Section A Business & Industry

• US Nitrogen Surges Ahead As Lawsuits Pile Up. 2 • Huf Opens Its Greeneville Expansion. 6 • Meco Returns To Its Roots, Adds To Its Business. 9 • Two Companies Rebuild After Fire Damage. 10 • Wine Scored Easy Win In Greeneville. 11

The Greeneville Sun March 14, 2015 Benchmarks 2015 2 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 14, 2015 www.greenevillesun.com US Nitrogen Should Be Operational Within A Few Months BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU emissions into liquid to be MANAGING EDITOR used in food-grade prod- ucts, such as soft drinks MIDWAY — Despite five and dry ice. pending lawsuits, vocal So by the end of 2015, opposition and a year’s three separate companies worth of controversy, the could be operating on US US Nitrogen LLC plant Nitrogen’s property. on Pottertown Road is on track to begin production of PIPELINE liquid ammonium nitrate Probably the most con- — or ANSOL — within troversial aspect of US the next few months. Nitrogen’s project is the Plant Manager Justin 12-mile double pipeline Freeark said in an inter- connecting the Potter- view in late February town Road plant with the that wintry weather this Nolichucky River, near the year has delayed some historic Conway Bridge on construction at the 500- the Greene/Cocke county acre plant site by a few border. weeks, but he added that Laying of the two pipe- construction crews have lines continues along already started winding state right-of-way on Fish down their work. Hatchery and McDonald The plant will produce roads, after permission the ANSOL for parent was granted in August company Austin Powder by the Tennessee Depart- Inc., based in Cleveland, ment of Transportation Ohio, which will use the (TDOT). liquid ammonium nitrate Freeark said that, while and other components to weather has caused some manufacture explosives delays on the pipeline, for mining, construction, SUN PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY Greene County-based etc. Construction continues on the controversial US Nitrogen-related water pipelines on Midway and McDonald Merkel Brothers Con- The US Nitrogen plant roads. This photo was taken recently near Gravel Woods Road. struction is projected to had about 400 construc- finish installing the pipe- tion crew members on-site If there are problems, acid begins. ed to transport ANSOL Freeark said. lines in the coming weeks, throughout much of 2014, it could be as much as For the first several off-site once production The simulator was cus- so as to coincide with the but the number has now 120 days between the two months, the plant will pro- levels are at 100 percent. tom-built for US Nitrogen plant’s schedule for begin- dipped below 400. milestones, he said. duce a reduced amount of A rail spur currently by a St. Louis-based com- ning production. Most work now is being nitric acid per day: a pre- under construction will pany. US Nitrogen paid Freeark said that, typi- completed by electricians AFTER INITIAL STARTUP ... liminary amount that will also make it possible to more than $1 million cally, three or four Merkel and instrument techni- Once initial startup is eventually increase. ship ANSOL off-site via just for the training pro- Brothers crews have been cians and is focused on the complete, plant operators From there, the ANSOL train car. gramming and scenarios, working at various points plant’s bunker-like control will rev up production sys- plant will come online according to Freeark. of the pipeline installation, center. tems from a standstill. — in which the produced EMPLOYEE TRAINING “It was a pretty signifi- though sometimes those Thus far, about 400,000 The first unit to come nitric acid is combined Freeark, who has cant investment,” he said. crews have split into work- feet of of electrical wire Operators must be re- ing at five or six different has been run throughout certified every three spots simultaneously. the plant site, Freeark years, and the simulator The pipelines, along said. About 250,000 wire US Nitrogen Surges Ahead will play a large role in with water withdrawal terminations still had to that process. and discharge structures be made as of February. Besides the day-to-day located in the Nolichucky As construction winds operating procedures, River’s bedrock, will allow down, the plant itself will As Lawsuits Build Up operators must be trained US Nitrogen to withdraw handed off to what Free- in disaster response, in as much as 1.9 million gal- ark called a commission- BY KEN LITTLE fore subject to state open meetings and Occupational Safety and lons of water per day and ing team — the group of STAFF WRITER open records laws. Health Administration pipe the water to its plant. technicians who will do In January, some of the plaintiffs in (OSHA) procedures, and The company has said it final, detailed checkouts Controversy surrounding construc- a lawsuit against the Greene Coun- in dealing with hazardous will use on average 1.5 of all instrumentation and tion of the US Nitrogen plant in Midway ty government filed a new complaint materials, Freeark said. million gallons per day. production systems before and a water pipeline connecting it to against the GCP in an effort to have the The training developed From there, the water startup. the Nolichucky River continued to swirl court declare the GCP a governmental for US Nitrogen employees will be used in a filtra- The commissioning in 2014. agency. has been put together by tion process, and about team will be made up of Five lawsuits focusing on different Bradley K. Lowe, Junior Belcher, a team of about nine con- 500,000 gallons per day some of the 80 full-time aspects of the project are pending in Ivonne Belcher and Park Overall — all sultants, all of whom have will be piped back to the US Nitrogen employees local courts. of whom are members of a group desig- years of industry experi- river with the same sedi- and some members of the Several may be resolved this year. nating itself “Public Spirited Citizens ence. ments originally pulled construction management “• Two of the lawsuits have been of Greene County” — filed a suit ask- “We have a very high- from the river, Freeark teams. brought by a group describing itself ing 3rd Judicial District Chancellor degree of hands-on experi- has said. All construction for the as “Public Spirited Citizens of Greene Douglas T. Jenkins to force the GCP to ence,” Freeark said. The rest will be used as US Nitrogen plant should County. release documents related to its work in the plant’s cooling water, be complete by June, he • One of the lawsuits has been 2011 to bring liquid ammonium nitrate OTHER COMPANIES which will cycle through said. brought by the Old Knoxville Highway manufacturer US Nitrogen to Greene While construction the cooling system 20-25 Utility District. County. ramps down for the US times, US Nitrogen offi- BEGINNING OF ‘STARTUP • One of the suits has been brought The lawsuit, filed on Jan. 26 in Greene Nitrogen facility, construc- cials have said. It will PROCESS’ by a different group of Greene, Cocke County Chancery Court, says that GCP tion may begin in earnest eventually be chemically At the time of the inter- and Jefferson county citizens. Partnership President and CEO Tom on two other facilities that treated and discharged view in February, plant • The fifth lawsuit has been brought Ferguson denied Lowe’s Open Records will be part of the prop- into nearby Lick Creek, officials were in the very by members of a mostly-local grassroots Act requests for the documents. erty. along with the Town of beginning stages of what organization which has designated itself The suit goes on to ask the court Yara, a Norwegian com- Mosheim’s treated waste- Freeark called the “start- “Save the Nolichucky.” to declare the GCP a governmental pany that specializes in water. up process” for the plant agency and therefore subject to the open production of agricultural Several governmental — switching on utilities IS GCP A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY? records and open meetings laws. fertilizers, will be locating agencies, including the needed to get the plant to One area of contention is whether the a liquid calcium nitrate Tennessee Department function. Greene County Partnership is consid- facility on 4 acres of US of Environment and Con- That includes being able ered a governmental entity, and there- PLEASE SEE LAWSUITS | 3 Nitrogen’s site. servation (TDEC), the to provide potable water as The Yara facility will Tennessee Department of well as cooling water to be combine nitric acid pro- Transportation (TDOT) used to offset the extreme online will be the nitric with anhydrous ammonia worked for about 25 years duced by US Nitrogen and the Tennessee Val- temperatures generated acid production unit (the — and plant leaders will as a chemical engineer, with area limestone in the ley Authority (TVA), have during the ANSOL manu- nitric acid will later be decide at what levels the praised the training of his manufacture of liquid cal- signed off on US Nitro- facturing process; generat- combined with anhydrous plant will operate. employees. cium nitrate. gen’s plans. ing steam needed for that ammonia to produce the Every factor from the “They are some of the Freeark said construc- process; and providing a ANSOL). health of the plant equip- best-trained operators I’ve tion of the Yara facility YEAR OF CONTROVERSY flow of compressed air for With key equipment run- ment to the demand for ever experienced,” he said. could begin by June and The last year has been some of the instruments, ning, operators will ramp ANSOL from parent com- All US Nitrogen opera- will take three to six full of controversy for US and natural gas for heat- up the nitric acid produc- pany Austin Powder will tors have been training for months. Nitrogen’s plans. ing. tion unit to what Free- determine how much liq- more than a year. The same could be true In April, TDEC held “We’re in the first baby ark called a “pre-light-off” uid ammonium nitrate A large part of the train- for a still-unnamed carbon required public hearings at steps of the process,” Free- condition, then will walk will be produced by US ing is conducted via a spe- dioxide liquefaction facil- West Greene High School ark said. the system back down to a Nitrogen. cial simulator — much ity to be located on the US concerning US Nitrogen’s If there are no problems standstill. “There’s a host of mov- like flight simulators used Nitrogen site. water and air permits. or delays, it should be 90 They’ll do this several ing parts that have to by pilots — on the US Freeark said contract Over two nights, crowds days from when the start- times before they actually dovetail,” Freeark said. Nitrogen property. negotiations are still ongo- expressing both vocal up process begins to when begin producing nitric acid Two 5,000-ton ANSOL The simulator is a rep- ing for a company that opposition and support for the entire plant is online for the plant. storage tanks are on-site, lica of the control center would capture carbon the company’s plans filled and producing ANSOL, Once operators “light- and as many as 30-40 that US Nitrogen opera- dioxide emissions from US Freeark said. off,” production of nitric trucks per-day are expect- tors will work in each day, Nitrogen and convert the PLEASE SEE NITROGEN | 3 On The Cover From Top of Page to Bottom, cut the ribbon during a ceremony in Octo- Continuous Improvement Manager Matt presented last July at the Capitol Theatre Left to Right: ber to officially open new plastic injection- Tolliver, Operations Manager Hall Cook, by Walter Perry, district director of the molding and paint facilities at Huf’s plant Jost Chief Operations Officer Dr. Ralf Small Business Administration's Tennes- in Greeneville. Sun file photo by O.J. Early. Eichler, Jost Vice President of Operations see District Office. Sun file photo by O.J. US Nitrogen Construction in North America Jens F.R. Polte, Jost Early. Nears End Jost Announces Two North America President Lee Brace, and Construction crews work on the US Nitro- Director of Quality Control Randy Smith. Grocery Outlet Comes gen plant off Pottertown Road in Midway Expansions Sun file photo by Michael S. Reneau. in late February. The plant is scheduled to Executives and managers of Jost Inter- To Greeneville begin productionlater this spring, officials national announce an expansion of the Solomon Wins Business Award United Grocery Outlet President Michael say. Sun photo by Michael S. Reneau. company's Mt. Pleasant Industrial Park Tullock stands in the cereal aisle of the facility in November. The 12,000-square- Tracy Solomon, left, is presented with a new Grocery Outlet store on Tusculum foot addition will include more space for plaque related to the selection of his com- Boulevard, which held its grand opening Huf Facility Opens storage, loading docks and an expanded pany, TEVET LLC as 2014 Small Business last May. Tullock founded the Athens, Huf Group President and CEO Ulrich Hüls- parking lot. Shown above at the announce- of the Year for Tennessee by the U.S. Small Tenn.-based company with his parents in beck, left, and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam ment are, left to right: Industrial Engineer Business Administration. The award was 1974. Sun file photo by O.J. Early. Advertiser’s Index American Greetings, Inc...... 3 Laughlin Memorial Hospital ...... 8 Financial Guide ...... 11 Legal Guide ...... 13 Greene County Partnership ...... 7 Transport Technologies, LLC ...... 15 Greeneville Iron & Metals ...... 7 US Nitrogen ...... 4, 5 Jarden Zinc Products ...... 16 www.greenevillesun.com Saturday, March 14, 2015 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION 3

detailing the lawsuits re-apply — after an initial The large meeting room member Eddie Overholt Both charges were later Nitrogen that have been filed to rejection — for TDOT per- was filled, with numerous spoke out to ask that the dropped. stop the project.) mits allowing US Nitrogen people standing at the back Board members talk more The meeting spurred 59 Starts on Page 2 The controversy reached to build the double pipeline of the room. loudly so that they could open meeting complaints what has been its most along state right-of-way. After several comments be heard by the audience, being sent to the Tennes- the school’s gymnasium. intense moment on July TDOT granted the IDB’s and other noise from the Broyles asked that he be see Office of Open Records Save the Nolichucky, a 18 during a meeting of the request in August. audience at the meeting, removed from the room by Counsel. group of Greene, Cocke, Jef- Industrial Development The IDB did not use then-Greene County Mayor Greeneville police officers Several rallies have ferson and Hamblen County Board of Greeneville and microphones at the meeting and IDB Chairman Alan who were providing secu- also been held through- residents formed in 2014 to Greene County (IDB). , and the board members Broyles warned sternly rity for the meeting. out the last year opposing oppose US Nitrogen’s plans At that meeting, held at sat around a rectangular that any further outbursts Overholt was then US Nitrogen’s anticipated to utilize the Nolichucky the G. Thomas Love Board conference table at the front would result in people being removed, under protest. He environmental impact and River, filed a lawsuit to Room at the Greeneville of the meeting room, some removed from the room. was subsequently charged specifidally the company’s stop pipeline construction. Light & Power System head- members with their backs When, immediately after with disrupting a meet- plans to use the Nolichucky (See page 2 for an article quarters, the IDB voted to to the audience. that warning, audience ing and resisting arrest. River.

