When I pick up my daily copy of The New York Times on the way to work this week, I will be watching for an article to be published on the hardship of high unemployment in Perry County, Tennessee. The New York Times will be reporting on how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA or stimulus program) funds are putting people to work in federally financed jobs to replace real private sector jobs lost as companies could not survive there. More remote, with no Interstate, 4-lane highway or rail, and with less access to a highly skilled workforce, Perry County faces struggles to provide a competitive environment for business that make Hickman County appreciate the wealth of resources that we have.
Hickman County is served by I-40 and 840 and is less than an hour from I-65. Located in the Nashville, Tennessee MSA, Hickman County has a rural work ethic and business-friendly environment with a close proximity to the cultural, educational, and business services resources of a large metropolitan city. Hickman County employs economic development experts to work with new and existing private sector business to assist in their location, growth, and sustainability.
About Daryl Phillips, CEcD
I am a professional economic developer. I presently work for communities and companies in developing and implementing workforce and economic development solutions as CEO of Phillips Economic Development Solutions (Phi EDS).
Prior to September 2017, I was the economic development professional who served a community team of elected officials, business people, community leaders and dedicated stakeholders for economic development in Cheatham County, Tennessee (pop. 39,880) and its four towns. During my five-year tenure, I served the team as Cheatham County grew over 1,700 jobs, turned around population declines at the start of this decade into healthy population growth, increased tourism expenditures 20.3% and local tax revenue from tourism 25.4%, grew sales tax revenue 36%, focused on developing the local workforce and was recognized by SmartAsset as having the 9th highest Incoming Investment Index of all the 95 counties in Tennessee.
I am a member of International Economic Development Council, Southern Economic Development Council, Tennessee Economic Development Council and International Council of Shopping Centers.
I have earned the designation of Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) from International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) certification from National Development Council and hold a Master of Business Administration from Tennessee Technological University.
