This year's Day on the Hill and TCCE Winter Conference was a huge success.  The nationally awarded McGavock High School Marching Band opened the event with entertainment for attendees.

We honored Philip Trauernicht, a well-known and long-time economic developer in the state of Tennessee, who passed away in November. The Department of Economic & Community Development initiated the development of the Philip Trauernicht Memorial Scholarship for Rural Leaders.  The scholarship will provide full tuition and lodging for the Tennessee Basic Economic Development Course held annually in Nashville.  Donations to the scholarship fund can be made at  www.utaaconnect.com/trauernicht. TEDC donated an initial $5,000 to the fund, and the Tennessee  Department of Economic & Community Development committed a donation of $30,000.

We were honored to have Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey update the group on the happenings in the State Senate and in Congress, highlighting Tennessee's fiscal responsibility and industrial recruitment successes.

Randy Boyd, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development, shared the department's successes for 2015 and his vision for 2016. In 2015, 25,837 new job commitments were made.  The goal for 2016 is to obtain 28,000 new jobs.

 

Lastly, Candice McQueen, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education, addressed the current educational challenges for the state and shared details about some of the initiatives being pursued to improve access to and quality of public education.