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Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence Commitment Award

The Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence  awarded Level 2, Tennessee Commitment Award,  to LWIA 1 in recognition of their high quality customer service and multi-agency leadership efforts.

This unique Tennessee quality award system which is based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, acknowledges organizations that strive for continuous improvement in seven major categories: which are: Leadership, Strategic Planning, Customer and Market Focus, Information and Analysis, Human Resource Focus, Process Management, and Business Results. 

For more information please e-mail; Kathy Pierce.

National Customer Service Awards -U.S. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Washington, D.C. 20210

Northeast Tennessee Workforce Investment Board/Bush Hog, LLC Partnership

The Northeast Tennessee Workforce Investment Board stands by its mission: “To enhance economic development in Northeast Tennessee by providing guidance and resources to meet employment needs.” Meeting employers’ and jobseekers’ needs includes providing administrative and hands-on services through the Northeast Tennessee Career Center (Washington County) and the other four affiliate sites.

The Northeast Tennessee Career Center provides comprehensive services to employers, employees, and jobseekers. This center provides a dynamic network of employment, educational, and training opportunities which serves as a bridge connecting people and jobs. The other four affiliate sites provide similar services to their customers. Several of the career center partners teamed up with Bush Hog, LLC, to form a workforce development partnership that was instrumental in the planning and implementation of this project.

Bush Hog, LLC, is one of the leading producers of agricultural implements and machinery utilized by farmers, commercial turf maintenance contractors, golf courses, and municipalities. While marketing their product under two brand names, Bush Hog and Great Bend, the product line includes rotary cutters, front-end loaders, finishing mowers, and a wide variety of other implements. The products are distributed through approximately 4,400 dealers located throughout North America (including John Deere, Case, Kubota and others).

Based out of Selma, Alabama, the new Bush Hog plant built in Jonesborough, Tennessee, began its services in late February 2002, and has focused primarily on producing front and mid-mount loaders. It is a state-of-the-art, information technology based, precision manufacturing operation. Production control processes are computerized and customized to the manufacture of “high end” agricultural equipment. Welding operations include use of laser-guided cutting tools and Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Machining (CADCAM) programmable controls. In only its fourth month of operation, this facility is well on its way to transitioning into the production of finishing mowers and backhoes, in addition to the front and mid-mount loaders.

The project has drawn attention from the U.S. Department of Labor, noted for Best Practices in the southeast region. The project has also drawn state and local recognition through local newspapers.

The project has had a tremendous amount of economic impact on the northeast Tennessee communities. The amount of time and funds that have been invested not only builds an accountable workforce investment system, but also builds the morale of those who have now retained jobs in the light of their dislocation or unemployment. This multi-million dollar project represents a great example of public/private partnerships and cooperation between agencies. This partnership is best portrayed in the words of Neal Henson, Human Resource Manager at Bush Hog, “This is the best operation I have had the pleasure to be involved with in my 30 plus years of being in manufacturing.”

For more information contact Employment and Training Director, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 500 James Robertson Parkway, Davy Crockett Tower, 12th Floor, Nashville, Tennessee 37245, (615) 741-3003.