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My name is Bob Quick, I'm the President / CEO of Commerce Lexington and I'm glad to be your
Master of Ceremonies here this morning. First of all I'd like to welcome all of you for
coming out today, a great fall day here in the Commonwealth. I hope everyone's batteries
are charged, we're energized and ready to go. So thank you for joining us, it's a big
day here in the Bluegrass and we're glad that all of you could join us. And quite frankly
this is probably one of the best "who's who" audiences we've had for an announcement in
quite some time, so I want to thank all the Commerce Lexington board members and investors,
I see some Bluegrass Angels out there in the audience, Lexington Fayette Urban County Government
leaders and university officials. So thank you all for joining us. The mayor often talks
about "crowding the winner's circle" -- Nathan, today we're going to crowd you up here in
the winner's circle; it's not an end, it's a celebration of a new beginning so we're
looking forward to doing that. And the 3 leaders that we have speaking today
are 3 of the Commonwealth's top leaders. So to kick us off I would like to turn it over
to our top economic development leader here in the Commonwealth, the Honorable Steve Beshear
who is going to make the official announcement. Governor.
Steve Beshear: It's an exciting day for central Kentucky and for the entire Commonwealth,
because today we announce the arrival of a company whose 5.3 million dollar investment
will further Kentucky's economy and carry strong ramifications for the energy security
of this entire nation. NOHMs Technologies, they plan to create up to 162 new jobs here
in Lexington. And that, my friends, is great news, any time we can announce it. 162 jobs.
They will be opening a state-of-the-art research, manufacturing and product development facility
for military, cell phone and electric vehicle lithium ion batteries. From the economic development
standpoint alone, these are obviously impressive numbers. These new jobs in particular are
a welcome development for our families in these uncertain economic times.
But just as exciting is how NOHMs Technologies will solidify Kentucky's emerging role in
the development of next-generation batteries. Here at the Kentucky Argonne Battery Manufacturing,
Research and Development Center. NOHMs Technologies was founded in 2010. It's a young company,
and when you hear from its CEO, it's a young CEO. But this is an exciting time to have
a young company like this to join us in Kentucky because they have developed a battery that
is based on lithium sulfur chemistry. The company's vision is to commercialize a lithium
sulfur battery technology that will revolutionize vehicle markets, including everything from
spacecraft to electric automobiles. The company believes its new batteries can deliver enough
energy at a cost that will be low enough, that will greatly accelerate mass commercialization
of electric vehicles. I want to congratulate Nathan Ball, CEO of NOHMs, and welcome him
to this remarkable facility, because NOHMs represents precisely the kind of company that
I envisioned when I worked to establish the Kentucky Argonne Center here in the Commonwealth.
I wanted to address growing concerns about energy sources and to make Kentucky the epicenter
for the advanced automobile manufacturing of the future.
It was just over a year ago that we all gathered and cut the ribbon on this center, which as
we all know, is a partnership between the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the University of
Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Argonne National Laboratory, which is a world
leader in basic battery research and in scores of other research fields. Already during the
past year, joint research projects have been developed with several major automotive manufacturers,
including Ford, Hitachi, and Toyota. I know that executive director Tony Hancock and his
team continue to recruit more tenants and more partners, so folks there is some revolutionary
work going on right here. I'm also proud that the state was able to provide an additional
boost toward helping NOHMs locate here in Kentucky and in Lexington with some of our
performance-based incentives offered through the Kentucky Business Investment Program.
You know, since we overhauled those investment programs in 2009 we have used them to partner
over 580 projects, representing over 6.8 billion dollars in investments. And as companies like
NOHMs Technologies follow through on their plans, they stand to create over 46,000 new
jobs for Kentuckians. I should note also that NOHMs also was a recipient of a Small Business
Innovation Research Matching Grant from the Commonwealth of Kentucky and is a participant
in the Bluegrass Business Development Partnership's rent subsidy program. We're thrilled to welcome
the company here to Lexington and I know that a whole lot of people are looking forward
to its growth and success. And Nathan, if you would come up here for
just a minute. I've got a small token of appreciation on behalf of the Commonwealth. We make a brown
liquid here in Kentucky and it's known around the world as Kentucky Bourbon, and while this is not big enough
for a bottle of bourbon it is big enough for a mint julep cup to drink that bourbon out
of. Thank you very much. Bob Quick: I would now like to introduce Mr.
