News

GCED marked its Skybox Partners Luncheon with a $2 million KPDI grant announcement, a review of the year's project highlights, and plans for new spec buildings, housing, and infrastructure across Graves County.

On National Ag Day 2026, Graves County Economic Development celebrates the outsized role of agriculture in the local economy, noting that the county's farms cover more than a quarter-million acres and generate approximately half a billion dollars in annual revenue.

The Hickory Industrial Park expansion is making significant progress, with a 500,000-square-foot pre-graded pad, a new connector road, and a sewer lift station completed, as the next phase prepares to extend water, gas, electric, and fiber services along Hickory Road.

At its annual Targeted Business & Industry Awards dinner, Graves County Economic Development recognized 15 companies for investments totaling more than $26 million and the addition of 132 new jobs and 70 contract positions in Mayfield and Graves County.

Graves County Economic Development, with support from the Tennessee Valley Authority, released a new video promoting the Hickory Industrial Park's latest $3.5 million expansion — a pre-graded, build-ready site with direct highway access just four miles from I-69.

At the 2025 Skybox Partners Luncheon, Graves County Economic Development reported a strong fiscal year highlighted by 50 new acres added to the Hickory Industrial Park, a new spec building, a completed makerspace, and 77 new jobs added to existing businesses.

GCED's latest Plant Manager Roundtable featured Camp Graves, a local nonprofit providing temporary housing and support for area residents displaced by disaster or crisis.

GCED has launched a newly redesigned website, gravescountyed.com, giving prospects and community members easier access to property listings, workforce data, demographic information, and other economic development resources. President Jason Lemle called it a major step forward for showcasing the community.

The April Plant Manager's Roundtable featured presentations from the Mayfield/Graves County Chamber of Commerce and Graves County Health Department, highlighting their services and partnerships with local business and industry.

Graves County Economic Development traveled to Frankfort for West Kentucky Thank You Night, meeting with state leaders and the Kentucky Association for Economic Development to advocate for continued investment and opportunity in Mayfield and Graves County.

GCED President Jason Lemle attended the Kentucky Supreme Court session honoring retired Justice John William "Bill" Graves, whose official portrait — painted by Mayfield artist Fred Biggs — was permanently dedicated among former justices of Kentucky's highest court.

The MakeMyMove remote worker relocation program has brought a total of four new full-time residents to Mayfield and Graves County since its launch, with community partners continuing to offer support and incentives to attract remote workers to the area.

Freeman Automation, LLC is expanding to the Hickory Industrial Park, building a new 4,000-square-foot facility on 5 acres and adding 10 jobs to bring its Graves County workforce to 20.

GCED has received a $20,000 grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation to support workforce development and business growth efforts across Graves County.

GCED's Plant Manager's Roundtable featured WKCTC Workforce Solutions director Ashley Burns, who outlined customized training programs already underway in Graves County — including employer-funded courses at Premier Candle and a welding program at the Graves County Jail. Premier Candle's HR Manager Wade Dinkins, initially skeptical, called the program flexible and highly specific to his company's needs.

GCED has been awarded a $2 million KPDI grant to construct two 60,000-square-foot speculative buildings in Mayfield's Grace Commercial Park in partnership with Youngblood Excavating & Contracting Company.

Graves County Economic Development welcomes Premier Candle US Corp., which acquired Mayfield Consumer Products on April 2, 2026, continuing the area's legacy in candle and home fragrance manufacturing.

Mayfield Consumer Products is investing $3.25 million to expand its Hickory Industrial Park production facility, adding a 63,000-square-foot warehouse and approximately 14 new positions to meet growing customer demand for its candle and home fragrance products.

At the February Plant Managers Roundtable, local business leaders heard from workforce board representatives about wage reimbursement for new hires and from DEVsource Technology Solutions about practical applications of artificial intelligence in business operations.

At the December Plant Managers Roundtable, Kentucky legislators previewed the 2026 state legislative session and sought business leader input on workforce issues, while employment professionals offered guidance on managing contract employees.

At the June Plant Managers Roundtable, the Mayfield Police Department and Graves County Sheriff's Office briefed local business leaders on workplace violence statistics and prevention strategies, followed by details on a regional transportation survey.

At the April Plant Managers Roundtable, Graves County business leaders received an update on the state and federal legislative session from State Representative Kim Holloway and field representatives from the offices of Sen. Mitch McConnell and Congressman James Comer.

At the February Plant Managers Roundtable, local business leaders received updates from Graves County Commissioner Tyler Goodman on county projects, heard from the Chamber of Commerce, and learned about a new public-private housing initiative.

The Community Connections program recently arranged for local high school students interested in engineering to visit YEC, Inc. and BFW/Marcum Engineering, answering questions about career paths, daily work, and local job opportunities in the engineering field.

Upper-level ATC carpentry students visited HempWood facilities in Murray through the Power in Partnership program, touring production operations with founder Greg Wilson before an afternoon session with Power Truss exploring engineered truss manufacturing.

Mayfield Consumer Products staff demonstrated real-world applications of Microsoft Office tools for ATC Microsoft Office Specialist students through the Power in Partnership program, including a facility tour that showed how these skills support daily production operations.

Accounting professionals from Mayfield Electric & Water Systems visited ATC accounting students through the Power in Partnership program to demonstrate the range of companies that rely on accounting skills and the career opportunities available locally in that field.

The Community Connections program brought Graves County High School students on a finance career exploration day, with visits to CFSB, FNB Bank, Heartland Capital Investments, US Bank, and Wade Farm Financial Services to learn about local opportunities in banking and finance.

ATC Machine Tool Technology students learned about Graves County's centrifugal compressor industry and local career opportunities through a Power in Partnership visit from Joe Venice of Mid-America Machine, Inc., one of the world's largest manufacturers of aftermarket compressor parts.