Awards

2024

January 2024

WalletHub ranked Tennessee #10 among the top U.S. states to start a business on its 2024 list of Best & Worst States to Start a Business.

2023

November 2023

September  2023

Tennessee ranked #3 in the 2023 Top States for Doing Business ranking, part of the 14^th Annual Site Consultants Survey, by Area Development magazine.

Additionally, Area Development named Tennessee #2 for Energy Availability & Costs, #2 for Cooperative & Responsive State Government, #3 for Overall Cost of Doing Business and #3 for Water Availability, among others.

July 2023

CNBC ranked Tennessee #3 in its 16th annual America’s Top States for Business ranking. This is the highest the Volunteer State has placed since the ranking’s start in 2007 and is based on attributes such as workforce, infrastructure, economy, cost of doing business and more.

June 2023

Business Facilities ranked Tennessee #2 for Electric Vehicle Industry Investment, #4 for top states in the automotive industry and #5 for Best Business Climate in its 19th annual State Rankings Report.

Tennessee was named recipient of Area Development‘s Silver Shovel Award. This award recognizes the Volunteer State’s significant job creation and investment in 2022.

April 2023

Chief Executive ranked Tennessee the #3 Best State for Business

January 2023

2022

November 2022

September 2022

Tennessee ranked #1 for Site-Readiness Programs and Energy Availability & Costs in Area Development’s Top States For Doing Business Rankings.

Additionally, Area Development named Tennessee as the #2 State for Doing Business, #2 for Overall Cost of Doing Business, #2 for Cooperative & Responsive State Government and #2 for Corporate Tax Structure, among others.

August 2022

Business Facilities ranked Tennessee #5 for Automotive Manufacturing in its 18th annual State Rankings Report.

July 2022

2021

December 2021

September 2021

Tennessee ranks #1 for Site-Readiness Programs and Energy Availability & Costs in Area Development’s Top States For Doing Business Rankings.

Additionally, Area Development named Tennessee as the #3 State for Doing Business, #2 for Cooperative & Responsive State Government, and #3 for Logistics & Infrastructure.

April 2021

Chief Executive ranked Tennessee the #3 Best State For Business

January 2021

Site Selection ranked Tennessee #1 for workforce development in the South Central Region.

2020

September 2020

Tennessee ranks #1 for Site-Readiness Programs and Energy Availability and Costs in Area Development’s Top State For Doing Business Rankings.

Additionally, Area Development named Tennessee as the #2 State for Doing Business

July 2020

Tennessee was named recipient of Area Development‘s 2020 Gold Shovel Awards in recognition of projects undertaken in 2019, which created a significant number of high-value-added new jobs as well as investment. This is Tennessee’s fifth Gold Shovel since 2009.

January 2020

Tennessee was named #2 Best State to Drive in according to WalletHub.com. The study determined the most driver-friendly states in the U.S., by comparing 50 states across 31 key metrics. The data set ranged from average gas prices to share of rush-hour traffic congestion to road quality.

2019

September 2019

July 2019

#1 Best Business Climate in the U.S., according to Business Facilities‘ 15th Annual Rankings Report.

“Tennessee always sets the bar high in meeting all of the priorities of businesses evaluating locations in the Volunteer State, whether it’s customized workforce training, pre-certified sites or lower industrial electricity costs.” – BF Editor in Chief Jack Rogers

January 2019

Site Selection ranked Tennessee #1 for workforce development in the South Central Region.

2018

August 2018

Tennessee ranks #2 on being ‘Small Business Friendly’ – according to a survey by Inc.

2017

August 2017

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development received twelve Communication Awards from the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) including Best in Class in the State Division and Best in Show for the Mastered in Tennessee Collateral. TNECD won two Awards of Merit for its work on the County Profile Tool and the Lauderdale County Video from the Marketing Assistance Program. The department won four Awards of Excellence for the Select TN Ad Campaign, Cocke County Website, Select TN Single Print Ad and the Tennessee Entertainment Commission Website and Directory. TNECD received Awards of Superior for the County Marketing Branding and Websites for its work on the Marketing Assistance Program, the Mastered in Tennessee Anthem Video, the Mastered in Tennessee Video Brochure and the Mastered in Tennessee Ad Campaign.

