What’s behind #1?

For the seventh consecutive year, and the ninth time in the last 10 years, North Carolina ranks number one in Site Selection magazine’s list of states with the top business climate. You can read the article here.

However, one area of the article may hold a key as to why North Carolina has spent so much time on top. And it is summed up nicely by Keith Crisco, NC Commerce Secretary:

“We work just as hard on a project with 42 jobs as we do on a project with 860 jobs… That’s how you do well… They’re all a big deal these days. It’s like the Johnny Cash song ‘One Piece at a Time’ — he built that car one piece at a time, and that’s how we’re going to transform the [circumstances] we’re in right now.”

Could this be the difference maker in North Carolina’s economic development efforts? That local and state organizations exert every bit of effort to make expanding or relocating to NC as attractive to smaller businesses as it is to the big boys?

To understand why NC leaders take this approach, think of the suppliers that typically follow a major manufacturer into a new location — smaller companies that, when combined, can add up to a major lift in employment, among other areas. Also, consider what, in part, makes a state or local community less sensitive to economic ups and downs — a diverse range of industries and sizes of business.

Success by association?

Naturally, with the Southeast dominating much of the top 10 spots, NC excels in part because of its location, infrastructure, available workforce, relatively low cost of living, and excellent quality of life. But when a business knows that a state is going to go the extra mile to help your business succeed in its new home, that could be all the incentive a business needs.

Forsyth Tech is mentioned twice in State of the Union Address

Last night, Forsyth Technical Community College student Kathy Proctor attended the State of the Union address as a guest of the White House.  President Obama then mentioned Forsyth Tech two times during the speech. This is great exposure for our community and Forsyth Tech as her story has created buzz nationwide.  Here is an article from the Winston-Salem Journal.

UNCSA Named to Kiplinger’s “Best Values in Public Colleges”

And Takes Top Honors in “Lowest Student-Faculty Ratio” Category

WINSTON-SALEM – For the second year in a row, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) has been ranked among Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges. In addition, UNCSA again took top honors in the “lowest student-faculty ratio” category.

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine announced the 100 Best Values in Public Colleges today, ranking four-year institutions “that deliver a stellar education at an affordable price.”  The annual rankings appear in Kiplinger’s February 2011 issue, on newsstands today, and online at www.kiplinger.com/tools/colleges.

UNCSA ranked 48th this year, breaking into the nation’s top 50 and up from 61st last year.

For the second year in a row, Kiplinger’s reported that: “The University of North Carolina School of the Arts earns top honors in the student-faculty category, with a ratio of 8-1.” 

Other UNC system schools making the Kiplinger’s list of best values were UNC-Chapel Hill, 1st; N.C. State, 15th; UNC-Wilmington, 27th; Appalachian State University, 35th; and UNC-Asheville, 58th.

Kiplinger’s reports that it bases its rankings “on a combination of academics and affordability. We start with data from more than 500 public four-year schools, provided by Peterson’s/Nelnet, then add our own reporting. We narrow the list to about 120 schools based on measures of academic quality — including SAT or ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- and six-year graduation rates, which most schools reported for the class that entered in 2003. We then rank each school based on cost and financial aid. In our scoring system, academic quality carries more weight than costs (almost two-thirds of the total).”

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts is the first state-supported, residential school of its kind in the nation. Established as the North Carolina School of the Arts by the N.C. General Assembly in 1963, UNCSA opened in Winston-Salem (“The City of Arts and Innovation”) in 1965 and became part of the University of North Carolina system in 1972. More than 1,100 students from high school through graduate school train for careers in the arts in five professional schools: Dance, Design and Production (including a Visual Arts Program), Drama, Filmmaking, and Music. UNCSA is the state’s only public arts conservatory, dedicated entirely to the professional training of talented students in the performing, visual and moving image arts. UNCSA is located at 1533 S. Main St., Winston-Salem. For more information, visit www.uncsa.edu.

Source: www.uncsa.edu

Understanding the “Cat” effect

With good reason, the Caterpillar advanced manufacturing project in Winston-Salem has drawn much attention. The facility is under construction and the expected boost to local employment and the area economy is certainly the development story of the year here. However, the real impact is yet to come.

Caterpillar picks Forsyth County, NC

Let’s call it the “Cat” effect. It’s the wave of activity and interest in Winston-Salem created by such a major global manufacturer having shined a spotlight on what the area has to offer. Cat’s exhaustive process of selecting Winston-Salem allows site consultants and business leaders to see more clearly the advantages and unique qualities that make the area ideal.

What’s in the spotlight?

Was there one “difference maker” in the Cat deal? Although Cat execs cited multiple reasons for selecting Winston-Salem there are a few attributes that stand out, not just in this project – but in many of Winston-Salem’s successful economic development projects.

The availability of skilled workforce, the robust infrastructure, and our ideal location are givens. These are “cost of entry” attributes that any community must have in order to make the cut. But the real difference continues to be collaboration.

Winston-Salem is gaining a rather impressive reputation for bringing business, government and community leaders together to provide incoming businesses with what they need to thrive.

Caterpillar groundbreaking ceremony in Forsyth County, NC

In addition, area companies, local government and educational institutions have drawn national attention for their ability to collaborate in the development of sophisticated training and workforce education to fit specific industry needs. (Not to mention, the ability of the area workforce to quickly adapt to new industries and new manufacturing processes.)

Where does the “Cat” effect lead? With the Cat facility groundbreaking complete, there’s still a long way to go. And in this economy, there are few, if any, certainties. But, Winston-Salem is certainly looking good in the spotlight.