BRE Commitee Tours Industry

The Business Retention and Expansion Committee is on location again. The Goal of the Mississippi County Business Retention and Expansion Program is to facilitate the retention and expansion of existing industries in Mississippi County, Arkansas. During February 2017, the committee decided to visit four companies in ONE DAY! Committee members include ANC’s Stacey Walker, Coordinator Industrial Training; Tamika Jenkins GREDF Project Coordinator; ANC’s Courtney Cooper, Coordinator Placement Services; and Randy Brinkley AEDC liaison.

On February 27, 2017, the committee began by touring Aviation Repair Technologies in Gosnell, with an enlightening conversation and tour of ART. The committee met with Ken Wright, Sr. VP and General Manager. ART specializes in part harvesting and general aircraft maintenance.

Next, the committee went to Venus Corporation and met with Managers Chris Carver and Clif Carver. Venus Corporation is a job shop/fabrication shop making many different parts.  They are open to building jobs as orders are placed not just manufacturing in bulk.  

IPSCO and JMS were the next two stops. Committee members met with Joe Crews, HR Manger from IPSCO and adjunct safety instructor at Arkansas Northeastern College – The Solutions Group. IPSCO is currently working on a project that is allowing Stacey Walker and The Solutions Group trainers to work closely and to train new employees.

At JMS, the committee met with General Manager Matt Kelley. JMS is working on a large project and expressed a need for machine operators. Courtney Cooper, Coordinator Placement Services, will be investigating this further as she assists in putting ANC graduates to work!

The overall experience of touring these facilities and meeting with their personnel was of great benefit to the Business and Expansion Committee.  It was also beneficial to learn more about the different grant opportunities available to local industries. Randy Brinkley spoke on behalf of AEDC about grants and other state opportunities for business and industries.