By Business Facilities Staff

Each year, Business Facilities selects the organizations that have established and consistently executed the best practices in our industry, bringing measurable success in targeted economic development to the locations they represent.

We honor these organizations with our Economic Development Excellence Awards, which are earned by the overall performance of the organization on behalf of its location, and with a series of awards for specific Achievements in Economic Development for categories including achievements in targeted incentives, business retention, downtown revitalization, public- private partnerships and ports/FTZs. We also bestow our Achievement in New Media Award for Best Use of Video and Best Use of Social Media.

The finalists for our new overall Economic Development Excellence awards were asked to prepare a detailed submission that summarized the most productive project development in their locations and gave our us an overview of the economic development strategy they have deployed to ensure sustained long-term growth. The information provided included the top projects (initiated since the beginning of 2012), in terms of capital investment and job creation. These projects included new facilities, expansions, relocations or corporate headquarters. In their strategic narratives, finalists identified the growth sectors they’re targeting and described the specialized tools being deployed to achieve growth in these sectors. We encouraged them to specify their approach to workforce training, specialized incentives and the support they provide to the development of start-ups, small businesses and other entrepreneurial initiatives.

In assessing the candidates for our Excellence awards, we assessed the diversity and scope of the agency’s overall economic development program (in terms of the expansion of existing industries as well as the attraction of new ventures). Our Achievement Awards throw the spot- light on agencies and organizations that have established the best practices in their specified category.

And now, without further ado, here are the winners of our 2013 Economic Development Awards.

Population Greater Than 500k

Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, through its CEO Council—and through its headquarters marketing and recruitment initiative—set a new standard of excellence in 2012 for the delivery of high-quality, effective economic development programs. These programs have resulted in substantial upward mobility for current and new Broward County residents, while providing substantial returns on investment to local municipal partners through the generation of new revenue as a result of capital investments.

In 2012, a national TV ad blitz continued to promote Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County’s strong business value proposition. The campaign, built on the tagline of “Life. Less Taxing,” aired for six months in the NY/NJ/CT, Boston and Chicago markets.

Key to the new marketing initiative was a CEO Council-sponsored hosting event for leading corporate real estate executives, site selection consultants and media outlets, which included a reception at Nova Southeastern University’s new $50-million Oceanographic Center.

The Greater Fort Lauderdale area continued to notch headquarters relocation and expansion success stories, including:

• Custom clothier Astor & Black moved to Pembroke Pines, creating 62 jobs in a $1.48-million capital investment over a three-year period. State and local incentives from Florida and the City of Pembroke Pines totaled $554,000, including $434,000 from the Qualified Target Industries Tax Refund Program and $80,000 from the Governor’s Quick Action Closing Fund
• SmartWater CSI, a UK forensic technology firm also established its North American Headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, and UK-based Private Jet Charter expanded its headquarters there.
• Connecticut-based Turbine Controls, Inc. (TCI) announced it is undertaking a $1.5-million expansion in Miramar, creating 60 jobs. TCI, an industry leader in air- craft engine component MRO services, will locate its facility at Miramar Park of Commerce.

There also were 23 other company relocations and expansions throughout Broward County in 2012, resulting in 1,669 new jobs, 1,689 retained jobs and more than $88 million in new capital investment. Highlights include the largest industrial spec development lease in the last five years in Broward County. AeroTurbine, the Miami-based aviation supply company is expanding to a new, 264,000-square-foot building in Miramar. The project offers a direct capital investment of $30 million dollars and will create 75 jobs.

Saveology’s move to Margate will add 700 jobs to its operation. The Internet company received a $2-million incentive package (tied to job-creation commitments) for its relocation to the 100,000-square-foot office. Stretch Wrap Packaging Industries, a manufacturer of plastic stretch wrap for the logistics industry, also has relocated to the Fort Lauderdale area from Suriname, South America; the company has committed to add 200 jobs over the next three years. The total foreign direct investment is $12 million.

The Alliance substantially expanded international business activities to raise the global footprint of Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County by taking an active and participatory role in Gov. Rick Scott’s missions to Brazil, Colombia and Spain, and a separate mission to Mexico, along with hosting and facilitating visits from Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Italy and the United Kingdom.

The Alliance has a strong partnership with Broward County’s Workforce One employment center, securing nearly $1 million state and local training assistance for 1,107 employees in local companies.

The Alliance supports the GrowFlorida program designed to provide both technical assistance and access to capital to second-tier, high-growth companies in the area; it also provided assistance to Broward College to establish a new business incubator to promote small business.

In 2012, the Alliance formed its first Port Everglades Action Team, led by CEO Council member Terry Stiles, to work with the business community to generate support in securing necessary state and federal funding for expansion projects in the county’s Port Everglades Master Plan. Port Everglades, the 12^th largest cargo port in the U.S. and one of the top cruise ports in the world, is embarking on three critical expansion projects that will create 7,000 new jobs regionally and support 135,000 jobs statewide over the next 15 years.

Throughout the year, a primary focus of the Alliance is assisting local companies succeed through its Business Retention and Visitation Outreach (BRAVO) program. In 2012, the Alliance visited 178 companies to assist with access to capital, workforce training opportunities, permitting issues and site location assistance.

Gaining Honorable Mention Awards in this category were Greater MSP (Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership) and Columbus (OH) 2020.

Greater MSP launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership dedicated to accelerating job growth and capital investment in the 13-county regional MSA. Thanks in large part to Greater MSP’s efforts, the region now boasts the highest per capita concentration of Fortune 500 and large privately held corporate headquarters. The area also has the second-highest concentration in the U.S. of employment in its biotech sector, anchored by its world-class research institutions, including the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota.

Columbus 2020 represents the 11-county region centered on Columbus OH, working in collaboration with JobsOhio and local partners to offer comprehensive services to companies evaluating the area. The organization has targeted development in growth sectors including logistics, international business, manufacturing, corporate headquarters and bioscience.

Population Between 200K-500K

Lincoln (NE) Partnership
Lincoln, NE is a community recognized around the nation for its aggressiveness in pursuit of new job creation opportunities. This effort is focused at the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development. The primary service territory of the organization is Lancaster County and its primary focus is on Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E), Business Attraction, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (E&I) and Community Competitiveness.

In 2012, the Partnership completed 100 annual surveys of key businesses in the region; it is spearheading key workforce issues including the development of a career academy which will be a partnership between Lincoln Public Schools and Southeast Community College to provide career-based educated for juniors and seniors in the LPS District. The overall BR&E program brings together representatives of the City, the County, Lincoln Electric System, Black Hills Energy and the State of Nebraska. Most recently, the Lincoln WIB was brought into the group.

The Partnership works through a regional marketing consortium that includes regional communities, utilities and higher education institutions including the University of Nebraska.

The Partnership and the Chamber and Convention and Visitors Bureau recently launched a new community branding strategy called “Life is Right: that is targeting young executives, workers and entrepreneurs.

The E&I program has been the top priority for the Partnership over the past three years, focused on two significant programs:

• Innovation Connect brings the engineers and executives from manufacturers together with University of Nebraska researchers, promoting the use of UNL technology in Lincoln-based businesses.
• Health Care Connect was unveiled in 2012. The program asks local health care providers to identify problems they believe can be solved through new technology, and then forwards these challenges to Lincoln’s software community. After two months, a quick-pitch contest was held and the winning software proposal got a 120-day test period at the health care institution.

The Partnership sponsors numerous quick-pitch and business plan competitions, and it was a key facilitator of the area’s software angel fund, Nebraska Global, which helped launch five companies in 2011 and 2012. Nebraska Global has launched its fifth software company, Elite-Form, which is producing programs for recording, coaching and evaluating strength training. Prototypes now are being used at the University of Nebraska’s athletic department.

