business images central texas 2009-10

Hire Education Colleges provide pipeline to in-demand careers

In the Sweet SpotA prime locale draws new business and residents

Horsepower Under the HoodFort’s presence attracts new business recruits

BUSINESS®

See video that tracks the region’s

railroad history

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CENTRAL TEXAS

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SPONSORED BY THE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS | 2009-10



Central TexasReady for Business

Discover development opportunity in the heart of the most business friendly state.Central Texas offers the perfect location for industrial and commercial expansion supportable

by a highly skilled and readily available workforce, lower than average per capita wages, and unmatched access to interstate, rail and air transport.

The region is home to state-of-the-art health care facilities, advanced health education, and cutting edge biomedical and agricultural research.

After business hours, many recreational resources await the working world to soothe mind, body and soul.

CENTRAL TEXAS – where opportunity is as endless

as the big Texas sky!

INTERSTATE, RAIL AND AIR TRANSPORTATIONMilam CountyMilam County is rich in rail opportunity. The Union Pacific and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe are the two rail lines that run through Milam County. This convergence of rail is in the city of Milano.

TOP RE

PREMIUM HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCEBell CountyTemple, Texas is located in Bell County and is home to Scott & White, the largest multi-specialty practice in Texas, in the company of more than 500 physicians who care for patients at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple. With numerous regional clinics throughout Central Texas, Scott & White delivers care to members of the Scott & White Health Plan, one of the highest rated plans in the nation.

QUALITY OF LIFELampasas CountyLampasas County has the city of Lampasas, which is a small town of about 8,000 people nestled in the rolling hills of Central Texas, and surrounded by seven mineral springs; two of which produce more than 3 million gallons of water daily. Sulfur Springs Creek winds through an 18-hole golf course and flows by the Hancock Springs, which feeds a large swimming pool. Sulfur Springs Creek remains 72 degrees year round.

TO DO BUSINESS I

EASONSROPING AND RANCHINGHamilton CountyHamilton County boasts proudly about the Circle T Roping Arena, a four-acre under-roof facility on State Highway 36 about three miles west of Hamilton. The arena hosts world championship roping events most weekends plus roping classes taught by world champions almost daily. Other popular attractions at Circle T are the gourmet Crossfire Café and cantina, Crossfire Saddlery Western Store, RFD TV weekly feature “All Around Performance Horse Show” and a destination resort hotel, the Inn at Circle T.

RECREATION AND RELAXATIONSan Saba CountySan Saba is the Pecan Capital of the World! This is where beautiful pecan orchards are grown. Lots of room to roam for growers, hunters and ranchers.

AFFORDABLE LIVINGMills CountyA beautiful farming and ranching community, making it an excellent choice to make a living and raise a family.

HIGHLY SKILLED WORKFORCECoryell CountyCoryell County is open to the world for opportunity of many types of businesses. Fort Hood and the city of Copperas Cove are partners in business, utilizing Fort Hood’s highly skilled workforce and the Copperas Cove business community. The Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport is located on base and is a significant means of transportation for soldiers and family members.

N CENTRAL TEXAS! DDCT is funded by an EDA grant administered by Central Texas Council of Governments.

REACH NEW HEIGHTS WITH YOUR BUSINESS in Harker Heights, Texas

The City of Harker Heights is a dynamic, actively growing community. Businesses such as Super Wal-Mart, Target,

Barnes and Noble, Cinemark, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Furniture Row and Cracker Barrel, just to name a few,

have done their homework and decided to locate in Harker Heights. Harker Heights offers great opportunities for your business!

Come visit our growing city and we think you will agree it is the place to be. City staff are available

to assist you with information about our city. Please contact (254) 953-5636 or [email protected]

to learn more about Harker Heights and the great opportunities that await you. Our Web site also provides a wealth of

information: www.ci.harker-heights.tx.us.

We look forward to seeing your business in Heights soon!

CITY OF HARKER HEIGHTS 305 MILLERS CROSSING

HARKER HEIGHTS, TX 76548 254 9535600

3rd ranked MSA nationally for job creation

(Source: www.Forbes.com)

5th fastest growing MSA in

the State of Texas

(Source: POLICOM Corp. Study)

Trade area average income

level of over $58,000

Trade area in excess of 295,000

people

www.ci.harker-heights.tx.us

LAMPASAS … Live Well

New Lampasas High School

Historic County Courthouse

Best Choice For:

Rollins Brook Community Hospital

Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden

www.cityoflampasas.com

www.lampasaschamber.org

www.lampasas.k12.tx.us

www.visionlampasas.com

www.mplex.org

www.hamiltontexas.com204 E. Main Hamilton, TX 76531

(254) 386-5954 Fax: (254) 386-3563 E-mail: [email protected]

Hamilton Economic Development Corporation

Destination Recreation: World Champion roping all year at Circle T Arena plus the unique Inn at Circle T resort hotel

Hamilton County Courthouse, the historic focal point of the

downtown square, presides majestically at the intersection of US Hwy. 281 and State Hwy. 36

Central Texas location, first-class Hamilton Municipal Airport,

high tech, 5,000 feet, paved, lighted runway and services

Available nationwide truck transport

Hamilton’s new hospital, recently expanded family practice clinic, new fitness center, medical staff

and available specialists provide excellent professional health care

ARTIST: XIANG YHANG

www.hamiltontexas.com

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BUSINESS®

WorkstyleHorsepower Under the Hood 20Major military presence is a recruiting tool to bring more industry to Central Texas

A Scientifi c Approach 24Health research know-how spawnsa burgeoning bioscience cluster

School’s Always in Session 28The region offers innovative programsto supply a work-ready labor force

Take a Seat 30Institutional furniture makers help crafta solid and diverse base of manufacturers

Table of Contents Continued on page 7

ON THE COVER Regency Suspension Bridge in Mills County spansmore than 340 feet from tower to tower. PHOTO BY BRIAN McCORD

I M A G E S C E N T R A L T E X A S . C O M 5

We just passed a Municipal District for economic development and would like to talk to you about business prospects.

To talk to us about developing your business in Rockdale, call us today at 512-446-2030 or visit our Web site

www.rockdalechamber.com

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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36

52

InsightOverview 11

Business Almanac 12

Business Climate: In the Sweet Spot 16

Transportation 42

Energy/Technology 50

Economic Profi le 55

LivabilityGallery 32

Now This Is the Life 36

Health 46

Hire Education 52


®

BUSINESS

CENTRAL TEXAS2009-10 EDITION, VOLUME 1

MANAGING EDITOR BILL McMEEKIN

COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS

ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SUSAN CHAPPELL, JESSY YANCEY

STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAMELA COYLE, JOE MORRIS

DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON

INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER TRIP MILLER

SALES SUPPORT MANAGER CINDY HALL

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER

PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT MANAGER ANNE WHITLOW

CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS

ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN

PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS

LEAD DESIGNER JESSICA MANNER

GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, ALISON HUNTER, JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER

WEB IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTOR ANDY HARTLEY

WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA

WEB CONTENT MANAGER JOHN HOOD

WEB PROJECT MANAGER YAMEL RUIZ

WEB DESIGN CARL SCHULZ

WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES

COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN

AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN

SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER

SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN

SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER

V.P./SALES HERB HARPER

V.P./SALES TODD POTTER

V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER

V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS

V.P./CUSTOM PUBLISHING KIM NEWSOM

MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO

CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY

ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS

RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY SIMPSON

DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE

IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE

SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY

SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN

OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A

Business Images Central Texas is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Development District of Central Texas and Central Texas Council of Governments. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Development District of Central Texasand Central Texas Council of Governments2180 N. Main St. • Belton, TX 76513Phone: (254) 770-2200 • Fax: (254) 770-2360www.ddoct.org • www.ctcog.org

