Business Images Texas Midwest: 2009

BUSINESS

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TEXAS MIDWEST

Amazing Grace Landmark hotel becomes museum hub

Shot in the Arm Medical center plans major expansion program

Sparked

by Demand Innovative programs bolster worker training

SPONSORED BY THE TEXAS MIDWEST COMMUNITY NETWORK | 2009

contents BUSINESS TM

18

OVERVIEW

11

BUSINESS ALMANAC

12

BUSINESS CLIMATE

Wealth of Knowledge

16

A host of innovative companies is finding the Texas Midwest a place to come and grow.

HEALTH

16

Healthy Outlook

18

Technology advances and new services keep the Texas Midwest in good care.

Shot in the Arm

20

Top-Shelf Treatment

21

EDUCATION

Sparked by Demand

24

Colleges, agencies create innovative programs to bolster the skills of the region’s workforce.

24

Prescription Plan

27

Second Chances

27

TR ANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS

Road Ready

28

28

A solid transportation infrastructure keeps the economy of the region on the move.

Just Plane Busy

31

LIVABILITY

Feeling Right at Home

34

From rural living to small-town charm to cosmopolitan amenities, lifestyle choices abound in the Texas Midwest.

Downtowns Looking Up

35

On the Cover PHOTO BY J. KYLE KEENER The West Texas Training Center keeps workers job ready.

TEXAS MIDWEST

I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

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contents FOOD & AGRICULTURE

42

Bottled Up Excitement

38

The growing popularity of area wineries is creating grape expectations.

ENERGY

Let’s Give It a Whirl

42

The “Heart of Texas Wind” is becoming a hub for the alternative-energy industry.

38

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Small but Mighty

46

Centers nurture entrepreneurial growth and enhance the success of small businesses.

MANUFACTURING

Shop Talk

49

The Texas Midwest forges a diverse base of manufacturing-sector know-how.

ARTS & CULTURE

Amazing Grace

52

A landmark hotel becomes home to a gallery and museums – and is its own work of art.

Getting To Know The Arts

55

RECREATION

Go Fish

55

58 TEXAS MIDWEST

58

Abundance of water lets anglers, boaters, outdoor enthusiasts go with the flow.

Getting To Know …

61

Economic Profile

63

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I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

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BUSINESS TM

Comanche’s strength is derived from centuries of cultivating businesses.

Why not yours?

Comanche, Texas Economic Development Corporation (CTEDC)

TEXAS MI DW EST 2009 EDITION, VOLUME 2

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

MANAGING EDITOR BILL McMEEKIN COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, JESSY YANCEY ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER MATT BIGELOW STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAM COYLE, JOE MORRIS, ROY MOORE, CLAIRE RATLIFF-SEARS DATA MANAGER RANETTA SMITH REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER TRIP MILLER SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN MCCORD

Located Downtown on the North Side of the Historic Comanche Courthouse Square

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN SMITH 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 PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ WEB DESIGN LEAD FRANCO SCARAMUZZA WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN AD TRAFFIC JESSICA CHILDS, 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

CTEDC 115 West Grand, P.O. Box 144 Comanche, TX 76442 (325) 356-2032 Comms@htcomp.net www.EDComanche.org

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./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM MANAGING EDITOR/CUSTOM KIM NEWSOM MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL 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 WALDRIP DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR JAMES SCOLLARD IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE CUSTOM/TRAVEL SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

Business Images Texas Midwest is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Texas Midwest Community Network. 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:

Comanche Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture 100 Indian Creek Dr., P.O. Box 65 Comanche, TX 76442 (325) 356-3233 Chamber@ComancheChamber.org www.ComancheChamber.org

Texas Midwest Community Network 3702 Loop 322 • Abilene, TX 79602 Phone: (325) 795-8626 • Fax: (325) 675-5214 www.texasmidwest.org VISIT BUSINESS IMAGES TEXAS MIDWEST ONLINE AT IMAGESTEXASMIDWEST.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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6

I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

TEXAS MIDWEST

Since 1928

New modern facility with world-class technology in a nice country setting.

(800) 732-2629 www.DurhamPecan.com Durham-Ellis Pecan offers the finest quality pecans and pecan products, including a variety of pecan candies such as chocolate-covered pecans, cinnamon glazed, honey-toasted glazed pecans and pecan brittle.

New imaging suite that includes: È{ - ViÊ /Ê-V> iÀÊUÊ£°xÊ Ì >ÃÊ ,

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Open arms, familiar faces … together we can make a difference.

Durham-Ellis Pecan Shelling Plant, Comanche Wholesale and Retail Locations in Comanche, Goldthwaite and Ft. Worth

We accept most insurance companies.

Call or come visit us today.

(254) 879-4900 U www.ComancheCMC.org

contents LIFESTYLE | WORKSTYLE | DIGGING DEEPER | VIDEO | LINK TO US | ADVERTISE | CONTACT US | SITE MAP

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A showcase of what drives the high quality of life in the Texas Midwest

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MITCHELL COUNTY Proud History. Promising Future.

&IND FRIENDLY PEOPLE TO Assist in your business development Welcome you to the region Show you a good time 4HE HUB OF -ITCHELL #OUNTY #OLORADO #ITY IS SITUATED AT THE CROSSROADS OF ) AND 3TATE (WY BETWEEN -IDLAND AND !BILENE AND ,UBBOCK AND 3AN !NGELO ON A PRIMARY LINE OF THE 5NION 0ACIFIC 2AILROAD /VER RUNS ONE OF THREE MAJOR TRANSMISSION LINES LOOPING 485 S POWER GRID THROUGH THE -ORGAN #REEK 0OWER 0LANT LOCATED ON ,AKE #OLORADO #ITY

MITCHELL COUNTY BOARD OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 7EST TH 3TREET s #OLORADO #ITY 48 s s MITCHELLCOUNTY SBCGLOBAL NET

#HECK OUT OUR 7EB SITE AT WWW MITCHELLCOUNTYECONOMICDEVELOPMENT ORG

overview

TOP 10 REASONS TO DO BUSINESS IN THE TEXAS MIDWEST 1. LOCATION The Texas Midwest is centrally located in Texas, with easy access to both the East Coast and West Coast markets, the industrial Midwest, the Northeast and large emerging markets in Mexico.

2. THRIVING AND DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES The Texas Midwest is home to a thriving alternative energy boom. Additionally, manufacturing, healthcare and distribution companies have found the Texas Midwest to be fertile ground for their growing businesses.

6. LOW COST OF LIVING Housing prices are among the lowest in the nation, making it an attractive location for relocating families, which find they can get a lot more in return for their housing dollars. In addition, particularly in the rural areas of the Texas Midwest, tax rates are low enough not to cause a burden on business and family finances.

7. TRANSPORTATION The region is served by interstate and state highway systems, busy rail lines, trucking companies and regional air service.

With no traffic congestion and ample scenic beauty throughout the region, travel time on highways is leisurely and pleasant.

3. A SKILLED AND ADAPTABLE WORKFORCE The region offers an abundant, highly educated workforce and top education and workforcetraining institutes.

8. RECREATION With an abundant supply of recreational activities, from boating to fishing to hunting to museums and festivals to shopping and small-town antique adventures, the region offers endless opportunities for fun and discovery.

4. PRO-BUSINESS ATTITUDE The State Business Tax Climate Index ranked Texas as having the sixthbest business tax environment in the nation. Local officials work hard to create favorable tax incentives for business.

5. SUPERB QUALITY OF LIFE Short commute times, top-notch health care, low crime rates, plenty of leisure activities, and cultural and heritage amenities throughout the region provide a unique atmosphere in which to do business and raise a family.

9. CLIMATE The climate is consistently mild, with an average 277 days of sunshine each year. Seldom, if ever, are winters so extreme that they hinder mobility or travel time.

10. “WEST TEXAS FRIENDLY” PEOPLE Whether business associates or next-door neighbors, the people in the Texas Midwest can be described as Texans with a “can-do” attitude, old-fashioned work ethic, good-natured demeanor and a willingness to go the extra mile.

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business almanac

SADDLE SOARS One of the most renowned saddle makers in the Texas Midwest has been producing his leather originals since the age of 14.

Lane Smith operates Rodeo & Roper Supply in Aspermont in Stonewall County, and is known as a top skilled craftsman of custom saddles and tack items. His creations are exquisitely hand-tooled yet tough enough for the working cowboy.

Smith has been in the leather business for 25 years, and also raises and trains rodeo bulls.

A WHITE BUFFALO? A legendary frontier hunter is known for killing one of only seven white buffaloes ever seen in the United States.

