Business Images Central Texas 2009-10

BUSINESS

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CENTRAL TEXAS

Hire Education Colleges provide pipeline to in-demand careers

In the Sweet Spot A prime locale draws new business and residents

What’ss Onlinee

Horsepower Under the Hood

See video that tracks the region’s railroad history

Fort’s presence attracts new business recruits SPONSORED BY THE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS | 2009-10

Central Texas Ready for Business Discover development opportunity in the heart of the most business friendly state.

Central Texas offers the perfect location for industrial and commercial expansion supportable by a highly skilled and readily available workforce, lower than average per capita wages, and unmatched access to interstate, rail and air transport.

The region is home to state-of-the-art health care facilities, advanced health education, and cutting edge biomedical and agricultural research.

After business hours, many recreational resources await the working world to soothe mind, body and soul.

CENTRAL TEXAS – where opportunity is as endless as the big Texas sky!

TOP RE INTERSTATE, RAIL AND AIR TRANSPORTATION Milam County Milam County is rich in rail opportunity. The Union PaciďŹ c and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe are the two rail lines that run through Milam County. This convergence of rail is in the city of Milano.

PREMIUM HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE Bell County Temple, Texas is located in Bell County and is home to Scott & White, the largest multi-specialty practice in Texas, in the company of more than 500 physicians who care for patients at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple. With numerous regional clinics throughout Central Texas, Scott & White delivers care to members of the Scott & White Health Plan, one of the highest rated plans in the nation.

QUALITY OF LIFE Lampasas County Lampasas County has the city of Lampasas, which is a small town of about 8,000 people nestled in the rolling hills of Central Texas, and surrounded by seven mineral springs; two of which produce more than 3 million gallons of water daily. Sulfur Springs Creek winds through an 18-hole golf course and ows by the Hancock Springs, which feeds a large swimming pool.

Sulfur Springs Creek remains 72 degrees year round.

TO DO BUSINESS I

EASONS ROPING AND RANCHING Hamilton County Hamilton County boasts proudly about the Circle T Roping Arena, a four-acre under-roof facility on State Highway 36 about three miles west of Hamilton. The arena hosts world championship roping events most weekends plus roping classes taught by world champions almost daily. Other popular attractions at Circle T are the gourmet Crossfire Café and cantina, Crossfire Saddlery Western Store, RFD TV weekly feature “All Around Performance Horse Show” and a destination resort hotel, the Inn at Circle T.

RECREATION AND RELAXATION San Saba County San Saba is the Pecan Capital of the World! This is where beautiful pecan orchards are grown. Lots of room to roam for growers, hunters and ranchers.

AFFORDABLE LIVING Mills County A beautiful farming and ranching community, making it an excellent choice to make a living and raise a family.

HIGHLY SKILLED WORKFORCE Coryell County Coryell County is open to the world for opportunity of many types of businesses. Fort Hood and the city of Copperas Cove are partners in business, utilizing Fort Hood’s highly skilled workforce and the Copperas Cove business community. The Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport is located on base and is a significant means of transportation for soldiers and family members.

N CENTRAL TEXAS!

DDCT is funded by an EDA grant administered by Central Texas Council of Governments.

REACH NEW HEIGHTS WITH YOUR BUSINESS in Harker Heights, Texas

3rd ranked MSA nationally for job creation (Source: www.Forbes.com)

The City of Harker Heights is a dynamic, actively growing community. Businesses such as Super Wal-Mart, Target, Barnes and Noble, Cinemark, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Furniture Row and Cracker Barrel, just to name a few, have done their homework and decided to locate in Trade area Harker Heights. Harker Heights offers great average income opportunities for your business!

level of over $58,000

Trade area in excess of 295,000 people

Come visit our growing city and we think you will agree it is the place to be. City staff are available to assist you with information about our city. Please contact (254) 953-5636 or dmitchell@ci.harker-heights.tx.us to learn more about Harker Heights and the great opportunities that await you. Our Web site also provides a wealth of information: www.ci.harker-heights.tx.us.

5th fastest growing MSA in the State of Texas (Source: POLICOM Corp. Study)

We look forward to seeing your business in Heights soon!

CITY OF HARKER HEIGHTS 305 MILLERS CROSSING HARKER HEIGHTS, TX 76548 254 9535600

LAMPASAS ‌ Live Well New Lampasas High School

Historic County Courthouse

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Destination Recreation: World Champion roping all year at Circle T Arena plus the unique Inn at Circle T resort hotel

Hamilton County Courthouse, the historic focal point of the downtown square, presides majestically at the intersection of US Hwy. 281 and State Hwy. 36

Central Texas location, first-class Hamilton Municipal Airport, high tech, 5,000 feet, paved, lighted runway and services

Available nationwide truck transport

Hamilton Economic Development Corporation

www.hamiltontexas.com 204 E. Main U Hamilton, TX 76531 (254) 386-5954 U Fax: (254) 386-3563 E-mail: hamiltonedc@htcomp.net

Hamilton’s new hospital, recently expanded family practice clinic, new fitness center, medical staff and available specialists provide excellent professional health care

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20 Workstyle Horsepower Under the Hood

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Major military presence is a recruiting tool to bring more industry to Central Texas

A Scientific Approach

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Health research know-how spawns a burgeoning bioscience cluster

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School’s Always in Session

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The region offers innovative programs to supply a work-ready labor force

Take a Seat

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Institutional furniture makers help craft a solid and diverse base of manufacturers Table of Contents Continued on page 7

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ON THE COVER Regency Suspension Bridge in Mills County spans more than 340 feet from tower to tower. PHOTO BY BRIAN McCORD

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Insight Overview

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Business Almanac

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Business Climate: In the Sweet Spot

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Transportation

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Energy/Technology

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Economic Profile

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Livability Gallery

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Now This Is the Life

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Health

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Hire Education

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All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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BUSINESS ®

CENTRAL TEXAS 2009-10 EDITION , VOLUME 1 MANAGING EDITOR BILL McMEEKIN COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SUSAN CHAPPELL, JESSY YANCEY STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAMELA COYLE, JOE MORRIS DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER TRIP MILLER SALES SUPPORT MANAGER CINDY HALL SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT MANAGER ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER JESSICA MANNER GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, ALISON HUNTER, JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER WEB IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTOR ANDY HARTLEY WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA WEB CONTENT MANAGER JOHN HOOD WEB PROJECT MANAGER YAMEL RUIZ WEB DESIGN CARL SCHULZ WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS V.P./CUSTOM PUBLISHING KIM NEWSOM MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY SIMPSON DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

Business Images Central Texas is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Development District of Central Texas and Central Texas Council of Governments.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Development District of Central Texas and Central Texas Council of Governments 2180 N. Main St. • Belton, TX 76513 Phone: (254) 770-2200 • Fax: (254) 770-2360 www.ddoct.org • www.ctcog.org

VISIT BUSINESS IMAGES CENTRAL TEXAS ONLINE AT IMAGESCENTRALTEXAS.COM ©Copyright 2009 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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CENTRAL TEXAS

Hire Education Colleges provide pipeline to in-demand careers

In the Sweet Spot A prime locale draws new business and residents

What’ss Onlinee

Lifestyle A showcase for what drives Central Texas’ high quality of life

Horsepower Under the Hood

See video that tracks the region’s railroad history

Fort’s presence attracts new business recruits SPONSORED BY THE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS | 2009-10

Read Business Images Central Texas on your computer, zoom in on the articles and link to advertiser Web sites

NEWS AND NOTES >> Get the Inside Scoop on the latest developments in Central Texas from our editors and business insiders

Workstyle A spotlight on innovative companies that call Central Texas home

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS >> Meet the people setting the pace for Central Texas business DIG DEEPER >> Log into the community with links to local Web sites and resources to give you the big picture of Central Texas DATA CENTRAL >> A by-the-numbers look at doing business and living in Central Texas

See the Video Our award-winning photographers give you a virtual peek inside Central Texas

GUIDE TO SERVICES >> Links to a cross section of goods and services in Central Texas

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CENTRAL TEXAS

Hire Education Colleges provide pipeline to in-demand careers

In the Sweet Spot A prime locale draws new business and residents

What’ss Onlinee

Horsepower Under the Hood

See video that tracks the region’s railroad history

Fort’s presence attracts new business recruits SPONSORED BY THE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS | 2009-10

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CENTRAL TEXAS

Overview

Central Texas Is in the Middle of the Action T

institutions, cutting-edge research facilities and a corps of highly skilled workers.

