Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, State of New Jersey

By the Business Facilities Staff
From the March/April 2013 issue 

BF: Amazon has announced it will build a $200-million fulfillment center in Robbinsville, the first phase of a major investment in NJ. Do you anticipate that central New Jersey will be a major logistics hub?
KG: Yes, I believe central New Jersey and the state as a whole will continue to develop as a major logistics hub. With more than 38,000 miles of interstates and highways, nearly 1,000 miles of rail freight lines and the nation’s third largest seaport—not to mention access to 130 million consumers within a day’s drive—New Jersey is already a leader in transportation and logistics. Central New Jersey is a great location for companies that need access to world-class infrastructure and transportation networks.

BF: The University Heights Science Park in Newark is gaining international attention, with Biotrial of France establishing its North American headquarters there. What role do Newark’s five universities play in attracting new biotech players to the state’s largest city?
KG: The Science Park is focused on drawing in technology companies that specialize in biosciences and biotechnology, information and communications, environmental and energy technology and advanced manufacturing technology. Home to 35,000 university students, researchers and professors, the research taking place and the highly skilled workforce being trained in New Jersey are the forces behind attracting new global biotech companies to Newark and to New Jersey. The state public research universities that are involved in Science Park—University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), Rutgers-Newark and New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)—annually conduct nearly $100 million of research, most of which takes place at their sponsored technology centers in Newark’s University Heights district. Additionally, Essex County College focuses on training the technicians in 11 science and technology fields.

BF: Gov. Christie recently signed the Angel Investor Tax Credit Act, which is aimed at spurring early-stage biotech investment. How does the program work?
KG: The law encourages investment in technology companies by providing a tax credit against corporation business and gross income taxes of up to 10 percent of the qualified investment, up to a maximum of $500,000 per year for each investment. The program is subject to a $25 million annual cap. To be eligible, companies must have fewer than 225 employees, with at least 75 percent of those jobs within New Jersey, and must conduct research, manufacturing or technology commercialization in the state.

BF: Data storage leader CommVault is putting its global headquarters in Fort Monmouth. Are other companies considering locating at the Fort Monmouth site?
KG: At the end of January, the State reached a significant milestone in the redevelopment of the former military installation when the first sale of property was finalized between the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) and CommVault. The global technology leader plans to undertake a three-phase project on the 55-acre site in Tinton Falls, including a 275,000-square-foot facility to serve as its worldwide corporate headquarters. Once the three phases of the project are completed, CommVault may create a total of up to 1,500 new jobs in NJ. In addition to CommVault, AcuteCare Health System is also expected to soon call the former Fort home. The company plans to reuse the former clinic as a medical facility, creating 50 new jobs in the near-term and investing a minimum of $5 million. AcuteCare is a privately owned corporation formed in 2002 to establish and manage long term acute care hospitals.

BF: How is the FMERA working to spur development at the former Army base?
KG: The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authorization Act is creating an environment where companies can invest and employment can grow. FMERA is responsible for filling the 1,127 acres of land, with a focus on attracting technology-based companies. Master broker Cushman & Wakefield continues to leverage the work of FMERA to market the former Fort Monmouth property to attract businesses and investors. The Cushman & Wakefield team established www.fort-monmouth-marketing.com to showcase the property.

BF: NJ purchased billboards at the Super Bowl and President Obama’s inauguration for its “Resilience” campaign. What is the key message of this campaign?
KG: The key message of the “State of Resilience” campaign is that New Jersey is open for business, despite being hit by Superstorm Sandy in October. The objective of this integrated marketing campaign is to share this message with corporate decision makers in targeted top markets, while reassuring companies already invested in the state. New Jersey still remains a prime location for business, and it’s our job to let the world know that. And it’s important to note that not a single tax dollar was spent on this campaign, which is being led by Choose New Jersey, Inc., the state’s nonprofit business recruitment agency in partnership with New Jersey’s private industry sector.