Nathan Ball, cofounder and CEO of NOHMs Technologies. Nathan has a fascinating professional history.
He has worked in Beijing, China; he got his engineering degree in Saudi Arabia at King
Abdullah's University of Science and Technology and he comes to Lexington today from Cornell
University and Ithaca, New York. We're certainly glad to have Nathan and all the folks from
NOHMs that are here with us today. Nathan Ball.
Nathan Ball: Thank you, Bob. Thank you governor. Friends, colleagues and fellow Kentuckians,
a lot of work has been put into relocating this company from Ithaca, New York to Lexington.
My wife and I just bought a house in town last month, and it's a sign of commitment
when the CEO buys a house in town. Buying a house is a lot of work; after weighing all
the possible options north, east, south, and west of town, and even in Georgetown, how
many bedrooms and bathrooms, how good are the schools, is there a park nearby, and all
those other things you need to know or think you need to know when you're buying a house
before negotiating and countering and inspecting and financing and finally closing. Those of
you who have ever been through the process before knows it takes a long time and can
be just a little bit stressful. Right? So take all that work that goes into buying a
house and multiply that by at least 10 and that's how much, that probably isn't even
enough to account for all the diligence and the heavy lifting that my team did, that Commerce
Lexington did, that the Cabinet for Economic Development did and the UK staff at the Center
for Applied Energy Research are still doing to get us here and help us make the transition
as smooth as possible. It isn't easy to move a company and I want to say thank you. Thank
you to everyone involved at the city, state, and university level. There are probably some
I haven't thanked today that have put a lot of work and effort into this as well, but
thank you very much. Especially to my colleagues, our employees, who are standing in the audience
amongst you. We have retained 100% of our employees through the relocation and that
really speaks volumes to the commitment and personal investment of this team. So thank you.
And now that I've made it halfway through my speech without talking about what it is
that our company actually does, I'll get back to what we do, just real brief. NOHMs Technologies
was founded 3 years ago in a little town called Ithaca, New York to develop an idea that originated
in a Cornell University lab. 3 years later we've brought in millions of dollars in income
and support, and are growing more quickly than ever before. NOHMs Technologies is developing
materials as was said earlier for military products, mobile phones and electric vehicles
that have the potential to double the run time and reduce the cost of current technology.
Batteries are important, because they power everything from our mobile phones to hearing
aids, golf carts and airplanes, and if we can simultaneously double the energy and reduce
the cost, then we can power the next generation of military products and cell phones, and
enable a company like Toyota to make electric cars that are more cost-effective to buy and
to drive than gasoline cars. That would shift the energy economics away from the oil-extracting
countries like Iraq and Libya and toward high-tech manufacturing in countries like the USA. And
I think that's part of your governor's vision, our governor's vision, to make Kentucky ultra-competitive
in high-tech manufacturing. By attracting companies like Toyota, Hitachi and NOHMs Technologies
to the region who can all work together right here in Kentucky.
We are thrilled now to be a part of the Kentucky business community. This will enable, this
move and the facilities here, will enable our company to move a lot faster to take the
next step to fully develop and commercialize our products. We chose Kentucky because of
the state's reputation for advanced manufacturing, its talented work force and very strong support
from the state level for the battery and automotive industry. The facilities at Kentucky Argonne
which are unparalleled here in this country... outside of a national lab or big company,
right here at UK. The capabilities that exist here and that are being installed here as
the center continues to grow, will help us tremendously as we continue to grow right
here in Lexington. We also benefit from the University of Kentucky
Center for Applied Energy Materials (Research) which has a long history in developing energy
materials technology. Thank you Governor Beshear, Dr. Capiluto, Mr. Quick, Mr. Gray, and all
those who have made our expansion in the world-class Kentucky Argonne Center at the Center for
Applied Energy Research possible. Thank you. I also have a gift. It's not bourbon either;
we do have some t-shirts commemorating the event today, we'd like to share with you.
Bob Quick: I knew we had him when he mentioned he bought a house, and you had all those points
and I'm sitting, "yep, check, check check," because I knew we have all those things in
abundance. But I really knew we had him when he said "your governor's vision" and then
said "our governor's vision." So thank you very much. So Nathan, you are here at a phenomenal
time in our history, and I'd like to have our next leader come up, the Mayor of Lexington,
who is, his fingerprints are all over that architectural plan and the implementation
that has made us a great city. So with that, I'd like to invite Jim Gray, Mayor of Lexington,
to the platform.
