Structure & Certifications

Pickett County Has Achieved Three-Star Certification!

The Three-Star Program is designed as a road map to assist local communities in their effort to achieve excellence in community and economic development. Participating communities are guided through a comprehensive plan of essential criteria developed by local economic development professionals and a cooperative collaboration of various state agencies. These combined efforts have made the Three-Star Program an important component of our state’s economic strategy.

Committed to the Future of Tennessee

This program is designed to help communities take full advantage of economic development opportunities. The goals are to preserve existing employment, create new employment opportunities, increase Tennessee family income, improve quality of life and create a strong leadership base.

Certification Process

To achieve Three-Star certification, communities must complete a formal review and evaluation process conducted by a team of economic and community development (ECD) professionals.

Recertification Process

Three-Star Communities are recertified annually to ensure each has maintained the basic program requirements and added new elements to expand or enhance their development plans.

Five Steps to Three-Star Status

• An ECD team member works with the community to meet certification criteria.
• The community develops, then submits to ECD a strategy documenting that the criteria have been met.
• The review team evaluates the community and makes recommendations on how to improve economic competitiveness.
• The review team recommends Three-Star certification to the governor.
• The governor personally presents the Three-Star Award to the community.