News

Fort Knox Initiative Seeks to Grow Post, Economy / WKU Public Radio

October 13, 2016 By krda

Communities around Fort Knox have launched a capital campaign to help grow the Hardin County army post and the regional economy.

A new partnership called the Knox Regional Development Alliance was announced Thursday in Elizabethtown. Co-chairman Ray Springsteen said part of the goal is to bring new missions to the post and retain existing ones.

“A few years ago, we certainly had some contraction in the military, and in some cases, this is driven by that,” Springsteen told WKU Public Radio. “Instead of us reacting when there’s a problem, someone is getting up every day, going out, and finding ways to protect this incredible asset.”

Another goal of the alliance is to attract and retain military-related businesses to Hardin, Meade, Larue, Bullitt, and Jefferson counties.

The alliance is halfway toward its goal of raising $2.5 million by the end of the year. The campaign is looking for public and private sector donations.

KRDA is the result of a merger between the CORE Committee, Inc. and the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce’s One Knox Council.

Economy boost brewing in Fort Knox and surrounding counties / WAVE3

October 13, 2016 By krda

Source: WAVE3 News
Millions of dollars and brand new jobs are brewing near Fort Knox and surrounding communities.A capital campaign, spearheaded by Knox Regional Development Alliance, is raising money to fund an economic development initiative. Today, private and public sector leaders from throughout Hardin, Meade, LaRue, Bullitt and Jefferson Counties publicly launched the $2.5 million capital campaign. The money will fund KRDA’s advocacy, marketing and targeted business attraction activities.

The KRDA is the result of a merger of the CORE Committee, Inc. and the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce’s One Knox Council. CORE Committee’s executive director retired Maj. Gen. Bill Barron shared why an effort of this scale and a new organization is needed.

“While we’ve long advocated for missions at Fort Knox, it was never on the scale that other successful military communities had,” Barron said. “It’s time we go from a ‘C’ game to an ‘A’ game to set the conditions for growth at Fort Knox and new business growth in the surrounding communities.”

At the launch event, Barron introduced the campaign’s co-chairs: Dennis Johnson, President and CEO of Hardin Memorial Health and Ray Springsteen, President and CEO of Fort Knox Federal Credit Union.

“It is about quality of place here and it is also really about taking a proactive approach at helping Fort Knox and the surrounding community,” Springsteen said.

“This means jobs, it means good quality of life for individuals and for families and for organizations,” Johnson said. “We want to not only preserve what has happened here as a result of Fort Knox, but also grow that into the future.”

Both organizations have pledged $240,000 over five years. Their investment, along with 42 other public and private sector investors, have raised more than $1.5 million. The City of Radcliff has pledged $125,000 over five years and Meade County has pledged $75,000 over five years.

KRDA has raised more than half of its goal. The group continues to look for public and private investors, to help raise the remaining $1 million.

Community Leaders Launch Campaign to Grow Fort Knox, Regional Economy

October 13, 2016 By krda

New non-profit private-public alliance to lead $2.5 million effort

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. – Private and public sector leaders from throughout Hardin, Meade, LaRue, Bullitt and Jefferson Counties publically launched a $2.5 million capital campaign to grow Fort Knox and the region’s economy at a special event today in Elizabethtown. Leaders also announced private and public organizations already have committed more than $1.5 million.

The newly established Knox Regional Development Alliance (KRDA) is undertaking the capital campaign to fund an economic development initiative centered on three priorities:

Priority 1: Advocating for new missions and retaining existing missions at Fort Knox
Priority 2: Attracting and retaining defense-related business
Priority 3: Developing more public-public and public-private partnerships

Money raised will be used to fund KRDA’s advocacy, marketing and targeted business attraction activities. The establishment of KRDA is the result of a merger of the CORE Committee, Inc and the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce’s One Knox Council.

The CORE Committee’s executive director retired Maj. Gen. Bill Barron shared why an effort of this scale and a new organization is needed.

“While we’ve long advocated for missions at Fort Knox, it was never on the scale that other successful military communities had,” said Barron. “It’s time we go from a ‘C’ game to an ‘A’ game to set the conditions for growth at Fort Knox and new business growth in the surrounding communities.”

Barron noted KRDA would undertake a focused defense related business attraction effort. “All of that means more jobs and more opportunities for the people of this region,” said Barron.

At the launch event, Barron then introduced the capital campaign co-chairs: Dennis Johnson, President and CEO of Hardin Memorial Health and Ray Springsteen, President and CEO of Fort Knox Federal Credit Union.

Both organizations have pledge $250,000 over five years. Their investment along with 42 other public and private sector investors (full list attached) including the Swope Family of Dealerships, Farmers Capital Bank Corporation, Your Community Bank and The Cecilian Bank have already helped raise more than $1.5 million. Atlanta-based firm, POWER 10 Capital Campaign Operations, is overseeing the fundraising effort.