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES construction, water intake along McDonald and Fish their requests through an UTILITY DISTRICT LAWSUIT Lawsuits US Nitrogen, meanwhile, and discharge structures in Hatchery roads. administrative hearing with The fifth pending lawsuit continues construction at its the Nolichucky River, and the The petition claims Ten- TDOT. challenges the IDB and US Starts on Page 2 Pottertown Road plant, which July 18, 2014, IDB meeting nessee law forbids any entity While the IDB would own Nitrogen’s plans from another is scheduled to be operational that the plaintiffs say was a other than a public utility the pipelines and the intake perspective. by the end of this month, com- violation of the Open Meet- from using state rights of way and discharge structures The Old Knoxville High- Four years earlier, in a dif- pany officials have said. ings Act. for water lines, among other in the Nolichucky River, way Utility District has filed ferent lawsuit filed in April The company is also Bryant testified that con- uses. it would lease them to US suit against the IDB and US 2011, Lowe and the other working through the Indus- struction of the pipelines has A motion to dismiss filed by Nitrogen for the company’s Nitrogen claiming their plan “Public-Spirited Citizens of trial Development Board caused traffic delays and torn Bruce Butler, senior counsel use. to supply US Nitrogen’s water Greene County” plaintiffs of Greeneville and Greene up parts of the roads and with the office of the Ten- As part of its application to on their own and make the had also asked for the US County to build two 12-mile driveways along McDonald nessee Attorney General, on use state rights of way, the double-pipeline available to Nitrogen-GCP documents. pipelines connecting its plant and Fish Hatchery roads. behalf of TDOT, claims the IDB said other companies other companies — without to the Nolichucky River for its But Stagg and IDB attor- petitioners have no standing would be able to use the pipe- using Old Knox — violates the FOUR YEARS OF LITIGATION industrial water needs. ney Jerry Laughlin, of to challenge TDOT’s deci- lines for non-potable water utility district’s rights. But three years of legal The pipelines traverse Greeneville, said the plain- sion in court and should take needs. wrangling — which includ- parallel two state highways: tiffs’ claims don’t meet legal ed Jenkins’ dismissing the McDonald and Fish Hatch- criteria for stopping the con- GCP as a defendant last year ery roads in western Greene struction before a judgment — have resulted in the GCP’s County. comes at trial. not being forced to hand over In addition, work on struc- “The court doesn’t believe the documents. tures to withdraw water from simply putting pipes under In both the original lawsuit and discharge water back the ground ... amounts to and the one filed in January, into the river continues. irreparable injury,” Jenkins Knoxville attorney Herbert US Nitrogen says it will told the plaintiffs’ attorneys. Moncier, representing the withdraw about 1.5 million Hurley said after the hear- American plaintiffs, has argued that gallons of water per day from ings that, even though the the GCP is a governmental the river. It is permitted to motion for the injunction agency and should therefore take as much as 1.9 million failed, he wants the court be forced to comply with Ten- gallons per day. to realize that the plaintiffs nessee’s Open Records and The company says it plans have done all they could to Open Meetings acts. to discharge about 570,000 stop the pipeline prior to The “Public Spirited Citi- gallons of water per day back going to trial. Greetings... zens of Greene County” group into the Nolichucky River. is challenging the legality of US Nitrogen will produce OPEN MEETINGS ACT VIOLATION? the 2011 votes by the Greene liquid ammonium nitrate for Much debate in the Janu- County Planning Commis- parent company and explo- ary hearings revolved around sion and the Greene County sives manufacturer Austin whether the July 18, 2014 Commission that cleared the Helping you Powder. IDB meeting violated the way for US Nitrogen to come Company officials have Open Meetings Act, the issue to Greene County by rezon- stated that none of the water which will be the only claim ing the property where the going back into the river will contested when the case goes plant would be located. touch the manufacturing to trial. The complaint also requests process for the ammonium At the 2014 meeting, the connect, express that the action the GCP took nitrate. Rather, they said, the IDB voted to re-apply for per- in relation to the US Nitrogen water discharged into the mission from the Tennessee project be voided, given the river would have been used Department of Transporta- alleged violations of the state in a filtration process. tion to allow pipelines to be and federal law. (See related story on laid along state right-of-way. and celebrate. The GCP, through attorney Page 2.) TDOT granted the IDB’s Ronnie Range, of law firm request in August. Baker, Donelson, Bearman, AT TRIAL The IDB did not use micro- Caldwell and Berkowitz, has When the lawsuit of “Save phones at the meeting in the maintained the GCP is not a the Nolichucky” — another G. Thomas Love Boardroom governmental agency. group of citizens challenging of the Greeneville Light and Range has said the latest US Nitrogen’s plans — goes Power System headquarters, lawsuit is “another example to trial, only one issue will and the board members sat of the plaintiff wasting the be argued: whether or not around a rectangular confer- Court’s limited resources to the Industrial Development ence table at the front of the harass the Partnership.” Board of Greeneville and meeting room, some members Moncier recently declined Greene County violated the with their backs to the audi- to comment. Open Meetings Act at a July ence. 18, 2014, meeting involving The large meeting room REFUSED TO RULE US Nitrogen’s controversial was filled, with numerous Essentially, the plaintiffs pipeline. people standing at the back of brought up in January in a In two hearings held in the room. separate lawsuit what Jen- January in Greene County A videotape played during kins had refused to rule on Chancery Court, Chancellor the hearing showed that, after in the context of the original Jenkins dismissed a claim several comments and other suit against the GCP and the by the plaintiffs that the noise from the audience at the Greene County government. IDB does not have the legal meeting, then-Greene County In August 2014, Jenkins authority for the agreement Mayor and IDB Chairman ruled that the GCP could be reached between the board Alan Broyles warned sternly dismissed from the original and US Nitrogen for the pipe- that any further outbursts complaint. lines. would result in people being Defendants still named in However, Chancellor Jen- removed from the room. that suit include the Greene kins also denied the defen- Immediately after the warn- County Planning Commis- dants’ motion to dismiss the ing, audience member Eddie sion, the Greene County lawsuit entirely, a decision Overholt spoke out to ask that Commission and the Greene which means the suit will go board members talk louder so County government. to trial. that they were audible to the Last fall, Moncier attempt- Jenkins made the decisions audience. Broyles then asked ed again to persuade the in two separate hearings. that Overholt be removed from court to reconsider its rul- The first hearing focused the room by Greeneville police ing dismissing the GCP from in part on a request from the officers, who were providing the original suit, but Jenkins Nashville-based Tennessee security for the meeting. denied a motion to do so. Coalition for Open Govern- Overholt was removed ment for the court to rule under protest. He was subse- 2011 LAWSUIT that the Open Meetings Act quently charged with disrupt- The lawsuit filed in 2011, requires that a public body or ing a meeting and resisting which is now in an amend- board must conduct audible arrest. Both charges were ed form, asks the court to deliberations at any meeting later dropped. declare that “all acts of the covered by the act. Overholt is one of the plain- Greene County Regional Jenkins granted that tiffs in the Save the Nolichucky Planning Commission and request. lawsuit. Greene County Commission A trial date had not been “[The way the IDB meeting done after the authorizations set as of early March. was conducted] is a clear dem- of the Greene County Part- In the other January hear- onstration of a violation of the nership (which were) done in ing, Jenkins dismissed the Open Meetings Act,” Hurley secret toward assisting US plaintiffs’ claim that the IDB said in the January hearing. Nitrogen to build a plant in lacked the legal authority to IDB attorney Laughlin and Greene County ... are void enter into the agreement. US Nitrogen attorney Stagg and of no effect.” Both the pipeline system argued that, while some parts The lawsuit claims that and the river structures will of the meeting were inaudible, the Greene County Planning be deeded back to the IDB enough of the meeting could Commission acted “unlaw- once construction is complete. be heard by the audience to fully and unconstitutionally” Plaintiffs’ attorney D. Scott meet legal requirements. in February 2011 in recom- Hurley, of Knoxville, argued Whether the meeting vio- mending rezoning of property that Tennessee law does not lated the act will be decided at for a then-proposed industrial grant the IDB authority to trial, which Jenkins said could plant “without having been operate the pipelines as a be expedited. previously sworn.” business. At that time it had not been US Nitrogen attorney TDOT LAWSUIT publicly announced that the Michael K. Stagg argued that A ruling is pending from a company interested in bring- Tennessee law doesn’t give Nashville judge on whether a ing the plant here was US citizens specific legal standing lawsuit challenging TDOT’s Nitrogen. to challenge the IDB’s author- decision to approve US Nitro- The suit also alleges that ity to contract such operations gen’s pipeline project can move any action taken by the out to private companies. forward in court. Greene County Commission Jenkins agreed. Attorneys appeared in or Greene County “based on December before Davidson the prior void action” of the PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION TO County Chancellor Russell County Planning Commis- CONTINUE Perkins to argue a TDOT sion was also void. The chancellor also denied motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Another “cause of action” a motion from the plaintiffs In September 2014, a group in the amended complaint for the court to stop construc- of six property-owners in alleges “misappropriation tion of the pipelines until the Greene, Cocke and Jefferson of local taxpayer funds for case goes to trial. counties filed a petition asking unconstitutional secret activi- Hurley called plaintiff April TDOT to defend in court its ties conducted by the Greene Bryant to testify while show- granting right-of-way permits County Partnership.” ing the court about 20 pho- to the IDB so that US Nitro- tographs showing pipeline gen could construct pipelines 4 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, April 14, 2015 www.greenevillesun.com www.greenevillesun.com Saturday, April 14, 2015 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION 5 6 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 14, 2015 www.greenevillesun.com Huf Opens Its Greeneville Expansion; Adds 150 Jobs

BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU MANAGING EDITOR

Gov. Bill Haslam was among officials at a ribbon-cutting cer- emony in October who announced the comple- tion of Huf North Amer- ica’s $20 million expan- sion in Greeneville. Haslam joined top Huf Group executives in ushering in new plastic injected mold- ing and paint facilities at the Huf plant. Some executives came from as far away as Ger- many, where the Huf Group is based. Huf manufactures door handles, lock- ing systems and other automotive components for automotive compa- nies such as Chrysler, General Motors, Ford, BMW and Mercedes- Benz. The expansion means those components can be fabricated on-site in the plastic injec- tion-molding depart- ment, painted at the new paint facil- ity, then assembled in Greeneville as well. The expansion has added about 150 jobs to the plant. Once a third shift is added in the coming months, as many as 30 more employees could be SUN FILE PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY hired. Huf Group President and CEO Ulrich Hülsbeck, who flew in from Germany to attend the October ribbon-cutting of the company’s local That would bring the expansion, unveils a poster with the slogan “Colorful times in Tennessee,” referencing Huf’s new paint shop in Greeneville. The expansion plant’s total employee allows Huf to fabricate, paint and assemble door-handle components and other automotive parts all in the plant here. count to about 350, officials said. right spot,” Haslam cle-handles per year of The expansion said. the 72.5 million pro- added about 52,000 “They actually fig- duced globally by vari- square feet to Huf’s ured out, ‘What’s our ous companies. Greeneville plant, competitive advantage The plant has the whose full title is Huf being in this particu- ability to apply both North America Auto- lar location?’ They took water-based and sol- motive Parts Manufac- advantage of that in vent-based paints. turing Corporation. selling it to the com- While most U.S. auto- The plant, which is pany as well.” motive assembly plants located at 395 T. Elmer In a statement seek parts made with Cox Drive in the Mt. released to news media, solvent-based paint, Pleasant Industrial Partnership President Hulsbeck explained, Park, is a subsidiary of and CEO Tom Fergu- more companies will Germany-based Huls- likely be seeking envi- beck and Furst GmbH ronmentally-friendly and Company, KG. “We still make water-based paint in the coming years, set- GOVERNOR: ‘AN EXCITING things in ting Huf North Amer- DAY’ ica up to have strong “This is an excit- Tennessee. We’re footing in its market. ing day for Tennessee “I’m confident Huf and an exciting day proud that a lot of North America will for Greene County,” improve its market posi- Haslam told the audi- those companies tion,” Hülsbeck said. ence. At the close of his Among those present are in Tennessee remarks, Hülsbeck were Greene County unveiled a promotional Mayor David Crum, and that a lot of poster that included the SUN FILE PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY Greeneville Mayor slogan, “Colorful times Huf Group President and CEO Ulrich Hülsbeck and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam W.T. Daniels, Mosheim their suppliers are in Tennessee,” refer- chat before of a ribbon cutting ceremony at Huf. Mayor Tommy Gregg, encing the new paint state Rep. David Hawk, here in Tennessee.” facility at Huf. the Tennessee Depart- remaining $50,000 Greene County facility R-5th, Greene County ment of Economic and to the grant, helping a competitive edge over Partnership President Gov. Bill Haslam MOST NEW POSITIONS Community Develop- cover expenses related the Wisconsin plant,” and CEO Tom Ferguson FROM THIS AREA ment FastTrack Pro- to water infrastructure Greene County Mayor and numerous mem- Huf North America gram. at the plant. David Crum said. bers of the board of son praised all parties President and CEO About $200,000 of The County Commis- “This project has cre- directors of the Greene involved. Michael Supe told the those funds aided the sion also agreed to aid ated more than 150 County Partnership. “The Partnership has audience that, while company in transfer- the effort with anoth- jobs, and that’s signifi- The governor refer- been working with Huf transferring plas- ring equipment from er $7,500 contribution cant for a county with enced the fact that, two for the past three years tic injection-molding Wisconsin. from the county’s Gen- our unemployment years before the expan- on this project, and we operations from Huf’s Huf became the first eral Fund savings. rate. sion was announced are extremely grate- plant in Wisconsin to company in the state The $250,000 incen- “I also can’t thank in early 2013, Huf ful to our local team of Greeneville, no parts to take advantage of tive check was pre- the Greene County North America had mayors, utility repre- deliveries were delayed that incentive program, sented to Huf in early Partnership enough for announced plans to sentatives and economic — even though the plant which is geared specifi- March of this year. its continued efforts to close the Greeneville development partners, had orders of 750,000 cally toward helping “We appreciate the retain and expand the plant. especially the State of units per week during companies move equip- state of Tennessee for companies that have But a campaign on Tennessee,” Ferguson the transition. ment to Tennessee. its attractive incentive made Greene County the part of workers at said. The Greeneville plant The state added the package that gave Huf’s home.” the plant convinced “Without everyone was in competition with company leaders to working as a team, this the Wisconsin plant for change their plans. expansion would have the plastic injection- “We know [Huf’s] not been possible.” molding operations. investment could have “We will now enter the been made elsewhere,” PRESIDENT/CEO next stage of achieving Haslam said. COMMENTS success,” Supe said. He said Tennesseans Huf Group President Supe also told report- should be proud of the and CEO Ulrich Hüls- ers that important fact that so many man- beck, one of the officials directors moved from ufacturing companies who flew in from Ger- Wisconsin to Tennes- want to locate or grow many, highlighted the see for the plant expan- their presence in the fact that the automotive sion. Most of the new Volunteer State. industry has changed positions at the plant, “We still make things in recent years. though, are filled by in Tennessee,” he said. More and more of workers from Greene “We’re proud that a lot Huf’s products — about County or the sur- of those companies are 60 percent, he said — rounding area. in Tennessee and that contain electronic com- “We are very happy a lot of their suppli- ponents, whereas pre- about that,” Supe said. ers are here in Tennes- viously they had been Plant Manager see.” all mechanical. Auto- Michael Lehman said motive companies seek in an interview after PRAISE FOR OFFICIALS, lighter parts, typically the ceremony that GCP made from plastic, he Huf received “tremen- In an interview with noted. dous support” from the reporters after the Hülsbeck also pointed Greene County Partner- ceremony, Haslam out that major automo- ship and that the busi- applauded the efforts tive companies which ness climate in Greene of local public officials are Huf customers have County is “very good.” and the Greene County assembly plants locat- “Obviously it’s a very Partnership in helping ed in the Southeast important decision for convince Huf to expand — Volkswagen, BMW, all our employees,” the plant in Greeneville Ford, Chrysler and Lehman said of the — especially after ini- Mercedes-Benz. expansion. tially planning to close “We are in a perfect the plant. distance,” with the LOCAL, STATE INCENTIVES “I think Greene Coun- Greeneville plant, he In October 2013, the ty — and the Greene said. Greene County Commis- County Partnership The new facilities at sion voted to approve particularly — did a Huf in Greeneville will incentive items for the really nice job explain- allow the plant to pro- company that included ing why this was the duce 12.5 million vehi- a $250,000 grant from www.greenevillesun.com Saturday, March 14, 2015 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION 7 Expansions At Jost Indicative Of Improved Performance

BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU for the announcements for Jost included 80,000 and flow of truck manufac- views that the two expan- workforce had dropped MANAGING EDITOR the production milestone square feet of manufac- turers’ production cycles. sions begun in 2014 are to 59 employees, The and expansion ground- turing space and 10,000 Jost has gained mar- designed to accommodate Greeneville Sun reported. Business seems to be breaking, including Jost square feet of office space. ket share in recent years more anticipated booms — “We’ve gained some booming at Jost Interna- Chief Operations Offi- Production began in because of the versatility of both in demand for Jost’s market share,” Jost Chief tional. cer Dr. Ralf Eichler, who 2000. its product, Polte said. product and in employees. Operations Officer Eichler The company, which works at the company’s Some of the 12,000 The fifth wheel produced “When the economy is said in November. has a plant located in headquarters in Germa- square feet of extra space here — also known as a good, the trucking business “We’re really thankful the Mt. Pleasant Indus- ny. in the upcoming expansion “top plate” — is “infinitely is good,” Brace said. to the Greeneville commu- trial Park, announced two The 12,000-square-foot will be devoted to enlarg- adjustable,” he said. After A slowly-recovering nity,” Brace stated. milestones in November: expansion, which is actu- ing the parking lot at the being installed on a truck, national economy and lower the 400,000th unit rolling ally the second in the last plant. And for good rea- it can be moved to help fuel prices are leading to PRAISE FOR PARTNERSHIP off its assembly line there year, will increase the son. accommodate different-size an uptick in business, and Brace also complimented and the groundbreaking number of loading docks The facility is employ- loads and distribute weight a corresponding need for the Greene County Part- for a second expansion and room to store inven- ing more people than ever wherever it’s most efficient. more employees, Polte said. nership for working with to increase storage and tory, according to Jost Vice before, officials said. “It’s a good product,” Jost As more consumers spend Jost when the company inventory capacity. President of Operations in Presently 215 people North America President money, companies need decided to locate here. Jost, whose headquar- North America Jens F.R. work at the site. Opera- Lee Brace said in Novem- more trucks to ship freight. “We really worked well ters is in Neu-Isenburg, Polte. tions here include machin- ber. “We need to be prepared together with these guys,” Germany, near Frank- Polte, originally from ing and stamping metals, If need be, the officials for the next fluctuation,” he said. furt, manufactures “fifth Germany, is based in assembly, painting, and said, a truck can even be Polte said. GCP President and CEO wheels” for tractor-trail- Greeneville and oversees shipping finished product. completely rebuilt while Tom Ferguson pointed to ers — the component that production here. leaving Jost’s fifth wheel ‘THANKFUL TO COMMUNITY’ Jost as an example of the couples and secures the The expansion for which GAIN IN MARKET SHARE in place. In 2007, prior to large importance of focusing as trailer onto the back of a ground was broken in Once the fifth wheels are increases in fuel prices much on helping already- truck. November was on track manufactured, workers in UPS AND DOWNS and the “Great Reces- existing industries grow as Another plant in Grand to be complete later this Greeneville ship nearly all Operations at Jost’s sion,” Jost had considered on recruiting brand new Haven, Mich., manufac- spring. finished product straight Greeneville plant were slow pulling operations out of industries. tures trailer “landing Another 12,000-square- to Jost’s customers, which to start up, company offi- Greeneville altogether. “We were really fortunate gear” — the apparatus foot expansion, complet- include major truck man- cials at the time said. Polte notified the Greene in the ’90s when we located that trailers rest upon ed earlier in 2014, also ufacturers such as Volvo, When the plant opened County Partnership in so many manufacturing when not hitched to a increased storage space at Mack, Peterbilt, Kenworth in 2000, it employed fewer November of that year companies here,” Ferguson truck. the plant. and others. than a dozen people. In that company leaders were said. “Most of them have Jost operates 18 manu- The two expansions will Polte said finished fifth 2002 it employed about 25 considering consolidating been very successful. facturing facilities around increase the Greeneville wheels are usually shipped people. By 2006, the plant North American opera- “[Jost] has been a solid the world and employs facility to a total of 114,000 “in sequence” to customers, had 100 employees, accord- tions, a step which could company since they’ve 2,500 people. square feet. a term which means they ing to newspaper archives. have resulted in layoffs come here,” he said. “It Several company execu- Built in the late 1990s, can be shipped at times Polte and Brace told The here. doesn’t surprise me that tives were in Greeneville the original facilities at that directly match the ebb Greeneville Sun in inter- By that time the plant’s they’re doing so well.” Three New Restaurants Deliver A Variety Of Specialties BY KATHY KNIGHT The restaurant contin- the opportunity to have came to Greeneville for 1001 W. Main St. It boasts one of the only ACCENT EDITOR ues to be open Sundays their own restaurant, they the “beautiful mountain Owners are Anthony dine-in restaurants for the 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., decided to do so. views,” he said. and Christy Carter. chain in the area. Three new restaurants Tuesday and Wednesday “So far, so good,” he said. Zhang, originally from The new site on West The former location made opened in Greeneville in from 11:00 a.m. to 9 p.m. Harvest Family Res- Guangzhou, China, has Main Street marks the it difficult for customers the past year, and two On Thursday and Friday taurant is open Monday- also operated an Asian sixth different location for to use a pickup window existing restaurants it is open from 11:00 a.m. Thursday, 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.; cuisine restaurant in Jef- Fat Boyz since the Cart- for Little Caesars popular changed locations. to 9:30 p.m. It is closed on Fridays, 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. ferson City for several ers started the business Hot-N-Ready meals. The Jan Charles purchased Monday. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Satur- years. in 2005. new location has a pick-up the former Italian Village, days, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and The restaurant is open The restaurant has window and more space located on the Andrew HARVEST FAMILY Sundays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, from 11 had locations both in for customers in the drive- Johnson Highway next to Harvest Family Res- For more information, a.m. to 10 p.m., and is Greeneville and Mosheim, thru. Popcorn Video, from Dr. taurant, owned by Bobby call 798-8001. closed on Monday. Take- including a stretch where Little Caesars had been and Mrs. Rick McGill in and Stephanie Lunsford, out and catering are avail- the Carters operated loca- in its former location since March 2014. opened on Sept. 22 at the RICE BOX able. tions in both towns simul- 2004. It originally opened It has been her lifelong former location of Fat The Rice Box opened Call 525-4823 for more taneously. a Greeneville restaurant dream to have her own Boyz, at 3124 W. Andrew last fall at 1175 E. Andrew information, or go to the The phone number for in 1986 at another build- restaurant, she said. Johnson Hwy. Johnson Hwy. in the restaurant’s website at Fat Boyz is 787-0504. ing on the Andrew John- Charles changed the The restaurant offers Greene Village Shopping www.riceboxtn.com. son Highway. name of the restaurant to home cooking, with daily Center, and offers a wide LITTLE CAESARS Their phone number is Scintillare, which offers a specials, but also includes array of Asian cuisine. FAT BOYZ Also in September, Little 639-9292. They are open variety of foods, but high- a full menu of sandwiches, The menu ranges from In September of 2014, Caesars moved from its from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 lights classic Italian com- salads and desserts. Japanese Hibachi grill Fat Boyz, the popular location at 2055 E. Andrew p.m. Sunday through fort food. Bobby Lunsford said he entrees to fresh, prepped- local restaurant known for Johnson Highway to 1440 Thursday, and from 10:30 “Offering the best possi- had worked at restaurants to-order Sushi, and a vari- home cooking, switched E. Andrew Johnson Hwy. a.m. to midnight Friday ble food at a budget price” since the age of 13, and ety of Chinese wok dishes. locations, moving from the (the former Taco Bell loca- and Saturday. is Charles’ motto. when he and his wife saw Owner Tom Zhang Andrew Johnson Hwy to tion.)

     O       P     [ 68 years in the recycling fi eld GREENE COUNTY PARTNERSHIP

• Chamber of Commerce • Tourism • Economic Development • Keep Greene Beautiful • Education & Workforce Development

The Greene County Partnership exists to provide community % &'() *+ leadership, consensus-building and problem-solving through the cooperative efforts of business and government and to     serve as a catalyst for positive improvement and change. We        are committed to serving the needs of our members, industry,          government, business and citizens by:                      • Providing a forum to identify common problems and develop solutions  • Expanding and diversifying the Greene County economy   • Providing and supporting initiatives that will enhance            Greene County’s overall quality of life          • Serving as a common denominator for governmental and           community programs • Cooperating with regional programs of mutual interest   115 Academy Street, Greeneville, TN 37745       !" ###  $ $ Phone: 423-638-4111 • FAX (423) 638-5345 www.GreeneCountyPartnership.com 8 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 14, 2015 www.greenevillesun.com Are you getting your zzzzzs?

Laughlin Sleep Center

n recent years, it seems you couldn’t read the paper or watch TV without hearing another story about someone in an important position falling asleep on the job including a rash of incidents I involving air traffi c controllers (including one in Knoxville). For those of us who fl y, these stories are concerning to say the least. In reality though, these stories are just the tip of a huge iceberg. Stories like this are highly visible and news worthy. However, lurking just under the surface, and certainly not headline worthy, is a huge population of people suffering from the same condition. The increase in obesity, long work hours, and poor sleep habits is spiraling our country into an epidemic of sleep related disorders. These disorders range from poor sleep hygiene, which is common in adolescents and teenagers, to sleep apnea, predominantly seen in adults. The average American’s sleep disorder may not be news worthy but it has consequences nonetheless. The most common symptoms for sleep disorders are excessive daytime sleepiness, irritability, lack of concentration, morning headaches, and loud snoring. Additionally, many patients stop breathing numerous times during the night and sometimes awake gasping for air. Many people have accepted poor sleep as a “norm” but few realize the long term implications. Poor or inadequate sleep places stress on the cardiovascular system and, left untreated, can increase the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Patients who already have high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes are at an even greater risk. Aside from these medical issues you can add poor job/school performance, slowed refl exes, reduced energy levels, tiredness despite adequate sleep, and increased risk of accidents. Many individuals and companies whose employees drive on a regular basis are choosing to have sleep apnea screenings as a part of employee health. The screening is relatively inexpensive and helps identify employees who may need farther evaluation. Untreated, employees are a source of increased risk of accidents, decreased productivity, and will often develop heart disease, diabetes, and have an increased risk of stroke. Companies wanting more information about employee screening can call the sleep center at (423) 787-6351 or (423) 787-5144. Individuals who think they may be suffering from sleep apnea or other sleep disorders should contact their family physician. We have the technology... We have the team.