In October 1876, J. Wright Mooar of Snyder in Scurry County used his Sharps rifle to kill the unusual beast. Mooar kept the prized white hide throughout his lifetime, even though Teddy Roosevelt once offered him $5,000 for it.

Today, the original hide is on display at the ranch home of Mooarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s granddaughter, Judy Hays. In addition, a White Buffalo Festival is held in Scurry County each October, and a bronze statue of a white buffalo is on the courthouse square.

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I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

ON THE HORIZON The Don Freeman Memorial Museum in Eden in Concho County includes a significant exhibit dedicated to Gen. Ira C. Eaker, a World War II U.S. Army Air Corps hero who is credited as inventor of the artificial horizon. His breakthrough provides pilots with information on the pitch and roll of their aircraft, and is used in conjunction with other instruments to ensure a smooth flight path.

Eaker was the first to fly a plane across the United States on such instruments, and also pioneered mid-air refueling.

Go to www.edentexas.com/page.php?kei=36 for more.

TEXAS MIDWEST

WOULD YOU CARE FOR A MENU? WOUL The next tim time you sit down for a restaurant meal, don’t just look at what’s on the menu. Be sure to look what the menu is on. wh Victor Cornelius Inc. of Eastland designs and manufactures handcrafted menu covers and executive-binder products used in hotels, resorts and country clubs around the world.

The company offers a wide selection of jacket materials and T liners, including VIP and Classic models used for upscale lin dinner menus. di One of its most popular products is a Euro cover suited for dessert, bar or cocktail menus because of the easy-to-clean linen dess lamination. For more on the company, go to www.vcmenus.com. lamin

HIGH THERE The 14-story Cactus Hotel is the tallest structure in all of San Angelo.

The downtown landmark was the fourth hotel ever built by Conrad Hilton, but today no longer accepts overnight guests. Instead, the hotel rents its impressive rooms for weddings and banquets, and also rents individual apartments and offices for local residents and businesses.

The Cactus also serves as headquarters for the San Angelo Symphony and the San Angelo Cultural Affairs Council. The “Top of the Cactus” penthouse provides a vista to the beautiful West Texas sunsets. Go to www.cactushotel.net for more information.

WELCOME TO THE FRONTIER The welcome mat is always out at Frontier Texas!

Frontier Texas! is a welcoming program in downtown Abilene, specifically inside a building that serves as a visitors center. Attractions in the building include an audio-visual area where visitors can learn about cowboys and longhorns, soldiers and forts, Indians, the buffalo trade and other aspects of frontier life from 1780-1880.

Frontier Texas! is meant to be a distinguishing gateway to the Texas Midwest, much like the state’s early frontier forts established a protective gateway at the edge of western civilization. Go to www.frontiertexas.com for more.

TEXAS MIDWEST

I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

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business almanac

LOGGING ON A MOTHER’S SPIRIT Ghost hunters often visit Anson in Jones County in search of the “Lights of Anson.”

This phenomenon appears periodically at Mount Hope Cemetery and has been featured in the book Ghosts in the Graveyard by Olyve Hallmark Abbot.

According to locals, one winter night during the Depression, a young mother ran along the road searching for her missing child. She never found her child, who had wandered away from the house and was presumed to have frozen to death.

Legend has it that the mother’s spirit still searches for her child, holding a lantern high to light her way in the dark night.

Meanwhile, skeptics say the lights are nothing more than occasional headlights of cars that travel along a nearby desolate road.

Some people use mesquite for cooking, but Terry Lankford uses the wood to create unique furniture, lamps and fireplace mantels.

Mesquite & Cedar Products is located in Abilene, and one of Lankford’s latest creations is a king-size bed made from a rare mesquite burl log. Texas mesquite was once a reliable source of food and shelter for American Indians, and is known for its rich auburn color, highly figured grain and character patterns.

Go to www.mesquite-lumber.com/index2.html for more on the company and its creations.

ALSO KNOWN AS CABRITO Mills County is a major producer of meat goat and bills itself as the “Meat Goat Capital of America.”

Demand for meat goat has been increasing in the United States, and it is a major meal staple in many Hispanic, Muslim and Caribbean cultures. In the United States, some consumers call the meat “chevon,” while others call it “cabrito.”

Industry analysts say demand is currently about double the domestic production, so there is room for expansion.

For more, go to the American Meat Goat Association at www.meatgoats.com.

TEXAS MIDWEST

I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

15

J. KYLE KEENER

business climate

Dr. Jon Weidanz is CEO of Abilene-based biotechnology company Receptor Logic.

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I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

TEXAS MIDWEST

Wealth of

Knowledge A host of innovative companies find the Texas Midwest a good place to grow

L

ook one way, and it’s the windenergy business; look the other, and it’s biotech and a host of related research efforts.

Whichever way you look, the Texas Midwest is proving that it’s one of the most hospitable parts of the nation for businesses of any and every kind.

That’s certainly been the case with Genesis Networks Solutions Inc., which began in August 2006 with 18 employees and now has some 140 on its payroll.

The company, which tests software and works with software developers on other areas of support, received a forgivable loan of $1.9 million from the Development Corporation of Abilene at its startup, and in April 2008 got an assistance package worth up to $2 million in recognition of its job-creation history and potential.

“We have met and exceeded our growth projects to this point, and we hope to continue that trend to get where we want to be in the next two years,” says Mark Viertel, president and chief operating officer.

“We received not only cash but also resources like our building at a reduced rate for a period of time to get started,” Viertel says.

The exploding wind-energy industry is well represented in the area by Wind Clean Corp., which was founded in 2000 and has been in full production since July 2004 at its Coleman facility.

About 150 people work at the company’s 125,000-square-foot facility, which Wind Clean converted from a former use.

That ability to use what’s on the ground,

TEXAS MIDWEST

including a close partnership with the Coleman Career Center for worker training, has given the company deep community ties, says Tim Manley, vice president.

“As we’ve continued our growth and development, people have become comfortable with the fact that we’re really here to stay,” he says.

Receptor Logic, which researches and develops antibodies that search out and kill cancerous cells while ignoring normal ones, got up and running about five years ago.

The company relocated in 2007 from Amarillo to Abilene, in part because of a $2 million incentive package from the Development Corporation of Abilene.

“We’re continuing to collect preclinical and other data, and we’re hoping to move one candidate into a clinic setting within the next year,” says Dr. Jon Weidanz, chief scientist and founder of Receptor Logic and also an associate professor and director for the Center for Immunotherapeutic Research at Texas Tech’s Health Sciences Center.

The development corporation is moving forward on plans for the $5.3 million, 20,000-square-foot Life Sciences Accelerator that could house six to eight biotech-related companies including Receptor Logic.

The addition of such facilities is another draw for high-skilled knowledge companies to come to the region.

Not only does that bring economic benefits, but the influx of people from around the nation and world recruited by those companies adds to the region’s

cultural diversity.

“We are providing a very good rural source for technology companies in the region to get their business done, and also providing jobs to employees who have a great value structure and work ethic,” Viertel says.

– Joe Morris

Scorecard TEXAS MIDWEST

BY THE NUMBERS

504,938 Population of the 25 counties of the Texas Midwest region in 2005

241,301 Civilian labor force in region as of December 2007

$12.7B Texas Midwest total personal income, excluding farm income, in 2005

$26,709 Per capita personal income in the Texas Midwest in 2005

I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

17

Healthy Outlook Technology advances, new services keep Texas Midwest in good care

H

ealth-care providers use the team approach to treatment in the Texas Midwest.

This collaboration has been felt this decade through hospital consolidation and expansion of health-care networks serving the needs of residents in the region.

Comanche County Medical Center, for example, opened after a consolidation of the former Comanche Community Hospital and De Leon Hospital.

Located between the cities of Comanche and De Leon, the new hospital opened in July 2005 and has quickly built a reputation in imaging services.

Previously, patients had to visit surrounding communities to undergo imaging procedures, but the hospital’s board voted to invest in the latest imaging technology on the market.

The center is acquiring an advanced multi-slice CT system that will capture images of the body quickly, which should help in providing faster treatment for patients experiencing chest pain or stroke. With quicker diagnosis, patients have more options to undergo noninvasive procedures.

CCMC is also adding an MRI and new ultrasound technology. The ultrasound will help improve diagnosis of heart disease and is so advanced it can display a baby’s face in obstetrics exams.

As part of new services for Comanche County, CCMC is adding a nuclear medicine scanner and camera that will allow doctors to study and detect heart abnormalities. The machine will be used in conjunction with the ultrasound and MRI and can be used to detect cancer.

“We want to provide our physicians with the best diagnostic tools available. We hope to reduce the number of trips that our patients are required to make to other facilities by being

“We want to provide our physicians with the best diagnostic tools available.” able to treat them here,” says Kevin Storey, who is CCMC’s CEO and administrator.

To the west, Ballinger Memorial Hospital added its own CT scanner in 2004, four years after the 25-bed hospital garnered critical-access status. At Brownwood Regional Medical Center, a 2004 renovation in the surgery suites resulted in a state-ofthe art intensive care unit and a new respiratory therapy department. Two years later, the hospital added an offsite rehabilitation and fitness zone. In 2007, a wound healing and hyperbaric medicine center opened.

Frontera Healthcare Network is emerging as the frontline health-care provider for residents of Concho, Mason and Menard counties, a rural area totaling about 10,000 residents.

In 2007, FHN took over clinics in Eden and in Menard County that had been operated by Concho County Hospital.

Following that transfer, FHN is charting a growth strategy.

The nonprofit organization plans to add dental services, mental health services and limited drug services. FHN and Concho County Hospital are collaborating on recruiting and retaining medical professionals.

– Roy Moore

Hospitals throughout the Texas Midwest have invested in new technologies and treatments to better serve patients.

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health

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Shot in the Arm HENDRICK MEDICAL CENTER EXPANSION CHARTS COURSE FOR FUTURE A significant capital investment will reshape the future of Hendrick Medical Center.

The $80 million plan, dubbed Project 2010, represents the latest chapter for the 84-year-old Abilene hospital. Plans include a new four-story patient tower and physician office building.

“It’s going to help us reshape our campus as we build new facilities and extensively upgrade a number of existing patient and support areas. This will be the largest expansion program in our history,” says Tim Lancaster, Hendrick Health System CEO. The project has been on the drawing board since 2004 when trustees and staff began working toward a new plan for the hospital. Out of that emerged calls for a new patient tower that can eventually be expanded to 12 floors.

A key part of the project focuses on developing operations for the care of children. Hospital officials envision 20 patient rooms with sleeping accommodations for parents, including two rooms designed for chemotherapy use. The area will also feature two playrooms, a pair of exam rooms and

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three pediatric intensive-care units.

For décor, the hospital will use the Berenstain Bears children’s book series. Each of the 20 rooms will be decorated based off inspiration from one of the books. The BirthPlace will feature eight delivery rooms, four diagnostic rooms and other operations.

– Roy Moore

Hendrick Medical Center plans an $80 million expansion.

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STAFF PHOTO

health

Top-Shelf Treatment Texas Midwest attracts highly skilled specialists

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he frontline health provider in any community is the physician, and residents in San Angelo and Del Rio have access to a cadre of topflight specialists offering leading-edge treatment that rivals any large city.

The Shannon Clinic, part of a health system that includes a medical center and health plan, houses dozens of physicians who specialize in more than 30 areas, including cardiology, laser vision correction, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics.

Many of the physicians have taken their care far beyond the borders of the Texas Midwest and have developed national reputations.

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Dr. Ernest Charlesworth, who has been at Shannon for nine years, is one of just five doctors nationally certified as an allergy specialist and a dermatology specialist. In fact, Charlesworth has a third certification in immunology, making him one of the top doctors in those areas in the state.

Those designations helped garner Charlesworth inclusion in 2007’s “Super Doctors” list compiled by Texas Monthly magazine, which surveyed more than 37,000 medical professionals.

Charlesworth is helping chart the future of care well beyond the region.

He’s also a clinical associate professor of medicine in the Department of

Dermatology at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, and he holds a similar role in the Allergy & Immunology Department at the University of Texas Medical Branch, located in Galveston.

Charlesworth’s colleague, Dr. Luis Duarte, is a neurosurgeon at Shannon, but travels to Brownwood and Midland to serve patients in those areas.

Trained at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, where he focused on neurological surgery and general surgery, Duarte has been board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgeons.

– Roy Moore

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education

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Learning

Curve Colleges, agencies bolster skills of region’s workforce

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J. KYLE KEENER

orkforce training experts throughout the Texas Midwest are working to ensure a steady stream of well-trained, competent workers.

On the collegiate side, institutions such as Cisco Junior College’s Abilene Educational Center offer a broad array of continuing-education courses and have added certificate and degree programs in red-hot areas such as welding, where demand continues to outstrip supply.

“For that program, we entered into a partnership with the Development Corporation of Abilene,” says Dr. Carol Dupree, provost. “We’re turning out a dozen welders from every class, and the wind-energy companies are taking every one of them.”

Other industry sectors routinely turn to the college for training and development, and new credit and non-credit programs. Add in plans to grow the

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emerging biotechnology sector, and it’s easy to see why the campus parking lot stays full.

“We are anticipating several more biotech companies coming into Abilene, so we’ve put together a credit program that will train people as technicians at the entry level,” Dupree says. “We’re working with the high schools so we can get students with a good science background. We want them to have that foundation by the time they get to us.”

The idea is to partner with other higher-education entities to provide students a career pathway that allows for work and school, and the ability to opt out anywhere from the certificate to the four-year graduate level.

The state also takes an interest in workforce training and development, operating its Workforce Solutions programs at centers across Texas.

The centers provide everything from

The West Texas Training Center in San Angelo offers a variety of training programs, such as welding, where demand for skilled workers is high.

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education

counseling for start-up entrepreneurs to assistance in getting funding and other needs once a company is up and running, says Johnny Griffin, executive director of the Concho Valley Workforce Development Board.

“We had a pretty significant shortage of nurses and health-care workers a couple of years ago,” Griffin says, “so we spent some time and money on that.”

That meant working with health-care providers to assess their needs and reaching out to school systems to create opportunities for students to learn about health careers.

While there’s still a need for nurses, the shortage has become less critical.

The organization has been able to take that model and use it in other sectors,

such as truck driving and wind energy, where workers are in short supply, Griffin says.

The fast-track welding program at Cisco is meeting the wind-energy sector’s needs, says Mary Ross, executive director of Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas in Abilene.

“It crosses over into the construction, oil field and other employment areas, so it’s something that we continue to do in partnership with our community colleges and other economic-development partners,” she says.

The agency also administers its Workforce Investment Fund, created in 2003 to provide grants for training and development, and job creation. It gives up to $50,000 per grant and awards

those four times a year.

“We have awarded several million dollars, to everyone from single-person businesses up to larger manufacturers, although our focus is small to mediumsize businesses,” Ross says. “It has been a very successful, popular program.”

– Joe Morris

“We’re turning out a dozen welders from every class, and the wind-energy

PHOTOS BY J. KYLE KEENER

companies are taking every one of them.”

Western Texas College has had great success with outreach classes at its College on the Square in Snyder. Above: Pete Lara of San Angelo sees the welding training program as a step to a higher-paying job.

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Prescription for Success

Abilene high-school students drawn to the world of health care don’t have to wait until college to pursue their dream career, thanks to the newly opened Holland Health Science Building.

Located on the Hardin-Simmons University campus, the $3.9 million building is believed to be the first public-school building constructed on a private university campus.

Designed to house the Abilene Independent School District’s health science magnet students, the 22,000-square-foot facility is already demonstrating a wealth of possibilities, says Cathy Ashby, associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction for the Abilene ISD. “We share professors with the college,” Ashby says. “The building also is being used for other interesting things like a pharmacytech training for local Walgreens.”

The medical magnet program, which before was operating at two different high schools, had between 30 and 40 students enrolled annually. That number has catapulted to around 400.

Students can earn certification as pharmacy technicians, phlebotomy technicians and certified nurse aids.

Coming attractions include an emergency medical services class to train students for certification as emergency medical assistants and emergency medical dispatchers.

“Many of these kids will use this as a gateway into a career in medicine,” says Ashby, “but a really good side benefit is that they have the ability to get much higher-paying jobs as they work their way through college thanks to the training that they’ll get here.”

– Joe Morris

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J. KYLE KEENER

MAGNET PROGRAM BOOSTS HEALTH OCCUPATIONS

A student at work at Paradigm Accelerated Charter School in Comanche

Second Chances INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHOD DEVELOPED IN TEXAS MIDWEST OFFERS A FRESH START Encouraging character development as well as academics, the Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum is finding a home in charter schools throughout the Texas Midwest and the rest of the country.

The brainchild of Dr. Ronald Johnson, founder and chief executive officer, Paradigm was envisioned as a contract school that would help turn around street kids. Since the first charter school was founded in 2000, the program has grown to more than 50 schools in eight states.

PAC publishes textbooks and audio texts for computer use, as well as companion student activity books for grades seven through 12.