August 2017

Tennessee’s jobless rate fell to a historic mark again in the month of July making our state the #1 lowest unemployment rate in the Southeast. After hitting a previous record in June, the jobless rate reached a new best of 3.4 percent.

July 2017

Business Facilities ranked Tennessee the No. 2 state in the nation for Infrastructure according to the magazine’s 13th Annual Rankings Report. Tennessee was also ranked No. 3 best business climate and No. 4 for Workforce Training Leaders.

June 2017

Tennessee was named recipient of Area Development’s 2017 Silver Shovel Awards in recognition of projects undertaken in 2016. Additionally, both the General Motors and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 2016 projects were named “Project of the Year” in their respective award categories.

May 2017

Tennessee ranked second in Site Selection magazine’s second annual Prosperity Cup. The ranking is based 2016 project data and a set of criteria that includes the states’ 2016 business climate rank as published by Site Selection, state tax climate as ranked by the Tax Foundation, performance in Beacon Hill Institute’s state competitiveness index and the number of national career readiness certificates according to ACT.
May 2017

Tennessee was named the “Seventh Best State in the Country for Business” by Chief Executive on its 2016 Best & Worst States for Business list. The 13th annual survey of CEOs graded states on measures that included tax and regulatory regime, quality of the workforce and quality of life.

April 2017

Tennessee ranked 2nd in the Southeast and 5th in the nation according to the 10th Annual Rich States, Poor States economic outlook rankings by the American Legislative Exchange Council. The data ranks the 2017 economic outlook of states using fifteen equally weighted policy variables, including various tax rates, regulatory burdens and labor policies.

March 2017

Tennessee received two honors in Trade & Industry Development’s 12th annual Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) Awards for expansions by General Motors and Cargill, Calysta Inc. in the corporate investment category.

January 2017

Business Facilities named General Motors’ Spring Hill expansion as the Silver recipient for their annual Deal of the Year award.

2016

November 2016

Tennessee ranked fifth in Site Selection magazine’s top state business climate rankings. The ranking is based 50 percent on a survey of corporate site selectors and 50 percent on a set of criteria that includes the states’ competitiveness rank as published in the May 2016 issue, qualified projects to date in 2016 and on a per capita basis, and state tax burdens on new and mature firms as compiled by the Tax Foundation and KPMG Location Matters analysis.

September 2016

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development received five Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), two gold and three silver. TNECD won two gold awards for its work on TNECD.com and the Memphis Regional Megasite videos, “Heart” and the technical video. The department won three silver awards for its “Mastered in Tennessee” business-to-business integrated marketing campaign, the Memphis Regional Megasite marketing materials and the County Profile Tool.

August 2016

Tennessee was ranked No. 1 for foreign direct investment (FDI) job commitments in 2015 according to the recently released 2016 Global Location Trends report. The annual report from the IBM Institute for Business Value measured the number of jobs created by foreign-owned companies in each state during the 2015 calendar year. 

The Brookings Institution found that Tennessee ranks No. 1 among U.S. states for advanced industry job growth. From 2013 to 2015, Tennessee’s advanced industry jobs increased by an average of 4.6 percent annually, which outpaced the national average of 2.46 percent.

Southern Business and Development Magazine named Tennessee the 2016 State of the Year for Economic Development based on its project totals and the variety of the industry sectors that invested in the state and created jobs. Nashville, Tennessee was also named Co-Major Market of the Year by SB&D with honorable mentions to Knoxville and Chattanooga.

Business Facilities ranked Tennessee the No. 2 state in the nation for Infrastructure according to the magazine’s 12th Annual Rankings Report. Tennessee was also ranked No. 4 for Workforce Training Leaders

Tennessee was ranked No. 6 in the nation by GOVERNING in a report ranking overall economic performance of the 50 states. Tennessee’s ranking among states in the Southeast was the highest. The report was based on variables such as the current state unemployment rate and percentage growth in year-to-date increases in jobs for 2016.

