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GE Transportation’s Locomotive Facility Selected Top Deal of 2011 (FORT WORTH, Texas – April 24, 2012) – Site Selection magazine has named the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce one of the Top 20 Economic Development Groups in the United States for 2011. This is the fifth time Site Selection has awarded the Chamber this designation in the last eight years. The publication also named the GE Transportation locomotive manufacturing plant as one of its Top North American Deals of 2011. The Chamber was recognized for securing 15 economic development projects that represent over 3.2 million square feet of real estate, $587 million in capital investments and nearly 3,500 jobs. The total economic impact of the deals secured in 2011 is estimated at $1.2 billion. “Fort Worth is a remarkable city with a mix of thriving businesses, high-quality living, outstanding educational opportunities, a world-class culture, and a special entrepreneurial spirit,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “The Fort Worth Chamber has done an exceptional job to help us leverage our city’s attributes to attract new business opportunities that are strengthening our community by creating new jobs and new tax revenue.” Each year, Site Selectionnames the top-ranking organizations based upon the following criteria: total capital investment; investment per capita; total jobs created; jobs created per capita; the contributions of the local or regional economic development organization toward the attainment of these numbers; overall economic vitality; depth and breadth of economic strength; diversity of industry; ability to generate breakthrough deals; and the ability to provide documentation for all projects. “Year after year, Fort Worth continues to strengthen its position as one of the top destinations in the nation in which to live and work,” said David Berzina, executive vice president for economic development at the Fort Worth Chamber. “Although we do not receive public funding, we have solid partnerships with the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant County. These partnerships are the reason we have been more successful than many other groups across the nation at securing new business opportunities for the Fort Worth community.” The organizations recognized this year include: When it opens at the end of 2012, the GE facility – now known as GE Manufacturing Solutions – plans to create about 500 high-tech positions, and may create an additional 250 positions through 2016. The Top Deals of 2011 were determined by level of capital investment, degree of high-value jobs, creativity in negotiations and incentives, regional economic impact, competition for the project and speed to market. The full list of Top North American Deals of 2011 recognized by Site Selection include: ABOUT THE FORT WORTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ABOUT SITE SELECTION
(FORT WORTH, Texas – February 7, 2012) – The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce announced today that LinkAmerica, a regional asset-based transportation and logistics services provider, is expanding to Fort Worth. The company will open a 24,000-square-foot corporate office and training center in CentrePort Business Park at 4400 Amon Carter Blvd. The expansion will create approximately 140 jobs. LinkAmerica’s Fort Worth office, which is anticipated to open in March 2012, will house the company’s executive team. It will also include a new corporate training center for the development and certification of corporate employees and new drivers. The company’s Tulsa office will remain open to house its logistics team and facilitate back-office support functions. “The Dallas/Fort Worth area is one of the largest logistics hubs in the nation, and LinkAmerica must have a presence in this market in order to enhance our position in the industry,” said John Simone, CEO of LinkAmerica. “Close proximity to an international airport and immediate access to major interstates strengthen our ability to pursue, and achieve, our long-term strategic growth plan. A presence in the market also provides access to people with skill sets in the transportation and logistics industry." LinkAmerica joins a long list of industry leaders that decided to establish a presence in Fort Worth because of the city’s extensive multimodal transportation options. FedEx Express, the cargo airline division of FedEx Corporation, houses its Southwest Regional Sort Hub at Fort Worth Alliance Airport, the nation’s first industrial airport. Most recently, GE Transportation announced plans to invest $96 million to build a state-of-the-art locomotive manufacturing facility that is in close proximity to BNSF Railway, one of GE Transportation’s top customers. The presence of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the 4th busiest airport in the world, and the Alliance Foreign Trade Zone, consecutively ranked as the #1 general purpose trade zone in terms of foreign merchandise admitted, further establish the region as a logistics industry leader. “The ability to efficiently move goods, materials and people is absolutely necessary for doing business, and Fort Worth is uniquely positioned to meet this demand,” said Frank Moss, Fort Worth City Council member for District 5, the district in which LinkAmerica’s new office will be located. “We are pleased that LinkAmerica is joining our community of high-profile corporations that credit Fort Worth’s accessibility to air, rail and road transportation options as a critical element of their continued growth and success.” In addition to its easy access to a wide range of transportation options, LinkAmerica selected Fort Worth because of its substantial workforce of candidates for positions ranging from drivers, administrative staff and senior management team members. “North Texas has an extensive and diverse talent pool,” said David Berzina, executive vice president of economic development for the Fort Worth Chamber. “Individuals completing development and certification programs from workforce development partners, such as Tarrant County College and Workforce Solutions, supplement more than 850,000 college graduates residing in the Dallas/Fort Worth region.” ABOUT LINKAMERICA CORPORATION For more information about LinkAmerica Corporation, visit www.lkam.com.