BF: What are the most important steps NJ is taking to improve its business climate?
KG: New Jersey is equally dedicated to attracting new jobs and investment while retaining the businesses that are here. It’s important for us to promote New Jersey’s business advantages nationally and internationally. To do this, we meet with companies across a range of sectors, as well as with site selection consultants to update them on NJ’s business value proposition. In 2010, we created the Partnership for Action. This organization is made up of the New Jersey Business Action Center, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Choose New Jersey, Inc. Since its inception, the Partnership for Action has worked with the state government to generate a projected 64,056 new and retained jobs and more than $9.8 billion in capital investment. We also have worked with policymakers on lowering taxes, adopting a single sales factor, eliminating or streamlining the red tape and bureaucracy, and restructuring government to make it easier for our businesses to grow, while also recruiting new businesses to NJ. The bi-partisan Red Tape Commission has succeeded in removing dated regulations, fostering the use of online technology to streamline licensing and permitting applications; it continues to review the state’s regulatory process to remove obstacles that impede growth.

All of these organizations continue to work together to find new ways to improve our economy and market our key messages, so that every company knows what we can do for them in New Jersey.

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Greg Canfield, Secretary, Alabama Department of Commerce

By Business Facilities Staff
From the January/February 2013 issue

Airbus is putting its North American manufacturing hub in Mobile. We asked AL DOC chief Greg Canfield about the impact on the state’s growing aerospace industry.

BF: Do you anticipate other aerospace producers/suppliers setting up shop or expanding in AL as a result of the Airbus project?
GC: The fact that Airbus located its first U.S. plant in the state is already drawing attention to Alabama worldwide; much like the Mercedes-Benz announcement did in 1993. We just recently had the announcement of the first Airbus supplier: Labinal is part of the aerospace giant Safran Group and is a global leader in electrical wiring systems. We have a supplier support team in place and are currently mobilizing education initiatives and planning training centers to accommodate the skilled workforce demands. Without a doubt we expect additional growth as a result of the Airbus facility.

BF: The Von Braun Center for Science and Innovation received an SBA grant in 2010 to create the Huntsville Advanced Defense Technology Cluster, aimed at high-tech entrepreneurs. Has the program been a success?
GC: HADTCI has initiated a paradigm shift in two ways: it has facilitated more collaboration among small and large companies to have a better chance at winning awards and it has encouraged the community to look outside the traditional DOD and NASA opportunities into areas where their technologies can be commercialized. This is in addition to supplementing the existing small business services in the region through mentoring, grants, technical consulting and training.

BF: Is the Port of Mobile ready to compete for increased shipping from the expansion of the Panama Canal?
GC: Today we are handling post-panamax ships of the same size that will be transiting the expanded Panama Canal beginning in 2015 every week. These ships, which are deployed in a trans-Atlantic service, are up to 1,200’ long and carry up to 9,000 TEUS. Our Intermodal Container Transfer Facility should be completed by the canal opening. This will dramatically improve the efficiency of the inland movement of containers to and from the port.

BF: Growth of film and entertainment industry employment in Alabama also is a DOC priority. Are you attracting new business from the entertainment sector?
GC: In the past year we had several major feature films that will be released in the next few months, including 42 (the story of Jackie Robinson) and Space Warriors, filmed entirely at Huntsville’s Space Camp. We also have several reality shows currently being filmed and we expect to incentivize a music festival soon.

BF: The DOC has a new communications plan, including an upgraded website. What are the goals of the new plan?
GC: The primary goal is to ensure we are on the radar for all major site selection consultants and companies seeking to relocate or expand facilities. We are developing an exciting branding campaign using a mixture of both traditional and nontraditional media, and a redesigned website that will be more user friendly.

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Kenneth Adams, President & CEO, Empire State Development

By Business Facilities Staff
From the September/October 2012 issue

New York has created 10 Regional Economic Development Councils. CEO Kenneth Adams explains the state’s strategy.

BF: What makes regional strategic plans for growth a better approach than a statewide plan?
KA: Gov. Cuomo recognized that the old, Albany-centric, top-down approach to economic development wasn’t working, so he created Regional Economic Development Councils to fundamentally change New York’s model for job creation and business growth. Regional Councils are transforming the way the State invests in economic development by shifting to a locally-driven strategic planning process which empowers individual areas to develop, invest in, and advance regional solutions and priority job-creating projects.

BF: How does Empire State Development interact with the REDCs?  
KA: As the State’s chief economic development agency, ESD serves as the primary administrative agency overseeing the Regional Council initiative. Our mission of promoting business and job growth through the use of financial assistance incentives, programs, and strategic economic planning mirrors the work of Regional Councils. In fact, the Regional Directors for ESD serve dual roles as the Executive Directors for each of the Regional Councils, ensuring that we are working collectively and cooperatively to get our regions the economic development tools they need to spur business growth.

