The Greater Owensboro Economic Development team and a few Owensboro Community Leaders were graciously guided Friday through an industrial tour at Owensboro’s Domtar by Plant Manager, Chris Buskill, along with a friendly and welcoming staff. Domtar is the largest integrated manufacturer and marketer of uncoated free-sheet paper in North America.

Their vision, “to be the leader in innovating fiber-based products, technologies, and services, committed to a sustainable and better future,” was understood by all in attendance throughout the tour. Domtar produces 34 different types of paper. They have up to 200 reams of paper produced per minute and can supply their product in unique packaging to ensure customer satisfaction and value. 

Over the years, Domtar has been recognized on numerous occasions for its leadership, constant efforts in sustainability and occupational health and safety, as well as best employer. This was no surprise after our tour of the well-kept, clean and safe environment. Beyond that, it was a treat to see how involved and excited the employees were about their role in the company and to see how Domtar functioned as a whole. 

The Coronavirus that has recently devastated China and according to CBS news, has now swept across 75 countries and 17 states thus far, is raising alarm. There have been roughly 94,000 reported cases of the Coronavirus worldwide with upwards of 3,200 deaths globally. In the U.S., 100 cases of the virus have been reported, with a total of 11 deaths. This virus is raising serious concerns regarding the community’s safety and health. The COVID-19 virus has raised not only many concerns, but many questions regarding whether or not treatment options are being developed and how. 

Owensboro’s Kentucky BioProcessing, a biopharmaceutical company that was established in 2006, is in the premature stages of perfecting a vaccine candidate to restrain the Coronavirus pandemic that’s sweeping the globe. 

Kentucky BioProcessing (KBP) is known for the treatment drug that was credited for potentially saving the lives of two American missionaries who were infected with the deadly Ebola virus in 2014.  

KBP has informed the Trump administration’s health department about the possibility of using tobacco plants to aid the government in developing a vaccine for COVID-19, as it did in 2014 with the case of the two American missionaries. 

Hugh Haydon, KBP’s chief executive officer, said the Chinese authority released the genetic sequence that was associated with the Coronavirus in late January 2020. 

Haydon explained that until KBP received the sequence and knew what the genetic code in the virus was, there just wasn’t much they or anybody else could do. “Within a day or two of that sequence being available we had taken it, reviewed it, isolated a couple of different vaccines antigen construct that we believed might be able to neutralize the virus,” Haydon said. 

Since retrieval of this information, KBP has been injecting tobacco plants with a genetically modified coronavirus to see if it can produce antibodies for a possible vaccine. Since COVID-19 is in the same family of coronavirus pathogens as SARS and MERS, scientists may actually have a blueprint to work with. 

“One of the challenges with this virus as is typically true with the newly emerging pathogen is that the test method has to be developed in tandem with the vaccine product,” Haydon said. “So, scientists are learning more and more about the virus and as that knowledge increases, your ability to test a particular vaccine against the virus also increases.” 

This means KBP’s work is in the early stages and the outbreak could subside before a cure is perfected. 

“The route of administration is something that we would figure out through the development process,” Haydon said. “Our operating theory is, yes, it would be injected” since this is the quickest path. 

Beginning at a site on the Green River in 1880, Monarch Distillery moved to O.Z. Tyler’s current location in Owensboro and honored its roots by being renamed Green River Distillery. After fire destroyed the property in 1918 and Prohibition kept the industry idle from 1920-1933, the Kentucky Sour Mash Distilling Co. rebuilt at the location but went bankrupt almost immediately. In 1939 several Medley family members bought the facility and named it Charles W. Medley Distillers Kentucky, which changed hands a few times until it closed in 1993 and sat idle until 2014, when a subsidiary of Terrassentia, TerrePURE Kentucky Distillers Inc., purchased the 26-acre business. Terrassentia, a South Carolina distillery specializes in contract production of distilled spirits for large retail chains, individual brand owners and other distilleries or exporters.

The extensive $25 million renovation on the property included 6 warehouses and a 54-inch column still capable of producing 32,000 barrels a year.

Founded on the idea that technology can greatly improve both quality and taste of distilled spirits, entrepreneurial Terressentia has implemented its patented TerrePURE filtration process at O.Z. Tyler that uses natural ultrasonic energy to filter out impurities in bourbon. The product ages for a year and a day in a barrel and is then put into machines called “rosies.” This process makes the bourbon taste like a 4-year-old bourbon instead of a 1-year-old.

In 2017, the prestigious Kentucky Distillers Association named O.Z. Tyler a Heritage member of its organization, the highest level of membership, one that’s based on volume produced. A production of 95,000-plus barrels of whiskey each year landed it amoung other Heritage members, such as Four Roses, Heaven Hill Brands, Wild Turkey and more. In June 2018, O.Z. Tyler became an official stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which is another incredible honor.