Dublin in Erath County, Brownwood in Brown County and Comanche in Comanche County have charter schools using the Paradigm concept.

Johnson, whose company is based in Erath County, is working on his 214th book, which is designed to help education-oriented entrepreneurs set up his program, or one like it.

“A group of people gave us a generous gift to produce a curriculum for father-challenged teenagers, so we began developing that,” Johnson recalls. “It was science, English and social studies for kids who come from a home where the father does not nurture or train them, or is not there, and also for kids who have lost grade credits in high school. Our job was to set up the schools where they could come half a day and earn those failed credits and a high-school diploma.”

Built into the curriculum, he says, are “life principles” not being taught in the home, such as anger management and the appropriate reaction to authority figures. Empowering the student is a chief goal, and by learning some basic life lessons along with academic subjects, the child’s whole future may be turned around for the better.

“We researched what it was that caused academics to become secondary to that child, and found that they are struggling with grief and anger, and can’t concentrate very well. They never were trained in certain principles, and so we’ve put those back into the math, science and so forth. Now they are getting reintroduced to those principles that set people apart for success.”

– Joe Morris

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transportation & logistics

It Helps to Have

Connections

Transportation infrastructure keeps economy road ready in the Texas Midwest

A

bilene officials have an important ally in Interstate 20.

The highway that spans the state from east to west runs directly through Abilene, providing business and industry with ideal shipping access. U.S. Highways 84 and 277 running north and south, and the Union Pacific Railroad main line that travels east and west enable the region to cover all the bases.

“Our geography allows us to ship in all four directions – our logistics are obviously excellent,” says Gary Robinett, director of marketing and industrial recruitment for the Abilene Industrial Foundation. “Our central location allows

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us to ship all kinds of products basically anywhere in the U.S.” Robinett says the city’s proximity has attracted more manufacturing companies in recent years.

Plastics packaging manufacturer PWP Industries moved into a business park next to I-20 and trucks its products all over the country.

“They’ve been in Abilene for two years and have already put on a 125,000-square-foot building expansion,” Robinett says.

In 2008, wind-tower manufacturer Tower Tech located in the region and will transport its products across Texas and beyond by mid-2009.

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San Angelo Regional Airport offers commercial and private aviation services. Left: A 16-wheeler idles in the predawn in Runnels County. Top: The Texas Midwest offers abundant cargo rail service. PHOTOS BY J. KYLE KEENER

“Tower Tech will also utilize our convenient interstate and rail systems to best serve their customers,” Robinett says.

“The company receives a lot of its steel through the Port of Houston, which will then be shipped up here by truck. They couldn’t have picked a better place to locate their business than Abilene.”

In San Angelo, city officials are looking forward to welcoming two new highway connections through their community – the Texas Trunk System and the Ports-to-Planes Trade Corridor, both planned north-south expressways.

The Texas Trunk System will be a four-lane divided highway that will eventually connect San Angelo to I-20 to the north and to I-10 to the south. The Ports-to-Planes Trade Corridor will also be a four-lane divided highway that will ultimately connect San Angelo with Mexico as well as the northern United States.

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“Both highways are still a few years away from arriving here, although the Texas Trunk System is high on the priority list for the Texas Department of Transportation,” says Patrick J. Malloy, vice president of economic development for the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce. “We need those highway links to expand our manufacturing sector. But in the meantime, our local economy is still doing pretty well these days.”

Malloy says one of the most utilized aspects of the city’s overall transportation system is San Angelo Regional AirportMathis Field.

“American Eagle offers flights to and from Dallas-Fort Worth every day, and several companies in San Angelo do business in DFW or connect there for further flights,” he says.

“Having a top-notch airport here in San Angelo is certainly a bonus for our overall community.”

– Kevin Litwin

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transportation & logistics

Just Plane Busy

IAN CURCIO

Regional airports undergo expansions

Abilene Regional Airport has completed a $5.7 million parking-improvement project.

D

on Green is proud to say that Abilene Regional Airport serves more than 90,000 passengers every year.

American Eagle offers six daily passenger flights to and from Dallas-Fort Worth, and corporate jets and Federal Express fly out of the airport every day, says Green, director of aviation for Abilene Regional Airport.

“We serve a 32-county market in the Texas Midwest, so we’re always pretty busy around here,” he says.

The city of Abilene operates the airport, which also is home to Eagle Aviation Services, a major heavy-maintenance base for American Eagle. Green says Abilene Regional has kept up with the times with a number of recent improvement projects, some of which took place in 2008.

A $5.7 million parking and road improvement project began in January 2008 and wrapped up in time for the Thanksgiving holiday rush. All 730 of

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“We serve a 32-county market in the Texas Midwest, so we’re always pretty busy around here.” the airport’s parking spots are now covered, and the expansion brought 103 covered parking spaces for Avis, Enterprise and Hertz rental-car operations on site.

Abilene Regional also completed a terminal improvement project in 2008 and replaced its general aviation ramp with new concrete.

“Things have been going well for us, even in a poor national economic climate,” Green says. “In fact, we are currently looking into the possibilities of eventually offering passenger flights to the West Coast.”

Other airfields in the Texas Midwest

are also undergoing improvements, including San Angelo Regional AirportMathis Field.

The airport offers seven commercial flights daily and is in the midst of an overall $23.5 million upgrade, the latest round of which includes $3 million for apron improvements.

“Air travel is vital for a lot of companies and individuals in the Texas Midwest,” Green says. “Several people depend on smaller airports, especially to link up with Dallas-Fort Worth. The regional airports are always happy to serve every one of those passengers.”

– Kevin Litwin

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livability

Feeling Right at

Home Affordable living options, range of lifestyle choices abound in Texas Midwest

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Water is a big part of the Texas Midwest lifestyle, like the Concho River near the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts.

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PHOTOS BY J. KYLE KEENER

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rimming with history and replete with cultural and recreational offerings, the Texas Midwest beckons to all who desire a lifestyle rich in variety and abundant in its hospitality.

The 26-county region boasts amenities for every taste.

Whether it’s hunting and fishing, gourmet dining and museums, or rodeo and racing, there’s something for everyone in this vast region.

Before retiring, the Jernigans lived in a suburb of Fort Worth, where Stan was employed with Bell Helicopter and Jimmie worked in banking. After searching for the perfect home, the couple eventually settled in Cross Plains.

“When we began discussing retirement, we knew we wanted to get away from congestion and traffic,” says Jimmie Jernigan, who with her husband, now raises and shows longhorn cattle.

“Life is good here. We’ve found the best people that we’ve ever lived near. Everyone is friendly and takes care of each other. All you have to do is pick up the phone,” she says.

On any given weekend, the Jernigans may be found at a church or community event giving rides to youngsters on their prize steer.

The region offers a variety of living styles, from rural ranching to small-town romance to the broader offerings of larger population centers.

Antique shopping is plentiful in towns such as Baird, Colorado City, Comanche and Sweetwater. Take a step back in time at Buffalo Gap Historic Village or enjoy the many museums and forts throughout the region.

Stroll the Riverwalk along the Concho River or visit the planetarium in San Angelo. Spend an afternoon on the links on one of the region’s many golf courses. From fine art galleries to the great outdoors, there is truly something for everyone in the Texas Midwest.

Matt and Suzette McBee enjoyed a successful lifestyle with careers in management and a fine new home in the Dallas Metroplex. And yet, something was missing. Room for their young sons to roam was the call for the family to relocate to Matt’s hometown of Brady with its abundant hunting, historic sites and open spaces.

In the Texas Midwest region, the young couple found more than 40 acres to call home, something Matt McBee says he never could have afforded in the city.

“I had everything I’d thought I wanted, but it just wasn’t right,” says McBee, owner of Pride Dirtwork & Construction, a heavy equipment firm that builds ranch roads and paths. “I wanted my kids to have the same opportunities I had growing up. In the big city, you’re anonymous. Out here, you feel more responsible to your neighbors.”

Matt McBee enjoys walking into any store or restaurant in town and finding a familiar, friendly face.

“It’s the little things,” he says. “I still have friends I went to kindergarten with. There’s a lot to be said for that.”

– Claire Ratliff-Sears

San Angelo has made residential living a focus of its Texas Main Street revitalization efforts.

Downtowns Looking Up MAIN STREET PROGRAM LEADS A REVIVAL IN TOWN CENTERS Colorado City has the annual Frontier Junktique Festival to draw visitors to its old downtown and more than 75 antique booths and other vendors.

Comanche hosts “Comanche Celebrates” each spring and other events to raise money for façade and sign grants.

