BOWLING GREEN
Halton Selects Bowling Green for U.S. Headquarters

THE Halton Group, an international group of companies that specializes in the development, manufacture and marketing of indoor climate products, has selected Bowling Green to be the site of its North American headquarters.

Halton has operated in south-central Kentucky since 1989. Its plant in Scottsville, which employs 77 people, produces commercial ventilation hoods for restaurants.

The company’s new U.S. headquarters will operate with five positions, with an average annual salary of $180,000. The company expects to add up to 15 more jobs within three years.

Halton’s headquarter operations, along with its research and development department and two demonstration labs, will be located at the Western Kentucky University Center for Research and Development. Company officials hope to be operating out of the space by this summer.

Halton began its business in Finland in 1969 and now operates in 13 countries around the world with annual sales of $109.5 million and 800 employees.

“Halton is the kind of new economy company we intended to attract to the center when it was initially conceived with House Speaker Jody Richards several years ago,” said Dr. Gary Ransdell, president of Western Kentucky University.

“This is an excellent example of how WKU can partner with local, state and federal governments and the private sector to have a positive impact on the quality of life in our region. The impact will extend beyond the jobs Halton will bring with its headquarters to the interaction that will take place between the company and WKU’s faculty and students.”

NICHOLASVILLE
Alltech to Build New $11 Million R&D Facility

ALLTECH has announced plans to build a new $11 million facility dedicated to animal nutrigenomics and applied animal nutrition on its corporate campus in Nicholasville.

The facility, which is being funded in part through a $1 million grant from the state, will be the first facility of its kind in the world, according to information released by Alltech.

“The field of nutrigenomics, or the effect of diet on health, is one of the most exciting in science today,” said Dr. Karl Dawson, Alltech’s director for worldwide research. “Feeding the gene is the way forward. It will keep American agriculture and livestock production at the forefront.”

“Alltech, though present in 85 countries around the world, is a Kentucky company,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech. “We were founded in Kentucky, our corporate headquarters are in Kentucky, and with this grant, some of our most exciting research will take place in Kentucky. With nutrigenomics, we have already been able to put in place six provisional patents which should be converted into complete patents within the next two months.”

The grant from the state, which is designed to advance the development of Kentucky’s biotechnology sector, is expected to create 40 new jobs in research and development over the next five years. Alltech currently employs more than 300 people at its facility in Nicholasville.

FRANKLIN
PIC to Move Headquarters to Tennessee

PIC North America, a biotechnology company that specializes in the genetic improvement of pigs, is moving most of its operations from Franklin to Hendersonville, Tenn.

Dennis Harms, managing director for PIC North America, told the Franklin Favorite that the company’s decision to combine the back office functions and centralize research programs at a center in Madison, Wis., resulted in the space in Franklin being too large for the company’s current needs.

Franklin has served as PIC’s North American headquarters since 1973. The company employs about 150 in the Franklin area.

PIC officials have said the company does plan to retain its transport center in Simpson County as well as pig breeding facilities in the commonwealth. In addition, the company will continue to receive a large portion of its feed and grain from Kentucky suppliers, an amount that is expected to top $4 million this year.

PIC Director of Marketing Keith Canfield said the move to a smaller facility in Hendersonville, just north of Nashville, will result in a more efficient operation while still remaining close enough for employees to commute. Hendersonville, which is approximately 40 miles from Franklin, was selected for the new location over Kansas City and St. Louis.

“We’re going to do our best to minimize the impact,” Canfield said. “We want to do what we can to not disrupt most of our employees who live in Simpson County.”

STATE
New Enterprise Forms to Promote Kentucky to Film Industry

A new nonprofit organization has been formed to promote Kentucky to the filmmaking industry and serve as a distribution mechanism for film and multimedia projects.

The Kentucky Film Lab (KFL) will also serve to train multimedia professionals through master classes and will operate a film and video production company that will focus on developing stories that revolve around Kentucky and the surrounding region. KFL activities will include filmmaker institutes, screenwriting workshops, film forums, educational programs, festivals and film production. The organization will have offices in Lexington and Louisville.

