Industrial recruiting goes global

“The Toyota suppliers are looking very hard at our area and areas in Mississippi to put in new plants,” Bedford said. “Rep. Morrow and I felt that it was important for our county’s development board to be part of the business trips to Japan so that our area will be considered for new industry.”

FCDA Executive Director Mitch Mays said that by taking this trip and meeting with the suppliers in person, he hopes to present a positive image of the area and what it can offer.

“Building relationships is something that is very important in Japanese culture, and we want these suppliers to see that our area is ready to support industry.”

Just recently, work began at the Mike Green Industrial Park to prepare the area for a pad ready site that will be a marketing tool for the county.

The Franklin County Industrial Board also broke ground in October at the Vina Industrial Park in preparation for a new speculative building that Mays estimated will be ready for use by May of 2011.

“We are glad to have a county and community that supports the work the development authority is doing,” said Glen Vinson, chairman of the Franklin County Development Authority. “When you have teamwork you can get much more accomplished.”

In addition to these two grants, the FCCDC awarded grants to the following:

• $485.00 to the Tharptown school nurse from Bedford

• $485.00 to the Tharptown school nurse from Morrow

• $1,000.00 to the Red Bay Youth Cheerleaders from Bedford

• $800.00 to the Red Bay kindergarten teachers from Bedford and Morrow

• $1,500.00 to the Red Bay Park & Recreation Department’s Youth Basketball League by Bedford