1420 Tusculum Blvd • Greeneville, TN www.laughlinmemorial.org (423) 787-6351 www.greenevillesun.com Saturday, March 14, 2015 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION 9 MECO Returns To Its Roots, Adds To Its Business smokers and folding BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU furniture. MANAGING EDITOR WATCHING FOR “We’re going back to our roots, I guess you could say.” — Mark Proffitt, MECO president Local manufacturer OPPORTUNITIES MECO announced sev- MECO’s renewed eral positive develop- focus on contract ments in 2014, includ- manufacturing began ing the acquisition of about three years ago, another manufacturer, according to Proffitt. an important indus- “It’s getting a lot trial certification, an of our attention,” he improved economic said. outlook and a return to With the company’s the company’s manu- strong grill-manu- facturing roots. facturing base in The year marked Greeneville, Proffitt MECO’s 55th anni- said owner Robert versary, and several Austin Jr. and other important announce- MECO leaders began ments came during examining how to a program in May to make the most of com- celebrate the anniver- pany assets, especial- sary. ly in the midst of the Local and state offi- “Great Recession of cials attended, along 2008-09” that crippled with MECO owner, consumer markets. CEO and Chairman “As the economy Robert C. Austin Jr., continues to attempt son of the late MECO to recover, a nimble founder Robert C. company looks out on “Bob” Austin. the horizon and looks MECO is a division where the opportuni- of Robert Austin Jr.’s ties are,” Proffitt said. Unaka Corporation, He wouldn’t say what which was also found- customers MECO has ed by Austin Sr. picked up recently in SUN FILE PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY its contract manufac- MECO owner, Chairman and CEO Robert C. RETURN TO CONTRACT turing business, but he Austin Jr. speaks at the company’s 55th MANUFACTURING did say that, as in the anniversary celebration last May. Austin’s While maintaining company’s beginnings, late father, Robert C. “Bob” Austin, was the its well-known product it has acquired sev- leading force in founding MECO in 1959 lines of grills, smokers eral other Greeneville as Metals Engineering Co. The name was and folding furniture, industries as custom- modified in later years. MECO is delving again ers. into the contract man- Proffitt said in a fol- ufacturing sector: the low-up interview in production of custom- February that the con- ordered metal parts for tract manufacturing process, he said. “lean manufacturing” other manufacturers side of the business “is Proffitt said the model on its assembly and industrial custom- steadily growing.” certification is a key floors. ers. The plant currently factor if MECO is to That means every “We’re going back employs 108 people, compete in the con- step in the manufac- to our roots, I guess but that number will tract manufacturing turing process — both you could say,” MECO increase seasonally industry, since poten- for its grill product President Mark Prof- during the summer. tial customers want to lines and its contract fitt told The Greeneville New contract man- know if a company has manufacturing ser- Sun just prior to the ufacturing custom- a handle on good qual- vices — is analyzed to 55th anniversary cel- ers, though, may add ity management. find the most efficient ebration in May. five or six permanent way to manufacture At the company’s positions to MECO’s GRILLS STILL MAJOR and assemble product. beginning in 1959, ranks. COMPONENT Pointing to one group MECO was a metal- “We continue to be Even while transi- of employees putting stamping company really excited about tioning to inclusion together MECO’s iconic that made television that opportunity,” of a new, additional red-top charcoal grills chassis for The Mag- Proffitt said. manufacturing sector, during a plant tour in navox Company and The 350,000-square- MECO is maintaining May, Payne said grill for RCA. foot plant on Industri- its line of grills, smok- assembly lines that The company was al Road contains more ers and folding-furni- once stretched for doz- also extensively than 75 metal presses ture. ens of feet now only involved in govern- of various sizes that In 2013, the company occupy 20 or 30 feet of ment contracting in can bring to bear any- announced a rebrand- space. the early years. where from 40 to 600 ing effort to empha- Steps as simple as Its products in those tons of pressure on a MARK PROFFITT size that its grills moving all the neces- years included can- component. MECO PRESIDENT were American-made sary components closer teen cups for the U.S. In addition to stamp- Headquartered in tomer,” Proffitt said in for American custom- together on the factory Department of Defense ing, MECO can han- Owego, N.Y., Stakmore a news release when ers. floor — within “easy and bomb fins used by dle welding, painting, has been manufac- the acquisition was Proffitt said in Feb- reach” of employees the U.S. military dur- packaging, assembly turing a line of wood announced in May. ruary that MECO — make a difference in ing the Vietnam War, and distribution needs folding products since will be announcing a the plant’s efficiency, as well as boat trail- of any of its contract 1922. ISO CERTIFICATION new line of grills this according to Payne. ers, store-shelving, manufacturing cus- Proffitt said the At the company’s spring. and wardrobe lockers, tomers. Stakmore product line 55th anniversary cel- The new products MECO’S HISTORY a company spokesman is an import — with ebration, MECO also will be duel-fuel grills MECO got its start told the Sun in an STAKMORE ACQUISITION manufacturing taking announced it has — consumers can in 1959 as a contract interview for a 1989 In May, MECO also place in Vietnam — so earned ISO 9001: 2008 use either charcoal manufacturer. special section com- announced its acqui- no manufacturing jobs certification. or electricity to fire Key founder Robert memorating MECO’s sition of Stakmore, a were added to MECO’s The International them up. C. “Bob” Austin was 30th anniversary. highly-regarded man- plant. One operation- Organization for Stan- The line is geared then co-owner and a Proffitt said many ufacturer of wood fold- al employee moved dardization (ISO) says toward residents of top executive of The customers were other ing furniture. from New York to the credential is an condominiums and Austin Company, a local manufacturers “It is anticipated that Greeneville, though. important marker of apartments who can’t major international who — for whatever the acquisition will “The purchase of quality management cook with open f lames; tobacco dealer based reason — needed help give Meco Corporation Stakmore allows us to control for an indus- hence the electric com- in Greeneville. manufacturing a part a stronger foothold achieve diversity for try’s customers. ponent. For decades from or component for their in the folding-furni- our customer because MECO spokesman But Proffitt said the 1919 to 1990, The Aus- own manufacturing ture industry and will it gives our customer Don Payne Sr. said in grills will be porta- tin Company employed lines. provide its customers an option of steel and May that it takes most ble, so that a user can hundreds of Greene For several decades, with a broader line of wood folding-furni- companies 18 months throw it in a vehicle Countians between though, MECO turned options to better serve ture under the same to earn the certifica- and fire up the char- November and March: its focus to consum- the consumer market,” umbrella of one vendor, tion; it took MECO 12 coal side. during the annual er products, such as a news release at the allowing us to better months to go through Payne said MECO burley tobacco mar- its line of grills and time said. serve our retail cus- the ISO certification has also moved to a ket period, and a few months following it. In 1959, Austin spear- headed a local group that established Met- als Engineering Com- pany (MECO became the official name in the 1980s) to provide jobs for tobacco farm- ers when tobacco was out of season. 10 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 14, 2015 www.greenevillesun.com Two Companies Rebuild, Overcome Significant Fire Damage BY KEN LITTLE clouds of black smoke STAFF WRITER billowing overhead as Greeneville firefighters Two major businesses poured water on the oil- that experienced fires in “I would probably say within two to three “All repairs were complete including dam- fueled blaze. the past year are taking Neighbors and others steps to ensure complete hours we had already started planning on aged landscaping from the water and trucks in the vicinity described recovery. hearing a “loud pop” or Appalachian Forest being up and running as soon as possible.” within a month of the fire. Operations were a noise similar to a car Products in Mosheim, crash before the fire which suffered a major Courtney K. Hutcherson only impacted for 92 hours.” started. fire Jan. 7 on its prop- Appalachian Forest Products President “There was minimal erty, is currently in the Tyler Ennis damage to our facility rebuilding process. Parker Hannifin Human Resources Manager since the fire was con- Parker Hannifin Corp.’s tained outside the build- Parker Hydraulic Pump ing,” facility Human and Motor Division was Resources Manager Tyler soon back at full opera- Appalachian Forest Products Ennis said after the fire. tion following a fire on Loss of electric power to June 5, 2014, that started the building temporarily in a transformer outside halted production, Ennis the plant. said, but Parker Hannifan There were no injuries was up and running at full in either fire, a testament capacity within a week. to the training local paid “All repairs were com- and volunteer firefighters plete including damaged receive, observers said. landscaping from the water and trucks within APPALACHIAN FOREST a month of the fire. Opera- PRODUCTS tions were only impacted Firefighters who fought for 92 hours,” Ennis said each blaze had to contend in February 2015. with the elements. “Everything is as it was, In the case of Appa- and things are just as nor- lachian Forest Products, mal as before the fire,” he that meant coping with added. icy temperatures and Between 400 and 500 high winds fanning the Greeneville Light and fire, which started on the Power System customers morning of Jan. 7 in the in the area of the plant area of a propane heater temporarily lost power as in one of the company a result of the fire. buildings. GL&PS installed two The wind-whipped new transformers at the blaze spread quickly. site shortly after the fire. Flames and columns of SUN FILE PHOTO BY O.J. EARLY The 17,000-pound, 8-by- billowing smoke were vis- Appalachian Forest Products employee John Gregg transports lumber at the Mosheim plant following a major 8-square-foot transformer ible for miles to travel- fire on Jan. 7, 2015. The process of rebuilding damaged areas of the 14-acre complex is currently underway. damaged by the fire was ers on U.S. 11E as fire removed with a crane, and departments from three ments and three coun- a replacement unit was counties converged on the ties. installed in its place in scene to try to contain The fire was only the Parker Hannifin Corporation front of the Parker Han- the massive blaze. second “all-call” appeal nifin plant. Courtney K. Hutcher- in Greene County his- An adjacent transformer son, president of Appa- tory. An “all-call” sum- damaged in the fire was lachian Forest Products, mons every available also removed. was one of the first peo- firefighter in the county. “Large, oil-filled trans- ple on the scene. At first, The first “all-call” was formers pose an inherent Hutcherson was not opti- made following the dead- risk of explosion and fire, mistic that the fire could ly tornadoes that swept which was the case for our be contained. over southern sections fire,” Ennis said. But firefighters were of the county in April successful in doing so, 2011. MINIMAL DISRUPTION and the lumber business There was no “signifi- has been running at full RECOVERY PROCESS BEGAN cant disruption” in cus- capacity since short- QUICKLY tomer shipments, and ly after the fire, which Appalachian For- production hours were burned for two days. est Products began the expanded after the fire to “We’ve got a lot of recovery process as the ensure timely shipments things positive going on,” fire still burned. to Parker Hannifan cus- Hutcherson said several “I would probably say tomers, Ennis said. weeks after the fire. within two to three hours The transformers, owned Employees didn’t miss a we had already started by GL&PS, are valued at day of work, and are par- planning on being up about $50,000, said Chuck ticipating in the cleanup and running as soon as Bowlin, superintendent of and rebuilding process. possible,” Hutcherson operations and engineer- “This is a great story said. ing for the utility. if you think about the “We were back and Labor costs put their degree of this fire. It is running (the next) Mon- replacement “in the a tremendous story of a day. We brought all our $100,000 range,” Bowlin community and of sur- employees back.” said last year. rounding communities to The rebuilding phase Emergency awareness come together and save of the project is now well has increased at Parker- a business,” Hutcherson underway. SUN FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU Hanifan as a result of the said. “The significance of Ryan Holt of the Greeneville Fire Department stands atop a ladder truck at Parker fire, Ennis said. “It is a true community (the fire) was, we lost Hannifin during a transformer fire at the Snapps Ferry Road manufacturing plant “I would say that we team effort.” our whole front office, on June 5, 2014. learned the importance of computers, phones and fire drills, fire safety, com- 4 ACRES BURNED records,” along with “We’ve got faith in ments from three coun- ciation for what people municating our emergency Hutcherson said the buildings that contained Courtney to get it up ties responded. did,” Hutcherson said. evacuation plan with our fire eventually consumed manufacturing equip- and going and provide “They spent 12, 14, 16 “I want to let people employees, and the impor- buildings and inventory ment and inventory, employment to this town, hours at a time,” Hutch- know the work they did tance of our business con- on about 4 acres of the Hutcherson said in a and hopefully it will erson said. “It is a grand was instrumental in let- tinuation plan,” he said. 14-acre property at 125 January interview. be bigger and better,” accomplishment for all ting this company bounce Parker Hannifin is a Spring St. in Mosheim. “It represented a pret- Mosheim Mayor Tommy those people who battled back and clean up and global leader “in nine core A dollar figure on ty significant amount of Gregg said in January. the fire.” rebuild.” motion and control tech- damage to buildings infrastructure,” he said. Many others not direct- nologies that include aero- and inventory destroyed Hutcherson said that PRAISE FOR FIREFIGHTERS, ly involved in fighting PARKER HANNIFIN space, climate control, elec- by the blaze was not Labor Day 2015 is his tar- OTHERS the fire also pitched in, The June 5 fire at tromechanical, filtration, available in February, get date to have rebuild- At the peak of the blaze, bringing food and other Parker Hannifin started fluid and gas handling, although the final dam- ing work complete. there were about 200 vol- comforts to the front when a large transformer hydraulics, pneumatics, age figure could run well Appalachian Forest unteer firefighters, mem- lines. burst into flames about process control, sealing over $1 million. Products has about 40 bers of the Greeneville “There is no way for me 8:25 p.m. just outside the and shielding,” according The freezing temper- employees, and the com- Fire Department, other to ever be able to express Parker Hannifin Corp. to the company’s website. atures and high winds pany has been a main- first responders and util- the Appalachian com- plant, at 2745 Snapps hindered firefighters stay in the Mosheim ity employees on scene. munity’s thanks. I have Ferry Road. from about 20 depart- community for decades. About 20 fire depart- absolute awe and appre- The fire sent large

John Deere Facility Expands Production, Adds Jobs In 2014

BY O.J. EARLY pleted in October. uting this product.” “This actually helps ting the product line to Edge Cutting System, STAFF WRITER As a result, the Hal The new positions us improve the manu- Greeneville. a 3-in-1 deck, accord- Henard Road plant are “wage manufactur- facturing capacity in Ferguson said new or ing to the company’s John Deere Power added about 100 jobs. ing jobs,” Deere offi- Greeneville,” Golden relocated product lines website. This technol- Products, a member “This is a customer- cials have said. Man- said. “It helps to cre- are competitive among ogy allows the rider to of the local manu- focused initiative that agement won’t specificy ate improved use of the the various manufac- choose between mulch- facturing communi- moves the production of how many of the jobs current facility.” turing plants in a com- ing, bagging and side- ty for more than two this product line closer are seasonal, indicat- Greene County Part- pany as big as Deere. discharging. decades, expanded its to its customer base,” ing that some of the nership President and “In this case it The 100 Series fea- Greeneville plant in James Field, president positions aren’t perma- CEO Tom Ferguson was a competition tures a 12-gauge frame 2014. of Deere Company’s nent. said he learned about between Wisconsin and and a cast-iron front The company moved Worldwide Agriculture In an interview with the possible expansion Greeneville,” Ferguson axle. production of its EZtrak & Turf Division, said the newspaper in the two months before the said. The 100 Series has zero-turn mowers from in a company news winter of 2014, spokes- decision was made. “We’d like to thank been named a Consum- its factory in Horicon, release. man Ken Golden was He credited John the State of Tennessee er Reports “Best Buy” Wis., to Greeneville. “We also will improve upbeat about the com- Deere Plant Manager for being there. They for nearly a decade, The switch was com- our logistics for distrib- pany’s decision. Jeff Hollett with get- always are. And we’d Hollett said. like to really thank [plant manager] Jeff Hollett.”

