People who are 23 years old are now eligible for the Tennessee Reconnect scholarship if they have not previously earned a college degree. This is regardless of their dependency status on federal income tax forms.
Similar to Tennessee Promise for college freshmen who are coming straight to higher education from high school, Tennessee Reconnect is a last-dollar scholarship that covers tuition for adult learners after all state and federal financial aid has been applied.
“This is wonderful news for our students,” said Leigh Anne Touzeau, assistant vice president for Enrollment Services at Pellissippi State Community College. “Now students who are eager to get started back don’t have to wait until they are 24 – they can get started a whole year sooner.”
The age change from 24 to 23 years old was part of the HOPE Expansion Bill signed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on June 1. The bill also increases the amount students at two-year institutions receive from the HOPE scholarship to $1,600 per semester.
Lee also signed House Bill 2436/Senate Bill 2631 into law June 1, allowing students who graduate from high school early to be eligible for Tennessee Promise.
The deadline to apply to Pellissippi State for fall 2022 is Aug. 9. Students who already have applied and been accepted should register now to get the classes they need to move forward on their educational path. Aug. 15 is the deadline for students to confirm their schedules in myPellissippi and pay their fees. Fall classes start Aug. 22.
Cirrus Aircraft delivered the first of twenty-five SR Series TRAC20 aircraft to United Aviate Academy. The TRAC20 is an advanced, high-performance aircraft that will be used for initial pilot training at the only ab-initio flight academy operated by one of the largest U.S.-based airlines. In February, the company announced a purchase agreement with United Aviate Academy to purchase twenty-five TRAC20 aircraft with the option to acquire fifty more as the program grows.
United Aviate Academy’s TRAC20 fleet is equipped with an integrated avionics suite essential for situational awareness and hazard avoidance, such as Synthetic Vision, ChartView, Active Traffic and more. These advanced avionics will prepare United Aviate Academy cadets for their careers at regional and mainline airlines after graduation. Additionally, the hot weather package keeps students and instructors comfortable in the Goodyear, Arizona training environment. The hazard and traffic avoidance features provide extra safety in this dense flight training area.
Cirrus Aircraft offers an aircraft personalization program where customers work with the Cirrus Aircraft Xi Design team to create a custom aesthetic for their aircraft using their own inspiration and vision. United Aviate Academy, inspired by the union of United Airlines and United Aviate Academy, collaborated with the Xi Design team to create a unique livery featuring aspects of both brands. All twenty-five aircraft will feature this thoughtful design featuring the blue and white United Aviate Academy logo on the tail, fuselage, and crew seats as well as a wear-resistant interior.
“Cirrus Aircraft is proud to work with United Aviate Academy to provide the next generation of United Airlines pilots with a fleet of advanced training aircraft for safer and smarter instruction,” said Zean Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus Aircraft. “Together, we are introducing more people to aviation and providing new opportunities for underrepresented populations by removing barriers and supporting new programs like United Aviate Academy.”
United Aviate Academy’s (Westwind School of Aeronautics Phoenix, LLC) year-long training program at Phoenix Goodyear Airport sets up students for a career that reflects United’s high standard of professionalism and commitment to delivering a safe, caring, dependable and efficient travel experience. The Academy is part of United’s industry-leading pilot career development program, which offers aspiring and established pilots the most direct path to a United flight deck. Within the next decade, United aims to hire more than 10,000 pilots and introduce about 5,000 aspiring pilots to aviation through the Academy.
Consultant Connect, a consulting agency designed to bridge the gap between economic developers and site consultants, announced that Bryan Daniels, president/CEO of the Blount Partnership, was named among North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers of 2022.
The economic development professionals selected for the Consultant Connect North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers of 2022 list were nominated by their colleagues in the economic development industry and the site consultant community for excellent practices, innovation and success in building the communities they serve.