BF: What key criteria were used to determine which region had the best plans and deserved funding in the first round?
KA: A Strategic Plan Review Committee, including experts from the public and private sectors, scored each plan based on criteria including the region’s economic development vision, how the plan would be implemented and leverage resources, and how public, private and non-profit funds and investments would be used.

BF: How has New York’s new Consolidated Funding Application streamlined the process of bringing projects to fruition?
KA: The CFA was created to serve as the primary entry point that enables businesses and other entities to apply to multiple agency funding sources for economic development resources through a single, web-based application. The CFA process marks a fundamental shift in the way economic development resources are allocated, ensuring less bureaucracy and greater efficiency to fulfill local needs. Through the CFA, economic development project applicants now have access to a streamlined and coordinated system to help them create jobs and invest in New York’s economy. Businesses will no longer have to slowly navigate a complicated and uncoordinated system that failed to put New Yorkers back to work.

BF: The New NY Works For Business campaign is a high-profile effort to rebrand the state. What is the key message you want to deliver?
KA: The campaign shows the nation why New York is a premier place for businesses to grow, thrive and expand, creating jobs and revenue. Bringing in business is about showing businesses that we have the tools to compete and help them grow. n

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Richard Fisher, President, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

By Business Facilities Staff
From the July/August 2012 issue

Dallas Fed Chief Richard Fisher recently appeared in state videos discussing why Texas is outperforming other states in a sluggish economy. Here are excerpts, presented in our Q&A format.

BF: Why is the national economy still sputtering, with businesses wary to expand?
RF: The [U.S.] banking system is flush with liquidity. We have trillions of dollars sitting fallow in the banks of the United States. Outside of the banking system we have several trillions of dollars that are sitting on businesses balance sheets. [Businesses are] uncertain about the future and they’re not going to hire and expand until they get better clarity.

BF: What is holding back business expansions and job growth?
RF: Nobody knows what taxes are going to be in the next Congress or in the lame-duck period. Going forward they don’t know what their tax rates going to be, they don’t know how the federal government is going to spend money or how it’ll be distributed and impact their customer base or themselves. Why would you hire somebody unless you were confident that you knew what it was going cost you, and unless you were confident that the rest of the world was going to have demand for your product and the service you’re creating? And right now the rest of the world doesn’t look very good.

BF: Texas is an economic bright spot. How well is the Lone Star State doing?
RF: If Texas was a separate country, we’ve outperformed Australia and Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Japan, the Eurozone and [the rest of] the United States. We are a well-performing economy, we are a very a diverse economy and we run the largest export business of any state in the U.S. We passed California seven or eight years ago and we are sellers to the world. Just taking chemicals alone, we are exporting an enormous amount, but we’re also exporting finished goods, services and other things because we are the most vital, or at least the most powerful, economic plant within the United States.

BF: Has the recovery in Texas been stronger than in the rest of the U.S.?
RF: We’re the only large state that has punched through its previous peak employment levels before the great financial crisis of 2008-2009 and the Great Recession that followed.

BF: What has enabled Texas to bounce back so quickly?
RF: One of our advantages in Texas is that we have a state Legislature, under both Democrats and Republicans, that has been pro-business. They have been minimal in their regulatory influence on our society. Our [state] government sends us the right signals: a pro-business mentality and limited interference.

BF: Should other states try to replicate the success in Texas?
RF: Governors of other states and commentators like The Wall Street Journal and others who are opinion-makers are saying the rest of the country needs to be like Texas and not vice versa. So I think we are setting the standard and we should be proud.

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Stephen Moret, Secretary, Louisiana Economic Development

By Business Facilities Staff
From the May/June 2012 issue

Four new economic development incentives are moving through the Louisiana legislature. We asked state Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret to tell us how they would work.

BF: How does the new Corporate Tax Apportionment program give Louisiana an advantage competing for new projects?
SM: Some states have double or triple factors for corporate income tax apportionment. Single factor apportionment based on sales is the most attractive. We have single factor apportionment today for manufacturing. What the new bill will do is enable us to offer single-factor for any project for 20 years. It’s not just a temporary benefit; it facilitates a meaningful, long-term forecast. So we think this is going to be a really unique competitive edge for us.