The Partnership helped spearhead a successful effort by the University of Nebraska to take over the former state fair grounds; $80 million is being invested on four new facilities to attract, expand and grow new companies. The first, announced in 2012, is ConAgra’s new facility and research agreement. When fully developed, the project is expected to add over 2,000 high-tech jobs to the community.

The Partnership is leading an effort to undertake a $2.5-million redevelopment of the Lincoln Airpark, a 1000-acre industrial park located on a former Air Force Base. The project is expected to generate more than 3,000 new manufacturing jobs in the city.

The largest project in the community’s history, the West Haymarket redevelopment project, was sup- ported financially by the Partnership through the passage of a bond issue that will construct a new 16,000-seat arena. Over $100 million in investments are expected to be made by concerns adjacent to the arena, which could generate over 1,000 new jobs, new retail and significant quality of life enhancements.

Cabela’s credit card operation has moved into its expanded space in northwest Lincoln. The company $7.2-million expansion is to create about 340 new jobs. Cabela’s site is part of Nebraska Technology Park.

Family-owned Duncan Aviation is undertaking a $25-million expansion including an 80,000-square-foot maintenance hangar, 95,000 square feet of office and shop space; the new facilities are scheduled to open in June 2014. Last year, Duncan Aviation opened an $11.5-million paint shop. When all of its projects are complete, Duncan will employ more than 1,300 people in the Lincoln area.

Receiving Honorable Mention Awards in the 200k-500k category are Brick City Development Corp., Commerce Lexington, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

Brick City Development Corp. (BCDC) was formed in 2007 to be the primary economic development catalyst for New Jersey’s largest city, Newark. BCDC is focusing on industrial, technology and commercial growth sectors, putting New Jersey’s Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit to good use to secure capital investments of more than $50 million for large-scale renovation or new construction projects.

A key priority is revitalization and development of site in Port Newark, the nation’s third-largest port; the program has succeeded in closing a series of industrial deals covering 750,000 square feet of production space. Pacific Group Holdings, one of the world’s largest importers, brought its Northeast U.S. headquarters to Newark.

BCDC also is targeting food processing and distribution. Success stories include Bartlett Dairy, kosher food producer Manischewitz, Damascus Bakery and grocery store distributor Wakefern.

More than 90 biotech incubator start-ups are now up and running at the University Heights Science Park, a mixed-use technology park anchored by the city’s huge university cluster. A major French pharma research concern, Biotrial S.A., has purchased a 1.2-acre parcel in the tech park for a new facility.

Commerce Lexington scored a major coup in 2012 with its recruitment of Bingham McCutchen’s Global Services Center. Lexington was chosen after a site-selection competition which considered 350 cities across the U.S.

Commerce Lexington is one of three members in the Bluegrass Business Development Partnership (BBDP), which Lexington’s economic development team together the University of Kentucky and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government in a coordinated program which serves as a one-stop service provider linking entrepreneurs with key programs and incentives to help them jump-start business initiatives.

In May 2011, Joplin, MO was devastated by one of the worst tornados in U.S. history. In the months before the tornado hit, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce was spear- heading two new regional development initiatives, the Joplin Regional Prosperity Initiative (JRPI) and the Joplin Region Partnership (JRP). Even during the massive recovery effort undertaken after the storm (about 560 business facilities were destroyed by the tornado), these development efforts have continued to grow and bear positive results.

In the wake of the tornado, these efforts have created more than 1,800 jobs in Joplin area. The Joplin Tomorrow Fund was deployed to distribute more than $1 million in funding to restart two companies, expand four businesses and assist a new start-up. Today, more than 500 of the businesses directly impacted by the storm have reopened, retaining more than 4,500 jobs in Joplin that had been considered “at risk.” Jasper County, which includes Joplin, has been named Missouri’s first national ACT “Career Ready Certified” community (Missouri is one of only four state’s that have made it to ACT’s second round).

In 2012, Airbus selected Mobile for its first final assembly line in North America, an investment of $600 million that is expected to create at least 1,000 direct jobs. The Airbus decision already is spurring suppliers to put down roots in Mobile, including a recent new plant announcement from Labinal.

In 2012, the Mobile Area Chamber assisted more than 1,600 entrepreneurs in developing business plans, one-on-one counseling and access funding.

Population Between 50K-200K

Operation Oswego County
Operation Oswego County (OOC) is a private, non-profit organization that works to enhance, promote and protect the business and industrial climate of Oswego County. To achieve that goal, they provide comprehensive assistance to existing businesses and those seeking to relocate, whether they are developing a business plan, looking for the best site, or searching for financing or other assistance.

OOC’s primary objectives are to help create new job opportunities, retain employment, build a broader real property tax base, diversify the economy and improve the area’s quality of life through a planned, organized and environmentally-friendly economic development process. They are guided by a board of directors made up of community-minded people from business, labor, education and government throughout Oswego County.

Coordinating and implementing special economic development initiatives allows OOC to enhance the potential to create and retain jobs. They operate three industrial parks in Oswego County—the Oswego County Industrial Park in Schroeppel, the Airport Industrial Park in Volney and the Lake Ontario Industrial Park in the city of Oswego—with other sites currently being studied for potential business parks.

The Start-up Facility in the Oswego County Industrial Park and the Business Expansion Center in the city of Oswego are designed to help non-retail, industrial and service businesses achieve significant growth and development during the first few years of business with the intention of eventually moving out of the building and into private commercial space.

OOC facilitates programs supporting entrepreneurship and small business development and growth including Women’s Network for Entrepreneurial Training, Connections Women’s Symposium, Next Great Idea Business Plan Competition and Workforce Development. The businesses obtain Minority and Women Business Enterprises state designation and are authorized to finance projects using the SBA 504 loan program which can fund up to 40 percent of fixed asset financing for eligible businesses at below market rates.

Oswego County is experiencing a growth spurt in the food processing sector. Over the last year, three companies have purchased existing facilities and are expanding their food processing ventures into Oswego County. Champlain Valley Specialty is renovating and expanding a former onion packing site into an apple processing facility. The $5.5 million project will create approximately 90 jobs. Teti Bakery USA plans to renovate a 200,000-square-foot building in Volney, using about 40,000 square feet of it as a bakery for its Italian flat breads. The Canadian company will create 63 jobs with the $5 million investment.

Our Honorable Mention Award in this category goes to Peoria Economic (AZ) Development. Peoria is taking an aggressive approach toward business attraction by creating partnerships focused on targeted industries including bioscience, health care and renewable energy.

The top 10 projects in Peoria in 2012 included a $75-million investment in Trine University Peoria Campus, a development which will create more than 1,200 direct jobs; a partnership between the city and BioAccel to create the Bioinspire Medical Device Incubator, including six start-up companies; and Genome Identification Corp.’s relocation of its forensics lab from Virginia to Peoria, where the company will continue to develop its proprietary DNA analysis technology.

Population Less Than 50K

City of Rochester (NH)
The City of Rochester has an independent and focused attraction program unique to the goals and objectives of each Targeted Industry Initiative.

The program for Advanced Manufacturing is based on input from the existing manufacturers and includes introductions and referrals as well as industry and trade publications and trade shows. Once a business has interacted with the development program, they may offer a testimonial on the www.thinkrochester.biz website, and may refer vendors and suppliers. The Retail/Hospitality strategy is based on data from the University of Shopping Centers Economic Development Program by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). The city contracted with the Buxton Company to develop a comprehensive retail assessment and analysis to support the commercial districts and the attraction of private developers and retailers. That research supports the trade shows and targeted retail and hospitality efforts of the city.