The Texas Bioscience Institute offers training in a range of health sciences careers for college and high school students, just one of a host of innovative workforce development programs offered by agencies, school districts and local colleges, often in partnership.

With its stress-free lifestyle, Central Texas is a draw for transplants and retirees. Living choices range from country club to country farm, from larger population centers to charming small towns and rural communities.

Natural assets, such as Stillhouse Hollow Lake, Lake Belton and the Colorado River, provide fishing, boating and hiking options for outdoor recreation, and cultural highlights include a symphony, lively art galleries and a variety of museums that preserve and promote the past.

With its relaxing respite from the hustle, noise and congestion of big cities, but with close proximity to large urban areas and the amenities they provide, Central Texas offers something to suit almost any lifestyle.

he seven-county Central Texas region is a vibrant and dynamic area of nearly 423,000 people that boasts natural beauty and a superior quality of life.

The region’s economic growth is buttressed by a low cost structure, abundant water supply, solid transportation infrastructure, proximity to major markets, excellent education and training assets, and a highly skilled workforce.

Fort Hood, a major military installation, pumps some $11 billion into the Texas economy and $4.4 billion directly into Central Texas. More than 53,000 soldiers are assigned to the post, which also employs 5,100 civilians and 9,200 service contract employees.

Job growth and personal incomes in the region rose faster and higher than in many other parts of the country from 2006 to 2007, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The region has become a hub of bioscience innovation through the presence of research-driven health-care providers, quality higher-education

Central Texas

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Almanac MARSDEN WOULD APPRECIATE IT Copperas Cove in Coryell County bills itself as The City Built for Family Living.

Each fall, the community celebrates its heritage and honors Marsden Ogletree, an early settler of what became Copperas Cove, who came to the region in the late 1870s.

The Ogletree Gap Heritage Festival includes food, arts and crafts, Civil War re-enactments and old-time games including a sack race and washer-pitching. There’s a chuck wagon breakfast on Saturday, cowboy church and a barbecue cook-off as well. The 2009 dates are Oct. 17-18.

Go to www.ogletreegap.net for more information on the festival.

REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR RINGS San Saba lays claim as Pecan Capital of the World, but it’s another variety of tree located in the county that has captured the hearts of romantics for hundreds of years.

A 400-year-old oak tree on the edge of town is known as the Matrimonial Altar, the Marriage Oak, the Matrimonial Oak or the Wedding Oak. As legend has it, long before the Spanish came to the region, American Indian men and women met beneath the tree to unite in wedlock. Later, in horse-and-buggy days, the tree was a popular spot for matrimonially inclined residents of the area to tie the knot.

HISTORY CHUGS ALONG The Iron Horse was a major part of the development of Central Texas, and the Railroad & Heritage Museum in Temple pays tribute to that history.

The museum features a number of exhibits and memorabilia chronicling the rise of the railroad, while outside, rolling stock on display includes engines, cabooses and a Pullman car.

The historic terminal building, which houses Temple’s Amtrak station, is available for event rentals. For more on the museum, go to www.rrhm.org.

What’s Online e See video of the Railroad Heritage Museum at imagescentraltexas.com.

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To learn more, go to www.sansabatexas.com/ attractions.htm.

THEY’VE BEEN ROPED INTO IT Circle T Arena in Hamilton is 4 acres of fun under one roof.

The facility is home to a number of roping events that draw some 40,000 people to the county each year and hosts RFD-TV’s weekly All Around Performance Horse Show.

The complex, which hosts a variety of entertainment events, includes a 43,000-square-foot main arena, a western store, a cantina, a swimming pool, park and 53 RV parking spaces.

For more on the arena complex, go to www.circletarena.net.

A GARDEN OF SCULPTURED DELIGHTS Large outdoor art works are signatures at the Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden in Campbell Park in Lampasas.

The works by regional and national artists are part of a public art initiative and restoration of what had been an abandoned site, once home to the Hanna Springs Opera House.

The garden is an initiative of the Lampasas Association for the Arts.

Five new sculptures were installed in spring 2009, selected by an independent jury for display in the garden for one year. The works by three Texas-based artists, one from New Mexico and one from Colorado vary in medium and style.

IT’S A VERY SMALL TOWN

Go to www.lampasasparkart.org for more.

Cameron native John Johnson fell in love with his Milam County hometown at an early age.

When he moved to Austin as a young adult, he found support at a local hobby shop to aid in his unique creation of a miniature replica of downtown Cameron as it appeared in the 1940s.

Using his memory, interviews with Cameron citizens and old photographs, Johnson has crafted Old Town Cameron, a miniature that is an ongoing work, 35 years in the making.

The creation, housed at 104 E. Main St. in Cameron and open to the public, includes replicas of schools, neighborhoods, water towers, bridges and railroads with model steam engines. Go to www.milamcounty.org for more.

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DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT ... see it for yourself VIDEO >>

What makes Central Texas such a favorable place to do business? What is it about the livability of Central Texas that makes people who move there to work decide to stay for the long term?

Business Images Central Texas shows you Central Texas like you’ve never seen it before, thanks to the work of our award-winning photographers and writers.

Central Texas is just a click away.

Experience the vitality and charm of Central Texas from the comfort of your computer.

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A BRIDGE THAT SPANS HISTORY NEW SELECTION ON THE WINE LIST Pillar Bluff Vineyards in Lampasas is among the latest entrants to Texas’ burgeoning wine industry.

The winery’s offerings include a selection of premium chardonnays, cabernets and merlots that its operators say can be enjoyed equally at either a casual dinner for four, an intimate dinner for two or a formal event for 200.

The Regency Suspension Bridge in southwestern Mills County is one of only two historic suspension bridges still open to vehicular traffic in Texas.

The bridge, built in 1939, spans 340 feet from tower to tower. Both cables are pulled tight for another 134 feet behind each tower, where they are anchored into the ground.

The towers rise approximately 30 feet above the bridge floor. The bridge stands 25 feet above the recorded high water level of the Colorado River at Regency.

A tasting room is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and vineyard tours are available.

Go to www.pillarbluff.com for more information.

PLENTY OF GOOD WISHES AVAILABLE The Central Texas Astronomical Society operates the Paul and Jane Meyer Observatory at a dark-sky site near Clifton.

Each month, the society hosts an open house at its Turner Research Station that is designed to educate guests about society activities and share members’ passion for astronomy.

Visitors can see the stars come out through portable telescopes and the 24-inch Meyer Observatory telescope. For more, go to www.centexastronomy.org.

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Business Climate

In the Sweet Spot Central Texas businesses love their location – with good reason Story by Joe Morris • Photography by Brian McCord

workforce

transportation location

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or Central Texas businesses, the recent months of tough economic times have provided an opportunity to retool and work on internal development. That’s certainly been the case at Wilsonart International, a Temple-based manufacturer of high-pressure, decorative laminate and major employer in the region.

