Welcome to ON TARGET, Graves County Economic Development's (GCED) bi-monthly newsletter. Here you can learn economic development updates, projects, and upcoming events. In this edition of ON TARGET we'll discuss recent events, project updates, and what we're looking forward to in the future.

Past Months' Announcements

September

GCED attended the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC) conference and served on a panel discussion about the Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPDI) awards for GCED including $110,000 for a 150,000 square foot pad, a 150,000 square foot speculative building, and improvement of a 50 acre site by grading a 500,000 square foot pad. The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development (KCED) and the Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED) worked to make KPDI possible. Please click on the links below to learn more about these organizations.

We celebrated the service of our board members and welcomed new members and officers! We thanked Mr. Brad Dame for his service and commitment as Chairman for the past four years. His term as chair concluded at the end of September. Mr. Ricky Binkley is the new Chairman. We welcomed Mrs. Sally Hopkins as the new Vice Chair of the board. Mr. Matt Scoggins has assumed the role of the Secretary/Treasurer. Mr. Richard Heath served GCED dutifully since 2013 and his term expired at the end of September. Mr. John Anderson served the board for five years, WK&T holds a standing position on the GCED board which was held by Mr. Trevor Bonnstetter since 2015, Mr. Kevin Wiggins has stepped into that seat, and Mrs. Shea Weaks has served for the past two years. Thank you for your service to GCED and this community. We welcomed Mr. Stephen Powell, Mr. Kevin Wiggins, Mr. Justin Suiter, and Mr. Gavin Williams to the board at their first meeting on November 21st.

Recognition of Service to Mr. Richard Heath

Recognition of Service to Chairman Brad Dame

Recognition of Service to Mr. John Anderson

October

GCED hosted our fifth plant managers' roundtable for the leadership in our business and industry. West Kentucky Rural Electrical Cooperative Corporation (WKRECC) President and CEO David Smart spoke to the group about the reliability of the power grid, and the future of energy. We also provided some updates about the Community Connections and Power In Partnership programs with our educational partners.

Graves County Schools, GCED, and the Mayfield/Graves County Chamber of Commerce partnered for the planning of an Agriculture Day Field Trip to multiple agribusinesses in Mayfield and Graves County.

The students visited five businesses for the field trip:

• C&C Ag Solutions
• Workman Bins
• Hutson Inc.
• Nutrien Ag Solutions
• Lowry Farms

Businesses also sponsored transportation and lunch for the trip:

• Transportation Sponsor Hutson Inc.
• Lunch Sponsor River Valley Ag Credit
• Lunch Host Lowry Farms
• Lunch Provider Browns Processing

Thank you to all the businesses who hosted and sponsored the trip for our local students.

 October was observed as manufacturing month! GCED is grateful for all the impacts that our business and industry make on our community and economy. Manufacturing accounts for 15% of all jobs in Mayfield and Graves County, totaling over 2100 workers in this se.

The Judge Executive of McCracken County, Craig Clymer, and Executive Director of the Paducah Area Community Reuse Organization (PACRO), Greg Wiles, have supported the Mayfield Kentucky Industrial Authority for the Makerspace project going in downtown Mayfield.

"This project is a great opportunity for our region's economy. The Makerspace will empower the business and industry in our region to create bold innovative new products and solutions for our area," Judge Clymer stated.

“The Makerspace will help bolster our region's business development and help with the diversification of regional industry. The entrepreneurs of this area will now be able to access much needed resources to help move the communities of this area forward,” Wiles Commented.

Thank you to all the federal, state, regional, and local partners that collaborated to make this project possible: Senator Mitch McConnell, Senator Rand Paul, Congressman James Comer, Governor Andy Beshear, Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development Secretary Jeff Noel, Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell, Murray State University, the Purchase Area Development District, PACRO, the City of Mayfield, and the Graves County Fiscal Court.

Pictured here from left to right is Judge Executive Craig Clymer, Director of Community and Economic Development Mattea Mitchell, and GCED President Jason Lemle.

November

The Area Technology Center and GCED are partnering on a new program called Power In Partnership to have industry professionals speak to the students. The discussions include information about pay/benefits, advancement/progression, training needed after high school, what a typical day might look like, and other key details to help students understand what a career in the specific field would look like.

Thank you to all the businesses who have provided information to the career pathway students:

• WKRECC
• Progress Rail Services
• Centrifugal Technologies Inc.
• Power Truss
• FNB Bank
• Williams, Williams, & Lentz
• Fox & Co CPAs
• PSI Control Solutions
• Universal Technologies Inc.
• Universal Compressor Solutions
• Bill Adams Construction

We will have two more speakers to close out the semester, Usher Inc. and DevSource Technology Solutions.

GCED hosted our fourth annual Targeted Business and Industry dinner Thursday, November 14th. We celebrated our business and industry in Mayfield and Graves County for the jobs and investment that they provide into our community. The awards and recipients were:

• Industry Growth - Universal Compressor Solutions, Kendor Wood, A.C.E. Compressor, Dairyman's Supply, Old Hickory Clay, World Tower, and Progress Rail.
• Builder of the Year - A&K Construction.
• Business Excellence - Progress Rail Services.
• Community Impact - The Purchase Area Development District.
• Icon Award - PSI Control Solutions.

December

GCED is attending the Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED) conference to learn from and network with colleagues and consultants from across the state and country. Many speakers have been invited to discuss transportation infrastructure, the Kentucky Product Development Initiative, and collaboration with community stakeholders on economic development projects.

We will have the next Plant Managers' Roundtable Discussion meeting on December 18th, at 7:00 AM. This meeting will feature a discussion with State Senator Jason Howell and Representative Richard Heath.

For any questions please call Garrett Clark at (270)804-8224 or send an email to garrett@gravescountyed.com