News

Franklin Development Authority honored by BREI

June 13, 2008 — Franklin County, Ala., Development Authority has been honored by Business Retention and Expansion International (BREI) for its program to help local industries grow and prosper. The program was sponsored in part through a TVA grant. TVA nominated the Authority for the award.

BREI is an international nonprofit association of economic development professionals who try to advance business retention and expansion as part of an economic development strategy. Franklin County won the organization's Community Award in the under-50,000 population category.

"We're extremely honored to achieve this international recognition and are equally eager to continue our support of existing industries, helping them to continue to grow and prosper," said Mitch Mays, executive director of the Franklin County program (shown at left in photo with Craig Linhoss of TVA Economic Development). Mays also praised the assistance from TVA and local, county, and state leaders who have been involved. "This award is affirmation of the partnership developed to support existing industry in Franklin County," he said.

As part of the retention program, the Authority teamed with the state Office of Workforce Development, North Alabama Council of Local Governments, and Northwest-Shoals Community College to secure a $50,000 grant for on-site training of industrial maintenance technicians. It also secured funding for a $242,000 technology grant to extend fiber-optic lines to the Russellville Industrial Park, and it initiated a Human Resources Advisory Chapter to assist manufacturing industries with work-source issues.