More than 50 representatives from 26 Kentucky manufacturing and service-related businesses attended a free training hosted by The Boeing Company in Corbin, Ky. earlier this month.
Six of the major defense contractor’s supplier specialists traveled to Eastern Kentucky to meet with some of the region’s most successful business owners for a full day of presentations, networking and collaboration.
The purpose of such events is to help develop an “ecosystem” in an area where suppliers can partner with major contractors and each other to grow the region’s economy, Camille Geiger, senior manager, Supplier Development and Diversity, The Boeing Company, told the crowd gathered at The Corbin Arena on July 10.
“For Boeing to become a global industrial champion, we need to partner with great companies,” Geiger said. “Boeing is committed to making an impact in Eastern Kentucky and working with suppliers that share our commitment to delivering safe, quality products on time to their customers; it’s our honor and a privilege to engage and invest in hard working businesses such as those that attended this training. We are proud to be a part of their growth and development.”
The Kentucky Procurement Technical Assistance Center (KYPTAC) and Advantage Kentucky Alliance (AKA) partnered with Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED) and its Supplier Education and Economic Development (SEED) Program to host the event.
SEED trainings are designed to help the region’s manufacturers ready their companies to do business with large contractors by providing them with information and training on how to acquire the appropriate certifications and quality control gauges to present their work to a wide range of prime contracting representatives at the Third Annual SEED Contracting Symposium to be held this fall in Morehead, Ky.
American Metal Works co-owners James Glass and Dennis Rohrer traveled from their business in Paintsville, Ky. to participate in the training. Glass and Rohrer have been participating in the SEED program since its genesis.
“We at American Metal Works, found the seminar to be very informative and insightful. The training gave us a better understanding of Boeing’s expectations and how their processes work,” Glass said. “We look forward to the next training session with Boeing that promises to be even more detailed and ensures that Eastern Kentucky companies can be successful suppliers for Boeing and provide greater opportunities for the people of our region.”
SKED Executive Director Brett Traver says The Boeing Company is an invaluable partner is seeing SEED’s goals come to fruition.
“I can’t thank Boeing and Camille’s team enough for their time,” Traver said. “Since Congressman Hal Rogers’ staff linked us up with them in 2017, they have been a true partner from day one of the SEED program. They’ve been engaged and have traveled here to Eastern Kentucky multiple times to meet with small business owners. I look forward to the next training in Morehead and helping more Eastern Kentucky companies succeed, through the SEED program.”
SKED received a $1.3 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative earlier this year. These trainings and all of the collaborative work being done by the SEED partners is funded by that grant.
For more information about future trainings or the symposium, please contact Brett Traver, SKED executive director at 606-677-6102 or btraver@skedcorp.com.