Charlotte USA is similar in form and function to our own Regional Partnership, serving over 2.6 million residents in 16 counties in both North and South Carolina. Charlotte is highly recognized nationally for achievements in economic development and has supported northeast Indiana through participation in our recent benchmarking analysis. In many respects, we have greatly benefited through a steep learning curve thanks to the help of Ronnie Bryant, President and CEO of Charlotte USA, and his work in Charlotte. Continuing our region's relationship with Ronnie and Charlotte USA, the Fort Wayne Community Foundation hosted Ronnie in a valuable visit to northeast Indiana several weeks ago to share directly his experiences in Charlotte.
As a testament to the value of Ronnie's leadership and direction, please take the minute necessary to read Ronnie’s Monday Memo for October 12, 2009. It will not take long to recognize that aside from their accomplishments, Charlotte faces our common, internal enemy; the mistrust and misunderstanding rooted in political border rivalry. We are not immune from the danger of this disease and we must remain vigilant to this viral attack on the basic trust that is essential to be successful as a region.
Ronnie says it well, "Every one of [our] counties invests in the Partnership because they believe that together – as a region, we can maximize our competitiveness to attract and retain investment and employment. Regardless of where an individual project lands, we all ultimately benefit by working together."
Northeast Indiana's counties, too, are realizing this benefit. Case in point, I offer one of our most recent wins as a region: Onward Manufacturing announcing 300 new jobs in the city of Huntington. While every community would prize this facility within their borders, is there any doubt that northeast Indiana as a whole is the beneficiary for Huntington’s success? No question. New employees will head back to work from the cities and towns of several counties, and suppliers in the region have already re-directed their output to Onward.
Let us learn from others. Our strength is in our will and commitment to collaborating with one another to solve problems and manage risk for project clients. Continuing to work together in this way creates the necessary ingredients to win projects for the residents and communities of the region.
Read Ronnie’s complete memo "One More Time With Feeling"
Monday, November 16, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Commentary from a LEDO: A Silver Lining in Wells County
Mike Row
Economic Development Director of Wells County Economic Development
As Published October 30, 2009 in the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly
The nearly $350 million in capital project investment that Wells County experienced in 2007-08 is a tough act to follow.
And while the global economic downturn has caused some in our nation to question the validity of free-market capitalism, Wells County has seized this unusual moment in history to build economic-development capacity.
Indeed, the public- and private-sector leaders who established Wells County Economic Development have long focused on the “first things” of sustainable economic growth:
•The continuous cultivation of strong families, which provides fertile ground for a world-class work force and exemplary quality of life.
•An ongoing, community-wide dialogue that values faith, the free exchange of ideas, critical thinking, civility, personal responsibility and productive creativity.
•A unanimous refusal to allow politics to enter the economic-development process.
•The identification and funding of capacity building opportunities to enhance economic growth potential.
To be sure, this dedication to “the first things” continues to pay dividends in Wells County, even in what some might consider the worst of times.
For example:
•Wells County is home to, not one, but two of the 2009 Indiana companies to watch: Alexin LLC (Bluffton) and Nesco Sales and Rentals (Bluffton).
•Metaldyne emerged from a Chapter 11 restructuring and will continue its driveline machining and assembly operation in Bluffton’s JaSun Industrial Park.
•Bluffton Regional Medical Center recently opened a $3.1-million renovation and development of a women’s center that features new labor/delivery/recovery/postpartum (LDRP) rooms for obstetric patients, an area of private rooms for gynecological patients and comfortable spaces for visiting family members.
•The Wells County Leadership Academy graduated its first class in May 2009. This program is an ongoing collaborative effort on the part of the Wells County Community Foundation, the Wells County United Way, the Huntington University Foundation and the Wells County Chamber of Commerce to empower community leaders.
•Buskirk Engineering, a cutting-edge manufacturer of biomass densification systems, expanded into an existing industrial building on the east side of Ossian.
•Pretzels Inc. (Bluffton) installed a new line that will enhance its specialty food production capabilities.
•The Bluffton/Decker Industrial Park (135 acres) will soon be home to one of the first “shovel-ready” sites to emerge from the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership’s new certified shovel-ready program.
•Harrison Plaza was recently purchased by a dynamic new owner who has a vision for capitalized growth along Bluffton’s southern corridor.
•The Bluffton Regional KOA Campground will hold its grand opening in June 2010.
•Several Bluffton manufacturing plants have survived internal competitive consolidation processes.
•The Northeast Indiana Foundation has provided Wells County Economic Development with grants that have enhanced capacity building in the areas of shovel-ready site certification, business retention and expansion, site selector visits and evaluations, and organizational benchmarking.
