Take a moment to thoughtfully consider what Maury County will be five or ten years from now.
Will business and community leaders continue to collaborate to maximize our unique competitive advantages?
Will we diversify our economy so that we are not dependent on one or two main industries?
Will Maury County remain a place where talented people want to live, work, play, worship, and raise a family?
Will we protect and maintain our history, our sense of community, and be a place where we want our children to raise their children?
Advance Maury is focused on thoughtful, sustainable growth and development while maintaining a desirable quality of life.
In early 2019, MCCEA staff began developing a new economic development plan of work and enlisted Convergent Nonprofit Solutions to test this plan by conducting confidential interviews with area leaders. To date, more than fifty interviews and two focus groups have occurred with area business and municipal leaders and this proposed strategic plan is a reflection of those interviews and the extensive work of regional business leaders. Key MCCEA executive committee members and supporters reviewed the plan and with the appropriate refinements have provided their approval and endorsement of the seven core areas critical for future success. The following are a few takeaways from the feasibility study interviews:
96% believe the Maury County economy and quality of life is good or excellent
94% stated their company would benefit from MCCEA efforts, either directly or indirectly.
98% believe the Advance Maury strategy is necessary or absolutely necessary. Interviewees believe Maury County must remain competitive to ensure a vibrant future.
“Advance Maury is a blueprint for Maury County’s future that balances smart growth while preserving what we treasure about our community.”
MAURY COUNTY MAYOR ANDY OGLES
Executive Summary
Advance Maury is a new, $5.9 million, five-year strategic economic development plan designed to drive strategic economic growth. The broad strategy balances thoughtful, diverse industry growth with a strong focus on maintaining the quality of life and livability Maury County residents currently enjoy. Our vision is to create thoughtful and sustainable growth to make Maury County the best place to live.
The Advance Maury plan is comprised of work that supports the needs of our existing employers and allows us to recruit new and targeted industries. Our focus of new job creation is that of quality, not quantity. Through the plan of work, MCCEA will connect and convene Maury County stakeholders on workforce development and talent pipeline enhancement for current and future needs. The MCCEA will become the Maury County thought leader advocating for quality of life and other community development and economic development issues that help position Maury County for sustainable growth.
Strategic Initiatives & Goals
Workforce development & talent pipeline enhancement
Fulfill skilled workforce needs and develop a strong talent pipeline by ensuring Maury County is highly regarded as a desirable talent destination.
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Business Development & Investment
Develop a thriving and diverse economic base.
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Product Development
Position Maury County as a premier competitive business destination.
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Cultivate Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Develop an entrepreneurial and startup friendly environment
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Become Maury County Quality of Life & Economic Thought Leader
Ensure quality of life, education, transportation, and attainable housing are key parts of the public conversation and economic growth agenda.
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Organizational Development & Retention
Retain talent and ensure best-in-class tools and resources.
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Investor Relations
Increase stakeholder communication and engagement.
Leadership
Campaign Chairmen
Andy Ogles
Mayor, Maury County
Brian Williams
President, First Farmers & Merchants Bank
Chaz Molder
Mayor, City of Columbia
Honorary Campaign Cabinet
Rick Graham
Mayor, City of Spring Hill
Alan Watson
CEO, Maury Regional Health
Bill White
Mayor, City of Mount Pleasant
Ken Knight
Executive Director, General Motors Spring Hill Plant
Dr. Janet Smith
President, Columbia State Community College
Jan McKeel
President, South Central TN Workforce Alliance
“We want to ensure we are growing in a smart, sustainable way to help our residents work where they live.”
SPRING HILL MAYOR RICK GRAHAM
Outcomes
MCCEA in cooperation with its implementing partners, will create a benchmarking system to objectively measure the success of the five-year program. We will base the success not on how much we do (outputs), but rather on the results of that work (outcomes). As Tom Peters once said, “What gets measured, gets done.” MCCEA will be actively tracking the Advance Maury program outputs for Maury County over the next five years. The Advance Maury strategic plan will produce the following minimum economic improvements for Maury County’s economy over the next five years: