Jackson leaders bid farewell to Acme Building complex; structure to be demolished next week By Keith Roberts | Jackson Citizen Patriot
Friday, February 5, 2010
The Acme Building complex, a symbol of Jacksons prison and manufacturing...
Kaneka building sale finalMaverick Industries closes deal to purchase former Kaneka Texas plant in Blackman Township; 90 jobs expected to be created
By Chris Gautz
By Tarryl Q. Jackson
Jackson residents and visitors will soon be able to view an up-and-coming art district... By Chris Gautz | Jackson Citizen Patriot
Standing in front of the dozen or so employees left at RTD Manufacturing,... By Chris Gautz
A local manufacturer has received a major military contract that is expected to create and retain jobs,... By Bill Chapin
October 25, 2009
One of the biggest complaints among the artists living at Armory Arts... By Jackie Smith
A multimillion-dollar horse park is coming to northern Jackson County.
The Enterprise Group... WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2009
CONTACT: Bill Shreck, MDOT Director of Communications, 517-335-3084
The Granholm Administration today... By Holly Klaft
About $28.7 million in federal bonds will be available to... By Holly Klaft | Jackson Citizen Patriot
Hard-to-find financing for major expansion or improvement projects... By Keith Roberts
Jackson is getting more good publicity for Armory... By Caitlin Schneider
Some Ford employees will soon experience a little... By Keith Roberts
Acme Industries occupies a place in Jackson’s... July 13, 2009
Senator Debbie Stabenow recently visited the Jackson Armory Arts Village to honor... By Caitlin Schneider
If the old saying about teaching a man to fish... By Jackson Citizen Patriot
Jackson isn’t getting many new buildings these days, but at least... Monday, July 06, 2009
Government contracts are one way local businesses... Tuesday, June 30, 2009
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow toured the Armory Arts Village on... By Holly Klaft
Harsh economic conditions are hampering a company’s... By Jackson Citizen Patriot
It appears more and more likely that equestrian enthusiasts in Jackson will... Wednesday, June 24, 2009
A new federal stimulus program could make it easier... 3 plans submitted for big horse park
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Officials... Small-business owners in Jackson County may qualify for interest-free loans
Small businesses... By Monetta Harr
In the operating room, Dr. Pramit S. Malhotra is limited by... By Holly Klaft and Brad Flory
Jackson County on Friday landed a $1 million grant... Monday, May 04, 2009
The Enterprise Group is taking a unique approach to business... By Fredricka Paul
Ruth Ojeda clutched old marketing material promoting the... Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The future of Northpointe Town Center may be uncertain,...
Posted by Kristin Longley
The developer of a new shopping center slated for Blackman... Plans to place Cooper Street ‘Welcome Mat’ to downtown Jackson moving forward
by Chris Gautz and Steven Hepker
Two groups from Jackson County are among... by Bill Chapin
Residents of Armory Arts Village are developing an association... Thursday, February 05, 2009
A year ago this week, Scott Fleming walked into... By Chris Gautz
A high-tech packaging company plans to open next month in... Jason Caldwell is a graduate of the City’s Incubator, which was managed by The Enterprise Group of Jackson and the Small Business & Technology... Enterprise Group leader says artists getting more involved at Armory Arts Village
By Keith Roberts
The sign for downtown Jackson at the Cooper Street exit on I-94... Our Voice
This year was filled with disappointments.
Front pages... by Chris Gautz
Three months into a two-year capital campaign, The Enterprise... Thursday, November 20, 2008
The city of Jackson has added an extra zero to... Sunday, November 09, 2008
One day might find Armory Arts resident Mary Jean Westerlund,... By Jackson Citizen Patriot
Sunday November 09, 2008
The following is a Jackson Citizen Patriot editorial:
It may have been... Saturday, November 01, 2008
As Jackson’s business incubator prepares to... By Will Keeler
Art of many mediums came alive Friday evening and Saturday at the Armory Arts Village, where dozens... Thursday, October 16, 2008
Fresh off the success of securing a coveted... Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Blackman Township is now one of 15 SmartZone technology... By Fredricka Paul
Armory Arts Village has been named the 2008 Community Excellence... Posted by Chris Gautz | Citizen Patriot October 03, 2008 09:01AM
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Quantum. Windmill. Cookie.
Those names... Saturday, August 30, 2008
Jackson County remains in the running for a 1,000-acre...
In early 2007 the Michigan Equine Partnership (MEP) commissioned Public Sector Consultants to conduct a demand and feasibility study to determine whether... Posted by Jackson Citizen Patriot
If we were Scott Fleming, executive director... Posted by Chris Gautz
The Enterprise Group is taking a... Friday, August 15, 2008
Jackson County might shell out an additional... Posted by Keith Roberts
Great Lakes Industry is planning to create 15 jobs... Sunday, July 27, 2008
After Jackson was denied a SmartZone designation in 2001,...
