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News Sentinel

Its hard not to celebrate such good news: recent major announcements of large businesses expanding or moving to Knox County.

Last week, Brinks Home Security Inc. announced it will build a $10 million alarm-monitoring and customer-care center in the Pellissippi Corporate Center in West Knox County. When fully staffed, the Knox County operation will employ more than 350 workers.

The really good news is that Brinks, based in Irving, Texas, chose Knox County, even though other cities and states offered the international provider of residential and business security systems more money.

There were people who put more money on the table, but we werent looking for just the pure upfront economic assistance, said Bob Allen, president of the company. He said it was the regions total package quality work force, positive business environment, available land and financial incentives offered by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development that made Knox County the clear winner.

The positive business environment at the city, county and state levels actually made us feel like we were really wanted, Allen said. And we were very impressed with the quality of the work force.

Those are glowing words when economic development is so important to the health of any community.

The same week, 84 Lumber Co., the largest privately held building materials supplier in the country, announced plans to build a $4 million components manufacturing complex in WestBridge Business Park. The complex will employ 100 initially, but the number of jobs is expected to grow to as many as 200 over five years. The company plans to build a truss manufacturing plant, a distribution and warehouse center and a mill-working facility.

Coming on the heels of two other major new employers either moving to Knoxville or expanding their presence here, Jewelry Television and Brinks Home Security, you an see why people are talking about our economic development, said Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale in a statement.

Jewelry Television is planning to build a $20 million to $25 million corporate headquarters along Pellissippi Parkway. Officials of the 24-hour shopping network are planning to build on 50 acres of Pellissippi Corporate Center.

The company is now in a strip-warehouse office center it leases on Kingston Pike. Company revenues have grown from $5.2 million in 1997 to more than $300 million in 2004. Launched in 1993 in Greeneville, Tenn., Jewelry Television is the 19th largest jewelry retailer in the nation.

It employs more than 1,500 people, and the new facility would allow the company to add an estimated 750 jobs by 2008. Expected future growth could bring the total to about 3,500 employees by 2013.

Charles Wagner, chairman of the network, said the companys growth has attracted the interest of other communities, but Jewelry Television is committed to staying in Knox County.

Were a homegrown company, he said. Were proud to be a Knox County employer. Our goal has always been to stay here.

Were pleased to see that the advantages offered in the Knoxville area are enough to draw companies from other states and enough to keep companies already here.

Doug Lawyer, director of economic development for the Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership, was talking about Brinks when he said, Any time you get a national company like this, it attracts the attention of other companies who will want to know what Knoxville has going for it.

We know what a jewel we have in Knox County. Were glad the word is starting to get out.