Both are designated Texas Main Street communities, as are Stamford and San Angelo. The state-coordinated program helps communities with organization, economic restructuring, promotion and design.

In another nod to its heritage, Comanche is restoring the Frisco Depot, a 1912 brick passenger depot that Preservation Texas in 2007 put on its “most endangered list.” Since joining the Main Street program in 2002, Comanche has seen $6.5 million in new downtown investment, says program coordinator Jacci Stewart.

San Angelo is among 12 urban Main Street members in communities with 50,000 or more people. “We made a decision the best thing for us to focus on to make a difference is to create an environment for downtown living to occur,” says Del Velasquez, San Angelos’s Main Street executive director. “We are really working toward that.”

Texas Tech University landscape architecture students are working on streetscape design, and San Angelo Main Street is applying for grants to help owners renovate older buildings into residential space.

The Sheep Spectacular, a signature San Angelo event, is part fund-raiser, part public art installation. So far, downtown is home to 18 of the one-of-a-kind sheep. Main Street sells the fiberglass shells to raise money; patrons then commission artists to complete them.

– Pamela Coyle

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Five-acre packaging building 40,500 square feet For more information on available property, contact industrial development of Ballinger Mark Willingham (800) 365-2516 mark@willinghamagency.com

Ballinger Industrial Foundation Buddy’s Plant Plus Corp. began in November, 1988 with 25 employees.

Today, the number has risen to over 160 full-time employees.

The primary functions of the plant are manufacturing water soluble fertilizer known as Scott’s Miracle Gro and packaging Scott’s Osmocote for their consumer lines. Buddy’s also manufactures a portion of the granular product for Wal-Mart’s Expert Gardener, along with a portion of the Home Depot’s Vigoro line. Buddy’s also manufactures Ortho Fire Ant Killer. All of these products are co-manufactured for The Scott’s Company by Buddy’s Plant Plus Corp. Buddy’s receives raw materials for the fertilizer from around the world and domestic suppliers.

The facility is a little over ¼ mile in length, enclosing 392,000 square feet of work area under roof. Before packaging, the fertilizer is analyzed and tested at the on-site laboratory to ensure quality.

Buddy’s started production orders to produce 4,500,000 pounds of fertilizer per year. Today they produce 99,000,000 pounds of fertilizer each year. Currently on average Buddy’s rolls approximately 6,000 trucks through Ballinger per year.

J. KYLE KEENER

food & agriculture

Bottled Up

Excitement Popularity of wineries creates grape expectations in the Texas Midwest

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s the Texas Midwest the new Napa Valley? Not quite, but Pat Brennan wouldn’t mind if it happened. In 1997, the Fort Worth physician and his wife, Trellise, purchased a historic home in Comanche County known as the McCrary House.

The couple used the house as a getaway where they could relax on weekends, and they soon purchased 33 acres adja-

cent to the house – but had no idea what to do with the property.

“We decided one day to put in five acres of grape vines,” Brennan says. “We planted them in 2002, and the quality of the subsequent grapes was excellent. In fact, everyone was so impressed with the fruit that we decided in 2004 to move full time to Comanche, and we opened a winery in early 2005.”

Today, the Brennans bottle seven different wines under two labels – Brennan Vineyards and Austin Street.

“I’m proud to say that one of our wines was named the 2007 Top Product at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo International Wine Competition, which is a major competition,” Brennan says.

“Our vineyard is only three years old and we are already producing 4,500 cases

Above: Pat and Trellise Brennan operate a winery and vineyard on the historic McCrary House grounds in Comanche.

Right: Grape growing and wine production are taking root as a Texas Midwest industry. PHOTO BY IAN CURCIO

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food & agriculture of wine a year, which is pretty good.

Overall, I’m very pleased with our progress. We continue to grow slowly and steadily.”

At Rising Star Vineyards in Eastland County, Michael Oubre and his wife, Vicki, sell their grapes to other established wineries.

“Rising Star has been in operation since the 1980s, making it one of the oldest vineyards in all of Texas,” Oubre says. “We get incredible quality from our grapes, and as a result, we have multi-year contracts to sell our fruit to other bigger wineries.”

Those wineries include Llano Estacado in Lubbock and Becker Vineyards in Stonewall.

“The 2006 cabernet grapes we grew for Llano won a gold medal at the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, which is a prestigious event in this business,” Oubre says. “Our grapes have been producing so well in recent years that we finally decided to open our own tasting room and winery in Rising Star in 2006.”

Oubre says that for now, the small Rising Star winery only produces 600 cases annually from the eight wines under its label. However, grapes that Oubre still ships to other wineries are enough to produce close to 10,000 cases a year.

“This area seems to be an ideal place to grow grapes,” he says. “We are in the middle ground between the Hill Country and the High Plains, and far enough north in Texas that we get some comfortable cool weather. This seems to be a premier area for raising tasty, consistent fruit.”

– Kevin Litwin

Top: The Texas Midwest offers some ideal conditions for growing grapes. Bottom left: The great room in the winery building at Brennan Vineyards Bottom right: The tasting room at the historic McCrary House is a popular spot.

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Scorecard SOME MIGHTY FINE WINE

$91.6 million Sales to distributors and direct to consumers from Texas wineries in 2005

626,726 Number of cases produced

by Texas wineries in 2005

$221.7 million Wine-related tourism spending in Texas in 2005

8,000 Source: Texas Wine Marketing Research Institute, “The Economic Impact of Wine and Grapes on the State of Texas 2005”

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J. KYLE KEENER

J. KYLE KEENER

JEFF ADKINS

Jobs attributable in Texas to wine and grape industries

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energy

PHOTO BY J. KYLE KEENER

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Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Give It a

Whirl The Texas Midwest is a hub for the alternative-energy industry

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energy

Scorecard STRONG UPDRAFT

No. 2 Rank of Texas on list of states with the best potential for wind power, according to the American Wind Energy Association

7,115 Number of megawatts of wind power capacity from Texas projects in 2008, No. 1 in the nation

48 billion Kilowatt-hours of energy from U.S. wind farms

$17 billion Estimated impact of wind energy investment on U.S. economy in 2008

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F

ive years ago, when Nick Nixon and Jeff Flood decided to move their small Minnesota concrete company to Texas and target the windfarm market, folks thought them, well, a bit misguided.

Nearly 2,000 turbine bases later, Concrete Mobility’s plan seems far from it. The company set up shop in Colorado City, bought 230 acres to provide rock and sand for its product, and began sending its six mobile “batch plants” to U.S. and Mexican wind sites.

“We set out to be the No.1 producer of concrete for wind farms,” says Nixon, one of the company’s directors. “Business is good.”

Business is especially booming in Texas, the country’s largest producer of wind energy. The Texas Midwest is home to massive wind farms, and companies such as Concrete Mobility are moving in to support an industry that shows no signs of slowing.

The region has ambitious plans not only to be a generation source of alternate energy, such as wind and solar, but a manufacturing and service hub, as well.

Tower Tech Systems Inc. finished the first phase of a new wind-tower manufacturing plant early in 2009.

“With Tower Tech, we are talking about a $27 million investment and 150 jobs, 70 percent of them paying between $40,000 and $50,000,” says Gary Robinett, director of marketing and industrial recruitment for the Abilene Industrial Foundation. “It is bringing real manufacturing jobs here and capital investment.”

Alison Wroblewski, Tower Tech vice president of sales and marketing, says the region’s workforce and proximity to interstates and rail lines helped solidify the company’s location.

“Abilene is the heart of wind for Texas,” she says.

Tower Tech, a subsidiary of Broadwind Energy Inc., will make enough largescale, tubular wind towers in 2009 to produce 300 megawatts of power.

The company has a larger plant in Wisconsin, yet Wroblewski says the potential for growth in the Texas Midwest is significant.

Energy Maintenance Services LLC and Badger Transport Inc., two other Broadwind companies, have regional operations that support the wind industry’s specialized needs. Barr Fabrication LLC in Brownwood makes large towers and tower components.

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Florida Power & Light Co., primary owner of Horse Hollow, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest wind farm, has opened an office in Abilene that works with landowners on deeds and contracts for tower placement, Robinett says. GE Wind Energy Services has operations in Sweetwater. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is a huge need for people to enter this industry,â&#x20AC;? Robinett says.

The Abilene Industrial Foundation is gearing up to offer a four-week certification program in concert with Global Energy Services. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This will give the basics in safety and basics in tower design and maintenance, and make people more hirable,â&#x20AC;?

Robinett says.

When manufacturers said they needed welders, the foundation put together a five-week program that won a Texas workforce award. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ninety-plus people went through,â&#x20AC;?

