Know someone who is thinking of starting a small business? Encourage them to attend the Small Business & Entrepreneurial Connections Forum at Owensboro Community & Technical College on 12 August. The event is free and includes lunch. The event will start at 9 am and run until 3 pm.
NWKF takes Small Business seriously. Anytime someone is interested in starting or expanding a small business, they can contact Sue Gibbens in our office for free counseling and access to financing.
To register for the event, please click here.
The Northwest Kentucky Workforce Skills Survey is open for a few more days. This comprehensive survey of employers seeks to drill down to specific skills and abilities employers are expecting/needing.
Once compiled, the Survey results will be shared with area schools, colleges and training providers to provide a more in-depth understanding of what employers are expecting. NWKF intends to use this to further the relationship and dialogue between employers and education providers.
The Survey can be accessed from the NWKF homepage.
The Northwest Kentucky Forward Annual Report for FY 09–10 (year ending 30 June 2010) is now available. Among the highlights are the following:
- Major Reinvestment at Rio Tinto Alcan;
- Location of software developer IWT;
- 150 project leads
- 22 active projects
- 100% visitation of all qualified existing businesses
- 9 expansions
- $2 million for training
- 35 Jumpstart and Micro-loans
- 42 new business start-ups
- Next Rally4Education scheduled for 6 November.
Over the last 12 months, capital investment by new and expanding industries in Northwest Kentucky has exceeded $60 million!
These investments have retained jobs at major employers like Rio Tinto Alcan, created new jobs through expansions at Sunrise Tool & Die and Brenntag among others, and created new jobs through new locations like at Innovative Workflow Technologies.
Governor Beshear was in Henderson today to announce expansions by Sunrise Tool & Die and Matrix Composites and the relocation of Legacy Plastics from Evansville to Henderson.
For more information on these expansions, please see the NWKF newsrelease.
Governor Beshear will be in Henderson on Wednesday, 14 July, to announce a series of expansions/relocations resulting in millions of dollars in investment and the creation of jobs.
The announcement will take place at the Sullivan Technology Center at Henderson Community College at 1:30 pm CDT.
Danielle Crafton has been named the Coordinator of Marketing and Communications at Northwest Kentucky Forward. Crafton earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Kentucky. Crafton’s areas of focus include: developing and implementing a comprehensive communications plan and managing various marketing tools and media strategies. She resides in Henderson, Kentucky.
What a busy week it has been for economic developers in the Northwest Kentucky area! Insite Consulting, an economic development consulting service based in South Carolina, visited Northwest Kentucky Forward and Union, Webster and McLean counties to help develop opportunities and diversification for economic growth for the region.
Read more…
The Tri State’s lead economic development organizations (LEDOs) hosted the Regional Doing Summit last week at the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center. The event brought Tri State community leaders together to design new and improved economic development networks to support each region. Nearly 40 people were in attendance including Mayors, Chamber of Commerce Professionals, University Presidents, etc.
The Summit was conducted by Purdue University’s Regional Economic Development Advisor, Ed Morrison. Mr. Morrison had the attendees select a round table discussion, topics ranging from logistics and infrastructure to talent and innovation. Each group focused on a strategic plan relating to their round table topic. The following questions were conversed: 1) What could we do as a Tri State project 2) What are assets and opportunities people bring to the table 3) Define an opportunity and characteristics of the outcome 4) Define the topic project with milestones and create a 30 Day Action Plan.
The Summit was the initial step of what is to come in the future. At this moment, each group has set a prospective meeting date to discuss on-going plans.
Two companies in Northwest Kentucky will be celebrating the grand opening of their new facilities next week:
Homecare Products will celebrate the opening of their new Morganfield manufacturing facility on Wednesday, 5 May at 2 pm. Located in the Morganfield Industrial Park, this new 100,000 sq. ft. facility will be used to produce the company’s EZ Access portable wheelchair ramps and Access One industrial steps.
Innovative Workflow Technologies will be showing off their new office and software development center on Friday, 7 May, at 2 pm. The building is located on Amiet Drive just past the Henderson Airport. The company, which develops software for the healthcare industry, will also be signing their forgivable loan with Henderson County at the festivities.
Both events are open to the public.