Once again, the South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council has plans in place to be a Gold Sponsor for the upcoming Transatlantic Business and Investment Conference — where officials believe connections and groundwork can be laid for future relationships.
Slated for August 26 in Chicago, Illinois, SWK EDC Executive Director Carter Hendricks told board members Monday afternoon that the gathering put he and his team in front of site consultants, business dinners and future clients last year when it was held in Atlanta, and that traveling to an event like this was far more beneficial and cost effective than taking annual trips to places like Germany, and the like, to negotiate commerce coming to the region.
This is the second time, Hendricks added, that they are trying these outreach efforts. And for good reason.
In other SWK EDC news:
— Some dates of interest, Hendricks said, include:
+ A June 11 community presentation to the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development:
+ And a June 12 community presentation for the Trigg County Chamber of Commerce during its popular “Lunch and Learn” series:
— Hendricks and the EDC recognized the coming retirement of two board members in Todd County Schools Superintendent Mark Thomas and Bank of Cadiz Trust & Company President & CEO Kevin Atwood, whose final days finish July 19 with his eye on Texas and family. Thomas, meanwhile, will also be getting closer to family in Louisville.
— Unemployment rates throughout the region in March, Hendricks noted, aren’t concerning. Christian County was at 6.4%, Todd County was at 4.8%, Trigg County was at 5.9% and the regional average was 5.7%. Kentucky’s unemployment rate was 5.2%, and the country’s was 4.2%. Nearby Tennessee counties in Montgomery, Stewart and Robertson were all below 4%.