VISIT BUSINESS IMAGES CENTRAL TEXAS ONLINE AT IMAGESCENTRALTEXAS.COM

©Copyright 2009 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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LifestyleA showcase for what drives Central Texas’ high quality of life

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ONLINECENTRAL TEXAS

L IFEST Y LE | WORKST Y LE | D IGGING DEEPER | V IDEO | L INK TO U S | ADVERT I SE | C ONTAC T U S | S ITE MAP

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NEWS AND NOTES >>

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latest developments in

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and business insiders

SUCCESS

BREEDS SUCCESS >>

Meet the people setting the

pace for Central Texas business

DIG DEEPER >>

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DATA CENTRAL >>

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GUIDE TO SERVICES >>

Links to a cross section

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Central Texas




BUSINESS


railroad history

What’s Online

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CENTRAL TEXAS





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www.liveunited.org

Overview

Central Texas Is in the Middle of the ActionThe seven-county Central Texas region is a vibrant and

dynamic area of nearly 423,000 people that boasts natural beauty and a superior quality of life.

The region’s economic growth is buttressed by a low cost structure, abundant water supply, solid transportation infrastructure, proximity to major markets, excellent education and training assets, and a highly skilled workforce.

Fort Hood, a major military installation, pumps some $11 billion into the Texas economy and $4.4 billion directly into Central Texas. More than 53,000 soldiers are assigned to the post, which also employs 5,100 civilians and 9,200 service contract employees.

Job growth and personal incomes in the region rose faster and higher than in many other parts of the country from 2006 to 2007, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The region has become a hub of bioscience innovation through the presence of research-driven health-care providers, quality higher-education

institutions, cutting-edge research facilities and a corps of highly skilled workers.

The Texas Bioscience Institute offers training in a range of health sciences careers for college and high school students, just one of a host of innovative workforce development programs offered by agencies, school districts and local colleges, often in partnership.

With its stress-free lifestyle, Central Texas is a draw for transplants and retirees. Living choices range from country club to country farm, from larger population centers to charming small towns and rural communities.

Natural assets, such as Stillhouse Hollow Lake, Lake Belton and the Colorado River, provide fishing, boating and hiking options for outdoor recreation, and cultural highlights include a symphony, lively art galleries and a variety of museums that preserve and promote the past.

With its relaxing respite from the hustle, noise and congestion of big cities, but with close proximity to large urban areas and the amenities they provide, Central Texas offers something to suit almost any lifestyle.

Colorado R.

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Lampasas

Cameron

San Saba

Hamilton

Goldthwaite

Belton

Gatesville

Temple

Copperas CoveKilleen

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Central Texas


AlmanacMARSDEN WOULD APPRECIATE ITCopperas Cove in Coryell County bills itself as The City Built for Family Living.

Each fall, the community celebrates its heritage and honors Marsden Ogletree, an early settler of what became Copperas Cove, who came to the region in the late 1870s.

The Ogletree Gap Heritage Festival includes food, arts and crafts, Civil War re-enactments and old-time games including a sack race and washer-pitching. There’s a chuck wagon breakfast on Saturday, cowboy church and a barbecue cook-off as well. The 2009 dates are Oct. 17-18. Go to www.ogletreegap.net for more information on the festival.

HISTORY CHUGS ALONGThe Iron Horse was a major part of the development of Central Texas, and the Railroad & Heritage Museum in Temple pays tribute to that history.

The museum features a number of exhibits and memorabilia chronicling the rise of the railroad, while outside, rolling stock on display includes engines, cabooses and a Pullman car.

The historic terminal building, which houses Temple’s Amtrak station, is available for event rentals. For more on the museum, go to www.rrhm.org.

REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR RINGSSan Saba lays claim as Pecan Capital of the World, but it’s another variety of tree located in the county that has captured the hearts of romantics for hundreds of years.

A 400-year-old oak tree on the edge of town is known as the Matrimonial Altar, the Marriage Oak, the Matrimonial Oak or the Wedding Oak.

As legend has it, long before the Spanish came to the region, American Indian men and women met beneath the tree to unite in wedlock. Later, in horse-and-buggy days, the tree was a popular spot for matrimonially inclined residents of the area to tie the knot.

To learn more, go to www.sansabatexas.com/attractions.htm.

What’s Online eSee video of the Railroad Heritage Museum at imagescentraltexas.com.



THEY’VE BEEN ROPED INTO ITCircle T Arena in Hamilton is 4 acres of fun under one roof.

The facility is home to a number of roping events that draw some 40,000 people to the county each year and hosts RFD-TV’s weekly All Around Performance Horse Show.

The complex, which hosts a variety of entertainment events, includes a 43,000-square-foot main arena, a western store, a cantina, a swimming pool, park and 53 RV parking spaces.

For more on the arena complex, go to www.circletarena.net.

A GARDEN OF SCULPTURED DELIGHTSLarge outdoor art works are signatures at the Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden in Campbell Park in Lampasas.

The works by regional and national artists are part of a public art initiative and restoration of what had been an abandoned site, once home to the Hanna Springs Opera House.

The garden is an initiative of the Lampasas Association for the Arts.

Five new sculptures were installed in spring 2009, selected by an independent jury for display in the garden for one year. The works by three Texas-based artists, one from New Mexico and one from Colorado vary in medium and style.

Go to www.lampasasparkart.org for more.IT’S A VERY SMALL TOWNCameron native John Johnson fell in love with his Milam County hometown at an early age.

When he moved to Austin as a young adult, he found support at a local hobby shop to aid in his unique creation of a miniature replica of downtown Cameron as it appeared in the 1940s.

Using his memory, interviews with Cameron citizens and old photographs, Johnson has crafted Old Town Cameron, a miniature that is an ongoing work, 35 years in the making.

The creation, housed at 104 E. Main St. in Cameron and open to the public, includes replicas of schools, neighborhoods, water towers, bridges and railroads with model steam engines. Go to www.milamcounty.org for more.



What makes Central Texas such a favorable place to do business? What is it about the livability of Central Texas that makes people who move there to work decide to stay for the long term?

Experience the vitality and charm of Central Texas from the comfort of your computer.

Business Images Central Texas shows you Central Texas like you’ve never seen it before, thanks to the work of our award-winning photographers and writers.

Central Texas is just a click away.

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NEW SELECTIONON THE WINE LISTPillar Bluff Vineyards in Lampasas is among the latest entrants to Texas’ burgeoning wine industry.

The winery’s offerings include a selection of premium chardonnays, cabernets and merlots that its operators say can be enjoyed equally at either a casual dinner for four, an intimate dinner for two or a formal event for 200.

A tasting room is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and vineyard tours are available.

Go to www.pillarbluff.com for more information.

A BRIDGE THAT SPANS HISTORYThe Regency Suspension Bridge in southwestern Mills County is one of only two historic suspension bridges still open to vehicular traffic in Texas.

The bridge, built in 1939, spans 340 feet from tower to tower. Both cables are pulled tight for another 134 feet behind each tower, where they are anchored into the ground.

The towers rise approximately 30 feet above the bridge floor. The bridge stands 25 feet above the recorded high water level of the Colorado River at Regency.

PLENTY OF GOOD WISHES AVAILABLEThe Central Texas Astronomical Society operates the Paul and Jane Meyer Observatory at a dark-sky site near Clifton.

Each month, the society hosts an open house at its Turner Research Station that is designed to educate guests about society activities and share members’ passion for astronomy.

