Economic Development
In 1986, I worked with regional leaders to create the Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED), a community development organization that works to recruit businesses and create employment opportunities. Since its creation, SKED has successfully assisted more than 150 industries locate or expand their operations in our region. These vital SKED projects employ more than 10,500 workers and have invested an estimated $500 million in our area.
In 1996, we celebrated the opening of The Center for Rural Development, a state-of-the-art facility that serves as an economic development and telecommunications hub for a 42-county region. The Center and its professional staff cultivate and promote the region's economic, educational, natural, and cultural resources to create better opportunities for the people of southern and eastern Kentucky
Recognizing the unique challenges and potential of our region, I launched the Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) initiative in 2013. Together with former Governor Steve Beshear, we envisioned an open and annual summit for the region’s leaders, businesses, organizations, and citizens to come together for partnership and innovation. SOAR strives to energize southern and eastern Kentucky organizations and community leaders to think outside the box for an emerging Appalachian economy. With a focus on job creation, regional opportunities, and overall improvement of the quality of life in southern and eastern Kentucky, SOAR serves as a blueprint for a 21st Century Appalachia.
Since 2017, I have also been proud to partner with SKED on its Supplier Education and Economic Development (SEED) initiative, intended to connect southern and eastern Kentucky businesses with major contractors in the defense, automotive, and aerospace industries. Our region has a strong, capable workforce, and offers many manufacturing and machine shops that can provide great value to these industries at competitive price points. This initiative has already benefited our region, and I am confident it will continue to do so moving forward.
Supporting projects that promote economic development, job creation and cleaning up our communities has always been a priority of mine throughout my years in Congress. I will continue to support policies at the federal level and projects at the local level which will ensure the long-term viability of the southern and eastern Kentucky we all know and love.
Related News
July 2009
June 2009
Related Files
- Chairman_Rogers_Accomplishments.pdf (687.2 KBs)
- PSA_Rogers_2016_SOAR_Innovation_Summit.mp3 (578.2 KBs)
- SPR_Hearing_-_090315.pdf (45.1 KBs)
- FINAL_SOAR_REPORT_JANUARY_14.pdf (6.1 MBs)
- 3_percent_Withholding_Tax_Repeal.mp3 (938.4 KBs)