WHAT THEY MAKE John Deere is one of the world’s largest pro- ducers of agricultural equipment. The plant manufac- tures the popular 100 Series John Deere lawn tractors sold in stores, including Lowe’s and Home Depot. The 100 Series Trac- tor is made with The www.greenevillesun.com Saturday, March 14, 2015 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION 11 Wine Scored Easy Win In Greeneville 62 Percent Of Voters push. Managers from each of ary that a Middle Tennessee delayed the sale of wine for 18 who wanted the legislation last the town’s three stores collect- legislator, Rep. Bo Mitchell, months following a successful year are opposed to chang- Said ‘Yes’ To Wine In ed signatures that triggered would propose a bill that would referendum. ing the date,” he said in early the referendum. allow wine to be sold in food Waiting that long would 2015. Food Retail Stores “For the last eight years, retail stories in July 2015. allow liquor stores to adjust retailers across the state have But such a bill was likely their business models, Hawk HISTORY worked to make this a real- to encounter several hurdles, said. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam BY O.J. EARLY ity,” K-VA-T Foods CEO and according to State Rep. David “I know in speaking with signed a bill in March 2014 STAFF WRITER President Steve Smith said in Hawk, R-5th, of Greeneville. those who worked so hard for that allowed wine to be sold in a news release. (When this publication many years to bring that bill grocery stores and retail food By next year, you’ll be able to “Polls show the vast major- printed, the potential leg- about, there were agreements outlets starting in July 2016 if pick up Chardonnay with your ity of Tennesseans in favor of islation had not been intro- made by all parties, grocery a majority of voters approved cereal. wine in grocery stores, and duced.) stories, as well as those folks the proposal in a local refer- By a two-to-one margin, vot- we were confident that there “If legislation such as that in the wine and liquor industry endum. ers in the Town of Greeneville would be a strong showing is introduced, the folks on ... They felt good about waiting Only municipalities that approved the sale of wine at the polls and their voic- all sides of the issue last until July 2016.” allow liquor by the drink were in venues other than liquor es would be heard, and they year have asked that it not He added: “It [the proposal] eligible to hold a referendum. stores in the 2014 November were.” go forward,” said Hawk, who will meet opposition from those Two of Greene County’s three election. It will likely be July 2016 represents an estimated 90 who worked so hard last year state lawmakers — Hawk and The election results closed a before wine is offered in percent of Greene County in to get it passed.” state Rep. Jeremy Faison, R- months-long campaign to see Greeneville food retail stores. Nashville. The veteran legislator wasn’t 11th, of Cosby — supported the wine offered in grocery out- According to Hawk, deals prepared to say if he would be wine-in-supermarkets bill. lets. OFFERED THIS SUMMER? were made between leaders for or against such a bill. State Sen. Steve Souther- Food City, with three loca- The Nashville Tennessean in the grocery store and wine “I have’t even seen the bill. land, R-1st, of Morristown, tions in Greeneville, led the newspaper reported in Janu- and liquor industries that All I know is that the people voted against the measure. Newest Grocery Store Is ‘Grocery Outlet’ Opened May 2014 chases, Tullock said, pany can get product al meat, produce and all stores opening after company decided to whereas, otherwise, on store shelves within dairy section, where the purchase, as part locate in Greeneville, manufacturers would two days of getting a inventory is purchased of a gradual transition Whitted said it was a BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU have thrown out the phone call from a ven- at wholesale prices from UGO to GO. natural fit. The com- MANAGING EDITOR extra inventory and dor. from vendors. “It’s a shorter mes- pany already operates written it off as a loss. With locations in Tullock started the sage to send, it’s stores in nearby Eliza- Greeneville got its “A lot of this stuff was Tennessee, Kentucky, company with his par- cheaper, and it keeps bethton, Rogersville newest grocery store in being dumped anyway,” North Carolina, Geor- ents, who began sell- our cost low, so we can and Asheville. 2014, but it isn’t your Tullock said. “We want gia and Alabama, deliv- ing groceries to help pass that on to our cus- “We’ve always looked typical supermarket. to be the first call [ven- ery trucks, which stock bolster their antique tomers,” Whitted said at Greeneville,” he Michael Tullock, pres- dors] make” when they each store three times business. of the name change. said. ident of United Grocery need to liquidate inven- per week, never have “It’s been an excit- When asked why the Outlet, the company tory.” to drive more than 200 ing ride through the that operates the new “We’re well respected miles to a store. years,” he said. Grocery Oultet, said in in the vendor commu- Because of the chang- an interview last May nity,” company Store ing needs of manufac- COMPANY BACKGROUND that his company has Operations Manager turers, Tullock said Grocery Outlet is always focused on ser- Don Whitted said last some products sold at owned by Bargain Barn vice. spring. United Grocery Out- Inc., based in Athens, The Greeneville store let or Grocery Outlet where Tullock opened had its grand opening SOURCES OF INVENTORY stores are not there the original Bargain at the EastGate Cen- The reasons manufac- consistently. Barn in 1974. ter retail complex on turers may need to sell He also said that, That location is still Tusculum Boulevard inventory at a cheaper after 40 years of busi- the only Bargain Barn on Friday, May 2. rate vary, and Tullock ness, he has a good in the company. All the It was the company’s recalled product after feel for what kinds other stores are known 36th store, and 2014 product that his stores of products and what as either United Gro- marked the company’s have offered for differ- price points the compa- cery Outlet (UGO) or 40th anniversary. ent reasons. ny’s customers will be Grocery Outlet. The Greeneville store Many products, attracted to. Whitted said that employs about 25 peo- known as “seconds,” “They understand about seven years ago ple. United Grocery don’t match exact crite- the value of a dollar,” the company bought Outlet has more than ria set by manufactur- he said. “We just want North Carolina-based 800 employees total. ers before they can be to give them as much Grocery Outlet and its sold on a larger retail- as we can.” eight stores, and also UNIQUE BUSINESS MODEL er’s shelves. “Manufac- The company does began using the Gro- While most retail turers are pretty picky have a more tradition- cery Outlet name for stores only focus on about their specifica- service to customers, tions,” Tullock said. Tullock said his com- One supplier of fro- pany focuses on service zen chicken breasts to customers, employ- has sold packages of ees and the company’s meat to United Grocery vendors. Outlet if each chicken As an outlet store, he breast wasn’t a specific said, United Grocery size. Financial Guide Outlet (the name of Soup companies have the Greeneville store is sold perfectly good simply Grocery Outlet, soups or sauces to the thanks to recent brand- company because the ing efforts), is able to seasonal recipe printed offer products to cus- on the can’s label was tomers at discounted out of season. rates because the par- Other companies, he ent company has pur- said, experience delays chased the freight at in producing or deliv- lower prices from man- ering their inventory, ufacturers. and because of the more Tullock’s company complex supply chains has become a way for that bigger retailers large manufacturers have, the product won’t to liquidate inventory make it to the shelves that — for a host of rea- quickly enough to be 10 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO BETTER SERVE YOU! 114 West Church Street sons — won’t be able to consumed by a reason- go on shelves at bigger able date. SUPER SERVICE CENTER JOHNSON CITY SERVICE CENTER 423-636-5000 retail stores. 3634 E. Andrew Johnson Hwy, Greeneville 1919 North Roan Street Those manufacturers FAST SERVICE TO STORES still get revenue from Tullock said his Ath- MYERS STREET SERVICE CENTER JEFFERSON CITY 3626 E. Andrew Johnson Hwy. Grocery Outlet’s pur- ens. Tenn.-based com- 1115 Myers St., Greeneville 1075 N. Chucky Pike 423-636-5030 MOSHEIM SERVICE CENTER KNOXVILLE 9175 W. A.J. Hwy., Mosheim 702 19th St. 1435 Highway 70 (the old truck route) MORRISTOWN 10238 Kingston Pike 4005 E. Morris Blvd. 9352 Parkwest Blvd. 423-636-5050 4918 W. Andrew Johnson Hwy. 423.639.6131 www.hcbonline.us

111 Village Dr., Suite 3 • Greeneville, TN 37745 (423) 639-4691 Control your nancial future Lynn Griffi n by planning for life today. Let’s talk. Branch Manager Marilyn Colyer-Neece, Financial Representative Cell (423) 620-9000

816 Tusculum Blvd., Suite 2 Greeneville, TN 37745 Phone: (423) 638-0002 Jake Ottinger, Fax: (423) 787-0012 Managing Partner Cell (423) 329-0345 Email: [email protected] 12 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 14, 2015 www.greenevillesun.com Business Recruitment, Developing Goals Are Top Priority For Greene County Partnership

BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU nering with Retail Strate- merly Angus Palm) plant — property, hold it until it was ANNUAL MEETING MANAGING EDITOR gies, an organization that would be suitable for indus- needed for an industry, and At the Partnership’s annu- does detailed studies to try try if it were not for the then sell it to the industry al meeting in early March, The Greene County Part- to bring more retail and grading needed to get it into for a plant site. Ferguson announced that nership has focused on a food establishments to its shape. It was money raised Takoma Regional Hospital wide array of projects in the clients’ communities. (For and used for this purpose was the GCP’s Business of last year, but President and more information, please see through the foundation that the Year. CEO Tom Ferguson is bear- related story on page —.) “Our biggest challenge resulted in the Mt. Pleasant Ferguson touted the hospi- ing down on industrial and Ferguson did say the GCP Industrial Park being built tal’s work to make all Greene retail recruitment in the is beginning to work with a continues to be finding on U.S. 11E, Ferguson said. County citizens healthier coming year. national jobs search engine, More industrial recruit- through community outreach He also hopes the GCP will nationjob.com, to advertise the land that has the ment could fit into another programs. facilitate an event later this the industries in Greene project Ferguson hopes to Ferguson presented the year focusing on the commu- County that are currently infrastructure to service resurrect this year: a com- award to Takoma President nity’s goals for the foresee- looking to fill positions: Huf munity-wide goals confer- and CEO Daniel Wolcott, able future. North America, DTR and it.” ence. who is also the incoming One of Ferguson’s own American Greetings. He Ferguson wants to gath- Partnership chairman for goals is to keep working on hopes at least two more local Tom Ferguson er community leaders and 2015-16. filling the Crockett Crossing employers will soon reach GCP President and CEO other members of the public Later, Ferguson announced storefront, off the Andrew agreements with the search who wish to take part for that state Rep. David Hawk, Johnson Highway. engine. The Mosheim area — close an event in August where R-5th, of Greenville, was The former site of the Wal- to Interstate 81 Exit 23 — leaders will hear what goals named the GCP’s Champion Mart store has been vacant INDUSTRIAL RECRUITMENT, continues to attract interest, community members have of the Year, crediting Hawk’s for years. GOALS but so far not much land has for Greene County over the work in the state legislature But since a Food City store One of the biggest chal- been acquired that could be next few years. on behalf of Greene County. opened next door in Febru- lenges Ferguson pinpointed used for industrial growth. Then the participants will “He has one of the best ary 2013, the empty retail during an interview in late Fegruson said he’s consid- prioritize the goals and work business voting records in space — and acres of open February is finding property ering asking the help of the toward implementing them. Nashville,” Ferguson said of adjacent land — could make in Greene County suitable Greene County Foundation, A similar event in the early Hawk. a good spot for another com- for potential industries. an organization established 1990s eventually led to the “I do what I do because I pany or two to come in. “Our biggest challenge con- by local business leaders Greeneville Astros baseball love Greene County,” Hawk Ferguson said he is in tinues to be finding the land and other citizens in the late team locating here. said. “I want my daughters regular communication with that has the infrastructure 1940s. The GCP will announce to have the best chance in the development group that to service it,” Ferguson said. The foundation was created more details of the vision- the world to succeed.” owns the building. Property along the Bai- to identify potential indus- casting event later this What may provide an leyton Road — near the trial sites in Greeneville/ year. answer is the GCP’s part- Worthington Industries (for- Greene County, buy the