Rochester partnered with the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Planning at Northeastern University to complete a competitive analysis focused on infrastructure, local policy, planning and other factors established by NAIOP. This report led to infrastructure and policy improvements, and as part of this continuing emphasis, the city reorganized all the development related departments, creating the Community Development Division. The city is considering locating all of the staff in a modern and efficient “one-stop” center to improve efficiency.

The Back Office/Call Center effort involves the owners of the major office buildings and office parks in the city to do collaborative marketing and research. The Medical/Health Care program is based on a strong relationship with the city’s major medical center and other health care partners. They utilize community listening posts that included all of the major employers to discuss health care demands and anticipated impacts of changes to health care and insurance requirements.

Strategic Action items now on the agenda for Rochester’s economic development program include: Establishment of the Granite Ridge Commercial District; Expansion of the Granite State Business Park, Establishment of incentives including Tax Increment Financing, Establish a Downtown Revitalization Organization (Rochester is one of 10 NH communities Certified by the National Trust for Historic Preservation); and Implement a Business Retention and Expansion Plan.

Albany Engineered Composites and Safran USA have partnered for a $100 million state of the art aerospace composites facility on a 50-acre site in Granite Business State Park. They will add approximately 500 employees with a payroll of more than $30 million annually to produce LEAP-X engines, which incorporate green technology while retaining aviation power. The local economic development office for Rochester, NH led the Recruitment Team for the project, and persevered during a two year selection and negotiation process, managing a complex package of deliverables. The ultimate key to success was the team being small, talented and committed, and support from the State Department of Resources and Economic Development, the NH Business Finance Authority and Governor John Lynch.

Construction of a 57-acre, 330,000-square-foot marketplace that could bring up to 800 jobs in the Granite Ridge Development District is also under development. In addition, the City of Rochester recently issued a $100,000 JOB Loan (its biggest ever) to the young firm, LHR Sporting Arms, LLC so that they can begin hiring employees.

The city has created two Tax Increment Financing Districts with a third in process, to expand the municipal infrastructure to industrial and commercial zones. The city has adopted three NH Economic Revitalization Zones, offering corporate tax credits to qualifying businesses. The City has two HUB Zones through SBA, and is a New Market Tax Credits eligible community. The city is working with the NH Foreign Trade Zone Program to consider expansion of an existing zone to Rochester.

The city has a Special Downtown Business District with an expedited approval process to encourage adaptive reuse. Also in Downtown, the city has adopted the property tax credit program 79e enabling real estate investors in the District to recoup their investment over five to 13 years before a tax increase. The city created a Sign & Façade Matching Grant to encourage investment into exterior improvements, even on a small scale. Rochester also has a revolving loan fund capitalized at $600,000 from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). This program has created more than 300 jobs over the last ten years in manufacturing, hospitality and service industries, including start-ups. City staff provides one on one support for business plans, application process and follow up.

Honorable Mention Awards in the Population Less than 50K category went to Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. and Ponca City, OK.

In April 2012, Cummins-Seymour announced it will invest $219 in a new engine plant in Jackson County, IN, creating 290 new jobs. Jackson County Industrial Development Corp., which is based in Seymour, also scored a local success with Valeo Sylvania’s decision to invest $28 million in an expansion of their Seymour facility (creating 187 new jobs) and Aisin U.S.A. Manufacturing’s announcement that it will undertake a $21-million expansion of its two Seymour facilities (114 new jobs). Additionally, Seymour Tubing is putting about $20 million into expanded workspace and new equipment.

The top five projects in Ponca City, OK in 2012 totaled $78 mil- lion in capital investment. The largest capital investment in Ponca was made by Phillips 66, which is putting $50 million into an upgrade of its alkaline units, a lift station at its South Plant and equipment upgrades throughout it complex. Mertz Manufacturing, an oil and gas concern, completed a new $12 million facility on an 80-acre site. Dorada Foods, a chicken processor and supplier to McDonald’s restaurants, is preparing to add a new production line with upgraded equipment. The project is expected to create 75 new jobs.

Two companies new to the Ponca area were drawn to the location due to new oil drilling and the general resurgence in the oil and gas sector in Oklahoma spurred by fracking operations extracting natural gas/ Dawson Geophysical brought 85 jobs to their new office in Ponca City; Crescent Services, an independent oilfield support service and management company, established a satellite office in the city.

Business Facilities congratulates all of the well-deserved winners of our 2013 Economic Development Excellence Awards.

Achievement In Targeted Incentives

When we launched our annual Economic Development Awards two years ago, there was one category for which we knew the podium would be crowded when it came time to call up the winners. Every year, there are dozens of new incentives programs to consider for our Achievement in Targeted Incentives Award. This year was no exception and, as always, it was difficult to narrow the field. Here are the four winning programs that meet our criteria for an innovative effort to snare new projects for a targeted growth sector:

The widespread use of hydraulic fracturing drilling techniques to extract an abundant supply of natural gas from shale formations in the U.S. is transforming the economies of several states, especially in the region that includes the Marcellus formation (stretching from Ohio through Pennsylvania and into upstate New York). The fracking boom itself has become a development magnet, so it shouldn’t be surprising that state economic development agencies are beginning to tailor targeted incentives related to natural gas resources.

Pennsylvania has jumped ahead of the curve with its PA Resource Manufacturing Tax Credit (PRM).

Beginning in 2017, any manufacturer purchasing natural gas containing ethane as a petrochemical feedstock at a facility within the Commonwealth could be eligible for a PRM Tax Credit equal to five cents per gallon ($2.10 per barrel) of ethane purchased and used in manufacturing ethylene, so long as the company makes a capital investment of at least $1 billion and creates the equivalent of at least 2,500 full-time jobs while constructing the facility.  This credit is effective for ethane purchased between Jan. 1, 2017 and Dec. 31, 2042.

Thanks in part to the health care reforms enacted in Washington in 2010, employment in the health care sector is expected to outpace national averages in coming years. Anticipating this, Mississippi has structured an incentive which throws down a welcome mat for health-care providers to come to the Magnolia State.

The Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program was enacted in 2012 to encourage health care-related businesses to locate or expand in the state. The program benefits medical services providers and other health care-related businesses, such as those engaged in medical supply, biologics, laboratory testing, medical product manufacturing/distribution and diagnostic imaging that locate in a qualified Health Care Zone in the state. Health Care Zones are defined as areas where there are three contiguous counties which have Certificates of Need for more than 375 acute care hospital beds—the business must locate or expand within a five-mile radius of a health care facility with a Certificate of Need and/or areas located within five miles of a hospital that will be constructed before July 1, 2017, with a minimal capital investment of $250 million.

Qualifying businesses are eligible to receive an accelerated, 10-year state income tax depreciation deduction, a sales tax exemption for equipment and materials purchased from the date of the project’s certification until three months after the facility is completed, and a 10-year ad valorem tax exemption.

Workforce training remains a top priority across the nation, and we’re impressed with an initiative in Florida that targets incumbent workers to enable companies to maintain their competitive edge and retain employees.

The Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWT) provides training to currently employed workers to keep Florida’s workforce competitive in a global economy and to retain existing businesses. The program is available to all Florida businesses that have been in operation for at least one year prior to application and require skills upgrade training for existing employees. Priority is given to businesses in targeted industries, Enterprise Zones, HUB Zones, Inner City Distressed areas, Rural Counties and areas, and Brownfield areas.

The program provides funding for training to existing for-profit businesses. IWT grants are structured to be flexible to meet the business’s training objectives. The business may use a public or private training provider, or may use an in-house training provider based on the nature of the training.