The Cato Institute ranked Tennessee No. 6 in the U.S. in the “Freedom in the 50 States” report. The report is based on how American states’ policies promote freedom in the fiscal, regulatory and personal realms.

June 2016

Tennessee was named recipient of Area Development‘s 2016 Gold Shovel Awards in recognition of projects undertaken in 2015, which created a significant number of high-value-added new jobs as well as investment. This is the second consecutive year Tennessee has received a Gold Shovel Award. In addition to 2015, the state also received Gold Shovels in 2012 and 2009, and Silver Shovels in 2011 and 2010.

Tennessee was named No. 4 in a recent analysis of the 10 Best States for Retirement 2016 by Kiplinger.com. The report rated all 50 states based on quantifiable factors including affordability, especially in terms of lower taxes on retirees and lower health care costs, the economic health of the state, and overall health of the population. Tennessee is one of only four states in the country with a formal retiree recruitment program, Retire Tennessee.

May 2016

Tennessee was named the “Fourth Best State in the Country for Business” by Chief Executive magazine on its 2016 Best & Worst States for Business list. The 12th annual survey of CEOs graded states on measures that included tax and regulatory regime, quality of the workforce and quality of life.

Tennessee ranked third in Site Selection magazine’s first annual Prosperity Cup. The ranking is based 2015 project data and a set of criteria that includes the states’ 2015 business climate rank as published by Site Selection, state tax climate as ranked by the Tax Foundation, performance in Beacon Hill Institute’s state competitiveness index and the number of national career readiness certificates according to ACT. 

March 2016

Tennessee received two honors in Trade & Industry Development’s 11th annual Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) Awards for expansions by Advanced Munitions International and DENSO Manufacturing.

2015

December 2015

Tennessee was ranked the No. 1 State to be a Taxpayer. This was from the 2015 Best and Worst States to be a Taxpayer study by WalletHub. In the same study, Tennessee was ranked the No. 4 state to be a Taxpayer in the nation, when adjusted for cost of living index. 

As of December 2015, Nissan’s Smyrna plant is the most productive auto assembly plant in North America. The Smyrna plant produced 633,347 vehicles in 2015. 

November 2015

Tennessee ranked sixth in Site Selection magazine’s top state business climate rankings. The ranking is based 50 percent on a survey of corporate site selectors and 50 percent on a set of criteria that includes the states’ competitiveness rank as published in the May 2015 issue, qualified projects to date in 2015 and on a per capita basis, and state tax burdens on new and mature firms as compiled by the Tax Foundation and KPMG Location Matters analysis. 

September 2015

Tennessee was ranked #4 for foreign direct investment (FDI) job commitments in 2014 according to the recently released 2015 Global Location Trends report. The annual report from the IBM Institute for Business Value measured the number of jobs created by foreign-owned companies in each state during the 2014 calendar year. 

Tennessee ranked #4 overall in Area Development’s sixth annual Top States for Doing Business survey of site consultants. States were ranked based on their number of mentions by consultants in three overall categories, Business Environment, Labor Climate, and Infrastructure and Global Access, and 18 subcategories.

Business Environment

• Overall Ranking: Tennessee #5
• Cooperative State Government: Tennessee #3 (tie)
• Most Favorable Regulatory Environment: Tennessee #3

 Infrastructure & Global Access

• Overall Ranking: Tennessee #1
• Certified Sites/Shovel-Ready Program: Tennessee #1
• Competitive Utility Rates: Tennessee #1
• Energy Reliability / Smart Grid Deployment: Tennessee #2 (tie)
• Highway Accessibility: Tennessee #3

August 2015

Business Facilities ranked Tennessee the No. 1 state in the nation in both Automotive Manufacturing Strength and Education: Tech Skills Leaders according to the magazine’s 11th Annual Rankings Report. Tennessee was also ranked No. 2 Best Business Climate, No. 2 Best Infrastructure, No. 4 Workforce Training Leaders, and No. 7 Automotive Employment Leaders.

Tennessee has ranked No. 1 for Automotive Manufacturing Strength for an unprecedented five times in the past six years, and the Volunteer State also ranked No. 1 for Education in 2014.

