During my years at the Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet as Project Manger, I met many times with Steve Zea. A fine fellow and very creative. A good fit for Murray at that time. In one instance Fisher Price wound down and the industrial building occupied by Fischer Price was on the market as an existing industrial property. Existing buildings played a large role in locating a manufacturing plant .. . Immediate Economic benefits for the community. Start up time is reduced from a year or so to just a few months. The old "money rubber" hits the road quickly.
Several times I was in the company of an Industrial Client brought to Murray via a lead from the Economic Development Cabinet. During that time our job was to show as many communities as possible. In that way existing buildings were very important. Murray always showed well and the University was a large credit to the community. Business many times prefers to locate near Academia. *Witness to that, the largest community of New Start Ups is in Boston, Mass. Academia, especially educated graduates, were sought by COMPACT and other high tech companies in Boston.*
Murray State University and Steve Zea were outstanding reprsenatives for Murray. I have not seem my colleague Steve Zea in many years. Some say the purchase of the Fisher Price property by a local Murray business man and some conflict may have been the cause. WAS IT? If anyone knows where Steve is today, drop a line to Mary Potter. Jim Anderson Stivers, Entrepeneur, Inventor and blog junkie. Frankfort, KY.