The editors of Business Facilities magazine, a national economic development publication, have named Tennessee the magazine's 2009 State of the Year for the number of new jobs amount of         

capital investments made during the calendar year. New Jersey-based Business Facilities also named the Hemlock Semiconductor project in Clarksville, Tennessee its 2009 Silver Award winner for Economic Development Deal of the Year, citing the company's announced investment of $1.2 billion dollars and the creation of 500-900 new jobs. 

Hemlock              

Semiconductor CEO Rick Doornbos,   

standing at left, and  Tennessee  

Governor  Phil  Bredesen, at right,

at the created and  Hemlock  

groundbreaking ceremony in November 2009.

Business Facilities editors noted Tennessee won the honor "due to an aggressive and creative development effort that defied the economic downturn with a series of multi-billion-dollar projects."  Cementing Tennessee's position on top were back-to-back announcements that the world's two largest polysilicon manufacturers, Hemlock Semiconductor and Wacker Chemie AG, would both locate major production facilities in the state.   

The magazine also recognized Tennessee's commitment to the creation of clean energy jobs with its innovative Green Energy Tax Credit for certified green energy supply chain manufacturers. The Green Energy Tax Credit was also expanded last year to include integrated customers and suppliers and qualified affiliates of green energy manufacturers.