Texas Forest Country

The largest population center between Houston and Tyler boasts a robust and multifaceted economy populated by household names and homegrown successes whose reach stretches around the globe.

Still, Lufkin maintains the best characteristics of a close-knit, American hometown, though it’s the population hub of a 380,000-person region. “Lufkin absolutely belies its size,” says Jim Wehmeier, director of economic development for Lufkin and president and CEO of the Lufkin/Angelina County Economic Development Partnership. “There are so many extraordinary things about our community.”

The Lufkin area is the birthplace of building products giant Temple-Inland, oil field equipment colossus Lufkin Industries, Atkinson Candy and Brookshire Brothers grocers, and hosts major operations of household names Pilgrim’s Pride, Lockheed-Martin, Georgia Pacific and BlueBell
creameries, to name a few.

The largest water owner in its region, with more than 72 million gallons per day, Lufkin can provide both treated and raw water to industrial users in enormous quantities.

“What I am proudest of is the track record our community has of fostering small business and partnering long term with companies to grow and succeed together. Temple-Inland and Lufkin Industries were once small companies when they began here,” Wehmeier says.

The sense of philanthropy and community is overwhelming. It is a culture established long ago by East Texas pioneers and Lufkin founders. The city is home to foundations worth more than $1 billion in assets, and its United Way has exceeded its annual fundraising goal 60 years
running. Citizens log thousands of volunteer hours each year. The Lions Club hosts an annual rodeo that nets $100,000 or more for charity.
Angelina Beautiful/Clean volunteers have made the organization a consistent beautification award winner on the state and national level.

Access is a breeze. From dining to retail, commercial centers to residential neighborhoods, most destinations are reached within a 15-minute drive.

One of the cleanest and best-run small airports in Texas, Angelina Airport is home to corporate fleets, private planes, military training hops and search-and-rescue operations alike. The airport hosts 50 to 150 private airplanes every month on the second Saturday during the “fajita fly-ins,” and its restaurant boasts the “Best Hamburger in Texas.”

Major highways connecting Houston, Tyler and Beaumont intersect in Lufkin. The planned I-69 corridor, a 1,600-mile highway serving the United States between Mexico and Canada, will come through Lufkin.

“I guess it goes without saying that Lufkin has a lot more to offer than your average city with 32,000 people,” says Mayor Jack Gorden.

Lufkin is a hub of culture and entertainment for the Texas Forest Country. A centerpiece is the 891-seat Temple Theater in the Angelina Center for the Arts at Angelina College. The center hosts Angelina College music and drama events, as well as internationally renowned touring professional music, dance and theater artists/events brought to Lufkin by the Angelina Arts Alliance.

The First Street Arts Center downtown is a showcase for the works of East Texas artists. City Hall houses the Medford Collection of American Western Art, a collection of more than 50 paintings by contemporary artists. The Museum of East Texas has an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures produced by East Texas artists and American, Latin American and European masters.

Annual festivals and events draw visitors from throughout the region to the community, with its array of retail shops, art museums, hotels and restaurants.

The 50-store Lufkin mall is the largest single-level shopping center in the Texas Forest Country. For those who like their goods more vintage, Lufkin offers a variety of antique shops throughout the community.

The historic downtown is brimming with unique stores and restaurants. A cornerstone is the Kurth Memorial Library, which serves Angelina County with more than 70,000 volumes and an impressive genealogy archive.

Providing a quality education is a community-wide commitment in Lufkin.

The Lufkin Independent School District includes a high school, a newly renovated middle school, 10 elementary or primary schools, and one alternative campus for students in Pre-K through grade 12.

“Our goal is not to be above average in general,” says Roy Knight, superintendent of the LISD. “Our goal is to be recognized for exemplary status in every area, every subset.”

The district includes six recognized campuses and two nationally recognized reading programs. One of the district’s two magnet schools features pre-med and preengineering curricula.

