Cook County EDC | Cook leaders’ ‘visionary leadership’ lands $40 million plant

Cook leaders’ ‘visionary leadership’ lands $40 million plant

Article Source Link By: Carlton Fletcher

ADEL — For Albany native Lisa Collins, the executive director now of the Cook County Economic Development Commission, her group’s joint announcement last week with Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal of the German-based The Linde Group’s plan to build a custom-engineered air separation plant in the small community was a major coup.

For Collins personally, though, the announcement of the $40 million development that will bring a minimum of 35 jobs to Adel and Cook County is vindication, proof that the tough choice she made four years ago was a good one.

Head of the Charles and Catherine B. Rice Foundation-backed Early County 2055 initiative in Blakely that brought renewed life to that small Southwest Georgia community, Collins was approached by Cook County and Adel officials about their soon-to-be-vacant EDC position. Collins told them flatly she wasn’t interested.

“I felt a loyalty to Barton Rice and the Rice family and what they were doing in Early County, so I told the folks in Cook County no thank you when they contacted me,” Collins said. “But they were persistent so I agreed to meet with them. They told me I was the person they wanted for the position.

“I truly did not want to leave Early County, but when I saw the visionary leadership that was in place in Cook County, I was convinced that this was something I should do.”

That was in October of 2013. Now, with the announcement by The Linde Group, Collins says the community is abuzz with excitement.

“I think the thing that means the most to me is a quote from The Linde Group’s president (Pat Murphy, who is president of the international company’s Linde Americas division) who said, ‘We chose this location based on its proximity to customers and the strong, pro-business environment in Cook County and the city of Adel.’”

Deal also praised the work of Cook County officials in bringing the plant to Georgia. The governor noted the “deepening economic footprint” the plant brings to the state.

“Georgia’s continued economic development, both on the state and local level, will continue to provide The Linde Group with the necessary resources to expand operations and undergo immense growth,” Deal said. “Our prime location and a work force that is second to none will allow Linde to increase its overall production and reach a broader customer base across the Southeast. I look forward to Linde deepening its economic footprint in Georgia with this new Adel facility.”

Adel Mayor Buddy Duke, who also serves as chairman of the Cook EDC, said the $40 million plant will have a dramatic impact on his community.

“We are delighted that Linde has chosen to locate in Adel, Georgia,” Duke said. “Linde’s commitment to create 35 jobs and invest $40 million in Cook County will have a strong and positive impact in our community and in our region.”

Collins, who was a finalist for the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce presidency in 2012, an opening that went to Chris Hardy, said the Cook County EDC “made an offer Linde officials couldn’t refuse.”

“They were looking at a lot of places in this region,” Collins said of The Linde Group’s search for a plant site. “They have a facility in north Georgia, in Cartersville, but they wanted a place closer to their customers in Florida and the area south of Atlanta. They made it clear they were on a fast track, and they wanted a place with no wetlands and no floodplain. As you know, in this part of the country, that’s hard to find.

“But we had a lovely turn-dirt piece of property in our 350-acre industrial park and access to 3,000 adjoining acres. (Linde officials) said having land availability for growth was important. Their company is also a big utility user, and one of the keys was that we worked with them to give them a great rate. It was an offer they couldn’t refuse.”

Collins started her career in the economic development sector in Albany at the local chamber of commerce. She took a position as senior vice president with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce before landing the president/CEO post of the Uptown Columbus group that sparked redevelopment in that city’s 39-block inner city.

The Rice family lured her to Blakely in 2006 to head the Early County 2055 initiative.

“What’s so impressive to me with the Cook County EDC is that the city, the county and the Development Authority members (on the EDC board) work so well together,” Collins said. “There’s none of that bickering among the groups involved; they put their heads together and truly work to decide what’s best for the entire community.”