KFL is headed by Brad Riddell, Arthur Rouse and Mark Shepherd and supported by an advisory board comprised of filmmakers and multimedia specialists from Kentucky, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

“We live in a world where ideas and knowledge are increasingly being expressed through a visual medium,” Rouse said. “KFL has been created to help expand these capabilities and opportunities in Kentucky and the region.”

“The film business is extraordinarily important not only from the standpoint of money spent here by film production companies,” said Kentucky Tourism Commissioner Randy Fiveash. “It showcases the state and its beauty and diversity. Every time a film is made here it’s like a moving billboard for the state.”

FULTON
BioEnergy Plans $95 Million Ethanol Plant for Western Kentucky

CONSTRUCTION is slated to begin this month on a $95 million ethanol plant in Fulton. The facility will be operated by Bluegrass BioEnergy LLC, which will share ownership with another company that has not yet been named.

The plant is being built on 130 acres in the Fulton Industrial Park and is expected to be operational by Summer 2007. The facility will initially have the capacity to produce 55 million gallons of ethanol per year, but could be expanded to produce up to 100 million gallons, according to Bluegrass BioEnergy President Jim Allen, a Tennessee businessman. Allen said he anticipates expanding the plant to that point in about three years.

The company will initially employ around 50 people. Another 30-40 jobs could be added if the facility is expanded.

The plant is being constructed by Lurgi PSI. The company is a subsidiary of Lurgi AG, a German company that specializes in the construction of ethanol and biodiesel plants.

STATE
Edward Jones, Paducah Bank Earn Top Honors as Best Places to Work

EDWARD Jones Investments in Louisville and The Paducah Bank & Trust Company top this year’s list of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky,” an annual competition presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

The program is a multi-year initiative to encourage companies in the commonwealth to focus, measure and improve their workplace environments. Forty-one companies participated in the program, with winners selected based on an assessment of each company’s employee policies and procedures, as well as the results of an internal employee survey.

In addition to the positive effect the award has on employee relations and recruitment, many companies are realizing the effect workplace improvements can have on the bottom line. Numerous studies show a strong correlation between profitability and creating a good place to work.

Companies that participate in the program are provided with survey feedback that can be utilized to develop plans and implement strategies to improve workplace performance.

In this year’s competition, Edward Jones led the large company category (200 or more employees). Paducah Bank won in the category of medium-sized companies (25 to 199 employees).

OWENSBORO
Hospital Buys Former Large Scale Biology Biomanufacturing Plant

A newly formed subsidiary of Owensboro Medical Health System (OMHS) has purchased the former Large Scale Biology biomanufacturing plant in Owensboro, which shut down in December shortly before the California-based company filed for bankruptcy.

OMHS paid $6.4 million for the 30,000-square-foot biomanufacturing plant and adjacent 22,000-square-foot greenhouse, as well as the intellectual property required to operate the facility.

Kentucky Bioprocessing LLC has already begun working with two customers to process plant-made pharmaceutical products and hopes to attract small research and development companies to Owensboro that will utilize the services they offer. The company has hired former Large Scale employees to run the plant and anticipates having approximately 20 employees within 18 months.

While the high cost of conducting research was a contributing factor in Large Scale’s financial problems, Kentucky Bioprocessing will not be involved in research. Instead, the company will focus on the production of pharmaceuticals for other companies.

OMHS is currently in the process of building a cancer research center – a project that was already in the works prior to the purchase of the biomanufacturing plant – that will work to develop vaccines and other pharmaceuticals that could then be manufactured by Kentucky Bioprocessing.

LEDBETTER
New Barge Manufacturing Plant Will Begin Operations This Summer

THREE Rivers Boat and Barge, Inc. is investing $2 million to build a new barge manufacturing plant along the Ohio River near Paducah.

Construction is now under way on the new facility; the plant is expected to be operational by the end of the summer.

The new facility will employ up to 60 workers this year, with an additional 40 to 60 employees hired in 2007. Average wages will be around $15 per hour, plus fringe benefits.