June 2015

Tennessee was named recipient of Area Development’s 2015 Gold Shovel Awards in recognition of projects undertaken in 2014, which created a significant number of high-value-added new jobs as well as investment. The Volunteer State last received Gold Shovel awards in 2012 and 2009 and Silver Shovel awards in 2011 and 2010.

Tennessee was ranked No. 3 for Infrastructure and Transportation by CNBC. Tennessee was also ranked the No. 2 state for Cost of Living by CNBC.

May 2015

Tennessee was named the “Fourth Best State in the Country for Business” by Chief Executive magazine on its 2015 Best & Worst States for Business list. The 11th annual survey of CEOs graded states on measures that included tax and regulatory regime, quality of the workforce and quality of life.

In the May 2015 issue of Site Selection magazine, the Volkswagen Chattanooga expansion was named a Top North American Deal of 2014, with an investment by the company of $600 million and the creation of more than 2,000 jobs. The Top Deals were determined by level of capital investment, degree of high-value jobs, regional economic impact, competition for the project and speed to market. 

In the same issue of Site Selection magazine, Tennessee was named the fifth most competitive state in the U.S. for economic development. 

Tennessee was also ranked No. 4 Top State for Economic Development Projects by Southern Business and Development magazine. 

March 2015

Tennessee received honors in Trade & Industry Development’s 10th annual Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) Awards for Volkswagen’s Chattanooga expansion. This expansion will add an additional manufacturing line and create the National Research & Development and Planning Center of Volkswagen Group of America

January 2015

Tennessee named “2014 State of the Year” for economic development by Business Facilities.

2014

November 2014

Tennessee ranked seventh in Site Selection magazine’s top state business climate rankings. The ranking is based 50 percent on a survey of corporate site selectors and 50 percent on a set of criteria that includes the states’ competitiveness rank as published in the May 2014 issue, qualified projects to date in 2014 and on a per capita basis, and state tax burdens on new and mature firms as compiled by the Tax Foundation and KPMG Location Matters analysis. 

October 2014

Tennessee was ranked the #1 for foreign direct investment (FDI) job commitments in 2013 according to the recently released 2014 Global Location Trends report. The annual report from the IBM Institute for Business Value measured the number of jobs created by foreign-owned companies in each state during the 2013 calendar year.

September 2014

Tennessee ranked fifth overall in Area Development magazine’s “Top States for Doing Business” list. Tennessee also scored the #1 ranking for its overall infrastructure and global access, #1 in distribution/supply-chain hubs and #1 in certified sites/shovel-ready programs. Additionally, Tennessee placed #5 for its rail and highway access and #6 in workforce development.

August 2014

Business Facilities magazine released its tenth annual Metro, State and Global Rankings Report.

Tennessee Rankings

• First in Education: Race to the Top leaders
• Second: Automotive manufacturing strength
• Second: Best infrastructure
• Fourth:  Best business climate
• Seventh: Employment recovery leaders

Metro Rankings

• Memphis: First logistics leader, air cargo
• Memphis: Fourth lowest cost of living
• Nashville/BNA: Fourth fastest growing U.S. airport

June 2014

Tennessee jumped 10 spots in the third annual Thumbtack.com Small Business Friendliness Survey, finishing in 6th place nationwide. The study, compiled in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, drew upon data from over 12,000 small business owners and provides new insights into state and local business environments across the nation. The city of Nashville was also recognized as the “9th Friendliest Small Business City” out of 82 cities rated.

May 2014

CEO respondents voted Tennessee the “Fourth Best State in the U.S. for Business” in Chief Executive Magazine’s Annual Best & Worst States for Business survey.

Bankrate.com named Tennessee the “No. 1 State in the Nation for Retirement,” citing our low cost of living, low state and local tax burden, excellent access to medical care and warm weather.

Site Selection magazine ranked Tennessee in its top five for its 2012 Competitiveness Award, which recognizes excellence on the part of a state-level economic development group. States’ competitiveness rankings are determined by a number of criteria from 2012, including: total new and expanded facilities; total capital investment in new and expanded facilities; total new jobs created; state tax climate ranked by the Tax Foundation; and number of National Career Readiness Certificates per 1,000 residents aged 18-64, according to ACT (Workforce Development Division, administrator of the ACT Certified Work Ready Communities initiative).

