Greene County

E-Synchronist2010 Leading Employer Report

“Business Connections”

September 2010For Greene County Development Corporation

1

What is “Business Connections”

A Business Contact Program ExplainedThrough Four (E’s)

–Engaging – build relationships face-to-face

–Educational – community leadership informed

–Effective – get beyond “surface” issues

–Electronic - analyze and measure 2

Why Do We Do This?

• Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) – SAVING jobs helps CREATE jobs

• Business Recruitment – Complementary Industries– Testimonials – emphasize our strengths– Positioning – overcome our shortcomings

3

Who is Involved?

• Staff– Ken Paxton, GCDC Exec. Director– Jason White, Midwest Partnership Exec. Dir.– Michael Cooley, Midwest Partnership Econ.

Development Coordinator– Jessica Trecker and Sarah Gomez –

coordinated on arranging schedules and setting meetings

• GCDC & Midwest Partnership Board– 13 individuals attended visits, took notes,

asked follow-up questions4

Timeline

• July– Letters Sent to Employers Explaining Process– Story of Project Reported by Local Media to

Inform Public

• August-September– Employer Visits– Data Entry

• September (and beyond)– Present Findings– Perform Follow-up and Set Action Steps 5

Makeup of Employers• 23 Employers, Mostly Primary Sector,

Determined to Provide a “Significant” Economic Impact to Area

• Total employees: Approx. 1,277 FTE equiv.

• Company with fewest employees: 1 (3 in 2010)

• Company with most employees: 216 (220 in 2007)

• 8 employers visited who were not visited in 2007 6

Makeup of Employers (cont.)

• Jefferson companies = 15

• Non-Jefferson based companies = 8

• Business Sector Mix– Advanced Manufacturing– Agriculture/Forestry/Minerals– Building & Construction– Consumer Goods Producer– Energy & Energy Utilities– Durable Goods Producer– Government– Health Care

– Industrial Goods– Retail Related Operation– Technology/Information– Telecommunications

7

Expansion Plans (next 3 years)2004

• 63% of CEO/Mgrs interviewed indicated expansion plans

2007

• 62% of CEO/Mgrs interviewed indicated expansion plans

2010

• 69.5% of CEO/Mgrs interviewed indicated expansion plans

8

Planned Expansions

2007

• Est. dollar investment: $15.9 million

• Est. new jobs: 182 (14% increase)

• Est. new square footage: 83,750

2010

• Est. dollar investment: $24.6 million

• Est. new jobs: 204 (16% increase)

• Est. new square footage: 85,0009

Status of Key Product/Service (18 answers)

Where is the company’s primary product/service in its life cycle?

• Declining = 0%

• Maturing = 39%

• Growing = 56%

• Emerging = 5%10

Greatest Achievement (examples)

• Remained profitable in a down economy• Increased technology• Large overseas customer order of product• International accreditation• Changed focus to meet the changing market

demand of current economic times• Completed multi-million dollar expansion• Employment growth• Diversified into other products by acquiring

another company

11

Workforce Challenges

2004• Recruiting: 81% of companies reported having

recruiting problems • Responsibility: 31% say it is a community problem,

37% industry issue, and 32% DNA or said both

2007• 66% of companies reported having recruiting

problems• 33% say it is a community problem, 43% say industry,

19% both, 1 DNA12

Workforce Challenges (cont.)

2010

• Recruiting: 52% of companies reported having recruiting problems (-14% from ‘07, -29% from ‘04)

• Responsibility: 39% say it is a community problem, 39% industry issue, and 22% DNA or said both (consistent with past)

13

Workforce Evaluation

2007

• Productivity (5.58)• Stability (4.7)• Quality (3.86)• Availability (3.6)

14

2010

• Productivity (5.56)• Stability (5.5) • Quality (4.9)• Availability (4.76)

Assistance Follow-Ups:

• Have already identified 67 follow-up issues

– Specific issues

• Need a building for expansion• Need training assistance• Need to find workers

– General issues

• Four-Lane Highway 30• Create more child care options

• Need to categorize, prioritize, and assign 15

Future Information (examples)

Legislation

Community strengths, weaknesses, and barriers

Exporting

Research & Development

Follow-up16

Thank You!2010 Leading Employer Report

“Business Connections”

September 2010For Greene County Development Corporation

17