By Mark Hansel
NKy Tribune Managing Editor
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear visited Northern Kentucky this morning to celebrate Kentucky’s first place ranking by Site Selection magazine for new and expanded industry activity per capita in 2014.
Beshear compared the visit to University of Kentucky Men’s Basketball Coach John Calipari’s tour of the state with the NCAA trophy after the Wildcats won the 2012 National Championship.
“Recently in the competitive world of economic development, the Commonwealth of Kentucky won its own national championship, the 2014 Governor’s Cup.” Beshear said. “(This recognition) is not a popularity contest. It is a measure of tangible actual development that has already happened.”
The event took place at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and included state and local elected officials and community and business leaders.
Beshear said Northern Kentucky’s primary industry companies made a significant contribution to Kentucky’s economic development success in 2014.
“We wanted to bring this cup to Northern Kentucky because you helped us earn this,” Beshear said. “You have been in the trenches with us, working with us to create jobs, to bring new business to the state and to expand existing business.”
Site Selection rates states each year by tallying the number of project that involve a capital investment of at least $1 million, create 20 or more jobs, or add at least 20,000 square feet of new floor space.
Last year Kentucky announced more than 350 new industry locations and expansion projects worth $3.7 billion in investment that are expected to generate approximately 15,000 jobs. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Region also ranked third in the nation among metropolitan statistical areas in economic growth.
Since January of 2008, Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties have combined to announce 245 new companies and expansion projects. The projects total nearly $1.6 billion in economic investments that are expected to generate 11,000 jobs.
“Companies are choosing Boone, Kenton and Campbell Counties because they like what they see here,” Beshear said.
In 2014 alone, 23 primary industry companies announced new locations or expansions in the Boone, Campbell and Kenton County region and 2,087 new direct jobs are projected as a result of these investments in Northern Kentucky.
Campbell County Judge-executive Steve Pendery credits the Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Tri-ED) for its role in promoting economic development in the region.
“Northern Kentucky Tri-ED has been working in this region for 27 years now and we have another good year in the books,” Pendery said.
Pendery pointed out that the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky metropolitan statistical area surpassed 41 states in the amount of economic growth achieved last year.
“We at Tri-ED know that business creates the wealth that provides for the standard of living that we all are looking forward to,” Pendery said.
The judges-executive of the three Northern Kentucky counties rotate as chair of the Tri-ED board. Pendery, the immediate past chair, was joined on the podium by the current chairman, Kenton County Judge-executive Kris Knochelmann and Boone County Judge-executive Gary Moore.
Erlanger-based Sterling Cut Glass, which recently completed a $4 million expansion that added 56,000 square feet to its facility, was one of the local companies recognized by Pendery.
J Brook Dyas, vice president and chief operating officer at Sterling Cut Glass, said the company welcomed the opportunity to expand its operation in Northern Kentucky.
“It’s the home of our family and the home of our employees,” Dyas said. “The governor has done an excellent job with programs throughout the state that encourage economic development and we were fortunate enough to take advantage of some of those programs.”
During the celebration the “Brainy Bots” robotics team from Ryle High School delivered the Site Selection Governor’s Cup with Robot 8913, which they developed.
Beshear said the entrepreneurial spirit demonstrated by the students is a key to future growth in the Commonwealth and the state continues to encourage similar innovation in the private sector.
“One day one of these kids will start the next Google (which) will be started right here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Beshear said. “That’s how important it is for us to nurture entrepreneurship.”
The Brainy Bots is a robotics club that helps kids develop science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills and interest. The club was founded in 2007.
Dan Tobergte, president and CEO of Tri-ED, said it’s nice to be able to recognize the accomplishments of 2014, while focusing on what needs to be done to keep the region moving forward.
“It’s an honor to have Governor Beshear in Northern Kentucky to celebrate our contribution to the Governor’s Cup,” Tobergte said. “It’s the perfect opportunity to tie-in the region’s effort to develop STEM skills among students who are our future workforce.”
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is seen as a key to developing the advanced manufacturing workforce needed to keep and attract businesses to the region.
Beshear said that while it was a day to celebrate, it was not time to spike the football in the end zone or cut down the nets, because there is still work to be done.
“We still have communities, we still have families who are hurting out there,” Beshear said. “We’ve got to continue to create jobs, continue to build the infrastructure necessary to make every person in this state a recipient of all of the good things that are happening in the Commonwealth.”
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
23 companies announced or received preliminary approvals for new locations or expansions in Northern Kentucky in 2014:
From Tri-Ed and Staff reports