Greg Junek: Sunday Briefing

Carrier Corp.'s Tyler manufacturing facility picked up a prestigious award, with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration again giving it "Star" status under its Voluntary Protection Programs. The achievement denotes the facility's achieving injury and illness rates at or below the national average in its industry.

Carrier Corp. is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

OSHA has awarded the plant Star status since 2003 and continues to recognize Tyler for exemplary safety and management systems, plant officials said. The OSHA program encourages private and public sector efforts to improve occupational safety and health. Through VPP, OSHA recognizes workplaces with excellent safety and health management systems and promotes them as model workplaces.

To qualify for VPP, applicants must have an effective safety and health management system that meets rigorous performance-based criteria. In addition, applicants must meet all relevant OSHA standards. OSHA verifies qualifications through a comprehensive onsite review process. OSHA approves successful applicants with a Star, Merit or Star Demonstration designation, and offers an exemption from programmed or scheduled inspections to award recipients.

The plant's safety council was instrumental in engaging employees and driving enthusiasm for this program.

"It is a privilege to work with employees who are committed to workplace safety, and who place safety at the forefront of everything they do," Larry Oliver, Tyler's plant manager, said. "This award is a true testament of the safety culture of our facility."

Carrier Corp., headquartered in Farmington, Conn., has approximately 43,000 employees worldwide and operations in more than 170 countries.

On Thursday Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt introduced the new River Bend Business Center and Industrial Park under development at Interstate 20 and Texas Highway 31 in Gregg County.

Guests at a luncheon included elected officials, business and civic leaders, and the event showcased one of the largest contiguous tracts of industrial and commercial property in East Texas and the value it will bring to regional economic development.

A group of private investors led by MB Companies and 4 S Oil is developing the business center and industrial park. The 1,500-acre site will be divided into three phases, with the industrial park on 175 acres and the business center on 500 acres.

It will also include a 300-acre wetland and wildlife preserve.

The River Bend Industrial Park will attract medium- to light-duty industrial businesses, while the River Bend Business Center will house retail and commercial facilities for restaurants, shops, hotels/motels and light business space.

The Wild Life Preserve will remain untouched and serve as a safe haven for animals native to this location. Developers said they hope that the preserve will be visited by schools, citizens and travelers.

Future development is planned to include 400 acres of major distribution and manufacturing.

Graduates of the latest Leadership Tyler class were awarded their diplomas last week during the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce quarterly membership luncheon. But the wheels never stop turning at LT.

The program is accepting applications for its 2008-2009 class, which will begin with an opening retreat on Sept. 11-12.

Applications can be obtained by going to the LT Web site at www.leadershiptyler.org, calling 903-535-9242, or e-mailing cklein@tylertexas.com.

Cost $1,400 and scholarships are available. More information can be obtained in the application.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. June 2.

Leadership Tyler programs are designed to help participants acquire an understanding of the critical issues affecting the region and the leadership and stewardship capabilities necessary to resolve them. Its model, which focuses on a wide knowledge base, leadership skills and trusteeship, guides the curriculum and motivates participants to become faithful community leaders.

Knowledge topics include racism/diversity, economy/business, government, arts/culture/quality of life, social/poverty awareness, education and health care.

More than 550 alumni serve as policy-level community trustees for dozens of different organizations, as elected and appointed officials and as leaders in the private, public and nonprofit sectors of Smith County.

Business Editor Greg Junek may be reached at 903-596-6280, or by e-mail at business@tylerpaper.com.

Greg Junek
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