Tag Archive for: #granvilleeconomicdevelopment

Harry Mills Announces Retirement As Granville’s Economic Development Director

/by

Information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

Harry Mills, Granville County’s Economic Development director, has announced his retirement. Mills has held the position since 2014.

“In his nine years at the helm of the Economic Development office, Granville County experienced unprecedented growth in commercial and residential development and retained many key employers while other rural counties simultaneously saw industries flee to major metropolitan markets,” according to information from Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood.

“Harry Mills has truly left his mark on Granville County as a citizen and a valued county employee,” said Granville  County Board of Commissioners Chair Russ May. “His dedication to improving the lives of our citizens through  his dedicated leadership of our Economic Development Office have been instrumental to the economic success  of Granville County and all our municipalities over the last nine years. He will be missed, and we wish him happy  and healthy retirement!”

“I loved my time working for Granville County but am also so excited for what retirement has to bring for my family,” Mills said. “Working with and for this community has been the highlight of my life and I’m thankful to all those who helped me succeed during my time as Economic Development Director and as a social worker. Please know that Granville County is positioned for continued success, and I can’t wait to see what happens next as I ‘Grow with Granville’ as a regular citizen watching from the sidelines.”

Mills spearheaded many major projects during his tenure, attracting new industries or facilitating federal and state grants for employers like Meel Corp, Certainteed, Bandag, Ontic, Altec, Plantd, Auction Direct USA, Strong Arm Bakery, among others. Mills formed relationships with local, regional and national partners to promote Granville County to employers and improve workforce development programs with Vance-Granville Community College and Granville County Public Schools. Mills has represented Granville County on local and statewide boards and committees like the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the Regional Foreign Trade Board, Tourism Development Authority, and the Economic Development Advisory Board.

A native of Granville County, Mills graduated from J.F. Webb High School in 1978. He attended Mount Olive Junior College and Warren Wilson College before joining the United States Marine Corps, where he served for four years.

Auction Direct USA Driving Into Granville County

/by

-information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

Auction Direct USA announced plans to expand its regional operations to Granville County, which is expected to bring more than 170 new jobs for the new vehicle refurbishment and wholesale facility.

State and local officials welcomed the company executives during an event in Oxford on Tuesday. Auction Direct USA will occupy a portion of the former Santa Fe Tobacco production center located on Knotts Grove Road. The company’s project in Granville County will establish a high-volume location to recondition vehicles and prepare them for wholesale.

“We see our company becoming a part of the Granville County community,” said Auction Direct USA CEO Tim Frank. “Auction Direct has become the company it is today by investing in our employees and preparing them for success with our company and for the future. We know that the culture we build is the most important part of our business model and the monetary success we have as is just a byproduct of creating a place that our employees want to be a part of.”

“Granville County works every day to build a culture of success for our citizens” said Harry Mills, Granville County Economic Development director. “Announcements like this show that Granville is ready to lead the way for our region as we attract new growth, that includes more jobs and opportunities for our citizens. Auction Direct USA has proven that they are committed to ‘Growing with Granville,’ by bringing investment that cultivates success for their customers and our community as a whole.”

“We are always pleased to welcome a new business to Granville County, but we are truly excited to welcome a company known across the country for success and innovation,” said Chair of the Granville County Board of Commissioners Russ May. “The board of commissioners takes great pride in ensuring that Granville County is a place that promotes success for our existing businesses and welcomes new investment. I am confident that today’s announcement will have a positive effect on our community for years to come. Auction Direct USA is the exact type of company we hope to attract to Granville; one that will bring in stable, high-paying jobs and become ingrained in our community.”

As a result of Auction Direct USA’s investment with its Granville County facility, the company is eligible to receive a  $2,076,300 Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) over the course of 12 years from the North Carolina Department of Commerce and a $500,000 Building Reuse Grant from the NC Rural Infrastructure Authority. In return, by 2024 Auction Direct USA will invest $2.9 million in facility improvements and create 173 jobs with an average salary of $88,258 – nearly double the current median salary in Granville County.

“Auction Direct USA choosing Granville County as its expansion location shows North Carolina has secured a foothold in the automotive industry,” said Jordan Whichard, deputy secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce. “North Carolina continues to see economic development success in the automotive sector, and we are thrilled that Auction Direct is showing a commitment to Oxford, Granville County and the State of North Carolina with this major expansion and investment.”

