Jasper County and SouthernCarolina Alliance, the regional economic development organization representing Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton and Hampton Counties, announced today that Jasper County has joined the SouthernCarolina Alliance team. The partnership was finalized at the SouthernCarolina Alliance Board of Directors Meeting held at the Southern Carolina Business Center in Barnwell, South Carolina, on June 26th. SouthernCarolina Alliance will provide economic development  and marketing services to Jasper County through a strategic regional marketing strategy based on the assets of the six-county area.

 

“SouthernCarolina Alliance welcomes Jasper County into our regional alliance,” said SouthernCarolina Alliance Chairman Johnny Williamson. “Their county council and community leaders share our belief that the way to improve the quality of life for our citizens is through job creation. The people of Jasper County appreciate the jobs that manufacturing and distribution projects bring to our communities, and SCA will work with them to market Jasper County globally as a great place to locate and grow industry.”

 

“We are joining SouthernCarolina Alliance because economic development is a priority for Jasper County” said Jasper County Council Chairman Samuel Gregory. “Industries not only brings jobs, their capital investment allows us to expand our tax base, thereby providing better services without increasing the tax burden on our citizens. It’s the best way to grow our local economy.”

 

 “Our primary goal is to create every opportunity that we can for our citizens to secure good-paying jobs,” said Jasper County Councilman Marty Sauls. “Every job created affects a family in Jasper County and improves their quality of life. We share that philosophy with SCA, which has represented rural counties like ours for the last sixteen years. Their region’s capital investment and job creation have outpaced the state average. That’s the direction that we want to take in Jasper County. ”

 

According to SouthernCarolina Alliance President and CEO Danny Black, Jasper County’s assets will position the region for growth.

 

“With Jasper’s proximity to the Ports of Savannah and Charleston, as well as the opportunities that a Jasper Port will bring, we need to do everything we can now to identify and develop shovel-ready sites with rail, as well as available buildings,” said Black. “We need to capitalize on Jasper County’s multiple exits on I-95, and look at ways to enhance these assets for manufacturing and distribution. We are excited about the potential.” 

 

Carl Gooding, Vice Chairman of SouthernCarolina Alliance and Chairman of Allendale County Council, welcomed Jasper County into the Alliance, “Jasper County shares the goals and challenges that we all have for our rural communities. However, their unique qualities also strengthen and diversify our region, which gives us more to market to industrial prospects.”

 

According to Jasper County Administrator Andrew Fulghum, “From the county’s perspective, we will have the advantage of building partnerships with other rural counties while sharing resources and costs in marketing and planning. The county council and administration believe this is a cost efficient way to approach economic development. Regionalism is an international economic development trend, and we look forward to working with this progressive organization.”

 

For more information on SouthernCarolina Alliance or Jasper County, visit the SCA website at www.southerncarolina.org.

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