The mortality and morbidity rates for heart disease among those in Pike, Ross and Vinton counties is among the highest in Ohio, according to federal and state data.

But with the help of a $250,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission that will soon change. The federal grant will be used to outfit EMS squads, as well as the Adena Medical Center and Pike Community Hospital, with sophisticated EKG technology.

“This funding will go a long way in helping to save the lives of people in southern Ohio,” said Jerry Tapp, Cardiology Program Director at the Adena Medical Center in Ross County. “With this equipment, we’re going to have the ability to outfit squads to identify heart attacks more quickly, which will allow us to activate appropriate medical teams before the patient arrives at the hospital,” Tapp said.

Using the new 12-Lead EKG equipment, EMS squads can transmit an EKG from almost any location, sending it immediately to the nearest hospital. An Emergency Department physician would then interpret the EKG to determine if the patient is experiencing a heart attack and if the patient needs to be transported to the nearest hospital or a facility with more sophisticated capabilities.

Up until only two or three years ago, only paramedics were permitted to use sophisticated EKG units. Since then, laws have changed allowing EMTs to use the equipment.

Along with helping to save lives, the grant will help to promote economic development by offering a level of medical care and treatment that up to now has only been experienced by those living in metropolitan areas, federal officials said.

The EKG technology purchased with this grant also will help in expanding the STEMI program at Adena, said Bob Newland, who recently retired as Adena’s EMS Liaison and was involved in trying to secure EKG funding since 2008.

“This is a real big step. This will bring a standard of care that we’ve never seen before in this region. This is great,” he said.

A growing number of people in Appalachian Ohio are stricken by severe heart attacks, known as STEMIs. A STEMI is caused by a prolonged period of blocked blood supply that affects a large area of the heart, and oftentimes leads to death or disability.

Adena has been recognized for its STEMI program, which quickly identifies and treats patients, using emergency department staff, catheterization teams and interventional cardiologists.

Twelve EMS squads in Ross and Vinton counties will receive 12-Lead EKG telemetry transmission equipment, while the two hospitals receive 12-Lead EKG telemetry receiving equipment.

An additional eight squads in Ross County will receive 12-Lead EKG telemetry transmission equipment by means of an additional program and separate grant funding request, according to federal officials.
Adena officials are striving to obtain additional grants to outfit other emergency squads in the region with EKG equipment.

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John B. Marek is an innovative marketing and economic development professional with more than 25 years combined experience in the industrial, retail, technology and public sectors. www.johnbmarek.com

“Tourists travel to Avery County each year for breathtaking hiking, incredible skiing, and the perfect holiday tree, but the county is embracing solar as a way to create work for its citizens, attract private investment and bring clean economic development to the high country,” said Olee Joel Olsen, managing director at O2 Energies.

Newland will be the site of Avery Solar, a 1 megawatt solar power plant, developed and owned by O2 Energies, Inc. and constructed by Strata Solar. REC Solar panels, with American made silicon, will span 6 acres on Henderson Farms, a 38-acre Christmas Tree farm in Newland. The solar power plant will generate electricity equivalent to what more than 120 homes consume on an annual basis.

“The Avery Solar farm is a big win for the Newland community, bringing work to our citizens and helping our tourism industry at the same time,” said farm owner Luke Henderson. “It’s a major accomplishment for the city as Avery County embraces emerging technology.”

North Carolina-based Strata Solar hired a local workforce for this project. Strata Solar provides the engineering, procurement and construction services. The company partnered with the High County Workforce Development Board and the Youth Chamber of Commerce to recruit local installers.

“North Carolina is a leader in solar power and renewable energy,” said John Morrison, Chief Operating Officer at Strata Solar. “This project in Avery County is one example of how solar energy is quickly becoming more mainstream for both residential and commercial power needs.”

Community support for the project has grown, as a local workforce is being used for grading, landscaping, fencing, electrical work and machinery operation, as well as long-term operations, including site management and security.

“Avery Solar provides a robust opportunity for our residents to become a part of a competent workforce in our global economy,” said Avery Economic Development Committee Director Tommy Burleson. “In addition to relying on tourism, real estate and farming industries as we have historically done, this project invests in the growth in the renewable energy industries and ultimately, the future of Avery County.”

The solar plant will supply power to Mountain Electric during times of peak demand. Utilities must consistently supplement their power supply during periods of peak demand, and Avery Solar will be a great partner.

In addition to providing Newland residents and businesses with clean, renewable energy, visitors and locals will have the opportunity to visit Avery Solar to learn firsthand about the benefits of solar energy.

Kings Plush, Inc., doing business as Specialty Textiles, Inc (STI) will expand their manufacturing facility to increase production capacity for residential upholstery fabrics in Kings Mountain, N.C.

The company expects to create 62 full time jobs and invest $4.9 million over three years. The project was made possible in part by a $56,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.