“Releasing the Top 50 list is one of Consultant Connect’s favorite times of the year because we are so passionate about recognizing economic development leaders’ transformative work,” said Carla Sones, managing director of Consultant Connect. “This year’s group faced hurdles unlike any other Top 50 group has seen over the past year, and we are honored to provide a platform for them to be recognized for the passionate commitment they’ve made to their communities.”
“My job, my role, why I was hired, was to be … It was to be a catalyst,” Daniels said. “That was the exact word that was used. To be a catalyst in the community to create more opportunities for folks here.”
The Tennessee Entertainment Commission (TEC), in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Revenue and Department of Economic and Community Development, announced today a new franchise and excise (F&E) tax credit program aimed to advance Tennessee’s entertainment industry by promoting job creation and economic development.
Companies approved as a qualified production can apply for a tax credit generated through resident and non-resident Tennessee payroll expenses and apply for a point of purchase sales tax exemption certificate on non-payroll expenses. Qualified productions include scripted and unscripted television, feature films, video game development, animation, commercials and audio/visual postproduction.
“Tennessee is home to one of the most robust entertainment industries in the world, and we strive to provide the resources needed for our state to build upon this momentum,” TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe said. “We are proud to partner with the Department of Revenue and Tennessee Entertainment Commission and look forward to seeing how this new program will further strengthen our state’s entertainment footprint while creating additional jobs for Tennesseans.”
The F&E tax credit is generated by Tennessee payroll expenditures for all above-the-line and below-the-line talent services being performed in the state on a qualified production. The standard credit generates up to 40 percent on resident and non-resident payroll expenses, with a 10 percent uplift on payroll expenses for Tennesseans living in economically distressed areas.
“We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Tennessee Entertainment Commission, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, and the entertainment industry to make this incentive a success,” Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said. “Through this collaboration, we are happy to support the continued growth of Tennessee’s entertainment industry.”
In addition to the tax credit, the program offers a point of purchase sales and use tax exemption on qualified goods and services providing an immediate and usable benefit to the taxpayer. This point of purchase sales tax exemption generates a savings of 9.25 percent to 9.75 percent on all taxable goods or services and tangible personal property necessary to the qualified production.
The program creates a sustainable model for the industry, encouraging musicians, professional filmmakers, television producers and video game developers to create and share their craft. The F&E tax credit program will also help market the state while supporting the talented professionals in the entertainment industry.
“Incentives play a pivotal role in the development of talent, workforce and infrastructure in the entertainment industry,” TEC Executive Director Bob Raines said. “The Tennessee Entertainment Commission continues to work toward dedicated and intentional strategies that reinforce and retain our creative class.”
TEC promotes and facilitates economic development of the entertainment industry through the recruitment of business to Tennessee. Since 2017, TEC has assisted more than 1,100 production projects, and nearly 10,000 Tennessee workers have been hired as a result of these projects.
From aquaponics to pneumatics, five schools in East Tennessee will soon be advancing their educational efforts in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) thanks to grants from Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS), the managing and operating contractor for Y-12 National Security Complex. This month, CNS awarded five $1,000 grants for STEM activities in the classroom and to help develop Y-12’s future workforce.
Grants were awarded to the following schools and projects:
Central High School, an aquaponics teaching lab;
Maryville Junior High School, new curriculum in pneumatics;
Oakdale School, rainwater runoff design challenge; and
Roane County High School, introducing students to civil and environmental engineering, construction, and computer-aided design to beautify the campus; and
Wartburg Central High School, creation of a maker space for business and technology.
Grant applications accepted to recognize careers in engineering
CNS announced the grant opportunities in recognition of Engineers Week in February. In March, a total of 24 submissions were evaluated by a panel of volunteer engineers at Y-12 National Security Complex. The group carefully reviewed all the applications and narrowed the impressive list down in order to recommend the five winners.