Jim Gray: Thanks, Bob. Wow, this, Dr. Capiluto, Eli, was just saying, this is a great day,
it's great event. And it's so inspiring Governor, you know this really does demonstrate when
you decide to "swing for the fences" and actually hit it. You know, as Nathan was speaking (and
I'm fully going off script, y'all, forgive me), because when the Governor was speaking
and Nathan was speaking, I was thinking you know, Ed Lane, we're in Councilmember Ed Lane's
district right here. I was thinking that, when something like Kentucky Argonne is actually
inspired, engaged, created, and then, you see, this really the first, essentially the
first spinoff. And then, because I know this guy, the Governor was right there, almost
30 years ago, when an event called Toyota landed here, he was then Lieutenant Governor.
And he looks back today and sees more than 160 manufacturing plants that were created
in this state in the following 30 years, and what that has meant to creating jobs and opportunity
and purpose in people's lives. And when he saw this, the opportunity for Kentucky Argonne,
and pushed and traveled to win it, and now today, seeing Nathan, a young man with a brilliant
idea, intellect and energy and charisma, and his people, all of whom, that company, all
of your employees, who have followed that leadership to be here and move to Lexington
because of that original concept and idea and the commitment and passion to actually
do it. So I'd just like everybody, a little applause for all the swinging for the fences
that's been done here. And that swinging for the fences, the centerpiece
of that of course includes the leadership that Eli Capiluto is providing at the University
in so many dimensions, often running against the grain, to stretch and to push and to encourage
this level. In fact he said to me, we made an announcement, it was at about a year ago,
and we were making an announcement about 300 jobs and he said "now, Jim, there's got to
be a lot more than 300." And he was right, because of, you know, because of the investment.
As I look across this room, though, and I listened to Nathan's comments just a minute
ago, it was sort of inspiring for me. I remember moving myself to Lexington and opening up
our family business here almost 30 years ago, what amounted to a two person shop. And I
remember moving here because I'd had a short stint at the University of Kentucky Law School,
and I just thought Lexington was just the place to be. And so much of it had to do with
the University. With the content, the intellect, the positive, right there at this university.
And the way that influences all of us, it's something that Senator Stein says all the
time, "a university city." And how in many respects today, we are just beginning to take
the fullest perhaps advantage of that. And why is that --in cities across America and
the world, productivity is being measured at its highest level in cities, and especially
in university cities. So for the inspiration that the governor provided,
including those KBIR incentives, because when I first met with Nathan, Governor, that's
exactly what he said, he said "that's what got our attention." Just like Eric Ostertag
at Transposagen said. So these little seeds. Nathan said and you announced, 162 jobs, that's
his business plan. And I can tell you, from my own experience, when there's that kind
of commitment, when there's a passion, there's a community behind it - today our little company
that moved from Glasgow, more than 300 jobs in this city today. And it happened one step
at a time. One day at a time. With the kind of energy and commitment and passion that
you bring to it. So I've gone completely off script, y'all
forgive me. This is a big day for Lexington, it's a big deal to celebrate this entrepreneurial
inspiration, so thank you all so much for being here today.
Bob Quick: We've got the entire leadership here for you, Nathan, and for your business.
One of the nation's top university presidents and a tremendous economic development generator,
is the University of Kentucky. I'd like to have come forward president, Dr. Eli Capiluto,
the President of the University of Kentucky, to make a few comments.
Eli Capiluto: Bob, thank you. You knew we had Nathan when he bought a home and someone
observed that we had him when he said "our governor." I knew we had him when he bought
that blue tie. And I'll have to tell you, the Mayor and I have a sort of running joke,
and that is I've started buying him ties, because his ties don't reflect enough blue.
Nathan, thank you for wearing that tie and thank you for being here and generating the
energy, excitement and enthusiasm expressed by the Governor and the Mayor. And I'm here
to represent an incredible team at the University of Kentucky, those who came before me and
those who are here now who have made days like today possible. Our Vice President for
Research, deans of our colleges, director of our Center for Applied Energy Research.
It takes a team at the University of Kentucky to make something like this happen. I have
the honor of representing all of them today. In fact we just came from Coldstream, where
with the governor and Mayor and others, we cut the ribbon to open our Eastern State Hospital,
another high tech, high touch, high quality facility to meet the needs of our fellow Kentuckians.