“The story of North Carolina’s business success lies in our ability to adapt and grow with changing markets,” said Gov. Perdue. “With the support of the One North Carolina fund, STI will stay on the cutting edge of the textile industry.”

The company manufactures dobby and jacquard fabrics used in promotional, mid-range and high-end segments of the residential upholstered furniture industry. STI has the opportunity to capture additional sales by increasing the current supply of chenille yarn. The expansion will take place over three years, adding 32,000 square feet to the current facility.

The company currently has more than 170 employees at its Kings Mountain facility. Salaries for the additional 62 positions will vary by job function with an average annual payroll of $1.4 million.

“STI is a big proponent of manufacturing in the United States. With support from the State of North Carolina, Cleveland County and the City of Kings Mountain, STI plans to grow our manufacturing footprint in North Carolina,” said John Kay, President of STI. “America was built on manufacturing and all the stakeholders at STI support our Governors’ efforts to increase manufacturing in North Carolina.”

The One North Carolina Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state.
Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds. These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.

North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate. Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state works aggressively to create jobs, train, and retrain its workforce, laying the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.

Through the use of the One North Carolina Fund, more than 50,000 jobs and $9 billion in investments have been created since 2001.

Other partners that helped with this project include the North Carolina Department of Commerce, North Carolina Community Colleges, Cleveland County Economic Development, Cleveland County, and the City of Kings Mountain.

Miller brings more than 25 years of talent attraction and international human resources experience to Global Cleveland. Most recently, he has served as vice president, human resources, of the Lubrizol Corporation, a $5.6 billion provider of performance chemicals and advanced materials for industrial, coatings, transportation and consumer products markets worldwide with headquarters and three other locations in the Cleveland region.

“Larry has tremendous experience in talent attraction and human resources on a global level,” said Baiju R. Shah, chairman of the board. “He is a proven leader who truly understands the value of human capital and will help Global Cleveland achieve its goal of bringing talented newcomers to the region.”
“Global Cleveland will be very inclusive with its efforts in attracting people. We intend to reach out to people from all parts of the country,” Shah continued. “This includes native-born Americans and immigrants, former Clevelanders and those that have never been here, professionals, skilled workers, and individuals looking for new opportunities from all areas of the country.”

Earlier this year, the organization brought together civic, business and community leaders for a two-day community summit. The purpose of the summit was to identify regional needs and determine viable solutions. One of Global Cleveland’s primary focuses will be to grow the population in Greater Cleveland and the Northeast Ohio region. Miller will officially join Global Cleveland in early October to lead these efforts.
In addition to his 13 years with Lubrizol, Miller held senior leadership positions with Tremco, Diebold, and Ferro Corporation. He lived and worked in France for two years and is president of the French-American Chamber of Commerce (Northern Ohio). Miller serves on the board of Cleveland’s Center for Families and Children and is a member of the Human Resource Planning Society. He is also fluent in three languages and has studied several others.

“I am excited to take on this new challenge of growing and strengthening the region,” said Miller. “Global Cleveland is critical to the region to help employers continue their growth here by filling high-tech job vacancies, encouraging entrepreneurial growth and driving the migration of skilled workers to Cleveland.”
Global Cleveland is focused on attracting and connecting newcomers to the more than 20,000 open positions that are currently unfilled in the region. Miller will spearhead the initiative’s work to attract and welcome newcomers to the region and connect them to opportunities. In addition, the organization will develop programs to help retain international students and create professional pathways for newcomers.

Global Cleveland is a new civic organization committed to regional economic development by actively attracting newcomers, welcoming and connecting them both economically and socially to the many opportunities throughout Greater Cleveland. The initiative has raised more than $1 million in funding from Huntington Bank, Forest City Enterprises, The Cleveland Foundation, Jewish Federation of Cleveland, The Maltz Foundation, and The George Gund Foundation. For more information visit www.globalclevelandinitiative.com

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John B. Marek is an innovative marketing and economic development professional with more than 25 years combined experience in the industrial, retail, technology and public sectors. www.johnbmarek.com

Ridge Creek Distribution Center II ($15,350,000) is a 300,000 square foot multi-tenant, state-of-the-art, bulk distribution building located in the southwest submarket in a park containing another EastGroup property. Constructed in 2003, Ridge Creek II is 100% leased to two customers and is projected to have a first year stabilized cash yield of 7.6%.

David H. Hoster II, President and CEO, stated, “The acquisition prices of Lakeview and Ridge Creek are both below replacement costs, and the assets are located in attractive and proven infill submarkets. They increase our Charlotte area ownership to over 2.2 million square feet which are currently 94.5% leased.”