Springsteen thanked all of the investors and specifically touted the public sector investments from the City of Radcliff and Meade County. Of the numerous municipalities in the region, Radcliff had pledged the most at $125,000 over five years. Of the county governments, Meade County had made the largest investment of $75,000 over five years.

“Protecting and growing Fort Knox and related private sector business growth is everyone’s business,” said Springsteen. “Fort Knox Federal Credit Union is proud to join forces with all of these investors and contribute to this critically important economic development initiative,” Springsteen said.

Campaign Co-Chair Dennis Johnson emphasized the power of collaboration. “Together, public and private leaders can make a big difference for Ft. Knox. We can protect and grow this regional treasure and economic powerhouse,” said Johnson.

Johnson encouraged other private and public sector leaders to contribute to the campaign at the newly launched growknox.org.

Community Leaders Launch Campaign to Strengthen Fort Knox, Regional Economy

October 12, 2016 By krda

New non-profit private-public alliance to lead $2.5 million effort

What:

Private and public sector community leaders from Hardin, Meade, LaRue, Bullitt
and Jefferson Counties will officially launch a $2.5 million campaign to grow Fort Knox and the region’s economy. The newly established Knox Regional Development Alliance (KRDA) is undertaking the capital campaign to fund a three-pronged economic
development initiative centered on three priorities:

Priority 1: Advocating for new missions and retaining existing missions at Fort Knox
Priority 2: Attracting and retaining defense-related business
Priority 3: Developing more public-public and public-private partnerships

Who:

Campaign Co-Chairs:

Dennis Johnson, President and CEO of Hardin Memorial Health
Ray Springsteen, President and CEO of Fort Knox Federal Credit Union
U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie
Retired Maj. Gen. Bill Barron, Executive Director CORE Committee Inc.
Representatives from five counties, 10 municipalities
Dozens of private sector leaders

When:

8:00 a.m., Thursday, October 13, 2016

Where:

Grace Heartland Church
801 Pear Orchard Road, Elizabethtown, KY 42701

Why:

“Protecting and growing Fort Knox and related private sector business growth means more jobs and more opportunities in our region,” said Ray Springsteen, Campaign Co-Chair. “A comprehensive and coordinated effort to protect and promote Fort Knox is
essential.”

Springsteen sited other military communities with like-organizations that have increased their installation’s military value resulting in new military missions, private sector business attraction and overall economic growth.

New economic initiative focuses on Fort Knox / The News-Enterprise

October 12, 2016 By krda

Source: Greg Thompson, The News-Enterprise
Speculation is circling around Congress about the possibility of another round of Base Realignment and Closure in 2019 or 2020 and a community effort to make sure Fort Knox is considered a vital resource is under development.

“The focus is to market Fort Knox and the region,” retired Maj. Gen. Bill Barron said Tuesday. “If there is another round of BRAC, we will have a positive outcome either way.”

He is part of a new initiative called Knox Regional Development Alliance, which gave members of the Radcliff Small Business Alliance a sneak peek of its plans during the organization’s luncheon Tuesday.

According to Barron, KRDA would replace the CORE Committee, founded in 1991, with a membership of 30 elected officials, business leaders and senior U.S. Army veterans.

While the committee that fought to keep the military installation strong will be replaced, its mission is changing in the same way the Army continues to change, Barron said.

“We can’t do business the same today as in the past,” he said.

Barron told business owners the Army is taking a hard look at how installations are being used and what value each has to offer. Through the Knox alliance, the conditions will be set to assure success for Fort Knox and its surrounding region.

Barron described the three-point initiative of alliance’s mission:

* Advocate to retain existing and attract or recruit new Department of Defense missions. “What missions that are taking place elsewhere can be done better at Fort Knox,” Barron said.

* Implement defense-related new business attraction and existing business retention program.

* Develop more public-to-public and public-to-private partnerships. KRDA will explore more opportunities for governmental agencies and the private sector to partner with Fort Knox in a way to benefit all parties.

Barron gave an example how Nolin RECC worked with the installation to make it possible for Fort Knox to generate its own power and move off the grid.

“(We need to) create partnerships with people outside the gate,” he said.

Daniel Hall, the KRDA campaign director, said a leadership team is in place and that team — along with more information about its plans — will be unveiled at 8 a.m. Thursday morning at a campaign kickoff breakfast at Grace Heartland Church in Elizabethtown.

KRDA is in pursuit of a $2.5 million goal to operate over a five-year period. According to Hall, it already has raised more than $1 million, but he would not give a specific amount as he wanted to save that for the kickoff event.

“This represents amazing progress,” he said.

Hall also made note that, to date, Radcliff is offering the largest public sector support for the initiative.

Barry Saylor, program chairman for RSBA, told members he recently spoke with U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie about the initiative. The congressman told him so many Kentuckians do not realize if the 4,100 jobs at Fort Knox were lost, it would be a worse economic tragedy than the combined closings of UPS and Toyota.

Hall agreed with that statement saying, “This community is a little behind the 8-ball right now.”

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New non-profit private-public alliance to lead $2.5 million effort

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