Jonesboro Unlimited

Community members, industry partners, and educational leaders gathered for a construction celebration today for the Career Readiness Education and Skills Training (CREST) Center at Arkansas State University. Building has been underway for several months already, and when completed, CREST will enhance workforce training opportunities in advanced manufacturing, food processing, and steel production. "By connecting education and training to the needs of our region’s employers, we are creating pathways for students and working adults to gain valuable skills, earn stackable credentials, and advance their careers,” said Dr. Calvin White Jr., Chancellor of Arkansas State University.  “We are also equipping the industries that are driving the region’s economy with a skilled workforce they need to grow and succeed.”    White said that CREST brings together A-State, ASU-Newport and Arkansas Northeastern College with a shared goal: building a stronger workforce in Northeast Arkansas. Hytrol Conveyor Company is the founding industry partner. “This represents a true evolution; the next step in our workforce development capabilities, not just in our community, but our region and this state,” said Mark Young, President and CEO of Jonesboro Unlimited. Phase one of CREST is made possible through a $7.5 million grant from the Arkansas Department of Commerce Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) program.  Regional organizations and government partners are providing additional funding, including Craighead County, Jonesboro Unlimited, Workforce Training Consortium, and Hytrol Conveyor Co.    “Through facilities like this, it gives young adults a place to start to move themselves forward, and that is what we are here to do,” said Marvin Day, Craighead County Judge.   Day said a college education is beyond the reach of many, but the CREST Center will help bridge that gap, and he is looking forward to seeing what this endeavor will do for the community.  Among the many speakers at the event were Dr. Calvin White Jr., Chancellor of Arkansas State University; Arkansas Congressman Rick Crawford; Dr. Will McLean, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor of Arkansas State University; Ike Wheeler, Chancellor of ASU-Newport; Dr. Chris Heigle, President of Arkansas Northeastern College; Dr. Ken Warden, Commissioner of Arkansas Division of Higher Education; Craighead County Judge Marvin Day; Mark Young, President and CEO of Jonesboro Unlimited; Phillip Poston, Chief Administrative Officer of Hytrol; and William G. Wright, Tax Credit Executive at Southern Bancorp. Arkansas State University Arkansas State University-Newport Arkansas Northeastern College Hytrol Arkansas Division of Higher Education

SANY Nutrition Group held a grand opening for their new $30 million manufacturing facility yesterday in Jonesboro. Housed in the former Butterball building, the company produces protein-rich snack bars and bites with the ability to make 500 million per year. Around 75 employees have been hired with plans to reach 150 in the next three years. SANY founder and investor Angela Pernsteiner celebrated the event with a ribbon cutting, acrobats, musicians, and a dinner with several guest speakers including Jonesboro Unlimited President and CEO Mark Young. The evening was filled with gratitude to the Jonesboro community and stories about the founding and development of the company. Located in Craighead Technology Park, SANY joins several other food manufacturers already operating there. We congratulate SANY Nutrition Group on this exciting milestone and appreciate them for choosing Jonesboro as the home for their growing operation! #econdev #SANY #foodmanufacturing #industry #industrialdevelopment #economicdevelopment #jonesboroarkansas #alwaysjonesboro

JOB ALERT❗ Know someone on the job hunt? We have a job board with over 400 local jobs available! Each month we feature job openings in Jonesboro and the region, focusing on our 4 key industries: advanced manufacituring, healthcare, logistics + transportation, and technology + professional services. Explore these exciting job opportunities! Visit https://lnkd.in/ee6CbqRV #alwaysjonesboro #jonesboroarkansas #arkansas #craigheadcounty #jobs #jobsearch #employment #careers

Join us in celebrating Donna Holt, Jonesboro Unlimited Executive Assistant and Economic Development Associate for the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Tamara Roberson, Chamber of Commerce Director of Sales, on being recognized as 2026 NEA Women in Business by Northeast Arkansas Talk Business & Politics! For 39 years, Donna has been a constant at JU and the Chamber, serving as the backbone of both organizations and helping keep things running smoothly day in and day out. Tamara joined the Chamber almost a year ago and hit the ground running, quickly taking the lead in her role. They were recognized last night in a ceremony at The Lounge at Huntington Square alongside eight other accomplished honorees. We congratulate all the women chosen for this distinction! Learn more about these incredible NEA Women in Business at https://lnkd.in/gCbYEtdV