“We’ve been hard at work even before the downturn in the economy, developing new products and making improvements to the products we already have,” says Alison DeMartino, director of marketing.

Sausage and ham producer Pederson’s Natural Farms in Hamilton has entered into the private-label business and other offshoots, creating new lines of business, says Cody Lane, president.

“Everything we always had is still in place, and that other work has helped us over the slow period,” Lane says. “Now we’re looking at a plant expansion, adding more cooler space so that we can turn the existing cooler site into more production area.”

That would add another 12,000 to 15,000 square feet to Pederson’s 20,000-square-foot plant.

On the municipal side, local economic development organizations tout the region’s long list of positives, including a low cost structure, abundant water supply, solid transportation infrastructure, proximity to major markets, excellent education and training assets, and a highly skilled workforce.

Fort Hood, a major military installation, pumps some $11 billion into the Texas economy. And job growth and personal incomes in the region rose faster and higher than in many other parts of the country from 2006 to 2007, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

“We are very proud of what we’ve got going on now,” says Tony Guidroz director of economic development and

tourism for San Saba County.

San Saba recently worked with a consultant to identify what types of retail it could recruit, a move to tie in to its revitalized downtown. Ingram ReadyMix and San Saba Equine Supply, a new manufacturer of equine-related materials, were drawn to the county.

In Lampasas, a new high school has meant an extension of water and sewer lines into an area being positioned for business and industrial growth.

The municipal airport has 10 new hangars and a 4,200-foot runway.

“We have access to U.S. highways 281, 183 and 190, and so we’re able

to promote our rural lifestyle while also being very close to the major cities,” says Michael Stoldt, executive director of the Lampasas Economic Development Corp. and also the city manager.

A revamped downtown, complete with a new park nearby and a mural project being orchestrated by the citizenry, completes the picture of a community on the move.

“Whatever you’re looking for, we have it here, and we’re very competitive about getting out there and telling people that,” Stoldt says.

“If there’s a list of advantages, we say we have all of the above, and more.”

Central Texas-based McLane Co. is a $30 billion company that serves the food industry.

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Horsepower Under the Hood Major military presence is a recruiting tool for more industry

F

ort Hood is a major force in the Central Texas economy, a massive Army installation that spans 340 square miles and is already the largest single employer site in the state.

More than 53,000 soldiers are assigned to the post, which also employs 5,100 civilians and 9,200 service-contract employees.

A 2008 study by the Heart of Texas Defense Alliance estimates the base generates nearly $11 billion for the Texas economy each year, $4.4 billion of that in Central Texas.

“The Army post is certainly the economic driver for the Killeen-TempleFort Hood metropolitan area,” says Bill Parry, Heart of Texas Defense Alliance executive director.

The presence of Fort Hood has spawned a healthy regiment of defense contractors, Parry says.

Science Applications and Westar Aerospace & Defense Group Inc., each with 1,000 employees, are just two of the major contractors with workers at Fort Hood.

General Dynamics Land Systems,

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CENTRAL TEXAS

BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and STRICOM are included on the area’s roster of defense-related companies.

In all, the U.S. government annually spends some $250 million with private defense-related companies working on projects at Fort Hood, Parry says.

But the base’s value to the region could be even greater, says John Firth, county judge for Coryell County and a retired Army colonel.

Firth says the way to increase the base’s impact on the economy is to spread the word even more about everything that Fort Hood has to offer.

A survey by the Veterans Inventory Initiative, which includes several economic and workforce development entities in the region, found that 55 to 60 percent of the thousands of soldiers honorably discharged from Fort Hood each year would stay in the area if they had employment opportunities.

“If I was a manufacturer or business that could tap into this kind of quality available workforce, I would really think hard about locating in Central Texas just for that reason,” Firth says.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARL H. DE AL III

Story by Kevin Litwin

What’s Onlinee Read more about what drives new business and investment in Central Texas at imagescentraltexas.com.

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Fort Hood is home to more than 53,000 soldiers and 5,100 civilian employees.

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Soldiers leaving the base can be easily trained for careers outside of the Army, and military retirees looking for a new career are loyal and tend to be younger – often in their 40s, he says; 20 percent have bachelor’s degrees.

“Central Texas also has excellent traditional and technical colleges in place that can specifically train these departing soldiers for industry,” he says.

The post operates a joint-use airport with the city of Killeen, meaning that the federal government provides funding so that the airport stays in top shape and is technologically advanced.

“This area has an excellent available workforce, a top-notch airport, and a great highway and railway system in place,” Firth says. “The positives for locating a company in Central Texas are almost too many to mention.”

Interstate 35 provides solid northsouth access. U.S. Highway 79, U.S.

Highway 84, U.S. Highway 281, U.S. Highway 77 and Texas Highway 195 are also major routes in the region.

Many older military retirees from throughout the country are choosing Central Texas because of the region’s mild weather, the presence of VA health centers and top-notch hospitals, low cost of living and access to all that Fort Hood has to offer.

In 2007, Lampasas County, which lies just west of Fort Hood, was the sixth-fastest growing county in the nation, in large part due to retirees moving there and the construction of new homes, Firth says.

A 2008 AARP study listed the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood MSA as the 14th fastest-growing area in the country for retirees.

“The region certainly wouldn’t be drawing those impressive numbers if it wasn’t for Fort Hood,” Firth says.

$730 million $100 million $330 million

$9.7 billion

FORT HOOD’S ECONOMIC IMPACT $10.9 BILLION ANNUALLY Military and civilian pay Military construction projects Contracts and other expenditures Federal impact aid Source: Heart of Texas Defense Alliance

MORE AT IMAGESCENTRALTEXAS.COM

53,000

5,100

340

$10.9B

Soldiers assigned to the base

Civilian employees at Fort Hood

Size of the base in square miles

Base’s economic impact in Texas

On the Rebound A COMMUNITY GETS BACK ON ITS FEET AFTER A PAINFUL PLANT CLOSING When Alcoa decided in fall 2008 to idle its 50-year-old aluminum casting plant in Milam County, putting 1,200 people out of work, local officials knew they had to act fast.

The day after the announcement a meeting was held that included county commissioners; members of the cities of Thorndale, Rockdale and Cameron’s governing bodies; all Milam County school districts; representatives from Little River Healthcare System; chambers of commerce from Rockdale and Cameron; and economic development and Workforce Solutions of Central Texas officials.

On the agenda: What to do next?

“It was time to lay to rest the football rivalries of the neighboring towns and work together,” says Denice Doss, president of the Rockdale Chamber of Commerce.

“It was also discussed that not just Milam County, but surrounding counties would also be affected and we needed to work together as a region,” Doss says.

Since that time, involvement and partnership have been the watchword.

Doss credits all the involved parties, which expanded to include the Central Texas, Capitol Area and Brazos Valley councils of governments, governor’s office and other agencies.

Furloughed workers have been offered retraining opportunities, while others have chosen to relocate.

But there are successes, and they’re far from isolated incidents.

“We have laid off Alcoans going to school for nursing, radiology and sonography, totally different from their other profession as production workers in a smelter,” says Cindy Jerman, workforce development coordinator for Workforce Solutions.

“We have folks who have started their own business. We have had more than 800 take computer classes and many have found work and or gone back to school with those skills,” Jerman says.

– Joe Morris

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BRIAN McCORD

Olin E. Teague Veterans Center in Temple is part of the Central Texas health-care infrastructure.

