Comment on Tennessee official wants rural areas to be 'job ready'

KINGSPORT — New Tennessee Economic Development Commissioner Randy Boyd compared himself Friday to whoever quarterbacks the Denver Broncos after Peyton Manning retires."I feel like that guy," Boyd told a group of about 60 elected officials and business leaders during a town hall-style meeting held at the MeadowView Marriott.Boyd's predecessor, Bill Hagerty, left to go back to the private sector after Tennessee was twice named "State of the Year" by "Business Facilities," a national publication focused on site selection and economic development.On Hagerty's watch, the state announced more than 24,000 new jobs last year.Boyd announced this year's goal is 25,000 new jobs.Where jobs are needed the most, said Boyd, is in Tennessee's rural communities.The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported on Thursday that 10 rural counties — including Hancock in Northeast Tennessee — have the highest unemployment rates in the state."What I want to do is make sure ECD (Economic and Community Development) is really focused on rural communities and helping them be job ready," Boyd said.