Shelby County is on a roll. This year, the region has earned 2,098 job commitments and of those, more than 1,100 are from projects landed in the past six weeks alone.
Early last month, Commissioner Boyd joined Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, Jr. and Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, Jr. at an event announcing LEDIC Realty Company’s plans to locate new headquarter operations in Memphis. Company officials revealed that while searching for a location, they initially contemplated going elsewhere. But after working with a team of city, county and state officials, they found that Memphis was the obvious choice.
“Memphis and the state of Tennessee offer a great workforce and a university system tailored to develop top talent,” said LEDIC Realty Company CEO Pierce Ledbetter. The decision resulted in a $10.2 million investment and the creation of 300 new jobs throughout Tennessee.
Less than two weeks prior, Orgill, Inc. announced it will construct a new world headquarters in east Shelby County, creating 115 new jobs. As the world’s largest independently owned hardlines distributor, Orgill’s 100,000 square foot facility will provide support to its six North American distribution centers and manage all business activities that extend beyond physical distribution from Shelby County.
With more and more companies putting down roots in the Greater Memphis region, it comes as no surprise that the nation is taking notice. Inc. recently featured a piece on Memphis stating that in addition to being known for its music and world famous barbecue, the city is quickly earning a reputation as being the next big startup hub. While Memphians make it clear they are not attempting to become the Silicon Valley of the Southeast, the region’s inherent strengths and resources make it easy for entrepreneurs to gravitate to the West Tennessee city.
The outlook for continued job growth in Tennessee remains positive as the state just set a new record for job commitments in a year surpassing last year’s record of 24,221. Commissioner Boyd credits Team Tennessee for the win, stating that each victory is the result of a dedicated team effort. “Tennessee is a state that values and nurtures our businesses, and we strive to promote their success.”