“The creativity and quality of the submissions were exceptional,” said Kristin Waldschlager, Y-12 education outreach specialist. “We appreciate the efforts of our local STEM educators, and we’re thrilled to be able to enhance their efforts through these grants. We look forward to seeing the results of these projects.”
AESSEAL has committed to investing $40 million on environmentally friendly projects between January 1, 2021, and April 1, 2029. Even after the noise around the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), we are following up on our undertaking to report until we have invested all of the $40 million. We are also committed to being Net Zero for the global business by 2029.
The digital brochure in the link below has more detail including several embedded videos, but if you do not have time to review it the key messages are copied underneath:
Our Global Business was Net Zero for 2021, eight years earlier than committed – accreditation/confirmation will follow when BSI can fit the work in.
Orders have already been placed at a value of $10,703,733 for environmentally friendly projects between January 1, 2021, and January 14, 2022.
$9,692,594 of the orders placed were for the health of the planet as we buy green energy in the locations invested in. Replacing externally purchased green energy with internally generated green energy has no benefit on our CO2e scorecard, but is good for the planet. It is also good to have 9.6 million reasons to rebut uninformed opinions that our environmental commitment is not real.
In the 1950s and 1960s, businesses were all about naked capitalism and making a profit. In the 21st century, we learned to embrace all ‘stakeholders’, which are our employees, customers, suppliers, and communities. Our 29 by 29 investment makes the statement that our most important stakeholder is the planet. There is also a residual benefit to the next most important stakeholder group as customers are both internal and external. For external customers who buy from a Net Zero supplier, there is no CO2e tariff to report for the purchases.
AESSEAL® recently received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category for a specialized mixer seal of the type required in vaccine manufacture and other complex industrial operations. This is the 12th Queen’s Award received by AESSEAL and the 14th for the AES Engineering Ltd. Group.
The Short Canister Mixer Seal, which is the subject of the latest award, is the world’s first Zone 0, 1 and 2 range certified mixer seal, based on a modular platform and is capable of sealing the most difficult applications in the world by design. While mechanical seals are a relatively hidden component of global manufacturing processes they are also vital. The best sealing technology makes a major contribution to the reliability, profitability and environmental performance of industrial applications. Without mechanical seals there would be no power generated, no refining, no fine chemical industry and a very limited pharmaceutical industry.
AESSEAL® does not claim to be the unique supplier of mechanical seals, but it still proudly manufactures a full product range from its global operations in a strategically important area of precision engineering.
As pharmaceutical products in particular cannot tolerate any contamination into the Mixer or Reactor seal vessel, an inert gas is often the preferred choice of barrier fluid. By design AESSEAL® always intended to add an internal and external gas lift version to its Short Canister Mixer Seal and, continuing the company’s relentless pursuit of excellence, it will be introducing a full range of Zone 1 and Zone 2 certified gas lift seals, suitable for use in the production of vaccines, on the 1st June 2021.
“Gather Around”—a new distillery is about to be uncorked. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and the Blount Partnership announced today the launch of Tennessee’s newest distillery Company Distilling, set to open in the fall of 2021 in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.
When it comes to making spirits, Company Distilling’s know-how runs deep. It’s built from an assemblage of friends with a history of building distilleries, crafting exceptional spirits and bringing people together. The founders include renowned former Jack Daniels Master Distiller Jeff Arnett, Kris Tatum, former president of the Tennessee Distillers Guild, Corey Clayton, an accomplished construction management professional, Heath Clark, founder of H. Clark Distillery, and Clayton Homes, CEO Kevin Clayton.
“It’s this collaboration between friends seeking to produce a spirit worth gathering over that sparked the Company Distilling name,” said Company Distilling President, Kris Tatum. “Not only will the whiskey be best when enjoyed among good company, but the distillery’s property provides ample opportunities for gathering and outdoor fun.”