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Scott Fleming says Jackson has some tough competition... Friday, July 25, 2008
A small, family-owned manufacturing business is looking... Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Regardless of whether the state approves Jackson County’s... Monday, June 30, 2008
Scott Fleming hand-delivered a high-tech pen Friday morning... On behalf of the community and the Blackman Township Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA), The Enterprise Group of Jackson, Inc. submitted the... JACKSON, MICH. Production Engineering Inc., a manufacturer of precision machined components for specialty truck and construction equipment axles,... The Jackson Area Manufacturers Associations (JAMA) Academy for Manufacturing Careers is proud to announce the graduation of our students who have completed... Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Jane Robinson thinks of herself as a proud mother... The Michigan Townships Association announced that Local Tax Capture Authorities Have Until JUNE 15 to Recover Lost Tax Revenue
Legislation... Tuesday, May 20, 2008
At most ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new companies,... Monday, April 21, 2008
By Fredricka Paul
Keeping Production Engineering in the county is now... Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Production Engineering has outgrown its Summit Township... Wednesday, April 09, 2008
The county and city of Jackson have won a combined... Tuesday, April 08, 2008
One year ago this week, Jackson County commissioners... Through the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association (JAMA), The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC), an Michigan Economic Development Corporation... Trans Pharm received the first 200,000 draw from the state a couple weeks ago. All of the lab equipment is being moved back into the lab and yesterday...
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Enterprise Group widens focus
Sunday, September 14, 2008
By Chris Gautz
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Quantum. Windmill. Cookie.
Those names that don’t mean anything to anyone outside local economic-development circles represent Jackson County’s efforts to attract hundreds of jobs and millions in investment.
For years, The Enterprise Group focused on retaining jobs in a county that has been hemorrhaging them. Now the agency is broadening its focus to attract new businesses.
Enterprise Group President and CEO Scott Fleming said after he arrived on the job in February, he asked business and community leaders what they wanted.
``What everyone told me was we need new businesses here to inject more dollars into our economy,’’ he said.
To help track that, he presents a scorecard each month to the EG board, which contains a list of the attraction activities he and his staff are engaged in.
The August scorecard contains 12 potential and confidential projects that represent a potential total investment of more than $300,000 and 1,000 jobs. Each project has a code name.
Among the others are Global Solutions, MMC, International and Greenwood.
Fleming said aside from manufacturing and high-tech companies, the EG are also looking to Hollywood.
``Much like the rest of the state, we’re trying to attract some of the movie industry to the area, because of the large tax incentives the state now offers,’’ he said.
Fleming knows that every pitch won’t be successful, but he said you need to juggle 10 to 20 potential projects in hopes that one of them will come through.
``One home run is all we need,’’ he said.
If a large company moves to Jackson, it will need suppliers and those suppliers will need support facilities, he said. This means more jobs in the community.
When he started with the EG, Fleming said he found that Jackson County wasn’t on the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s radar, because there had been too much infighting and power struggles over the years in the county.
So Fleming met with those in charge, many of whom he has known from past jobs, and said now the state is sending word of projects to him.
``I think he has put Jackson back on the map with the MEDC,’’ said Allan Hooper, economic development operations director for Jackson-based Consumers Energy.
Enterprise Group Chairman Ric Walton, who is pleased with the focus on attracting jobs to the area, said Fleming’s connections have enhanced Jackson’s position.
``We’re not just sitting here waiting for something to come,’’ said Walton, who added that the EG will be even more aggressive as time goes on.
Bringing in potential leads is a necessity, because the percentages for success can be low.
``But if we don’t get up to the plate, we’re not going to get anything,’’ Walton said.
Some of the targets have come from the MEDC and others from Fleming’s connections.
When the MEDC sends a lead, it doesn’t tell local officials what company it is. It only supplies a code name and a brief list of the needs the company would have in terms of infrastructure, energy, acreage and square footage.
This spring, when German automaker Volkswagen was considering Michigan as a site for an assembly plant, the MEDC assigned the project the code name ``Polar Bear.’’
``We didn’t even know Polar Bear was VW,’’ Fleming said.
Part of the reason for doing this is the fear of price gouging if a property owner finds out what is being considered, and is also a way to protect the company.
Amy Torres, economic development director for the EG, said she has been busier since Fleming came on board.
``It is extremely exciting to be involved in all of this,’’ Torres said. ``There’s just so much going on.’’
She said the focus on attracting new employers to the county has almost been like adding a new division to the organization.
The task of retaining and growing jobs at companies already here remains a priority.
They are learning how to balance the two, which is made easier by the new systems Fleming has brought with him to help manage all of the project leads coming in, she said.
And Fleming is using his network of consultants to spread the word about Jackson as a desirable place to do business.
``That’s really paying dividends now,’’ Hooper said.