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CENTRAL TEXAS

A Scientific Approach Region builds a burgeoning sector off its health research know-how

Story by Joe Morris

A

combination of research-driven health-care providers, quality higher-education institutions, cutting-edge research facilities and a strong corps of highly skilled workers puts Central Texas at the center of bioscience innovation.

A key component of the region’s bioscience expertise is Temple-based Scott & White Healthcare, a fully integrated, multispecialty health-care system that includes 500 physicians, a 634-bed hospital, a children’s hospital,

regional clinics, pharmacies, a health insurance plan and institutes in such specialized treatment areas as cancer, heart and vascular health, neuroscience, and women’s health.

Scott & White employs some 7,700 people in the region and its Temple operations include a campus for the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

Scott & White’s research initiatives date almost as far back as the institution’s founding in 1897. From

laboratory work to clinical trials (more than 150 in cancer treatment alone) to clinical staff development, research is a backbone of care and treatment.

The presence of Scott & White, the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System and Texas A&M medical college have helped fuel a burgeoning bioscience sector.

The Temple Health & Bioscience District was created in 2003 by the Texas Legislature to help the community generate additional

BREEDING BIOTECH REGION OFFERS A HEALTHY ROSTER OF ASSETS Among Central Texas main assets to stimulate advances in biotech-related areas is the Temple Research Campus.

The 503-acre development just east of I-35 includes a 500,000-square-foot building that was once a Texas Instruments plant. The building is already home to the Scott & White Cancer Research

Institute and the Texas Bioscience Institute.

Additional research programs are planned and incubator space is available to prospective clients.

Some 300 of the park’s 500 acres are being set aside as a bioscience campus to accommodate prospective biotechnology clients.

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BRIAN McCORD

Scott & White Healthcare is a Central Texas biomedical leader. The Texas Bioscience Institute gives students hands-on skills training.

Central Texas

Temple

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CENTRAL TEXAS

bioscience opportunities, such as the Texas Bioscience Institute, which provides bioscience-related career skills training for high school and college students.

Acquisition of a 500-acre tract, what became the Health and Bioscience Park at Central Pointe, allowed the district to accommodate a number of bioscience-related assets, says Lee Peterson, Temple Economic Development Corp. president.

The park includes a 500,000-square-

foot facility that houses Scott & White Cancer Research Institute and the Texas Bioscience Institute, among others.

The district is focused on developing a 150,000-square-foot bioscience “accelerator” that would support bioscience start-ups.

Some 200 acres of the park are being developed as “shovel ready” sites for new and relocating biotech companies.

“It is truly the springboard or hub that will spawn ancillary business and industry,” Peterson says.

The 4,000-student Temple College has been immersed in the district’s activities since day one, through its own projects or through workforce training and development for other businesses and organizations. It is one of the partners entities in the Texas Bioscience Institute.

“We are providing a unique educational opportunity for different people within the Central Texas area who might want to go into the biotech arena,” says Dr. Danette Toone, vice

president of academic and community initiatives. “It could be a high school student who comes to the Texas Bioscience Institute for a half-day, then goes back to their main campus, or someone in the community who isn’t sure what they want to do, but can go into a structured educational program that gives them a general education specific to math and the sciences.”

Toone says that carries over into efforts that range from recruiting new business to growing the next

crop of scientists.

“The TBI was built so we could take people who are looking to bring a business into the area through, walk them down the halls that have one-way mirrors into the classrooms. They can see what we’re doing. It also lets us take groups of sixth-graders in so they can get taste of what they can do. Our facility reiterates the partnership that we believe so strongly in, and shows that we really put our actions behind our words.”

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School’s Always in Session Region offers innovative programs to supply a work-ready labor force

Jessica Wolf, a workforce development specialist at Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, offers career guidance.

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CENTRAL TEXAS

Story by Joe Morris Photography by Brian McCord

C

entral Texas offers a host of innovative workforce development programs through agencies, local colleges and school districts, often in partnership.

Workforce Solutions of Central Texas provides programs and services for businesses, industries and workers.

Many are geared toward existing industries, but programs tailored for new employers also can be developed.

“The data on available workforce in the Central Texas area that we provide for site-selection meetings is typically a huge selling point to a prospective business, which includes screening, recruitment, interview rooms and office space until their site is available,” says Jerry Haisler, director.

The Workforce Solutions staff is often called upon to get a training program up and running on short notice, says Kimberly Patterson, business services manager.

“We are always very responsive which means we develop data specialized to that particular business, and have staff available to meet with these businesses to disseminate potential solutions,” she says.

The region gained a Texas A&M University campus in fall 2009 when Tarleton State University-Central Texas became part of the A&M system. The 1,200-student Texas A&M UniversityCentral Texas will eventually be housed on a 672-acre site in Killeen transferred

“It’s not just learning for learning’s sake, but also teaching the students to be productive citizens and to have a skill.” from Fort Hood to the A&M system.

At Central Texas College in Killeen, professional development and workforce education are given a great deal of time and attention, says Bill Alexander, deputy chancellor.

Because of its proximity to nearby Fort Hood, many of its workforce development programs have been in response to Army or soldier needs.

Alexander notes the college’s speed and flexibility in designing curriculum.

For example, it developed a Homeland Security & Emergency Management program from scratch in less than a year, a program now offered online.

Several local school districts offer dual-credit and other programs that let students get a jump on collegiate work, as well as post-secondary job skills.

The San Saba Independent School District belongs to the Info-Net consortium, 12 schools that share teachers who are adjunct faculty of CTC. San Saba offers the dual-credit program, and uses the consortium to further enhance its offerings, says

Leigh Ann Glaze, superintendent.

“We wanted to provide a conduit to assist and encourage students to achieve their bachelor’s degrees. We felt that if we could get some college hours for students prior to high school graduation, their likely success in completing college would be greater,” Glaze says.

The Belton Independent School District also offers a dual-credit program and maximizes its partnership with the Texas Bioscience Institute, Texas State Technical College and area technical centers, says Dr. Vivian Baker, superintendent.

These partnerships for college credit and professional apprenticeships are critical for the region, now and in the coming years, Baker says.

“It’s not just learning for learning’s sake, but also teaching the students to be productive citizens and to have a skill or have some preparatory college training,” she says. “It’s a hand-inglove issue between the ISD and the area’s employers.”

STATS CENTRAL TEXAS WORKING AGE DISTRIBUTION

CENTRAL TEXAS EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT (2007) Master’s Degree

16-18

3% 3%

High School/GED

25-34

Some College Associate Degree Bachelor’s Degree

11%

35-44

20%

Source: Temple Economic Development Corp. 77 2007 Regional Labor Survey

16%

45-54

14%

55-64

Doctoral Degree Some High School or Less

3% 1%

19-24

19%

65+

18% 31% 14%

Source: Temple Economic $39,977 Development Corp.

2007 Regional Labor Survey

23% 25%

MORE AT IMAGESCENTRALTEXAS.COM

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Take a Seat Institutional furniture makers set the table for diverse manufacturing sector

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CENTRAL TEXAS

Story by Pamela Coyle

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lassroom furniture has come a long way since stiff plastic chairs attached to desks with book boxes that battered many a knee. Comfort, color and choice define the industry today, and a cluster of manufacturers in Central Texas is helping set the tone.

“It is not what any of us sat in,” says Stephen Sykes, vice president of sales and dealer product development at Artco-Bell in Temple, which has been in business since 1962.

The Temple base of WilsonArt, the laminate giant, likely helps draw furniture makers to the region. Other players include Royal Seating Ltd. in Cameron, another big school vendor; Indeco Sales in Belton, which makes library, lab and classroom furniture; and Panel Specialists Inc., in Temple, which targets furniture for dorms, hospitals and ships.