Site Selection also named HCA’s Parallon Business Solutions and Sarah Cannon Research Institute corporate headquarters expansion in Nashville, a Top North American Deal of 2012, with an investment by the company of $200 million and the creation of more than 1,000 jobs. The Top Deals were determined by level of capital investment, degree of high-value jobs, creativity in negotiations and incentives, regional economic impact, competition for the project and speed to market.

Tennessee was named the “Third Best State in the Country for Business” by Chief Executive magazine on its 2014 Best & Worst States for Business list. The 10th annual survey of CEOs graded states on measures that included tax and regulatory regime, quality of the workforce and quality of life.

Tennessee was named the second most competitive state in the U.S. for economic development by Site Selection magazine. Hankook Tire’s announcement that it would create 1,800 new jobs and invest $800 million in Clarksville was also named a top deal of 2013 by the magazine, while ProNova Solution’s expansion, creating 525 new jobs and investing $50 million in Alcoa, earned an honorable mention.

March 2014

Four Tennessee projects received honors in Trade & Industry Development’s 9th annual Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) Awards, more than any other state. Hankook Tire and Eastman Chemical were recognized in the Corporate Investment category, while Calsonic Kansei North America and ProNova Solutions were recognized in the Community Impact category. All totaled, the four projects generated $2.6 billion in investments and created 3,825 new jobs for the state in 2013.

Tennessee ranked 10th for the number of economic development projects in Site Selection magazine’s 2013 Governor’s Cup awards. Several Tennessee micropolitans were ranked based on the number of projects including Dyersburg (tied for 10th), Tullahoma-Manchester (tied for 19th), Lewisburg and Union City (both tied for 27th), Shelbyville (tied for 41st), and Athens, Crossville and Greeneville (all tied for 70th).

January 2014

Tennessee named “2013 State of the Year” for economic development by Business Facilities.

2013

November 2013

Tennessee ranked fifth in Site Selection magazine’s top state business climate rankings. The ranking is based 50 percent on a survey of corporate site selectors and 50 percent on a set of criteria that includes the states’ competitiveness rank as published in the May issue, qualified projects so far in 2013 and on a per capita basis, and state tax burdens on new and mature firms as compiled by the Tax Foundation and KPMG Location Matters analysis.

October 2013

Medscape selected Tennessee as “The Best Place to Practice Medicine in the Southeast.”

September 2013

Tennessee ranked seventh overall in Area Development magazine’s “Top States for Doing Business” list. Area Development credited Tennessee’s low taxes, fiscal stability and strong manufacturing base for maintaining our spot in the top ten.

August 2013

Business Facilities magazine released its 9th annual Metro, State and Global Rankings Report. In addition to Tennessee’s first place finish for “Automotive Manufacturing Strength,” released in July 2013, the state and several metro areas were well represented in the following categories.

Metro Rankings

• Nashville placed tenth in the nation for Information Technology Employment Leaders.
• Memphis placed first for Logistics Leaders – Air Cargo Hubs, not only in the U.S. but in the entire world, besting international cities such as Hong Kong, Shanghai and Dubai.
• Memphis also placed fifth for Lowest Cost of Living in the U.S.
• Knoxville was tenth in the nation for Top Foreign Trade Zone – Exports.

State Rankings
Tennessee was named:

• Ninth for Best Business Climate
• Eighth for Renewable Energy Leaders – Power Generation
• Third for Best Infrastructure
• Fourth for Auto Parts Supplier Leaders
• Seventh for Best Education Climate

July 2013

Business Facilities ranked Tennessee the best state in the nation for its Automotive Manufacturing Strength for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year.

Tennessee was named the state with the lowest debt ratio in the nation. The study was conducted by New York-based Fitch Ratings, using a metric calculated by combining the state’s net tax-supported debt and unfunded pension liabilities, then measuring them against the state’s personal income level. Tennessee’s ratio of debt and pension liabilities to personal income was 1.8 percent. No other state had a ratio below 2.2 percent and four states had ratios above 20 percent.