Robinett says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All of them got hired.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pamela Coyle

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PHOTOS BY J. KYLE KEENER

Save Money. Smell the Flowers.

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Looking for ways to save money on gas and help the environment?

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entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurs in the Texas Midwest benefit from the presence of several resources that assist small businesses.

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Small but

MIGHTY Centers nurture entrepreneurial growth, enhance small-business success

D

uring start-up and the early years, a business owner is focused on making the company successful, and often doesn’t have time for the nuts and bolts of dayto-day operations.

It’s a problem that can be avoided by bringing in outside help or by setting up shop in an environment that increases the odds of success.

One such setup is the Concho Valley Center for Entrepreneurial Development, or CVCED, established in 2003 to foster entrepreneurial development in the region.

By June 2008, the incubator had provided assistance to 19 companies that had generated $10.8 million in sales, $5 million in payroll and nearly 240 new jobs, says Donna Osborne, executive director.

Clients can tap into the incubator’s network of business mentors, getting assistance on everything from grants and other funding to workforce development. Those entrepreneurs also can approach the Concho Valley Angel Network, a group of private investors willing to invest in existing local companies ready to move to the next level.

Entrepreneurs can go to www.cvangel.org and submit their business plan. Each quarter, the investors will review submissions and select three to make presentations. “Those investors interested in a plan will let us know, and we’ll facilitate a meeting between the two of them and they can work out a deal,” Osborne says.

Angelo State University Small Business Development Center, an outreach program of Texas Tech University, provides a variety of

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services, including counseling, technical assistance and training workshops.

The SBDC, founded in 1990, sees about 500 clients a year at no charge and conducts about 85 business seminars and workshops yearly at little or no cost.

About 60 percent of clients want to start a business and 40 percent are existing businesses that need technical assistance to expand operations, consolidate loans, seek additional financing or need marketing, human resource, cash flow or financial analysis assistance, says Dave Erickson, director.

Smaller companies are also coming through the door to get some advice on how to survive the current economic climate, Erickson says.

“We remind them there are opportunities for companies even in difficult economic times,” he says. “Cash flow is the key. We advise them to evaluate their operation and analyze expenses, eliminating unnecessary expenses that do not add to the profitability of the business.”

Businesses receive advice on evaluating customer bases, getting to know their best clients and providing exceptional service. New customers are important, but so is taking care of current ones, Erickson says.

“We’re here to help small businesses grow,” CVCED’s Osborne says. “We have a ‘plug and play’ environment, with just-in-time mentoring.

We lease space at a reduced rate so they can get out of their garage, and we also have furnished offices and shared services so they don’t have to invest in that equipment.”

– Joe Morris

More Insight A HELPING HAND The CONCHO VALLEY CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT, or CVCED, operates a Web site at www. cvbiz.org that offers resources and advice to prospective entrepreneurs and businesses considering an expansion or relocation in the region.

For more information and resources for ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY Small Business Development Center, go to www. angelo.edu/services/ sbdc.

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manufacturing

Shop Talk Region forges a diverse manufacturing sector

M

anufacturing in the Texas Midwest is thriving, and the sector is a major player in the region’s economic development picture.

Strong local support and an excellent transportation infrastructure are key reasons for the sector’s continued vitality.

Manufacturing jobs number nearly 15,600 in the Texas Midwest, about 8.2 percent of the total workforce.

Durham-Ellis Pecan Co. was founded in 1928 and remains a family-owned business in Comanche. The region is home to more than 10,000 acres of pecan trees, allowing for a quick trip from farm to factory, says Odie Dollins, president.

“Our growing season runs through September, when we start harvesting,” Dollins says. “We process our product year round, but we do get very busy in the fourth quarter due to the holidays.”

Durham employs around 80 people at its 130,000-squarefoot facility, and also operates retail stores in Comanche, Fort

Worth and Goldthwaite.

Its products may not be as tasty, but PWP Industries also is finding success. The manufacturer of food-packaging products is wrapping up a $22 million, 125,000-square-foot expansion at its Abilene facility. According to PWP, the new setup is ecofriendly, using natural lighting and reusing heat from the production process as a heat source for the facility.

On the economic development side of the equation, local officials work nonstop to recruit and retain their manufacturers, and few have been more diligent than the Winters Area Business and Industrial Corp. Founded in 1992 to promote Winters as a business destination, the organization has helped local firms such as HVAC parts maker Selkirk Corp. and auto storage-device maker Contico continue to thrive in challenging economic times.

“We have an unusual number of manufacturing companies and jobs here,” says Randall Conner, economic development

“When the farming and oil declined, manufacturing kept us alive. It provides a lot of jobs, and the sector has stayed steady.”

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I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

49

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manufacturing

Plastics company PWP Industries Inc. completed a 125,000-square-foot expansion in Abilene.

director. Conner notes the community of 2,880 is home to five major manufacturers employing 450 people.

Most of these are light-metal manufacturing facilities, but that’s beginning to change. Since the late 1940s, when a single family built up and sold several smaller concerns, the metalworking business has developed. That’s led to feeder companies setting up shop nearby. Nowadays companies such as Selkirk and Contico are able to find packaging material and other vendors in town.

“We have the infrastructure to support feeder businesses like that,” Conner says. “We’ve got about 10 trucking companies that are here in town now, and so Selkirk has been able to turn

More Insight

PHOTO BY J. KYLE KEENER

this into its distribution center as well as having a plant here.

We’re growing in that respect as well.”

Winters has always been able to adapt, changing from an agriculture-based economy to one that relied on oil and the energy sector, and eventually on manufacturing. As such, it can serve as a template for other areas, Conner says.

“When the farming and oil declined, manufacturing kept us alive,” Conner says. “It provides a lot of jobs, and the sector has stayed steady while the others have never come quite back to the way they were, at least not here. We’ve done pretty well for ourselves.”

– Joe Morris

BUILDING A SOLID SECTOR

Manufacturing accounts for more than 15,500 jobs in the Texas Midwest, about 8.3 percent of the total workforce. Some major manufacturers in the region include:

Hirschfeld Steel Inc.

Superior Essex

Saint-Gobain Abrasives

FMC Fluid Control

Fehr Foods

Lonestar Beef Processors Inc.

Ethicon Inc.

Tige Boats

Ludlum Measurements

3M Co.

PWP Industries

San Angelo Packing Co. Inc.

Abtex Beverage Corp.

Rentech Boiler Systems

Conner Steel Products Inc.

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I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

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Amazing

Grace

Landmark hotel becomes home to gallery, museums

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PHOTOS BY J. KYLE KEENER

arts & culture

The city of San Angelo has a vibrant arts community, anchored by the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. Left: The Children’s Museum is one of three cultural outlets housed in the historic former Grace Hotel in Abilene.

I

t was 1909, and the Grace Hotel opened in Abilene, a building bathed in a grandeur that reflected the prosperity brought by the railroad’s arrival to the region.

Now, 100 years later, the Grace is no longer a hotel, but it’s still a beautiful sight to behold and has been transformed into a cultural touchstone for the region.

The Mission-style building was boarded up in the 1970s when the hotel business dropped off, and the city of Abilene even considered demolishing the four-story structure.

But to its rescue came the Abilene Preservation League and the Abilene Fine Arts Museum, which banded together in the 1980s to save the landmark.

More Insight

THE GRACE MUSEUM

WWW.THEGRACEMUSEUM.ORG The historic Grace Hotel houses three museums – The Art Museum, The History Museum and The Children’s Museum – in a landmark Mission-style building in downtown Abilene. Across the street is the restored Abilene Texas & Pacific Railroad Station, now the offices of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

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The preservation league organized a $5 million capital campaign that resulted in a major restoration of the building in the early 1990s, says Dan Carpenter, Grace Museum director of information services.

After that renovation, the structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“The museum is now one of several downtown success stories in Abilene as the district continues to become fully revitalized,” Carpenter says.

The Grace is just one of several standout museums in the Texas Midwest. (See companion story on page 55.)

The major restoration efforts at the Grace have primarily

Built in 1909, the 55,000-square-foot, four-story building is on the National Historic Register. The first floor includes an elegant, marble ballroom, a glass loggia, a large enclosed brick courtyard and a restored lobby.

The rooftop has a large, open-air terrace, where weddings and other functions are booked.

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arts & culture

Eastland has 38 small murals replicating famous paintings. Top left: The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts includes Flowers, 2008 by artist Lee Littlefield.

Top right: The Art Bug, done in mosaic, is parked near the entrance to the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts.