February 1, 2012 We’ve been bracing for difficult news and know this is a painful remedy for American Airlines, its employees and stakeholders. But we also realize that this is a necessary step for American to emerge stronger and regain their leadership in the industry. Aviation is a legacy industry in Fort Worth, so if there’s a silver lining today, it’s American Airlines’ commitment to stay focused on building a solid, profitable future here in North Texas. American has partnered with the Fort Worth Chamber for decades. Now, we stand ready to assist American Airlines’ management, employees and those who may lose their jobs through workforce development programs with our partners at Workforce Solutions and Tarrant County College. We will also continue to strategically and aggressively retain and recruit employers to the area to provide more jobs. Bill Thornton, president & CEO, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce
For Immediate Distribution Fifteen economic development deals net 3,500 direct jobs, $587 million in investment (FORT WORTH, Texas – December 27, 2011) – Fifteen economic development deals completed in 2011 will yield an estimated $1.2 billion in economic output for the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, according to an economic impact analysis released by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce today. Collectively, these 15 companies, which are expanding in or relocating to Fort Worth, will also invest more than $587 million in real and personal property and create nearly 3,500 jobs in the region. The new or expanded facilities represent nearly 3.2 million in square feet. “This analysis underscores that business is booming in Fort Worth,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “Globally recognized industry leaders, such as Bell Helicopter, GE Transportation, Alcon/Novartis and Frac Tech, are making significant financial and human resource investments in Fort Worth, which speak volumes about the economic vitality of our community and appeal as a premier business location.” The report, prepared by Austin-based Impact DataSource, projected direct and indirect figures related to economic output, job creation, salaries, and taxable spending as a result of these companies’ construction/expansion activities and first-year operations. The firm also analyzed the cost-benefit ratio of initiatives undertaken by the Chamber’s Economic Development Division. This division of the Chamber receives approximately $1 million annually from the private sector to fund local business development and retention, national business recruitment and retention, international business development, and workforce development, for a return of more than $17 million in new tax revenues. Projected sales tax revenues for the City of Fort Worth are $5.6 million; projected property tax revenues from residential, commercial and industrial properties are $11.4 million. Beneficiaries of the new property tax revenues include:
“With the support of our numerous partners at the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, we have been able to effectively steward and leverage our limited resources to achieve exponential financial gains,” said David Berzina, executive vice president of economic development for the Chamber. “The benefits to the city and the region are significant in terms of job creation and expanded tax revenues that support critical public services, infrastructure and education.” Added Fort Worth Chamber Chairman Dan Berce: “The significance of this analysis cannot be understated. As a community, we should be proud of the efforts of the economic development team, because we are all beneficiaries of their hard work. With such a high return on our community’s investment, it is no surprise that the Fort Worth Chamber continues to receive national recognition for its efforts in attracting and retaining high-profile companies.” The full report, including the economic impact analysis methodology, data and financial assumptions, is available at http://www.fortworthchamber.com/ImpactDataSourceAnalysis2011.pdf. For more information, please contact the Fort Worth Chamber Economic Development Division at (817) 338-3391. ABOUT IMPACT DATASOURCE Based in Austin, Texas, Impact DataSource has provided economic consulting, research and analysis for numerous projects in Texas and 25 other states over the last 18 years. Specializing in economic impact, fiscal impact and cost-benefit analyses, the firm has also developed economic impact analysis computer programs for several clients, including the New Mexico Economic Development Department. For more information, please visit www.impactdatasource.com.
http://www.fortworthchamber.com/DFW_news.html#govperry
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry has announced the state is investing $450,000 through the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) in Ferris Mfg. Corp., which will invest $5.5 million in capital expenditures in a new headquarters office and medical product manufacturing and distribution center in Fort Worth, creating 100 new jobs. “Employers from around the nation and all over the world continue to seek the job-friendly climate we’ve created in Texas with our low taxes, reasonable and predictable regulations, fair legal system and skilled workforce,” Gov. Perry said. “This TEF investment in Ferris Mfg. Corp. will further strengthen North Texas’ economy by bringing 100 jobs and millions in capital investment to the City of Fort Worth.” Ferris Mfg. Corp. is a privately owned producer and distributor of PolyMem and Shapes wound care dressings, RhinoPak dressings for nasal surgery, and BabySmooth diaper rash products. Ferris is committed to providing innovative and superior quality goods and service to customers, and its products meet the standards and regulations in the U.S., Canada, the European Union and around the world. “We are excited that our future innovations in the medical field will take place in Texas,” Ferris Mfg. Corp. CEO Roger Sessions said. “PolyMem wound care dressings are the best in the world, and Texas has the best business climate in the world, so this is a win for both Ferris and Texas. The support we received from state and local leaders made us certain that Texas is the place for our business to grow.” “We’re proud to add Ferris Manufacturing to this growing list of prominent companies who are working to improve global healthcare,” Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President of Economic Development David Berzina said. “The company’s presence will further reinforce our city’s reputation as a leader in biomedical solutions.” “It’s no secret that a stable and supportive environment for businesses and jobs here has been a top priority for Gov. Perry, and it’s no accident that the Texas Legislature has been deliberate in its implementation of public policy to ensure business health and promotion in our state,” Rep. Vicki Truitt said. “I welcome Ferris Mfg. and its new headquarters to Fort Worth, as well as the 100 new jobs it will bring.” “Through this partnership, we are bringing much-needed jobs and opportunities to North Texas,” Sen. Jane Nelson said. “Because this company develops medical products, this relocation will spur innovation for our health care system and for Texas’ life science industry.” The Legislature created the TEF in 2003 and re-appropriated funding in 2005, 2007 and 2009 to help ensure the growth of Texas businesses and create more jobs throughout the state. TEF projects must be approved by the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House. The fund has since become one of the state’s most competitive tools to recruit and bolster business. To date, the TEF has invested more than $439.8 million and closed the deal on projects generating more than 59,000 new jobs and more than $14.7 billion in capital investment in the state. For more information about the TEF, please visit http://www.texaswideopenforbusiness.com/financial-resources/texas-enterprise-fund.html or http://www.governor.state.tx.us. ###
