McKinley “Mac” Conway, founder of Conway, Inc. and Site Selection Magazine, was truly an icon in the fields of corporate real estate and economic development. “Mac essentially invented economic development as it exists today,” wrote a rival publisher upon Conway’s death in 2011.
Site Selection’s Mac Conway Awards for Excellence in Economic Development recognize the top local and regional economic development agencies in the U.S. for their roles in helping to deliver prosperity to their communities. While not a ranking, objective criteria are used to identify the top performers, which are listed here alphabetically by group name.
This year’s Mac Conway Award winners have been determined by an index that examines 2018 corporate facility investment projects in U.S. metro areas as tracked by Site Selection’s proprietary Conway Projects Database, part of the Conway Analytics toolbox. Scores are awarded based on six criteria: total projects, total investment associated with those projects and jobs associated with those projects. The remaining three criteria represent a per capita calculation of those same metrics.
“We are part of the development process,” wrote Conway. “We play a role in the future. And we help bring a better quality of life to areas today.” In that spirit, Site Selection recognizes the groups who pursue that ideal as their daily mission.
Charlotte Regional Business Alliance
Janet Lebar
CEO
Significant Projects:
AvidXchange (automatic payments), Honeywell (technology), LendingTree (financial services)
Programs & Initiatives:
Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, officially launched January 1, 2019, resulted from the merger of the Charlotte Chamber and Charlotte Regional Partnership. “The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance will be a robust and effective development engine by uniting exceptional and diverse strengths of all the counties in the Charlotte region,” says Jesse Cureton, chairman of the board. Services include project management, customized research, real estate and workforce development.
Did You Know?
Downtown Charlotte is known as “uptown.” It sits at a higher elevation than the rest of the city.
Columbus 2020
Kenny McDonald
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Olive, AEP, DollarTree
Programs & Initiatives:
Columbus 2020 serves as the economic development organization for the 11-county Columbus region. Among its goals set in 2010 for the year 2020, the region already has added the targeted 150,000 net new jobs, has achieved its goal to generate $8 billion of capital investment and is on track to reach and exceed its goal to raise per capita income by 30 percent.
Did You Know?
With its easy river access, Columbus was designed and built to be Ohio’s capital. The city did not exist until an act of the Ohio legislature in 1812.
Dallas Regional Chamber |
Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce |
Dale Petroskey
|
Bill Thornton
|
Significant Projects:
General Electric, Qorvo, Equinix
Programs & Initiatives:
Programs & Initiatives: Noting the Dallas Regional Chamber’s success at courting “HQ1”s from such firms as McKesson and Core-Mark, Mike Rosa, senior vice president, economic development, says the team in 2019 plans to increase its marketing trips and corporate calls by 50 percent. The Fort Worth Chamber has launched “Fortify,” a four-year development initiative whose goals include attracting four Fortune 1000 headquarters, attracting 20 Inc. 5000 companies and increasing business startups by 10 percent.
Did You Know?
The microchip was invented in Dallas on September 12, 1958, by Texas Instruments engineer Jack Kilby. With an average age of 31.5, Fort Worth is the youngest city in Texas.
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Kevin Johnson
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Fiat Chrysler, Arbe Robotics, Flex-N-Gate
Programs & Initiatives:
DEGC’s land assembly strategy includes preparing various sized parcels for industrial and commercial use, including manufacturing, warehousing, R&D and other sectors. DEGC’s Business Development team is leading Detroit’s first and only global commerce initiative.
Did You Know?
In 1879, Detroit became the first city to assign individual phone numbers, thus making the party line outdated.
Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
Michael Rollins
President
Significant Projects:
Apple, Madison Street Capital, Greenbrook TMS
Programs & Initiatives:
Opportunity Austin encompasses initiatives for economy, talent and place. Key target industries include advanced manufacturing, creative and digital media, clean energy, life sciences, data management, corporate headquarters and regional offices. Through Opportunity Austin, the Chamber’s staff is able to provide specific details for site selection processes.
Did You Know?
Hippie Hollow Park on Austin’s Lake Travis is the only nude beach in Texas.
Greater Des Moines Partnership
Jay Byers
CEO
Significant Projects:
Waldinger Corp., UPS, Facebook
Programs & Initiatives:
The Greater Des Moines Partnership is collaborating with the City of Des Moines on a Downtown marketing campaign and has assisted efforts to create a Downtown Public Market.
