DHi and Jones County Celebrate Construction Launch

DHi and Jones County Celebrate Construction Launch

Trenton, NC (May 10, 2007)—Richard J. Martin, President and CEO of Defense Holdings, Inc. (DHi), was the guest of honor at a celebratory dinner held at the Quaker Neck Country Club on the evening of May 3, 2007.

The event, hosted by Jones County officials, marked the end of a long and arduous process involving local and state governments, contractors, and other officials that culminated last week in the beginning of actual construction at DHi’s building site located at 181 Industrial Drive in the Trenton Industrial Park.

NC State Senator Harry Brown and representatives of Congressmen Walter Jones and G. K. Butterworth were also in attendance along with the Jones County Commissioners, members of the County’s Committee of 100 and Economic Development Commission, and other representatives from regional and state agencies, including Don Stewart, president of the Neuse River Development Authority, Inc. and Donna Phillips, senior economic developer, NC Department of Commerce— Greenville Regional Office. All have been working hard for many months to make DHi’s new 23,000 square foot Operations and Technology Development Center (OTDC) a reality, along with the promise of many much-needed new jobs for area residents which will initially focus on the company’s innovative photoluminescent (PL) safety solutions.

Although she was unable to attend due to previously scheduled commitments, North Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor Beverly Eaves Perdue sent a letter to Jones County Manager Larry Meadows congratulating all involved for making this new business development a success. She also noted how DHi’s new facility, which will be primarily involved in supporting Department of Defense activities, will tie in with North Carolina’s continuing strong commitment “to the men and women of the Armed Forces as the most military friendly state in America.

Mr. Martin updated the audience on progress DHi has made in its metal fiber brush (MFB) and photoluminescent (PL) technologies, two areas that will eventually need space in the new building, and emphasized that DHi has stepped up efforts to introduce the company to local military facilities. He also congratulated the local and state government officials and citizens who’ve gone out of their way over the past several months to help DHi cut through red tape and make the company feel welcome in Jones County, emphasizing that the entire effort has been a shining example of how to attract new business.

On a lighter note, DHi’s Vice-president for Special Projects, Roger Neighborgall, proposed a number of sports tournaments to add to Jones County’s luster, and provided the county’s Economic Development Consultant, Roy Fogle, with a special tennis racket to provide him with a competitive edge.

Defense Holdings, Inc. (DHi) is a world-class team of dedicated engineering professionals committed to developing and deploying innovative technologies to advance the national interest and improve the lives of all Americans.