By David Berzina and Mike Rosa Great fanfare and anticipation of future economic benefits have accompanied the announcement of new direct flight routes from North Texas to other parts of the world -- including the latest, to Australia -- and for good reason. Dallas/Fort Worth Airport CEO Jeff Fegan and his team have aggressively focused efforts on expanding North Texas' reach -- and connection -- to new markets. This international air service development initiative accomplishes way more than just attracting a higher volume of tourists to North Texas. Ultimately, direct flights connecting DFW to a new part of the world result in new economic development and bilateral trade opportunities. Recently, a delegation of 23 North Texas business and tourism leaders had the opportunity to travel to Brisbane, Australia, on Qantas Airlines -- the latest air service development partnership. Hosted by the DFW Airport and facilitated by the North Texas Commission, delegates included members from the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau, Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Dallas Regional Chamber, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the World Affairs Council, Tarrant County College and several area business leaders. The North Texas delegation met with a consortium of business and government leaders in Brisbane and Sydney, all of whom walked away with an understanding that North Texas is a powerful place in which to do business. The Australian leaders were clearly impressed with the low cost of living, high quality of life and favorable business-friendly atmosphere that we tout in all of our economic development and tourism initiatives. While the trip went a long way in educating Australia about the opportunities here in North Texas, it also was a huge success for some of our local business leaders. Herb Beckwith, CFO of Justin Brands, found the trip invaluable: It allowed him to investigate new markets and make crucial connections that will speed up the company's distribution expansion into Australia by as much as nine months. A number of factors already at work are driving progress between North Texans and Australians. Their economy is booming with a large volume of jobs readily available for skilled workers, which complements our strong economy and large pool of highly qualified employees. Australians are strong allies of the United States and have a special affinity for Texas. In fact, Texas already exports $1.7 billion in goods annually to Australia, according to Kim Beazley, the Australian ambassador to the United States. More than 9,000 Australian companies do business in our country, employing about 84,000 workers. While there are many successes to date to celebrate, both sets of delegates concluded there is room to expand this relationship. In particular, North Texans have expertise that is crucial to Australia's continued economic growth, especially related to infrastructure development, logistics and distribution, and oil and gas extraction. For example, Australia's rugged terrain makes it difficult to pursue inland distribution routes; Australians have adjusted their living conditions by inhabiting land along the shorelines instead of directly addressing this challenge. This opens the door for North Texas companies to provide consultants and employees to help the Australians develop inland infrastructure and logistics solutions. In addition, Australians are studying the methods we are using to extract oil and natural gas. The successful strategies developed in the Barnett Shale are recognized worldwide, and a team of representatives from Australia's oil and gas industry makes regular visits to consult with our experts on how to duplicate these strategies in their country. We have known all along that North Texas is an economic powerhouse in the United States. This recent mission trip proves that our credibility and value extend far beyond our borders. We look forward to recruiting businesses and jobs, pursuing bilateral trade and even having our local colleges and universities establish agreements with universities abroad in an effort to broaden economic opportunities between North Texas and Australia. DFW Airport has provided us with a great opportunity to strengthen our ties with Australia, enhanced by the common ground -- and attitudes -- we share. Now it is up to us to capitalize on these new connections to the benefit of the North Texas region. We look forward to area business and civic leaders joining us on our next trade mission in October. This will allow us to further expand our working relationships and drive continued economic success and prospects for growth for North Texas and our new friends down under. David Berzina is executive vice president of economic development for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.
GE Transportation Selects Fort Worth
FORT WORTH, Texas – May 12, 2011 – The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce today announced that GE Transportation, the world's leading maker of rail and transportation products, has selected Fort Worth as the site for its new, state-of-the-art locomotive manufacturing facility. The company is purchasing a 500,000-square-foot building located at 12850 Three Wide Drive, and will nearly double its size through an expansion project that will be supported by up to $4.3 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund. Pending approval by the Fort Worth City Council and Denton County, GE will invest $80 million in the new plant and will create more than 500 new high-tech manufacturing jobs, with the potential to add 275 jobs in subsequent years. "We are excited to expand our operational footprint in the United States to better serve our customers," said Lorenzo Simonelli, President and CEO of GE Transportation. "We see robust growth in the U.S. and around the globe. A new site will help us to effectively respond to the cyclical demand in the transportation industry and to strengthen our overall position." GE Transportation will use the Fort Worth facility to assemble and remanufacture the company's rail and transportation-related products. This includes its signature Evolution® Series locomotive, an energy-efficient product that reduces fuel consumption by five percent while reducing emissions by 40 percent over the lifetime of the locomotive. The company anticipates it will begin production at the new facility by 2012. "The City of Fort Worth is proud that GE has chosen to locate here and manufacture the very locomotives that will help move goods – products that we use in our daily lives – throughout our state, the region and the country," said David Berzina, executive vice president for economic development for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. "The significance of GE's decision to build a new plant here, and the impact it will have on commerce in North Texas and beyond, is extraordinary." GE joins a long list of distinguished manufacturing companies that have selected Fort Worth due to its central location within the United States and convenient multimodal access. To further attract the company to North Texas, Fort Worth enlisted support from the State of Texas to provide up to $4.3 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund to assist GE with the expansion of its selected facility. Expansion of the 500,000-square-foot building to nearly 900,000 square feet is necessary to accommodate production of the massive locomotives. "The City of Fort Worth welcomes the opportunity to work with companies, such as GE, whose presence will enhance our dynamic manufacturing and distribution community," said Mike Moncrief, Mayor of Fort Worth. "We are grateful for our partnership with the State of Texas economic development team, Denton County, Hillwood and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, whose efforts to develop a strong incentive package helped attract this global leader to our community." In order to support the facility, GE will hire more than 500 salaried employees and production workers such as welders, assemblers, painters and other related skilled labor. The company currently employs more than 9,000 individuals in the State of Texas and annually contributes over $800 million in payroll and benefits. "GE Transportation Division's move to Denton County and the greater Fort Worth area will yield tremendous economic benefits for the region through the creation of hundreds of skilled jobs," said Andy Eads, Denton County Commissioner. "Their expansion will continue to diversify the workforce in the Alliance corridor of Fort Worth and demonstrates, once again, the power of regional partnerships and the many competitive advantages we offer in attracting global leaders to our area." "Texas continues to attract employers of all sizes that are looking to create jobs and grow their business thanks to our low taxes, reasonable and predictable regulatory climate, fair legal system and skilled workforce," Texas Governor Rick Perry said. "This investment in Fort Worth will continue to strengthen the economy in North Texas and in our state, creating jobs and prosperity for hundreds of Texans." ABOUT THE FORT WORTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ABOUT GE ABOUT GE TRANSPORTATION
By Shlachter, Nishimura & Baker, Star-Telegram TD Ameritrade investment brokerage will receive $1.2 million from the Governor's Office of Economic Development's Texas Enterprise Fund for its expansion at Alliance in far north Fort Worth, where it aims to add nearly 500 jobs within three years. In August, the Fort Worth City Council also approved $300,000 in economic incentives and agreed to support and submit the project for consideration as a Texas Enterprise Zone. TD Ameritrade has been at Alliance since 1999. It had scaled back operations and leased its 47,000-square-foot facility at 4600 Alliance Gateway Freeway to AT&T until last year. It now plans an $11.2 million remodeling and expansion. Under its deal with the city, TD Ameritrade must hire 125 people by year's end and 490 by the end of 2015. "We've experienced strong growth over the past several quarters, and we are well-positioned for that momentum to continue," TD Ameritrade President and CEO Fred Tomczyk said in a statement. David Berzina, vice president of economic development for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, said: "Our ability to attract and retain businesses like TD Ameritrade is further proof that development tools like the Texas Enterprise Fund are working and vital for success in today's highly competitive economic development environment."