A tour at O.Z. Tyler can teach you every aspect of bourbon production, from grain to mash to barrel. Then, comes the really fun part, tasting the end products – O.Z. Tyler Bourbon Whiskey, O.Z. Tyler Rye Whiskey, and O.Z. Tyler Honey Flavored Bourbon Whiskey.

Coming soon in April 2020, O.Z. Tyler will be celebrating their new partnership with Duke Spirits and opening a John Wayne Experience and Duke Tasting Room. With this addition, the number of visitors to the distillery are expected to double or even triple from the past few years.

The Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation receives a great deal of continued support from our investors and we like to keep them informed of what we are working on throughout the year. Quarterly newsletters are sent out to our investors, partners and supporters. In case you missed it, you can view it here.

Highlights in this fourth quarter newsletter include 41 visits to businesses and industries, work with 12 active projects, as well as 2 projects that were preliminarily approved by KEDFA, and an OBKY Local Look video featuring The Glenmore Distillery.

Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) has recently rolled out a new program in hopes of increasing the number of high school graduates entering the labor force in the Owensboro community. Over the past few years, a growing number of high school graduates have refrained from trade-based fields in favor of a more traditional classroom-based college route. To take action against this ongoing trend that is harmful to the consumer and the local economy, OCTC has established a partnership with the Home Builders Association of Owensboro. Together, these two organizations have created a Construction FastTrack initiative to promote hands-on training for students seeking a non-traditional classroom experience.

 

The Construction FastTrack was designed in conjunction with OCTC’s Work and Learn Initiative. The program does not require students to have any prior college coursework completed, with the only requirement being a high school diploma or GED.

To make the program even more accessible, eligible students are able to take part in the nine-month FastTrack free of charge. Additionally, Ceary Thomas serves as the Success Coach for students involved, a role that was created for the sole purpose of helping students by equipping them with all they need to be successful.

To learn more about the Construction FastTrack, contact Ceary Thomas by email at ceary.thomas@kctcs.edu.

The Lane List

These are the top new and expanding industry announcements in Kentucky for 2019. The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development website (thinkkentucky.com) indicates that for January through September (reporting date Oct. 23) of this year there were 133 projects totaling $4.365 billion in investment, supporting 8,190 new full-time jobs. Owensboro/Daviess County contributed to the list with a $100 million investment in Pinkerton Tobacco Co. LP, also known as Swedish Match, which created 120 new full-time positions. 

 

Overview of Position:

Reports to: President/CEO

Effective: February 2020 – May 2020

Type: Intern (15 hours per week)

 

The Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation is seeking a motivated, detail-oriented, and business-minded college intern. The Economic Development Internship is structured to provide the intern with important and transferrable skills and experience to progress professionally and personally. The intern will gain experience working with a diverse set of stakeholders across multiple sectors, public-private partnerships, private business, city government, and community organizations. 

The Economic Development Internship is ideal for an undergraduate student seeking careers in economic & community development, city planning/management, business, marketing, policy & politics, urban development or real estate. The program is designed for ambitious individuals seeking not only to build a strong resume, but also to make an impact on the community as he/she further develops important skills critical to a successful career.

 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Some of the specific initiatives in which the Economic Development Intern may be involved include:

• Assist with preparation and planning for upcoming meetings and presentations.
• Assist with data entry for database and coordination of correspondence to businesses, communities and stakeholders.
• Accompany staff in meetings, activities, and programs related to economic development initiatives.
• Research grants and assist with applying for grants.
• Miscellaneous research and data compilation.
• Various administrative duties.

Qualifications and Personal Attributes:

• Undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited, 2- or 4-year undergraduate institution and major/concentration in Economics, Business Administration, Political Science, Marketing, Communications or related field.
• Self-starter seeking to use the opportunity to develop both personally and professionally, gain new perspectives and experiences, and make a lasting impact on the community.
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills, time competency and organization skills.
• Interest in community development, urban development, real estate, business, public policy or economics.
• Minimum 3.0 GPA

How to Apply:

To be considered for the position, please send a cover letter and resume to Brittaney Johnson at bjohnson@owensboro.com by January 24th, 2020.

 

The Glenmore Distillery prides itself as one of the largest and most modern bottling facility in the country and continues to be a sizable employeer in Owensboro, Kentucky. Currently, The Glenmore Distillery has about 440 employees which include both full-time and part-time positions. This video features The Glenmore Distillery, located in Owensboro, KY for just over 150 years.