BF: What is the purpose of the new headquarters relocation incentive?
SM: This is a corporate headquarters relocation incentive that allows us to rebate up to 25 percent of relocation costs for headquarters relocation. We are broadly defining these costs, including real estate related costs.

BF: Of the proposed new incentives, you’ve indicated that the new competitive payroll rebate will be the biggest catalyst for new development. What makes you confident the new rebate will spur project growth?
SM: The job-creation rebate programs now available in the country typically range from 3 to 6 percent. This program will permit an annual rebate on new payroll of up to 15 percent for 10 years for eligible operations. It’s primarily targeted at some of the durable goods manufacturing sectors where we’ve not traditionally been competitive. It’s double or triple what’s available in other states.

BF: That’s a very generous incentive. How can you make sure Louisiana will get a maximum return on its investment?
SM: The incentive will only be available for net new jobs in the state of Louisiana and there will be a strict return on investment requirement. They’re paid on the basis of what they produce. We’re calculating the value to the state of each incremental dollar of payroll for that type of operation. It’s not paid on the front end, only after they have produced results. There is no risk to the state.

BF: What are the target industries for the payroll rebate program?
SM: Automotive assembly and aerospace [projects] would be eligible. We’re trying to catalyze new growth industries in Louisiana where we either don’t have that industry at all today or where we only have it to a very small extent. us. We can also add sectors over time to the program.

BF: You have proposed an expansion of property tax exemptions to non-manufacturing operations. Why is that necessary?
SM: We have the lowest state and local tax burden in the country for new manufacturing operations in part because we have a 100 percent property tax exemption for the first 10 years of operation, but we are 42nd for distribution facilities because they don’t get that exemption. This proposal would provide a 90 percent exemption for 10 years for capital-intensive, non-manufacturing facilities like distribution facilities, large-scale data centers and corporate headquarters. It will take us from an uncompetitive situation to one that is very competitive.

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Joseph E. Zeis, Jr., Vice President and Chief Strategist, The Dayton Development Coalition

By Business Facilities Staff
From the March/April 2012 issue

Joseph E. Zeis, Jr. will be heading the new Ohio Aerospace and Business Aviation Advisory Council.

BF: What role will the new Ohio Aerospace and Business Aviation Advisory Council play in shaping the state’s aerospace development strategy?
JZ: The aerospace council is focused on supporting existing aerospace industries and raising the profile of Ohio to its rightful place as an industry leader. From our beginnings as the birthplace of aviation we are now home to two major federal installations that are shaping the future of the industry—Wright-Patterson (WP) Air Force Base and NASA Glenn Research Center, and a major aerospace prime, GE Aviation. We have a vibrant base of aerospace suppliers and subs as well. The Ohio Aerospace Council provides a single voice for the state’s aerospace vision and a focused, coherent strategy.

BF: With the U.S. military downsizing, will your strategy focus on retaining Ohio’s existing aerospace employment base?
JZ: Military budget pressures will force the nation to seek efficiencies within the defense and aerospace industry that the current structure has not been able to deliver on. But Ohio and the Dayton Region are in a position to take advantage of this key paradigm shift. Co-location of globally competitive clusters in propulsion, sensors, human performance, advanced materials and manufacturing make this a key attractant to an industry that needs to compensate for loss of internal research and development funds or capabilities. The proximity of AFRL and the acquisition arm of the USAF Aeronautical Systems Center make Ohio the ideal spot to gain the [needed] efficiencies.

BF: How has your experience as chief strategist for the Dayton Development Coalition (DDC) prepared you to lead this statewide effort?
JZ: I have had opportunities at the Coalition to see firsthand the strength of the Ohio industrial base. It’s important to recognize that Ohio is the #1 supplier to Airbus and #2 to Boeing. Imagine the power of bringing that supply chain together with the R&D base of AFRL and NASA Glenn and the acquisition arm of ASC. That is a competitive advantage that is unmatched in the nation.

BF: What makes Dayton the best potential test site for the integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAVs) into the National Airspace System?
JZ: R&D and acquisition of UAVs in USAF exists at WP—that is a critical part of their mission in Ohio. I think the resident knowledge that exists here has the power to solve key issues of UAV operations, accelerate NAS integration and unlock the multi-billion dollar industry. Intellectual and physical R&D resources are the key to making this happen. UAV Research, acquisition, operations, sensor systems development, human integration and research tools make Ohio not just a good candidate, but also location for enduring partnerships in the UAV industry.