By Sandra Baker, Star-Telegram Texas has won Site Selection magazine's 2010 Governor's Cup for having the most new and expanded corporate facilities, while Dallas-Fort Worth was third among metro areas of 1 million or more, it was announced Tuesday. Texas led all states with 424 projects, 50 more than in 2009, when it placed second. Ohio, which won the last four Governor's Cups, was second with 376 projects, followed by Louisiana, 347; Pennsylvania, 337; and Georgia, 251. "As well as Texas has done in the past and in 2010, we're not going to be what we can be, or as strong as we can be, unless we have competition from other states," Gov. Rick Perry said in a prepared statement. The Chicago area, including parts of Wisconsin and Indiana, was the top metro area, followed by the Houston area. Site Selection has awarded the Governor's Cup since 1978. The rankings are considered a benchmark by corporate real estate analysts. David Berzina, executive vice president of economic development for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber was involved in attracting 10 projects to the city last year, which added 1,057 jobs and $130 million in annual payroll. The projects included a 190,000-square-foot expansion for General Mills and a 65,000-square-foot expansion for LG Electronics at the Alliance industrial park in far north Fort Worth, as well as the sale of the Ranch Style Beans plant near downtown Fort Worth to Allens Inc., which has reopened the plant to can vegetables and hired about 120 workers. "We're consistently ranked, relative to our population, in the top three or four in the last 10 years," he said.The chamber worked on 89 possible deals in 2010 and landed the 10, Berzina said. This year, the chamber has worked on seven new relocation possibilities, he said. The targets include a data center, a large office project and a "green energy project," he said. "Four of them I would say are warm; three are tire-kickers," Berzina said. "Gov. Perry has worked diligently in recent years to make his state pro-business, which is why Texas ranks as high as it does on matters of interest to site selectors," said Mark Arend, editor-in-chief of Site Selection. The rankings are based on new corporate location projects and do not track retail or government projects, schools or hospitals. To be considered, a new facility or expansion must involve capital investment of at least $1 million, create at least 50 new jobs or add at least 20,000 square feet of space. Staff writer Scott Nishimura contributed to this report.
“Fort Worth is like the Rodney Dangerfield of the Dallas-Fort Worth area – It gets no respect!” Sperling quipped.
Tuesday, May. 04, 2010 By SANDRA BAKER, Star-Telegram FORT WORTH _ The nearly century-old Ranch Style Beans plant off East Lancaster Avenue may soon become a vegetable canning operation for Arkansas-based Allens Canning Co., one of the largest privately-owned vegetable companies in the U.S. Allens is under contract to buy the 200,000-square-foot building that sits on more than 20 acres near U.S. 287. The deal is expected to close in the next couple of weeks. City Council members reviewed a tax abatement proposal for the company Tuesday. A vote will come May 18. Allens is a family-owned company founded in 1926 in Siloam Springs, Ark. It produces 11 lines of canned and frozen vegetables and beans including Trappey's home-style beans, Veg-All, East Texas Fair black-eyed peas, Wagon Master pork and beans, Freshlike, Allens and Allens Popeye spinach. It said it was one of the first packers of sweet potatoes. It's not known what product or brand line would be made in Fort Worth. The company could not be reached for comment. Robert Sturns, the city's economic development manager, said Allens plans to initially hire 110 employees, but that could increase to more than 140 in the next three years. Sturns said the company is on an aggressive time-table and expects to begin hiring in the next couple of weeks, with plant operational by mid-June. Ranch Style Beans started from the location about 97 years ago. Its owner, ConAgra, shuttered the facility about 60 days ago, moving production to Ohio and Tennessee. More than 120 employees lost their jobs. Councilwoman Kathleen Hicks, whose district includes the plant, said given the down economy, it's great the building will be reused. "We were so concerned about this building being empty," Hicks said. "It will be reused in such a positive manner. This is so phenomenal for our city. We look forward to them being on the ground soon." David Berzina, executive vice president for economic development with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, echoed the sentiment. "Fort Worth has developed a much-deserved reputation as one of the best places in the nation to live and work," Berzina said. "Allens' decision to establish a new plant here underscores this."
