VCEDA-2017-Annual-Report.Pdf
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2017 ANNUAL REPORT ChairmanChairman’s Letter The Honorable Ralph S. Northam Governor of Virginia Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor 1111 East Broad Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 Dear Governor Northam, We are pleased to submit to you and the General Assembly the 2017 Annual Report of the J.P. Richardson Chairman Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA). In 2017, VCEDA experienced the highest funding year in the Authority’s 29-year history approving and earmarking $23.6 million for 28 loans and grants including at least one in every county and city of the VCEDA region. VCEDA also closed seven loans and 14 grants during 2017, more than ever in one year, and participated in 51 prospect visits to the region, among the highest number ever, from businesses and firms considering our region for business locations or expansions. In 2017, VCEDA reported 19 new projects and four existing business expansions with a projected 402 new full-time jobs and 96 part-time jobs with at least one project in every county in the VCEDA region. Highlights included locating a new manufacturer in Russell County, construction of a technology shell building in Tazewell County, installation of a zip line attraction at Breaks Interstate Park, location of two diabetes treatment centers in Buchanan and Tazewell Counties, a new craft brewery, the ribbon cutting of a new Tier III data center in Wise County, the opening of a new ATV trail system in Dickenson County, workforce development initiatives, and expansions at two existing telecommunications businesses and at NorrisBuilt Fabrication and the Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens, Inc. VCEDA also began a new seed capital program for young, small businesses in the VCEDA region. Small businesses and entrepreneurs responded enthusiastically, and VCEDA approved 12 seed capital matching grants during 2017. Twelve small businesses in Mission of the Virginia Coalfield the VCEDA region, ranging from a bakery, coffee shop, craft brewery, a digital marketing Economic Development Authority business, Airbnb lodging, to a rental e-bike business, were approved for the dollar-for- dollar matching grants under the program designed for businesses three years and under The primary purpose of the Authority is to with less than 10 full-time employees. An additional highlight of the year was revealing enhance the economic base for the seven county the results of a VCEDA-commissioned study by the Virginia Tech Office of Economic and one city coalfield region of Virginia (Lee, Development of potential agricultural economic development opportunities in the Wise, Scott, Buchanan, Russell, Tazewell and VCEDA region at an Agriculture Summit in October, hosted by VCEDA and Southwest Dickenson Counties and the City of Norton). Virginia Community College. The Authority shall provide financial support for the purchase of real estate, construction VCEDA is committed to its important mission of helping to enhance and diversify the of buildings for sale or lease, installation of economy of the coalfield region of Virginia. With the decline of the coal industry and its utilities, direct loans and grants to private for- impact on the economy of our region, the role of VCEDA is more important than ever. profit basic employers; may apply for matching We look forward to working with you and the General Assembly to help our region to funds from the state or federal government, transition and grow. or the private sector; and any other support Sincerely, improvements it deems necessary. Code of VA Title 15.2 Chapter 60, Section 15.2- 6002 J. P. Richardson Chairman Executive Director’sDirector Report This year was a very exciting and active year for the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA). Not only did VCEDA experience one of the highest numbers ever of business prospect visits to the region, in 2017 the Authority also approved and earmarked $23.6 million in loans and grants, the most in the Authority’s 29-year Jonathan Belcher history. VCEDA also reported the highest quantity of new projects and expansions in its Executive Director/ history. General Counsel A number of the new projects were made possible by a new funding program implemented by VCEDA in 2017. At the board’s February meeting, VCEDA approved changes to the VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Fund to make it a matching grant program for small businesses three years and under with less than 10 full-time employees. The response was outstanding to the new matching grant program designed to spur entrepreneurship in the coalfield region. Applicants worked with Margie Douglass and Tim Blankenbecler, directors of the Small Business Development Centers at Southwest Virginia Community College and Mountain Empire Community College, to prepare the seed capital applications to VCEDA. During the