The company anticipates building one barge per month once production starts and will focus on supplying barges to companies that need deck barges, which typically haul sand and rock.

STATE
Kentucky Showcases Biotech Capabilities at BIO 2006

ELEVEN Kentucky biotechnology companies, the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University along with several local economic development organizations joined the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development at the 14th Annual Bio 2006 International Convention in Chicago last month to showcase the commonwealth’s capabilities and opportunities in bioscience and life science.

BIO 2006 is one of the world’s premier biotechnology industry events. Biotech executives, investors, journalists, policymakers and scientists from more than 60 nations were in attendance at this year’s convention.

The state’s goals at BIO 2006 included attracting life science and biotechnology businesses, researchers and entrepreneurs to Kentucky, and bringing in additional venture capital investments. Based on experiences at past conventions, this year’s Kentucky Pavilion provided more than three times the working space of last year’s booth, providing more room for discussions and business meetings with BIO 2006 attendees.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development also invited seven start-up biotech firms from Kentucky to attend the convention to represent the commonwealth’s range of biotech research and development activities. The seven companies joined four biotech giants – Amgen, Alltech, Martek Biosciences and Genus/PIC – to help staff the state’s tradeshow booth and tout the benefits of doing business in Kentucky.

With more than 18,000 people in attendance – including heads of state, congressional leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs and executives of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies – Gov. Ernie Fletcher said he considered the convention “the perfect venue to market Kentucky’s resources and opportunities.”

LOUISVILLE
City Asks for Community Input to Create New Branding Campaign

THE Greater Louisville Community Branding Project has launched a new Web site designed to give citizens throughout the Louisville area the opportunity to have input in creating a new brand for Louisville.

The Greater Louisville Community Branding Project is a public/private partnership initiative of The Greater Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greater Louisville Inc., Louisville Metro Government and the Greater Louisville Community Branding Alliance. The group’s goal is to identify and establish a single Louisville brand that will guide current and future marketing efforts for the Greater Louisville area.

While there have been numerous taglines, logos and advertising campaigns to promote Louisville over the years, The Greater Louisville Branding Project, which represents the 25-county bistate economic region of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, is a comprehensive 36-month project to develop a new brand strategy and marketing plan for Greater Louisville.

LOUISVILLE
Chautauqua Opens Maintenance Facility at Louisville Airport

CHAUTAUQUA Airlines has officially opened its new maintenance facility at Louisville International Airport. The new 60,250-square-foot hangar will employ approximately 300 people at full staff, with an average annual salary of more than $32,000.

The new $8.5 million facility will increase the company’s overnight maintenance capacity in Louisville from two to six aircraft. In addition, Louisville serves as a large crew base for the airline, with up to eight Chautauqua Airlines aircraft remaining overnight in Louisville.

FRANKFORT
Farmers Capital Bank Buys Citizens National for $30M

FARMERS Capital Bank Corporation has signed an agreement and plan of merger with Citizens National Bancshares, Inc. in a transaction valued at $30 million.

The agreement calls for Nicholasvillebased Citizens, the parent corporation of Citizens National Bank of Jessamine County, to be merged into a subsidiary of Farmers. Citizens will continue to operate under its same name following the transaction.

Frankfort-based Farmers is a financial holding company that operates 34 banking locations in 23 locations throughout the commonwealth, as well as a mortgage company, leasing company, data processing company and insurance company. As of March 31, the company had total deposits of more than $1.3 billion. Farmers’ stock is publicly traded on the NASDAQ Capital Markets under the symbol FFKT.

Citizens is a bank holding company headquartered in Nicholasville. Citizens National Bank of Jessamine County operates four offices located in Jessamine County. As of March 31, Citizens had total deposits of $138 million.

The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of this year.

TENNESSEE
Olhausen Billiards Moves Corporate Headquarter Operations to Portland

OLHAUSEN Billiards Manufacturing, Inc. has announced plans to relocate its headquarters, manufacturing and distribution operations from the San Diego, Calif. area to Portland/ Robertson County in Tennessee. The company will build a 250,000-square-foot facility at the Tennessee/Kentucky Industrial Park that will bring approximately 130-150 new jobs to the region.