EastGroup Properties, Inc. is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona and California. The Company’s goal is to maximize shareholder value by being the leading provider in its markets of functional, flexible, and quality business distribution space for location sensitive customers primarily in the 5,000 to 50,000 square foot range. The Company’s strategy for growth is based on ownership of premier distribution facilities generally clustered near major transportation features in supply-constrained submarkets. EastGroup’s portfolio currently includes 29 million square feet.

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John B. Marek is an innovative marketing and economic development professional with more than 25 years combined experience in the industrial, retail, technology and public sectors. www.johnbmarek.com

The purpose of this event is to promote and grow our aerospace industry by bringing together North Carolina users, purchasers, manufacturers, and suppliers through education, networking and growth opportunities as well as sharing “best practices” in order to provide job growth, financial stability, and a stronger industry in our state.

To learn more about the Aerospace Supplier Conference including information about participating and what companies will be represented there, click here.

WHO
Senator Richard Burr

WHAT
2011 North Carolina Aerospace Supplier Conference

WHEN
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
8:30 AM

WHERE
SHERATON GREENSBORO – JOSEPH S. KOURY CONVENTION CENTER
Imperial Ballroom
3121 High Point Road at I-40
Greensboro, NC 27407

• Keynote remarks by Senator Richard Burr
• Commercial aerospace trends presented by Barry Eccleston, CEO of Airbus Americas
• Defense aerospace trends presented by Lieutenant General Mark D. “Shack” Shackelford, Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, United States Air Force. A full biography is available on the conference website.
• Commercial space trends presented by Jeff Krukin, former Executive Director of the Space Frontier Foundation
• General aviation manufacturing trends presented by Pete Bunce, President & CEO of General Aviation Manufacturers Association
• Aerospace workforce training at North Carolina community colleges panel discussion led by Maureen Little of the North Carolina Community College System and Dave Drugman of Honda
• Major aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEM) to include Goodrich, Honda, TIMCO, Triumph, Curtiss Wright, General Dynamics & General Electric will
• present current and future needs
• A large exhibit area consisting of aerospace prime contractors and subcontractors will provide the opportunity for one-on-one interaction and networking
• Export Opportunities Presentation. Exporting can help a company survive in a future of constrained defense budgets and fierce global competition. The Export Licensing Reform Initiative will make the export process simpler for industry suppliers. Learn about the aerospace export opportunities from the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Affairs Vice President of the Airline Industries Association.

http://www.aia-aerospace.org/.

Register online at: http://www.ncmbc.us/2011AerospaceConference.php

Conference Goal. The goal is simple, promote and grow our aerospace industry by bringing together North Carolina users, purchasers, manufacturers, and suppliers through education, networking and growth opportunities as well as sharing “best practices” in order to provide job growth, financial stability, and a stronger industry in our state.

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John B. Marek is an innovative marketing and economic development professional with more than 25 years combined experience in the industrial, retail, technology and public sectors. www.johnbmarek.com

To qualify, a candidate must meet the following criteria:

For businesses with more than 100 employees

• Candidate must be an up-and-coming leader within the organization
• Candidate must have a demonstrated impact on the organization
• Candidate must be considered a strong possibility for future upper management
• Candidate must have evidence of making an impact in the community

For businesses with fewer than 100 employees

• Candidate must be a C-level executive (CEO, COO, CFO, partner, etc.) at company
• Company must demonstrate significant business growth under candidate’s leadership
• Company must demonstrate business achievement in the industry and/or community
• Candidate must have evidence of making an impact in the community

Winners will (1) be honored at events held in Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte from October 3rd to 6^th; (2) be interviewed on wsRadio; and (3) be featured in our next issue of Business Leader magazine.

Nominations can be submitted at www.BusinessLeader.com/Movers

The nomination form takes less than five minutes to complete, and winning gives you a chance to be honored amongst some of the top leaders of the South.

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John B. Marek is an innovative marketing and economic development professional with more than 25 years combined experience in the industrial, retail, technology and public sectors. www.johnbmarek.com

In terms of economic development and business recruiting, the general rule is the lower the property tax rate, the better. For companies with tens of millions of dollars invested in plants and equipment, even a very small difference in tax rates can have a significant financial impact. However, a closer analysis of the data provided by the NCACC shows some interesting points which we, as economic developers in Iredell County, can use to our competitive advantage when discussing tax rates:

• Iredell County is still in the lowest quartile for property tax rate in North Carolina;

• Iredell County still has the lowest property tax rate in either the Charlotte or Raleigh metropolitan regions;

• Of the 20 counties with lower property tax rates, 14 could be categorized as “extremely rural,” with a population density less than 100 people per square mile (manufacturing operations typically require a more populous recruiting area and larger cities and towns with more available business infrastructure);

• Of the 6 counties with lower property tax rates and a population density over 100/sq/mile, none has a through-Interstate, and only New Hanover County has direct Interstate access at all (the eastern terminus of I-40 is near Wilmington).