•The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership’s LEDO council continues to facilitate synergies that better prepare our region for future economic-development opportunities.
This is not to say that Wells County has been immune to the global economic downturn.
Rather, it is to say that the previously mentioned achievements reflect the commitment of the many outstanding leaders — past and present — who have made and continue to make Wells County a place where ideas and success converge.
Economic Development Director of Wells County Economic Development
As Published October 30, 2009 in the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly
The nearly $350 million in capital project investment that Wells County experienced in 2007-08 is a tough act to follow.
And while the global economic downturn has caused some in our nation to question the validity of free-market capitalism, Wells County has seized this unusual moment in history to build economic-development capacity.
Indeed, the public- and private-sector leaders who established Wells County Economic Development have long focused on the “first things” of sustainable economic growth:
•The continuous cultivation of strong families, which provides fertile ground for a world-class work force and exemplary quality of life.
•An ongoing, community-wide dialogue that values faith, the free exchange of ideas, critical thinking, civility, personal responsibility and productive creativity.
•A unanimous refusal to allow politics to enter the economic-development process.
•The identification and funding of capacity building opportunities to enhance economic growth potential.
To be sure, this dedication to “the first things” continues to pay dividends in Wells County, even in what some might consider the worst of times.
For example:
•Wells County is home to, not one, but two of the 2009 Indiana companies to watch: Alexin LLC (Bluffton) and Nesco Sales and Rentals (Bluffton).
•Metaldyne emerged from a Chapter 11 restructuring and will continue its driveline machining and assembly operation in Bluffton’s JaSun Industrial Park.
•Bluffton Regional Medical Center recently opened a $3.1-million renovation and development of a women’s center that features new labor/delivery/recovery/postpartum (LDRP) rooms for obstetric patients, an area of private rooms for gynecological patients and comfortable spaces for visiting family members.
•The Wells County Leadership Academy graduated its first class in May 2009. This program is an ongoing collaborative effort on the part of the Wells County Community Foundation, the Wells County United Way, the Huntington University Foundation and the Wells County Chamber of Commerce to empower community leaders.
•Buskirk Engineering, a cutting-edge manufacturer of biomass densification systems, expanded into an existing industrial building on the east side of Ossian.
•Pretzels Inc. (Bluffton) installed a new line that will enhance its specialty food production capabilities.
•The Bluffton/Decker Industrial Park (135 acres) will soon be home to one of the first “shovel-ready” sites to emerge from the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership’s new certified shovel-ready program.
•Harrison Plaza was recently purchased by a dynamic new owner who has a vision for capitalized growth along Bluffton’s southern corridor.
•The Bluffton Regional KOA Campground will hold its grand opening in June 2010.
•Several Bluffton manufacturing plants have survived internal competitive consolidation processes.
•The Northeast Indiana Foundation has provided Wells County Economic Development with grants that have enhanced capacity building in the areas of shovel-ready site certification, business retention and expansion, site selector visits and evaluations, and organizational benchmarking.
•The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership’s LEDO council continues to facilitate synergies that better prepare our region for future economic-development opportunities.
This is not to say that Wells County has been immune to the global economic downturn.
Rather, it is to say that the previously mentioned achievements reflect the commitment of the many outstanding leaders — past and present — who have made and continue to make Wells County a place where ideas and success converge.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Thoughts from the CEO: ED 201
On the surface, ED 201 was just another economic development forum hosted by the five northern counties of the region (Lagrange, Steuben, Noble, DeKalb and Whitley). The content was solid, comprised of the meat and potatoes development of sites, buildings and TIF districts. While the forum held in Kendallville may not have drawn excessive media coverage, in the midst of severe economic times these topics are timely for communities searching for meaningful answers to tough questions.
Beyond the relevant content, I was struck by a bigger picture during the session: Here we are, three years since inception of the Partnership and completely new behaviors are emerging from the graveyard of intense competition between counties for each and every economic development project.
Remarkably, I witnessed mayors, commissioners and developers from neighboring communities sitting side by side, confronting the common problem of product development in our region. Only an insider of economic development with historical perspective in northeast Indiana would be able to discern the dramatic change. Just a short time ago, the sharing of such information in development circles would be the equivalent of Microsoft and Apple discussing software codes; strictly held proprietary intellectual property. Today, however, these neighboring communities are understanding the power found in numbers. Not unlike politics, all development is still very local at the end of any day. But gone are the days when any community can hope to compete in the global economy without the support of workforce, natural resources, supplier networks, infrastructure and cultural amenities of a region.
I commend northeast Indiana's Galen Eberhart, Keith Gillenwater, Rick Sherck, Gary Nielander and Alan Tio, for their leadership in pulling together the conference. Job well done!
-John Sampson (President/CEO NEIRP)
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