June 2013

Tennessee placed seventh in Area Development’s fourth annual Top States for Doing Business survey of site consultants, first for Overall Infrastructure and Global Access, and sixth for States Most Mentioned by Respondents.

Tennessee also won a 2013 Silver Shovel Award for achievement in attracting high-value investment projects that will create a significant number of new jobs.

March 2013

Site Selection magazine ranked Tennessee 8th in the U.S. for the number of capital investment projects last year in the annual Governor’s Cup Awards. The ranking is based on private sector projects that meet one or more of these criteria: an investment of at least $1 million, creation of 50 or more new jobs or construction of new space of at least 20,000 square feet.

Site Selection also named several Tennessee communities in the annual “Top Metros and Micropolitans” list. Jackson tied for seventh on the Top Metros list for the number of projects for populations of less than 200,000. Additionally, Tennessee ranked third for the number of Top Micropolitans, those cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people which cover at least one county. Tennessee micropolitans and their rankings included Tullahoma (tied for 13th); Cookeville (tied for 23rd); Humboldt, Lewisburg, Shelbyville, and Union City (all tied for 30th); Athens, Greeneville, Lawrenceburg and Newport (tied for 45th); and Brownsville, Columbia, Crossville and Sevierville (tied for 86th).

Magneti Marelli in Giles County and Oberto Brands in Davidson County were among the 30 corporate recipients of Trade & Industry Development magazine’s 8th Annual CiCi (Corporate Investment & Community Impact) awards. They were recognized in the Community Impact division. Among the criteria considered are the number of jobs created and/or retained, area unemployment figures, average income level of the region, area plant closings or decline in industry segments, and the creation of new industry segments with employment opportunities, among others.

2012

November 2012

Site Selection magazine ranked Tennessee the nation’s eighth best state for business climate for the second year in a row in the magazine’s 2012 Top State Business Climate rankings. The highly regarded annual rankings are based on a state’s strong record of attracting capital investment, an analysis of state tax burdens and a survey of corporate site selectors.

October 2012

Tennessee ranked seventh overall in Area Development magazine’s Top States for Doing Business list – up one spot compared to 2011 survey results. Tennessee also scored the #1 ranking for its overall infrastructure and global access, and also beat out its competitors in ranking first for its distribution/logistics hub access.

July 2012

Business Facilities, a national economic development publication, ranked Tennessee the No. 1 state in the nation for Automotive Manufacturing Strength for an unprecedented third consecutive year in its annual 2012 State Rankings Report. Tennessee earned an additional seven Top 10 honors along with many cities throughout the state. A complete list is as follows:

• State Rankings
  Automotive Manufacturing Strength: #1
  Race to the Top: #3
  Emerging Data Center Hubs: #4
  Best Transportation Infrastructure: #5
  Economic Growth Potential: #8
  Best Business Climate: #8
  Job Growth Leaders: #9
  Best Education Climate: #10
• Metro Rankings
  Logistics Leaders – Air Cargo Hubs: Memphis #1
  Best Cost of Living: Memphis and Cookeville ranked in the Top 10
  Economic Growth Potential: Knoxville ranked in the Top 10
  Fastest Growing Cities: Knoxville #8
• Global Rankings
  Logistics Leaders – Air Cargo Hubs: Memphis #1

June 2012

Tennessee was awarded Area Development magazine’s 2012 Gold Shovel Award, presented annually to states that have achieved significant success in terms of job creation and economic impact. The Volunteer State was also recognized by the magazine as a 2011 Economic Development Project of the Year for the $235 million General Motors project in Spring Hill, expected to create 2,350 jobs.

May 2012

Chief Executive magazine named Tennessee one of the top four states in the nation for business in its eighth annual survey of Best and Worst States for Business. More than 650 chief executive officers rated all 50 states in three general categories: taxation and regulation, quality of workforce and living environment. Tennessee ranked fourth for the second consecutive year.

