Forward Sumner

What Forward Sumner does

Forward Sumner is Sumner County, Tennessee's official economic and workforce development office, structured as a public-private partnership headquartered at 1598 GreenLea Boulevard, Gallatin, Tennessee. The organization coordinates four strategic pillars — Economic Development, Transportation & Infrastructure, Workforce Development, and Investor Relations — across seven municipalities (Gallatin, Hendersonville, Goodlettsville, Millersville, Portland, Westmoreland, White House) for a county of 212,000+ residents with a 110,000+ labor force and 7,000+ businesses. Services are provided free of charge to prospective and existing businesses, including site selection assistance, customized community analytics, incentive navigation (TNECD FastTrack, TVA programs, Job Tax Credits), workforce training coordination, and transportation planning via the multi-billion dollar Northeast Transportation Corridor (NETcorridor).

The organization's product portfolio is anchored by a suite of digital tools and analytics products rather than a unified software platform: the Sumner County GIS System for property and zoning research, a Property Tax Calculator, LoopNet-integrated commercial property listings, Replica-powered transportation analytics, Replica land use datasets, Lightcast migration analytics, an Esri/Foursquare "What's in My Community?" infographic, the Sumner 2050 Land Use Plan, CityBreakout transportation project workbooks, the BERC Wage & Benefit Survey, Target Cluster Development Reports, and a Banzai/Wilson Bank & Trust Financial Wellness Platform. Underlying technology includes interactive GIS mapping systems, data analytics dashboards, and transportation analytics platforms sourced primarily from third-party providers.

Forward Sumner is funded through a hybrid non-profit model: investor memberships drawn from enterprises across accounting, construction, distribution, education, financial, healthcare, IT, manufacturing, and government sectors (including Meta, GAP Inc., UNIPRES, Hendersonville Medical Center, First Horizon, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Wilson Bank & Trust, and the Cities of Gallatin and Hendersonville), supplemented by federal, state, and local government grants — most notably $1.25M in ARPA-backed funding running through December 2026. The organization employs 1–10 staff and is led by President & CEO Chris Taylor, with a board chaired for 2026 by Kelley Crecelius of Wilson Bank & Trust.

Name

Forward Sumner

Legal name

Forward Sumner Economic Partnership

Website

https://forwardsumner.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forward Sumner is Sumner County, Tennessee's official economic and workforce development office, operating as a public-private partnership that provides free site selection, workforce training, transportation planning, and community analytics services to businesses and residents across seven municipalities, funded by investor memberships and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Gallatin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Investor Memberships: Forward Sumner operates as a public-private partnership funded by investor memberships from businesses across Sumner County including accounting firms, construction companies, financial institutions, healthcare providers, manufacturers, and government entities. Membership fees support economic development initiatives at no cost to businesses seeking to locate or expand in the county.
2. Government Funding: Federal, state, and local government grants including TNECD programs, TVA incentives, and ARPA funds for workforce training and economic recovery projects through 2026.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Forward Sumner is the public-private Economic and Workforce Development office for Sumner County, Tennessee. It provides site selection assistance, customized community analytics, incentive navigation (FastTrack, TVA programs), workforce development coordination, transportation infrastructure planning, and investor relations services to companies evaluating relocation or expansion in the county. All advisory services are delivered at no cost to businesses.