So, while there are certainly counties with lower property tax rates, no county can match Iredell’s tax rate relative to its combination of workforce, transportation, location and business infrastructure.

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John B. Marek is an innovative marketing and economic development professional with more than 25 years combined experience in the industrial, retail, technology and public sectors. www.johnbmarek.com

In the State Division, North Carolina received an Honorable Mention, ranking third in Points per Million Residents (460 Points). Recovering from a point total of 150 in 2009, 2010 was an exceptional year for the Tar Heel State. Highlighted as notable deals for the year were American Express, with 100 jobs and an investment of $1.3 Billion; Facebook, with 42 jobs and an investment of $450 Million; and Siemens Energy, with 825 jobs and an investment of $135 Million.

North Carolina topped the Small Market Division with Rocky Mount claiming Small Market of the Year. Creating a favorable market climate in Rocky Mount were Cummins Engine, with 210 jobs; Jade Apparel, with 250 jobs and an investment of $2 Million; and West Corp., with 250 jobs.

In the Major Market Division, Charlotte earned Co-Major Market of the Year, with 155 points—a significant increase over last year’s 50-point honorable mention. Helping the market recover after hits in the financial sector were Siemens Energy, with 825 jobs and an investment of $135 Million; Hewitt Associates with 463 jobs; and Fifth-Third Bancorp, with 250 jobs and an investment of $2 Million.

Coming in with an Honorable Mention in the Major Market Division was Raleigh-Durham. The area scored 85 points thanks in part to the technology and automotive industries. Boosting the market were Cree, with 244 jobs and an investment of $392 Million; Merck & Co., with 310 jobs and an investment of $200 Million; and AW North Carolina, with 250 jobs and an investment of $70 Million.

Listed under Top Deals by Industry Sector were American Express, Guilford Co., N.C., for Data Center Deal of the Year and Merck, Durham Co., N.C., for Biotech Deal of the Year.

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John B. Marek is an innovative marketing and economic development professional with more than 25 years combined experience in the industrial, retail, technology and public sectors. www.johnbmarek.com

Celgard LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Polypore International, Inc. (NYSE: PPO), today announced plans to expand production capacity in Concord and hire an additional 250 employees.

The project was made possible in part by state grants from the Job Development Investment Grant and One North Carolina Grant programs. To meet the targets established in these performance-based grants, the company plans to create 250 jobs and invest a total of $105 million in Cabarrus County over the next two years.

“Celgard is an innovative North Carolina company that is helping us realize the promise of a greener economy,” Perdue said. “We are able to create these ‘green collar’ jobs, and other skilled jobs across the state, because we have invested in education and built an educated, skilled workforce.”

The company is a global leader in the development and production of specialty membranes used predominantly in the lithium battery industry. The expansion is designed to increase production capacity to supply lithium battery manufacturers focused on the Electric Drive Vehicle industry. The company currently employs approximately 600 people in North Carolina.

While salaries will vary by job function, the overall average wage for the 250 new jobs will be $37,912 not including benefits. That is higher than the Cabarrus annual average of $32,448.

“We are excited about our plans for an additional expansion of our Concord facility,” stated Celgard President, Mitch Pulwer. “Celgard and our parent company, Polypore, are truly global, but we feel right at home in the Charlotte-Concord corridor. We are thankful for the support we have received from Gov. Perdue, the North Carolina congressional delegation, and county and local governments that will enable us to continue our investments in production capacity and create jobs here in North Carolina as we prepare to meet the increasing demand of the Electric Drive Vehicle market.”

The state’s Economic Investment Committee today voted to award a Job Development Investment Grant to Celgard. JDIGs are awarded only to new and expanding businesses and industrial projects whose benefits exceed the costs to the state and which would not be undertaken in North Carolina without the grant.

Under the terms of the JDIG, the company is eligible to receive a grant equal to 65 percent of the state personal income withholding taxes derived from the creation of new jobs for each of the 11 years in which the company meets annual performance targets. If Celgard meets the targets called for under the agreement and sustains them for 11 years, the JDIG could yield up to $2.3 million in maximum benefits for the company.

The company also has been awarded $500,000 from the One North Carolina Fund, which assists the state in industry recruitment and expansion by providing financial assistance through local governments to attract business projects deemed by the governor to be vital to a healthy and growing state economy. One North Carolina Fund grants require a local match, and this grant is contingent upon approval of local incentives.

In addition, up to $766,000 could be added to the state’s Industrial Development Fund for infrastructure improvements in economically distressed counties. When a JDIG is awarded in the state’s most economically prosperous counties such as Cabarrus, 25 percent of the grant is allocated to the Industrial Development Fund to encourage economic development in less prosperous areas.

Other partners that assisted with this announcement include: The N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, Cabarrus County, City of Concord, and Cabarrus Economic Development.