Visitors can see the stars come out through portable telescopes and the 24-inch Meyer Observatory telescope. For more, go to www.centexastronomy.org.


In the Sweet SpotCentral Texas businesses love their location – with good reasonStory by Joe Morris • Photography by Brian McCord

transportation

workforce

location

Business Climate


F or Central Texas businesses, the recent months of tough economic times have provided

an opportunity to retool and work on internal development. That’s certainly been the case at Wilsonart International, a Temple-based manufacturer of high-pressure, decorative laminate and major employer in the region.

“We’ve been hard at work even before the downturn in the economy, developing new products and making improvements to the products we already have,” says Alison DeMartino, director of marketing.

Sausage and ham producer Pederson’s Natural Farms in Hamilton has entered into the private-label business and other offshoots, creating new lines of business, says Cody Lane, president.

“Everything we always had is still in place, and that other work has helped us over the slow period,” Lane says. “Now we’re looking at a plant expansion, adding more cooler space so that we can turn the existing cooler site into more production area.”

That would add another 12,000 to 15,000 square feet to Pederson’s 20,000-square-foot plant.

On the municipal side, local economic development organizations tout the region’s long list of positives, including a low cost structure, abundant water supply, solid transportation infrastructure, proximity to major markets, excellent education and training assets, and a highly skilled workforce.

Fort Hood, a major military installation, pumps some $11 billion into the Texas economy. And job growth and personal incomes in the region rose faster and higher than in many other parts of the country from 2006 to 2007, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

“We are very proud of what we’ve got going on now,” says Tony Guidroz director of economic development and

tourism for San Saba County.San Saba recently worked with a

consultant to identify what types of retail it could recruit, a move to tie in to its revitalized downtown. Ingram ReadyMix and San Saba Equine Supply, a new manufacturer of equine-related materials, were drawn to the county.

In Lampasas, a new high school has meant an extension of water and sewer lines into an area being positioned for business and industrial growth.

The municipal airport has 10 new hangars and a 4,200-foot runway.

“We have access to U.S. highways 281, 183 and 190, and so we’re able

to promote our rural lifestyle while also being very close to the major cities,” says Michael Stoldt, executive director of the Lampasas Economic Development Corp. and also the city manager.

A revamped downtown, complete with a new park nearby and a mural project being orchestrated by the citizenry, completes the picture of a community on the move.

“Whatever you’re looking for, we have it here, and we’re very competitive about getting out there and telling people that,” Stoldt says. “If there’s a list of advantages, we say we have all of the above, and more.”

Central Texas-based McLane Co. is a $30 billion company that serves the food industry.


We understand important business issues

Skilled Workforce

Cameron,

Business Expansion Incentives at Work

Temple College Workforce Development

(254) 482-1119

Shipping & Distribution

… and the richness our families add.

New City Park Opened Summer ‘08

Historic Courthouse Square

www.cameronindustrialfoundation.comTexas

Performing Arts Center

www.cameronindustrialfoundation.com

Horsepower Under the Hood

Fort Hood is a major force in the Central Texas economy, a massive Army installation that spans 340

square miles and is already the largest single employer site in the state.

More than 53,000 soldiers are assigned to the post, which also employs 5,100 civilians and 9,200 service-contract employees.

A 2008 study by the Heart of Texas Defense Alliance estimates the base generates nearly $11 billion for the Texas economy each year, $4.4 billion of that in Central Texas.

“The Army post is certainly the economic driver for the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood metropolitan area,” says Bill Parry, Heart of Texas Defense Alliance executive director.

The presence of Fort Hood has spawned a healthy regiment of defense contractors, Parry says.

Science Applications and Westar Aerospace & Defense Group Inc., each with 1,000 employees, are just two of the major contractors with workers at Fort Hood.

General Dynamics Land Systems,

BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and STRICOM are included on the area’s roster of defense-related companies.

In all, the U.S. government annually spends some $250 million with private defense-related companies working on projects at Fort Hood, Parry says.

But the base’s value to the region could be even greater, says John Firth, county judge for Coryell County and a retired Army colonel.

Firth says the way to increase the base’s impact on the economy is to spread the word even more about everything that Fort Hood has to offer.

A survey by the Veterans Inventory Initiative, which includes several economic and workforce development entities in the region, found that 55 to 60 percent of the thousands of soldiers honorably discharged from Fort Hood each year would stay in the area if they had employment opportunities.

“If I was a manufacturer or business that could tap into this kind of quality available workforce, I would really think hard about locating in Central Texas just for that reason,” Firth says.

Major military presence is a recruiting tool for more industry

Story by Kevin Litwin

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What’s Online e Read more about what drives new business and investment in Central Texas at imagescentraltexas.com.



Fort Hood is home to more than 53,000 soldiers and 5,100 civilian employees.


On the ReboundA COMMUNITY GETS BACK ON ITS FEET AFTER A PAINFUL PLANT CLOSING

When Alcoa decided in fall 2008 to idle its 50-year-old aluminum casting plant in Milam County, putting 1,200 people out of work, local officials knew they had to act fast.

The day after the announcement a meeting was held that included county commissioners; members of the cities of Thorndale, Rockdale and Cameron’s governing bodies; all Milam County school districts; representatives from Little River Healthcare System; chambers of commerce from Rockdale and Cameron; and economic development and Workforce Solutions of Central Texas officials.

On the agenda: What to do next?

“It was time to lay to rest the football rivalries of the neighboring towns and work together,” says Denice Doss, president of the Rockdale Chamber of Commerce.

“It was also discussed that not just Milam County, but surrounding counties would also be affected and we needed to work together as a region,” Doss says.

Since that time, involvement and partnership have been the watchword.

Doss credits all the involved parties, which expanded to include the Central Texas, Capitol Area and Brazos Valley councils of governments, governor’s office and other agencies.

Furloughed workers have been offered retraining opportunities, while others have chosen to relocate. But there are successes, and they’re far from isolated incidents.

“We have laid off Alcoans going to school for nursing, radiology and sonography, totally different from their other profession as production workers in a smelter,” says Cindy Jerman, workforce development coordinator for Workforce Solutions.

“We have folks who have started their own business. We have had more than 800 take computer classes and many have found work and or gone back to school with those skills,” Jerman says.

– Joe Morris

Soldiers leaving the base can be easily trained for careers outside of the Army, and military retirees looking for a new career are loyal and tend to be younger – often in their 40s, he says; 20 percent have bachelor’s degrees.

“Central Texas also has excellent traditional and technical colleges in place that can specifically train these departing soldiers for industry,” he says.

The post operates a joint-use airport with the city of Killeen, meaning that the federal government provides funding so that the airport stays in top shape and is technologically advanced.

“This area has an excellent available workforce, a top-notch airport, and a great highway and railway system in place,” Firth says. “The positives for locating a company in Central Texas are almost too many to mention.”

Interstate 35 provides solid north-south access. U.S. Highway 79, U.S.

Highway 84, U.S. Highway 281, U.S. Highway 77 and Texas Highway 195 are also major routes in the region.

Many older military retirees from throughout the country are choosing Central Texas because of the region’s mild weather, the presence of VA health centers and top-notch hospitals, low cost of living and access to all that Fort Hood has to offer.

In 2007, Lampasas County, which lies just west of Fort Hood, was the sixth-fastest growing county in the nation, in large part due to retirees moving there and the construction of new homes, Firth says.

A 2008 AARP study listed the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood MSA as the 14th fastest-growing area in the country for retirees.