Auction Direct USA was formed in Rochester, New York in 2004 by a group of automotive professionals who loved the car business, but not the way vehicles were sold to customers. This group used their combined 70 years of experience to develop a new approach to car sales that focused on fun and letting customers “drive” the process. This new location in Granville County will provide a base of operations to refurbish incoming stock and allow direct sales to vehicle wholesalers with a new subsidiary called “a.i.m.” This subsidiary will allow Auction Direct to expand into supply chain solutions, providing both wholesale and retail-ready vehicles to the  entire automotive industry, including dealers and digital channels.

NJ-Based Food Company Opens Distribution Warehouse In Granville County

/by

A New Jersey-based provider of quality meats, produce and other delicacies to high-end hotels and restaurants has officially opened a distribution site – its largest outside New Jersey – in Granville County.

Local, regional and state officials gathered last week at D’Artagnan Inc.’s new warehouse and distribution facility, located in a section of the former Burlington Mills complex on Lewis Street, just outside Oxford.

The facility will create 23 new jobs and invest more than $4 million in the county.

“We are thrilled to have D’Artagnan expand into the southeastern United States with their Granville location,” said Russ May, chairman of the Granville County board of commissioners. “We want all our residents to know how important it is to have industries like D’Artagnan locate here.”

Glenn Livi, general manager and vice president of operations for the company, said he’s pleased with the experience so far. “I have never encountered a warmer welcome than we received when we first started investigating Granville County as a prospective expansion site,” Livi told the gathering. “From our first phone calls with the Granville County Economic Development Office through all the other stops along the construction process, we could not have asked for anything more. Granville County and the City of Oxford were nothing but professional and accommodating to our needs. What was originally projected to be a nine-month construction timeline was shortened to six thanks to all the local help and support we received.”

Founded by French food pioneer, Ariane Daguin, in 1985, D’Artagnan has three business segments that cover food service, retail and e-commerce in all 50 states.

“I would like to thank the members of the Granville County Board of Commissioners, the Granville County Economic Development Advisory Board, Wills Hancock and his team at Century 21 Hancock Properties, and the City of Oxford for their hard work and support to attract a company like D’Artagnan to our county,” said Granville County Economic Development Director Harry Mills.

For more information about D’Artagnan, please visit their website: https://www.dartagnan.com.

Specialty Food Distribution Hub To Create 23 Jobs In Granville County

/by

A food distribution company that has its roots in France and New Jersey is coming to Granville County, creating more than 20 jobs in a warehouse and distribution facility that will help the company expand its reach into the Southeast.

D’Artagnan, Inc., a specialty food company distributor, will create 23 new jobs and invest more than $4 million to locate a warehouse and distribution facility in Granville County, according to a press release from County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood. The operation will take up a portion of the former Burlington Mills facility on Lewis Street in Oxford.

“Our whole team is excited about developing our sales in this beautiful region!” said Ariane Daguin, CEO of D’Artagnan. “We have closely followed the food scene in the Carolinas and are very happy to be able to contribute to it,” Daguin added.

“We are extremely excited that D’Artagnan has selected Granville County to expand their company with this new distribution warehouse,” said Granville County Economic Development Director Harry Mills.

“We have created a hub for food distribution and processing in Granville County that is attracting the attention of companies around the world. D’Artagnan choosing Granville County shows how integral our location and workforce is in the global food supply chain. Mills thanked county commissioners, members of the economic development advisory board, the city of Oxford as well as local realtor Wills Hancock and the team at Century 21 Hancock Properties for their efforts in attracting D’Artagnan to the county.

Daguin founded D’Artagnan in 1985 and the French food pioneer has continued to lead her company which provides of high-quality meats, produce and delicacies to high-end hotels and restaurants in the United States.

The New Jersey-based  company distributes natural, sustainable food raised on farms and ranches across the world to offer organic products. D’Artagnan has three business segments that cover food service, retail and e-commerce to market its food products in all 50 states.

The new Oxford facility will be the largest distribution site outside of New Jersey and will support D’Artagnan’s expansion into the Southeast market.