GC Partnership Working Hard To Downtown Greeneville Is Source Of Tourism Attract More Retail, Restaurants Dollars For County BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU retailers and developers to Jasper in the past,” Branch could help local small- a museum doing much of MANAGING EDITOR make a case for companies said. business-owners already BY EMILY R. WEST the same,” Kinser said. to locate in Greeneville. “It’s all about traffic pat- in place. STAFF WRITER “That figure will be The Greene County “We have licensed com- terns — where the con- Beasley said the data hard to judge in the Partnership is forging mercial real estate profes- sumer is going,” he added. may show more opportu- Greene County upcoming year.” ahead on a plan to be more sionals as part of our rou- Jasper’s population is nities for franchises to remains a state leader aggressive in recruiting tine,” Branch said Wednes- only about 15,000, similar develop in Greene Coun- in tourism after the last IMPACT OF LADIES CLASSIC more retail establishments day in an interview. “They to Greeneville’s. ty. year, as it landed in the Tourist activity related and restaurants to Greene have relationships with But Branch said enough But local leaders should top 25 counties in the to the Andrew Johnson County. most of the retailers we’ll people in the outlying areas encourage consumers state for tourism spend- National Historic Site, In September, the GCP’s be talking to.” would have shopped in Jas- here to spend as much ing in 2013, according to the AAU Golf National board of directors signed per that it made sense for of their money within the latest numbers from Championships, the off on an $88,000 contract LOSSES FROM ‘LEAKAGE’ those companies to expand Greene County as pos- the Tennessee’s Eco- Iris Festival and the with Birmingham, Ala.- One area that Retail there. sible and even to avoid nomic Impact on Travel Niswonger Performing based Retail Strategies. Strategies will examine is online shopping when report. Arts Center annually The company works on what Ferguson calls “leak- DECEMBER MEETING they can. Tammy Kinser, channels money into the behalf of economic devel- age” and Branch referred Retail Strategies repre- Potential retail and Greene County Part- county’s economy. opment organizations and to as “gap analysis,” which sentatives met with about restaurant companies nership director, said The Ladies’ Classic, municipalities to develop measures how much local 20 business and govern- want to see a robust local she could see how that a highly-regarded high detailed market research money is lost to out-of-town ment leaders in Decem- economy, according to ranking could have hap- school girls’ basketball in a given area, and cul- retailers when local con- ber in the G. Thomas Beasley. pened, with more visi- tournament held here tivate relationships with sumers go out of town to Love Board Room of the “It does matter which tors spending money in the week after Christ- retailers and restaurant shop or eat. Greeneville Light and cash register they ring the county for a total of mas, is also a plus for companies in order to “We are losing millions Power System headquar- up their purchases at,” $82.5 million. the local economy and bring those establish- and millions of dollars ters to update the group she said. “Tourism is the second a revenue driver for the ments to Retail Strategies in leakage just to places on Retail Strategies’ prog- Ferguson told the group leading industry in the county, Kinser said. customers. like TJ Maxx and Hobby ress. that having a company state and should be tout- The economic outlook “It’s a very specialized Lobby,” Ferguson said. Retail Strategies Vice working relationships and ed and celebrated more for the 16-team basket- area of recruitment,” GCP Branch said the psycho- President of Business analyzing vast amounts than it is,” Kinser said. ball tournament was President and CEO Tom graphics research isn’t just Development Lacy Beas- of consumer data is the The revenue from encouraging in 2014, Ferguson said. a tool for recruitment of ley briefed the group on key to convincing more tourism includes sales according to Kinser. The Ferguson says a com- new businesses. He point- the company’s method for companies to come to from travelers who spent classic was expected to pany such as Retail Strat- ed out that information developing a strategic plan Greene County. money on lodging, trans- have an indirect positive egies is needed in order developed in the research for Greene County. “We can’t pull people [in portation, meals, enter- impact of $450,000 on to convince more retailers can also help existing Using mounds of data, the community] together tainment or retail shop- the local economy. and restaurants to come businesses identify areas including the U.S. Census right now because we ping. Kinser arrived at the to Greene County, because of growth. Bureau’s American Com- don’t know what to tell The GCP’s tourism figure based on a formu- there’s only so much that “It will help them under- munities Survey, Retail them,” he said. division receives 1.5 per- la used by the Tennes- economic development stand their market,” Strategies will analyze The company current- cent of the cost of each see Department of Tour- professionals such as he Branch said. “There’s also what type of shopping ly works with 12 other room rented per night in ist Development, which or government leaders can an entrepreneurial compo- Greene County residents Tennessee communities, Greene County. calculates that players, do. nent to it.” do in other counties, and Beasley said. “I have seen a really parents and fans spent If he calls retail compa- Branch said Retail how many local dollars are good trend in the past an average of $75 a day nies with a pitch to locate Strategies employees spent elsewhere. CONTRACT two years,” Kinser said. per person on food, lodg- in Greeneville, most com- also will be able to pitch Retail Strategies rep- Ferguson said the GCP “We are a large coun- ing, gasoline and other panies take a quick look Greeneville and Greene resentatives attend trade has had local committees ty and a small tourism necessities while they at Greeneville’s population County at retail and food shows across the country focused on retail recruit- department, but our are here. of approximately 15,000 trade shows across the each year and have long- ment in the past, but no expenditure percentage and other demographics country. standing relationships effort such as this has is only increasing.” DOWNTOWN WALKING and say they’re not inter- with company leaders, ever been made to attract The county saw an TOURS ested in the local market, A SIMILAR MARKET Beasley said. retailers. almost 2 percent increase Other tourism dollars according to Ferguson. He noted that Jasper, She encouraged local The $88,000 commit- in tourism-related kept up a more constant Retail Strategies, how- Ala., northwest of Birming- leaders to begin attending ted to Retail Strategies spending in 2012. That pace during 2014, with ever, will spend months ham, may be a comparable those shows, too. will be paid over a period spending generated some of the county’s interviewing local leaders market to Greeneville. “Now it’s all about data,” of three years: $40,000 $2.17 million in local tax tourism hotspots feeling and getting a feel for the Much of Jasper’s citizen- Beasley said. “You’re the was paid in 2014, and revenue and more than the positive impact. area to develop “psycho- ry travels to Birmingham local expert; we are the $24,000 will be paid this $4.7 million in state tax Jann Mirkov, direc- graphics,” according to to shop. But Retail Strate- retail expert.” year and in 2016. revenue. tor of Main Street: Retail Strategies partner gies was able to bring in The data Retail Strat- About $45,000 of that Local tourism-relat- Greeneville, said she cer- Chuck Branch. a TJ Maxx store, a Hobby egies will pull from can total will come from con- ed spending has risen tainly saw an increase in With that information Lobby store, a Shoe Carni- be sufficiently detailed to tributions from the Town almost $30 million since the organization’s tours in-hand, the company can val store and a pet store. let existing retailers know of Greeneville and grants 2011, and guests from and the number of peo- leverage relationships that “Those four retailers how much of a product from Tennessee’s Three out-of-town were esti- ple taking them. its employees have with never would have looked at Greene County shoppers Star program and the mated to have spent “We’ve done advertis- are buying. Northeast Tennessee Val- $1.5 million around the ing over the last few Any sector of the local ley Regional Industrial county’s tourism hubs. years, and that takes economy and consumers’ Development Agency. As local tourism time to pay off,” Mirkov spending habits can be Each of those enti- spending has continued said. “I think 2014 is analyzed. ties has pledged $5,000 to grow, a related area showing some of the ben- “We’re making sure we’re per year for those three that hasn’t expanded as efits.” pulling out those key vari- years, Ferguson said. quickly has been tour- Main Street: ables,” she said. Meanwhile, anoth- ism-related employment Greeneville coordinates When they’ve developed er $43,000 was raised opportunities. Kinser the “Walk with the a strategic plan, Beas- through local private- said that it’s a factor President” and Dick- ley said Retail Strategies sector contributions, Fer- which is hard to predict son-Williams Mansion representatives will come guson said. for the coming years. downtown walking back to Greeneville and In September, Ferguson, Compared to 2012, the tours, which have guid- brief a larger group on the Greeneville Mayor W.T. number of local jobs gen- ed tourists from more results. That meeting was Daniels and Greeneville erated by tourism went than 70 percent of the set to happen sometime City Administrator Todd down slightly in 2013, United States and at this month. Smith interviewed three along with payroll fig- least a dozen from other companies specializing ures. countries, according to ENCOURAGE SHOPPING AT in retail recruitment and Only 560 local jobs Mirkov. HOME chose Retail Strategies. were generated by tour- “A lot of folks don’t real- Several who attended If GCP leaders are ism in 2013. ize the impact tourism the meeting asked Bea- happy with Retail Strate- “I don’t really see more sley and her associate, gies in three years, the jobs generated unless a Laura Hudson, whether contract can be extended. hotel expands or hires, or PLEASE SEE TOURISM | 13 Retail Strategies’ work www.greenevillesun.com Saturday, March 14, 2015 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION 13 Tourism Four Local Banks Announce Major Starts on Page 12 has in the state,” Mirkov said. Operational Or Structural Changes “Greeneville and Greene County are big contributors to that impact. “We are blessed with a lot BY STAFF of history and a lot of reasons At least four Greeneville for tourism, whether it’s just banks have announced someone in town for business significant operational or or whether people are com- structural changes dur- ing specifically for tours.” ing the last year: • Greeneville Federal MORE TRAFFIC AT MUSEUM Bank emerged in January The Greeneville-Greene from a regulatory “con- County History Museum, sent order” under which formerly known as the it has been required to Nathanael Greene Museum, operate for the last three- also saw an increase in foot and-a-half years. traffic through its doors this • Bank of America last year. fall sold its local branch Dan Spice, a museum — in other words, its local board member, said he rec- operations — to First ognized that their numbers Tennessee Bank as part started with residents living of a deal announced in in the region. the spring in which First “A large number of our out- Tennessee agreed to pur- of-town visitors come to the chase 13 Bank of America [museum] after they tour branches in Tennessee. the President Andrew John- • This month, Capital SUN PHOTO BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU son Homestead just up the Bank has announced Greeneville Federal Bank CEO Brandon Hull announced in 2014 that the bank had emerged from the regula- street,” Spice said. plans to close its Mosheim tory consent order placed on it during the Great Recession. But he said he saw a spark branch as of Monday, June in the museum’s social media 15, and transition its cus- of detailed requirements to reduce its concentra- When it opened again branch in mid-February. interaction, with their met- tomers to the Asheville and restrictions that tion of loans related to on Monday, Oct. 20, it “Accounts will auto- rics showing people across Highway Capital Bank the regulators said were commercial real estate as did so as a branch of matically transfer to the the United States and differ- branch. designed to correct the well as the overall level First Tennessee Bank. reassigned branch [Ashe- ent countries were looking at conditions and/or prac- of classified assets. On Dec. 10, the branch ville Highway]; no action is its social media accounts. GREENEVILLE FEDERAL tices that prompted the “The bank will there- was closed permanently required on the customers’ “We are seeing people com- BANK order. fore limit its lending in and consolidated into part,” she wrote in an email ing to our website and Face- Brandon Hull, CEO commercial real estate First Tennessee’s east response to questions from book page from across the of Greeneville Federal, TERMINATED JAN. 13, 2015 and focus on more tradi- Greeneville location at The Greeneville Sun. country and also from Great announced in mid-Janu- Under federal law, the tional lines of business, 2841 E. Andrew Johnson Safe deposit box customers Britain and Germany,” Spice ary that the consent consent order was to such as mortgage and Hwy. also received letters detail- said. order under which the remain in effect until it consumer lending.” First Tennessee ing how their boxes will be “We know people will bank had been operating was terminated in writ- Greeneville Commu- moved to the same Ashe- research an area they are since July 2011 had been ing by the regulatory NOTES ‘TIER ONE’ nity President Clay ville Highway branch. visiting, looking for a place of formally terminated on agency. There was no STRENGTH Hixson Hixson said all “This entire box reloca- interest.” Jan. 13. timetable. In Hull’s statement in employees at the Bank of tion is performed with a Hull was clearly very But on Jan. 13, the OCC January, he expressed America site would have security escort and under WALTERS STATE EXPANSION pleased at the action by issued its formal “Order “great praise and thanks” jobs once the transition strict controls,” Kimball The completion of the the U.S. Office of the Terminating the Consent to the bank management to First Tennessee was said. “Only the customer Walters State Community Comptroller of the Cur- Order.” team for their “concerted made. will have access to the College’s Greeneville-Greene rency (OCC), a division The new order states efforts in successfully First Tennessee also contents of their safe County campus is expected of the U.S. Department that “the Comptroller navigating the bank took control of a Bank of deposit box.” to spur not only overall eco- of the Treasury which believes that the protec- through these difficult America remote ATM at The Mosheim branch nomic growth but tourism regulates Greeneville tion of the depositors, economic times.” 212 Asheville Hwy. of Capital Bank has four specifically. Federal. other customers, and He also thanked “the “We’re incredibly excit- employees, including one New walkways will con- A “consent order” is an shareholders of the bank, customers both new and ed,” Hixson said of the manager, according to nect the main campus enforcement-type action as well as its safe and old that trusted in the transition when it was Kimball. entrance, the North Main by the OCC. sound operation, does not bank and its staff,” and announced last fall. “The current manager Street entrance, the cam- When the order was require the continued he pointed out that “the “It’s an opportunity for will remain a ‘float man- pus amphitheater, the issued on July 1, 2011, existence” of the [con- bank is considered well [Bank of America cus- ager’ role,” she said. “The Greeneville Historical Walk- Greeneville Federal sent] order, and therefore capitalized under federal tomers] to come on board other teammates will be way and sidewalks outside became the third local terminates it. banking guidelines.” with First Tennessee, afforded every opportuni- the campus. bank to become a target The termination order Under those federal where we feel like we ty to remain with Capital “From a tourism aspect, of corrective regulatory was signed by Wendell C. guidelines, he explained have world-class custom- Bank.” just the existence of Walters action since the begin- Walker, assistant deputy in an interview with The er service.” The Mosheim branch’s State in our downtown is a ning of the Great Reces- comptroller at the Nash- Greeneville Sun in Janu- The transition was closure is one of several plus,” Kinser said. sion in 2007-08. ville Field Office of the ary, if a bank’s “Tier One” part of a deal announced Capital Bank consolida- “But with the expansion American Patriot Bank U.S. Comptroller of the ratio of capital to total this spring in which tions around the South- that will incorporate pedes- and Heritage Community Currency. risk-weighted assets is at First Tennessee would east. trian lighting, improved Bank continue to oper- 5 percent or more, the purchase 13 Bank of No other branches in the crosswalks, as well as ate under consent orders ALWAYS OPTIMISTIC bank is considered “well America branches in Greene County market are enhance and encourage issued by a different reg- Ever since the issuance capitalized.” Tennessee. slated to close, she said. public access to all points ulatory agency. of the consent order in Hull said that According to informa- Greene County has six on campus, it increases the The “stipulation agree- 2011, Hull had expressed Greeneville Federal Bank tion provided to Bank of other Capital Bank branch- downtown’s overall value ment” accompanying the optimism that Greeneville now has a Tier One ratio America customers, First es: and benefits.” consent order that was Federal Bank would suc- of 10 percent: twice the 5 Tennessee had $24 bil- Capital Bank operates An economic study per- issued to Greeneville cessfully weather the percent “well capitalized” lion in assets on Dec. 31, branches in Florida, North formed in 2013 reported that, Federal Bank alleged nation’s economic down- standard. 2013, along with more Carolina, South Carolina, once construction of the new that, based on regula- turn. “As of Dec. 31, 2014,” than 4,300 employees, Tennessee and Virginia. It building is complete by the tory examination of In explaining the the news release added, and has the largest mar- has approximately $6.8 bil- spring of 2016, the average Greeneville Federal on background of the con- “Greeneville Federal ket share in Tennessee. lion in assets, according to annual impact on Greene, Dec. 29, 2010, the regu- sent order to customers Bank, FSB had regula- First Tennessee is information on the compa- Hawkins, Cocke and Wash- latory agency found that in 2011, he had issued tory capital of approxi- a subsidiary of First ny’s website. ington counties through the the bank “has engaged in a statement in which he mately $17 million ... We Horizon National Corp. It is a subsidiary of Capi- year should be about $23 unsafe or unsound bank- said: have approximately $160 (NYSE:FHN). tal Bank Financial Corp. million. ing practices.” “These types of agree- million in assets.” (Nasdaq: CBF), which “The expansion process A list of alleged ments have become fairly CAPITAL BANK MOSHEIM was formed in 2009. The has already created much “unsound” practices by common in today’s bank- BANK OF AMERICA/FIRST BRANCH company bought Greene- conversation among visitors the bank was provided. ing environment. Many TENNESSEE Capital Bank Marketing Bank — formerly known to our community,” Kinser The stipulation agree- banks in our commu- Local Bank of America Director and Vice Presi- as Greene County Bank said. ment did not require nity, as well as across customers were notified dent Susi Kimball said — in 2011 for $217 mil- “They are very impressed that Greeneville Federal the nation, are currently last fall that the bank’s early this month that the lion. with how Greeneville shows either admit or deny the involved or have been Greeneville branch, locat- Naples, Fla.-based bank’s Editor John M. Jones such progression, and overall validity of those allega- involved in some type of ed at 1545 E. Andrew Mosheim branch custom- Jr. and Managing Editor attention and commitment to tions. regulatory agreement. Johnson Hwy., would be ers began receiving let- Michael S. Reneau contrib- keeping to the architectural But the consent order “As part of the agree- closing for business on ters alerting them to the uted to this article. beauty of our downtown.” did include some 20 pages ment, the bank has agreed Friday, Oct. 17. planned closure of that Legal Guide LEONARD, KERSHAW & HENSLEY, LLP David L. Leonard Edward L. Kershaw Brent Hensley JUDY S. 131 S. Main St., Ste. 102 128 S. Main St. • 972-4388 Greeneville, TN 37743 ROBINSON Phone: (423) 638-2121 ed B Attorney at Law Vot est Fax: (423) 638-2131 Whittney Good, Attorney 518 Tusculum Boulevard Greeneville, TN 37745 2015 125 South Main Street GREENEVILLE,K. Kidwell TENNESSEEKing, Jr. 37743 Telephone: (423) 639-0683 125 South Main(423)639-6881 Street Facsimile: (423) 639-9563 [email protected] GREENEVILLE, TENNESSEE 37743 e-mail: [email protected] (423)639-6881 Curt Collins [email protected] 14 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 14, 2015 www.greenevillesun.com