The family-owned company has been in business since 1973 and has grown to become one of the largest billiard manufacturers in the country. Olhausen sells some 30,000 tables annually.

Gregg Hovey, president and CEO of Olhausen Billiards, said moving its facility to Tennessee will help the company better manage costs and stay ahead of customer demands.

“We have experienced tremendous growth over the past few years and at this point in our business, moving to Tennessee makes a lot of sense for us,” Hovey said. “The Portland/Robertson County area has the right business environment and the community has been extremely cooperative and welcoming.”

The facility is currently under construction and is expected to be completed next month, with hiring beginning in early summer.

INDIANA
New Biodiesel Plant Will Produce 80 Million Gallons per Year

LOUIS Dreyfus Agriculture Industries LCC has broken ground on a new facility near Claypool, Ind., that is being billed as the world’s largest biodiesel production plant.

“Indiana has made dramatic progress in renewable fuels development over the past year. We have grown from one alternative fuels plant to 10 by late this year, with more to come,” Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said. “Agribusiness is a core element of our economic comeback plan, and renewable energy production is the lead item in the agricultural component of our strategy.”

The plant is expected to produce up to 250,000 gallons of biodiesel per day, totaling more than 80 million gallons per year. An integrated on-site soybean processing plant will provide about 260,000 metric tons of soybean oil for the biodiesel production.

The first phase of the Louis Dreyfus project will be a 50-million bushel per year soybean processing plant, followed by the biodiesel production facility. The facilities will be one of the world’s first biodiesel production plants to be fully integrated with a soybean processing plant. In addition, one million tons of protein-rich soybean meal produced each year will be used by the livestock and poultry industry. Eighty-five ongoing jobs will be created at the plant, and it is estimated that 300 people will be employed during the 12- to 18-month construction phase of the facility.

Business Briefs

BOWLING GREEN

• For the second straight year, graduate and undergraduate teams from Western Kentucky University’s Gordon Ford College of Business swept firstplace awards in the annual International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition. As part of the competition, students operated a simulated company for 10 weeks, making all marketing, production, finance, and human resource decisions for their company and competing against other companies in their division. Teams were ranked for their company performance and excellence in their presentations, annual reports and business plans. WKU competed against 32 other schools from the United States and around the world.

COVINGTON

• Ashland Inc. has signed a definitive agreement to purchase the water treatment business of Degussa AG in a transaction valued at approximately $144 million. The agreement with Degussa AG, which is branded under the Stockhausen name, includes five manufacturing facilities located in Germany, China, Brazil, Russia and the U.S. Ashland President James J. O’Brien said the transaction is part of the company’s plan to expand its products, services and geographical reach in market segments where it already competes. The transaction is expected to close this month.

HAZARD

• Hometown Opportunities, Inc., a Hazard company that provides services to individuals with disabilities, has been acquired by Louisville-based ResCare Inc. for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition puts ResCare in an area where it has not previously had a significant presence and is expected to generate approximately $3.5 million in annual revenues.

HENRY COUNTY

• Anew $250,000 agricultural marketing arena is slated to open this summer in Henry County. The facility will be located at the county fairgrounds and will serve a broad spectrum of agricultural enterprises.

HEBRON

• The board of directors of Pomeroy IT Solutions, Inc. has authorized a program to repurchase up to 500,000 shares of the company’s outstanding common stock. Pomeroy is an international technology services and solutions provider headquartered in Hebron.

HICKORY

• Pilgrim’s Pride is adding about 80 production workers and up to five management employees to keep pace with increased production at its plant in Hickory. Human Resources Manager Will Blythe said the number of employees hired could double in spring of 2007 when a night shift is added.

HOPKINSVILLE

• BMAR & Associates is part of a group of 10 companies that has been awarded a fiveyear, $100 million U.S. Department of Defense contract for military maintenance, repair and construction projects. BMAR specializes in facility management, hospital maintenance and construction management services to the federal government.