Product overview

Forward Sumner is Sumner County's Economic and Workforce Development office structured as a public-private partnership. Rather than a unified software product, the organization provides a portfolio of programs, tools, and resources organized across four strategic pillars: Economic Development (site selection, community analytics, utilities/tax/incentive information, quality of life data), Workforce Development (Workforce Cabinet, Sumner County Schools CTE Advisory Council, education ecosystem programs, financial wellness), Transportation & Infrastructure (NETcorridors planning, transportation analytics via Replica, land use planning via Sumner 2050, community development tools), and Investors (membership program connecting businesses with the county's economic ecosystem). The product portfolio includes analytical tools such as the Property Tax Calculator, Sumner County GIS System, commercial property listings via LoopNet, and transportation/land use data analytics. Research products include the Target Cluster Development Reports, Wage & Benefit Survey, and Largest Employers data. A notable platform offering is the Financial Wellness Portal delivered via partnership with Banzai and Wilson Bank & Trust.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Site Selection Assistance Free, confidential advisory service that helps businesses evaluating Sumner County identify candidate properties and infrastructure using the GIS System, LoopNet-integrated commercial listings, and customized community analytics. Target buyer: site selectors and corporate real estate teams.
• Customized Community Analytics Bespoke data and labor-market analyses (wages, benefits, occupational snapshots, what-if scenarios) prepared for prospective or expanding employers evaluating Sumner County. Target buyer: enterprise site selection teams and corporate real estate directors.
• Workforce Development Programs Coordinated workforce services including special industry training, apprenticeships, work-based learning, and CTE-aligned pipeline programs. Includes $400K special industry training grant and $600K digital tools grant (July 2023–December 2026). Target buyer: existing Sumner County employers.
• Transportation & Infrastructure Planning (NETcorridor) Coordinated multi-billion dollar Northeast Transportation Corridor planning covering NETcorridor, I-65 widening, SR 109 Portland Bypass, and SR 386 improvements through partnership with TDOT and GNRC. Target buyer: regional transportation stakeholders and prospective employers.
• Investor Partnership Program Membership program connecting businesses and municipalities across accounting, construction, financial, healthcare, IT, manufacturing, education, utilities, and government sectors with Sumner County's economic development mission. Membership dues fund free services to relocating/expanding businesses. Target buyer: businesses and government entities.
• Financial Wellness Platform (Banzai) Online financial education platform offered in partnership with Wilson Bank & Trust and Banzai, providing interactive lessons on budgeting, saving, credit management, calculators, progress trackers, and personalized guidance for Sumner County residents.
• Wage & Benefit Survey Annual 40-county wage and benefit survey for Northern Middle Tennessee, produced by BERC at Middle Tennessee State University. Provides compensation data for key occupations in manufacturing and distribution. The 2023 survey received the C2ER Community, Economic, and Workforce Research Award.
• Target Cluster Development Reports A collection of downloadable economic reports and analyses covering Sumner County's economic trends, workforce dynamics, business cases, what-if scenario analyses, and occupational snapshots for key industries. Target buyer: economic development stakeholders and site selectors.
• Property Tax Calculator Self-serve online calculator estimating property taxes, motor vehicle registration fees, and adequate facilities (development) taxes based on property value, classification, location, and square footage across Sumner County jurisdictions.
• Sumner County GIS System Interactive mapping tool enabling users to research individual properties, zoning information, political districts, school districts, and other geographic data for Sumner County.
• Sumner 2050 Land Use Plan Comprehensive 25-year land use planning initiative for unincorporated Sumner County (400 sq. miles), combining data-driven analysis (Replica, Esri, Lightcast) with community engagement to guide zoning, development, and preservation.
• CityBreakout Transportation Projects City-specific transportation project workbooks for each of Sumner County's seven municipalities (Gallatin, Goodlettsville, Hendersonville, Millersville, Portland, Westmoreland, White House), documenting local developments, funding sources, and real-time progress updates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Population: 212,000+ with 2.05% annual growth rate
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTNECD is a key partner providing FastTrack Development Program funding, Job Tax Credits, Site Development Grants, and broadband incentives. FastTrack consists of F-EDF (public infrastructure), F-JTA (training reimbursement), and F-IDG (infrastructure upgrades). Site development grants up to $5 million available through TNECD.
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTVA provides low-cost electricity, investment credits for qualifying power customers (250kW+ commitments), Valley Incentive Program for job creation, Economic Development Loan Fund, and InvestPrep site development assistance. TVA generates and transmits all electricity in Sumner County.
• Sumner County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSumner County Government partners with Forward Sumner to provide local incentives, workforce development grants, and infrastructure coordination. The county has secured ARPA funds for economic recovery through 2026.
• Workforce EssentialscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Essentials provides workforce services including career counseling, skills training, and job placement support as part of the Sumner County workforce ecosystem. President Marla Rye serves on the Workforce Cabinet.
• Volunteer State Community College (VSCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSCC President Dr. Wendi Tostenson serves on the Workforce Cabinet, providing higher education pathways and workforce alignment with local business needs.
• Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Nashville/PortlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCAT provides career and technical education including welding, HVAC, and other programs responding to employer demand. TCAT Portland expansion supported by CTE Advisory Council advocacy.
• Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGNRC serves as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and provides data for the Community Development & Infrastructure (CD&I) initiative, enhancing regional connectivity and 2045 Regional Transportation Plan coordination.
• Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTDOT partners on the 10-Year Plan projects including NETcorridor, I-65 widening, SR 109 Portland Bypass, and SR 386 improvements. Forward Sumner serves on TDOT's contractor scoping team.
• Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) at Middle Tennessee State UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBERC conducts annual 40-county wage and benefit surveys for Middle Tennessee, sponsored by USDA Rural Development, MTIDA, TVA Economic Development, and regional workforce boards. Their 2023 survey received the C2ER Community, Economic, and Workforce Research Award.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC): Regional planning organization and MPO covering 13 Middle Tennessee counties including Sumner. Forward Sumner partners directly with GNRC for transportation data and the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan, making it a comparable regional planning peer.
• Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD): State-level economic development agency that funds and partners with county EDCs including Forward Sumner. Comparable in function (incentive administration, business attraction) but operates at state scope with a much broader portfolio.
• Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association (MTIDA): Regional professional association supporting EDCs across 40 Middle Tennessee counties including Forward Sumner. Comparable mission of regional economic development coordination, though structured as an industry association rather than a single-county operating EDC.

Direct peers

• Williamson Inc. Williamson County's chamber of commerce and economic development partnership. Mirrors Forward Sumner's public-private partnership structure and competes head-to-head for the same pool of relocating employers evaluating Middle Tennessee.
• Rutherford Works: Rutherford County's (TN) economic development organization. Operates the same playbook as Forward Sumner — site selection, workforce pipeline, investor coordination, and incentive navigation — making it the most direct geographic and functional peer in the Nashville metro.
• Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce: Regional economic development and chamber of commerce for the broader Nashville metro. Directly comparable as a public-private partnership performing business attraction, retention, and workforce advocacy — but at a larger metropolitan scale rather than a single county.
• Wilson County Economic Development: Neighboring county EDC directly competing with Forward Sumner for the same pool of employers and workforce partnerships in the Nashville metro.
• Maury Alliance: Maury County's economic development partnership in Middle Tennessee. Operates a similar public-private model focused on business attraction, workforce development, and member-funded advocacy.
• Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council: County-level EDC in Middle Tennessee performing site selection, workforce development, and incentive packaging. Comparable in mandate, structure, and customer base (prospective employers evaluating Tennessee locations).

Others

• International Economic Development Council (IEDC): Professional membership association for economic developers globally. Not a competitor but a peer in the sense that IEDC sets the operating standards and best-practice frameworks that Forward Sumner follows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forward-sumner

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forward Sumner