Through June 2012, Workforce Florida awarded 230 IWT grants totaling more than $6.1 million to help companies train and retain more than 12,000 full-time employees. Trainees’ wages have increased more than 25 percent on average within a year of completing IWT-supported training.

Funding priority in the Incumbent Worker Training Program is given to businesses with 25 or fewer employees that is located in a distressed rural area, urban inner city or Enterprise Zone. The business should be part of a targeted sector whose grant proposals represent a significant layoff-avoidance strategy.

Recent announcements from Louisiana make it clear that the Bayou State is emerging as leading high-tech hub. Louisiana is moving quickly to capitalize on this trend and maximize its impact.

The Technology Commercialization Credit and Jobs Program provides a 40 percent refundable tax credit (not to exceed $250,000) on costs related to the commercialization of Louisiana technology and a 6 percent payroll rebate for the creation of new direct jobs.

The Tax Credit Incentive is open to individuals or businesses that invest in the commercialization of Louisiana technology in Louisiana. The technology must be created by a Louisiana business and researched by a Louisiana university or college. A company must submit the completed Technology Commercialization Eligibility Application and fee. The eligibility application should include a description of technology to be commercialized; an agreement with a university; a business plan; an estimate of commercialization cost, number of new jobs, wages and health benefits created. Eligibility application is due by December 31 of the year the company is seeking tax credits.

Achievement In Business Retention

New Jersey Partnership for Action; Metro Denver Economic Dev. Corp.
We are honoring two organizations this year with our Achievement in Business Retention Award: the New Jersey Partnership for Action and Metro Denver Economic Development Corp.

When Gov. Chris Christie took office in 2010, he made it a top priority to change the negative perception of NJ’s business climate by initiating one of the most comprehensive reorganizations of statewide economic developments we’ve seen in a long time. The new structure consists of three highly-focused organizational elements, all under the umbrella of the Partnership for Action—Choose New Jersey, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and the Business Action Center—that provide economic development services, link companies to incentive programs and attract international investment to others.

Armed with NJ’s innovative Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit, the Partnership for Action has achieved notable success in its business retention efforts, including deals that kept Panasonic’s headquarters in the state and spurred Prudential to commit to a new HQ building in the heart of Newark.

NJ has used the forward-thinking transit hub credit as a financial tool to spur private capital investment, business development and employment by providing tax credits for businesses planning a large expansion or relocating to one of New Jersey’s designated Urban Transit Hubs.

The program offers developers, owners or tenants up to 100 percent of a qualified capital investment made within an eight period. Taxpayers may apply 10 percent of the total credit amount per year over a ten-year period against their corporate business tax, insurance premiums tax or gross income tax liability. Developers or owners must make a minimum $50 million capital investment in a single business facility, and at least 250 full-time employees must work at that facility. Tenants in a qualified business facility can represent at least $17.5 million of the capital investment in the facility, and up to three tenants may aggregate to meet the 250 employee requirement.

The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (Metro Denver EDC), an affiliate of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, was one of the nation’s first regional economic development entities. Its partners include 70 cities, counties, and economic development organizations in the seven-county Metro Denver and two-county Northern Colorado region. Metro Denver EDC works to create a competitive environment that attracts companies and is backed by the region’s business community, with primary funding coming from private-sector investors, as well as participating cities and counties. Strategic initiatives are developed among the partners, with final decision-making authority by an investor board of directors.

From energy to aerospace, to bioscience, information technology-software and financial services, Metro Denver offers a diversified economy of viable industries and the nation’s third-most highly educated workforce. Metro Denver is first among the 50 largest metros for total private aerospace workers, with 19,600 people employed at aerospace companies. Colorado has the nation’s second-largest aerospace economy and is home to four military commands, eight major space contractors, and more than 400 aerospace companies and suppliers. Denver International Airport and three reliever airports create a solid foundation for 15,910 workers directly employed by aviation companies.

Ten Metro Denver higher education institutions with bioscience programs and numerous bioscience research assets support the region’s bioscience industry. The industry also is enhanced by the opportunities to bring together academic, research, and corporate biotechnology institutions at the 578-acre, $5-billion Fitzsimons Life Science District and the adjacent Anschutz Medical Campus.

Metro Denver’s Mountain Time Zone location makes it the largest U.S. region with one-bounce satellite uplinks, providing companies real-time connections to six of seven continents. With a broad mix of broadcasting and telecommunications firms, the region ranks sixth out of the 50 largest metros for employment concentration in this growing sector.

The integration of cleantech and Colorado’s rich energy resource base places the Metro Denver region at the forefront of energy development. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden is the U.S. Department of Energy’s laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency R&D.

The Metro Denver region also is one of the few areas outside of the Northeast with a substantial financial services industry in three key market segments. A variety of trade associations and service firms support the diverse financial services industry base of more than 13,020 companies and 87,750 employees in the region.

Achievement In Downtown Revitalization

Indianapolis Downtown, Inc./Indianapolis
This year’s Achievement in Downtown Revitalization Award goes jointly to Indianapolis Downtown Inc. and the Indy Partnership for their continued success in making Indiana’s largest city a winning combination of business-friendly growth and exceptional quality of live. While progress has been notable in the past year, this award also honors a body of work that stretches back two decades.

Downtown Indianapolis has been transformed into a vibrant 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week urban center over the past two decades. Businesses have taken note and are flocking to the city.

Cities across the country look to Downtown Indianapolis as a revitalization model. Since 1990, Indianapolis has invested nearly $9 billion of public and private funds equaling more than 485 projects through 2011. This is an average of more than $408 million of new investment each year, for the past 22 years.

Even in a tough economy, Downtown development momentum continues with $3 billion of new construction and renovation efforts to be completed by 2017.

More people continue to come Downtown on a regular basis. Annual attendance at major Downtown leisure attractions has increased by 83 percent since 1994 to 8 million visits. Surveys of Central Indiana residents show 79 percent of Marion County residents visited Downtown in a six-month period, up from 47 percent in 1994.

Businesses are taking note, and they are flocking to the city. Rolls Royce last year moved 2,500 employees to Downtown Indy. Economic studies show spending by the company and its employees is expected to boost the Downtown economy by $510 million each year.

Three Fortune 1000 companies’ world or regional headquarters in Downtown Indianapolis continue their commitment through growth and expansion, including WellPoint, Inc. (32 new jobs), Eli Lilly and Company (122) and Simon Property Group (573).

NCAA recently completed a $40-million, 150,000 square-feet headquarters expansion; Simon Property Group, North America’s largest real estate investment trust, WellPoint, Inc., Emmis Communications, and Urban League of Indianapolis have all opened headquarters Downtown. Other Downtown headquarters include OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc., Indiana University Health, Denison, Inc., Farm Bureau of Indiana, Regions Bank, The Indianapolis Star, Kite Realty Group, LDI, Ltd., National Association of High School Athletics, National Bank of Indianapolis, National Wine and Spirits Inc., Reilly Industries, Inc., and The Steak N Shake Company.

Achievement In Public-Private Partnership

Buffalo Niagara Enterprise; Upstate SC Alliance; Tucson (AZ) Regional Economic Opportunities
As more and more states decide to reconfigure their economic development operations from the traditional government-run structure to a public-private model, there are more entities to choose from when we make our annual pick of the best public-private programs. This year, we’ve selected three organizations as the co-winners of our Achievement in Public-Private Partnership Award.

Buffalo Niagara Enterprise (BNE) is a nonprofit, private business development and regional marketing organization dedicated to the proposition that, as a place “where life works,” the Buffalo Niagara region is the ideal place for businesses to locate, grow, and start-up.

The Buffalo Niagara region is comprised of eight counties that form the western-most end of New York State. The region is strategically located with in 500 miles of 40 percent of the continental North American population and is a bi-national gateway for commerce, facilitating $81 billion in annual trade between Canada and the United States.