LETCHER COUNTY

• Letcher County has passed a ban on smoking in public places, becoming the fifth Kentucky community to enact such an ordinance. Daviess County, Georgetown, Lexington and Louisville all have smoking bans already in place. And, according to the Kentucky Department of Public Health, some 20 more communities are considering taking similar action. The Letcher County law will go into effect July 1. Violators will be subject to a $100 fine for the first offense, more for subsequent violations.

LEXINGTON

• Sperry Van Ness, one of the nation’s largest commercial real estate investment brokerage firms, has expanded its presence in the Kentucky commercial real estate market with a new office in Lexington. The addition is part of Sperry Van Ness’ national expansion program, which has grown from nine markets to more than 100 markets in 35 states over the last four years.
• Source Imaging, a Lexington document management and litigation support firm, has changed its name to VeBridge. The name change was implemented to better reflect the company’s mission to connect people with information, said VeBridge President Paul Engel.
• The Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA) has moved its headquarters from Oregon to the Kentucky Horse Park as part of the organization’s efforts to heighten the breed’s visibility in the equine industry. Association officials say the move will also provide an opportunity for the Friesian to be showcased during the World Equestrian Games that are slated for 2010 at the Kentucky Horse Park. With FHANA’s relocation, the Kentucky Horse Park is now home to 28 national and regional equine organizations.
• The Lexington law firm of Sawyer & Glancy has joined Frost Brown Todd, a regional firm that operates seven law offices in four states. According to a statement released by FBT, Sawyer & Glancy’s experience and expertise will reinforce FBT’s commercial transactions, financial restructuring and corporate practices.

LOUISVILLE

• The University of Louisville has officially opened the Belknap Research Building, a $47 million facility that boasts the largest clean room in the state, enabling researchers to study nanotechnology and work on projects that require extreme precision. The 117,000-squarefoot facility is designed to encourage multidisciplinary research: More than 40 scientists from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Speed School of Engineering and the university’s Health Sciences Center will collaborate on research projects.
• Yum! Brands, Inc., the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Long John Silver’s, has been named one of Hispanic Trends magazine’s “Top 50 Corporations for Supplier Diversity” for its efforts to work with minority-owned suppliers. The list recognizes large U.S. corporations that offer minority business owners the best supplier opportunities. More than 50 percent of Yum!’s U.S. workforce are minorities as well as more than 50 percent of the company’s new hires.
• Steel Technologies has signed a binding letter of intent to acquire all of the outstanding stock of Kasle Steel Corporation for approximately $49 million. Michigan-based Kasle is a private company that ranks as one of North America’s largest independent suppliers of automotive steel blanks. In a separate transaction, Steel Technologies has sold its Custom Steel Inc. subsidiary to American Railcar Industries, Inc. (ARI) for $13 million plus approximately $5 million for inventories. Custom Steel, located in Kennett, Mo., produces parts that support ARI’s railcar manufacturing operations.
• Sunbelt Business Advisors of Kentucky has changed its name to Fortune Business Transfers and Acquisitions. Company President Brian S. Mazar said the change was implemented to better reflect the values and approaches of the firm. The company specializes in providing advisory and transaction services related to business transfers and acquisitions, succession planning and certified valuations.
• Louisville-based Porter Bancorp has filed a preliminary prospectus with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to issue $44 million in common stock as an initial public offering. The number of shares involved and the price range of the stock were not released. The company plans to use the proceeds from the IPO to expand its offices in Louisville and central Kentucky.
• The Humana Foundation has donated $1 million to the University of Louisville’s Division of International Pediatrics. Combined with a private $1 million donation from former Humana chairman David Jones and matching funding from Kentucky’s Research Challenge Trust Fund (Bucks for Brains), the program will gain a total of $4 million. The Division of International Pediatrics began as a result of Jones’involvement in the Romanian Assistance Project and has been actively involved in helping the country modernize its physician training and patient care. The Division of Pediatrics is now planning new programs for Latvia and Moldova to help provide medical improvements in those countries.
• Two Louisville telecommunications companies have merged to create one of the largest telecommunications firms in the state. Strategic Communications, LLC and UpLink Technology, Inc. are now operating as Strategic Communications, offering an array of communications products and services ranging from local and long distance telephone services to turnkey data and security systems including Cisco telephony and data products, Polycom video conferencing solutions, and a complete suite of digital security products.
• Raytheon Company has been awarded a $57 million contract to produce 16 Phalanx Block 1B upgrade kits for the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. (Phalanx is a rapid-fire, computer- controlled radar and 20- mm Gatling-gun system.) All 16 kits will be produced at Raytheon Missile System’s Louisville facility. The first kit will be delivered in September 2007 with the remaining kits following during a six-year period. Raytheon, which is headquartered in Waltham, Mass., employs approximately 350 people in Louisville.
• KFC has joined with a top Russian restaurant chain to open the first of more than 300 co-branded restaurants. Within the next 18 months, all existing KFC and Rostik’s restaurants in Russia will be remodeled with a combined menu that features menu items from both restaurant chains. New logos, exterior and interior designs, uniforms and packaging will also be introduced. Over the next five years, Rostick Restaurants Limited will invest up to $100 million to support the development of the cobranded restaurants.
• ResCare, Inc., a Louisville company that provides services for people with disabilities and special needs, has signed a definitive agreement to purchase the operations and assets of Armstrong Universe, Inc. and Armstrong Unicare, LLC. The companies, which are headquartered in Tacoma, Wash., provide in-home personal care and respite services to the elderly and individuals with disabilities. The acquisition is expected to generate approximately $28 million in annual revenues.