“The region certainly wouldn’t be drawing those impressive numbers if it wasn’t for Fort Hood,” Firth says.

FORT HOOD’S ECONOMIC IMPACT$10.9 BILLION ANNUALLY

Military and civilian pay

Military construction projects

Contracts and other expenditures

Federal impact aid

Source: Heart of Texas Defense Alliance

MORE AT IMAGESCENTRALTEXAS.COM

$9.7 billion

$330 million

$730 million $100 million

53,000Soldiers assigned to the base

5,100Civilian employees at Fort Hood

340Size of the base in square miles

$10.9BBase’s economic impact in Texas


Olin E. Teague Veterans Center in Temple is part of the Central Texas health-care infrastructure.

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A Scientific Approach

A combination of research-driven health-care providers, quality higher-education institutions,

cutting-edge research facilities and a strong corps of highly skilled workers puts Central Texas at the center of bioscience innovation.

A key component of the region’s bioscience expertise is Temple-based Scott & White Healthcare, a fully integrated, multispecialty health-care system that includes 500 physicians, a 634-bed hospital, a children’s hospital,

regional clinics, pharmacies, a health insurance plan and institutes in such specialized treatment areas as cancer, heart and vascular health, neuroscience, and women’s health.

Scott & White employs some 7,700 people in the region and its Temple operations include a campus for the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

Scott & White’s research initiatives date almost as far back as the institution’s founding in 1897. From

laboratory work to clinical trials (more than 150 in cancer treatment alone) to clinical staff development, research is a backbone of care and treatment.

The presence of Scott & White, the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System and Texas A&M medical college have helped fuel a burgeoning bioscience sector.

The Temple Health & Bioscience District was created in 2003 by the Texas Legislature to help the community generate additional

Region builds a burgeoning sector off its health research know-how

Story by Joe Morris

Among Central Texas main assets to stimulate advances in biotech-related areas is the Temple Research Campus.

The 503-acre development just east of I-35 includes a 500,000-square-foot building that was once a Texas Instruments plant. The building is already home to the Scott & White Cancer Research

Institute and the Texas Bioscience Institute.Additional research programs are planned

and incubator space is available to prospective clients.

Some 300 of the park’s 500 acres are being set aside as a bioscience campus to accommodate prospective biotechnology clients.

BREEDING BIOTECH REGION OFFERS A HEALTHY ROSTER OF ASSETS


Central Texas

Temple

bioscience opportunities, such as the Texas Bioscience Institute, which provides bioscience-related career skills training for high school and college students.

Acquisition of a 500-acre tract, what became the Health and Bioscience Park at Central Pointe, allowed the district to accommodate a number of bioscience-related assets, says Lee Peterson, Temple Economic Development Corp. president.

The park includes a 500,000-square-

foot facility that houses Scott & White Cancer Research Institute and the Texas Bioscience Institute, among others.

The district is focused on developing a 150,000-square-foot bioscience “accelerator” that would support bioscience start-ups.

Some 200 acres of the park are being developed as “shovel ready” sites for new and relocating biotech companies. “It is truly the springboard or hub that will spawn ancillary business and industry,” Peterson says.

Scott & White Healthcare is a Central Texas biomedical leader. The Texas Bioscience Institute gives students hands-on skills training.

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The 4,000-student Temple College has been immersed in the district’s activities since day one, through its own projects or through workforce training and development for other businesses and organizations. It is one of the partners entities in the Texas Bioscience Institute.

“We are providing a unique educational opportunity for different people within the Central Texas area who might want to go into the biotech arena,” says Dr. Danette Toone, vice

president of academic and community initiatives. “It could be a high school student who comes to the Texas Bioscience Institute for a half-day, then goes back to their main campus, or someone in the community who isn’t sure what they want to do, but can go into a structured educational program that gives them a general education specific to math and the sciences.”

Toone says that carries over into efforts that range from recruiting new business to growing the next

crop of scientists.“The TBI was built so we could

take people who are looking to bring a business into the area through, walk them down the halls that have one-way mirrors into the classrooms. They can see what we’re doing. It also lets us take groups of sixth-graders in so they can get taste of what they can do. Our facility reiterates the partnership that we believe so strongly in, and shows that we really put our actions behind our words.”


School’s Always in SessionRegion offers innovative programs to supply a work-ready labor force

Jessica Wolf, a workforce development specialist at Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, offers career guidance.


Central Texas offers a host of innovative workforce development programs through

agencies, local colleges and school districts, often in partnership.

Workforce Solutions of Central Texas provides programs and services for businesses, industries and workers. Many are geared toward existing industries, but programs tailored for new employers also can be developed.

“The data on available workforce in the Central Texas area that we provide for site-selection meetings is typically a huge selling point to a prospective business, which includes screening, recruitment, interview rooms and office space until their site is available,” says Jerry Haisler, director.

The Workforce Solutions staff is often called upon to get a training program up and running on short notice, says Kimberly Patterson, business services manager.

“We are always very responsive which means we develop data special-ized to that particular business, and have staff available to meet with these businesses to disseminate potential solutions,” she says.

The region gained a Texas A&M University campus in fall 2009 when Tarleton State University-Central Texas became part of the A&M system. The 1,200-student Texas A&M University-Central Texas will eventually be housed on a 672-acre site in Killeen transferred

from Fort Hood to the A&M system.At Central Texas College in

Killeen, professional development and workforce education are given a great deal of time and attention, says Bill Alexander, deputy chancellor.

Because of its proximity to nearby Fort Hood, many of its workforce development programs have been in response to Army or soldier needs. Alexander notes the college’s speed and flexibility in designing curriculum. For example, it developed a Homeland Security & Emergency Management program from scratch in less than a year, a program now offered online.

Several local school districts offer dual-credit and other programs that let students get a jump on collegiate work, as well as post-secondary job skills.

The San Saba Independent School District belongs to the Info-Net consortium, 12 schools that share teachers who are adjunct faculty of CTC. San Saba offers the dual-credit program, and uses the consortium to further enhance its offerings, says

Leigh Ann Glaze, superintendent.“We wanted to provide a conduit

to assist and encourage students to achieve their bachelor’s degrees. We felt that if we could get some college hours for students prior to high school graduation, their likely success in completing college would be greater,” Glaze says.

The Belton Independent School District also offers a dual-credit program and maximizes its partnership with the Texas Bioscience Institute, Texas State Technical College and area technical centers, says Dr. Vivian Baker, superintendent.

These partnerships for college credit and professional apprenticeships are critical for the region, now and in the coming years, Baker says.

“It’s not just learning for learning’s sake, but also teaching the students to be productive citizens and to have a skill or have some preparatory college training,” she says. “It’s a hand-in-glove issue between the ISD and the area’s employers.”

Story by Joe MorrisPhotography by Brian McCord

“It’s not just learning for learning’s sake,

but also teaching the students to be productive

citizens and to have a skill.”


14%

19%

25%

23%

3%

16%

1%

$39,977

CENTRAL TEXAS WORKING AGE DISTRIBUTION

16-18

19-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

Source: Temple Economic Development Corp. 2007 Regional Labor Survey

20%

31%

14%

18%

11%

77

3%3%

CENTRAL TEXAS EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT (2007)

Master’s Degree

High School/GED

Some College

Associate Degree

Bachelor’s Degree

Doctoral Degree

Some High School or Less

Source: Temple Economic Development Corp. 2007 Regional Labor Survey

STATS


Take a SeatInstitutional furniture makers set the table for diverse manufacturing sector


C lassroom furniture has come a long way since stiff plastic chairs attached to desks with book boxes that battered many a

knee. Comfort, color and choice define the industry today, and a cluster of manufacturers in Central Texas is helping set the tone.

