STEPHEN CROOK, the executive director of the Industrial Board of Coffee County, possesses a wealth of knowledge regarding industry opportunities in the region. With nearly nine years of experience in economic development for Coffee County, his passion and enthusiasm have remained unwavering.
Crook is a former vice president of economic development for a regional organization as an economic partnership headquartered in Cookeville.
He said, “I found it to be one of those areas where you can have a significant impact on the community — on people that may never even know what role you had.”
The Coffee County Industrial Board has a remarkable history of economic development work for the community and the region.
“You work in a small way to help support their job opportunity, quality of life, and improve the lives of our citizens.”
The Coffee County Industrial Board recruits, retains, and expands quality employers and supports quality-of-life development for each community in Coffee County.
The board helped Dot Foods, a family company, locate a distribution center in Manchester Industrial Park. The company specializes in less-than-truckload food distribution that will provide over 200 jobs to the community.

“That is one of the examples of how we work as an industrial board to help create high-quality job opportunities that help fill employment gaps and add quality opportunities in our citizens’ lives.”
Coffee County’s existing industries are all experiencing significant sales growth, creating opportunities for them to grow their employment and add shifts and equipment.
Some of the challenges the board faces are the diversification of the workforce. The board wants to ensure that they have a wide array of citizens that can go to work and do various jobs from entry level up.
Employees specializing in mechatronics, automation engineering, Programmable Logic Controls (PLC), and CNC Milling are in high demand. The board proactively works with education partners to ensure they provide these industries to the community. They currently have many openings for entry-level operators in positions with high-growth potential.
Board members work diligently to fill employment gaps in the automotive space, air and defense, health and medical sciences, cyber security, and consumer goods sectors within Coffee County.
Nearly 11,000 people in Coffee County travel an hour to two hours to get to work. The board aims to help them participate in community activities and reduce commute times.
The available property development spaces include the Middle Tennessee I-24 mega site. The mega site will serve employers, help retain young talent, and bring those who travel outside the country’s borders to work a little closer to home every day. It will be a key component in adding long-term value to the community.
The community is headed in a great direction with the right people in the right seats, strong partnerships, and a great work ethic. Grab a Manchester Chamber magazine and a cup of coffee, and stay tuned for exciting updates and opportunities. GN