Set to open in 2022, the mixed-use, family-friendly facility in Springbrook Farm, a master planned “city center” in Alcoa, will serve as the primary distillery and the location for the spirit’s main manufacturing. The 20,000-square-foot refurbished building with a casual, mountain-inspired theme, will include a tasting room, restaurant, brewery and retail store along with ample outdoor activities and entertainment on the property’s 31 acres including a live music venue, corn hole, pickle ball courts, bonfire pits, and open access to greenway trails.
The first Company Distilling location to open, however, will be a 4,000-square-foot tasting room and restaurant in Townsend, Tennessee, the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, later this year. Set along the Little River with the Townsend Greenway running along the front of the 13.5-acre property, the tasting room will offer access to cycling, running and nearby mountain biking and hiking trails.
The Distillery also has future plans to expand its footprint to Middle Tennessee in 2022 with a tasting room, retail store and tours located in Thompson’s Station.
In addition, the $20 million investment is expected to bring 60 initial new jobs to the area and that number is expected to grow over time. This growth in jobs, and ultimately economic welfare, will be felt beyond the immediate operations and across industries as the distillery will rely on the agricultural industry for its thoughtfully sourced ingredients and will provide growth for the Tennessee whiskey industry.
“Congrats to Blount County and all parties involved in this new venture,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “Both locations will showcase some of many reasons that the Great Smoky Mountains is a top place for people from all over the world to visit. Company Distilling’s investment in Blount County is further proof that East Tennessee has much to offer.”
“We’re proud to welcome Company Distilling to Tennessee and thank the company for its $20 million investment in Blount County,” said Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Bob Rolfe. “Company Distilling’s leadership team has a vast knowledge of the industry as well as the business landscape of the state, and I know the company will find great success in East Tennessee.”
“In 2009, Tennessee was home to only three distilleries, but now craft spirits are flowing from many counties across the state,” Tatum added. “We’re proud to be a Tennessee distillery and stand behind our meticulously crafted spirits.”
Arnett agrees that much thought—years in fact—have paved the way for Company Distilling.
“For years now, we’ve had this spirit in the back of our minds,” said Arnett. “It’s straight bourbon whiskey finished with maple wood to produce a sip like no other. It’s hard to believe it’s finally real. And it’s better than we ever imagined.”
Kevin Clayton adds that the location was just as thoughtfully chosen as the spirits themselves.
“Company isn’t meant to be just a product,” said Kevin Clayton. “It’s about setting aside time to enjoy life. We’ve chosen our locations in the Smoky Mountains for their scenery and wealth of outdoor activities. We have the river, the greenway and biking trails. We’re a place where people can come to sip good spirits and connect with friends for time well spent.”
About Company Distilling
For more information on Company Distilling, visit CompanyDistilling.com and subscribe to email updates or follow Company Distilling on Facebook and Instagram.
ADDITIONAL QUOTES
“I am very pleased that these jobs are coming to Blount County. We are excited about Tri-Star Spirits decision to locate their operations here and wish them every success as they move forward. I congratulate all our state and local officials who helped secure these jobs and this sizable investment. We will continue to make job creation a top priority.” – Sen. Art Swann (R-Maryville)
“I’m proud to welcome Tri-Star Spirits to Blount County. Their commitment speaks to our favorable business climate, exceptional quality of life and our talented workforce. I thank Tri-Star Spirits for their investment, and I wish them success in our community for many years to come.” – Rep. Jerome Moon (R-Maryville)
“TVA and Alcoa Electric Department congratulate [Company Distilling]on its decision to establish operations Alcoa. Helping to attract and retain job opportunities for the people of the Valley is fundamental to TVA’s mission of service, and we are proud to partner with City of Alcoa, the Blount Partnership and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to help further that mission and celebrate this announcement.” – John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of Economic Development
“I wholeheartedly welcome Company Distilling, Jeff Arnett and his team to Blount County. Having a distillery and operations located in Alcoa and Townsend offers outstanding options for our residents and visitors. A thank you also goes to Gov. Bill Lee, Tennessee ECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe, and our county and city commissioners for tirelessly working together to bring these types of enterprises to our area.” – Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell
“The distilling industry is one that integrates the agriculture, tourism and hospitality industries while benefitting the communities where they are located. For Blount County to have a group of proven industry and business leaders bring a project of this magnitude here is something that will pay dividends for generations to come. I commend Gov. Lee and the state of Tennessee for their readiness to back ventures like this on behalf of the Blount County Economic Development Board, I’m happy to welcome the Company Distilling and their leadership to Blount County and East Tennessee.” – Matt Murray, chairman of the Blount County Economic Development Board
“The city of Alcoa is thrilled to be selected as the headquarters for Company Distilling. Our city commissioners wish to thank Gov. Lee’s office, along with Tennessee ECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe for their tremendous assistance in putting together this project. We are ecstatic to bring this enterprise to the area, knowing how beneficial it will be to all Blount County visitors.” – Clint Abbott, Mayor of Alcoa
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) today announced that it has updated its investment priorities.