“It is not what any of us sat in,” says Stephen Sykes, vice president of sales and dealer product development at Artco-Bell in Temple, which has been in business since 1962.

The Temple base of WilsonArt, the laminate giant, likely helps draw furniture makers to the region. Other players include Royal Seating Ltd. in Cameron, another big school vendor; Indeco Sales in Belton, which makes library, lab and classroom furniture; and Panel Specialists Inc., in Temple, which targets furniture for dorms, hospitals and ships.

The Belton Economic Development Corp. has targeted the sector in hopes of attracting similar businesses. “Nationally, institutional furniture is on the decline, but here it is growing,” says Cynthia Hernandez, the agency’s associate executive director.

The institutional furniture cluster joins some unique manufacturing companies in the seven-county Central Texas region.

IntegriCo Composites in Temple makes railroad ties from recycled plastic. Harvest Technologies, a father-son operation in Belton, has grown to 20 employees since its start in 1995. The company turns out prototypes for consumer products, electronics, oil and gas, power tools, toys, automotive, medical and aerospace industries.

Its computers and fabricating machines build a part layer by layer, says President David K. Leigh, who helped develop the technology when he was a student at the University of Texas.

Clients include Hasbro, General Motors, Ford, Bell Helicopter, Motorola, Xerox and Boeing. Harvest also performs small production runs, including parts that will be on Boeing’s new 787 jets, Leigh says.

“We make stuff for everything,” he says.A division of Sagus International, Artco-Bell

turns out 10,000 classroom desks and chairs a day when at full capacity, Sykes says. Employment swells from 325 to more than 600 in the summer, peak delivery time for the education market.

The newest line, Discover, offers a four-legged chair in five frame colors, 14 soft plastic seat colors and 11 fabric options. The company was the first in the industry to offer an A-plus chair for larger students; some schools now order only the large option.

An ergonomics specialist is on call and the goal is to enhance student comfort and the learning experience, Sykes says.

“It is just not making furniture anymore, holding a child’s backside 18 inches off the ground,” he says.

In Cameron, Royal Seating Ltd., an operating division of Royal Cameron Corp., also specializes in K-12 furniture, though, like Artco-Bell, it is expanding into the university market as well. Royal Seating also manufactures the Texwood line, which is geared to libraries.

Another Royal Cameron division, Infinite Furniture Solutions, recently introduced UScapes for colleges. It also sells the Spotlight Seating brand for auditoriums through its authorized dealers. In Cameron, Royal employs 200, more in the summer.

The industry has made strides in product development, design options and offering furniture at different price points, CEO Jeff Whittle says.

Royal’s newest line of classroom furniture, pLe has 20 seat colors, 20 laminate options and four frame options. pLe’ stands for “Positive Learning Environments.”

“It used to be a stack chair was a stack chair was a stack chair,” Whittle says.

Story by Pamela Coyle

Central Texas

BeltonTemple

Cameron

On the JobAverage hourly wagesfor select manufacturing occupations in theTemple-Killeen MSA

• Assemblers and Fabricators $10.09

• Drafters, Engineering, and Mapping Specialists $21.78

• Fabricators – Structural Metal $14.30

• Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $11.14

• Machinists $13.41

• Mechanics – Truck and Diesel Engine $14.60

• Mechanics – Heavy Equipment $15.77

• Molding and Casting Machine Setters $10.27

• Sheet Metal Workers $13.92

• Tool and Die Makers $18.64

• Welders $13.57

Source: Texas Workforce Solutions, May 2008


The Colorado River at sunset in Regency in Mills County Photos by Brian McCord


Gallery

Artist Michael Scovel’s Pool of Tears in Temple honors veterans.


City of BeltonBelton Area

Chamber of CommerceBelton Economic

Development Corporation

www.beltonchamber.com www.ci.belton.tx.us www.beltonedc.org

www.beltonchamber.com

www.ci.belton.tx.us

www.beltonedc.org

TEXAS

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

Belton Independent School District

www.bisd.net www.umhb.edu

Belton is in the heart of beautiful Central Texas and the center of the state’s dynamic high-tech corridor. Strategically located on IH-35,

Belton is in the midst of natural wonders, shopping, entertainment and history. The excellent educational facilities cultivate great talent resulting in a strong

workforce and growing businesses. Tour the historic downtown district, drop your line in the deep blue waters of Belton or Stillhouse Hollow Lakes,

or pitch your tent at any of the natural parks in the area.

www.bisd.net

www.umhb.edu

Relaxed pace, range of living options are a draw for Central Texas communities

C entral Texas offers a laid-back lifestyle that is attracting transplants and retirees.

Living choices range from country club to country farm, from larger population centers to charming small towns and rural communities.

The seven-county region boasts a bounty of recreation options, such as Stillhouse Hollow Lake and Belton Lake. It can provide culture in the form of the Temple Symphony Orchestra, lively art galleries and a variety of museums that preserve and promote the past.

And it can offer a safe and relaxing respite from the hustle, noise and congestion of big cities, but with close proximity to large urban areas and the amenities they provide.

Gatesville, for example, offers housing options that range from

modestly priced homes and apartments to sprawling country estates. Though the Coryell County community of 16,000 is growing, it still maintains a small-town feel.

Maryann Severn lived for many years in the Dallas Metroplex, and doesn’t miss one particular aspect of the experience.

“It was a wonderful surprise realizing how much more fulfilling life can be if you’re not sitting in snarled traffic every day,” she says.

Severn originally hails from Lampasas, so she and her husband, Mike, decided to move back in 2007 to the Central Texas city of 8,000 residents to enjoy their retirement.

“I’m from this community, but Mike is not, but we both made the decision to move here because Mike wanted fresher

Now This Is the Life

Story by Kevin LitwinPhotography by Brian McCord

Story by Kevin Litwin • Photography by Brian McCord

The historic Milam County Courthouse in Cameron


Livability

What’s Online eSee video of how history is preserved at the Bell County Museum in Belton at imagescentraltexas.com.



Watered UpLAKES AND RIVERS KEEP OUTDOOR FUN FLOWING

Water is in abundant supply in Central Texas and provides opportunities for a range of outdoor

recreation, from fishing and boating to hiking, hunting, camping and nature watching.

Several rivers run through the region, including the Lampasas, which originates near Hamilton and travels southeast 75 miles to the man-made Stillhouse Hollow Lake reservoir before converging with the Leon River to form the Little River near Belton.

The Lampasas offers a number of fishing opportunities along its course, and several species, including bass, perch and sunfish, are among the catch.

With 58 miles of shoreline, Stillhouse Hollow Lake in Bell County boasts some of the best fishing, camping and boating in Texas. The lake, an Army Corps of Engineers project, was started in 1962 and completed in 1968 at a cost of $24.5 million.

The lake offers a host of recreation options, including

a marina and six boat-launch sites, fishing docks and designated public hunting areas.

The Dana Peak Trail near the main entrance to the lake is designed for hiking, biking or horseback riding and includes a corral and water trough for horses.

Belton Lake, on the Leon River in Bell and Coryell counties, is another Army Corps of Engineers project, completed in 1954. The lake is a popular fishing spot, especially for bass anglers. The lake includes three marinas and numerous boat ramp locations. Several parks adjoin the lake and offer opportunities for picnicking, swimming and camping. Designated public hunting areas are also available.

The scenic Miller Springs Nature Area is located just below the Belton Lake dam on 266 acres of Army Corps property. The Miller Springs Nature Center features an extensive trail system for self-guided nature hikes through the conservation-management area.

