of Clayton in HVAC, James Fryery of Lula in Industrial Motor Control, James Biddy of Armuchee in Marine Service Technology, and Frank Zayas of Buford in Photography.

Students who achieved third place included Keith Garrett of Clarkesville in Welding; Travis Schmitt of Patterson in Marine Service Technology, Haley Shuler of Gainesville in Medical Assisting, and Austin Giles of Cleveland in Precision Machining Technology. Three teams also placed third in their contests: the Welding Fabrication team consisting of Nikolaus Adams of Eastanollee, Kevin Cyr of Gainesville, and Blake Nelms of Royston; the Crime Scene Investigation team consisting of Selena Forrester of Hartwell, Karla Orozco of Baldwin, and Gabriel Orozco of Clarkesville; and the Health Knowledge Bowl team consisting of Rebecka Hopper of Rabun Gap, Stephanie Murphy of Clarkesville, Jamie Shirley of Mt. Airy, and Marle Quinn of Clarkesville.

Full Article

Milestone Monday SR 17 Beam Setting

2014-03-31T16:00:00.000-04:00

The first set of beams for the new Highway 17 bridge over Eastanollee Creek are in place after being set on Monday.

Georgia Department of Transportation Spokesperson Teri Pope said crews completed all of the work that was planned for Monday without any major problems.

“We set all six beams that we had planned to set,” said Pope. “It went well. The beams did arrive later than expected because they got caught in Atlanta traffic, but they did get there shortly after lunch and we were able to set all six beams as planned.”

The pre-stressed concrete bridge beams are 127 feet long and six feet tall.

Pope said each beam was custom designed for one place in this bridge, like a puzzle piece that will only fit in one place.

She said at some point, more beams will have to be set as the bridge construction continues.

The construction of this new bridge over Eastanollee Creek is part of the larger project to make Highway 17 a four-lane highway from Memorial Drive in Toccoa to the Stephens-Franklin County line.

Work started last Fall and Pope said that the DOT hopes crews will make significant progress through the construction season this Spring and Summer.

“We are hoping you are going to see a lot more progress a lot more rapidly on the 17 widening project,” said Pope. “We want to remind you that it is a work zone and all fines are doubled in work zones. Please remember to slow down and obey all of those traffic rules as you drive through the work zone.”

Construction of the new, four-lane Highway 17 is scheduled to be complete by May 31, 2016.