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Diversity keeps economy strong
By Doug Williamson
The backbone of Abilene's economy is strong.
In 1998, it withstood a drought that devastated the area agriculture industry and decade-low oil prices that hit the petroleum community.
Still, the local economy is growing.
Credit diversity
The oil-price plunge of 1986 threw cold water in the face of local leaders. Through the awakening, they learned that a diversified economy will mellow the harsh effects of any single sector's disaster.
It was then that they began seeking a wide variety of businesses.
Abilene's economic milk stool had long been held up by the military, agriculture and petroleum with support from the regionality of higher education, medical and retailing.
Today, add telecommunications, manufacturing, high-tech, customer service and aircraft services to the economic mix. On top of that, expansion of existing industries has solidified the base.
"The economy of Abilene is very diversified," said Charlie Dromgoole, president of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce. "We are not totally dependent on any single industry. Our base today is spread over a diverse group of industries."
Dromgoole said manufacturing is an area that is getting a lot of attention these days.
"We are working hard to build the manufacturing base where we can continue to grow and create more jobs," he said.
Here's a glimpse of some of the larger industrial sectors:
Agriculture
Farming and ranching with their emphases on cotton, cattle and wheat account for $150 million of Taylor County's $3 billion economy. More than 7,000 people are directly or indirectly employed in the industry here.
Healthcare
More than 6,000 people work in the healthcare industry locally. Healthcare providers draw patients from a 20-plus county area. Alliances in recent years with other major providers have strengthened the local healthcare delivery system.
Higher education
Abilene has five institutions of higher learning. More than 10,000 students attend classes. Faculty and staff number 2,000, making post-secondary education a major player in the economy.
Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry University are affiliated with the Church of Christ, Baptist and Methodist denominations, respectively. Cisco Junior College provides a two-year, public community college alternative. Texas State Technical College is a vocational-technical school emphasizing a curriculum that is targeted at career needs.
Military
More than 5,200 people work at Dyess Air Force Base, making it the city's largest employer. About 90 percent of those are military personnel. The daily payroll exceeds $500,000, giving it the largest single economic impact the city feels. Military plans call for the base to grow to about 6,000 in the coming couple of years.
Service
Among recent success stories for Abilene are BlueCross & BlueShield of Texas and the Postal Encoding Center. Both are located in a building that formerly housed Texas Instruments.
BlueCross employs about 650 people, while the postal center has about 350 workers. Texas Instruments had only 350 employees when it closed its services in the building.
Last year, Blue Cross and Blue Shield processed 4 million claims and paid out $450 million in health benefits. Workers responded to 1 million communications, 85 percent of which was done over the phone.