The Belton Economic Development Corp. has targeted the sector in hopes of attracting similar businesses. “Nationally, institutional furniture is on the decline, but here it is growing,” says Cynthia Hernandez, the agency’s associate executive director.

The institutional furniture cluster joins some unique manufacturing companies in the seven-county Central Texas region.

IntegriCo Composites in Temple makes railroad ties from recycled plastic. Harvest Technologies, a father-son operation in Belton, has grown to 20 employees since its start in 1995. The company turns out prototypes for consumer products, electronics, oil and gas, power tools, toys, automotive, medical and aerospace industries.

Its computers and fabricating machines build a part layer by layer, says President David K. Leigh, who helped develop the technology when he was a student at the University of Texas.

Clients include Hasbro, General Motors, Ford, Bell Helicopter, Motorola, Xerox and Boeing. Harvest also performs small production runs, including parts that will be on Boeing’s new 787 jets, Leigh says.

“We make stuff for everything,” he says.

A division of Sagus International, Artco-Bell turns out 10,000 classroom desks and chairs a day when at full capacity, Sykes says.

Employment swells from 325 to more than 600 in the summer, peak delivery time for the education market.

The newest line, Discover, offers a fourlegged chair in five frame colors, 14 soft plastic seat colors and 11 fabric options. The company was the first in the industry to offer an A-plus chair for larger students; some schools now order only the large option.

An ergonomics specialist is on call and the goal is to enhance student comfort and the learning experience, Sykes says.

“It is just not making furniture anymore, holding a child’s backside 18 inches off the ground,” he says.

In Cameron, Royal Seating Ltd., an operating division of Royal Cameron Corp., also specializes in K-12 furniture, though, like Artco-Bell, it is expanding into the university market as well. Royal Seating also manufactures the Texwood line, which is geared to libraries.

Another Royal Cameron division, Infinite Furniture Solutions, recently introduced UScapes for colleges. It also sells the Spotlight Seating brand for auditoriums through its authorized dealers. In Cameron, Royal employs 200, more in the summer.

The industry has made strides in product development, design options and offering furniture at different price points, CEO Jeff Whittle says.

Royal’s newest line of classroom furniture, pLe has 20 seat colors, 20 laminate options and four frame options. pLe’ stands for “Positive Learning Environments.”

“It used to be a stack chair was a stack chair was a stack chair,” Whittle says.

On the Job Average hourly wages for select manufacturing occupations in the Temple-Killeen MSA • Assemblers and Fabricators $10.09 • Drafters, Engineering, and Mapping Specialists $21.78 • Fabricators – Structural Metal $14.30 • Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $11.14 • Machinists $13.41 • Mechanics – Truck and Diesel Engine $14.60 • Mechanics – Heavy Equipment $15.77 • Molding and Casting Machine Setters $10.27 • Sheet Metal Workers $13.92 • Tool and Die Makers $18.64 • Welders $13.57 Source: Texas Workforce Solutions, May 2008

Central Texas

Temple

Belton Cameron

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Gallery

The Colorado River at sunset in Regency in Mills County Photos by Brian McCord

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CENTRAL TEXAS

Artist Michael Scovel’s Pool of Tears in Temple honors veterans.

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Belton Area Chamber of Commerce

www.beltonchamber.com

City of Belton

www.ci.belton.tx.us

Belton Economic Development Corporation

www.beltonedc.org

9\ckfe TEXAS

Belton is in the heart of beautiful Central Texas and the center of the state’s dynamic high-tech corridor. Strategically located on IH-35, Belton is in the midst of natural wonders, shopping, entertainment and history.

The excellent educational facilities cultivate great talent resulting in a strong workforce and growing businesses. Tour the historic downtown district, drop your line in the deep blue waters of Belton or Stillhouse Hollow Lakes, or pitch your tent at any of the natural parks in the area.

Belton Independent School District

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

www.bisd.net

www.umhb.edu

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Livability

Now This Is the Life Story by Kevin Litwin Photography by Brian McCord

Relaxed pace, range of living options are a draw for Central Texas communities Story by Kevin Litwin • Photography by Brian McCord

C

entral Texas offers a laid-back lifestyle that is attracting transplants and retirees.

Living choices range from country club to country farm, from larger population centers to charming small towns and rural communities.

The seven-county region boasts a bounty of recreation options, such as Stillhouse Hollow Lake and Belton Lake.

It can provide culture in the form of the Temple Symphony Orchestra, lively art galleries and a variety of museums that preserve and promote the past.

And it can offer a safe and relaxing respite from the hustle, noise and congestion of big cities, but with close proximity to large urban areas and the amenities they provide.

Gatesville, for example, offers housing options that range from

modestly priced homes and apartments to sprawling country estates. Though the Coryell County community of 16,000 is growing, it still maintains a small-town feel.

Maryann Severn lived for many years in the Dallas Metroplex, and doesn’t miss one particular aspect of the experience.

“It was a wonderful surprise realizing how much more fulfilling life can be if you’re not sitting in snarled traffic every day,” she says.

Severn originally hails from Lampasas, so she and her husband, Mike, decided to move back in 2007 to the Central Texas city of 8,000 residents to enjoy their retirement.

“I’m from this community, but Mike is not, but we both made the decision to move here because Mike wanted fresher

The historic Milam County Courthouse in Cameron

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What’s Onlinee See video of how history is preserved at the Bell County Museum in Belton at imagescentraltexas.com.

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CENTRAL TEXAS

air and a simpler way of life,” Severn says. “In addition, we co-parent our 6-year-old granddaughter, Faith, and wanted her in a more normal, peaceful environment. Today, Faith is thriving in school.”

Severn says she occasionally misses the big-city attractions of a Dallas or Fort Worth, but the Metroplex is about a three-hour drive and Austin is less than 90 minutes away.

“In Lampasas, I can run all of my errands in about 15 minutes. In Dallas, sometimes I would sit in the exact same spot on the freeway for 15 minutes,” she says.

Located an hour from Austin and three hours from Houston and Dallas, Copperas Cove is a community of 30,000 that offers high-quality schools,

“Returning to a small community such as Hamilton was the easiest – and best – decision that we could have made.” charming rural neighborhoods and a bounty of recreation options, including 25 bicycle and running routes of between 10 and 100 miles.

David Lengefeld, owner of Lengefeld Insurance Agency in Hamilton, actually grew up in the community, enrolled at Baylor University and ultimately enlisted in the military. He and his wife, Saundra, lived the big-city life for several years, but have returned to the

2,700-resident community of Hamilton once-and-for-all.

“Saundra and I both prefer the slower lifestyle, with smaller schools, friendlier people and a good church community,” Lengefeld says. “Saundra was actually raised in Goldthwaite (population 1,700) in Mills County, so returning to a small community such as Hamilton was the easiest – and best – decision that we could have made.”

With 58 acres of shoreline, Stillhouse Hollow Lake offers an abundance of ways to enjoy the water.

Watered Up LAKES AND RIVERS KEEP OUTDOOR FUN FLOWING

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ater is in abundant supply in Central Texas and provides opportunities for a range of outdoor recreation, from fishing and boating to hiking, hunting, camping and nature watching.

Several rivers run through the region, including the Lampasas, which originates near Hamilton and travels southeast 75 miles to the man-made Stillhouse Hollow Lake reservoir before converging with the Leon River to form the Little River near Belton.

The Lampasas offers a number of fishing opportunities along its course, and several species, including bass, perch and sunfish, are among the catch.