BNE’s team includes local investors, a board of directors, economic development partners and professional staff. Since it was launched in 1999 by members of the local business community, BNE has succeeded in attracting more than $2.9 billion in capital investment and created or retained over 36,000 jobs in our region.

BNE provides services that run the gamut from demographic information to tax incentives to site identification. BNE acts as the central clearinghouse for the information and supporting services required by companies interested in locating and growing in our region. It provides market data and other information services relevant to business location decisions, including economic indicators, workforce information, industrial and commercial real estate information and customized business development data.

BNE also provides professional account management services, offering potential investors in our region a one-stop shop for information on economic development, and serving as a liaison with local economic development organizations.

Formed in 2000, the Upstate South Carolina Alliance is a public/private regional economic development organization designed to market the dynamic 10-county Upstate region to the world. The 10 counties represent the commerce-rich northwestern corner of SC.

The Upstate SC Alliance’s vision is to compete for business investment globally. The Alliance’s goal is to spearhead an aggressive, innovative and comprehensive global marketing strategy to attract new investment to the Upstate region. By creating a powerful brand and image for the region, Upstate SC Alliance is confident increased opportunities will ultimately lead to greater investment, enhancing the prosperity and quality of life for the entire Upstate. Funding for the Upstate SC Alliance comes through two sources: member counties/cities and private sector business partners. The Alliance’s private sector partners number more than 170 individual companies/organizations.

Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, Inc. (TREO) was formed in 2005 to serve as the lead economic development agency for the greater Tucson, AZ area and its surrounding regional partners. The primary goal of TREO is to facilitate export-based (non-retail) job and investment growth, in order to increase wealth and accelerate economic prosperity throughout Southern Arizona. A secondary role is to shape policy and mobilize resources to ensure the region is competitive.

TREO engages in partnerships focusing on demonstrating leadership to strengthen education, create a vibrant downtown and engage in infrastructure improvements. To serve a population approaching one million residents, TREO offers an integrated approach of programs and services that support the creation of new businesses, the expansion of existing businesses within the region, and the attraction of companies that offer high wage jobs.

Achievement In Ports/FTZs

Philadelphia Regional Port Authority; El Paso, TX Foreign Trade Zone No. 68; Port of Mobile
We’ve only been bestowing our top honor for Achievement in Ports/FTZs for two years, but we already have our first back-to-back winner. We are pleased to grant this distinction to the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority. A co-winner of our port award is the Port of Mobile. El Paso International Airport’s Foreign Trade Zone No. 68 got our top honor for FTZs.

Philadelphia, one of the oldest and most venerable ports in the United States, continues to outshine the competition as it gears up to compete for what is anticipate to be a surge in new shipping next year.

Philadelphia’s harbor often was the point of arrival for the nation’s founding fathers when they emigrated from Great Britain in the early 1700s, but the port and the City of Brotherly Love are not resting on its laurels: the port is busy preparing to meet the challenges of 21st Century commerce, including an expansion of the Panama Canal that will see huge cargo ships arriving at East Coast ports directly from Asia beginning in 2014.

PRPA has renewed its MOU for the Panama Canal Authority and it has undertaken a channel-deepening project along the 102-mile Delaware River shipping lane. We also are impressed with PRPA’s ability to maintain and grow a thriving shipping hub while undertaking these improvements, evidenced by double-digit increases in cargo tonnage at the port in the past two years, despite a very challenging national and regional economy.

FTZ No. 68 is an integral part of El Paso’s regional and international investment strategy, providing a business platform for domestic and foreign trade to prosper in the region. The City of El Paso is the Grantee and Operator of Foreign-Trade Zone No. 68; it is administered through El Paso International Airport. The zone consists of 5 regional sites totaling 3,443 acres within El Paso County.

FTZ No. 68 has been ranked first in exports among U.S. General-Purpose Zones, ITA (2010). FTZ No. 68 is the only Grantee in the nation providing compliance and training services and one of only five Grantees with an Accredited Zones Specialist. FTZ No. 68 contributed to over 1,300 direct jobs to the El Paso economy in 2012, using innovative best practices in zone management and strategic alliances.

A recent economic impact study prepared by John C. Martin Associates, LLC, a leading maritime industry economic consulting firm, estimates $22.3 billion in total economic value for Alabama from the cargo and vessel activity at the Port of Mobile; of this value, $18.7 billion is directly tied to the Alabama State Port Authority’s (ASPA) public terminals. Martin’s study calculates between 55 and 65 million tons of cargo moves through the Port of Mobile annually.

In FY (Fiscal Year) 2011, there were 141,029 jobs in Alabama related to the cargo and vessel activity at the ASPA and the private terminals at the Port of Mobile, with 127,591 total direct, indirect, induced and related user jobs directly linked to ASPA’s operations. Martin concluded that the terminals at the Port of Mobile generated $573 million in direct, induced, indirect and related user taxes paid to state and local governments by individuals and firms dependent upon the Port of Mobile cargo and ship repair activity.

Achievement In New Media

BEST USE OF VIDEO

Saratoga Economic Development Corp.
SEDC is a perennial candidate for our top video award, consistently producing eye-pleasing and informative packages promoting the Saratoga, NY region. This year’s award-winner is a video entitled SEDC 35th Anniversary—Success Without Limits. The video is posted below. We encourage everyone to take a look at it and enjoy the presentation.

Our Honorable Mention Award in the Best Use of Video category went to Lubbock Economic Development Alliance (LEDA) for their informational video entitled Lubbock Economic Development Alliance – 2012 Forecast.

Each year, LEDA hosts an Economic Forecast luncheon for select members of the Lubbock, TX community. This video was used to highlight an entire year’s worth of work not only for LEDA, but also for Visit Lubbock (the convention and visitor’s bureau) and Lubbock Sports. This year’s video was created to appeal to a wide audience with eye-catching visuals and in-depth testimonials from clients, business partners and community partners. The video is a direct reflection of how all of these entities work together to enrich, empower and strengthen the entire Lubbock community.

BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Saratoga Economic Development Corp.
SEDC’s award-winning networking strategy is to monitor all content coming in and out of their networks to make sure it is relevant to the Saratoga NY area’s mission. The key to their success comes from the SEDC’s members being very active themselves. The organization’s president, vice president, and director of marketing all are on these social networks (especially LinkedIn) and supporting SEDC’s cause.

The SEDC LinkedIn Group is their strongest social profile, boasting 1,849 members made up of primarily C-level executives from the region and industry sectors they are trying to reach. By keeping their group’s audience limited to only qualified members, it keeps the content being exchanged relevant and supportive to the area.

The post FEATURE STORY: 2013 Economic Development Awards appeared first on Business Facilities.

According to a recent report, 10 million manufacturing jobs are unfilled worldwide due to a shortage of skilled workers. The report, issued by World Economic Forum and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in April 2012, says that economic growth and success rests with a skilled workforce.

“In the race to future prosperity, nothing will matter more than talent,” said Craig Giffi, co-author of the report. “The skills gap that exists today will not likely close in the near future, which means companies and countries that can attract, develop and retain the highest skilled talent—from scientists, researchers and engineers to technicians and skilled production workers—will come out on top.”

The lack of skilled workers is nothing new. In the U.S., about 600,000 jobs in manufacturing remain unfilled, a situation that is expected to get worse in the next three to five years as older workers retire. Worker shortages are found in skilled trades such as heavy equipment mechanics, construction, truck drivers, healthcare, and certain jobs in the IT sector to name a few.

To overcome talent shortages in the U.S., many states have launched workforce training programs that are helping workers develop the most relevant 21st century skill sets. Currently, at least 20 states offer some kind of training support. In this feature, Business Facilities has uncovered eight states that are planting the workforce seed for success—with oft emulated programs that are creating a seamless path between high school, post secondary and the workforce and helping states compete globally, create jobs, and achieve economic growth.

AIDT Builds Skilled Labor in AL
Alabama’s AIDT (Alabama Industrial Development Training) is a major force for workforce training in the state. For more than 40 years, AIDT’s “Total Workforce Delivery System” has provided thousands of skilled, motivated employees to AL industries.

AIDT offers comprehensive pre-employment selection and training, post/on-the-job training, maintenance assessments, industrial safety assessments and training, leadership development, and process improvement assessments—all specific to a company’s needs. AIDT’s workforce selection and training processes have achieved the world’s first ISO 9001:2008 certification for a state-funded workforce training program.

Technology changes constantly, evolving at an exponential rate, so AIDT has developed a new project to help train workers to keep up with high tech advancement. Called the Alabama Robotic Technology Park (RTP), the project is helping to move Alabama to the forefront of education, training and technology.

The first phase of the project, which was recently completed, consists of the Robotic Maintenance Training Center, a state-of-the-art facility where technicians will be trained to work on robotic machinery. The 52,000 square foot facility is staffed by trainers supplied by top robot builders and is home to several major robotics and automation brands.

“One of our struggles has been keeping up with the demand for multi-craft industrial maintenance techs and welders,” said Jacqueline Allen, AIDT’s Public Information Officer. “We have addressed this issue with the creation of Phase 1 of the Alabama Robotics Technology Park in North Alabama (Tanner) and the Maritime Training Center in South Alabama (Mobile).”

The RTP is a three-phase campus approach to training workers, developing technologies and integrating those technologies and workers into companies. It is a collaboration between the state of Alabama, Calhoun Community College, AIDT, and robotics industry leaders across the nation. When completed, the RTP will consist of three individual training facilities each targeted to a specific industry need. The three buildings will have an investment of approximately $73 million, including robotics equipment.

In Phase 2, the Advanced Technology Research and Development Center will feature a test facility for companies currently in the robotics manufacturing industry. The 30,000 square foot facility will be used by NASA and the U.S. Army Missile Command for the purpose of research, development and testing of leading edge robotics used for military projects and space exploration.  The structure will have appropriate infrastructure to support these activities with substantial outdoor areas for testing in a variety of environments.

In Phase 3, the Integration and Entrepreneurial Center will be a collaborative consolidation of technology involving higher education and industry.  This facility will allow companies to build and adapt robots for new industries. Start-up plants will be able to set up manufacturing lines to integrate software and equipment, test systems and train maintenance and production staff.

Alabama’s aerospace workforce is soaring after a recent announcement by leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus. In July, the company announced it will open its first U.S.-based production facility at the Brookley Aeroplex in Mobile, Alabama, creating as many as 1,000 new high-skilled jobs. Airbus is the largest export customer for the U.S. aerospace industry. Since 1990, the company has spent $127 billion with U.S. suppliers—$12 billion last year alone.

“The time is right for Airbus to expand in America,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President & CEO at the announcement in Mobile. “The U.S. is the largest single-aisle aircraft market in the world—with a projected need for 4,600 aircraft over the next 20 years—and this assembly line brings us closer to our customers. Mobile is now becoming part of Airbus’ global production network, joining our successful and growing assembly lines in Hamburg, Toulouse and Tianjin.

Mobile has long been a hub for world class shipbuilding and it will now become one of just a few communities in the world capable of manufacturing high-tech, large commercial aircraft. Airbus workers in Mobile will assemble both Airbus’ existing A320 jet family as well as the A320 new engine option, or A320neo, jets.

“This project will create 1,000 stable, well-paying jobs that the people of this area need and deserve,” said Alabama Governor Robert Bentley. “Alabama has the best workforce you’ll find anywhere in the U.S.”
According to a recent news article in Mobile’s Press-Register newspaper, the training of workers will be primarily handled by an existing aircraft manufacturing and electronics training center at the Brookley Aeroplex. The training programs would be a partnership program with AIDT and Brookley’s Alabama Aviation.

Growing a High-Tech Workforce in Florida
Creating and sustaining jobs and workforce development is the central focus of Gov. Rick Scott’s economic growth strategy, including prioritizing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) to focus Florida’s K-12 and higher education systems on producing graduates that can support a growing high-tech workforce.

Florida’s workforce and training programs consistently receive high accolades. According to the National Chamber Foundation, Florida ranks in the top eight in four of the six workforce and training measures. It ranks first in higher education efficiency and share of high school seniors taking advanced placement exams. The state ranks fourth for the efficiency of its workforce placement system and eighth in college affordability. In addition, Florida was ranked number two for workforce in a CNBC special report, “America’s Top States for Business 2011.”

Florida’s Quick Response Training and Incumbent Worker Training programs have a strong track record for helping businesses maintain a competitive talent pool. Administered by Workforce Florida, the statewide workforce investment board, both programs are nationally recognized and structured to be flexible to meet a business’s training objectives. In addition, the programs reimburse employers for a portion of their training costs.

Florida’s Quick Response Training (QRT) grants provide funding for customized training to new or expanding businesses. Through this customer-driven program, Florida is able to effectively retain and attract businesses creating new high-quality jobs. The grants are structured to be flexible and “respond quickly” to meet the business’s training objectives. As of June 2009, QRT grants have provided nearly $73 million in funds for customized training for almost 82,000 employees for just under 320 businesses and industries throughout Florida.

Florida’s Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grants provide funding for customized training to existing for-profit businesses. Through this grant, Florida is able to effectively retain businesses and help them stay competitive by supporting skills-upgrade training for existing full-time employees. IWT grants are structured to be flexible to meet the business’s training objectives. The business may use a public or private training provider, or may use an in-house training provider based on the nature of the training. Since its inception, IWT grants have helped provide customized training to more than 98,000 Floridians at more than 1,000 businesses throughout Florida.

Nearly $1 million in QRT grants have been set aside to train approximately 1,000 new and existing workers at seaport businesses as well as manufacturing, logistics and related companies aimed at retaining jobs and expanding international trade and exports in Florida. Another $600,000 in QRT grants will provide training for 600 people who work for air cargo-related businesses, again with an eye toward boosting productivity and competitiveness for Florida companies to increase the state’s export volume. In addition, Workforce Florida is investing up to $600,000 to help create new career academies to develop pipeline talent for international trade jobs and forge stronger partnerships between local workforce investment boards and Florida’s deepwater seaports. Up to 15 career academies are being created in high schools throughout that state focused on international trade and logistics and advanced manufacturing for international trade opportunities.

GA Guarantees a Quick Start
Georgia’s Quick Start training program, which is ranked among the top workforce training programs in the country, is one of the main reasons that many companies choose to set up shop in Georgia, Caterpillar, Baxter International, Outdoor Network LLC, NCR, Kia Motors, and ZF Industries have all identified the program as a key reason for picking Georgia over other states.

Quick Start was a deciding factor in Caterpillar’s decision to locate its new manufacturing plant in Georgia

Quick Start provides intensive, specified training to give companies the skilled employees they need to open quickly and run efficiently. These services come at no cost to qualified new companies or those adding new jobs or technology. The basic rule is that manufacturers can receive Quick Start benefits if they create at least 15 jobs over a 12-month period.

Created in 1967, Quick Start is the nation’s oldest state job training program. It has trained about 976,000 employees through more than 6,200 projects. During the 2011 fiscal year, Quick Start provided 168 customized projects, creating or saving 13,366 jobs.