Did You Know?
Ben Silbermann, founder of Pinterest, was born and raised in Des Moines.
Louisville Forward |
Greater Louisville, Inc |
Mary Ellen Wiederwohl
|
Kent Oyler
|
Significant Projects:
Chewy, Inc., Haier, Heaven Hill Distilleries
Programs & Initiatives:
Louisville Forward aims to maximize Louisville’s potential for its 19 Opportunity Zones by providing concierge project management, offering incentives for projects in CDBG-eligible census tracts, and working to accelerate the permitting process. Greater Louisville Inc.’s Greater Louisville 2020 initiative seeks to recruit businesses, attract startups, grow employment, recruit and retain workforce and advocate for a strong business environment.
Did You Know?
Louisville is the starting point for Kentucky’s wildly popular 16- distillery Bourbon Trail.
Greater Omaha Chamber
David Brown
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Mutual of Omaha, Nebraska Colocation Centers, Yahoo
Programs & Initiatives:
CODE (Commitment to Opportunity, Diversity and Equity for Greater Omaha) seeks to address diversity, inclusivity, equity and access to opportunity in Greater Omaha. The Strategic 4Sight initiative works across the region to identify critical trends and plausible futures.
Did You Know?
Omaha is the birthplace of the TV dinner and the Reuben sandwich.
Greater Phoenix Economic Council
Chris Camacho
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Infosys, Iron Mountain Data Centers, Aerocircular
Programs & Initiatives:
The Global Partnership Program is a collaborative and solutions-oriented initiative to help grow and support international business activity in the Greater Phoenix region. The GPEC Global Growth Accelerator helps international firms accelerate growth plans.
Did You Know?
Located in a county (Maricopa) about the size of New Hampshire, metro Phoenix is not only home to nearly 200 golf courses, but also the largest municipal park in North America: South Mountain Park and Preserve covers more than 16,500 acres and has more than 50 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails.
Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
Chip Cherry
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
LG Electronics, Star Belt, BOCAR GmbH
Programs & Initiatives:
The Chamber Foundation’s Industry Insight Program focuses on the professional development of teachers, coaches, educators and counselors in the Huntsville, Madison County and Madison City school districts. Training conferences provide educators with information they need to prepare their students for career path opportunities in the region.
Did You Know?
The Mercury Redstone Rocket that lifted astronaut Alan Shepard into space was developed in Huntsville, also known as “Rocket City.”
Indy Chamber
Michael Huber
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Eli Lilly and Company, Republic Airlines, FedEx
Programs & Initiatives:
The Indy Resource Navigator is the Chamber’s online portal for business growth initiatives and services. Indy Chamber Entrepreneur Services helps local entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. The Business Ownership Initiative aims to help Central Indiana residents start businesses through coaching, access to financing, workshops and on-line courses.
Did You Know?
Indianapolis-based Taggart Baking Company launched Wonder Bread in 1921, becoming the first major company to distribute sliced bread. Van Camp’s Pork and Beans was launched by Indianapolis grocer Gilbert Van Camp.
Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation
Don Cunningham
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Atas International, B Braun Medical, Automatic Data Processing
Programs & Initiatives:
“Made Possible in the Lehigh Valley” is a newly-launched marketing initiative touting the area’s workforce. A new strategic initiative work group at LVEDC will focus on the increasing need for talent, which meshes well with the organization’s continuing focus on downtown development in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton.
Did You Know?
The Lehigh Valley’s GDP in 2017 reached a record-high $40.1 billion, and nearly every economic sector saw year-over-year growth.
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce |
Invest Atlanta |
Hala Moddelmog
|
Eloisa Klementich
|
Significant Projects:
BlackRock, Norfolk Southern, Thyssenkrupp Elevator
Programs & Initiatives:
The Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Backed by ATL program provides customized assistance to a select group of high-potential companies to accelerate their growth and fuel economic impact across the metro Atlanta region. Global Health ATL is designed to drive Atlanta’s reputation as a center for global health. The Creative Industries Loan Fund, supported by Invest Atlanta, offers low interest loans with flexible terms for local creative entrepreneurs.
Did You Know?
Twenty-six companies headquartered in metro Atlanta were among the 2018 Fortune 1000, with 15 of them ranked in the 2018 Fortune 500 (Norfolk Southern will make it 16).
Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Ralph Schulz
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Amazon, Bridgestone Americas, Asurion
Programs & Initiatives:
Partnership 2020 is the Nashville region’s public/private economic development initiative responsible for the creation of jobs and capital investments through business expansions and relocations, talent development and enhanced livability. Talent development initiatives include YP Nashville and Middle Tennessee Reconnect Community.
Did You Know?
Nashville has the world’s highest per-capita concentration of people working in the music industry.
REDI Cincinnati |
Northern Kentucky Tri-ED |
Kimm Lauterbach
|
Lee Crume
|
Significant Projects:
R.A. Jones, Kroger, U.S. Bancorp
Programs & Initiatives:
REDI Cincinnati leads a business retention and expansion program in Brown, Butler, Clermont Hamilton and Warren counties to fuel expansion for fast-growing companies. Northern Kentucky Tri-ED led the creation of the NKY Entrepreneurship Council, which aims to establish an innovation cluster focusing on informatics, health innovation and logistics in northern Kentucky.
Did You Know?
Cincinnati is the nation’s 28th-largest economy, and the sixth-largest economy in the Midwest.
Regional Growth Partnership (Northwest Ohio)
Dean Monske
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Mobis North America, Faurecia USA, Credit Adjustments, Inc.
Programs & Initiatives:
The Regional Growth Partnership’s business development efforts are focused on energy, logistics and transportation, automotive, food processing and advanced manufacturing. RGP offers site and facility searches, incentive packaging, project development services and provides access to venture capital.
Did You Know?
Toledo’s Inverness Club is to host the LPGA’s 2021 Solheim Cup, pitting the best women golfers from the United States against the best from Europe.
Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA)
Hugh “Trip” Tollison
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Crane Worldwide Logistics, Wayfair, Inc., Gulfstream Aerospace
Programs & Initiatives:
The Business Retention Action Team works to support established businesses in Savannah and Chatham County. The Creative Coast initative helps bring technology companies to Savannah.
Did You Know?
Chatham Artillery Punch, a local mix of brandy, whiskey, rum, lemon and sugar, was served to George Washington during his 1791 presidential tour of Savannah. The drink is considered to be one of the strongest alcoholic beverages ever concocted.
The Right Place (Grand Rapids/Western Michigan)
Birgit Klohs
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Bissell, Roksam Baking Company, Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing
Programs & Initiatives:
The Right Place’s business development team in 2018 met with nearly 400 individual businesses in the manufacturing, agribusiness, IT and medical device/life sciences industries. Engineers accounted for more than 11 percent of those firms’ in-demand jobs and occupations. According to EMSI analysis conducted by The Right Place, there are more than 13,500 engineers in West Michigan’s 13-county region.
Did You Know?
The Grand Rapids metro area has more LEED-certified buildings per capita than any other U.S. city.
Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP)
Keith J. Sellars
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
Amazon, PM Realty Group, Samsung, YELP
Programs & Initiatives:
Aimed at entrepreneurs, retailers, restaurateurs and brokers looking to open or expand their businesses in Washington, D.C.’s neighborhoods, WDCEP’S Space Finding Tours feature updates and information on emerging neighborhoods and commercial corridors throughout the District.
Did You Know?
Metrorail, operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, is the second largest heavy rail system in the United States. Its 91 stations, 118 miles and six lines in 2017 saw average weekday ridership of 626,000.
World Business Chicago
Andrea Zopp
President & CEO
Significant Projects:
CDW Corporation, Google, C.H. Robinson, Solstice
Programs & Initiatives:
World Business Chicago’s 12 core initiatives include the Blackstone Inclusive Entrepreneurship Challenge, Chicago Anchors for a Strong Economy (CASE, focused on linking anchor employers with regional suppliers and service providers) and ThinkChicago, a twice-yearly event during the Lollapalooza music festival and Chicago Ideas Week when top university students are invited to town to meet with Chicago technology leaders, explore companies and soak up the full Chicago experience.
Did You Know?
The buildings and streets of Chicago were raised by six feet with hydraulic jacks in the 1850s to elevate ground level significantly higher than the shores of Lake Michigan.