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

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.”

Industry Spotlight: Fieldale Farms

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.

Industry Spotlight: Osborne Wood Products

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.

Industry Spotlight: Patterson Pump

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. 

Industry Spotlight: American Woodmark

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.

Industry Spotlight: Nifco KTW

 
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.

Thinking Beyond County Lines

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.

Hayestone Brady Business Park: 1997 v. 2017

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.

City of Toccoa's 2016 Water Quality Report

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?

Ritenour Recieves Saftey and Instructor Certification for Global Tank and Tower

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. 

Sark Wire is Shipping from Toccoa-Stephens County

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

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.”

Stephens County Graduates from the Georgia Academy for Economic Development

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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).

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.

Currahee Club: Georgia's Number 1 Golf Course

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.