Quick Start is a division of the Technical College System of Georgia, and some of the program’s training is held at technical colleges throughout the state. Once the program’s training is complete, companies can contract with the local technical college for ongoing support.

Quick Start was the deciding factor for Caterpillar Inc. moving its plant out of Japan and locating in Georgia. Georgia was behind several other states when it was making its decision to move to the U.S., but Quick Start help catapult Georgia to the top of the list. Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.

In February 2012, the company announced it is locating a new manufacturing facility in Georgia’s Clarke and Oconee counties. The new facility will be part of Caterpillar’s Building Construction Products Division (BCP). When fully operational, the new facility will have about 1,400 employees and a total investment in Georgia of $200 million.

Working through Athens Technical College, Quick Start will train Georgia workers in the full spectrum of Caterpillar’s needs—including those working in the office and production employees.

Quick Start has helped launched dozens of successful projects in the state. In March, National Cash Register (NCR) Corporation, a leading provider of ATMs, opened a second Columbus, GA, facility. More than 300 jobs are being created at the 100,000 square-foot facility, where employees will manufacture self-service point of sale terminals for retail and hospitality applications. NCR says that part of its success in Georgia is due to Quick Start, which has tailor-made a curriculum to train workers specifically for the new NCR plant.

“They’re training our people before they even hit the factory floor,” Rick Marquardt, senior vice president for global operations, said in the article. “It’s been a great asset to us. I give those people a lot of free advertising because I believe it’s one of the best in the country.”

In April, Baxter International, Inc., a global, diversified healthcare company that produces medical devices and pharmaceuticals and biotech products, announced they are locating a new bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing facility east of Atlanta as well as plasma centers throughout Georgia that will employ approximately 1,500 people across the state with potential for hundreds more. Total investment by the company will exceed $1 billion.

To assist the company with its workforce requirements, Quick Start will build and operate a state-of-the-art biotech training center that will not only provide Baxter with a fully-customized training program that meets the company’s start-up needs, but also builds capacity and curricula within the Technical College System of Georgia for maintaining a long-term pipeline of highly skilled employees who are well-trained in bio-manufacturing operations.

In June, Outdoor Network LLC, the parent company behind an extensive network of outdoor, powersports and marine-related sites, moved its primary business units for Outdoor Network distribution and Powersports Plus to Albany, Georgia, creating 112 jobs at a new order-fulfillment center and investing $3.2 million.

Outdoor Network already operates a retail operation in Albany, known as Powersports Plus, where it sells motorcycles, all terrain vehicles, parts and provides maintenance for these. Work force training for Outdoor Network will be provided by Quick Start through Albany Technical College.

“Quick Start brought to us a level of expertise that we did not have…in warehouse management and call center operations,” said Tom D’Azevedo, Owner of Outdoor Network LLC. “They have enabled us to go to the next level. That was a very, very instrumental part in our decision to move here.”

Louisiana Sets the Standard
Lousiana’s FastStart has been Business Facilities’ top-ranked workforce development programs in the nation for the past two years. The program, which is run by Louisiana Economic Development (LED), was launched in 2008 to help attract and develop workers for new projects.

One of its first successes was helping convince Gardner Denver Inc. to not close its Thomas Products Division plant in Louisiana, but rather to expand it by moving production from Wisconsin. LED FastStart became the key factor in convincing Gardner Denver to keep its Louisiana plant open, retaining 70 jobs and adding 200 new positions.

As part of a strategic incentive package, FastStart hosted job fairs and open houses in Monroe to build interest in the new jobs, and the FastStart team traveled to Wisconsin, where they performed key business analysis—defining behavior and competency requirements for the new jobs—and documented essential steps needed for a seamless transition from Wisconsin to Louisiana.

“FastStart gave the leadership team the assurance that they would be there, they would help us through the process,” said Rick Swoboda, Director of Manufacturing.

Just months after launching the Gardner Denver project, FastStart not only helped the company complete a successful transition to Louisiana, the project paid tangible financial dividends.

“The outstanding training support provided by the State of Louisiana … has been integral to the success of the project,” Gardner Denver CEO Barry Pennypacker said, telling Wall Street analysts in a third quarter 2009 conference call that the Louisiana project contributed significantly to an increase in the company’s profit margin.

To date, FastStart has completed nearly 70 major projects for expanding companies in Louisiana. The projects touch a variety of sectors, from agribusiness to digital media software development and corporate headquarters expansions. Often, the program becomes the key reason why companies choose to expand or relocate in Louisiana rather than another state or nation.

FastStart pursues projects in various industry sectors, everything from digital media companies to enterprise zone software to aviation training and corporate headquarters relocations. According to Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development Stephen Moret, FastStart sets itself apart from other workforce training programs in several critical areas. Expanding companies in Louisiana are eligible to receive LED FastStart assistance at no cost, if they meeting the following requirements:

• Alignment with Louisiana’s economic development targets, including:
• Digital media
• Headquarters and business operations
• Service industries
• Advanced and traditional manufacturing
• Warehouse and distribution
• Research and development.
• Company commitment to create a net of at least 15 new permanent manufacturing jobs;
• Or a net of at least 50 new permanent service-related jobs.
• Each request is evaluated prior to project commencement to ensure all eligibility requirements are met.

A perfect example of FastStart’s success is none other than EA Sports, one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world. When EA Sports partnered with LED FastStart in 2008, the interactive entertainment company sought new methods for training video game testers inside its new North American Test Center in Baton Rouge.

Through close collaboration, FastStart took EA’s traditional form of training to the next level. Understanding that potential game testers are both young and accustomed to the visual intensity and the fast action of electronic games, FastStart incorporated game play into the training.

Utilizing recognized EA game platforms, the computer-based modules developed by FastStart introduce the important instructional points as part of the “game” that the tester is “playing.” Taking full advantage of visuals, voice-over, audio cues and text, FastStart created effective training material that feels much more like “play” than “study.”

So successful were FastStart’s training modules and procedures developed for the Louisiana project, that EA incorporated them into their training operations worldwide.

“We were wowed,” said Sarah Chavez, Global Training Manager at EA. “This is totally different than anything I’ve ever seen. This is totally engaging and fascinating. We like that kind of stuff, we like the high-tech experiences that we can get both in game and now with training. FastStart has been able to provide that.”

FastStart is also supporting a new GE Capital technology center in New Orleans. GE Capital, one of the world’s largest providers of credit, announced the project in February 2012. It will create 300 new direct jobs in IT and software development.

FastStart is providing GE Capital with significant recruitment processes to attract the right talent for the company’s very specific needs. FastStart is also deploying various tools that attract and speak to the culture of New Orleans, in an effort to convince the right talent to relocate and call New Orleans home. Additionally, FastStart has a unique program that provides destination services and relocation assistance to executives and key employees who are relocating from outside the state.

In another high tech project, FastStart has partnered with Pixomondo, an international visual effects company with a global network of studios, to open a new Baton Rouge studio in June. FastStart created a digital media training studio, complete with the necessary hardware and appropriate software to train digital compositors and rotoscope artists, all at no cost to the company. The training is both comprehensive and tailored and ties back directly to Pixomondo’s specific workflow, as well as the company’s unique culture.

One of LED’s most recent projects involves creating a pipeline of manufacturing-ready workers to meet the anticipated demand for automotive and aircraft manufacturing jobs expected in the state. LED’s FastStart worker training program, which helps attract and develop workers for new projects, is working with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System to launch C4M, or “Certified for Manufacturing.” The pipeline stage of the program was just completed and is unique due to the fact that there are no textbooks—the entire curriculum is delivered via iBooks, streaming videos and hands-on simulation in conjunction with Louisiana’s two-year schools and high schools.