BF: What role will Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) play in the development of the UAV industry in Ohio?
JZ: SAIC will execute a study called the Ohio Airspace Strategic Integration Study, or OASIS, which will be a pathfinder process that both the FAA and AF can use to develop a disciplined and controlled process for expansion of UAVs operations into the national airspace.

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Chris Cummiskey, Commissioner Of The Georgia Department Of Economic Development

By the Business Facilities Staff
From the January/February 2012 issue

The final report of the Georgia Competitiveness Initiative was unveiled by Gov. Nathan Deal this month. The report outlines the needs of each of the state’s 12 regions and includes a set of comprehensive recommendations to shape an economic development strategy for the state to ensure the success of job creation and business growth in Georgia.

BF: What was the primary purpose of the Georgia Competitiveness Initiative?
CC: We wanted to develop comprehensive recommendations to ensure the short- and long-term success of job creation and business growth in Georgia. The final report will help shape our economic development strategy for the state. It outlines statewide opportunities, strategies and action steps as well as insights into the unique needs of each of the state’s 12 regions.

BF: How was the report developed?
CC: We had input from thousands of business leaders across the state. The initiative examined six key factors identified by site selectors as the most important influencers in corporate location and expansion decisions: infrastructure; innovation; education and workforce development; friendly business climate; global commerce; government efficiency. The final report identifies opportunities, strategies and action steps in each of these categories.

BF: Did the process that was used to produce the report work well?
CC: What really struck us about this process as we gathered data, and again in the final report, was the remarkable similarity of opinion among the regions about the need for a sustained, quality workforce; a better accessibility to capital and the desire for reduced regulation, a universal support for innovation and small enterprise.

BF: How will these recommendations be implemented?
CC: Education and workforce development was, by far, the category cited by survey respondents as the most critical area in need of attention. The Governor’s Office of Workforce Development has already launched the “Go Build Georgia” program in response to feedback about the need for workforce in the skilled labor trades. To enhance Georgia’s business climate, the governor has proposed several legislative changes to the state’s statutory incentives, including sales and use tax exemptions on energy used in manufacturing and for construction materials for competitive projects. We also intend to modernize Georgia’s job tax credit structure. Various other aspects of the recommendations will be implemented over the next few years.

BF: Do you believe that the recommendations that emerged from the Initiative will result in significant advancements in economic development strategy in Georgia?
CC: Our goal is for Georgia to be the No. 1 state in the United States for business. We now have the information we need to develop and implement strategic changes to the state’s existing assets, to ensure we continue to outpace our competition around the Southeast and the nation. It has been a very, very rewarding process and will continue to be as we move into the implementation phase.

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The Show Me Spirit

The Home Depot store is no longer standing in Joplin, MO, but the clerks are busy selling building materials in the parking lot. Less than a month after a massive 200 m.p.h. tornado tore through the middle of town (killing more than 130 people), the residents of Joplin are lifting the spirits of the nation with their determination to rebuild.

Within a week after the May 22 storm, St. John’s Regional Medical Center—which took a direct hit from the tornado—resumed operations: a temporary tent hospital has been set up across the street from the wrecked building; trailers house MRI and CAT scan units; two new helipads have been paved. While most of the 900 who were injured in the tornado are being treated in neighboring towns, St. John’s says it’s now able to handle up to 60 patients at a time in its makeshift facilities.

“We can do already what we used to do in our big building, just on a smaller scale, and as we go through the next few weeks that scale will grow,” said Dr. Bob Dodson, St. John’s trauma medical director.

Over at the Home Depot, employees in orange vests are busy helping customers stock up on building materials piled high on tables in the parking lot of the demolished store. While Joplin residents queue up for plywood and roofing materials, workers are hammering away in another section of the lot, putting up a 30,000-square-foot temporary building that will open later this month.

Gen. Hank Taylor is bringing three decades of experience in the U.S. military with him as he takes command of Charleston’s global development effort.

BF: You bring a unique combination of corporate and government experience to your new position. Will this give you an advantage in bringing new business to Charleston?

HT: The totality of my experiences will be instrumental in recruiting international business to the Charleston, SC. region, which comprises Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. During my military service I visited 27 different countries, acquiring deep insights and an appreciation for many cultural differences. I understand the necessity of constructive relationships, the importance of patience, knowledge of business needs and pacing.

