Gary Westermeyer’s industry and Kelly Hall’s city department were recently celebrated.
During its Annual Investors Meeting held February 21 at the Jacksonville Country Club, the Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation, or JREDC, awarded the 2018 Harold Cox Industry of the Year Award to Westermeyer Industries and presented the City of Jacksonville’s Parks and Lakes department with the 2018 Champion Award.
A press release from the JREDC said the Harold Cox Industry of the Year award is presented by the JREDC’s Existing Industry Committee. This is the 30th award presented.
The press release explained, “Over the past 4 years, Westermeyer Industries has made over $6.5 million in capital investments, with $2.5 million invested just last year. In recent years the company doubled its manufacturing floor space to streamline production and add products. With an 8 percent growth in business in 2017 and 30 percent in 2018, Westermeyer Industries is on an upward trajectory adding 35 jobs in the past two years.”
In regards to the Champion Award, the Jacksonville Parks and Lakes Department won for the, “new hiking trails developed on the south side of Lake Jacksonville. Weaving through 1.5 miles of timber, the two trails – named Crimson and Rocket – are located on South Lake Road between Starlite Campers Club and the Oak Grove Boy Scout area.”
The press release said Parks and Lakes Department Director Kelly Hall and Lake Jacksonville Manager Brett Gilbreth, “began clearing the trails after years of planning and renegotiating an original lease with the Boy Scouts. The recreation trails include historic information provided by the Morgan County Abstract and benches donated by Reynolds Consumer Products. Created in 2016, the Champion Award recognizes exemplary support for economic development in Morgan and Scott counties from an individual, agency or organization that does not have economic development as a primary purpose.”