News & Events
NEWS
TDOT's Response to Questions Regarding a Proposed Road Servicing a Future Industrial Development
Thank you for your inquiry. We appreciate the opportunity to provide accurate information about the survey work underway near the industrial site in Coffee County.
Anne Hosea-Majors Named Honorary Commander at AEDC, June 27, 2026
Executive Director Anne Hosea-Majors was inducted as an Arnold Air Force Base Honorary Commander during the AEDC 75th Anniversary Open House at Arnold AFB. Selected to represent the Test Support Division, she joined the second class of the Arnold AFB Honorary Commander program.
The program pairs local civic and business leaders with AEDC commanders and senior leaders to strengthen the partnership between the installation and the surrounding communities. Honorary Commanders serve two-year terms, gaining an inside look at the mission, operations, and people of Arnold AFB while serving as community ambassadors.
IBCC Hosts Joint Industrial Roundtable at Beechcraft Heritage Museum, June 24, 2026
The Industrial Board of Coffee County hosted a Joint Industrial Roundtable alongside the Industrial Board of Franklin County and the Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation at the Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma. The event brought industry leaders across county lines together for breakfast, networking, and presentations from TN Works and the TN Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development. This joint effort was the first of its kind, while the Industrial Board of Coffee County continues to host Industrial Roundtables quarterly.
IBCC Hosts Economic Developer’s Roundtable in Coffee County,
June 18, 2026
The Industrial Board of Coffee County hosted an Economic Developer’s Roundtable, convening economic development professionals from surrounding communities, partner organizations, and development districts. The collaborative event aligned target market priorities and created opportunities for multi-county collaboration across Middle Tennessee.
IBCC Hosts Regional Partners & AEDC Leadership at I-24 Industrial Site,
May 13 and May 26, 2026
The Industrial Board of Coffee County welcomed Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association’s (MTIDA) Board Members, regional neighbors, TNECD, TVA, and local utility companies to the Middle Tennessee I-24 Industrial Site and TCAT at Coffee County on May 13. On May 26, the IBCC also hosted AEDC leadership at the site.
Together, the visits showcased the strategic advantages of the I-24 Industrial Site and the new TCAT facility, strengthening regional partnerships and aligning state, utility, and federal partners around Coffee County’s industrial development and workforce pipeline.
Madeline Huddleston Earns TCEcD Certification
April 15, 2026
On April 15, 2026, Economic Development Coordinator Madeline (McLaughlin) Huddleston earned the Tennessee Certified Economic Developer (TCEcD) designation through the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services (UT CIS) Tennessee Certified Economic Developer (TCED) Program, graduating as part of the program’s 23rd graduating class. Her capstone, “Cross-Sector Innovation in Coffee County, Tennessee: Multi-Agency Coordination & Grant-Leveraging to Recruit Little Leaf Farms,” examines how cross-sector collaboration and strategic grant-leveraging were used to recruit Little Leaf Farms to the Manchester Industrial Park.
With Mrs. Huddleston’s certification, two of the Industrial Board of Coffee County’s three staff members now hold the TCEcD credential, including Executive Director Anne Hosea-Majors. For a small, rural organization, this level of professional credentialing is uncommon and gives Coffee County a meaningful advantage. Certified staff bring current statewide best practices to every project, from site development and grant preparation to industry recruitment and support for existing industries. As a result, Coffee County is better positioned when navigating industrial development.
EVENTS
IBCC Speaks at NADO/DDAA Washington Conference
March 2026
Executive Director Anne Hosea-Majors represented the Industrial Board of Coffee County at the 2026 NADO & DDAA Washington Conference, held March 8–11, 2026, in Washington, D.C. She spoke alongside Brooxie Carlton, Assistant Commissioner of Community and Rural Development at the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), on the emergence of Little Leaf Farms and the growth of hydroponic Agri-manufacturing in Appalachia.
The annual conference, co-hosted by the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) and the Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA), brings together regional development organizations, federal partners, and policy leaders to discuss regional economic and community development. The session highlighted Coffee County’s success in recruiting controlled-environment agriculture and its broader significance for rural Appalachian communities.
IBCC Celebrates Industry Appreciation Month with Second Annual Brunch,
October 16, 2025
The Industrial Board of Coffee County celebrated Industry Appreciation Month by hosting its Second Annual Industry Appreciation Brunch on October 16, 2025, at The Atlantic in Tullahoma. The event honored the manufacturers, employers, and partners that drive Coffee County’s economy and recognized their role in job creation, capital investment, and community development throughout the region.
Little Leaf Farms Announces Manchester, TN Location, June 30, 2025
Governor Bill Lee, TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter, and Little Leaf Farms Founder & CEO Paul Sellew announced that Little Leaf Farms will establish its first Tennessee greenhouse at the Manchester Industrial Park, a Select Tennessee Certified Site. The project represents $75 million in capital investment and will create more than 500 new jobs in Coffee County over five years.
Little Leaf Farms, the country’s No. 1 brand of packaged lettuce sustainably grown through controlled environment agriculture, acquired acreage at the Manchester Industrial Park for a new state-of-the-art growing and manufacturing campus. Once fully operational, the facility will have the capacity to produce and distribute packaged leafy greens throughout the Midwest, Southeast, and Texas. The project also benefits from Tennessee’s AgTrack Cost Share Fund, an incentive program that promotes agricultural development. Construction began in summer 2025, with the first seeding and launch anticipated in fall 2026.
IBCC Secures $1.6M Site Development Grant for Infrastructure,
January 27, 2025
On January 27, 2025, the Industrial Board of Coffee County was awarded $1,610,450 in Site Development Grant funding from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) to enhance critical infrastructure at the Manchester Industrial Park.
The highly competitive grant will fund significant improvements to wastewater infrastructure to serve the remaining acres of the Manchester Industrial Park. Coffee County’s project was selected as one of only 11 proposals approved statewide, highlighting the project’s competitiveness, strategic importance, and merit. The Manchester Industrial Park’s remaining acreage is a Select TN Certified Site, and the infrastructure upgrades will further strengthen the industrial park’s capacity to serve as shovel-ready sites for future industrial development.