The steering committee of the Highlands Economic Partnership is composed of 18 regional leaders from public and private organizations who invest a minimum of $10,000 annually. The partnership exists to improve the regional quality of life through job creation and retention, workforce development, and community advocacy. It is administered by the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce and has over 80 investor partners across 4 counties.

1. Steering Committee
Jonathan West - Chair
Twin Lakes
Marty Maynord
American Bank & Trust
Jeff Jones
American Way Real Estate
Gina Billings
Averitt Express
Ricky Shelton
City of Cookeville
Jeff Young
City of Sparta
Paul Korth
Cookeville Regional
Medical Center
Jim Valenza
DACCO-Transtar
Randy Graham
First National Bank
of Tennessee
Nelson Forrester - Treasurer
First Tennessee Bank
Sam Sallee
Frontier Communications
Bill Little
Highlands Medical Center
Mark Odom
Highways, Inc.
Mike McCloud
MMA Creative
Randy Porter
Putnam County
Philip Oldham
Tennessee Tech University
Roman Stone
WDStone & Associates
Denny Robinson
White County
one west 1st street | cookeville, TN | (931)526-2211 | Highlandsoftn.com
The Highlands Economic Partnership (HEP) is recognized as a
best-practice model of public/private cooperation not only in
the region, but throughout the entire state of Tennessee.
Founded in 2006 by the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber
of Commerce, the HEP exists to improve the quality of life
regionally through job generation and retention, workforce
development and community advocacy.
We stand ready, willing and prepared. Our capabilities have
never been stronger, our partners have never been more
coordinated and our opportunities have never been greater.
Our 80-plus investors, spanning a four-county region of
Jackson, Overton, Putnam and White counties, have steadfastly
committed towards the vision of a better future with the belief
that together we can more effectively and efficiently achieve
our vision.
The Highlands Economic Partnership
An elevated mindset, a higher calling.
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2. I. QUALITY JOB RETENTION & CREATION
II. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & ADVOCACY
III. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION
Our four-year program is governed by an 18-member steering committee, composed of regional leaders investing a
minimum of $10,000 annually. This committee provides oversight in progressing the three main goals of the Highlands
Economic Partnership (HEP). The Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce administers and staffs the program.
2014 - 2017
Albrecht, Joe & Connie | American Bank & Trust | American Way Real Estate - Jeff Jones | ATC Automation
Averitt Express | BB&T Legge Insurance | Bennett Industries | Budweiser | Builder’s Supply Company
Carwile Mechanical Contractors | CB Trucking | Ciphertek | City of Algood | City of Baxter | City of
Cookeville | City of Livingston | City of Monterey | City of Sparta | Collins Manufacturing Company
Cravens & Company | Cookeville Regional Medical Center | DACCO - Transtar | Duncan, Wheeler &
Wilkerson, PC | econoGenesys Consulting, Inc. | Epic Technologies | Farm Bureau - Phillip Baker | First
National Bank of Tennessee | First Tennessee Bank | Freddie Duncan & Sons Moving & Storage | Frontier
Communications | FSG Bank | Grade A Catering | Holiday Inn Express | Herald-Citizen | Highlands Medical
Center | Highways, Inc. | Home Builder’s Association of the Upper Cumberland | Hooper, Huddleston &
Horner Funeral Homes | Hudson, Toney | Institutional Wholesale Company | J&S Construction Company,
Inc. | Jackson County | Jerry C. Gaw, Inc. | Lawrence, Tom | Livingston Limestone | Luna & Herren Investment
Group | Maffett Loftis Engineering, LLC | Martin Signs | Mid South Distributing, Inc. | MMA Creative
MP Components | Middle Tennessee Natural Gas | NHC Healthcare | Oldham, Philip | Perdue Farms
Petrie Heating & Cooling | Phoenix USA | Progressive Savings Bank | Putnam County | Regions Bank
Research Electronics International | S&S Precision | Seven Senses/Albrecht Publishing Group
SouthEast Bank | Stonecom Radio | The Rains Agency | The Swallows Agency | Tennessee Tech
University | TUTCO | Tennessee Valley Authority | Twin Lakes | Union Bank & Trust | WDStone &
Associates | White County | Wimberly Lawson Wright Daves & Jones PLLC | Woodford, James E., Jr.
Program Snapshot
Academy Sports + Outdoors
Locating a new southern distribution hub, a 1.6 million sq. ft.
facility to generate 700 new jobs when fully operational.
TTI Floorcare
Expanding and reshoring high-end product lines, adding 211
highly-skilled manufacturing jobs.
DACCO-Transtar
Expanding operations and upgrading facilities, adding 175
jobs.
Jackson Kayak
Expanding production to a new factory, adding 250 jobs.
Highlands Investors
A number of industries report growth and
unemployment is down in the region. We have already
exceeded our 4-year goal of 1,500 new jobs created.
• Advocated for emergency funds for the Nashville/
Eastern Rail Authority line for needed bridge repairs.
• Regional physician recruitment.
• Promote and market our business parks to
industries looking to expand and relocate.
• In cooperation with the Tennessee College of
Applied Technology, received a Labor and Education
Alignment Program (LEAP) Grant of $684,000 to
fund mechatronics equipment in Highlands schools.
• Selected as one of two regions in Tennessee to
participate in the National Pathways to Prosperity
Network, Harvard University’s nationally-recognized
workforce development initiative.
• Lillian Hartgrove, the Vice President of Workforce
Development & Education, was named a member
of the state Board of Education as a result of the
reputation of the Highlands Economic Partnership’s
intermediary relationship between industry and
education.
Aligning with the Governor’s Drive to 55 and TN
Promise initiatives, the Highlands seeks to provide a
21st century workforce through enhanced training,
education, skill development, and work-based
learning opportunities to meet the needs of targeted
and existing industries.
• The Parental Engagement Program expanded further
in cooperation with a Tennessee ThreeStar Program
Grant that funded the taping of the engagement
seminars that can now be viewed online via YouTube
and Vimeo.
JUNE 2015
FICOSA North America
Locating a high-tech production facility in the Highlands
Business Park and reshoring product lines from overseas,
adding 900 jobs.