McMinn County Economic Development Authority

The McMinn County Economic Development Authority (EDA) was created in 1985, and is a centralized agency devoted to recruiting new industry, and providing service to assist existing industries with expansions. Information on available buildings, industrial property, training, and other available programs can be obtained by calling (423) 745-1506.

The Development Authority is a public/private partnership governed by a 30 member Board made up of McMinn county citizens and elected officials. The Authority also develops property for industrial use, for warehousing/distribution operations, for research and development projects and for data centers. It has 5 Government Funding Agencies, and 108 Partners and Members from the private sector. The Board's officers and 3 additional members of the Board comprise the Executive Committee.

A major industry EDA helped recruit into McMinn County is DENSO Manufacturing. To date, DENSO has announced more than $350 million in new capital investment and presently has more than 900 jobs.

In the Past 10 years, EDA joined with the County, City Governments, and local Utilities Companies in locating new plants to McMinn County, and assisted a number of existing companies with expansions:

New/Exp.
New
New
New
New
New
New
New
New
New
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion

Company
E & E Manufacturing
ThyssenKrupp Waupaca
Con/Met
Creative Foam
Atlantic Coast Plating
Selective Structures
InspecTech
Electromavin
Midlab
Johnson Controls
Denso
Dynasty Spas
Johns Manville
Heil Trailer
Mills Products
AbitibiBowater
E&E Manufacturing

Investment
$20 Million
$100 Million
$10 Million
$10 Million
$3 ½ Million
$31 Million
$3 Million
$½ Million
$4 Million
$2 Million
$110 Million
$5 Million
$120 Million
$20 Million
$20 Million
$10 Million
$6 Million

Jobs
250
500
30
100
5
30
10
7
60
None
250
100
150
100
30
None
30

The Authority regularly advertises McMinn County's advantages, its industrial parks, and its available buildings in various trade journals and State Economic Development publications. And for forty-one consecutive years, EDA has sponsored McMinn County Salute to Industry Day--a day to honor all industry in the County, and to recognize their contributions to the community.

The Authority's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer is Jack Hammontree, a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) who has been involved with economic/industrial development for his entire professional career. Mr. Hammontree has been associated with a number of development corporations and organizations in both the State of Tennessee and the State of Alabama. While a member of the Industrial Development Staff at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), he was responsible for portions of the seven state region TVA serves. His private sector positions have included the President and CEO of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce and Vice President with an East Tennessee Industrial Real Estate firm. Mr. Hammontree is active in a number of professional organizations including IEDC, SEDC, TEDC, CoreNet, and The National Right to Work Committee. While in Alabama, he was chairman of the State's Industrial Development Bond Authority, and he currently serves on the McMinn County Industrial Development Bond Board. He can be reached by email at jack@mcminncoeda.org.

McMinn County Economic Development Authority
McMinn County Courthouse Annex
5 South Hill Street (37303)
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 767 • Athens, TN 37371-0767
(423) 745-1506 • Fax (423) 745-1507
http://www.mcminncoeda.org
E-mail: mcminncoeda@mcminncoeda.org