year, the Authority approved grants to help a dozen new small businesses, including a coffee shop, a botanicals company, a digital marketing business, a pastry shop, an e-bike rental business, and an Airbnb short-stay business, just to name a few. While supporting entrepreneurship in this new way as a means to further diversify the region’s economy, VCEDA also maintained its focus on marketing and supporting the region as a great location for new business and business expansions. Some highlights of VCEDA Marketing Ambassadors Cathy St. Clair, left, and Charlotte Mullins. such projects include a new manufacturing operation in Russell County by JENNCHEM, LLC, an innovative new diabetes treatment center and a new craft brewery in Tazewell County, and the addition of new jobs at TeleTech and Sykes Enterprises. Additional highlights of the year include the proposed new Haysi Trails Center and a ribbon cutting on the Ridgeview ATV trail system in Dickenson County, the ribbon cutting on the new Mineral Gap Tier III data center in Wise County, the opening of Southern Gap Outdoor Adventures in Buchanan County, a new zip line attraction at the Breaks Interstate Park, a groundbreaking on a new technology shell building in Tazewell County, a regional Agriculture Summit at which the results of a study commissioned by VCEDA on how to expand the region’s agriculture industry were presented, and the closing of a workforce development and training grant by VCEDA to the Southwest Virginia Community College Educational Foundation. As VCEDA looks forward to its 30-year anniversary in 2018, its role remains as important as ever and it continues to play a key role in the enhancement and diversification of the economy of the coalfield region of Virginia. VCEDA staff includes, from left, Mitzi White, Office Manager; Jean Jordan, Funds Administrator; Jonathan Belcher, Executive Director/General Counsel; Marketta Horton, Economic Development Specialist; and Susan Copeland, Marketing Coordinator. 2017 Projects &Projects Expansions NEW PROJECTS JOBS INVESTMENT Haysi Trails Center 7 FT N/A Raven Theater and Coal Museum, Inc. 5 FT / 7 PT $161,300.00 Breaks Interstate Park Zipline 10 PT N/A The Well Coffee Shop, LLC 1 FT / 3 PT $20,000.00 Foxtail Orchards Cabins and Campgrounds, LLC 3 FT / 3 PT $82,000.00 Ridgeview Deli Mart and Wolfpack Den LLC 3 FT / 7 PT $15,000.00 JENNCHEM, LLC 50 FT $5,000,000.00 Sugar Hill Brewing Company, LLC 5 FT / 20 PT $200,000.00 Painted Peak Brewing Company 15 FT / 10 PT $2,516,000.00 Essential Roots & Herbs, LLC 2 FT $40,000.00 Trina Health of Pounding Mill, LLC 21 FT / 2 PT $900,000.00 Trina Health Town Center 10 FT $429,000.00 The Homestead on the Holston, LLC 5 PT $15,000.00 Veritas Nurturing Center 7 FT / 2 PT $7,000.00 Moore2Come 1 FT $7,000.00 Sweet Thang Pastries and Restaurant, LLC 2 FT / 3 PT $128,907.00 Southwest Virginia Outdoors, LLC 2 PT $20,000.00 Roberts Mill Suites LLC 1 FT / 2 PT $137,000.00 Forrest Machines 5 FT N/A Total New Projects (19) 138 FT / 76 PT $9,678,207.00 EXPANSIONS JOBS INVESTMENT TeleTech 100 FT N/A Sykes Enterprises (Wise) 110 FT N/A NorrisBuilt Fabrication 49 FT $925,000.00 Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens, Inc. 5 FT / 20 PT $596,740.00 Total Expansions (4) 264 FT / 20 PT $1,521,740.00 TOTAL NEW PROJECTS & EXPANSIONS (23) 402 FT / 96 PT $11,199,947.00 FT = full-time; PT = part-time Projects JENNCHEM, LLC | RUSSELL COUNTY | $1.5 MILLION LOAN VCEDA approved an up to $1.5 million loan to the Russell County Industrial Development Authority to help bring a new manufacturing operation to the region with 50 new jobs and a $5 million investment projected. JENNCHEM, LLC, an affiliate of JENNMAR Corporation, established JM Conveyors, a manufacturing operation for heavy duty conveyor systems in the 103,000 sq. ft. former Clinch Mountain Flooring facility in the Russell County Industrial Park in Lebanon. JENNCHEM plans to invest $5 million in the operation and manufacture conveyor systems primarily for the mining industry, as well as the transportation, automotive, electronics, construction and aviation industries. JENNMAR operates a roof support manufacturing facility in Tazewell County. BREAKS INTERSTATE PARK BUCHANAN AND DICKENSON COUNTIES | $188,000 GRANT A new zip line attraction at the Breaks Interstate Park began operation in the fall of 2017 financed in part by an up to $188,000 grant approved by VCEDA. Funds for the grant came from the VCEDA Civil Penalties Fund and were used toward financing the construction and installation of the zip line attraction. The park estimates the project will result in the creation of approximately 10 part-time, seasonal positions within one year. TRINA HEALTH OF POUNDING MILL, LLC TAZEWELL COUNTY | $400,000 LOAN VCEDA took part in the official announcement of the opening of Trina Health of Pounding Mill, LLC, an innovative diabetes treatment center in Tazewell County, which received an up to $400,000 loan approved by the VCEDA board.