We are welcoming a new partner, a youthful one, creating jobs, innovation, a contributor
to our regional, national and global economy, answering the questions of our day. So I am
proud to welcome Nathan and NOHMs Technologies and I think again he deserves a round of applause
and we want to give you that warm University of Kentucky welcome.
We are celebrating everything today because of these partnerships. And this illustrates
the incredible possibilities unleashed when human capital, modern space and expertise
combine with state and local entities to bring a new company with new technologies and high
wage jobs to central Kentucky. It's really simple -- talent, facilities and the glue
that puts them all together, that's what's represented in the people in this room. So
on behalf of the University I want to add my thanks to many individuals and organizations
that made today possible, first starting with Governor Beshear. And his state policy makers,
his economic development talent, and cabinet that he leads so well. And Mayor Jim Gray,
man, he has come out of his shell. He has enthusiasm for this city, he believes in its
future and he believes in our University and we welcome it. And also Bob Quick and his
team at Commerce Lexington. The partners from UK and Lexington involved with the Bluegrass
Business Development Partnership, and finally Nathan and his incredible team from NOHMs
Technologies. This underscores two important points that
we cannot lose sight of in this country. First, the positive impact of federal and state support
for research and development. These are the investments that you make that unleashing
from the pipeline into our economy the things that we recognize today. The majority of our
growth since World War II is the result of technological advancement. A great deal stems
from federally-funded research. This impact surrounds us everywhere, everywhere -- Google,
GPS, life-saving vaccines, the creation of the MRI, just to name a few. And NOHMs Technologies
is going to follow in the footsteps of those companies and those discoveries. They too
received funding from the Department of Energy and NSF, the National Science Foundation.
Folks, our friends here, that funding is in jeopardy in this country, as we are locked
in sequestration battles in Washington, DC. NIH, and I think you can say the same for
NSF, is at its lowest inflation-adjusted funding in over a decade, over a decade. We will not
be celebrating days like today in the future if we don't get back on track. These modern
facilities where research and discovery are conducted, space where synergies between experts
and entrepreneurs can flourish, that is going to guide our future. The Kentucky Argonne
National Battery Laboratory , you heard from Nathan, without that he's not here, his company's
not here. Our UK Center for Applied Energy Research, another important partner in this
dynamic enterprise. So we're excited that you selected Lexington.
My job came with a house, but I would have bought one too. This is a great place to flourish,
and it's a great day to celebrate this partnership and to acknowledge the impact of state and
federal government agencies, universities and innovators coming together to pioneer
products, create jobs, solve a problem and build a bright future for Kentucky. Thank
all of you in this room for making this possible.
Bob Quick: Thank you Dr. Capiluto, and I would like to thank all of you for coming out for
this very exciting announcement. It does take a strong team, and I think we take for granted
these days just how important that team is. You mentioned the Bluegrass Business Development
Partnership, the BBDP, it's people that work tirelessly, they work collectively and they
put their egos aside to make things happen. And as I talk to my colleagues across this
country, ladies and gentlemen, it just doesn't happen that way. And also Dr. Capiluto, many
universities and their committees don't plug in the way that you do and the way we do to
you, so it's very important we always remember what makes our people great and it's our people
first and we've always got to work together and never take that for granted. Further I
would say it's incentives that we are able to match like the SBIR, that differentiates
Kentucky from our strongest competitors. And local rent subsidy. Don't ever take for granted
those local incentives, they are huge and they make a significant difference.
The Mayor also wanted me to comment, Ruth Ann Palumbo, State Representative, Senator
Kathy Stein, are here, also we have a couple council members, Ed Lane I know was mentioned,
and Harry Clark, I hope I didn't pass over anyone, but also I know there are a number
of state leaders that are here. Thank you for being part of our team and for being here
to make all this happen. Nathan, we are very happy to have you in the
Commonwealth and especially here in Lexington. We think you are going to be happy here, we
think you are going to thrive here. This is not an end point, I promise I always make
is that the attention you've received to this point, it doesn't go away, it gets more intense.
And you've witnessed that from the leaders here in how they've explained to you this
is a long term engagement and affair with you here and your families, your workers.
And also we've had many recent accolades and a new one that the Mayor talked about that
Google splayed on us, e-city, because of our online presence of businesses that have located
here. We have a lot going on but there is more to come, and we want you to
be part of that story.