Athens, Texas was doing well. They had a fairly diversified manufacturing base that was generating good quality, higher paying jobs. Not bad for a historically agricultural community of just over 11,000 in the rolling hills of Northeast Texas. Then a key business was bought out and moved away, setting in motion a domino effect of lost business among Athens' medical manufacturing base. Athens Economic Development Corporation owned a building that was vacated after a tenet invested more than a million dollars in the facility. Athens had a unique facility, a well educated workforce and a strong desire to regain and keep control of its economic destiny. Out of adversity Athens found inspiration and with the help of good friends at the local, state and national level, Athens EDC has brought about a wave of change that today has Athens sitting atop a quiet powerhouse for medical device development that is creating jobs and businesses alike.

From Idea to Reality

Having endured the loss of a string of businesses, Athens was eager to establish a means of better controlling its own destiny. Community leaders took the time to stop and ponder their situation - think about what they had and allowed themselves to dream about the possibilities. A vision for a business that would nurture other businesses emerged and the concept for the Biotech Manufacturing Center (BMC) of Texas was born. The BMC would be a unique kind of business incubator, providing facilities and technology development programs. The BMC provides a business model for new medical devices from the first stages of ideas, to prototype to product. The company – a locally owned non-profit - would take advantage of the local community college and train its workforce. It would attract new businesses to Athens and foster their growth with facilities, services and a workforce ready made serve a highly specialized industry. Ultimately, the companies benefiting from incubation would be offered incentives to remain in Athens when they were ready to stand on their own - further enhancing the power of the economic engine.

Athens made it happen. Local cooperation was key. Athens EDC worked with Trinity Valley Community College and their Small Business Development Center. Henderson County Medical Society, the Chamber of Commerce and the Athens Industrial Foundation all joined in to support the project. Greg Roach, now the executive director of the BMC, was working for the Small Business Development Center at the time and took a leadership role, lending to the effort his considerable experience in the healthcare arena. Working together with Athens EDC director Herb Gatlin, the team looked outside the community for guidance and support. They established an advisory board made up of local advocates as well as individuals from Texas A&M, the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Technology and Economic Development Division and the University of Texas at Arlington. The advisory boards provided valuable insights and helped Athens EDC and the BMC acquire funding to move forward.

The BMC used grant funds to purchase more than $1 million worth of equipment at a very favorable cost. The Athens EDC provided grants and loans, investing in a company it believed to have the potential to create high paying jobs and even generate new businesses in the long run. This got BMC started. Another $800,000 grant from the Dept of Commerce, Economic development Administration provided for a new 5,000 square foot building.

Return on Investment

In less than three years since BMC got started, better than 30 companies have taken advantage of the incubator's multi-million dollar equipment, clean rooms and business planning, marketing and manufacturing support. BMC is developing things like neonatal heart pumps and self injection syringes. The BMC holds confidential much of the ongoing work at the center but suffice it to say this is important, life saving technology.

BMC receives calls from other incubators all across the country seeking their support with specialized projects because there is no one else in the country doing what BMC does. It's the only medical Manufacturing incubator in the nation and the business model is working. BMC is now at 36 employees working in its facility, up from 10 last year. They are looking at 6 new market research projects right now. BMC is growing, jobs are being created and economic growth is happening. And the recognition is following. This spring the Small Business Administration in Washington received a phone call from Entrepreneur magazine asking for one of their biggest success stories. They pointed to BMC.

To learn more about BMC and how Athens, Texas is leveraging unique assets for economic growth, contact Bob O'Neil Marketing Manager, at 903-675-6036 x 105, or visit BMC online at www.bmc-texas.org

About the author: Joan Tatge, Communications Director, AdventGX Inc. AdventGX is a tourism and economic development consulting company based out of the Texas A&M University Research Park on main campus in College Station, TX. Joan can be reached at joantatge@adventgx.com.