LED’s long-term plans are to develop a similar program for digital media, one of the fastest growing sectors of the Louisiana economy.

Here are some additional Louisiana FastStart statistics: Total projects: 67; total hours trained: 140,480; total number of unduplicated trainees: 13,500; total number of trainees: 36,150.

NH Picks Up Training Cost
New Hampshire currently offers several workforce training programs that address both individual needs and employer needs. For individuals, it offers Individual Training Accounts, On the Job Training, and the Return to Work program, which allows prospective workers to “try out” a company while still receiving unemployment benefits. It also offers employers the Job Training Fund, which provides a 1:1 match for training costs for employee.

New Hampshire employers needing new hires can utilize a program that reimburses up to 90% of a new employee’s training wages. The On-the-Job training program is one of several offered through the Office of Workforce Opportunity and can be combined with other reimbursable job training funds designed to encourage employers to hire both trainable and skilled workers.

“While New Hampshire’s unemployment rate is well below the national average, there are still many skilled workers looking for full-time employment,” said Jackie Heuser, Director of the Office of Workforce Opportunity.

The On-the-Job training opportunity provides employers with a great incentive to hire workers who are eager, trainable and available to re-enter the workforce. The training wage reimbursement applies to new hires that have been unemployed 18 weeks or longer.

The average duration of unemployment for a New Hampshire worker is currently over 16 weeks, so we know there are many highly skilled people without work through no fault of their own,” said Heuser.

The On-the-Job program provides an incentive to hire such men and women who only need some training to fit the particular job requirements. For a business with 50 or fewer employees, a 90 percent training wage reimbursement is available. For business with 51 to up to 250 workers, a training of up to 75 percent is available by utilizing the On-the-Job training program.

A key component of the program is that employers are provided a list of qualified candidates, and the employer interviews and makes the selection.

“This is a classic ‘win-win’ situation, where a New Hampshire business owner can be reimbursed while training a new employee they select for their growing company,” said Heuser. “In addition, the unemployed worker now has a job, pays taxes, and returns to the skilled workforce New Hampshire needs to compete.”

The state’s “Return to Work” program can also be used first to test possible employees skills (while the trainee collects unemployment benefits); then entered into the On The Job reimbursable training wage program; and continued employee training with New Hampshire’s very successful Job Training Fund.
The Job Training Fund grant is a great opportunity for businesses to offer skills enhancement training for their employees without bearing the full cost of the training.

This matching grant program is eligible only to private businesses located in New Hampshire and businesses intending to locate in the state and to those who pay quarterly taxes into the NH Unemployment Trust Fund. Businesses that make voluntary (reimbursable) contributions are not eligible. In addition, local, county and state political subdivisions are not eligible for the program.

Employer-based training programs provide an opportunity for the business to choose the type of training needed – not only to increase the skills of workers, but ultimately to increase the company’s production.
Although New Hampshire has been successful with workforce development it has had a few hurdles to overcome—however its successes far outweigh any challenges.

“Funding is the largest challenge, with shrinking federal dollars being allocated to States, and state-level funding minimized or eliminated,” said Michael Power of New Hampshire’s Office of Workforce Opportunity. “However, New Hampshire is a small state, which enables us to collaborate among state and local agencies to a better extent than larger, more populated areas of the country.”

For example, New Hampshire’s federally-mandated statewide workforce board is the state’s only workforce board, whereas other states have multiple levels of jurisdiction, including regional workforce boards and local workforce boards.

New Hampshire has also seen success through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the federal law for workforce development programs funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration. “Our successes include placement rates for those going through our NH Works Career Center programs, including training programs funded by WIA for eligible (economically disadvantaged or dislocated) workers,” said  Power.

PA: Ahead of the Curve
Pennsylvania has been at the leading edge of a U.S. movement to build a workforce system that is responsive and can meet the skill needs of employers, expand opportunity and security for workers and boost the competitive position of the commonwealth. Employment and training programs in Pennsylvania focus on new and innovative ways to encourage facilitation between economic development leaders, companies, educational and training communities, and workers to make them as effective as possible.

Two particular programs are major successes within the commonwealth. The Incumbent Worker Training program provides assistance to employers to help with certain expenses associated with new or upgraded skills training of full-time, permanent company employees to avert layoffs, reduce turnover, and become more competitive. The program benefits businesses and industry by assisting in the skill development of existing employees (incumbent workers) and increasing employee productivity, and the growth of the company.

The Industry Partnership (IP) program is a multi-employer collaborative effort that brings together management and labor around the common purpose of improving the competitiveness of a cluster of companies or organizations producing similar products or services and sharing similar supply chains, critical human resource needs, infrastructure requirements, business services, and/or retention/recruitment challenges.

The program concentrates attention and resources on high growth, successful clusters and/or those which face serious challenges to growth or retention. The program is a success because it brings together employers and their workers, allowing the public sector to learn significantly and qualitatively more about the opportunities and challenges facing a set of similar companies.

According to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workforce Development Partnership, the annual wage and retention record for Pennsylvania shows that IP training participants’ wages start out, on average, 11 percent higher than individuals that do not engage in training when they switch careers within a targeted industry cluster. The wage and retention record also indicates that individuals that engage in incumbent worker training have an 11 percent higher retention rate within their industry than those individuals that do not participate in training.

In spite of a funding cut of more than $11.7 million (nearly 60 percent) from 2008 to 2009, the drop off in the number of workers trained was only 26 percent and the numbers of partnerships remained relatively even. This demonstrates the ability of the partnerships to adjust and adapt using local resources and relationships to stretch their limited dollars further.

Since 2005, the cost of training per participant has decreased by 82.8 percent. This is evidence of the strategic benefits of consortia-based training and the partnerships’ ability to identify cost-effective training providers as well as work together to negotiate high-quality, low-cost training programs that benefit a collective group of employers in the partnership. The cost per training program has decreased by 84.5 percent overall.

Pennsylvania has several job training programs to ensure that its workforce maintains its skills:

• Customized Job Training—The third largest program in the nation, the Customized Job Training program responds to employer needs by providing grant funds for specialized job training for existing or newly hired employees.
• Guaranteed Free Training Program—Through the Workforce and Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania (WEDnetPA), employees of qualified companies can receive free job training for basic entry-level skills and advanced information technology skills.
• Workforce Investment Act of 1998—A federal program that provides job training to eligible individuals for private and public sector employers.

Champions Emerge in Wheeling
In northwest suburban Chicago a vibrant manufacturing base exists. However, an aging workforce and worker shortage has created a major hurdle for area companies to overcome as they try to fill empty positions on the factory floor. Local economic development officials and leaders say that image and perception are key factors in the crisis. They say that because students aren’t aware of the key opportunities that lie in manufacturing most aren’t pursuing it as a career path.

Currently, the state has 80,000 manufacturing jobs that need to be filled—jobs that are, according to Terry M. Iverson of Iverson & Company, filled with “extreme technology, advanced innovations and exhilarating and good paying careers available for the next generation.”

To help change the public perception of manufacturing, Mr. Iverson created a new program called Champion Now, which is helping prepare young workers for a 21st century economy.
“Together, with the power of the industry supporting us, we will reach the next generation with exciting educational films that demonstrate how manufacturing is the foundation of our North American economy and offers exhilarating career choices,” says Mr. Iverson.

The Champion Now program, an acronym that stands for “Change How American Manufacturing is Perceived In Our Nation,” has created the Edge Factor Show, a High Definition film series that features real life manufacturing stories and shows the manufactures as the heroes. Edge Factor also includes a design contest with a reality show twist. Students submit designs and watch as their design idea transforms into a 3D model on our Reality Redesigned series. For more information on this program, visit www.championnow.org.

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