With 58 acres of shoreline, Stillhouse Hollow Lake offers an abundance of ways to enjoy the water.

air and a simpler way of life,” Severn says. “In addition, we co-parent our 6-year-old granddaughter, Faith, and wanted her in a more normal, peaceful environment. Today, Faith is thriving in school.”

Severn says she occasionally misses the big-city attractions of a Dallas or Fort Worth, but the Metroplex is about a three-hour drive and Austin is less than 90 minutes away.

“In Lampasas, I can run all of my errands in about 15 minutes. In Dallas, sometimes I would sit in the exact same spot on the freeway for 15 minutes,” she says.

Located an hour from Austin and three hours from Houston and Dallas, Copperas Cove is a community of 30,000 that offers high-quality schools,

charming rural neighborhoods and a bounty of recreation options, including 25 bicycle and running routes of between 10 and 100 miles.

David Lengefeld, owner of Lengefeld Insurance Agency in Hamilton, actually grew up in the community, enrolled at Baylor University and ultimately enlisted in the military. He and his wife, Saundra, lived the big-city life for several years, but have returned to the

2,700-resident community of Hamilton once-and-for-all.

“Saundra and I both prefer the slower lifestyle, with smaller schools, friendlier people and a good church community,” Lengefeld says. “Saundra was actually raised in Goldthwaite (population 1,700) in Mills County, so returning to a small community such as Hamilton was the easiest – and best – decision that we could have made.”

“Returning to a small community such as Hamilton was the easiest – and best – decision that we could have made.”


Friendly

Family

Living

Copperas Cove

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

W elcome to Copperas Cove, “The City Built for Family Living”. Our friendly

community, nestled between five hills in Central Texas, is a wonderful place to call home!

Neighbor to Fort Hood on the West, and centrally located in the heart of Texas on Highway 190 between IH-35 and scenic US-281, Copperas Cove is a great place to start a new business or relocate an existing one. Just off the high-tech corridor between Dallas and Austin, it is rapidly becoming the preferred location for back office, light industry and retail operations. Its one-hour proximity to Austin makes Copperas Cove an ideal location for expanding high-tech companies and their suppliers.

The Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce works to create and preserve a healthy business climate in the city, while the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation provides assistance to companies expanding or relocating to Copperas Cove.

Our most valuable asset is the availability of a well-educated, highly skilled workforce with a strong work ethic. Over 400 highly disciplined personnel exit from Fort Hood each month and enter the workforce. Additionally, there is an abundance of military dependents and spouses, ready and willing to work.

With one of the lowest crime rates in all of Central Texas and a school district recognized by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for excellence in education, Copperas Cove is an ideal place to live and to learn. Copperas Cove’s schools have a reputation for a strong curriculum enriched by the creative instruction of talented and skilled teachers, preparing students for successful futures in the workplace and in higher education. Central Texas College and Texas A&M-Central Texas University are both located

just outside of Copperas Cove on Highway 190. Texas A&M-Central Texas offers over 50 bachelors and graduate degrees to those entering with 30 or more transferable hours.

Within 30 miles of Copperas Cove are three quality hospitals offering, state-of-the-art medical care – Metroplex Hospital, between Copperas Cove and Killeen; Scott & White Memorial in Temple; and Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, with a $621 million expansion slated for construction in 2010.

Copperas Cove boasts an 18-hole golf course and clubhouse, seven parks – two with public swimming pools and a modern public library. We also have a wide variety of activities for youth, adults and seniors.

Copperas Cove has long been recognized and promoted as the Bike/Run capital of Central Texas. The Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau hosts several bike runs and festivals each year, drawing locals and visitors from across the state. In the spring, Copperas Cove residents and visitors enjoy Rabbit Fest. In the fall, Copperas Cove celebrates its pioneer past with the Annual Ogletree Gap Heritage Festival. A holiday bazaar, Krist Kindl Markt, finishes up the year in style.

For more information about Copperas Cove, visit us at http://www.gowest2cove.com.

Central Texas has the infrastructure that can move the goods

M ajor highways, good rail access, regional airports and well-connected industrial

parks are attracting major companies that need reliable distribution networks to Central Texas.

“It is one of the things our local communities try to sell,” says Tim Brown, a Bell County commissioner. “We are in a high-growth area, with a small-town feel, but centrally located to Austin.”

Big players are buying. Performance Food Group and Walmart already have a strong distribution presence. Temple will be the site for a new multimillion dollar Gulf States Toyota and Scion facility that will be a centralized receiving, accessorizing and distribution hub for both brands

in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi.

H.E. Butt Grocery Co. is building a 400,000-square-foot distribution center on 160 acres in Temple adjacent to the Temple Rail Park at Central Pointe. The San Antonio-based company operates 300 grocery stores in Texas and Mexico.

The Toyota/Scion project will be in the rail park, and will have direct service from the Burlington Northern Sante Fe main rail yard.

The Temple Rail Park is one of four shovel-ready industrial parks at Central Pointe. Airport Park, Health and Bioscience Park, and Enterprise Business Park complete the mix.

It was rail development that put this region of Texas on the map in the

Via Road, Rail and Air


Access to major freight rail lines is a key transportation advantage in Central Texas.BR

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1870s, and it plays a key role in the area’s continued growth.

For the Toyota/Scion project, for example, a spur will connect the site to the main Burlington Northern line.

“It is a precursor to the bigger picture,” says Mary Poche, marketing director for the Temple Economic Development Corp. “Everything we do is to complete the rail park. Everything is strategically planned.”

Northland Products Co. in late 2008 picked Temple Rail Park for a state-of-the-art manufacturing and distribution center for its engine coolants and lubricating oils. The company, based in Waterloo, Iowa, serves equipment and industrial manufacturers as well as trucking and heavy-equipment fleets.

When they pass through major metro areas, main rail lines can get congested and aren’t as efficient as they could be, says Brown. Central Texas is one place where active talks about re-routing rail lines around population centers are taking place, he says.

Interstate 35 provides solid north-south access. U.S. Highways 77, 79, 84, 190 and 281, and Texas Highway 195 are also major routes in the region.

“I-35 changed the entire character of

Central Texas for last 40 years, and it is still a driving force in economic development today,” Brown says.

In Belton, companies take advantage of I-35 and U.S. 190, the east-west artery, and proximity to Temple and Killeen, says Cynthia Hernandez, associate executive director of the Belton Economic Development Corp.

“What we’ve learned,” she says, “is when we show our strength as a region, good things happen.”

“What we’ve learned is when we show our strength as a region, good things happen.”


Central Texas benefits from a strong transportation infrastructure that includes a flock of airports that

serve the region’s commercial passenger, private aviation and freight needs.

Fort Hood, near Killeen, brings with it the added presence of a joint military-civilian, full-service air facility. Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport is served by American Airlines, Continental and Delta and offers several daily flights to hub airports in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Atlanta. The airport, with a 10,000-foot runway, also offers general aviation services.

The joint military and civilian Gray Airfield outside Copperas Cove includes a 70,000-square-foot terminal and a 10,000-foot runway capable of landing a 747. The airport’s estimated annual impact includes 824 jobs and $48 million in increased gross product.

In Temple, Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional

Airport is a modern, award-winning facility operated by the city. The airport is staffed seven days a week and offers a range of services, including hangars and tie-downs, maintenance, repairs, avionics and flight training. Amenities include conference rooms, a pilot’s lounge, flight planning services and Internet access.

The city-run Lampasas Municipal Airport includes a 4,200-foot runway and provides a number of general aviation services.

