Stay up to date on economic development news, announcements, and community milestones in Graves County. Browse recent articles below or explore by category to find the topics most relevant to you.
Chris Grooms, President of Rick's Electric, met with upper-level electricity students at the ATC through Power in Partnership to share his career journey and what to expect from the electrical apprenticeship program.
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Thirty local high school students toured MRCOOL, FNB Bank, the Mayfield-Graves County Chamber of Commerce, and Mayfield-Graves County Tourism as part of the Community Connections program, meeting with business and marketing professionals from across the community.
Greg Wilson, founder of Murray-based HempWood®, met with ATC carpentry students through the Power in Partnership program to discuss his hemp-based building materials and the math behind them.
Alex Cunningham, CFO of Fran Bearing Co., met with second-year machine tool students at the ATC through the Power in Partnership program to share how their work relates to what local manufacturers look for in new hires.
Progress Rail employees visited ATC welding and machining students to share career advice and insight into the company's hiring process, continuing GCED's Power in Partnership initiative.
Graves County Economic Development welcomed 110 guests to its annual Skybox Partners Celebration, recognizing the businesses and organizations whose financial contributions support GCED's ongoing mission to attract investment and create jobs in Mayfield and Graves County.
The Graves County Fiscal Court published a Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact and Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds related to HUD Community Project Funding for improvements at the Hickory Industrial Park.
Graves County Economic Development has been awarded a Tennessee Valley Authority Workforce Invest Grant to support expanded training and education efforts, helping students in Graves County develop the skills needed by local business and industry.
West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation has donated $15,000 to Graves County Economic Development to support its recruiting and marketing efforts aimed at retaining and attracting quality manufacturing and service industries to Graves County.
Graves County Economic Development has received a $15,000 grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation to support its mission of retaining and expanding local businesses, attracting new industry, and building innovative workforce and education programs in Graves County.
Graves County Economic Development has received a $10,000 grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation to support economic and workforce development activities in Mayfield and Graves County, furthering the organization's mission to promote quality of life in the region.
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.
American Legion Post 26 and Disabled American Veterans Post 106 presented donations to GCED to cover meals for Graves County High School JROTC students during an upcoming Community Connections field trip to Fort Campbell, supporting student career exploration.
At the August Plant Managers Roundtable, representatives from CASA of Graves County, Happy Feet Equals Learning Feet, and United Way of Western Kentucky spoke to local business leaders about how community service and nonprofit partnerships strengthen both businesses and the community.
The City of Mayfield, Graves County, and community partners gathered to celebrate the arrival of the first three participants in the MakeMyMove remote worker relocation program, which had attracted more than 400 applicants and generated over 150,000 impressions online.
The City of Mayfield and Graves County launched a pilot remote worker attraction program with MakeMyMove, offering incentives to bring five new remote-working households to a community still rebuilding after the devastating EF4 tornado of December 2021.
The Delta Regional Authority named 33 community leaders as fellows of the 2022 Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy, including participants from Graves County, for a nine-month program focused on regional economic development challenges and solutions.
Graves County Economic Development introduced Jason Lemle as its new president, succeeding Ryan Drane after seven years of leadership. Lemle brings experience in business attraction, marketing, and workforce development from his prior role with the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.
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.
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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.
Youngblood Excavating & Contracting staffers visited the ATC introductory welding class through the Power in Partnership program to emphasize the strong job market for skilled tradespeople and encourage students to pursue welding and construction careers.
HempWood CEO Greg Wilson visited ATC upper-level carpentry students through the Power in Partnership program to share his experience as an entrepreneur and inventor of an eco-friendly alternative construction material, encouraging students to consider innovative career paths.
The Community Connections program took local high school students on a two-day business career exploration, visiting company owners and managers to help students visualize the transition from their current coursework to professional careers right here in Graves County.
The Community Connections program hosted Agriculture Day for Graves County High School students, with visits to Lowry Farms, C&C Ag Solutions, Hutson, Inc., Nutrien Ag Solutions, and Workman Bins to explore the diverse career opportunities in one of the county's top industries.
Electrical contractors Rory Brewer of J. Brewer Electric and Chris Grooms of Rick's Electric visited ATC advanced electricity students through the Power in Partnership program, sharing their experiences as skilled artisans and successful entrepreneurs in the trades.
First Kentucky Bank's Brad Dame visited ATC accounting students through the Power in Partnership program to demonstrate how accounting skills translate directly into a banking career, offering a behind-the-scenes look at commercial lending and banking operations.
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