Thank you to the workforce who keep our community moving forward. Happy Labor Day from Jonesboro Unlimited! #workforce #laborday #jonesboroarkansas #econdev

As a valued partner of Jonesboro Unlimited, we appreciate Hytrol and its continued commitment to workforce development! We look forward to seeing the CREST Center at Arkansas State University in the future and the opportunities it will create. 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘈-𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘛𝘌: 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐀-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 $𝟓𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐲𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 The Career Readiness Education and Skills Training (CREST) Center, currently under construction at Arkansas State University, is poised to serve the Northeast Arkansas community once completed. Today, Hytrol Conveyor Company committed a $500,000 gift, becoming CREST’s founding industry partner. “Hytrol has spent more than six decades growing alongside Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas,” said Philip Poston, chief administrative officer at Hytrol. “Our future is tied to this region, and we believe that one of the most important investments that we can make is in the people that drive that future." White continued, “They employ our neighbors, support our communities, and invest in the people who call Northeast Arkansas home. Hytrol understands that their success is connected to the success of this entire region. That understanding is at the heart of CREST.” The ASU System Board of Trustees recently named the primary workforce training space in the CREST Center in recognition of the company. The Hytrol Workforce Training Room will be part of phase one of the three-phase building process. “When completed, the Hytrol Workforce Training Room will be a place where people develop skills, discover opportunities, and prepare for careers that can change the trajectory of their lives and those of their families,” White added. "The naming of the Hytrol Workforce Training Room is meaningful to us,” said Poston. “We like what that room will represent. It will be a place where people gather to learn, develop new skills, collaborate, and prepare themselves for what's next.” The $18 million phase one of construction will be a 26,000-square-foot facility, expected to be completed by spring 2027, with classes beginning in fall 2027. “CREST is the culmination of that vision that happened over 30 years ago,” said Mark Young, President & CEO of Jonesboro Unlimited. “It will provide not only an opportunity for employers to better prepare the existing workforce, but it also provides an opportunity to train the future workforce. CREST will play an impactful, meaningful role in people’s lives.” Made possible through a $7.5 million grant from the Arkansas Department of Commerce Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) program, the CREST Center will eventually be a 70,000-square-foot facility. Craighead County, Jonesboro Unlimited, and WTC have committed additional funding. #econdev #workforcedev #workforcedevelopment #hytrol #AState #CRESTCenter #NEA

SANY Nutrition Group has established a new food manufacturing facility in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The company is investing more than $30 million with plans to create over 150 new jobs in three years. “SANY Nutrition Group is an innovative protein snack manufacturing company that combines the speed and fearless mindset of a start-up with the technology, expertise, and scale of a global organization," said Angela Pernsteiner, investor. "Through tailor-made formulation, premium ingredients, state-of-the-art equipment, and European-American process excellence, we transform bold ideas into distinctive, shelf-ready products—in weeks, not years. We chose Jonesboro, Arkansas, for its business-friendly climate, dependable supply-chain infrastructure, and skilled workforce—an ideal combination for fast-moving food manufacturing." SANY has acquired and remodeled the former Butterball facility, located at 9401 E Highland Drive in Jonesboro, with the capacity to produce up to 400 million bars and bites annually. The company is built on six different pillars, allowing a wide variety of healthy, protein-rich snacks and indulgent bites to be manufactured locally. The company offers both branded and private label selections in every pillar, which creates a meaningful diversification and economic stability. “SANY Nutrition Group is choosing to invest its capital to grow in Jonesboro, Arkansas, building a new manufacturing facility and creating 150 new jobs,” said Clint O’Neal, Executive Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “Jonesboro has become a food manufacturing hub thanks to its abundant natural resources, low costs, and the strategic vision of its leadership. This has led to investments from companies like SANY and positioned Jonesboro for long-term economic growth. We congratulate SANY and the City of Jonesboro on this significant new investment that will create opportunities for many years to come.” “We continue to find meaningful partnerships with industries in and around food and advanced manufacturing,” said Jonesboro Unlimited President and CEO Mark Young. “Jonesboro is the right place to be successful, and we are thrilled that SANY NUTRITION GROUP has chosen to call us home.” SANY - Nutrition Group LLC Arkansas Economic Development Commission #econdev #economicdevelopment #SANY #jonesborounlimited #jonesboroarkansas #NEA #northeastarkansas #foodmanufacturing #foodprocessing #manufacturing #arkansasjobs #employment