The district boasts a Hewlett-Packard National Elementary Technology Campus, national champion career/technology classes, a state-recognized robotics team, 46 Advanced Placement and pre-AP course offerings, and performing arts, band, choral music, theater and dance programs that have garnered attention across the state.
The district produces more National Merit Scholars than any other school in the region, and every Lufkin high school student has the opportunity for post-secondary scholarships through the largest alumni association of its kind in the United States. Though just 20 years old, the association has a $4 million endowed fund that supports scholarships and continues to grow financially and in membership.
Higher education options include Angelina College in Lufkin and Stephen F. Austin State University, just 20 miles away in Nacogdoches. With a student enrollment of more than 5,000, Angelina College is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in Texas, says Dr. Larry Phillips, college president.

Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the two-year Angelina College awards associate degrees in arts, science and applied science. The college also offers a number of certificate programs and conducts customized training and technical programs for business and industry in a 12-county region at its main campus in Lufkin and extension centers in surrounding counties.

“This is a marvelous community with a real sense of family,” Knight says. “It’s the most unselfish community I’ve ever been a part of.”

Home to two major hospitals, a Veterans Administration outpatient clinic and specialized treatment and care facilities, Lufkin serves its community and the surrounding 13 counties with superior care.

A new era in veterans’ health care was launched in August 2009 with the dedication of the Charles Wilson VA Outpatient Clinic, named for the famed Lufkin congressman featured in the film Charlie Wilson’s War.

Located on approximately 7 acres, the 37,000-square-foot facility replaces both a VA outpatient clinic and mental health annex. The new clinic has eight provider offices, eight nurse offices, 24 examination rooms, a pulmonary function laboratory, an observation room, 15 rooms for mental health
clinical staff and three group therapy rooms. The space for the laboratory, radiology and pharmacy departments has more than doubled. The clinic’s staff treated more than 43,000 patients in 2008.

Woodland Heights Medical Center and Memorial Health System consistently invest in technology to offer better treatments and services, and each boasts an impressive list of accreditations and awards for quality, safety and clinical excellence.

“Physicians want to be associated with facilities that have a demonstrated commitment to quality and to investing in technology,” says Dan Jacobs of Woodland Heights Medical Center. “Our continued physician recruitment is successful because of that commitment to technology, better
treatments and services.”

Woodland Heights recently opened an obstetrics facility for high-risk mothers, recognizing a need in that specialty. The 149-bed Woodland Heights was the first in Texas and eighth in the nation to offer a versatile new digital imaging system, giving physicians enhanced capabilities in the treatment of heart disease.

The Heart Center at Woodland Heights is consistently ranked among the nation’s best for cardiac services, and the hospital was cited in 2009 as
among the top 5 percent in the nation for overall clinical excellence and patient experience.

Memorial Health System, with its 234-bed flagship hospital in Lufkin, serves a 14-county area and provides quality care to almost a quarter of a
million patients every year.

Centers of excellence within Memorial Health System include a regional cardiac care center affiliated with Houston’s Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center and the Arthur Temple Sr. Regional Cancer Center.

The $46 million Cardiovascular and Stroke Center of East Texas, a109,000-square-foot, five-story facility, opened in 2009.

Memorial also offers minimally invasive robotic surgery with the da Vinci surgical system.

Memorial has launched a strategic initiative to transition to a paperless system, something that fewer than 12 percent of hospitals in the United States can claim, making a significant investment in digital charting and medical records.

“This is very big news because it is fundamental to patient service and outcomes in our health-care delivery system,” says Bryant Krenek, president and CEO of Memorial Health System of East Texas.

Hospitals that consistently give better outcomes not only save lives but control costs.

“We all agree there needs to be reform,” Krenek says, “but we want to keep the free enterprise aspect of our system. That entrepreneurial spirit brings new technology and new processes to the bedside for improved patient outcomes.”

Lufkin is nestled in the heart of Angelina County, the only one of Texas’ 254 counties named for a woman, which is appropriate for the region’s beauty and many attributes.

