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Charles and Jody Allen, Owners of Knives of America

Charles & Jody Allen

  • Owners - Knives of Alaska
  • "Denison has much to offer its residents and visitors - from its wonderful public parks and covered pool to a nationally recognized hospital and exemplary public school system. All these things and more combine to make Denison a stand-out town with stand-out people who celebrate the art of living. Being able to enjoy the community and feel safe at the same time is definitely a winning combination."
Eric Rothert, CEO of Dialog Direct

Eric Rothert

  • Chief Executive Officer - Dialog Direct
  • "As an outsource customer service provider, our core business focuses on delivering the ideal customer experience through customer service advisors who are knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. It all starts with people. It is important for Dialog Direct to be able to have access to a labor market with the best candidates and this is a major consideration when choosing a new site. The fact that the high school graduation rate is 96%, makes it much more desirable than many major cities. The community understands the importance of business development and the Denison Development Alliance helped us every step of the way in becoming a proud part of the Denison community."

Macie Moss with Golden Wellness Boutique

  • E-Commerce Grant Recipient
  • "I received for Golden Wellness an E-Commerce Grant from the Denison Development Alliance and it has been so helpful for us to really get ourselves off of our feet, to spread awareness, and to make sure that we can provide wellness to you and this entire community."

Brian Aspell

  • VP of Manufacturing - Champion Cooler Corporation
  • "It is with much pride that Champion Cooler Corporation has been a part of Denison since 1954 making us the oldest industry in Denison. Thanks to assistance from Denison Development we've been able to make several expansions and are now the national leader in the production of evaporative coolers. Being located on U.S. Highway 75, which is considered one of the nation's premier north/south trucking routes connecting Texas to the markets nationwide, has been one of the keys to our long-term success."

Elsie Russell of 2 Chicks Home and Market

  • E-Commerce Grant Recipient
  • "In the Fall of 2019, we were part of a fire that happened downtown and had to relocate and had to pivot. Right after the fire, we had gone to a business bootcamp. That was amazing and we came back with all these ideas and tools and how to get back on our feet. And we did that. The building was renovated…and, unfortunately, in February 2020, four weeks later, COVID forced us to lock the front door…and then came along the DDA grant opportunity and it was a game changer for us… We didn’t have anybody walking in our brick and mortar, so we really needed to go e-commerce. We did classes online that allowed us to buy equipment that we did not have already and to do Zoom video classes and curbside pickup and all kinds of things like that too, and virtual shopping. We were able to put a lot of our products on that e-commerce, especially our creative lines, so folks could continue to shop. It added an additional stream of revenue that we really needed at the time and that we still benefit from today. So if you have an opportunity to check out the E-Commerce Grant, you won’t be disappointed. I promise!"

Bob Landon with Landon Winery

  • Destination Creation Grant, Facade Grant and Fire Suppression Grant Recipient
  • "I'm Bob Landon with Landon Winery and we are so happy to come to Denison, Texas. We opened our winery here just a few months ago…For places like us that produce alcohol, [the Destination Creation Grant] was very beneficial for us. We spent over $1,000,000 on the build out of the winery once we bought the building…The DDA was very helpful in supporting us…We had to put in a sprinkler system and that was a very expensive at $100,000 and there was a grant to help offset some of that and also the Façade Grant for the front of the building. We redid the front of the building and put in new windows and put in an awning and made it look really nice…All of that really does help. So when a business is looking at going to a new city, yes, they look at the economics of the location and the demographics of the people that live there and the income, but [it] also helps when the city is also supporting the business financially. It helps make the decision to come here easier."

Nitia Musico with Monsters on Main

  • E-Commerce Grant and Facade Grant Recipient
  • "Monsters on Main…came about after a Destination bootcamp, which was funded by Denison Development Alliance and allowed a number of businesses to go to Colorado to study how to become a destination. That along with the E-Commerce Grant, helped me transition fully into Monsters on Main. The E-Commerce Grant allowed us to set up the website. We decided to use Shopify so it integrated in-store purchases with all our online purchases. The grant allowed us to do more social media and help with advertising. It also allowed us to set up a shipping station. So that was an amazing help... When we purchased the building, it was orange. So we now have a nice blue building [due to the Façade Grant]. Our windows leaked a lot, so the Facade Grant allowed us to replace our windows. But the most important thing for me, of course, was the signage. I'm lucky enough to have one of the biggest signs downtown. So I love the fact that my monsters are on display on the sign... Looking forward to working with the Denison Development Alliance again on the second round of the E-Commerce Grant, which is going to allow me to do a lot more advertising and hopefully reach further afield beyond Denison."
Cruz Acosta, President of Texoma Industrial

Cruz Acosta

  • President - Texoma Industrial
  • "Partnering with the Denison Development Alliance offered us the opportunity to consolidate our operations into a spacious facility. Texoma Industrial is extremely appreciative of the support and professionalism showed by the DDA staff and board as we have grown and diversified within our industry. The new facility will accommodate Texoma Industrial's growing operations in the coming years."

Mike Roberts with The Horse’s Axe

  • Destination Creation Grant, Facade Grant, Fire Suppression Grant, and Alley Access Grant Recipient
  • "We chose Denison because the city was so easy to work with and they kept communicating with us. We felt like they wanted us here and the grants really helped us get [The Horse’s Axe] built out. We did the Destination Creation Grant, which at the end of it all gave us an operating income to get started. We also did the Façade Grant, which replaced all the windows and doors in the building. We got the Fire Suppression Grant, which helped us with fire suppression and then we also did an Alley Access Grant which got us our back doors. I would highly recommend that if you're looking for a city to go to, to start your business, check out Denison, Texas."
Kellie M. Metzdorf, Vice President, Client Advocacy - CIGNA

Kellie M. Metzdorf

  • Vice President, Client Advocacy - CIGNA
  • "The incentives and level of support provided by the Denison Development Alliance were instrumental in CIGNA's decision to consolidate multiple area operational facilities into one state-of-the-art Service Center in the summer of 2007. With a workforce of 800+ in the Denison Service Center, providing call and claim service to 1.5 million medical customers and 3.4 million dental customers, staffing stability and minimal employee turnover are critical. The quality, work ethic, and level of professional commitment found in the available workforce in the Denison area truly differentiate the business culture and have a positive impact on organizational success."

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