Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

CCIC considers joining Learning Center

State Sen. Percy Malone may have come up with the only way possible to keep the Clark County Industrial Council viable.

The CCIC had its first meeting of 2004 Wednesday, May 19, at the Southwest Technical Learning Center, with President Brown Hardman saying the CCIC needs to do something drastic and recruiting industry needs to be done on a full-time basis.

The only suggestion came from Malone, who outlined his idea with a slight history lesson.

Malone suggested using the funds the CCIC receives from the City of Arkadelphia and the Clark County Quorum Court, $35,000 annually, and using $20,000 to pay a full-time recruiter. The remaining $15,000 would be used for travel, visiting trade shows and to pay professional dues. The CCIC, in effect, would be operated through the Learning Center under the direction of Ed Redenbaugh.

Redenbaugh, Malone said, is a full-time director at the Learning Center and has indicated he would be willing to take a half-time position. He knows industrial recruiting, having been in the business of site selection before moving to Arkadelphia.

The CCIC can work with Henderson State University to find a full-time executive director for the CCIC, who would do the recruiting and work with Redenbaugh.

Malone's history lesson began with a look at the last 14 years in Clark County and its ups and downs. A large part of the problem has been with Goodrich and its building in the Clark County Industrial Park at Gum Springs. The building is 275,000 square feet with 65 acres. It was built at a cost of $20 million.

However, though a number of industries expressed interest in it, the CCIC could do nothing with the building until Goodrich made up its mind. Goodrich did occupy the building for a while, but opted to move its facilities to the west coast and shut down in Clark County, leaving the building and property.

"We have the facility to use as a recruiting tool," Malone said, "and we know we don't have a qualified work force in place for just anyone who comes here. But that's why we built the Learning Center." The center's courses can be geared to a specific industry, making sure it has a trained work force to hire from.

Malone said the CCIC's board of directors may need to be trimmed down from 24 and get people more active in the organization. "We have to take the time and support the mission of the CCIC and Learning Center."

Redenbaugh, Malone continued, could take over as president of the CCIC, replacing Hardman, who would be freer to concentrate on his businesses, but the board would still set the policies.

At one time, Hardman said, the CCIC worked with Southern Mississippi University looking for an industrial recruiter. However, Southern Miss personnel repeatedly asked for the CCIC's three-year proposal (meaning salary and benefit package). This, however, couldn't be given.

"If we get something started and people see a commitment," said Daily Siftings Herald Publisher George Jinks, "people will buy in."

Being president of the CCIC, Hardman said, isn't difficult, but being executive director is. "We need one to work with existing industries and recruit new industry. We don't have anyone to do this now."

Malone, Redenbaugh and the empty Goodrich building, Hardman said, are good assets, with Redenbaugh having forgotten more about industrial recruiting than anyone on the CCIC will ever know.

The board agreed to try Malone's idea, also agreeing the CCIC needs to improve its image in the community and, eventually, will have to have a long-term source of funding.