Companies Accomplishments Mount For Greene Garner County Natives, Current Residents Awards, nessee Farm Bureau mem- BY O.J. EARLY bers. Honors In STAFF WRITER Throughout his 29-year tenure, Crosswhite won 2014 Several people with ties to almost every sales award Greene County made head- his company had to offer, lines in 2014 in the areas of including being recognized BY O.J. EARLY business and industry. as a Top 10 agent 26 times, STAFF WRITER Greeneville Light and an MTSU news release Power System General said. Several Greene Coun- Manager Bill Carroll ty companies notched received in June the high- ALEX S. JONES honors and awards in est award given by the Alex S. Jones, a native 2014. American Public Power of Greeneville and a for- Association. mer editor of the Sun, was LMR PLASTICS Carroll was named recipi- inducted into the Tennessee LMR Plastics again ent of the association’s Alex Journalism Hall of Fame won the highest-pos- Radin Distinguished Ser- at Middle Tennessee State sible rating from two of vice Award at the organiza- University in August. its major customers in tion’s national conference in In addition, he announced March 2014: Deere & Denver. earlier this year that he Company and The Don- The award is given “in would step down from the aldson Company. recognition of exceptional top leadership of Harvard The Greeneville man- leadership and dedica- University’s Shorenstein ufacturer, a supplier to tion to public power,” and Center on the Press, Poli- Deere and Donaldson, is named for Radin, who tics and Public Policy. was notified of the pres- led the organization for 35 He became director of the tigious recognition in years, according to a news center in 2000. He plans to February. release. leave the post as of June The awards — the “I am both proud and 30, 2015. designation of Partner- humbled to imagine that I Jones, like his brother level Supplier by Deere’s might have had some small Gregg Jones, is a member Commercial & Con- part in that great effort of the family that continues sumer Equipment Divi- to support and protect our to own the Sun. sion, and Top-Perform- customers,” Carroll said. Alex Jones served as Sun ing Strategic Supplier Carroll is an engineer editor from 1978-1983 and by Donaldson — reflect by training and began his is a co-owner and board of LMR’s performance dur- career with the Columbia directors member of Jones ing 2013. Power & Water System in Media Inc. (JMI), the par- In both cases, the rec- Tennessee in 1972. ent company of the Sun. ognition was the highest He became general man- “My tenure at the Sho- given by the respective ager of that utility in 1982. renstein Center’s helm has companies. Since 1990, he has served spanned perhaps the most The year 2013 was as General Manager for tumultuous and challeng- the ninth consecutive GLPS. ing period in media his- year for which LMR had tory, and I am proud to say received the Partner MAXINE HUMPHREYS FILE PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN that the center has evolved Supplier designation Maxine Humphreys, a Wayne Horton, of the General Morgan Inn, was named the Lodging Employee as those profound changes from Deere & Company, widely-known local radio of the Year at the Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association’s “Stars of the demanded,” Jones said. and the sixth consecu- broadcaster, retired after Industry” Award Gala last August. Jones’ professional accom- tive year that the local 61 years of broadcasting plishments are many. plastics company had with AM 1340 WGRV. Her ter of adapting to every as a part of the Rubber He was awarded the been awarded the Top- retirement was official in new bend in the road and Division’s “continuing effort Pulitzer Prize in Special- Performing Strategic June. excelling at whatever was to recognize significant ized Reporting in April Supplier designation by Humphreys’ live news needed.” contributions of scientists 1987 for his reporting for Donaldson. reports had continuously in the advancement of the the New York Times on the LMR Plastics manu- filled WGRV’s 12:30 p.m. GREGG K. JONES chemistry of thermoplastic sale of the Bingham com- factures and supplies time-slot since May 19, Gregg K. Jones, co-pub- elastomers.” munications enterprises in custom plastic injection- 1953. lisher of the Sun and presi- A member of the New early 1986. molded products to vari- “During my time at dent and CEO of Sun par- York Academy of Sciences, He is the co-author with ous size companies in WGRV, I have read, I ent company Jones Media Rader was for more than a his late wife, Susan E. Tifft, a variety of industries have written and studied, Inc., received the Ralph D. decade the chairman of the of noted biographies of two from its location here. preparing for the news- Casey/Minnesota Award, rubber nomenclature and of the nation’s leading news- LMR Plastics has cast, and I depend on the one of the top honors pre- terminology groups of both paper families: the Barry established custom- [WGRV] news director,” sented by the Inland Press the American Society for Bingham Sr. family, of Lou- ers in power lawn care she told The Greeneville Association. Testing and Materials and isville, Ky. (The Patriarch), products, filtration Sun in an interview. Jones, 64, a member of the International Stan- and the Ochs-Sulzberger products, industrial con- “My sponsor, Doughty- the fourth-generation news- dards Organization. family, owners of the Times trols, automotive, dental Stevens Funeral Home, paper family that owns the For 36 years, he was an (The Trust). devices and telecommu- employers and co-workers Sun, was presented with associate editor of Rubber Another highly regarded nications. have been kind to allow me the national-level award in Chemistry & Technology. book by Jones, titled Los- In addition to injec- to have more than 60 years Chicago at the 129th annu- Rader, a longtime resi- ing The News and pub- tion-molding, the com- at the mic.” BILL CARROLL al meeting of the associa- dent of Akron, Ohio, has lished in 2009, focused on pany offers value-add The longevity of her career GL&PS GENERAL MANAGER tion. many friends and relatives what he sees as alarming operations including has been well documented, An Inland Press Associa- in Greene County. trends that threaten “the assembly, plastic weld- and the Associated Press ness Person of the Year for tion news release explained core news that has been the ing (hot plate, ultrason- distributed stories about 2014. that the award, established MARILYN COLYER-NEECE essential food supply of our ic, spin), hot stamping, her 50th and 60th broad- Bill Snodgrass, a repre- in 1948, “is presented each Greeneville resident democracy.” pad printing and heat casting anniversaries all sentative of U.S. Rep. Phil year to a publisher, editor Marilyn Colyer-Neece, a staking. across America. Roe, R-1st, of Johnson City, or senior newsaper staff representative of Modern BRENDA COUCH A privately owned When she celebrated read a letter from Roe. member who has a dis- Woodmen of America, was Brenda Couch, part- company, LMR Plastics her 50th anniversary in “This award stands as a tinguished record of lead- named to Modern Wood- ner/Realtor, Greeneville was founded in 1973, 2003, the Tennessee Gen- testament to your outstand- ership and service in the men’s President’s Club. Realty Associates, received and has operated under eral Assembly passed a ing commitment to our newspaper industry.” The distinction recogniz- the 2014 Mark Keesecker the current family resolution that proclaimed region,” Roe wrote. “Thank Jones is a former presi- es Colyer-Neece’s achieve- Humanitarian Award from ownership of the Terry her “name recognition in you for everything you have dent of the Tennessee Press ment in life insurance sales the Northeast Tennessee Leonard family since Greene County approxi- done for this community.” Association and a former among the organization’s Association of Realtors. September 1996. mates and possibly sur- Solomon actually received chairman of the board of representatives nation- The award recognizes her In addition, Flash passes that of national his award formally earlier the Southern Newspaper wide, a news release said. devotion of time, resources Technology, a division radio commentator Paul in 2014 at a ceremony in Publishers Association and Founded in 1883, Modern and energy to her commu- of SPX Corporation, Harvey,” and that she Washington, D.C. He said the Newspaper Association Woodmen of America is a nity and the real estate pro- recognized Greeneville- “epitomizes the spirit and he was proud “to represent of America. fraternal financial services fession, according to a news based LMR Plastics as commitment that are char- my home state and my com- He also served three organization offering finan- release. Supplier of the Year for acteristic of a true Tennes- munity.” terms, the maximum cial products and fraternal During the past 18 years the Manufacturer — sean.” He thanked his wife, allowed, as a member of member benefits to individ- she has volunteered with Mechanical category. Patty, and his employees. the board of directors of uals and families through- many groups that include: The award was based TRACY SOLOMON TEVET employees “work the Associated Press, the out the United States. Epsilon Sigma Alpha, on perfect scores in sev- TEVET LLC founder really hard (and) they really world’s largest news orga- Ladies Church Auxil- eral categories, such as and CEO Tracy Solomon understand the mission,” nization. WAYNE HORTON iary, St. Jude Children’s quality, delivery, cost, was named by the U.S. Solomon said. He currently serves as At the Tennessee Hospi- Research Hospital, Hope service and execution, Small Business Adminis- “We really enjoy what we chairman of the board of tality and Tourism Associa- for Heroes and Sunshine according to a news tration as the recipient of get to do. We have fun with the Tennessee Press Asso- tion’s “Stars of the Industry” Box (food for widows). release from LMR. the Small Business Person it,” he said. ciation Foundation. Award Gala in August 2014, She has donated a sub- LMR Plastics has of the Year for Tennessee Among other communi- the General Morgan Inn’s stantial amount of money been manufacturing in 2014. JOE A. OFFICER ty leadership roles, Jones Wayne Horton was named to civic and philanthropic and supplying lens and Solomon was honored The Greeneville Sun’s Joe played a key part in the the Lodging Employee of the organizations, the release lens assemblies to Flash in July at a celebration at A. Officer celebrated 70 local effort that led to the Year for Small Properties. said. Technology since 2006. the Capitol Theatre, a non- years at the newspaper in naming of a U.S. nuclear Horton has been a staff Couch earned associate These assemblies are profit venture in downtown July. That milestone earned submarine for Greeneville, member at the General Mor- degrees in business from used in telecommuni- Greeneville that Solomon him a spot in the Tennessee and he headed the Morgan gan Inn since before its for- East Tennessee State Uni- cations and broadcast acquired in 2014. Press Association’s 50-Year Square downtown revital- mal opening in September versity, and secretarial sci- towers, as well as other State Rep. David Hawk, Club. ization project. 1996. ence from Walters State utility applications, the R-5th, of Greeneville, was He was honored for his The prestigious Ralph “We are very excited for Community College. release says. on hand for the celebration. achievement in Nashville. D. Casey Award is named Wayne and glad that TH&TA “Receiving this rec- “What a tremendous Although Officer’s job after the first director of felt he was deserving of this J. MARK MCKINNEY ognition is fulfilling on honor to be recognized in responsibilities have evolved, the University of Minne- recognition,” said General Dr. J. Mark McKinney, a many levels,” LMR Plas- this way,” Hawk said. he has been a staff member sota School of Journalism Manager Bob Cantler. former Greenevillian, was tics General Manager TEVET is a value-added of the Sun continuously from and Mass Communica- “He possesses a level of named chair of the Depart- Mike Briggs said in the reseller and distributor of the summer of 1944 until tions, and “is intended guest service that daily ment of Radiology of the release. electronic test and mea- now. to honor someone who is exceeds the expectations of Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, “This is a product surement equipment. The only exception was a an agenda-setter, bring- our guests, and furthermore, Fla., effective Nov. 5. [that] not only requires Its varied customers two-year period in the early ing about change while to be recognized amongst his Williams, who first the molding of various include government agen- 1950s when he served in the exemplifying the finest in peers across the state is an came to the Florida cam- components, but also cies such as the U.S. Depart- U.S. Army in Korea as an journalism and community honor.” pus in 1988, has led the involves our value-add ment of Defense, and major infantryman. service.” department through many team members who corporations such as Lock- He continues today as an JOE CROSSWHITE changes, including numer- assemble and kit the heed Martin and Northrup assistant in the Pre-Press DR. CHARLES P. RADER Middle Tennessee ous enterprise radiology products to order.” Grumman. Department at the Sun. Dr. Charles P. Rader, State University honored system practice conver- TEVET employees were “In the 70 years since Joe Ph.D., a 1954 graduate of Greeneville resident Joe gence projects. DTR TENNESSEE INC. among those on hand to started at The Greeneville Greeneville High School, Crosswhite with induction “He helped oversee Radi- Midway-based DTR honor the company found- Sun, the technology was honored with a major into the Robert E. Musto ology’s 2008 move into the Tennessee Inc. received er. required to publish the award from the Rubber Tennessee Insurance Hall new hospital and assisted a major state award in Walter Perry, district newspaper has changed Division of the American of Fame at Middle Tennes- with the recent integra- 2014. director of the Small Busi- repeatedly and significant- Chemical Society. see State University. tion of radiology practices In July, Tennessee ness Administration's ly,” said Gregg Jones, co- Rader was presented Crosswhite recently at Mayo Clinic Health Department of Labor & Tennessee District Office, publisher of the Sun. in March 2014 with the retired from the Tennes- System in Waycross and Workforce Development presented Solomon with a “During that evolution, Division’s Chemistry of see Farmers Mutual Life Mayo Clinic in Florida,” plaque recognizing him as a very gifted Joe Officer Thermoplastic Elastomers Insurance Company, which the news release said. the Tennessee Small Busi- proved himself to be a mas- Award, established in 1991 provides insurance for Ten- PLEASE SEE HONORS | 15 www.greenevillesun.com Saturday, March 14, 2015 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION 15 Bill Converse Says Sales For AirRestore Growing Rapidly Says The Technology offices, automobiles, etc. Dallas, Texas-based Aerus works like outside air.” who has tried it at least mid-1990s as general man- Converse and his busi- Holdings, LLC., and moved He said that, although three days. ager for Alpine Industries Of His New Products ness partner at that time, to the 400,000-square-foot the technology is not The only other AirRes- — has returned to that key Michael Jackson, moved Aerus facility in Bristol, easy to explain, customer tore product at this time, position with AirRestore. Very Different From the company headquar- Va. response has been very he said, is called Critter- Similarly, Tony Chang, ters from near Minneapo- The company was re- positive, both directly and Zone. who was plant engineer in That Of Alpine Line lis, Minn., to Greeneville formed the following year through traffic on social The product is the same the Alpine years, has been in late 1996 and set up under the new name of Vol- media. as The Naturalizer, Con- re-hired in the same post manufacturing operations lara. AirRestore has “just now verse explained, but the with the new company. BY JOHN M. JONES JR. in the Mt. Pleasant Indus- The new company’s man- started to take hold,” he CritterZone’s packaging EDITOR trial Park. ufacturing, shipping and said. “People are realizing highlights how the units DISTRIBUTOR NETWORK customer service opera- that it’s not just a new ver- can benefit those who live Converse also said that In an interview with The tions were consolidated at sion of the Alpine, but an around pets and have a great many of the former Greeneville Sun in Janu- the Aerus facility in Bristol, entirely different product.” allergies or other sensitiv- Alpine and/or Ecoquest dis- ary 2014, William (Bill) “People are realizing while Vollara’s corporate ities related to pet odors, tributors have now become Converse announced that headquarters was moved to THE AIR NATURALIZER etc. AirRestore distributors, preparations were coming that it’s not just a new Dallas. The main AirRestore on a part-time or full-time together well for a new product is a small unit FAMILIAR FACES basis. manufacturing company version of the Alpine, HE’S NOW ‘UN-RETIRED’ the company calls The Air Converse himself is the A training meet- he had established in the Converse has now “un- Naturalizer, which is only majority owner of AirRes- ing here in early March field of indoor air qual- but an entirely differ- retired” — happily so, he a few inches tall, a few tore and its chief executive drew about 75 distribu- ity. Its name: AirRestore said in the interviews with inches wide, and a few officer, but he indicated tors to Greeneville from USA, Inc. ent product.” the Sun both in 2014 and inches deep, with a weight he is not devoting much several states, Converse In the 15 months since this month, and is pouring of only about 7-8 oz., Con- attention to manufactur- said: a total he said was then, he said in a follow- Bill Converse his time into helping Air- verse said. ing operations. reduced dramatically up earlier this month, Restore grow. Usually, he stated, the Instead, he explained in when it became necessary AirRestore (http://airres- By the late 1990s, Alpine He says that, although Air Naturalizers are being the interview this month, to reschedule the origi- toreusa.com) has leased was employing several hun- AirRestore is — like Alpine sold in a “system” of four he is spending most of his nal meeting date in late manufacturing space dred employees here and — a company whose focus units so that, for instance, time traveling to develop February because of the here, hired a core group marketing products nation- is on improving indoor air a customer can use one in the company’s distributor inclement weather. of employees (under 10 so wide, and to some extent quality, the AirRestore the kitchen, another in the network and publicize Air- Even so, he said, “We far), and started manufac- internationally, through product is based on tech- bedroom, another in the Restore through interviews had a spectacular meet- turing operations. a network of thousands of nology that is both simpler living area, and perhaps and other speaking oppor- ing! The feeling — it was Most significant, he independent distributors. than the ionization tech- another in the customer’s tunities. just like the old days! Peo- said, is that product sales In 2000, Converse sold nology he used in develop- car or office. For instance, he said, he ple seemed happy to be are growing at a “geomet- his ownership interest in ing the Alpine air purifi- A unit designed to serve will be a speaker at the ‘coming home.’” ric” rate through a rapid- Alpine Industries to Jack- cation products and very an area of 800 square annual AARP convention He estimated that, of ly-multiplying network of son, who changed the different from the Alpine feet of open area sells for in May. the 75-80 people attend- independent distributors. name of the company to technology. $99, but the basic sales Meanwhile, the company ing, only a handful had not Ecoquest International and A major difference package is four units for has leased 20,000 square been to Greeneville before FAMILIAR WITH INDOOR AIR continued to manufacture between the two technolog- a house for the price of feet of the same 500,000- in connection with Alpine TECHNOLOGY the products and market ical approaches, he said, is $370. square-foot building in the or Ecoquest activities. Indoor air technology them very successfully both that the AirRestore equip- The product comes with Mt. Pleasant Industrial Another sales meeting is an area that Converse nationally and internation- ment does not emphasize not only a dealer warran- Park where Alpine and here is planned in 90 days, knows well. ally for several years. Con- the use of ozone in how it ty but also an absolute then Ecoquest were former- he said, adding that, by An engineer and inven- verse basically retired. improves indoor air qual- money-back guarantee for ly based. The building is then. he anticipates that tor, he was the founder The Great Recession had ity. 30 days, if for any reason owned by local industrial- the number of distributors and president of the for- a serious impact on the Instead, he said, AirRes- the customer is dissatis- ist Ron Jones. attending will be about mer Alpine Industries, company’s fortunes, how- tore focuses not really on fied, he said. Other familiar aspects of three times as large. Inc., whose primary focus ever, with the result that “cleaning the air” but on To date, he said, the the new company include By the end of the year, he was on products designed most of Ecoquest’s assets “putting energy back into company has not been the facts that Larry Land- said, he anticipates local to improve the quality of and products were sold in the [inside] air and let- asked to take back a sin- ers — whom Converse training meetings of 400- indoor air in residences, 2009 to a subsidiary of ting it clean itself so that it gle unit from a customer originally hired in the 500 persons.

