Kenneth Witter

Earlier this week, an explosion fatally injured three people and injured 44 others at a Falk Corp. large gear manufacturing plant in the portfolio of Milwaukee-based Rexnord Industries, represented in IAMC by Kenneth Witter, director of real estate. The comprehensive reporting of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel describes what the company is doing to care for the families of the deceased (including donation information) and to move forward with its business, including shifting personnel and planning for reconstruction. The company just moved to the plant in 2005, and had recently earned financial assistance from the City of Milwaukee toward improvements at the property. The thoughts and prayers of IAMC staff and members are with Ken, his colleagues and their families at this difficult time.

For a look at how IAMC members from various branches of the association can come together on a project, you can do no better than the recently published fall newsletter of MidAmerica Industrial Park in northeast Oklahoma, just outside of Tulsa. The project is PepsiCo’s $180-million, 280-employee Gatorade facility, which broke

Massachusetts-based member company Iron Mountain has opened its international financial headquarters in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The new center will initially offer its services to Iron Mountain’s European subsidiaries, and progressively to all its worldwide subsidiaries. Schaffhausen was chosen because of its central location in Europe, its proximity to Zurich and the multilingual work force, said the November newsletter of Location Switzerland. Among the company’s other recent projects have been a flagship secure shredding facility in Jersey City, N.J., and a joint venture in India. "Iron Mountain has enjoyed rapid international expansion over the last several years, so creating an international treasury group that is conveniently located is an important organizational step," said Jeff Lawrence, senior vice president and treasurer, Iron Mountain. "We’re eager to staff up in Schaffhausen and establish this important function aimed at driving business improvement and financial efficiency."

3M film manufacturing capacity will grow with a $100-million investment in Greenville, S.C.

Minnesota-based member company 3M announced in late November it would expand film manufacturing at its facility in Greenville, S.C., with a $100-million investment, with construction slated to begin in May 2007. The site, which employs 435 people, will add 50 new jobs to its payroll. The company operates Greenville facilities serving both its Display and Graphics business and its Industrial and Transportation business. "This investment is part of 3M’s ongoing commitment to meet the needs of our customers by increasing the production of films that support a number of 3M businesses," said Walter Zoladz, plant manager, 3M Film Operations in Greenville.

The recruitment effort for the project involved the Greenville Area Development Corporation (GADC) and the South Carolina Department of Commerce. GADC is the county-specific economic development organization for Greenville County, which is a member of 10-county IAMC member organization Upstate Alliance, the region’s lead generation and marketing arm. "This project is yet another example of a strong engineering component associated with new manufacturing growth and suggests Greenville is rebounding strongly," said Jay Rogers, GADC Chairman. "Year to date capital investment in the community is more than $300 million, roughly doubling the amount invested in 2005, and six weeks still remain before the year ends."

Two major announcements among IAMC’s economic development leaders occurred within the past two weeks. First, the Mississippi Development Authority has promoted member Gray Swoope from deputy director and COO to the position of executive director, effective at the end of December. Swoope, a 21-year economic development veteran, will replace retiring executive director Leland Speed.

Gray Swoope (left) and Marvin E. "Gene" Strong, Jr.

In Kentucky, after 15 years of service to the Cabinet for Economic Development, Secretary and IAMC member Marvin E. "Gene" Strong, Jr. announced he will resign from his position as Secretary effective January 31, 2007. "It has been a privilege and distinct honor to serve as Secretary of the Economic Development Cabinet for nearly 14 years," said Strong. "I appreciate the support I have received over the years from three Governors, the Kentucky General Assembly, the Partnership Board, a host of global business leaders and the Kentucky economic development community. I am especially thankful for the outstanding and talented staff that serves the Cabinet."

Member firm Rudolph/Libbe Inc. has won a prestigious 2006 Build Ohio Award for its work on the Glass Pavilion at the Toledo Museum of Art in the New Construction Over $10 Million Category. Honorees were announced at the Associated General Contractors of Ohio Build Ohio Awards in Columbus on November 10.

Rudolph/Libbe was general contractor for the 40,000-sq.-ft. Glass Pavilion, which showcases the Toledo Museum of Art’s 7,000-piece glass exhibit. The building also functions as a glassmaking studio, classrooms, and the area’s newest and most unique venue for social and meeting events. The Glass Pavilion contains 472 glass wall panels. The glass is the building’s defining feature — all other components were designed to be as close to invisible as possible. The pavilion is part of a $30-million, 76,000-sq.-ft. addition to the museum designed by Tokyo architecture firm Sanaa, and featured among several similar art museum glass architecture projects across the nation in a piece appearing in The Wall Street Journal in November.

"We’re thrilled to win this award for our work on the Glass Pavilion," said Tim Alter, president of Rudolph/Libbe Inc. "It features some of the finest construction work in northwest Ohio, and is already an internationally acclaimed glass museum. We’re very proud of our project teams’ work, and proud of all of our associates for consistently delivering this level of quality and service on projects every day."

The firm was featured in a January 2006 Site Selection article profiling its work on the DaimlerChrysler complex in Toledo.

Toledo Museum of Art