With 58 miles of shoreline, Stillhouse Hollow Lake in Bell County boasts some of the best fishing, camping and boating in Texas. The lake, an Army Corps of Engineers project, was started in 1962 and completed in 1968 at a cost of $24.5 million.

The lake offers a host of recreation options, including

a marina and six boat-launch sites, fishing docks and designated public hunting areas.

The Dana Peak Trail near the main entrance to the lake is designed for hiking, biking or horseback riding and includes a corral and water trough for horses.

Belton Lake, on the Leon River in Bell and Coryell counties, is another Army Corps of Engineers project, completed in 1954. The lake is a popular fishing spot, especially for bass anglers. The lake includes three marinas and numerous boat ramp locations. Several parks adjoin the lake and offer opportunities for picnicking, swimming and camping. Designated public hunting areas are also available.

The scenic Miller Springs Nature Area is located just below the Belton Lake dam on 266 acres of Army Corps property. The Miller Springs Nature Center features an extensive trail system for self-guided nature hikes through the conservation-management area.

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Friendly Family Living

Copperas Cove

W

elcome to Copperas Cove, “The City Built for Family Living”. Our friendly community, nestled between five hills in Central Texas, is a wonderful place to call home!

Neighbor to Fort Hood on the West, and centrally located in the heart of Texas on Highway 190 between IH-35 and scenic US-281, Copperas Cove is a great place to start a new business or relocate an existing one.

Just off the high-tech corridor between Dallas and Austin, it is rapidly becoming the preferred location for back office, light industry and retail operations.

Its one-hour proximity to Austin makes Copperas Cove an ideal location for expanding high-tech companies and their suppliers.

The Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce works to create and preserve a healthy business climate in the city, while the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation provides assistance to companies expanding or relocating to Copperas Cove.

Our most valuable asset is the availability of a well-educated, highly skilled workforce with a strong work ethic. Over 400 highly disciplined personnel exit from Fort Hood each month and enter the workforce. Additionally, there is an abundance of military dependents and spouses, ready and willing to work.

With one of the lowest crime rates in all of Central Texas and a school district recognized by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for excellence in education, Copperas Cove is an ideal place to live and to learn. Copperas Cove’s schools have a reputation for a strong curriculum enriched by the creative instruction of talented and skilled teachers, preparing students for successful futures in the workplace and in higher education. Central Texas College and Texas A&M-Central Texas University are both located

just outside of Copperas Cove on Highway 190. Texas A&M-Central Texas offers over 50 bachelors and graduate degrees to those entering with 30 or more transferable hours.

Within 30 miles of Copperas Cove are three quality hospitals offering, state-of-the-art medical care – Metroplex Hospital, between Copperas Cove and Killeen; Scott & White Memorial in Temple; and Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, with a $621 million expansion slated for construction in 2010.

Copperas Cove boasts an 18-hole golf course and clubhouse, seven parks – two with public swimming pools and a modern public library.

We also have a wide variety of activities for youth, adults and seniors.

Copperas Cove has long been recognized and promoted as the Bike/Run capital of Central Texas.

The Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau hosts several bike runs and festivals each year, drawing locals and visitors from across the state. In the spring, Copperas Cove residents and visitors enjoy Rabbit Fest. In the fall, Copperas Cove celebrates its pioneer past with the Annual Ogletree Gap Heritage Festival. A holiday bazaar, Krist Kindl Markt, finishes up the year in style.

For more information about Copperas Cove, visit us at http://www.gowest2cove.com.

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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Transportation

Via Road, Rail and Air Central Texas has the infrastructure that can move the goods

Story by Pamela Coyle

BRIAN McCORD

M

ajor highways, good rail access, regional airports and well-connected industrial parks are attracting major companies that need reliable distribution networks to Central Texas.

“It is one of the things our local communities try to sell,” says Tim Brown, a Bell County commissioner.

“We are in a high-growth area, with a small-town feel, but centrally located to Austin.”

Big players are buying. Performance Food Group and Walmart already have a strong distribution presence. Temple will be the site for a new multimillion dollar Gulf States Toyota and Scion facility that will be a centralized receiving, accessorizing and distribution hub for both brands

in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi.

H.E. Butt Grocery Co. is building a 400,000-square-foot distribution center on 160 acres in Temple adjacent to the Temple Rail Park at Central Pointe.

The San Antonio-based company operates 300 grocery stores in Texas and Mexico.

The Toyota/Scion project will be in the rail park, and will have direct service from the Burlington Northern Sante Fe main rail yard.

The Temple Rail Park is one of four shovel-ready industrial parks at Central Pointe. Airport Park, Health and Bioscience Park, and Enterprise Business Park complete the mix.

It was rail development that put this region of Texas on the map in the

Access to major freight rail lines is a key transportation advantage in Central Texas.

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1870s, and it plays a key role in the area’s continued growth.

For the Toyota/Scion project, for example, a spur will connect the site to the main Burlington Northern line.

“It is a precursor to the bigger picture,” says Mary Poche, marketing director for the Temple Economic Development Corp. “Everything we do is to complete the rail park. Everything is strategically planned.”

Northland Products Co. in late 2008 picked Temple Rail Park for a state-ofthe-art manufacturing and distribution center for its engine coolants and lubricating oils. The company, based in Waterloo, Iowa, serves equipment and industrial manufacturers as well as trucking and heavy-equipment fleets.

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CENTRAL TEXAS

“What we’ve learned is when we show our strength as a region, good things happen.”

When they pass through major metro areas, main rail lines can get congested and aren’t as efficient as they could be, says Brown. Central Texas is one place where active talks about re-routing rail lines around population centers are taking place, he says.

Interstate 35 provides solid northsouth access. U.S. Highways 77, 79, 84, 190 and 281, and Texas Highway 195 are also major routes in the region.

“I-35 changed the entire character of

Central Texas for last 40 years, and it is still a driving force in economic development today,” Brown says.

In Belton, companies take advantage of I-35 and U.S. 190, the east-west artery, and proximity to Temple and Killeen, says Cynthia Hernandez, associate executive director of the Belton Economic Development Corp.

“What we’ve learned,” she says, “is when we show our strength as a region, good things happen.”

S TA F F P H O T O

Clear for Takeoff CENTRAL TEXAS IS WELL SERVED BY QUALITY AIRPORT FACILITIES

C

entral Texas benefits from a strong transportation infrastructure that includes a flock of airports that serve the region’s commercial passenger, private aviation and freight needs.

Fort Hood, near Killeen, brings with it the added presence of a joint military-civilian, full-service air facility.

Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport is served by American Airlines, Continental and Delta and offers several daily flights to hub airports in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Atlanta. The airport, with a 10,000-foot runway, also offers general aviation services.

The joint military and civilian Gray Airfield outside Copperas Cove includes a 70,000-square-foot terminal and a 10,000-foot runway capable of landing a 747. The airport’s estimated annual impact includes 824 jobs and $48 million in increased gross product.

In Temple, Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional

Airport is a modern, award-winning facility operated by the city. The airport is staffed seven days a week and offers a range of services, including hangars and tie-downs, maintenance, repairs, avionics and flight training. Amenities include conference rooms, a pilot’s lounge, flight planning services and Internet access.

The city-run Lampasas Municipal Airport includes a 4,200-foot runway and provides a number of general aviation services.

The city-owned Hamilton Municipal Airport plays a key role in that community’s economic development initiatives. The airport handles some 800 general aviation visitors each year and generates an economic impact of nearly $350,000.

The airport, with a 5,000-foot runway, sees regular activity as a base for aerial inspections, corporate flights and recreational aviation.