BF: What are the strongest reasons for foreign companies to consider locating a facility in the Charleston area?

HT: World class companies tell us that our low cost of doing business, our available and skilled workforce, and our strategic transportation infrastructure make our region the right place for companies to do business. With more than 700 internationally-owned firms in South Carolina and 94 of those in our market, Charleston is already on the global stage. The strongest reason for locating in the region is our infrastructure and assets, which includes the most efficient and eighth busiest Port in the U.S. With the addition of Boeing, Charleston is one of three places in the world assembling and delivering wide-body commercial aircraft. We are also home to the world’s largest wind turbine drivetrain testing facility. Not to mention, we have one of the world’s largest concentrations of construction and engineering professions and a growing pool of skilled, educated talent.

BF: Boeing’s decision to put its 787 assembly line in North Charleston was a huge boost to aerospace manufacturing in South Carolina. Do you think the Charleston are can become the leading U.S. aerospace manufacturing hub?

HT: Yes, our goal is to become a leading manufacturing hub and an R&D/innovation location for aerospace and wind energy, given their shared synergies. The Charleston Regional Development Alliance has just rolled out our new regional economic development strategy, Opportunity Next. The aerospace industry is one of the four targeted industry clusters, including advanced security and IT, biomedical, and wind energy.

BF: Do you agree that a regional approach is the best way to win a greater share of increased shipping traffic from the expansion of the Panama Canal?

HT: The Port is a statewide asset and a key economic engine for South Carolina. With direct service to more than 140 countries worldwide it represents a strategic advantage for companies seeking global connections. Charleston’s Port terminals are closer to the open sea, with deeper channels, than any competing port in the region. And it’s currently the only port in the Southeast efficiently handling post-Panamax vessels up to 8,000 TEU.

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The Show Me Spirit

The Home Depot store is no longer standing in Joplin, MO, but the clerks are busy selling building materials in the parking lot. Less than a month after a massive 200 m.p.h. tornado tore through the middle of town (killing more than 130 people), the residents of Joplin are lifting the spirits of the nation with their determination to rebuild.

Within a week after the May 22 storm, St. John’s Regional Medical Center—which took a direct hit from the tornado—resumed operations: a temporary tent hospital has been set up across the street from the wrecked building; trailers house MRI and CAT scan units; two new helipads have been paved. While most of the 900 who were injured in the tornado are being treated in neighboring towns, St. John’s says it’s now able to handle up to 60 patients at a time in its makeshift facilities.

“We can do already what we used to do in our big building, just on a smaller scale, and as we go through the next few weeks that scale will grow,” said Dr. Bob Dodson, St. John’s trauma medical director.

Over at the Home Depot, employees in orange vests are busy helping customers stock up on building materials piled high on tables in the parking lot of the demolished store. While Joplin residents queue up for plywood and roofing materials, workers are hammering away in another section of the lot, putting up a 30,000-square-foot temporary building that will open later this month.

Gen. Hank Taylor is bringing three decades of experience in the U.S. military with him as he takes command of Charleston’s global development effort.

BF: You bring a unique combination of corporate and government experience to your new position. Will this give you an advantage in bringing new business to Charleston?

HT: The totality of my experiences will be instrumental in recruiting international business to the Charleston, SC. region, which comprises Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. During my military service I visited 27 different countries, acquiring deep insights and an appreciation for many cultural differences. I understand the necessity of constructive relationships, the importance of patience, knowledge of business needs and pacing.

BF: What are the strongest reasons for foreign companies to consider locating a facility in the Charleston area?

HT: World class companies tell us that our low cost of doing business, our available and skilled workforce, and our strategic transportation infrastructure make our region the right place for companies to do business. With more than 700 internationally-owned firms in South Carolina and 94 of those in our market, Charleston is already on the global stage. The strongest reason for locating in the region is our infrastructure and assets, which includes the most efficient and eighth busiest Port in the U.S. With the addition of Boeing, Charleston is one of three places in the world assembling and delivering wide-body commercial aircraft. We are also home to the world’s largest wind turbine drivetrain testing facility. Not to mention, we have one of the world’s largest concentrations of construction and engineering professions and a growing pool of skilled, educated talent.