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PHOTOS BY J. KYLE KEENER

concentrated on the façade of the building as well as the stunning first-floor interior, transforming both into what they looked like in 1909.

“Much of the architectural character of the Grace has been maintained, including an elegant marble ballroom, glass loggia, enclosed brick courtyard and a restored lobby,” he says. “In addition, smaller touches like the paint scheme, ceiling fans and furniture have all been redone in an effort to return the building to its original glory.”

Today, the Grace Museum houses four art galleries, a history museum, children’s museum and administrative offices. A staff of 14 oversees day-to-day operations, and more than 60,000 people visit each year.

“We have about 6,500 historic and artistic items on site, with many of them Texas-related or having to do with the southwest United States,” Carpenter says. “We also have 1,000 annual members who help fund our endeavors.”

The Grace features 15 to 20 temporary art exhibitions each year, while the history section is billed as the only museum that covers Abilene from 1900 to 1950. The children’s museum has several hands-on interactive exhibits, including a fully padded Toddler Exploration Area that looks like a West Texas landscape, and a secret-repeating Whisper Phone for relaying messages to friends and parents.

The history museum also features an authentic re-creation of a 1940s boot shop, while the galleries present a diverse array of traveling exhibits as well as art from the museum’s permanent collection.

“The Grace,” says Carpenter, “truly has become a leader in the cultural life of Abilene and the Texas Midwest.”

– Kevin Litwin

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Getting To Know The Arts THE TEXAS MIDWEST PAINTS A STRONG GALLERY ROSTER The Texas Midwest offers a rich tapestry of cultural experiences, from renowned galleries to distinctive museums to performing arts to historical points of interest. Here’s just a sample: The Old Jail Art Center www.theoldjailartcenter.org The center opened in Albany, Texas, in 1980 with four small galleries in what had been the site of the first permanent jail built in Shackelford County in the 1870s.

Today, the widely acclaimed art museum is a thriving home to the visual arts.

Housed in 14,000 square feet, the museum has more than 2,000 works in its permanent collection, including modern drawings, paintings and prints by well-known artists such as John Marin, Thomas Hart Benton, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Amedeo Modigliani and Pablo Picasso.

The museum also is host to a number of significant exhibitions and events, and houses a research library and archive.

The Outdoor Art Exhibit in Eastland This distinctive public art display overseen by the Eastland Community Foundation consists of replicas of 41 well-known works of art that have been placed near or on businesses throughout the city.

Each piece, such as a facsimile

of Andy Warhol’s famous Campbell’s Tomato Soup can, the Mona Lisa or Van Gogh’s Starry Night includes a story on the artist’s life or interesting details about the original piece of art.

For more on the exhibit, go to www.eastlandfoundation.com/ outdoorArt.

The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts www.samfa.org Formerly located in the Quartermaster Storehouse at Fort Concho National Historic Landmark, the museum since 1999 has made its home in an architecturally stunning building on the Concho River.

In the museum’s three galleries, a permanent collection numbers more than 275 objects, including a large collection by Texas artists.

Ceramic arts, American painting and sculpture of all eras, and Mexican and MexicanAmerican art of all eras are mainstays of the collection.

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I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

55

FRONTERA

)FBMUIDBSF /FUXPSL

E X P E R I E N C E the blessings …

The phrase “big surprises come in small packages” is apropos in Eden and blessings abound in this tiny community. Designated as one of 10 “Texas Yes! Hardworking Rural Communities” in 2005 and 2007, Eden is located midway between Interstate 10 and Interstate 20 on the edge of the rolling hill country surrounded by amazing stands of grand, live oak trees. Eden is situated at the very busy intersection of US Hwy. 87 and US Hwy. 83. Also known as the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Highway, US Hwy. 83 runs from Mexico to Canada and is a corridor to unique commerce opportunities and exceptional recreational and tourism experiences. Eden is recognized by the state as the “Geodetic” Center of Texas, the official state marker is located 18 miles southwest of Eden, on private property.

One blessing in this rural community is The Spirit of Eden Fund, a private, nonprofit corporation, that grants in excess of $150,000 annually to projects directly benefiting the 1,152 residents of Eden. Eden Child Care Center, Eden CISD, various health care initiatives, Eden EMS, Eden Law Enforcement, The Eden Public Library, City of Eden, Concho Springs Golf Course and Don Freeman Memorial Museum are only a few of the entities and projects that have benefited from the Spirit of Eden Fund since its inception.

Eden is actively dedicated to attracting new businesses, as well as helping existing business grow and prosper. In 2003, the Eden Economic Development Corporation leveraged local funds, applied for and received a United States Department of Agriculture loan and established a lowinterest revolving loan program. Funds are currently available for a variety of business and community development projects. Applications are available at Eden City Hall and online at www.edentexas.com.

Angelo State University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is a tremendous “partner for development” in Eden. SBDC counselors meet with applicants by appointment at Eden City Hall or at the Angelo State University Campus, located in nearby San Angelo, to provide assistance for potential applicants through business counseling, business plan development and assistance with application submission.

Eden, through its progressive and proactive Economic Development Coordinator also works directly, and partners with Texas Department of Agriculture, Howard College,

Office of Rural Community Affairs, Office of the Governor Economic Development/ Tourism, Texas Midwest Community Network, American Electric Power, the Regional Consortium for Economic Development, The Eden State Bank and Corrections Corporation of America to provide and promote new opportunities for businesses and the community.

Additional economic development opportunities can be found in the Eden Industrial Park where an estimated 50 acres are available for business location. Near the Industrial Park you will find one of Eden’s two geothermal water wells. The wells are an estimated depth of 4,000 feet and produce water at temperatures reaching near 130 degrees.

Eden is also blessed to have a broad range of medical care facilities. Concho County Hospital, Concho Health and Rehab Nursing Home, Eden Medical Clinic and Frontera Healthcare Network are all located within walking distance of one another. Concho County Hospital is a Critical Access facility and Eden Medical Clinic shares building space with the newest addition to the health care family, Frontera Healthcare Network’s corporate offices.

You will be hard pressed to find a community more proud of its history. The beautiful Earl Rudder Memorial Park, downtown on the square pays homage to Eden native, James Earl Rudder. During World War II Rudder headed the Rangers (“Rudder’s Rangers” as they came to be known) who scaled the 100 foot cliffs of Omaha Beach at Pointe du Hoc during D-Day. Later, Rudder served many years as President of Texas A&M University.

East of the Rudder Park is Don Freeman Memorial Museum which expounds on the history of Concho County. Highlighted in the museum is Frederick Ede, founder and Englishman for whom the town is named and General Ira Eaker, a favorite son, who organized the 8th Air Force Bomber Command in England during WWII. Eaker was one of six airmen awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Step out of the museum onto the square and you will be delighted to find several unique boutiques featuring the latest in fashion and jewelry designs to antiques, gifts and venison sausage. Nestled among the storefronts on the square, you will also find Eden Public Library. As well as traditional library services, eight computers are available for research and communication. Programs for children and

Designed by Williams, Gill & Associates, this 6,000+ yard course can test even the best golfers.

adults are coordinated throughout the year, copy and fax services are offered, and meeting rooms are available for seminars, trainings and fitness classes.

Another blessing in and around Eden is the abundant wildlife and outdoor recreation opportunities. Hunting is “year-round BIG business” and is evidenced by the many exotic game ranches in the area. Other outdoor recreation includes two extraordinary lakes for fishing; O.H. Ivie Reservoir and Brady Lake are both within a short 30-minute drive of Eden. The golf enthusiast will find one of Texas’ most well maintained nine-hole courses, Concho Springs Golf Course just south of town on US Hwy. 83, just be prepared to share the course with the many wild turkey and deer!

The casual atmosphere, creative and progressive attitude of this tiny rural community is reflected in the annual events sponsored by the Eden Chamber of Commerce, Concho County Saddle Club and area businesses. June brings the excitement and competition of the AJRA rodeo. Eden Fall Fest and World Class Bull Ride are celebrated the fourth weekend of September. The popular Camouflage Cotillion is the community’s hunter appreciation dinner and dance where formal attire includes anything camouflage or hunter orange. Christmas on the Square arrives the first Thursday of December and includes an afternoon parade, Elementary School Christmas Program at Earl Rudder Park, a chili supper, extended shopping hours and the arrival of Santa Claus.

Centrally located, business friendly, history rich and progressively minded are just a few ways you can describe the great community of Eden. Come for a visit, experience the blessings and you may just decide to stay!

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recreation

Go Fish Water gets anglers, boaters, outdoor enthusiasts in the flow in the Texas Midwest

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V

J. KYLE KEENER

irgil Moore says Hubbard Creek Lake is one of the best-kept water recreation secrets in all of the Texas Midwest.

