Camp Bowie
Industrial Area
The Brownwood Economic
Development Corporation (the BEDC) provided a
loan in the amount of $200,000.00 to West Texas
Printing Inc. to purchase and install new
state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment at the
company’s location on Stephen F. Austin Drive in
the Camp Bowie Industrial Area. The addition of
the new equipment will create twenty new jobs
and upgrade the work skills of most of the
company’s existing employees allowing the
company to expand the number of its commercial
products. The company will repay the note over
seven years.
Rotonics Manufacturing
Inc. received a loan from the BEDC in the amount
of $50,000.00 to purchase and install additional
new manufacturing equipment at its Brownwood
facility. The five year note will allow for the
creation of fifteen new full-time jobs and
retain six existing jobs as a result of the
project.
3M Company Brownwood
plant received a $250,000.00 economic
development financial incentive from the BEDC to
assist with the modernization of its
manufacturing equipment. The financial incentive
is to be paid as a reimbursement for new jobs
created over a five year period. The
multi-million dollar, high technology project
will add fifteen new full-time jobs immediately
as this is Phase One of a proposed three phase
project for the company.
The BEDC awarded a
$387,400.00 project to Prater Construction
Company to construct Technology Drive within
Phase Two of the Brownwood Industrial Park. The
project was completed in December 2006. Phase
Two of the Industrial Park will provide
approximately forty five additional acres for
new industrial development.
In November 2006 the BEDC
assisted Barr Fabrication LLC with the
development of an application for financial
assistance from the Texas Department of
Agriculture’s Texas Capital Fund in the amount
of $750,000.00 to construct a new 30,000 square
foot manufacturing facility adjacent to its
current building on DanHil Drive in the
Brownwood Industrial Park. The project is
anticipated to begin construction in the Spring
2007.
Texas State Technical College West Texas
-Brownwood
Texas State
Technical College West Texas, Brownwood Center,
has continued to experience growth. With 282
students enrolled, the Spring 2006 semester
enrollment of full-time students was up over the
same period of the previous year. The Summer
2006 enrollment was 264 full-time students with
the Fall 2006 enrollment reaching a record 298
full-time students. The Brownwood center of
TSTC continues to utilize the Texas Workforce
Commission’s Skills Development Grant program to
assist local manufacturers with the training of
new and existing employees. The Brownwood
center of TSTC along with Ranger College, in
cooperation with Howard Payne University and the
Brownwood Regional Medical Center, has submitted
an application to the Texas Board of Nursing
Examiners to develop and offer an Associate
Degree in Nursing in Brownwood. The Brownwood
center of TSTC will expand into approximately
15,000 square feet of additional space at the
301 Main Street building when the space becomes
available later this year.
Other Projects and Activities
The BEDC provided
an economic development financial incentive to
Nelson Wholesale Services in the amount of
$100,000.00 to assist with the construction of a
new 20,000 square foot cold storage warehouse at
the company’s location on U.S. Hwy 377 South.
The company also purchased new equipment and has
hired 10 new employees as a result of the
expansion project. The BEDC provided a start-up
loan in the amount of $12,000.00 to Wild Card
Metal and Art to purchase new manufacturing
equipment. The company produces a wide variety
of metal art objects for both retail and
wholesale buyers.
The BEDC assisted
with the infrastructure development of two new
businesses for Brownwood. The BEDC provided
$200,000.00 to relocate certain utility lines
and site improvements for a new Brownwood Market
Place development which includes a new La Quinta
Hotel and Suites. The BEDC also relocated
utility lines at a cost of $4,000.00 for the new
Steve Weckwerth project which includes a new
Subway restaurant and coffee shop on Austin
Avenue.
The BEDC was one
of the hosts of the “Feels Like Home” reunion
celebration. The October 2006 event was the
sixth annual reunion event. The BEDC continues
to assist with the cost of the reunion’s
Internet web site and other promotional
activities. The BEDC is an active member of the
Local Economic Coalition. The Coalition, hosted
by the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce, is
comprised of representatives from the Chamber,
the BEDC, the Brownwood Industrial Foundation,
the City of Brownwood, Brown County, Brownwood
I.S.D., the Brownwood Civic Improvement
Foundation, Texas State Technical College,
Howard Payne University, and TXU Electric
Delivery. The Coalition meets quarterly to
share information concerning ongoing and future
community projects.
The BEDC and the
Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce continue to
host the “Brownwood Business Showcase”. This
annual event allows many of the area’s
businesses to showcase their company’s goods and
services to the community. The BEDC is an
active participant in the “Leadership Brownwood”
program and provides information concerning the
BEDC and its activities to the program’s
participants.
The BEDC has
joined with other communities in the 26-county
Texas Midwest Community Network to form the
Texas Midwest Marketing Alliance. The Alliance
markets all of the participating communities
through a dedicated Internet web site, brochures
and direct mail campaigns. The BEDC Director
continues to be involved with several regional
and statewide organizations:
West Texas
Coalition for Innovation and Commercialization
Texas Emerging
Technology Fund Application Review Committee
West Central
Texas Workforce Development Board
Workforce
Investment Fund Review Panel
West Central
Texas Regional Housing Finance Corporation
President, Board
of Directors
West Central
Texas Economic Development District
Board Member
Texas Economic
Development Council
Board of
Directors
Current Board
members and employees of the BEDC are:
Calvin Fryar,
President
Wes Heald, Vice
President
Rick Martin,
Secretary
Harry Miller,
Member
Pat Coursey,
Member
James R.
Campbell, Executive Director
Glenda England,
Administrative Assistant
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