The city-owned Hamilton Municipal Airport plays a key role in that community’s economic development initiatives. The airport handles some 800 general aviation visitors each year and generates an economic impact of nearly $350,000.

The airport, with a 5,000-foot runway, sees regular activity as a base for aerial inspections, corporate flights and recreational aviation.

Clear for TakeoffCENTRAL TEXAS IS WELL SERVED BY QUALITY AIRPORT FACILITIES

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High-quality rural hospitals buttress the region’s health offerings

T he presence of major research hospitals, such as Scott & White in Temple, ensures that Central Texas has access to cutting-

edge medical treatment and technology. In addition, high-quality hospitals in the

region’s rural communities strengthen the health care matrix and allow residents to receive most of the basic care they need without having to travel far from home.

Rollins Brook Community Hospital in Lampasas is a 25-bed, critical-access hospital that has been serving the area’s medical needs since 1934. It is owned by Metroplex Adventist Hospital in Killeen.

Rollins Brook’s staff includes five family practitioners, two general surgeons, an ophthalmologist, a podiatrist and several board-certified or board-eligible emergency medicine physicians. Its emergency department is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, says Jeffrey Villanueva, hospital administrator.

The hospital offers radiology services, including X-ray, mammography, ultrasound and DXA scan (bone density testing for

diagnosis of osteoporosis), as well as CT scan and mobile MRI capabilities. Other services include a full-scope rehabilitation department, a sleep-disorder clinic and a full-service laboratory.

“We offer pretty comprehensive health-care services for being a rural, critical-access hospital,” Villanueva says. “Really, our message to this community is that they can get most of their basic health-care needs serviced right here at home.”

In Hamilton, the nonprofit, community-owned Hamilton General Hospital provides personalized, compassionate care to residents in its service area. The 34-bed medical/surgical facility is part of the Hamilton Healthcare System, which also includes two clinics, a special-care clinic and a wellness center.

At the hospital, patients have access to CT scanning and bone density testing, as well as a 24-hour emergency room that is designated a Level IV trauma facility.

Hamilton General has successfully recruited doctors to the area from elsewhere, but also

Care That’s Close to Home

Story by Carol Cowan

Hospitals in Central Texas rural communities offer services that let patients get care close to home.

What’s Online

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Learn more about Central Texas’ leadership in health-care innovation at imagescentraltexas.com.


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CENTRAL TEXAS HOSPITALS

Hospital Location Web address

Cedar Crest Hospital and Residential Treatment Center Belton www.cedarcresthospital.com

Central Texas Hospital Cameron www.centexhospital.com

Children’s Hospital at Scott & White Temple www.sw.org

Coryell Memorial Hospital Gatesville www.cmhos.org

Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Fort Hood www.crdamc.amedd.army.mil/default.asp

Hamilton General Hospital Hamilton www.hamiltonhospital.org

Metroplex Health System Killeen www.mplex.org

Olin E Teague Veterans’ Center Temple www.centraltexas.va.gov

Richards Memorial Hospital Rockdale www.lrhealthcare.com/rmh.htm

Rollins Brook Community Hospital Lampasas www.mplex.org

Scott & White Healthcare Temple www.sw.org


boasts some homegrown medical talent, such as family practitioner Dr. Robbye Lengefeld and chief of staff, Dr. James R. “Randy” Lee.

A cardiac rehabilitation program is offerred at the Hamilton Wellness Center, as are classes in wellness, diabetes management and CPR.

Community-owned Coryell Memorial Healthcare System in Gatesville includes a 25-bed hospital, 5,000-square-foot emergency room and a range of services from cardiology to diagnostic imaging to respiratory care.

The Little River Healthcare System operates Richards Memorial Hospital in Rockdale, in addition to three area clinics that serve patients throughout Milam County.

Richards Memorial in Rockdale is designated a Level IV trauma critical-access hospital. Its team of more than 30 physicians provides care across a wide range of specialties and has a number of diagnostic capabilities including X-ray, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound and sleep studies. Hamilton General Hospital’s services include a wellness center and cardiac rehab.



Renewables help spark surge in new transmission capacity

A ll the wind power in the world, or at least in Texas, the largest U.S. generator of it, won’t help

meet energy needs if it can’t get where it needs to go.

That’s why Texas has ordered up 2,300 miles of new transmission lines, largely to move the mass of wind power in the western, rural part of the state to population centers that use it.

The project – also dubbed the Renewable Energy Superhighway – coincides with increases in renewable energy goals that Texas set and typically meets well ahead of schedule.

In Central Texas, Oncor will build 90 miles of double-circuit transmission lines that will connect the future Newton Switching Station in Lampasas County to the existing Killeen Switching Station south of Killeen in Bell County.

The company invited property owners within 500 feet of any proposed route to a series of informational meetings held in summer 2009 in

Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Lampasas, Goldthwaite and Brownwood, says Oncor spokeswoman Catherine Cuellar.

“We want to have communication with the citizens,” Cuellar says. “We welcome public comments at this stage because nobody knows the bare land better than they do. They know about family cemeteries, archeological sites and private airstrips that we don’t.”

Oncor is a power transmission and delivery company; it does not generate energy. The 90 miles of new lines represent a small part of its expansion under the statewide initiative. In all, the company will erect 850 miles of line at a cost of $1.34 billion.

Driving by the vast wind farms in West Texas shows the need. Some turbines are idle because the transmission capacity to carry the power to population centers is lacking.

Terry Hadley, Texas Public Utility Commission spokesman, says existing lines are inadequate and those in place

get congested at peak transmission times. “There are times when all the wind-powered electricity cannot be delivered to market,” he says.

The Texas Legislature in 2005 directed the PUC to establish Competitive Rural Energy Zones to coordinate development of wind generation in West Texas with new transmission capacity.

Oncor alone will erect 3,800 towers along its 850 miles. Along with boosting economic development statewide, the project will mean big business for contractors.

Falcon Steel, based in Hamilton, is building the towers. Nucor is providing 54,000 tons of steel for the company, made from recycled cars and scrap metal at its plant in Jewett.

“The whole state gets something out of it,” Cuellar says. “We get clean air and domestically generated energy, which is good for national security. Both are critical to maintain the level of business growth in Texas.”

It’s in the Wind



9,977199,531

147,279

3,601

9,0062,962

885

1,309 40,955

TEXAS POWER GENERATION ENERGY SOURCES (2007)(IN THOUSANDS OF MEGAWATT HOURS)

Coal

Natural Gas

Petroleum

Other Gases

Nuclear

Wind

Other Renewables

Other

Total: 405,492

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

2004

2005

2006

2007

0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000

Texas Power Generation From Renewable Energyin thousands of megawatt hours

STATS


Energy/Technology


University of Mary Hardin-Baylor provides a pipeline to in-demand fields

T he University of Mary Hardin-Baylor has a top-notch nursing program in place, just what the doctor ordered.

“Health care is a major industry in Central Texas, and we have one of the best and well-known nursing programs in the entire state,” says Carol Woodward, UMHB spokesperson.

In Central Texas, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor graduates go to work for the dozens of health-care facilities in the region, such as Temple’s Scott & White, one of the largest multispecialty health-care systems in the nation.

UMHB, which was chartered by the Republic of Texas in 1845, is one of the most affordable private universities in the Southwest. The Baptist-affiliated university’s more than 2,700 students can choose from 66 undergraduate degree programs, as well as 18 graduate degree curriculums.

Professors and faculty focus on preparing students for successful lives after college, specifically in careers that will be in demand for years to come.

“The main programs we offer are very important to the business community,” Woodward says. “For example, in high demand these days are graduates from our College of Business, especially those who go on to earn their master’s degree in business administration.”