The executive director of the Breckenridge Economic Development Corp. admits that even though the lake is quite large at 17,000 acres, it is still somewhat of an unknown haven for anglers looking to catch largemouth bass, crappie and catfish.

“People who finally discover Hubbard Creek Lake often ask me how we have kept this excellent fishing spot such a secret for so long,” Moore says. “The reason is simple: Urban sprawl has yet to spread this far west, so we don’t have large housing developments and multimillion-dollar homes. That makes our lake kind of secluded and laid back. It’s easy to get around the water to find plenty of good fishing spots.”

Fishing and water recreation opportunities are in good supply in the region, and lakes are becoming more popular

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Dusk falls over Hubbard Creek Reservoir in Stephens County, one of many Texas Midwest fishing spots.

I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

59

recreation

“There are 40 freshwater lakes in the panhandle plains region that includes the Texas Midwest – that’s a lot of lakes.” with outdoor enthusiasts.

For example, San Angelo has three hotspot destinations – Nasworthy, O.C. Fisher and Twin Buttes lakes – while Abilene is home to Lake Abilene as well as Kirby Lake.

One of the best spots for crappie and white bass is Fort Phantom Hill Lake in Taylor County. Another popular destination for white bass is O.H. Ivie Lake, which stretches into Coleman, Concho and Runnels counties.

“There are 40 freshwater lakes in the

panhandle plains region that includes the Texas Midwest – that’s a lot of lakes,” says Bobby Farquhar, regional director for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division.

“Fishing and boating opportunities in this part of Texas are certainly abundant,” he says.

Such is the case at Lake Proctor in Comanche, which hosts several highly regarded bass tournaments each year.

“Fishing is truly the No. 1 recreational use for Lake Proctor, and that has always

been the case,” says Christine Perkins, who is the executive director of the Comanche Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture. “The lake also has one of the most outstanding camping facilities you could ever find. Some people actually just camp there and never set foot in the water to go fishing, boating or swimming. They simply camp for the beautiful scenery.”

Besides fishing and camping, recreation opportunities at Lake Proctor include water skiing and water sports.

“Our big draw is that we are not that far from Abilene or the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and the fishing is so good that the lake attracts people during all of the warm-weather months,” Perkins says.

“Lake Proctor is peaceful, enjoyable and close enough to a lot of cities to provide a nice, convenient weekend,” she says.

– Kevin Litwin

Fishing is a major recreational outlet and economic opportunity in the Texas Midwest.

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PHOTOS BY JEFF ADKINS

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Getting To Know …

© 2002 American Cancer Society, Inc.

answers questions

The Texas Midwest offers a broad cross section of recreational opportunities, whether it’s hunting, fishing, golf, outdoor activities, spectator sports or family entertainment. Here’s just a sample: The Texas Midwest region is a haven for golfers. The area boasts nearly 50 public courses and private clubs, and plays host to numerous tournaments year round. For a list of courses in the region, go to www.texasmidwest.org/golf.

The Texas Midwest is home to several signature festivals. Among them: The West Texas Western Swing Festival is held every year during the second week of June at the Scurry County Coliseum. The biggest names in western swing music perform for four days and nights.

The Texas State Festival of Ethnic Cultures and Arts & Crafts Show in Ballinger takes place in April on the historic grounds of the Runnels County Court House. A parade, talent show, food booths and crafts are all part of the event, which includes the coronation of Miss Ballinger.

The Primetime Family Entertainment Center in Abilene is a 42,000-square-foot complex that includes a 16-lane bowling center, batting cages, laser tag, bumper cars, billiards, more than 70 arcade games, a 36-hole miniature golf course and the X-D theater, which features eight full-Surround Sound™ seats combined with a large 3-D video display. Go to www.primetimeabilene.com for more.

For the last two years, Lake Nasworthy in San Angelo has seen top powerboat drag racing. The Showdown in San Angelo, billed as the “fastest show on water,” pits speedboats in side-by-side competition for a quarter-mile race at speeds of up to 250 miles per hour, a distance covered in less than 5 seconds. The 2009 event, sanctioned by the Southern Drag Boat Association, is scheduled for June 26-28. Call (325) 655-4136 for more information.

8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r. o r g

FUN IS ALL AROUND IN THE TEXAS MIDWEST

The Texas Midwest boasts nearly 50 public and private golf courses.

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61

AB/;> =CB 0@3/AB 1/<13@ E7B6 G=C@ 433B

visit our

advertisers Abilene Industrial Foundation www.developabilene.com

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Golden Spread Electric Cooperative Inc. www.gsec.coop

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Hendrick Health System www.ehendrick.org

Atmos Energy www.atmosenergy.com Ballinger Chamber of Commerce www.ballingertx.org Brady Economic Development Corporation www.bradytx.com Cisco Development Corporation www.ciscotx.com City of Dublin

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Knox County www.knoxcountytexas.org MCM Elegante Suites www.mcmelegante.com Mitchell County Economic Development www.mitchellcountyeconomic development.org Ranger College www.ranger.cc.tx.us

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I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

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ECONOMIC PROFILE BUSINESS CLIMATE

TRANSPORTATION Highway Interstate 20 Rail Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Union Pacific Railroad Airport Abilene Regional Airport (325) 676-6367 www.abilenetx.com Brownwood Regional Airport (325) 643-1482 www.brownwoodtx.com San Angelo Regional Airport (Mathis Field) www.sanangelotexas.us

MEMBER CITIES Abilene Albany Anson Aspermont Baird Ballinger Brady Breckenridge Bronte Brownwood Buffalo Gap Cisco Clyde Coleman Colorado City Comanche Cross Plains

The Texas Midwest Region is home to a diverse business and industry climate that benefits from a well-educated, hardworking workforce.

The region is strategically located for business initiatives. The area’s largest cities are Abilene, San Angelo and Brownwood. The Texas Midwest Community Network is a regional organization, founded in 1994, focused on the economic development of the Midwest Texas region.

TAXES Texas has no state income tax. The local sales and property taxes vary by city and county.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The region has 24,221 square miles with a population

Future ahead

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(Source: www.tmcn.org)

REGIONAL POPULATION INFORMATION

bright

w w w. r a n ge r. c c .t x . u s

density of 20.25 residents per square mile, compared to a statewide density of 79.54 residents per square mile. According to the 2000 census, the Texas Midwest region grew in population from 465,169 in 1990 to 490,468 in 2000, an increase of 5.4 percent.

De Leon Dublin Early Eastland Eden Goldthwaite Gorman Hamilton Hamlin Haskell Knox City Menard Munday Ranger Rising Star Robert Lee Rotan Roscoe San Angelo Santa Anna Snyder Stamford Sweetwater Throckmorton Tye Winters

Texas Midwest Community Network 3702 Loop 322, Abilene, TX 79602 Phone: (325) 795-8626 Fax: (325) 675-5214 www.texasmidwest.org

SOURCES: www.texasmidwest.org

Can you imagine … a world without children?

We Can’t.

Call 1-800-996-4100 to help. www.stjude.org

R a n g e r C o l le g e 110 0 C o l le ge C i r.

R a n ge r, T X 76 470 (254) 6 47-3234

I M A G E S T E X A S M I D W E S T. C O M

63

Ad Index 2 ABILENE I N D U S T R I A L FO U N DATI O N

56 EDEN ECO N O M I C D E V E LO P M E N T

4 A B I L E N E R EG I O N A L A I R P O RT

2 0 E XC E P TI O N A L B R A N DS

14 ASPERMONT IDC 62 AT M OS E N E R GY 3 6 BA L LI N G E R C H A M B E R O F CO M M E RC E 6 4 B R A DY ECO N O M I C D E V E LO P M E N T CO R P O R ATI O N 3 0 C I S CO D E V E LO P M E N T CO R P O R ATI O N 32 C IT Y O F D U B LI N

8 GOLDEN SPREAD E L EC T R I C CO O P E R ATI V E I N C .

C 4 H E N D R I C K H E A LT H SYS T E M 2 2 K N OX CO U N T Y 45 M C M EL EGA N T E S U I T E S 1 0 M ITC H E L L CO U N T Y ECO N O M I C D E V E LO P M E N T 6 3 R A N G E R CO L L EG E 4 8 SA N A N G E LO ECO N O M I C D E V E LO P M E N T

C 2 C IT Y O F E A S T L A N D 6 CO M A N C H E ECO N O M I C D E V E LO P M E N T

3 0 T E D CO/ TI D CO 5 5 WO R K FO RC E S O LU TI O N S