InnovAsian Cuisine Enterprises Inc., a subsidiary of Nichirei Foods Inc., officially broke ground today on its new state-of-the-art frozen food manufacturing facility in Jonesboro, Arkansas. This more than $150 million development will create approximately 200 new jobs, strengthening the region’s position as a vibrant hub for food manufacturing. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Mayor Harold Copenhaver, local civic leaders, state economic development officials, and InnovAsian and Nichirei Foods executive leadership. During the groundbreaking, officials celebrated the construction milestone and highlighted the positive economic impact the new manufacturing facility will have on the Jonesboro region. "Today marks a significant milestone for InnovAsian and Nichirei as we invest in the future of Jonesboro, Arkansas and strengthen our ability to meet growing consumer demand," said Joe Kent, President and CEO of InnovAsian. "This facility will accelerate our future growth with the production of high-quality Asian cuisine while creating meaningful jobs in the community.” InnovAsian’s 180,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility will be located in Craighead Technology Park, a 2,100-acre industrial park in Jonesboro. InnovAsian chose Arkansas after a competitive multi-state search, citing speed-to-market, a skilled workforce, efficient logistics, and strong local and state support as key factors. “It’s no surprise InnovAsian chose Jonesboro, a city with everything it takes to move food from the field to the grocery store: agriculture, logistics and transportation, and advanced manufacturing, on top of a low cost of living and talented workforce,” said Governor Sanders. “Their parent company, Nichirei Foods, is headquartered on the other side of the world and didn’t find Arkansas by accident. That’s why we build relationships overseas – to tell our story abroad and bring more jobs home.” Construction is slated to be completed by end of 2027, with production officially launching in early 2028. “Breaking ground today is a major milestone for InnovAsian and brings them closer to creating hundreds of new jobs for Arkansans,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “We thank InnovAsian and Nichirei Foods for their investment in our state and in the City of Jonesboro, which further solidifies the region as a food manufacturing hub. Congratulations to the company and the City of Jonesboro on this milestone.” “InnovAsian’s choice to call Jonesboro home after a national search, illustrates that our community is a place where industries thrive,” said Mark Young, president and CEO of Jonesboro Unlimited. “We look forward to supporting their confidence in us for years to come.” For more information about InnovAsian, visit Eatinnovasion.com. #econdev #economicdevelopment #foodmanufacturing #jonesboroarkansas #jonesborounlimited #innovasian #nichireifoods

Looking for a new job or internship? MyJonesboroJobs.com brings together job and internship opportunities from employers in Jonesboro, making it easy to search over 400 openings in one place. Whether you are entering the workforce, exploring a new career path, or looking for your next opportunity, start your search at MyJonesboroJobs.com #jobs #careers #jobopenings #JonesoboroArkansas #NEA #NortheastArkansas

THIS WEEK'S HOT JOBS❗ Know someone on the job hunt? We have a job board with over 400 local jobs available! Each month we feature job openings in Jonesboro and the region, focusing on our 4 key industries: advanced manufacituring, healthcare, logistics + transportation, and technology + professional services. Explore these exciting job opportunities! Visit MyJonesboroJobs.com #alwaysjonesboro #jonesboroarkansas #arkansas #craigheadcounty #jobs #jobsearch #employment #careers