Selected from the many nominations received for this year’s
Site Selection list of top development groups,
here are profiles of 10 other worthy organizations from 1999:
Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, Robertsdale, Ala.: Instrumental in attracting more than 1,000 new jobs and US$37 million in capital investments to its service area of 132,000.
Major investments lured include Ace Hardware Corp.’s 800,000-sq.-ft. (74,320-sq.-m.) distribution center, Standard Furniture’s 400,000-sq.-ft. (37,160-sq.-m.) manufacturing and distribution operation and Peavey Electronics’ 200-employee electronics plant.
Other ’99 accomplishments include a new school-to-work initiative, a revolving-loan program and construction of a new industrial park, including a child-care center.
Empire State Development (ESD), New York: Played a key role in helping attract some $8.4 billion in capital investments and more than 68,500 jobs to the state of New York, its service area of 18.2 million.
Notable announcements from last year include Alstom Transportation’s 765-employee expansion of its Hornell rail cars plant, Champlain Plastics’ new 300-employee plastics plant in Champlain and Ingram Micro’s $31 million expansion of its Williamsville computers distribution center.
In other achievements, New York’s innovative Economic Development Zones program, which is administered by ESD, was cited for excellence by the National Association of State Development Agencies. “This national award is testimony to the effective economic development policies of the Pataki administration,” ESD Chairman Charles A. Gargano says.
Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corp. (FCEDC), Fond du Lac, Wis.: Worked projects that brought 361 jobs and $16.5 million in capital investments to its service area of 96,700.
Larger projects include Alliance Laundry Systems’ decision to add 185 jobs at its commercial tumbler dryers plant, telephone-based marketer Advanced Data-Comm’s 65-employee expansion and Charter Communications’ $3 million, 69-employee expansion.
But the FCEDC’s ’99 accomplishments go beyond its mere investment and jobs totals. For instance, it helped one firm obtain state grant funds for employee training. In another project, it helped secure a $750,000 state grant as part of an overall incentives package to lure a new facility. And the organization’s redesigned Website (www.fcedc.com) features a buildings and sites database that can be accessed and updated remotely by real estate developers and property owners.
Greater Dubuque Development Corp. (GDDC), Dubuque, Iowa: Played a key role in bringing more than $39 million in corporate capital investments and 775 new jobs to Dubuque County, its service area of 90,000.
Large investments include CIGNA Financial Services’ $12 million, 300-employee financial services office, Eagle Window & Door’s $17.5 million manufacturing plant and CarteGraph Systems’s 100-employee expansion of its software facility.
In other accomplishments, the organization launched the Greater Dubuque Business Information System, a computer database with detailed information based on interviews with some 200 local firms. And the GDDC’s work-force recruitment program, “Come Back to Your Future, Come Home to Dubuque” (www.dubuque-ia.com/jobs.cfm) has helped local firms hire more than 230 employees.
Greater Louisville, Louisville, Ky.: Instrumental in attracting $467 million in capital investments and more than 8,500 jobs to the Louisville metro area, its service territory of approximately 1 million. Those jobs and investment totals are all-time records for the Louisville area.
Major investments include Ford Motor Co.’s $174 million expansion of its trucks plant, First Select Corp.’s 1,000-employee expansion of its customer service center and Plastech Engineering Products’ new $24 million auto interiors plant.
Other notable achievements include creation of a new department to represent employers’ needs for a competitive, trained work force, focusing on work-force attraction, development and recruitment.
ABOVE RIGHT: Greater Louisville’s record-setting year in business investment was boosted by Ford Motor Co.’s $174 million expansion of its trucks plant. photo: Dan Dry
Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP), Richmond, Va.: Worked projects that brought almost $400 million in capital investments and more than 4,600 jobs to the greater Richmond area, its service territory of 985,000.
Two office expansions by Capital One will bring $77 million in additional investment, create an estimated 2,060 jobs and add 400,000 sq. ft. (37,160 sq. m.) of new space. Major new facilities include Eternal Technology Corp.’s $20 million dry film photo resist materials plant, Level 3 Communications’ $20 million network services operation and SunCom’s $50 million telecommunications office.
In other ’99 accomplishments, the GRP updated and upgraded its award-winning multimedia “Navigate Greater Richmond” CD and helped launch a new work-force initiative that is coordinating job training needs between local employers and the educational community.
Invest-Quebec, Montreal, Quebec: Worked projects that brought $2.3 billion in capital investments and more than 20,500 jobs to the province of Quebec, its service area of 7.4 million.
Major investments lured include Motorola’s $65 million to $70 million software development operation in Montreal’s Multimedia City, plus expansions by such high-profile firms as Fujitsu, IBM, Kimberly-Clark, Owens-Corning and Pfizer.
Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, Orlando, Fla. (EDC): Played a key role in attracting some $2.5 billion in capital investments and more than 50,800 new jobs to its four-county service area of 1.5 million.
Cirent Semiconductor’s $680 million expansion was metro Orlando’s largest capital investment last year. Other big projects include Wycliffe Bible Translators’ new $40 million, 300-employee office and ACCO Building Products’ $62 million, 85-employee distribution center expansion.
In other ’99 accomplishments, the EDC’s Website (www.business-orlando.org) was recognized for excellence by the Southern Economic Development Council. Site seekers can submit initial project information on the site for response and follow-up by EDC staff.
Tennessee Dept. of Economic & Community Development, Nashville, Tenn.: Helped attract $6 billion in capital investments and 45,000 new jobs, both all-time highs for the state of Tennessee — its service area of 5.5 million.
Last year’s biggest coup was Dell Computer Corp.’s decision to establish multiple facilities in the Nashville area, a move that ultimately will create several thousand jobs (see cover feature). Other significant moves include Convergys Corp.’s new customer service center in Clarksville, creating 300 jobs, and Service Master’s new call center in Memphis, creating 500 jobs.
In other accomplishments, the organization’s Website (www.soundsgood.org) was revamped. The site has since received more than 1 million “hits.”
TXU Electric & Gas, Dallas: Played a key role in attracting approximately $940 million in corporate capital investments and more than 27,662 jobs to its 122-county service area in Texas.
Major new facilities include Chase Manhattan Corp.’s 1,600-employee Global Investor Services Division headquarters in Farmers Branch, Medtronic PS’s 300-employee medical devices plant in Fort Worth, Russell Stover Candies’ 650-employee candy factory in Corsicana and Yahoo Broadcast’s 700-employee data and technical support center in Dallas.
— by Tim Venable