In close proximity to two stunning national forests and the largest reservoir completely in the state of Texas, Lufkin offers an outstanding quality of life for residents and retiree transplants, and an abundance of activities for visitors.

City parks include gems like Kit McConnico Park, a sports complex with seven softball fields and 11 youth soccer fields.

The Ellen Trout Zoo is home to exotic cats, giraffes, rhinos, a variety of primates and one of the largest reptile exhibits in the country. The zoo’s new education facility was built entirely with charitable funds and zoo admission fees.

Lufkin is situated between Davy Crockett National Forest and Angelina National Forest, and is close to two other national forests. With 570 miles of spectacular shoreline, the 114,500-acre Sam Rayburn Reservoir is minutes from Lufkin and provides waterskiing, boating and some of the world’s best bass fishing.

Avid bird watchers flock to the area to enjoy some of the more than 600 species found in Texas, more than any other state, and some not found anywhere else in the state.

Lufkin is also known for some premier links. Lufkin Country Club opened in 1935 and the Neches Pines Golf Course was established in 1970.

The crown jewel among the area’s courses is Crown Colony Country Club, designed by Robert von Hagge and pro golfer Bruce Devlin. The 18-hole, 6,692-yard course, which opened in 1979, is consistently ranked among the best in Texas. Not only a first-class course, Crown Colony has a club with all of the amenities: tennis, swimming and dining. There is also a well-established residential community with sites that remain available for development.

Visitors can enjoy the links and stay at the villas, which are owned by Temple-Inland, which developed the club. Crown Colony has hosted college events, Texas Golf Association tournaments and national tournament qualifiers.

“When companies or conventions come into the area, this is a wonderful asset they can offer employees,” says Ross Elder, general manager of Crown Colony. “We have all of the best attributes of a small town but also offer a highly ranked golf course, pools, and food and beverage services.”

Outstanding Quality of Life: With a population of 83,000, Lufkin/Angelina County is the hub of a 13-county region, offering the amenities of a larger city, without the hassles of big-city living.

A Growing and Diverse Economy: Major global companies, such as Lufkin Industries, Temple-Inland, Lockheed Martin and Pilgrim’s Pride, have a Lufkin address, fostering innovation and investment.

Superior Schools: The Lufkin Independent School District consistently exceeds state performances in all test areas and produces graduates who earn a higher-than-average number of National Merit Scholarships.

Skilled Workforce: Higher-education institutions such as Angelina College provide training and career-ready skills to keep the labor pool stocked with qualified workers.

Housing: Affordable and attractive housing options suit any lifestyle, and at prices below the Texas average.

Proximity: Lufkin is just a two- to three-hour drive from Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Shreveport and Austin, and several major highways, including U.S. 59 and 69, intersect in the city.

Recreation: Lufkin has 16 city parks, walking trails, an award-winning zoo and plenty of family fun.

Nature: It’s right outside your door in Lufkin, with easy access to four national forests and the 114,500-acre Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

Water: Lufkin has access to 72 million gallons of water a day, critical for business and residential growth.

Incentives: Lufkin offers a number of incentives and programs to encourage new business investment and assist existing businesses in growing.

Community: Lufkin residents volunteer thousands of hours for community projects each year, and the local United Way has never failed to meet its annual giving goal.

Culture: Lufkin is the cultural center of the region, with a vibrant downtown, museums, galleries and a jewel of a performing arts center in the Temple Theater.

Higher Education: Excellent opportunities for lifelong learning are available at Angelina College in Lufkin; Stephen F. Austin University is just 25 minutes away.

Weather: An agreeable climate allows participation in outdoor activities year-round.

Health Care: Two nationally recognized medical centers and a newly built Veterans Administration health clinic make Lufkin a leader in treatment innovation.

Senior Tax Freeze: In addition to the Texas homestead exemptions, the city of Lufkin and Angelina County have joined with the Lufkin Independent School District to freeze senior and disabled citizens’ property taxes.

The Hub of Central East Texas: A comfortable small-town feel with all of the amenities of a big city due to Lufkin’s