Eight professionals from across the Upper Cumberland selected for the inaugural PDI Fellows Academy, helping local leaders gain a statewide perspective on economic development.
UCDD/UCHRA Executive Director Mark Farley said the new leadership course is being rolled out for the first time across Tennessee to focus specifically on economic growth. Farley said the program is designed to help those working on the ground day-to-day understand how various industries across the state work together.
“You know the old saying, you can’t see the forest for the trees,” Farley said. “And sometimes we feel like it’s good to step back and look big picture from a statewide perspective what’s going on across the state of Tennessee. Obviously, we’re different from West Tennessee, from the Memphis area or Johnson City area, but we can still learn from them and be able to see what they’re doing in those parts of the state that we can bring to the Upper Cumberland region.”
Farley said a primary focus for regional development involves improving the workforce by helping employers understand the current market favors employees due to labor shortages. Farley said the region continues to push for a better-skilled workforce to attract industries that offer higher wages.
“More income makes life far more affordable,” Farley said. “That’s a long-game process of trying to work with your employers to help to understand that they need to take care of their employees and make sure they give a true living wage that they can live and raise their families on. And that’s a give-and-take process.”
Farley said Stefanie Byrd, Lisa Uhrik, Helene Cash, Samantha Cross, Adam Poe, Denny Wayne Robinson, Megan Spurgeon and Zach Stephens were chosen from multiple counties to represent a wide spectrum of perspectives. Farley said the participants were selected based on their recent work helping the region expand and their commitment to regional success.
“When you do economic development, there’s a whole network of individuals that can assist communities and assist professionals that are doing that work,” Farley said. “One of the biggest benefits we have with having them go through a course like this is they’re meeting new people that can help them and help our region grow and improve.
Farley said the 14 counties served by the district are seeing progress through the creation of small businesses and new capital entering the business community. Farley said while attracting manufacturing remains a long-term goal, the region is experiencing significant improvement in the small business sector.
The eight local leaders will represent the UC at the Academy’s convention at Vanderbilt University
“My biggest hope is they’re going to bring back those relationships and help us see how we can do partnerships with others outside the region that can help improve our economy here in the Upper Cumberland,” Farley said.