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JEFF ADKINS

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CENTRAL TEXAS

Health

Care That’s Close to Home High-quality rural hospitals buttress the region’s health offerings Story by Carol Cowan

T

he presence of major research hospitals, such as Scott & White in Temple, ensures that Central Texas has access to cuttingedge medical treatment and technology.

In addition, high-quality hospitals in the region’s rural communities strengthen the health care matrix and allow residents to receive most of the basic care they need without having to travel far from home.

Rollins Brook Community Hospital in Lampasas is a 25-bed, critical-access hospital that has been serving the area’s medical needs since 1934. It is owned by Metroplex Adventist Hospital in Killeen.

Rollins Brook’s staff includes five family practitioners, two general surgeons, an ophthalmologist, a podiatrist and several board-certified or board-eligible emergency medicine physicians. Its emergency department is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, says Jeffrey Villanueva, hospital administrator.

The hospital offers radiology services, including X-ray, mammography, ultrasound and DXA scan (bone density testing for

diagnosis of osteoporosis), as well as CT scan and mobile MRI capabilities. Other services include a full-scope rehabilitation department, a sleep-disorder clinic and a full-service laboratory.

“We offer pretty comprehensive health-care services for being a rural, critical-access hospital,” Villanueva says.

“Really, our message to this community is that they can get most of their basic health-care needs serviced right here at home.”

In Hamilton, the nonprofit, communityowned Hamilton General Hospital provides personalized, compassionate care to residents in its service area. The 34-bed medical/surgical facility is part of the Hamilton Healthcare System, which also includes two clinics, a special-care clinic and a wellness center.

At the hospital, patients have access to CT scanning and bone density testing, as well as a 24-hour emergency room that is designated a Level IV trauma facility.

Hamilton General has successfully recruited doctors to the area from elsewhere, but also

What’ss Onlinee Learn more about Central Texas’ leadership in healthcare innovation at imagescentraltexas.com.

Hospitals in Central Texas rural communities offer services that let patients get care close to home.

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TODD BENNET T

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CENTRAL TEXAS

boasts some homegrown medical talent, such as family practitioner Dr. Robbye Lengefeld and chief of staff, Dr. James R. “Randy” Lee. A cardiac rehabilitation program is offerred at the Hamilton Wellness Center, as are classes in wellness, diabetes management and CPR. Community-owned Coryell Memorial Healthcare System in Gatesville includes a 25-bed hospital, 5,000-square-foot emergency room and a range of services from cardiology to diagnostic imaging to respiratory care.

The Little River Healthcare System operates Richards Memorial Hospital in Rockdale, in addition to three area clinics that serve patients throughout Milam County.

Richards Memorial in Rockdale is designated a Level IV trauma criticalaccess hospital. Its team of more than 30 physicians provides care across a wide range of specialties and has a number of diagnostic capabilities including X-ray, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound and sleep studies.

Hamilton General Hospital’s services include a wellness center and cardiac rehab.

CENTRAL TEXAS HOSPITALS Hospital

Location

Web address

Belton

www.cedarcresthospital.com

Cameron

www.centexhospital.com

Temple

www.sw.org

Coryell Memorial Hospital

Gatesville

www.cmhos.org

Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center

Fort Hood

www.crdamc.amedd.army.mil/default.asp

Hamilton

www.hamiltonhospital.org

Metroplex Health System

Killeen

www.mplex.org

Olin E Teague Veterans’ Center

Temple

www.centraltexas.va.gov

Cedar Crest Hospital and Residential Treatment Center Central Texas Hospital Children’s Hospital at Scott & White

Hamilton General Hospital

Richards Memorial Hospital Rollins Brook Community Hospital Scott & White Healthcare

Rockdale

www.lrhealthcare.com/rmh.htm

Lampasas

www.mplex.org

Temple

www.sw.org MORE AT IMAGESCENTRALTEXAS.COM

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CENTRAL TEXAS

Energy/Technology

It’s in the Wind Renewables help spark surge in new transmission capacity Story by Pamela Coyle

A

ll the wind power in the world, or at least in Texas, the largest U.S. generator of it, won’t help meet energy needs if it can’t get where it needs to go.

That’s why Texas has ordered up 2,300 miles of new transmission lines, largely to move the mass of wind power in the western, rural part of the state to population centers that use it.

The project – also dubbed the Renewable Energy Superhighway – coincides with increases in renewable energy goals that Texas set and typically meets well ahead of schedule.

In Central Texas, Oncor will build 90 miles of double-circuit transmission lines that will connect the future Newton Switching Station in Lampasas County to the existing Killeen Switching Station south of Killeen in Bell County.

The company invited property owners within 500 feet of any proposed route to a series of informational meetings held in summer 2009 in

Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Lampasas, Goldthwaite and Brownwood, says Oncor spokeswoman Catherine Cuellar.

“We want to have communication with the citizens,” Cuellar says. “We welcome public comments at this stage because nobody knows the bare land better than they do. They know about family cemeteries, archeological sites and private airstrips that we don’t.”

Oncor is a power transmission and delivery company; it does not generate energy. The 90 miles of new lines represent a small part of its expansion under the statewide initiative. In all, the company will erect 850 miles of line at a cost of $1.34 billion.

Driving by the vast wind farms in West Texas shows the need.

Some turbines are idle because the transmission capacity to carry the power to population centers is lacking.

Terry Hadley, Texas Public Utility Commission spokesman, says existing lines are inadequate and those in place

get congested at peak transmission times. “There are times when all the wind-powered electricity cannot be delivered to market,” he says.

The Texas Legislature in 2005 directed the PUC to establish Competitive Rural Energy Zones to coordinate development of wind generation in West Texas with new transmission capacity.

Oncor alone will erect 3,800 towers along its 850 miles. Along with boosting economic development statewide, the project will mean big business for contractors.

Falcon Steel, based in Hamilton, is building the towers. Nucor is providing 54,000 tons of steel for the company, made from recycled cars and scrap metal at its plant in Jewett.

“The whole state gets something out of it,” Cuellar says. “We get clean air and domestically generated energy, which is good for national security.

Both are critical to maintain the level of business growth in Texas.”

STATS Texas Power Generation From Renewable Energy

TEXAS POWER GENERATION ENERGY SOURCES (2007) (IN THOUSANDS OF MEGAWATT HOURS)

in thousands of megawatt hours

Coal

2007

9,006

2,962 885

3,601 1,309 40,955

Natural Gas Petroleum

2006

Other Gases

147,279

Nuclear 2005

Wind Other Renewables

9,977

199,531

Other

2004

Total: 405,492 0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

MORE AT IMAGESCENTRALTEXAS.COM

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51

52

CENTRAL TEXAS

Education

Hire Education University of Mary Hardin-Baylor provides a pipeline to in-demand fields Story by Kevin Litwin • Photography by Brian McCord

T

he University of Mary Hardin-Baylor has a top-notch nursing program in place, just what the doctor ordered.

“Health care is a major industry in Central Texas, and we have one of the best and wellknown nursing programs in the entire state,” says Carol Woodward, UMHB spokesperson.

In Central Texas, University of Mary HardinBaylor graduates go to work for the dozens of health-care facilities in the region, such as Temple’s Scott & White, one of the largest multispecialty health-care systems in the nation.

UMHB, which was chartered by the Republic of Texas in 1845, is one of the most affordable private universities in the Southwest. The Baptist-affiliated university’s more than 2,700 students can choose from 66 undergraduate degree programs, as well as 18 graduate degree curriculums.

Professors and faculty focus on preparing students for successful lives after college, specifically in careers that will be in demand for years to come.

“The main programs we offer are very important to the business community,” Woodward says. “For example, in high demand these days are graduates from our College of Business, especially those who go on to earn their master’s degree in business administration.”

