East Texas
Manufacturing Alliance

The East Texas Manufacturing Alliance (ETMA) is an industry-led partnership dedicated to strengthening and growing the manufacturing sector in surrounding East Texas counties.

ETMA

The East Texas Manufacturing Alliance is led by local manufacturers and supported by a team of public partners including the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce, Angelina College, the Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce, as well as other education, workforce development, and economic development organizations in the region.

Workforce Development

The Workforce Development Team improves the talent pipeline of manufacturing by developing entry-level employees and upskilling the existing workforce.

Co-Chairs: Jim Cumbie - Georgia Pacific & Bernard Hylands - American eChem
Committee Members: Tim Stacy - Twin Disk, Alton Frailey - Nacogdoches ISD, Billy Reddick - Workforce Solutions, Mark Durand - Workforce Solutions
Staff Support: Esther Campbell - Angelina College

Population

Population

Combined, Angelina and Nacogdoches counties have a steady population of +153,000. With Angelina College located in Lufkin and Stephen F. Austin University in the center of Nacogdoches, this area offers plenty of educated graduates ready to enter the workforce.

Recruitment & Retention

Recruitment Icon

Recruitment and Retention aims to recruit and retain mid-level employees by promoting and enhancing community events that engage 20-30 employees.

Co-Chairs: Sam Freeman - Angelina Forest Products, Diana Graves - Quad Graphics & Starr Wright - Pilgrims
Committee Members: Anthony Pittman - Lockheed Marin, Jenna Richards - Lufkin Industries, Doug Holland - Lufkin Industries, Danielle Summers - Dolphin Services, James Wright - Pilgrims, Joe Johnson - T&B Construction
Staff Support: Tara Watson-Watkins - Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce

Ideal Geography

The Angelina and Nacogdoches area is an ideal location for importing and exporting materials. Because it sits on the edge of Texas and Lousiana, there is easy access to 8 major cities including Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Shreveport, Alexandria, Baton Gouge, and New Orleans. There is also quick access to the 3 major ports of Galveston, Corpus Christi, and New Orleans.

Business-to-Business Networking

Networking Icon

Business-to-Business Networking builds stronger connections amongst manufacturers to exchange best practices and facilitate learning within the sector.

Co-Chairs: Matt Turner - Turner Fabrication & Diana Graves - Quad Graphics
Committee Members: Bill Elliott - Elliott Electric Supply, Staci Hodges - Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber
Staff Support: Kelly Daniel - Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce

AD-Hoc Committee: Access to Capital

The Ad-Hoc Committee discusses strategies to enhance access to capital. The Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation is taking the lead in establishing an Opportunity Fund in East Texas which will increase funding opportunities for local manufacturers.

Committee Members Horace Mast - Mast Motorsports, Rufus Duncan - Higginbotham Bros & Mark Lowery Texas State Bank
Staff Support: Larissa Philpot - NEDCO

Impacting Local Communities

• For Manufacturers: Our Alliance is where we bring together business leaders, developers, and city managers to solve communication and organization issues that stall manufacturing.
• For Educators: We are a venue for faster understanding of changing industry needs to create industry-driven career pathway systems. We can identify, build, and refine curriculums, programs, and credentials.
• For Workforce Developers: For industry and workers, we are a way to strategically focus your time and resources for higher impact solutions. With our help, you can create highly accurate training solutions that give your future workers the right training.
• For Economic Developers: We bring together the leaders in education and workforce development to strategize how we support critical industries. We are a tool for you to understand the strengths and opportunities of existing industries in our region.

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