Besides MBAs, the university also has graduate programs in nursing, counseling and psychology.

The university also offers several master’s degrees in education as well as a doctoral degree in education administration.

A thriving school at UMHB is the College of Education, which provides graduates to fill teaching positions at schools throughout the

Hire Education

Story by Kevin Litwin • Photography by Brian McCord

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is a prime link in providing the region’s employers a quality workforce.

By the Numbers

UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR

2,700Full-time enrollment

14:1Student-faculty ratio

265Size of campus in acres

14Number of nations represented bystudent body


Education

region, Woodward says.“Central Texas has a lot of

Independent School Districts, so quite a few UMHB grads are becoming educators to make a difference in their respective communities,” Woodward says.

Many people who relocate to the community mention that they appreciate all the opportunities that the university provides for children and their parents, she says.

“You don’t usually think of kids’ activities at a university, but UMHB offers summer camps, an art camp, soccer camp and summertime swimming lessons,” she says. “We also have a Conservatory of Music on campus that has grown from 40 children enrolled 10 years ago to 500 kids who are now involved in the year-long program.”

At the conservatory, children can participate in everything from private piano or violin lessons to full-scale musical productions.

“UMHB also hosts many cultural events, including operas, plays, art exhibits, film studies and concerts,” Woodward says. “We are a friendly university that is an important part of the communities we serve. Our slogan is ‘Education for Life, Experience of a Lifetime.’”

Central Texas

Belton

With an enrollment of 2,700, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor offers nearly 50 majors and pre-professional programs.


ECONOMIC PROFILE

What’s Online e For more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information on Central Texas, go to imagescentraltexas.com and click on Economic Profi le.

visit ouradvertisersBelton Economic Development www.dcbelton.org

Central Texas Council of Governments www.ddoct.org

City of Cameron www.cameronindustrialfoundation.com

City of Gatesville www.ci.gatesville.tx.us

City of Lampasas www.cityoflampasas.com

City of Rockdale www.rockdalechamber.com

Copperas Cove Joint Image Campaign www.ci.copperas-cove.tx.us

Extraco Banks www.extracobanks.com

Hamilton Economic Development www.hamiltontexas.com

Harker Heights www.ci.harker-heights.tx.us

Temple Economic Development Corporation www.choosetemple.com

Workforce Solutions of Central Texas www.workforcelink.com

Living green is making sure the air in your home is healthy for your family to breathe. Test your home for radon and build radon-resistant.

It's easy. That's living healthy and green.

Just call 866-730-green or visit www.epa.gov/radon

LIVING GREENSTARTS FROM THE GROUND UP.

BUSINESS SNAPSHOTCentral Texas offers a long list of positive business attributes, including a low cost structure, abundant water supply, solid transportation infrastructure, proximity to major markets and a highly skilled workforce. The region boasts a burgeoning biotech and health research cluster, and Fort Hood, a major military installation that pumps some $10.9 billion into the economy.

POPULATION (2008)

Region, 422,798

Bell County, 285,084

Coryell County, 72,654

Hamilton County, 8,092

Lampasas County, 21,197

Milam County, 24,892

Mills County, 4,998

San Saba County, 5,881

Texas, 24,326,974

MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS

Killeen, 91,852

Temple, 57,398

Copperas Cove, 30,001

Harker Heights, 17,872

Gatesville, 15,587

Belton, 15,078

MAJOR EMPLOYERS

Fort Hood (military and civilian) 55,000

Scott & White, 7,700

Killeen Independent School District, 6,000

Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, 2,269

Wilsonart International, 2,132

McLane Group, 1,532

Central Texas College, 1,360

Temple Independent School District, 1,301

Metroplex Health System, 1,300

KEY INDUSTRY SECTORS

Trade & Transportation, 15%

Education, 12%

Health, 12%

Government, 11%

Other Services, 9%

Professional Services, 6%

Construction, 5%

Manufacturing, 4%

Military/Defense, 4%

All Other Categories, 22%

LABOR FORCE STATISTICS

Total civilian employment

Region, 172,491

Killeen-Temple MSA nonagricultural employment

2005, 116,700

2006, 118,600

2007, 121,400

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (2007)

Region, $40,628

Bell County, $47,434

Coryell County, $44,697

Hamilton County, $37,194

Lampasas County, 45,107

Milam County, 39,427

Mills County, $35,725

San Saba County, $34,908

Texas, $32,172

HOUSING MARKET

Temple mean home price (2007) $134,808



www.epa.gov/radon

Improving the health and quality of life for Gatesville and

Coryell County residents

Residential Care including independent

living, assisted living, nursing home,

Alzheimer’s care and short-term rehab

Small-town hospitality, big-city services including MRI, excellent rehab, specialty clinic and more

Coryell Memorial Hospital: community built, owned

and supported hospital staffed with compassionate

professionals and dedicated volunteers

Emergency Services EMS and updated emergency department

www.cmhos.org

Patriotism, school spirit and family traditions

Splash Park in Raby Park

Spurs: largest collection in Texas

at Coryell Museum

Rural Lifestyle balanced with economic opportunity and amenities not often found in a town this size

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www.ci.gatesville.tx.us

Activity Complex: rodeo, ballparks and fairs

The Cotton Belt Depot, home to the

Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center

Calendar of Events:January .......... Coryell County Youth FairFebruary ..................... Taste of GatesvilleApril ........................... Progressive DinnerJune ............ Shivaree and Fire Ant 100K Summer in the Park ConcertJuly .......... Parade and Fireworks, Rodeo Summer in the Park ConcertAugust ....... Summer in the Park ConcertSeptember ..... Spurfest Golf TournamentOctober ............ Business Showcase and Halloween Boozar

December ................... Christmas Parade and Holiday Tour

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www.gatesvilletx.info

www.extracobanks.com

Call the Coryell County Judge for info (254) 865-5911

CEOs nationwide have rated Texas the number one state for business and job growth with a diversified economy,

logistics hubs and wide-ranging business incentives.

The cost of living in Texas is almost 10% below the national

average. Residents love the fact that there’s no personal income tax.

welcomes manufacturing and distribution businesses to the Fort Hood area ...

Infrastructure strategically located with access to:

• Interstate and US/state highways • Major regional airport with

expansion planned • East/West and North/South rail hubs • Seaports via road and rail • Large capacity electrical and water support • Quality medical facilities, shopping and activities • Inexpensive place to live and operate a business

Highly educated skilled and available workforce:

• Thousands of Army veterans and militaryspouses available each year as employees

• Local school districts, colleges and technicalschool collaboration that providescustomized training for local businesses

In addition to Texas being a business friendly state with no state tax on goods in transit, on machinery and equipment used in manufacturing and on property used for pollution control, please challenge Fort Hood area local governments to consider:

• Tax abatements, infrastructure, sales tax rebates, economic development cash grants, land cost assistance, fee waivers, site search assistance and fast tract permitting • Coordination with the federal and state governments and schools to arrange training, infrastructure enhancements, and Texas Enterprise Fund consideration

Photo by: Fred Daschofsky

Ad Index34-35 Belton economicDevelopment

c1A centrAltexAscouncil ofGovernments

18-19 cityofcAmeron

56 cityofGAtesville

2-3 cityoflAmpAsAs

6 cityofrockDAle

40-41 copperAscoveJoint imAGecAmpAiGn

8 extrAcoBAnks

4 HAmilton economicDevelopment

1 HArkerHeiGHts

9 templeeconomic Development corporAtion

c4 Workforcesolutions ofcentrAltexAs

www.workforcelink.com

business images central texas 2009-10

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