By Philip Walzer
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 28, 2010
More than 1,000 people on Wednesday jammed a job fair targeted for workers of the soon-to-close International Paper mill.
“We have as many people here, if not more, than for our graduation,” said Randy Betz, vice president of workforce development at Paul D. Camp Community College, which held the fair.
Those who attended mostly spoke positively about the number and scope of companies that were recruiting.
“I’m encouraged, but until that offer is made to you, that encouragement is somewhat limited,” said Lloyd Edler, 48, of Hampton, a paper mill employee for 15 years.
Chuck Lilley
Published Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Much has been written of late with respect to the International Paper plant closing and the economic impact that this will have on our area. What follows are some additional ideas to encourage thought among our citizenry. They are not to be interpreted as criticism of any individual or group who may be involved with the current area recovery effort.
The Economic Development Department kicked off a new business seminar series called “Monday Matters” on January 25th. These business seminars will be held on the 4th Monday of each month and will alternate between general business topics such as financing and marketing and green topics about how to make your business more environmentally friendly.
Our first seminar [...]
By Charlie Passut | Suffolk News-Herald
Published Saturday, January 23, 2010
FRANKLIN—Local officials say confidential negotiations involving International Paper Co. and about 20 renewable energy companies have been taking place and that IP has taken some prospects on-site to tour the facilities at the Franklin mill.
Isle of Wight County Department of Economic Development director Lisa Perry said Friday that some, but not all, of the prospects had toured the mill as recently as last week.
© January 25, 2010
By Michael Schwartz | Inside Business
As the story goes, 10 years ago Isle of Wight County decided it was important to “get in the economic development game.”
That’s how the county’s director of economic development, Lisa Perry, tells it.
So a plan was devised to get into the game by creating a giant commerce park, taking advantage of the wealth of land in the surrounding area. Using taxpayer dollars, the county went to work.
Fast-forward to 2010 and the county now believes its Shirley T. Holland Intermodal Park carries enough clout that a private
developer will want to come in and buy and build out the park’s 1,000-acre third phase.
By Philip Walzer
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 25, 2010
Opportunity Inc. will sponsor a job fair Wednesday in Franklin geared to employees of the International Paper mill, which will close this year.
The job fair will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Regional Workforce Development Center at Paul D. Camp Community College, 100 N. College Drive.
Free and open to the public, it is targeted to current and former workers of International Paper and their spouses and others who think their jobs will be affected by the mill’s closure.
Robert Sharak, a spokesman for Opportunity Inc., a regional work-force agency, said he expected as many as 40 representatives of employers and educational and training programs to attend.
For more information, call (757) 569-6082, (757) 461-7537 or (757) 514-7737. The event will be co-sponsored by Wells Fargo Advisors, Paul D. Camp and Farmers Bank.
A ray of economic sunshine pierced the storm clouds of job loss enveloping Hampton Roads on Thursday.
Smithfield Foods Inc. said it planned to lay off no more than 30 workers at its soon-to-close Smithfield Packing Co. South plant. That’s less than 9 percent of the number – 340 – that the company had predicted it would let go almost a year ago.
And even those 30 might get their jobs back, said Jeff Gough, Smithfield Foods’ vice president of human resources.
International Paper is “committed” to working with Isle of Wight to find a new use for its Franklin Mill site after the closure, a county economic development official said.
In a recent meeting, newly hired Mill Manager John Rankin told Isle of Wight officials that, “this is the first time IP has committed to a major reuse project like this,” according to Director of Economic Development Lisa Perry.
“They really made their strongest statement … acknowledging for the first time that IP would reach out and work with the communities,” she said
By Charlie Passut | Tidewater News
Published Wednesday, January 20, 2010
FRANKLIN—The second local job fair since International Paper Co. mill closure announcement will be held next week at the Paul D. Camp Community College Regional Workforce Development Center.
“The International Paper and Western Hampton Roads Job Fair” will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 27. The job fair is open to the public, not just IP employees, and is being run by Opportunity Inc. of Hampton Roads, a regional workforce organization based in Norfolk.
By DIANA MAZZELLA
Staff Writer
Saturday, January 16, 2010
North Carolina’s forestry industry, the top manufacturing sector in the state, has shed thousands of jobs while some in the industry are faced with less work, according to the state Forestry Association.
In 2007, the industry had 103,168 employees in forest manufacturing areas that include logging, wood products, furniture and paper, according to a forestry association release. That number decreased to 82,780 in 2009.
