Recognizing those who have played a role in local economic development efforts — and also recognizing the broader community impact beyond — were two themes during Graves County Economic Development’s Targeted Business and Industry Dinner Thursday.
Held at WK&T Park, GCED leaders honored more than 50 individuals and businesses and also shared the connections to the county’s industrious roots and those offshoots which can extend into the area’s economic future.
During opening remarks prior to the awards presentations, Graves County Judge-Executive Jesse Perry shared stories of local industries such as Air Compressor Experts (A.C.E.) and Mayfield Consumer Products (MCP). Perry said their work goes beyond just work, but is at the heart of community.
“Economic development is about more than just jobs; it’s about family,” he said. “I think about those stories with Paula and Johnnie (Lee, founders of A.C.E.) and what it does for our community. MCP, they can tell so many stories of when they started.
“To say when you’re elected to office you have anything to do with someone being able to grow their business, you’re just along for the ride,” Perry added.
Mayfield Mayor Kathy O’Nan touched on her educational roots as a Mayfield High School teacher and connected them to the opportunities local graduates have in their own backyard. She noted that was a key point GCED President Jason Lemle made during his interview for the position which resonated with her.
“He talked about one of the most vital things for economic development and he just spoke right to my heart,” the mayor told the crowd. “My reason to get him here was to talk about keeping our young people here in Graves County to work. All of us can play a role in this. There are so many businesses and industries that I think they don’t know about. That’s a gap we need to close and something we need to work on.”
Presenters continued to draw on the past and look to the future. Trifecta Realty’s Tommy Waldrop noted that next year his family will have been selling real estate in Graves County for 100 years, while business partner Keanu Murphy shared the need for mentoring young employees for the future of local business and growth.
One of the awards presented Thursday was the Icon Award, sponsored by GCED and which recognizes a business with a lengthy history and of service to Mayfield and Graves County. C.B. Goodman and Sons Lumber was the recipient. The Kaler business has been in operation for more than 60 years with flooring, lumber and hardwood products and mulch, and has a global footprint in lumber distribution.
The Community Impact Award, sponsored by FNB Bank, went to Jackson Purchase Medical Center. The award recognized JPMC for its “outstanding contributions and service to the city of Mayfield, Graves County, and its community,” especially during the past year’s pandemic. Hospital CEO Dave Anderson shared the stage with six Jackson Purchase Medical employees and recognized them and the entire hospital workforce for their efforts during COVID-19.
The Business Excellence Award, sponsored by US Bank, was presented to MCP for its “vision and progressive actions to improve the workplace for its employees and facility processes.” The factory expanded into the former Remington plant in Hickory in 2018 then announced its current 100,000-square foot expansion at the site last summer.
For the local economic impact “through the construction, design and planning that improves the business environment for new and/or existing companies,” the Developer of the Year Award went to Brad Youngblood, president of Youngblood Excavating and Contracting. The award was sponsored by CFSB.
Youngblood has been developing Grace Commercial Park north of Mayfield, which used to serve as the site of Continental-General Tire’s Mayfield plant. It now has more than a dozen businesses on its site, including A.C.E. Compressors, Workman Bins, C&C Ag Solutions, First Choice Kubota, as well an under-construction David Taylor Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram dealership and FiveStar convenience store and gas station.
Closing the awards presentations were the Resiliency Awards, which was sponsored by Mayfield/Graves County Chamber of Commerce and recognized 41 diverse businesses and industries with a “long-standing history … rooted in the entrepreneurial spirit.” Those businesses were:
ACE Compressor
Advanced Machine & Tool
Air Relief
Air Technology Services
America SednAir
Applegate Insulation
Atlas Equipment Services
Averitt Express
C&C Ag Solutions
Centrifugal Technologies Inc.
Dairyman Supply
Derksen Buildings/Midco
D&D Shoe
Engineered Product Solutions
Federal Materials
Fran Bearing
Goodman & Sons Lumber
Heath Building
Ingram's Water & Air
JU Kevil Industries
Kendor Wood
LSK Inc.
Mayfield Consumer Products
Mayfield Grain
Mayfield Machine & Tool Inc.
Mayfield Printing
Mid-America Machine Inc.
Nutrien Ag Solutions
Old Hickory Clay Company
Patriot Ag, LLC
Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
Power Truss Inc.
Precision Tooling Products
Progress Rail Services Corp.
PSI Control Solutions
PRCO
Re-Fabbed
Top Choice Fabricators
Universal Compressor
Universal Technologies
West KY Concrete
Workman Bins
World Tower Company