BF: Boeing’s decision to put its 787 assembly line in North Charleston was a huge boost to aerospace manufacturing in South Carolina. Do you think the Charleston are can become the leading U.S. aerospace manufacturing hub?

HT: Yes, our goal is to become a leading manufacturing hub and an R&D/innovation location for aerospace and wind energy, given their shared synergies. The Charleston Regional Development Alliance has just rolled out our new regional economic development strategy, Opportunity Next. The aerospace industry is one of the four targeted industry clusters, including advanced security and IT, biomedical, and wind energy.

BF: Do you agree that a regional approach is the best way to win a greater share of increased shipping traffic from the expansion of the Panama Canal?

HT: The Port is a statewide asset and a key economic engine for South Carolina. With direct service to more than 140 countries worldwide it represents a strategic advantage for companies seeking global connections. Charleston’s Port terminals are closer to the open sea, with deeper channels, than any competing port in the region. And it’s currently the only port in the Southeast efficiently handling post-Panamax vessels up to 8,000 TEU.

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ZERO NO LONGER

     On the first day of this month, a dark cloud that loomed over the 16-acre parcel in New York City known as Ground Zero evaporated with news from overseas that justice finally had been visited upon the perpetrator of the September 11 attacks.
     We hope this long-awaited reckoning will enable the 10th anniversary ceremonies in New York this fall to mark the rebirth of the World Trade Center site.
     Construction crews in downtown Manhattan are working 24/7 to make sure the National September 11 Memorial & Museum is ready for viewing on the anniversary. The footprints of the Twin Towers are being converted into recessed pools surrounded by trees; a glass-enclosed pavilion will welcome visitors.
     Also rising on the World Trade Center site is a 1,776-ft. skyscraper, which upon completion will be the tallest building in New York, and a $2-billion transportation hub featuring a unique wingspan design by architect Santiago Calatrava.
     The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which built the original World Trade Center and owns the site, offers a website with a daily view of the construction progress at http://www.panynj.gov/wtcprogress/index.html.

Tracye McDaniel, CEO of Choose New Jersey; Don Slaght, Managing Director, Advance Real Estate Solutions; and Andrew Shapiro, Managing Director, Biggins, Lacy, Shapiro & Company, recently participated in a panel discussion on New Jersey’s economic development efforts. Here are excerpts:

DS: Mr. Slaght noted that the New Jersey Economic Development Authority currently has more than thirty incentive programs designed to help bring businesses to New Jersey and assist businesses in the state with growth issues. The major negative, despite these initiatives, is the impact of the New Jersey tax profile on profitability and the regulatory requirements that force delays of years to put a shovel in the ground despite the financial incentive programs. Noting that Ms. McDaniel has relocated from Houston, TX, he pointed out that Texas serves as the national model of economic development initiatives.

TM: Ms. McDaniel lauded Gov. Chris Christie and Lt. Governor
Kim Guadagno for the bold move in establishing ChooseNJ, an organization that will align business and political leaders to make progress on the issues that stymie business growth in the state. The main function of ChooseNJ will be to generate leads for business attraction and job growth. Ms. McDaniel noted ChooseNJ has commissioned a “Perception Study” of 4,000 CEO’s in and outside of New Jersey as a first step in determining the strategic initiatives to enhance business and job growth. The other major initiative is the development of a statewide Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) that will include a three-to-five year industry forecast.

AS: Mr. Shapiro noted that the National Governor’s Conference recently issued “best practices benchmarks” for economic development: 1) Private Sector Involvement—the Choose NJ Board 2) Establish a Core Mission 3) Active Role by the Governor 4) Audacious Vision
(ChooseNJ). His conclusion is that New Jersey is currently right on target with these best practices. He also indicated there is agreement that a comprehensive statewide Geographical Information System (GIS) is a necessary economic development tool that, along with the right staff to get things done, the engagement of professionals and simplified of regulatory requirements, will create a positive business growth climate in the state.

TM: Ms. McDaniel concluded by noting that the triumvirate of
ChooseNJ, the NJ Economic Development Authority, and the Business Action Center are partners working toward the same goal of business attraction and retention. Together, the organizations will create a seamless process to do business in New Jersey. Elements of the initiative are a strategy to create relationships, a network for lead generation, an advocacy team for businesses currently doing business in the state and the steady growth of effective incentive programs.

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