From Staff Reports

The city of Lewisburg has been named a Valley Sustainable Silver Community by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Valley Sustainable Communities Program initiated by TVA Economic Development helps communities document and improve existing sustainability programs to increase their competitiveness when companies are considering investing in new or expanded locations.

Lewisburg recently completed the program sponsored by TVA, which was developed and administered by consultant Boyette Strategic Advisors.

"We are proud that Lewisburg has completed the Valley Sustainable Communities Program," said Del Boyette, president and CEO of Boyette Strategic Advisors. "The Silver level designation recognizes that Lewisburg has community-wide sustainability in place, with some programs available to support the business community and take advantage of economic development opportunities."

Sustainability has become a key issue for economic development organizations and communities as more corporations have demonstrated an increasing commitment to sustainability. More than 90 percent of corporate real estate executives who responded to a CoreNet Global survey on sustainability said that it is a consideration in their company location decisions. The typical reasons for this corporate commitment are reduced operating costs for increased profitability and greater employee satisfaction.

"TVA Economic Development's mission includes working with Valley communities to help prepare them to be ready for economic growth opportunities," said John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of economic development. "We are seeing that more and more companies have an increasing business emphasis on sustainable operations, and are adding this component to their RFIs as they search for a community where they can locate, grow, and enhance their company's sustainability commitments."

Lewisburg sustainable community team members Mayor Jim Bingham, former Mayor Barbara Woods, Lisa Jackson, Joint Economic and Community Development Board Executive Director Mike Wiles, and Lewisburg Economic Development Director Greg Lowe were presented with the TVA Sustainable Community Silver Level Award at a luncheon on Dec. 3 in Nashville.

"This kind of recognition validates our efforts to become a progressive, business-friendly and environmentally sound community," said Bingham. "We are going to continue efforts such as this as we move forward with more plans and projects to make the best city to live, work and do business."