FORT WORTH – The Dallas-Fort Worth region has been recognized by Southern Business and Development magazine as the top major market of the decade. Each year in the SB&D 100, Southern Business & Development ranks states and markets in the South based on projects landed of 200 jobs or more and/ or $30 million in investment or more. Each state and market receives points based on the size of the project. Dallas-Fort Worth led the south with 1,590 Points. “This ranking really shows the staying power of the D-FW market,” said David Berzina, executive vice president of Economic Development at the Fort Worth Chamber. “The corporate landscape has certainly changed here since 2000, but like a good investment, the long-term return on the benefits of this region are unmatched.” Notable Projects in Fort Worth included: Blue Cross Blue Shield, CUNA, ATC, Lockheed Martin, Motorola, Q-Edge, Deloitte, Daimler Financial Services, Bell Helicopter, Radio Shack, and Fidelity Investments. In Dallas: AT&T, Research in Motion, FedEx Kinko's, Texas Instruments, Chase Bank, Hunt Consolidated, Home Depot, Textron and Comerica. The top major markets in the South in the last decade are based on points earned in the annual SB&D 100, as well as a few selected and notable projects announced in each market over the last 10 years. Following D-FW are (in descending order): Baltimore/D.C./Northern Va.; Charlotte; Houston; San Antonio; Atlanta; Hampton Roads; Memphis; Orlando; Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater and Austin (tied for 10th). The SB&D website has more information on the total points and projects in those areas. http://www.sb-d.com/Features/Winter2010/TopTenMajorMarketsoftheDecade/tabid/331/Default.aspx
Star-Telegram, March 4, 2010 Site Selection magazine has named Dallas-Fort Worth the country's third most-active market for corporate relocations and expansions in 2009. Last year, 135 companies, including Advanced H2O, Alcon, Cisco, Coaire Corp., Kohler and Q-Edge, either expanded in or relocated to Dallas-Fort Worth, which the magazine identifies as a 12-county area of North Texas. "We proudly accept the bronze medal in this fierce competition," said David Berzina, executive vice president for economic development at the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. "For D-FW to be on the pedestal with top-tier metros New York and Chicago -- and to be the top metro area in Texas and in the entire South -- is a tribute to the region's economic development team players and to the superior product that we call the Metroplex." The industry publication released its annual ranking of top states and metropolitan markets Wednesday. It's based on an analysis of new facilities and expansions that demonstrate a capital investment of at least $1 million, creation of at least 50 jobs, or the leasing or building of at least 20,000 square feet of new space. "Our region's strengths are consistent year-to-year and foster an environment conducive to corporate location and growth," said Mike Rosa, vice president for economic development at the Dallas Regional Chamber. Among the metropolitan areas with populations of greater than 1 million, the New York area market topped the list for new and expanded corporate facilities for 2009. No. 2 was the Chicago area. The rest of the top 10 were: Detroit; Houston/Baytown/Sugar Land; Cincinnati/Pittsburgh; the Philadelphia area; Memphis; and Washington, D.C., which tied with the Virginia Beach, Va., area. The Fort Worth chamber has more than 2,200 member businesses. The Dallas chamber has 2,500 member businesses. Go to www.siteselection.com for more information.
Star-Telegram, Wednesday, Sep. 23, 2009 Los Angeles-based Coaire Corp., a manufacturer and distributor of energy- efficient heaters, air conditioners and tankless hot-water heaters, has opened a distribution center in Fort Worth’s Northern Crossing Business Park, where it also plans a manufacturing facility, creating as many as 70 jobs. Last week, the company moved into 64,000 square feet of industrial space at 3051 Northern Cross Blvd., at Interstate 35W and Northeast Loop 820. During the next year, the company expects to add 60,000 square feet to make solar panels. Manufacturing will start after the company completes a Korean facility that will produce the cells needed for the panels. The company is hiring eight to 10 employees for the distribution operation and will later add 50 to 60 manufacturing jobs, said Jack Ernest, Coaire’s senior vice president. The manufacturing facility will be Coaire’s first in the U.S., he said. Its products are made in Korea and China and distributed from Los Angeles and Pennsylvania. "We are experiencing growth," Ernest said. "The products we produce and sell are all energy-efficient and Energy Star products." Coaire’s Fort Worth location will also serve as a training facility for distributors and contractors. Coaire chose Fort Worth after a two-year search in part because of its access to transportation and a high quality of life, Ernest said. The facility will serve the wholesale market throughout the central U.S. and into Canada. "We came to an overwhelming decision Fort Worth was the city we needed to be in," Ernest said. "Both the local and state governments in Texas understand the need for commerce and know how to work with businesses." David Berzina, executive vice president of economic development for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, said, "Fort Worth continues to see a high level of activity from companies in the manufacturing sector. Bread-and-butter jobs like these continue to strengthen and diversify our economy." Jerry Alexander, Amy Baker and Shannon Shepler of NAI Huff Partners represented the landlord, TIG/ING Clarion. Mark Miller and Todd Hubbard with NAI Robert Lynn represented Coaire.
Dallas Morning News , May 21, 2009 The Dallas-Fort Worth finished second behind Austin in a national ranking of "best cities for a fresh start," compiled by Relocation.com, an online resource for moving services. To compile the list, Relocation.com looked at consumer requests to move to that city, economic growth prospects, home affordability and a volunteerism rates, which it says help measure community strength. Relocation.com says the Dallas-Fort Worth area benefits from "Texas' energy riches," which I suppose was true until oil and gas prices collapsed (they've moved up from their recent troughs, but they're still far below last year's peaks). Relocation.com also points out that DFW-area housing prices didn't get too inflated during the bubble years. Here's the Top 10: Austin
Star-Telegram, May 17, 2009 by Steve Campbell Across the nation, unemployment is sky-high, the housing market is sucking wind and recessionary fears have frozen Americans in place. Just don’t tell that to a stream of new residents who are "voting with their feet" that Texas is the safest place to ride out the storm and the place to be when the economy recovers. Even in the midst of a recession, economists, demographers and relocation experts believe the Lone Star State is on the cusp of becoming The New California.Or maybe it already is. For people seeking economic opportunity, Texas is becoming what California has been since the Great Depression, says Los Angeles urbanist and author Joel Kotkin. Texas recently "ran the table" in a recent list of "Best Cities for Jobs" prepared by Kotkin for New Geography and Forbes. Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth and Dallas were ranked as the top five large metro areas in the country to find a job. If that weren’t enough to get the moving van loaded, McAllen and Odessa top the mid-sized and small city categories, respectively. Among 333 metropolitan areas, Texas has a remarkable 20 in the top 100. Relocation surveys show that Texas remains a top destination for people leaving other states. Its automobile registrations continue to climb, and the Texas housing market has avoided the double-digit declines other fast-growing states have seen. While the unemployment rate has risen in Texas, it’s nowhere near as high as most of the country, underscoring the state’s economic resiliency even as the downturn deals out its lumps. Kotkin, a professor at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., who analyzed U.S. Labor Department statistics for his report, says Texas’ dominance at the top of the jobs list is unprecedented."Part of it is a function of the economic collapse of Florida, Phoenix and California. The collapse is still important in Texas, but Texas has had more balanced growth and that’s more sustainable," he said in a telephone interview while navigating an L.A. freeway."Part is the nature of Texas: People don’t move there for climate and scenery," Kotkin said. "They move to Texas for jobs and affordable housing. People make economic decisions to go to these places. They don’t go for perfect weather where you can surf one day and ski the next. "Selling "everything but the deer head" and leaving the Detroit area for Texas was simple math for Rodger Benton after Hewlett Packard laid him off. "It was pretty much a no-brainer to make the move," he said. "The unemployment rate in Michigan is really high. Things are really tough up there. There’s just more opportunity here." Jobs beget growth Steve Murdock, who was the Texas state demographer for 25 years and director of the U.S. Census Bureau during the last year of the George W. Bush administration, says jobs attract new residents, and Texas has been driving fast for several years. " he said. "Very few of us say, 'I think I’ll go there because there are not as many jobs and they pay less." Murdock, now a sociology professor at Rice University, says Texas’ growth in the last decade has "been simply phenomenal." According to the latest Census figures released in March, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington added 146,500 people between July 2007 and July 2008 — more than any metropolitan area in the nation. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown added 130,000 for the No. 2 spot, and Texas had 10 of the top 25 counties with the biggest numerical gains.Texas has lost jobs in the recession, with the unemployment rate at 6.7 percent in March, the highest mark since January 2004, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.But that still looks good compared with Michigan (12.6 percent unemployment), Oregon (12.1), South Carolina (11.4), California (11.2) or North Carolina (10.4). "If you had to ride out this downturn, there is no better place than Texas. The declines here have been nothing compared to other states," said Richard Froeshle, deputy director of Texas Workforce Commission. Moving out As the economy has soured, many people are moving to Texas for a new start.In 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, 14.3 percent of the people leaving the once Golden State were bound for the Lone Star State, according to Relocation.com, which tracks moving trends. Other states with sizable outflows to Texas included Florida (7.9 percent), Illinois (4.7), Michigan (4.6) and New York (4.3).Another indicator of moving patterns is U-Haul truck rentals. To rent a 26-foot moving truck today from Los Angeles to Fort Worth would cost $2,141. Renting that truck for a Fort Worth-to-L.A. run would only cost $557. Nearly the same prices apply for moves from Detroit to Fort Worth and vice versa. That means far more people are moving to Texas than going in the other direction, a U-Haul employee in Fort Worth said. Julie and William Taylor of Flower Mound made that jump just before California’s housing bubble burst. Fed up with William’s three-hour round-trip commute and the state’s declining economy, they unloaded their home in Santa Clarita in 2006 1/2 years. "We thought, 'We better do it now while we can.’ I had never even come to Texas, but we knew there were jobs here," said Julie, a stay-at-home mom with two small children. "We knew it was going to be easier for my husband to find a job [in the transportation industry]. And it was true. We feel so blessed to have gotten out when we did."' The place to go Tory Gattis, who runs a software company and writes Houston Strategies, an urban issues blog, is convinced that Texas will be the "focal point" of the nation’s next historic migration trend. "During the Dust Bowl, during the Great Depression, California was the place to go. Texas is the place to go now," Gattis said. "Sure, we are clearly losing some jobs but people are still moving here. I can see it anecdotally in the license plates around town. I see a lot of Michigan plates, California license plates, I see them from all over." That’s playing out across the state, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, which tracks motor vehicle registrations. In 2000, there were 17,962,300 registered vehicles in Texas and that number soared more than 3 million to 21,185,173 by the end of last year, the department reports."Vehicle registrations continue to climb by the hundreds of thousands in Texas despite a decline in vehicle sales," department spokeswoman Kim Sue Lia Perkes said. "This may be one indicator that Texas continues to experience a steady stream of transplants from other states despite the national economic downturn."John McLendon sees the economy where all that rubber meets the road. No Vacancy signs were the norm at his Oak Creek RV Park near Weatherford for years as migratory workers flocked to the drilling fields of the Barnett Shale, he said. Most of them cleared out late last year, when natural gas prices cratered and companies mothballed rigs. Now he’s seeing a different trend. People from states hit hard by the recession are coming here in search of jobs. "I’ve seen some from Florida, Utah, Colorado, Montana — they’re from everywhere," McLendon said.Jo Ann Royer, director of relocations for Williams & Trew real estate, say inquiries about moving to Fort Worth are coming from across the country. "We’re seeing the whole spectrum of medical industry employees. They are coming from everywhere because the hospitals here are expanding," Royer said. "We’ve had, believe it or not in this economy, banking personnel coming in because there is a new bank on every corner in Fort Worth." 'Zone of sanity’ Jim Gaines, a research economist at Texas A&M University, says that the recession has slowed overall growth but that there are good reasons why people continue to come to Texas."Why do people move? Generally, jobs," Gaines said. "Right now, Texas will probably be the only state in the Union that reports more jobs than the year before — by a total of close to 154,000 [in 2008]." Those numbers will be reduced this year. But if you are an entrepreneur or want to start a business, this is the best place to do it because of the pro-business attitude of the state." Eventually, when distressed housing markets across the country stabilize, Gaines predicts that skittish homeowners will be weighing their options. In those places, "as soon as you can finally sell, you’re going to get the hell out of Dodge," Gaines said. Jason Saving, a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, also believes that Texas has some "fundamental advantages" that are spurring growth, even in a recession.First is a "very favorable business climate," and second is affordable real estate."These things make the state attractive to businesses and residents alike," Saving said. "I think that’s why, if you look at the migration data within the U.S., that you see so many people moving from other states to Texas." Gattis says Texas’ cost of living is a key to its attractiveness."It’s