Besides MBAs, the university also has graduate programs in nursing, counseling and psychology.

The university also offers several master’s degrees in education as well as a doctoral degree in education administration.

A thriving school at UMHB is the College of Education, which provides graduates to fill teaching positions at schools throughout the

By the Numbers UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR

2,700 Full-time enrollment

14:1 Student-faculty ratio

265 Size of campus in acres

14 Number of nations represented by student body

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is a prime link in providing the region’s employers a quality workforce.

I M A G E S C E N T R A LT E X A S . C O M

53

With an enrollment of 2,700, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor offers nearly 50 majors and pre-professional programs.

region, Woodward says.

“Central Texas has a lot of Independent School Districts, so quite a few UMHB grads are becoming educators to make a difference in their respective communities,” Woodward says.

Many people who relocate to the community mention that they appreciate all the opportunities that the university provides for children and their parents, she says.

“You don’t usually think of kids’ activities at a university, but UMHB offers summer camps, an art camp, soccer camp and summertime swimming lessons,” she says. “We also have a Conservatory of Music on campus that has grown from 40 children enrolled 10 years ago to 500 kids who are now involved in the year-long program.”

At the conservatory, children can participate in everything from private piano or violin lessons to full-scale musical productions.

“UMHB also hosts many cultural events, including operas, plays, art exhibits, film studies and concerts,” Woodward says. “We are a friendly university that is an important part of the communities we serve. Our slogan is ‘Education for Life, Experience of a Lifetime.’”

Central Texas

Belton

54

CENTRAL TEXAS

ECONOMIC PROFILE BUSINESS SNAPSHOT

POPULATION (2008) Region, 422,798 Bell County, 285,084 Coryell County, 72,654

Central Texas offers a long list of positive business attributes, including a low cost structure, abundant water supply, solid transportation infrastructure, proximity to major markets and a highly skilled workforce.

The region boasts a burgeoning biotech and health research cluster, and Fort Hood, a major military installation that pumps some $10.9 billion into the economy.

Hamilton County, 8,092 Lampasas County, 21,197 Milam County, 24,892

Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, 2,269

Mills County, 4,998

Wilsonart International, 2,132

San Saba County, 5,881

McLane Group, 1,532

Texas, 24,326,974

Central Texas College, 1,360

MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS Killeen, 91,852 Temple, 57,398 Copperas Cove, 30,001

Total civilian employment

Temple Independent School District, 1,301 Metroplex Health System, 1,300

Trade & Transportation, 15%

Gatesville, 15,587

Education, 12%

Belton, 15,078

Health, 12%

Construction, 5%

Killeen Independent School District, 6,000

Military/Defense, 4%

2006, 118,600

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (2007)

Coryell County, $44,697

Professional Services, 6% Manufacturing, 4%

2005, 116,700

Bell County, $47,434

Other Services, 9%

Scott & White, 7,700

Killeen-Temple MSA nonagricultural employment

Region, $40,628

Government, 11%

Fort Hood (military and civilian) 55,000

Region, 172,491

2007, 121,400

KEY INDUSTRY SECTORS

Harker Heights, 17,872

MAJOR EMPLOYERS

LABOR FORCE STATISTICS

Hamilton County, $37,194 Lampasas County, 45,107 Milam County, 39,427 Mills County, $35,725 San Saba County, $34,908

All Other Categories, 22%

Texas, $32,172

What’s Onlinee

HOUSING MARKET

For more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information on Central Texas, go to imagescentraltexas.com and click on Economic Profile.

Temple mean home price (2007) $134,808

visit our

advertisers

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Just call 866-730-green or visit www.epa.gov/radon

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Central Texas Council of Governments www.ddoct.org

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City of Cameron www.cameronindustrialfoundation.com

Hamilton Economic Development www.hamiltontexas.com

City of Gatesville www.ci.gatesville.tx.us

Harker Heights www.ci.harker-heights.tx.us

City of Lampasas www.cityoflampasas.com

Temple Economic Development Corporation www.choosetemple.com

City of Rockdale www.rockdalechamber.com

Workforce Solutions of Central Texas www.workforcelink.com

I M A G E S C E N T R A LT E X A S . C O M

55

Improving the health and quality of life for Gatesville and Coryell County residents

pendent Residential Care including inde e, living, assisted living, nursing hom b reha rm rt-te Alzheimer’s care and sho Emergency Services EMS and updated emergency department

Small-town hospitality, big-city services including MRI, excellent rehab, specialty clinic and more

Coryell Memorial Hospital: community built, owned and supported hospital staffed with compassionate professionals and dedicated volunteers

8 .BJO 4U t (BUFTWJMMF 59 t t XXX DNIPT PSH

Photo by: Fred Daschofsk y

Photo by: Fred Daschofsky

Patriotism, school spirit and family traditions

Spurs: largest collection in Texas at Coryell Museum

ww w.fouraranch.com Rural Lifestyle balanced with eco nomic opportunity and amenities not ofte n found in a town this size Splash Park in Raby Park

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t, home to the The Cotton Belt Depo e and Visitor Center Chamber of Commerc

Calendar of Events: January .......... Coryell County Youth Fair February ..................... Taste of Gatesville April ........................... Progressive Dinner June ............ Shivaree and Fire Ant 100K Summer in the Park Concert July .......... Parade and Fireworks, Rodeo Summer in the Park Concert August ....... Summer in the Park Concert September ..... Spurfest Golf Tournament October ............ Business Showcase and Halloween Boozar December ................... Christmas Parade and Holiday Tour

Photo by: Fred Daschofsk y

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XXX HBUFTWJMMFUY JOGP

Activity Complex: rodeo, ballparks and fairs

CEOs nationwide have rated Texas the number one state for business and job growth with a diversified economy, logistics hubs and wideranging business incentives.

The cost of living in Texas is almost 10% below the national average. Residents love the fact that there’s no personal income tax.

welcomes manufacturing and distribution businesses to the Fort Hood area ...

Infrastructure strategically located with access to: • Interstate and US/state highways • Major regional airport with expansion planned • East/West and North/South rail hubs • Seaports via road and rail • Large capacity electrical and water support • Quality medical facilities, shopping and activities • Inexpensive place to live and operate a business Highly educated skilled and available workforce: • Thousands of Army veterans and military spouses available each year as employees • Local school districts, colleges and technical school collaboration that provides customized training for local businesses In addition to Texas being a business friendly state with no state tax on goods in transit, on machinery and equipment used in manufacturing and on property used for pollution control, please challenge Fort Hood area local governments to consider: • Tax abatements, infrastructure, sales tax rebates, economic development cash grants, land cost assistance, fee waivers, site search assistance and fast tract permitting • Coordination with the federal and state governments and schools to arrange training, infrastructure enhancements, and Texas Enterprise Fund consideration Photo by: Fred Daschofsky

Call the Coryell County Judge for info (254) 865-5911

Ad Index 34-35 B e lto n

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C 1 A C e n t r a l T e x a s Co u n c i l

o f G ov e r n m e n ts

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E x t r aco Ba n k s

4

H a m i lto n Eco n o m i c D e v e lo p m e n t

1

H a r k e r H ei gh ts

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T e m p l e Eco n o m i c D e v e lo p m e n t Co r p o r ati o n

18-19 C it y o f Ca m e r o n

5 6

C it y o f Gat e s v i l l e

2-3

C it y o f La m pa sa s C 4

6

C it y o f R o c k da l e

40-41 Co p p e r a s Cov e J o i n t

I m ag e Ca m pa i g n

Wo r k fo r c e S o lu ti o n s o f C e n t r a l T e x a s