MASON COUNTY

• The Kentucky Public Service Commission has approved the construction of a $159 million project that will reduce air emissions from East Kentucky Power Cooperative’s Spurlock Power Station near Maysville. The scrubber, which will reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and particulates, is required in order for EKPC to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements. Under Kentucky law, EKPC will be able to recover the cost of the scrubber in the future through a surcharge on the electric bills of customers served by the rural electric cooperatives to which EKPC provides power. However, EKPC officials maintain that the costs of the scrubber will be offset by lower fuel costs, since the scrubber will enable the Spurlock unit to burn high-sulfur coal, which is generally less expensive than lowsulfur fuel. According to EKPC, the scrubber will produce an estimated total cost savings of $338 million in the 29 years following its start-up in 2008.

MAYSVILLE

• Maysville Community and Technical College has received nearly $760,000 to help support a newly developed power plant operator program. A large percentage of the National Science Foundation grant will be utilized to purchase equipment for the program, which is designed to train workers for the power plant industry. Industry estimates indicate that more than 50 percent of the area power plant workforce will retire within the next 10 years and some plants are already experiencing staff shortages. The Power Plant Technology Program will focus on specific issues as identified by regional power plants and will feature both online and in-class coursework to help accommodate student schedules. The program will have 50 full- and part-time students.

MURRAY

• An increased demand for vinyl and fiberglass windows is bringing increased hiring at Pella Corporation’s facility in Murray. The company expects to hire approximately 100 people over the next year. The increase will boost Pella’s Murray workforce to about 1,000, nearly double the company’s expectations when it opened four years ago.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY

• Northern Kentucky business and civic leaders have joined forces to create a new vision for the region, establishing a 10-year strategic blueprint that will be used to define the future of the area. Vision 2015 focuses on development in the following six areas: competitive economy, educational excellence, livable communities, urban renaissance, effective governance, and regional stewardship.

PADUCAH

• LYNX Services is expanding its call center in Paducah to meet an increased demand in autoglass insurance claims processing. The company plans to add up to 60 jobs and is expanding its operating hours from six to seven days a week.

PAINTSVILLE

• The Kentucky Highlands Entrepreneur Center has graduated its third New Venture Class, a program that takes participants through the complete process of determining whether they want to be an entrepreneur and if their business ideas are feasible. This spring’s class consisted of nine entrepreneurial students, all of whom who had young businesses, a business idea or interest in becoming an entrepreneur. The FastTrac New Venture program assists participants by helping test the market, pricing, costs and funding operations for business ideas.