not everything," he said, "but when you have more discretionary income you can buy a better house, a better car, you can spend it at restaurants. That’s income that leads to a better quality of life. " Texas State Demographer Karl Eschbach says in tough times, people "move to where they think they can survive.""You might move back home where you have family and a support network, or you move to where you can get a job," Eschbach said. "If I’d left Texas and then lost my job, I would be back in a quarter-second." Mark Lowther moved fast when that happened to him.The Texas native was a marketing manager in Seattle for Washington Mutual, the failed savings and loan which was bought by JPMorgan Chase. His job ended May 1, and he and his wife, Michelle, a disaster contingency consultant, "jumped" at the chance to come to Fort Worth so he could join Southwest Bank as a senior vice president and marketing director."The real estate market here is stronger and more affordable," Mather said as movers were unloading the couple’s belongings. "You can buy a comparable house here for close to half the price what you can get on the West Coast." Kotkin, the L.A. author, says Texas is benefitting by being in what he calls "the zone of sanity," a swath of the nation’s midsection where housing prices stayed stable. The twin lures of jobs and affordable housing are important to young professionals planning to raise a family or start a business, he said. That’s what Lance Marshall and Elizabeth Peirce have in mind. The 25-year-old high school sweethearts from North Texas moved to Chicago in 2005 to pursue careers after graduating from college.Marshall managed a specialty wine store and Peirce worked for a nonprofit and then turned to waiting tables before working as a media coordinator for a fashion boutique. "I was underemployed and I never stopped looking for a job," Peirce said. "In Chicago, the competition was incredibly fierce and the economy wasn’t very good and then it really declined last year."When they got engaged, coming back home looked like the safe bet. In February, they moved in with her parents in Grapevine, which has "been fun and mortifying at the same time," she said. She’s now working as a sales consultant at a bridal shop. It’s not the job in communications that she wants, but it’s a start, and she’s still hunting. Marshall is working for a wine distribution company and dreaming of owning his own business."I can see a lot of optimistic growth here" he said. "I want to be a 50-year-in-the-same-house kind of guy, and when I was thinking of the places to do it — it was D-FW." Open for business Texas’ business climate of low taxes and a low regulatory burden draws companies and workers, Saving said. "There is something inherently entrepreneurial about Texas. It’s the nature of the state from its formation, Texas was built by people who were looking to better themselves, and that has continued ever since," he said. Kotkin says tight business regulation is hurting California. But not Texas. "Whether you are GOP or Democrat, you can’t imagine Texas becoming anti-business," he said. Seguin Mayor Betty Ann Matthies says that mind-set is part of the reason Caterpillar is building a 850,000-square-feet diesel-engine plant that will employ 1,400 in her town of 25,091 east of San Antonio. "I think that Texas is known right now for trying to encourage industry to come here," Matthies said.The city and state’s "willingness to help," along with a location with easy access to interstates and major ports were key factors in Caterpillar’s decision, spokeswoman Kate Kenny said."It was a good decision all around, the location, the people, the timing," she said. An economic refuge No one argues that the recession hasn’t bruised Texas, too.But for people like Benton from Clinton Township, Mich., Texas feels like an economic safe zone by comparison.When Benton, a 45-year-old staff sergeant in the Army National Guard, was notified that he was losing his job as a computer systems operator, he also learned he was going to be redeployed. He was at Fort Hood in Texas when he was on active duty in the 1990s and he liked it. "People are friendly here," he said. So he leapt at a chance to be stationed in San Antonio and work as a liaison in the Wounded Warrior program helping injured soldiers. "This is rewarding. I don’t plan on going back to Michigan," he said. The auto industry’s woes stretch from Michigan into Dayton, Ohio, where Dione Kennedy, 48, was the president and CEO of a theater association. Since January, she’s held the same title at Bass Hall in Fort Worth."Things are very tough in Ohio," she said "Dayton is a big GM town, and a lot of industry was built around that and it has been hit hard."And the real estate market here seemed healthy by comparison."Prices for homes in Ohio have been rapidly dropping and in the communities here there was no apparent downturn," Kennedy said. She and husband Daniel, a stay-at-home dad for their young daughter, have noticed another difference."It seems like every time my husband talks to someone in Dayton, it’s another concern about someone about to lose a job or has a lost a job. We don’t hear that here." The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that because of the recession, Americans are moving at some of the lowest rates in 50 years. But Saving, the Fed economist, believes people "will vote with their feet" and keep heading to Texas. "Moving is costly, and it’s a hassle. It’s not something people want to do, unless they see a better opportunity think it’s clear that Texas is a favorable place to be from an economic point of view." Best cities for jobs Texas dominated New Geography and Forbes’ annual list of best big cities for jobs in 2009.1. Austin-Round Rock2. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown3. San Antonio4. Fort Worth-Arlington5. Dallas-Plano-Irving By the numbers 14.34: Of people leaving California in 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, the percentage that moved to Texas $2,141: U-Haul rental from Los Angeles to Fort Worth $557: U-Haul rental from Fort Worth to Los Angeles 17,962,300: Motor vehicles registered in Texas in 2000 21,185,173: Motor vehicles registered in Texas in 2008
Star-Telegram, May 15, 2009 The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce’s economic development group is among the nation’s top 20, the third time in four years it has made the list. Site Selection magazine Thursday released its list of the top 10 economic development groups and 10 groups receiving honorable mention, for deals done in 2008. Fort Worth had 24 corporate expansions last year that brought in more than $500 million in capital investment and thousands of jobs, enough for the magazine’s honorable mention. It singled out the $232 million data center deal at Alliance with Health Care Service Corp., the parent of Blue Cross Blue Shield. "We have been on a torrid pace," David Berzina, the chamber’s executive vice president of economic development, told the magazine. "Since November, we have worked on more than 30 projects. Labor force issues are going to be looked at closely in a tough economic environment, and that is one area where we compete extremely well." Site Selection ranks the organizations based on total capital investment, jobs created, ability to generate deals and diversity of industry. The Greater Houston Partnership and the Dallas Regional Chamber were also recognized. "The chamber has been extremely successful in promoting and leveraging Fort Worth’s excellent business climate," said Michael Guyton, vice president of Oncor Electric Delivery and chairman of the chamber’s economic development committee. Top 2008 chamber deals Regent Aerospace, Centreport, 300 jobs Daimler Financial, Alliance, 800 jobs ATC Logistics, Alliance, 800 jobs DynCorp International, Alliance, 350 jobs Cinram International, Alliance, 1,300 jobs Source: Fort Worth Chamber