Granville County Economic Development partnered with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and a host of partners locally and statewide in supporting D’Artagnan’s decision to expand to North Carolina, bringing the new jobs with it. Although wages will vary for each position, the average annual salary for the new positions is $46,170, – which exceeds Granville County’s overall average annual wage of $45,096. The new jobs have the potential to create an annual payroll impact of more than $1 million.

A performance-based grant of $50,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help with D’Artagnan’s location to North Carolina. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital

investment targets to qualify for payment. D’Artagnan must invest at least $3,695,300 to receive One NC grant payments. The grants require a 50 percent local match, subject to approval by the Granville County Board of Commissioners that would total $25,000.

“This is another great economic development win for Granville County,” said State Sen. Mike Woodard who represents District 22, which includes the entirety of Granville County. “We welcome these new jobs and $4 million investment to our community and are ready to support the company’s future success.”

“More and more companies are finding the business climate in our region ideal for their strategic growth plans,” said N.C. Rep. Terry E. Garrison who represents District 32, which includes northern Granville County and Oxford. “We appreciate the diligent local and state officials and economic development partners that helped bring this project to Oxford.”

Other partners include the Kerr-Tar Council of Government, Granville County Chamber  of Commerce, Granville County Public School System, Vance-Granville Community College, NCWorks Career Center of Oxford, the N.C. Dept. of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the North Carolina Community College System, and the North Carolina General Assembly for their assistance in locating D’Artagnan in Granville County.

Granville County Logo

Ontic Launches Expansion At Creedmoor Plant

/by

An aerospace engineering company that provides thousands of products to customers worldwide has announced plans to almost double their existing footprint in southern Granville County.

Ontic launched “Project Sunrise” this week, setting in motion a major commitment to expand their facility on E. Lyon Station Road in Creedmoor. The three-phase expansion will nearly double the office space and production capacity, according to information from Granville County government.

Ontic staff, joined by representatives from across the county, had a groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting to mark the occasion. Local partners include Granville County government, the Town of Butner, Granville County Public Schools, Granville County Chamber of Commerce, and Vance-Granville Community College.

Ontic’s President and CEO Gareth Hall noted how critical the work of local elected leaders and staff was to move this project forward. “It’s clear how important local leadership is to make momentous events like ‘Project Sunrise’ happen,” he said. “We work with a lot of governments around the world, and the cities and counties ready to foster smart growth are obvious from the start. The work and support of elected officials and staff from Granville County Government and the Town of Butner definitely made this project possible.”

In just a few years, the Granville County facility has grown from just more than 50 employees to more than 100. Once “Project Sunrise” is complete, the local workforce and production capacity likely will double again. “We are looking for exponential growth in Granville County, not just small incremental gains,” explained Hall. “Granville County has the local infrastructure in place to help us achieve this goal.”

“I’m thrilled to have Ontic in Granville County, and I know that this is the right place for them to expand their footprint in the United States,” said Granville County Economic Development Director Harry Mills. “Ontic has already proven they are ready to Grow with Granville, and today’s announcement only solidifies their commitment to making sure there are career opportunities for our current and future residents.”

Ontic is a global leader in aerospace engineering, providing thousands of products for customers in the aircraft industry worldwide. In addition to their Granville County location, Ontic has additional facilities in Chatsworth, California; Plainview, New York; Cheltenham, United Kingdom; and Singapore.

Harry Mills

Mills Appointed to State’s Compliance Commission for Accountability

/by

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Press Release, Granville County Government

Granville County Economic Development Director Harry Mills has been appointed to the State Board of Education’s Compliance Commission for Accountability.

This Commission, which includes principals, teachers and central office staff, as well as members of district school boards and the community, is charged with advising the State Board of Education – through the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) – on testing and other issues related to school accountability and improvement.

Granville County Economic Development Director Harry Mills has been appointed to the State Board of Education’s Compliance Commission for Accountability. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

Issues the Commission is tasked with addressing include proposed changes to the state’s accountability program; the testing code of ethics; test security and administration; auditing procedures that ensure the integrity of testing and accountability programs; and other related issues.

Through his role as Economic Development Director, Mills currently works in partnership with Vance-Granville Community College and with Granville County Public Schools’ Career Technical Education (CTE) program to help prepare students for the workforce.

The Compliance Commission for Accountability meets annually (at least) and the term of the appointment is four years. Mills’ appointment extends from August 6, 2020, to December 31, 2023.