April 2012

Amazon.com Inc. was named to Site Selection magazine’s Top Deals of 2011 list. The Top Deals of 2011 were determined by level of capital investment, degree of high-value jobs, creativity in negotiations and incentives, regional economic impact, competition for the project and speed to market. Amazon was honored for its decision to locate distribution facilities in three Tennessee cities: Chattanooga, Cleveland and Lebanon. These three facilities will create 2,000 jobs in the state.

March 2012

The publishers of Trade & Industry Development magazine, a national economic development publication, have named Amazon.com Inc., General Motors, Quaprotek USA, MANN+HUMMEL USA and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development among the recipients of its 2012 Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) Awards. With more than 700 project submissions throughout North America, these projects were chosen as four of only 15 finalists in the Community Impact division of the CiCi Awards, totaling the most for any state.

Tennessee earned a strong ninth place finish in the annual Site Selection magazine 2011 Governor’s Cup rankings of states with the most economic development projects. The annual list ranks the 50 states according to their success in attracting capital investment projects that meet one or more of three criteria: a minimum investment of $1 million, creation of 50 or more new jobs and new facility construction or floor space of at least 20,000 sq. ft.

2011

November 2011

Site Selection ranked Tennessee the “Nation’s Eighth Best State for Business Climate” in the magazine’s November 2011 issue. The highly regarded annual rankings are based on performance in business expansion and relocation, as well as a nationwide survey of corporate real estate executives.

September 2011

Area Development conducted a survey of a select group of highly respected location consultants who work with a nationwide client base for its “Top 10 States for Doing Business List,” with Tennessee ranking 8th overall. In addition, the Volunteer State tied for first in certified sites or shovel-ready programs; second for competitive utility rates; and a leader in the economic recovery.

August 2011

Business Facilities, a national economic development publication, issued its annual 2011 Rankings Report. Tennessee, along with many cities throughout the state, earned top honors.  A complete list is as follows:

• State Rankings
  Automotive Manufacturing: #1
  Best Transportation Infrastructure: #5
  Economic Growth Potential: #7
  Best Business Climate: #8
• Metro Rankings
  Top Logistics/Distribution/Shipping Hubs: Memphis #1
  Best Cost of Living: Nashville #5, Memphis #7

July 2011

Southern Business and Development magazine’s annual “Top Deals and Hot Markets” rankings were released, and Tennessee was awarded an honorable mention. To determine the rankings, SB&D considered only companies making public commitments of 200 jobs or more, or $30 million in capital investment.

June 2011

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Chamber Foundation’s study, Enterprising States, ranked Tennessee No. 1 for Taxes and Regulation, based on the state’s low cost of living, low state and local tax burden, and manageable budget gap. Tennessee also ranked second in Cost of Living, fourth in State and Local Tax Burden, and tenth in both Growth in Share of National Exports and Budget Gap.

May 2011

The Associated General Contractors of America acknowledged Tennessee as one of three states in the U.S. with the highest addition of construction jobs from April 2010 – April 2011.

Tennessee was awarded Area Development magazine’s Silver Shovel, presented annually to states who have demonstrated much success and progress with job creation and economic impact. The awards recognize state economic development agencies that drive significant job creation through innovative policies, infrastructure improvements, processes and promotions that attract new employers as well as investments in expanded facilities.

Electrolux was named to Site Selection magazine’s Top Deals of 2010 list. Amazon.com was also named to the Honorable Mention list. Honors were determined based on scale of capital investment and job creation, creativity in negotiations and incentives, regional economic impact, competition for the project and speed to market.

Chief Executive magazine named Tennessee one of the top four states in the nation for business in their seventh annual survey of Best and Worst States for Business. More than 500 chief executive officers rated states based on a wide range of criteria, from taxation and regulation to workforce quality and living environment.

March 2011

The publishers of Trade & Industry Development magazine, a national economic development publication, named Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., General Motors and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development among the recipients of its 2011 Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) awards. Only 15 projects nationwide were selected from hundreds of submissions as winners in the Corporate Investment category. The two Tennessee projects represent a combined investment of more than $2 billion and the creation of 1,783 new jobs.