EDA’s investment priorities provide an overarching framework to ensure that our investment portfolio – ranging from planning to infrastructure construction – contributes to local efforts to build, improve, or better leverage economic assets that allow businesses to succeed and regional economies to prosper and become more resilient.
The updated investment priorities support the U.S. Commerce Department’s agenda, which is driven by four pillars to increase American competitiveness:
Revitalizing U.S. manufacturing and developing advanced industries
Building a 21st century workforce
Maintaining leadership in global innovation
Promoting American businesses, at home and abroad.
Notably, ‘Equity’ has been added to the top of the investment priority list. EDA is committed to working with populations and underserved communities that have been denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic prosperity in the past.
Understanding that innovation is the backbone of our economy and that we must invest to grow the businesses of the future, including those that address climate change, Technology-based economic development and Environmentally-Sustainable Development have been added as priorities. And, coal and power plant communities are specifically addressed under the Recovery & Resiliency priority. EDA’s commitment to supporting strategies that advance workforce development, manufacturing, and export/foreign direct investment strategies remains unwavering.
EDA’s updated investment priorities are:
Equity: Economic development planning or implementation projects that advance equity across America through investments that directly benefit 1) one or more traditionally underserved populations, including but not limited to women, Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders or 2) underserved communities within geographies that have been systemically and/or systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic prosperity such as Tribal Lands, Persistent Poverty Counties, and rural areas with demonstrated, historical underservice. For more information on these populations and geographies see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/.
Recovery & Resilience: Economic development planning or implementation projects that build economic resilience to and long-term recovery from economic shocks, like those experienced by coal and power plant communities, or other communities impacted by the decline of an important industry or a natural disaster, that may benefit from economic diversification-focused resilience.
Workforce Development: Economic development planning or implementation projects that support workforce education and skills training activities directly connected to the hiring and skills needs of the business community and that result in well-paying, quality jobs.
Manufacturing: Economic development planning or implementation projects that encourage job creation, business expansion, technology and capital upgrades, and productivity growth in manufacturing, including efforts that contribute to the competitiveness and growth of domestic suppliers or to the domestic production of innovative, high-value products and production technologies.
Technology-Based Economic Development: Economic development planning or implementation projects that foster regional knowledge ecosystems that support entrepreneurs and startups, including the commercialization of new technologies, that are creating technology-driven businesses and high-skilled, well-paying jobs of the future.
Environmentally-Sustainable Development: Economic development planning or implementation projects that help address the climate crisis including through the development and implementation of green products, processes (including green infrastructure), places, and buildings.
Exports & FDI: Economic development planning or implementation projects that enhance or build community assets to support growth in US exports or increased foreign direct investment.
EDA plays a vital role in advancing the mission of the Commerce Department by supporting community-led economic development strategies designed to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity.
These updated investment priorities will allow us to focus our efforts to ensure that American communities are in position to remain competitive on the global stage.
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