David Potter is winding up his first year at the helm of the 4,000-student
Delta State University located in Cleveland. The Cleveland Chamber of Commerce
recently appointed economic developer Scott Luth as its new executive director.
The four-lane bypass north of Cleveland will spur more commerce into the
city when it is completed soon. And spirits are at an all-time high in
the Delta’s hub city.
“For my position, to look at changing from Batesville and Panola County to Cleveland and Bolivar County, I saw a lot of opportunity to continue the long history they’ve had here with economic and community development efforts,” says Luth. “There’s a wonderful, strong support network in this community, from both the public and private sector. The opportunity to capitalize on the enterprise zone areas in the county as well as on the assets of Delta State are the things that excited me most about coming to this area.”
Last month, Cleveland’s largest employer, Baxter Healthcare, celebrated its 50th anniversary, prompting business and community leaders to show their appreciation and support during weeklong festivities for the Cleveland facility that was originally built to address needs of the Korean War. In 1949, the original bond issue for Baxter Healthcare was $500,000: Today, Baxter International has 160 facilities worldwide with approximately 40,000 employees, with 1,100 on a multi-million dollar payroll located at the Cleveland plant.
“There is no way to measure the impact that Baxter has had on our community over the past 50 years,” said Monica Holder, promotion chair for Team Cleveland.
Donny Miller, plant manager of Baxter, makers of medical products, said the Cleveland location was the first plant located outside the Deerfield, Ill. home base.
“That was 50 years ago in March,” said Miller. “You couldn’t ask for a better group of workers. We’ve called on Delta State to help us with training for management, computers, team building and problem solving. We’ve called on other community colleges for technical training, such as electrical or schematics. With expansions we’ve had, we’ve benefited from incentives from the county and state. We obviously love it here.”
A recently received grant from Entergy Mississippi will facilitate a new learning center at Baxter, says Dean Morganti, economic development assistant of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce.
The Southern Home Ideas Expo in Cleveland recently wrapped up its eighth annual event, which drew about 70 exhibitors and 3,000 attendees from the Delta, including Arkansas and Louisiana. Local merchants like Bubba Duke, manager of Mistlow Gardens in Cleveland, said businesses thrive, especially during this expo.
The expo was originally the idea of Norman Van Liew, publisher of The Bolivar-Commercial, who attended a home show in Tennessee and thought the community could benefit from something similar, said Linda Collins, event chairperson since its inception. “The show has grown tremendously in the last eight years,” she says.
The expo is Team Cleveland’s primary fundraiser, with proceeds that fund special city beautification projects, such as north and south entrance signs to the city, landscaping, a sprinkler system and period street signs in downtown Cleveland.
Ann Dilworth, Team Cleveland manager and special events coordinator for the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, said Octoberfest, an annual event held the second weekend in October draws up to 15,000 people for its BBQ, music, arts and crafts, and children’s activities. The event is the chamber’s primary fundraiser.
“It sometimes falls on homecoming for DSU,” Dilworth said. “It gives the alumni an extra activity. We’re glad to work with them because they’re very generous to us.”
Other tourist attractions include the Crosstie Festival in April. During the 1996 Dixie Boys World Series, about 15,000 visitors stayed in the area. In 1997, the Cleveland Municipal Airport estimated nearly 60,000, according to the MDOT Aeronautics Division.
According to an economic impact study by the Mississippi Statewide Airports Study, the local airport serves as an economic catalyst for the area, accounting for 44 full-time jobs on a million-dollar payroll. Including direct, indirect and multiplier impacts, the total economic activity is estimated at $3.4 million annually.
In Cleveland, people often fly in on special occasions to dine at K.C.’s, an award-winning restaurant. The other 20 or more restaurants, plus fast food outlets, stay packed. Shopping in downtown Cleveland has been compared by at least one Memphis shopper as “what shopping in Germantown (TN.) used to be like.”
The city’s second largest employer, Delta State University, has 630 employees and adds 4,000 students to the local economy when school is in session.
“Not only is it a prized industry, with 4,000-plus students, faculty and staff, but our citizens benefit from the intellectual and cultural offerings, and the active part they play in contributing to our quality of life,” said Mayor Martin King, town leader since 1969.
Little more than five years ago, DSU completed a $9 million fine arts and performing center with a 1,200 seat multi-tiered auditorium, comparable only to similar facilities in Memphis and Jackson. In 1998, nearly 70,000 attended almost 200 events at DSU’s performing arts center, prompting director Sharon Papian to quip, “We may be off the beaten path, but we are
definitely in a cultural groove.”
Springdale, AR-based Tyson Foods, a poultry processing plant that provides 540 workers with jobs has a new manager, Andy Cross. Huntley, Ill.-based Duo-Fast, makers of collated nails and staples, has a payroll of 436 employees. A layoff of about 40 people was scheduled in April, “but that figure was reduced to about 26,” said Morganti.
Bob Reed, general manager for Atlanta-based Cives Steel Company in Rosedale, makers of fabricated structural steel with a 170-employee payroll, said DSU provided training programs for initial hires.
“We’re happy with the workforce in Cleveland,” Reed said. “Good people have been sent our way. Cives’ decision to come to the port of Rosedale was a good move.”
Royal Vendors, a $10 million soft drink machine manufacturing plant with approximately 130,000 square feet, kicked off operations in Cleveland last October. The plant already employs 150 workers, and, during the next few years, could employ up to 400 workers. Last month, a steelworkers’ union was unanimously voted down by Royal Vendors’ employees.
“Royal Vendors is already a tremendous asset to the community,” said Morganti.
Harry Myers, president of Needle Specialty Products Co., makers of surgical and medical instruments and needle products, said approximately 150 employees are on payroll.
Joe Janoush, chief financial officer of JANTRAN, said the 135 employees that work at the ship and boat-operating company come from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi.
“When the business was first founded, we were well received by the port commission, who provided us with harbor service for the new port,” Janoush said. “We have a good working relationship and we have a good employee workforce.”
The father of current president Jim Tims founded Quality Steel Corp. in Cleveland almost 43 years ago. The family business, with almost 100 employees, manufactures domestic propane tanks.
Dollar General Distribution Center in Indianola draws employees from a 50-mile radius, which includes Cleveland.
Even though they are located in what banks consider “small markets,” Cleveland’s banks are competing on a level playing field with the advent of the Internet. At least two banks, Cleveland State Bank, which opened in 1908 with $25,000 capitalization and listed total resources of $132.5 million in 1998, and First National Bank of Cleveland, provide Internet
banking.
Ever mindful of special needs in the Delta, Gaylynn Bailey, loan officer for Union Planters in Cleveland, closed the first HAT loan in the state for Greg and Angie Stewart. The Stewarts, both teachers at nearby schools, were participants in the Housing Assistance for Teachers (HAT) program that addresses teacher shortages in critical areas of the state.
Musicians and artists thrive in the energetic city as well. For instance, Floyd D. Shaman could live anywhere but chose Cleveland as his home, where he focuses on his work as a wood and stone sculptor. Shaman moved to Mississippi in the 1970s and works primarily with laminated wood such as furniture, particularly benches, and humorous life-size wood figures.
“Based on constant, steady and healthy growth attested to by increased issuance of building permits, openings of new stores and low unemployment figures, prospects for the future look promising,” Mayor King says.