based on public records employers and employ- road builder strives to to live up to that prom- • Work on State Route Honors that she requested and ees who meet a required construct. We want to ise.” 70, also known as the was provided,” Editor number of hours without build pavements that “We’re so proud of our Asheville Highway, in Starts on Page 14 John M. Jones Jr. said. workplace injuries seri- deliver on the promise employees and the team- Greene County; Sun reporter Sarah R. ous enough to cause an of high performance work among them — from • Work on Tri-Cities Gregory took first-place employee to miss a day of and drivability for the the asphalt plant that pro- Regional Airport’s run- Commissioner Burns honors for Best Business work or restrict normal public,” said William C. duces the asphalt to the way 5-23 rehabilitation; Phillips announced News for her November job activities, according Ensor III, NAPA 2014 truck drivers who deliver • Work on State Route that DTR was chosen to story on the closure of to the release. chairman. it and the crews that lay 345 (Boone’s Creek Road) receive the Commission- Dixie Cleaners in down- The facility qualified “Projects that earn a it,” Bryant said after the in Jonesborough; er’s Award of Excellence town Greeneville after for the Governor’s Award Quality in Construction award announcement. • Work on Highway 75 for Workplace Safety and many years of operation. by working more than Award have been mea- The projects for which in Kingsport; Health. Judges wrote that Greg- 250,000 hours without sured against industry Summers-Taylor won • Work on State Route The Commissioner’s ory’s coverage offered a a lost time or restricted Best Practices designed include: 400 in Johnson City. Award of Excellence hon- “good story and history duty workplace injury or ors Tennessee employers of a locally-owned busi- illness. and employees who meet ness.” a required number of Cutshall received a GREENE COUNTY hours without workplace first-place plaque for PARTNERSHIP injuries serious enough Best Video for his three- Members of the Greene to cause an employee to minute film, “Food City County Partnership miss a day of work, a Opens New Store in staff were joined by local news release says. Greeneville,” which was governmental depart- The number of hours produced in February ment heads in May at required is based on the 2013. the Carnegie Hotel in size of the company. “The voiceover [in the Johnson City to accept At the time, the Mid- video] was well done and the 2014 Northeast Ten- way facility had logged gave pertinent informa- nessee Tourism Associa- 9.7 million hours without tion about the event,” tion (NETTA) Pinnacle a lost time accident. judges wrote. “Editing of Award for The Band “DTR-Midway has dem- event footage and inter- Perry World Premiere onstrated strong com- views was good.” of “Pioneer” event held mitment to maintaining The newspaper on North Main Street in a safe and healthy work- received first place for Greeneville in 2013. place,” said Commission- Best Multimedia for The Band Perry event, er Burns Phillips, who using text, photos, video, which introduced the Industrial, presented the award at social media and other group’s second CD, com- the closing session of the media elements to cover peted for the Pinnacle recent Tennessee Safety The Band Perry’s free Award with several Commercial, and Health Congress in concert in downtown other events from across Nashville. Greeneville in March. the region. “The evaluation crite- The Sun mobilized It was one of three Construction, ria for this award are nearly two-dozen staff events to take home challenging, and this members, freelance pho- the prestigious NETTA company has worked tographers and videog- “Special Events” award Demolition extremely hard to meet raphers to deliver mul- given as a salute to Tour- and exceed the standards timedia coverage of The ism’s peak performers, a the award requires.” Band Perry event, Cut- news release states. Roll-off Container DTR, as well as the shall said. The Partnership staff DTR Tennessee facil- Judges wrote, “This worked with local, ity located in Tazewell, package went all-out in regional and state gov- Services are two of 18 companies covering this local con- ernmental departments, in the State of Tennes- cert. The plethora of as well as emergency see to hold this award, a photos, video clips of the management personnel, 10-40 Cubic Yard Roll-off Containers release said. performance, interviews to coordinate the event and even a time-lapse and provide the high- Rental: Daily, Monthly, Yearly GREENEVILLE SUN [video] told the story level security required The Greeneville Sun well.” by the band. earned 17 journalism awards, the most of any BTL INDUSTRIES INC. SUMMERS-TAYLOR Industrial Compaction Systems newspaper in its circula- Tennessee Department The National Asphalt Sales and Rental tion category, in the 2014 of Labor & Workforce Pavement Association competition sponsored by Development Commis- (NAPA) announced the Tennessee Associat- sioner Burns Phillips in February 2015 that ed Press Media Editors. announced in April that Summers-Taylor Inc., of Quality & Dependable Service The Sun won first- BTL Industries Inc. in Elizabethton, won sev- place honors for investi- Greeneville was chosen eral 2014 Quality in Economical Pricing gative journalism, busi- to receive the Governor’s Construction Awards for ness news, video and Award of Excellence for excellence in construc- multimedia. Workplace Safety and tion of asphalt pave- Assistant Managing Health. ment. Editor Kristen Buckles, “BTL Industries has One of the five awards a former Sun reporter, demonstrated strong was for a Greene County Transport Technologies, won the Malcolm Law commitment to main- project. Memorial Award For taining a safe and The company received Investigative Reporting. healthy workplace,” said the honors on Wednes- It is recognized as one Jim Flanagan, assistant day, Jan. 28, at a cer- LLC. of the most prestigious administrator for Ten- emony during the asso- awards given for journal- nessee OSHA, who pre- ciation’s 60th annual istic accomplishments in sented the Governor’s meeting in Marco Island, Tennessee. Award of Excellence. Fla. P.O. Box 1864 Buckles received hon- “The evaluation crite- The awards were ors for her coverage of ria for this award are accepted by Greene Greeneville, TN 37744-1864 alleged wrongdoing by challenging, and this County native Ted Lane the paid management company has worked Bryant II, now of John- Phone 423-638-3485 • Fax 423-639-4808 of Chuckey and Cross extremely hard to meet son City, executive vice Anchor utility districts and exceed the standards president of Summers- Dispatch 423-638-7949 in 2013. the award requires.” Taylor. “Kristen wrote a solid, The Governor’s Safety “Quality pavements informative news story Award honors Tennessee are something every 16 THE GREENEVILLE SUN BENCHMARKS EDITION Saturday, March 14, 2015 www.greenevillesun.com

Celebrating 45 Years in Greene County The largest North American producer of solid zinc strip and zinc-based products. Our zinc strip is utilized throughout the world in a broad range of applications, including coinage, automotive and electronic applications, building materials, rain goods and cathodic protection products.