2009 Calendar

July 16th
Webster Co. Plant Manager/HR Lunch Meeting – Phoenix Tank & Tower, Sebree

July 29th
“Profit 101” – NEW! 4 Hour workshop for GMs/PMs/Operations/Supervisors – Northwest KY Forward Office

August 13th
Quarterly HR Council Breakfast Meeting – Northwest KY Forward Office

August 25th
Semi-Annual “Leaders’ Round Table – Warren Nash guest speaker, Deputy Commissioner, Dept. of Commercialization and Innovation – Wolf’s Banquet & Convention Center           

September 10th
Quarterly Union County Breakfast Meeting – Brandon’s in Morganfield

September 15th
Existing Business Committee Lunch Meeting – Northwest KY Forward

 

 

 

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2009 NEWSLETTER
EXISTING BUSINESS

First of its kind in the region:  “HOW TO GET A JOB” Session a Huge Success!

Brad Schneider, President of the Henderson/Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, kicked off the day long event for dislocated workers on June 24th with an introduction of employers on the panel: (Left to Right) Jeff Jones, GM, Trelleborg-Morganfield; Robert Cameron, PM, Advanced Drainage Systems-Livermore; Nick Smith, HR Manager, International Paper-Henderson; Health Lovell, GM, Alliance Coal-Union County; Ken Enyart, PM, Scott Manufacturing-Sebree; Jessica Barnard, HR Manager, Methodist Hospital-Henderson; Clay Ellis, Business Development Manager, Titan Contracting-Owensboro; and Linda Mitchell , HR Manager Mortgage Division, US Bank-Owensboro (Not pictured).

This first time event of its kind in the region was held at the UK Extension Office’s Expo Center in Henderson, and covered the seven counties of Davis, Hancock, Henderson McLean, Ohio, Union and Webster.  Over three hundred job seekers attended the workshops, visited with employers who are currently hiring and explored educational opportunities.  Ten different workshops were held to assist job seekers with writing resumes and cover letters, interviewing skills, financial advice, properly using the internet in a job search, dressing inexpensively for an interview, entrepreneurship, etc. 

The keynote motivational speaker for the event was Chase Fulcher, Master Agent with KY Farm Bureau Insurance.

New! Meeting the Training Needs of the Existing Businesses

Northwest KY Forward has partnered with the KY Manufacturing Assistance Center (KMAC).  This new partnership will enable NWKF to bring several new 2, 4 and 6 hour workshops to the existing business at no cost to them. 

The workshops will cover areas such as leadership, safety, making a profit, etc.  This program is available through a grant obtained by KMAC which began July 1st of this year through June 30th of 2010.

The first 4 hour workshop – “Profit 101” - will take place at NWKF offices on Wednesday, July 29th.

KBIP: KY Business Incentive Program

New Incentive Program for Existing Businesses Passed by the Legislature
On June 26, 2009, Governor Steve Beshear signed into law House Bill 3, known as Incentives for a New Kentucky (KBIP) streamlining and modernizing Kentucky’s business incentive programs. Effective immediately this legislation does the following:

• Provides a program for existing manufacturers who need to make a significant capital investment in Kentucky facilities in order to remain competitive;
• Consolidates KIDA, KREDA, KJDA & KEOZ into a single, more flexible tax incentive program for new and expanding businesses;
• Provides a sales and use tax refund for companies that are heavy users of computer and telecommunications equipment; and,
• Expands KEIA to allow sales tax refunds for the purchase of electronic processing systems costing $50,000 or more.

2008-2009 Leadership Henderson Participants, NWKF Guests

Northwest KY Forward hosted nine participants in the Henderson Chamber of Commerce’s last Leadership Henderson class this year on June 16th.  The class listened to presentations on the history of Northwest KY Forward-Regional Economic Development Agency and how recruitment for new business is done; business retention, expansion and promotion; educational initiatives; and small business programs and entrepreneurship.  After lunch, the class toured Royster’s Machine and Production Machine Shops, and Pittsburg Tank and Tower.

Existing Business Visits

All 134 existing businesses in the four county region received a visit during the fiscal year of July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008 and 14 programs for HR professionals, General Managers/ Plant Managers and 7 special education programs were held.

During the fiscal year, 4 expansions were completed which created 778 new jobs.  As of the end of June, 7 existing businesses had expansions pending.  Bluegrass State Skills Grants & Skills Training Incentives totaled $214,861, with the Henderson Community College WINs Grants through Henderson Community College totaling $$259,213.  This is nearly $475,000 in educational training funds made available to our existing businesses.

Remember the New Minimum Wage

Remember that the new minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for Kentucky employers, took effect on July 1st even though the federal regulation will go into effect on July 24th.   

2009-2010 Existing Business Program of Work

The 2009-2010 Program of Work – “POW” - can be viewed on our website www.northwestky.com under “Existing Business” on the left side of the screen.  The “POW” is a guideline for the work we do for our existing businesses in the four county region.

NWKF Job Data Base

Employers! Remember to use our data base at www.northwestkyworks.com when looking for the “right employee”.  We currently have over 7,000 job seekers looking for work!