If there’s one thing that’s going on right now in the area of economic development in Memphis and throughout Shelby County, it’s change.

That’s the message Charles Gulotta, executive director of the city-county Office of Economic Development, delivered to the Memphis Certified Commercial Investment Members Tuesday, Jan. 17, at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis, 3700 Central Ave.

About two-thirds into Gulotta’s speech touting Millington’s economic development assets to the CCIMs, he announced he’d be the Millington Economic Development Board’s new leader, effective Feb. 1.

“As part of the ongoing economic development process in Millington, community leaders have recently reorganized the local economic development program,” Gulotta said. “The Chamber of Commerce and Industrial Development Board – which were separated in the past, not the most efficient strategy – have combined and are merging operations. They’ve come forward and they’ve agreed to hire an experienced economic development professional with broad experience – me.”

Gulotta has served as executive director of the Memphis-Shelby County Economic Development Board since December 2007.

One of Gulotta’s new key responsibilities under his new title is the marketing and sale of Veterans Parkway, which he repeatedly called an “incredible industrial asset in Millington,” equipped with utility, water and sewer lines and plumbing and electricity capabilities.

“For someone who works in economic development, when you drive along Veterans Parkway, I mean, you almost have to drool in anticipation of the possibilities that exist there,” Gulotta said.

In past years, what was once a U.S. Navy station in Millington has been affected by Base Realignment and Closure downsizing planning from the federal government. The base is now a support center, known as Naval Support Activity Mid-South.

One result of that BRAC plan is that many former military assets have been handed over to the city of Millington and to the Millington Industrial Development Board.

Some of these assets include a range of buildings, the third-longest airport runway in Tennessee and more than 2,000 acres of land – the majority of which is along the main line of Canadian National Railway Co.

In addition, the development of Interstate 269 that will serve Millington will add value to the community, Gulotta said. Right now, there are no congestion problems affecting Millington, and crime is not an issue due to protective zoning in place, he said.

Also working in Millington’s favor are the tax benefits, Gulotta said. The tax rate in Millington is $1.43, compared to Memphis’ tax rate of $3.19.

“Everything seems to be falling into place for Millington to be the focal point for commercial and industrial development in the immediate, immediate future,” Gulotta said.

Then there’s the fact that the Millington Chamber of Commerce is a private entity, meaning it can handle projects in private before turning them over to the Industrial Development Board for various incentives.

That’s different from the Economic Development Growth Engine, the new industrial development board that will assume responsibility for the Memphis and Shelby County payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) program.

Since EDGE is a public entity and is subject to all city, state and county open records laws, its projects are “open to public scrutiny from the press,” and documentation can be requested from other competing communities.

Since there’s a huge “learning curve” for new director Reid Dulberger and his board, Gulotta encouraged the CCIMs to get involved in the new PILOT program and to “keep your eyes open” to ensure any changes are business friendly.

Gulotta also touted the Foreign Trade Zone program, a process established to help eliminate or lessen tariffs for companies importing materials into the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Commerce administers the FTZ program, and Memphis and Shelby County currently administers it for the community. In the near future, EDGE will assume those responsibilities.

Since companies nowadays need to move quickly, Gulotta said, the FTZ board in Washington has put together an Alternative Site Framework program. Memphis and Shelby County have submitted an application to be part of ASF, and the designation should be approved by March.

“In recruiting companies like Mitsubishi and Electrolux, they have told us that they want to participate in the FTZ program,” Gulotta said. “With this Alternative Site Framework in place, we can get both of those companies into the program at a very, very expedited process. It’s going to be embarrassing if we have to tell them that it will take a year in today’s modern world.”