PRESTONSBURG

• The City of Prestonsburg is hoping the popularity of NASCAR racing will help generate an increase in tourism dollars for the Eastern Kentucky community. The city recently held a grand opening for the Ranier Racing Museum, which houses memorabilia from the wellknown Ranier Racing Team, which was started in the 1970s by Floyd County coal company operator Harry Hale Ranier. Ranier-owned cars won a total of 24 NASCAR races, including three Daytona 500s.

STATE

• The Kentucky Community and Technical College System and four local unions of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) have joined forces to create educational partnerships that will assist electrical apprentices in obtaining an associate degree. IBEW unions in Cincinnati, Owensboro, Paducah and Louisville are participating in the program.
• Six Kentucky companies are included on Fortune magazine’s 2006 list of the nation’s 500 largest public companies. Louisville-based Humana placed at No. 150 on the list, up from last year’s 162 ranking. Other Kentucky companies include Covington-based Ashland, Inc. (No. 239), Yum Brands Inc., of Louisville (No. 257), Omnicare Inc. of Covington (No. 406), Lexingtonbased Lexmark International Inc. (No. 415) and Kindred Healthcare Inc. of Louisville (No. 498).

INDIANA

• AT&T Indiana has launched a new initiative that will bring broadband service to 33 rural Indiana communities over the next 12 months. The plan will bring high-speed digital subscriber (DSL) line Internet service to every central office in Indiana operated by AT&T. Once completed, the build-out will bring DSL service to rural towns with populations as small as 270. Industry observers say the initiative is the result of Indiana’s newly revised telecom laws. “Before passage of HB 1279, Indiana ranked 34th in the nation regarding broadband penetration,” Indiana Sen. Brandt Hershman said. “With this reform, Indiana will become one of the top destinations for telecommunications investment in the country, allowing underserved areas both urban and rural to enjoy the economic benefits of high speed Internet access.”

OHIO

• Trillium Health Care Products is expanding its workforce in St. Bernard, Ohio, in order keep up with client demand. Trillium purchased Procter and Gamble’s soap manufacturing plant in St. Bernard three years ago and continues to produce soap products for P&G. Other clients include Colgate-Palmolive and Kao Brands. The company plans to add 75 new jobs to the existing staff of 225.
• Avon will cut 300 jobs at its Springdale call center as part of the company’s $500 million restructuring plan that includes management realignments and advertising changes. The New York-based company plans to move the Springfield call center jobs to lower-cost countries overseas as part of its effort to reduce costs. Avon employs approximately 600 people at its Springdale facility, where it also handles some manufacturing and shipping.
• Ford has cut 80 jobs at its Sharonville plant as the company phases out a transmission assembly line and will eliminate 120 more jobs over the course of the coming months. The cutbacks are part of the company’s decision to consolidate production of transmissions used in the Crown Victoria and some Ford pickups, and eventually eliminate the transmission used in the Lincoln LS.

TENNESSEE

• TACLE Seating USA is building a 90,000-square-foot plant in Mt. Juliet, where it will produce automotive seats for Nissan North America’s assembly plant in nearby Smyrna. The plant is expected to open next year and will employ up to 170 people. TACLE is a joint venture of Lear Corp. and Tachi-S Engineering.
• Embraer Aircraft Maintenance Services Inc. has announced plans to add 165 new jobs at its Nashville facility, nearly doubling its workforce there. The new jobs are being added to meet the rising demand for full-service aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul. Embraer recently added a new 78,000-square-foot hangar at Nashville International Airport to its existing 125,000- square-foot facility, which services turboprop and regional jet aircraft.
• Sky Angel, a direct broadcast satellite system that specializes in family-friendly TV and radio channels, has announced plans to open a new call center in Cleveland. The new facility will initially bring around 50 new jobs and more than 200 new jobs over the next several years.

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