Mayor Dean, Partnership 2010 share Nashville overview at Lipscomb
Kim Chaudoin |
"Lipscomb is a great citizen of this community," said Dean as he addressed Partnership 2010, which met for its briefing in Lipscomb University's Collins Alumni Auditorium.Dean shares his education initiatives for Nashville for the coming year. His plans include bringing Teach for America and New Teachers Project to the city. He also noted that even though the nation is facing an economic downturn, Nashville is a strong community.
"Nashville has a diverse economy and has a lot to look forward to. I believe from the bottom of my heart that our best days are ahead of us," said Dean.
Some of the highlights of the Partnership 2010 report include job growth, population growth and business relocations and expansions in the 10-county Nashville region for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008. The Nashville area had a net job growth of 5,242 jobs, and more than 42,000 people moved to the 10-county region in 2007-2008.
"The diversity of this economy has kept this region in the positive column for job growth this year, a figure that a limited number of Tennessee and U.S. cities can cite," said Keith Herron, Mid-south regional president, Regions, and co-chairman of Partnership 2010. "While job growth has slowed, mirroring the national economy, population growth in the region has not. This is a testament to the livability of the area."
Fifty-one companies relocated new facilities to the Nashville region last year, accounting for 3,367 jobs, $238 million in new capital investment and three million square feet of space leased, purchased or developed. Relocations included Backyard Burgers' headquarters, Oreck's corporate headquarters, Verizon Wireless' new regional headquarters, Cogent Healthcare, the Japan Consul-General office, Shoals Technology and Tasti D-Lite.
Fifty companies announced sizable expansions, resulting in 6,258 new jobs being added and almost a billion dollars of new capital investment. Business expansions included BioMimetic Therapeutics, Deloitte & Touche, Franke Foodservice Systems, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Zeledyne.
Ralph Schulz, president and CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, laid out the Chamber's focus for the year ahead: "We will keep working to help our members, which are largely small businesses, find ways to grow and thrive in this economy."