Clarksville, TN – In Late April, Aspire Clarksville Campaign Co-Chair Suzanne Langford, and Aspire CEO Buck Dellinger announced that the Aspire Clarksville Foundation had adopted and funded a new strategic vision for its Aspire VII “Ascend & Advance” Campaign.
This new effort pivots with a strategic focus on implementing strategies for business and place-based development, talent attraction, tourism, and advocacy. These efforts are projected to create 2,500 new jobs and attract over $1.1 billion in capital investment to the 1-24 corridor and redevelopment districts.
Additionally, it aims to secure $500 million in federal and state infrastructure investment over the next five years. The expected return on investment for this campaign exceeds $60 for every $1 invested.
“I am excited about Montgomery County’s direction and new opportunities on the horizon. A fully funded strategy aimed at supporting downtown development in key areas and enhancing workforce retention and recruitment will boost our economic strength,” said Buck Dellinger, Executive Director of Aspire and Economic Development Council (EDC) CEO. “I would like to personally thank each and every one of our investors for their commitment to this campaign.”
“The Aspire Clarksville Foundation has been instrumental in driving numerous advancements within the Clarksville Montgomery County community over the past two decades. I am thrilled to take part in spearheading the Aspire Ascend & Advance campaign, which aims to shape the future for the next five years and beyond. Supporting our community is crucial, and contributing to the Aspire Foundation empowers us to guarantee economic growth and a flourishing quality of life.” said Campaign Co-Chair, Suzanne Langford, Planters Bank Middle Tennessee Senior Market Executive.
“I am honored to be a leader for the Aspire Ascend & Advance Campaign, with a new direction focused on downtown. I believe Clarksville is, and will continue to be, an “it” City for the next two to three decades. I firmly believe downtown development is the engine that drives growth of professional jobs in Clarksville and believe each of us has an opportunity to live that with our personal investments.” said Co-Chair Joe Maynard, President JCM Management.
Aspire Clarksville is a charitable foundation whose mission is to continuously improve the economy and quality of life of the community by attracting significant capital investment and expansion by businesses and corporations. This will thereby create better opportunities and higher-paying jobs for Clarksville-Montgomery County, Tennessee, residents.
The success of the Aspire VII campaign is due in large part to the commitment and dedication of Aspire Campaign Cabinet Members (Co-Chair, Suzanne Langford; Co-Chair Joe Maynard; Don Jenkins, Tommy Bates; Todd Harvey; Ginna Holleman; Mark Holleman; Don Jenkins; Lawson Mabry; Mary Beth Thomas; Steve Smith) and community leaders who invested their time and resources into the Foundation.
Over its 28-year history, the Aspire Clarksville Foundation has facilitated growth and improved quality of life in Clarksville Montgomery County by funding the efforts of the EDC and its partners, which include the Industrial Development Board (IDB), Chamber of Commerce, and the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), also known as Visit Clarksville.
Major announcements, such as the recruitment of LG Chem, Google, and LG Electronics, as well as expansions of existing industries like Hankook and Florim, can be directly attributed to the collaborative work of the EDC and the Aspire Foundation, and we are poised to achieve even greater success in the coming five years.
Over the next five years, Aspire VI will focus resources on five core strategies: Place Based Development, Business Development, Talent Attraction, Tourism and Advocacy.
Since its establishment, Aspire has significantly influenced the local economy. The Aspire VI Campaign aims to ensure that Clarksville-Montgomery County maintains its competitiveness with other communities statewide, regionally, and nationwide.
By leveraging campaign resources to implement the Strategic Economic Development Blueprint devised for the new five-year plan, we seize the opportunity to sustain this momentum through a unified approach.