Star-Telegram, April 1, 2009 Fort Worth City Council members are ready to support an incentive deal to bring a Taiwanese company to far north Fort Worth, where it wants to place an electronics assembly plant and distribution facility. The council will vote on the incentive proposal April 14. During a briefing Tuesday, they all said yes to the deal and praised Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce executives for helping pull the deal together. Under the proposal, Q-Edge, a subsidiary of conglomerate FoxConn Electronics, will receive $158,850 in business personal property tax abatements during the next decade if it meets employee and contract requirements. The city will receive the same amount in taxes. Bringing Q-Edge to Hillwood’s Alliance development will have an economic impact on the region estimated at $700 million, the council was told. "This is just as important as any deal we have seen come across this table, especially in this time we find ourselves," Mayor Mike Moncrief said. "We need to be aware that we are not without competition, that there are still folks waiting to see what this council is going to do. We need to hook this fish now." Tarrant County College and Workforce Solutions are working with the state government to secure federal job skills training funds for Q-Edge. What’s planned Q-Edge wants to lease 365,440 square feet in the former Nokia cellphone plant at Alliance. The company said it plans to spend $5.85 million on equipment by 2015 and hire 350 people by June 2011. The work force should grow to 500 within three years, but some city leaders believe the number could reach 1,000. Q-Edge reportedly has more than 1,400 employees at a computer assembly plant in Indiana. FoxConn Electronics employs more than 200,000 worldwide. Officials with Q-Edge could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but in a statement company representative Wen Ren cited Fort Worth’s business climate and location as key factors in the company’s decision. "We believe that many competitive traits of Fort Worth, namely its central location within the United States will help us achieve significant competitive advantages," Ren said. What’s ahead Early on, Q-Edge was looking at other sites in the Midwest and the Metroplex before it chose Fort Worth, said Mark Folden, the city’s business development coordinator. Councilman Sal Espino, in whose district Q-Edge will be located, said attracting more than 500 jobs to Fort Worth in this economy is exciting. "This is a big deal. We’re talking about good jobs," Espino said. "We’re competitive with all these cities nationwide, and here we are again in the game with a great deal."
by Sandra Baker, Star-Telegram, March 31, 2009 Fort Worth appears to be in the lead to land a manufacturing plant and distribution center, an expansion by Taiwan's largest contract maker of electronics worldwide, that could mean up to 500 jobs for the city. City staff members and representatives of Q-Edge Corp. have reached a tax abatement agreement, and the City Council is scheduled to hear about it Tuesday. Q-Edge is a subsidiary of Foxconn Electronics, a Taiwan electronics conglomerate and the region's top exporter. Q-Edge wants to lease most of the former Nokia manufacturing and distribution center at Alliance in north Fort Worth. Q-Edge, a leading maker of components for computers, cellphones and other consumer electronics shipped worldwide, has looked at several area sites since the first of the year and has narrowed its choice to two, said David Berzina, executive vice president of economic development with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. The other site isn't publicly known. If the tax abatement is approved, Q-Edge would begin hiring 350 workers in May, but that number will eventually grow to 500. Berzina called the final number "conservative." Given today's sour economy, Berzina said he expects few job creation announcements in the U.S. this year. He said he's glad "Fort Worth has one of the first. We were in competition with other communities in the Metroplex. It's safe to say we're choice A, but there is a backup." Executives at a Q-Edge facility in Indiana declined to comment. Jason Lamers, a city spokesman, said he could not talk about the details of the tax abatement proposal before the council is briefed on it, but he called the deal "potentially good news." "During these times, any company willing to invest in our city is an endorsement of the strength of our local economy and the work force," Lamers said. The company will have to meet requirements regarding hiring minority- and women-owned businesses, the number of employees it hires and a percentage of its workers living in the central city or at least within Loop 820, Berzina said. The council will vote on the agreement in two weeks. Berzina said Q-Edge was attracted to Alliance because of its worldwide brand recognition and because the building it wants to lease is in a Foreign Trade Zone, which allows a company to bring in goods from outside the U.S. that are not taxed unless shipped within the U.S. Moreover, there's a large labor pool in Fort Worth; the company will have quick access to railroad, air and freeways for shipping to and from Alliance; and a building the size that the company needs is ready for move-in, Berzina said. The company wants to lease 365,000 square feet of the former 445,000-square-foot facility that Finnish cellphone maker Nokia vacated in 2007. Nokia sold the building back to Hillwood, Alliance's developer. Because Q-Edge is on a fast track, Alliance has already given it limited access to the building, at the southwest corner of Alliance Gateway Freeway and Denton Highway, said Tony Creme, vice president of Hillwood Properties. "Having that building available was one of the key things that made this deal," Creme said. Telecom companies alone occupy more than 2.6 million square feet and employ more than 6,500 workers at Alliance, according to Hillwood, including global leaders LG Electronics, AT&T, ATC Logistics and Electronics and Motorola. Including those created by Q-Edge, more than 3,500 jobs will have been added at Alliance since 2007. Foxconn is the trade name for Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., founded more than 30 years ago by Terry Gou. Its contracts are reported to be with such companies as Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Nokia, Cisco and Sony. Q-Edge leases 292,260 square feet in the Plainfield Business Center for a computer assembly plant in Plainfield, Ind., where it reportedly employs more than 1,400 workers. In 2007, the company received $6 million in incentives from Indiana as well as property tax cuts from Plainfield. The company also has locations in California in Fullerton, Santa Cruz, San Jose, and Ontario, according to its Web site.
By SANDRA BAKER, Star-Telegram March 9, 2009 -- Dallas-Fort Worth was recognized as the second-best market in the U.S. for new and expanded corporate facilities in 2008 by Site Selection magazine. Texas was ranked No. 2, the only Southern state to make the top-10 list, which was released Monday. Improved corporate recruiting brought the region up four places from its sixth-place ranking in 2007, according to executives with the Fort Worth and Dallas chambers of commerce. "Our position as one of the nation’s top marketplaces is the result of tremendous collaboration among the cities, counties, chambers of commerce and economic-development organizations in our region," David Berzina, the Fort Worth chamber’s executive vice president for economic development, said in a statement. "Working together, we have exponentially increased the impact of our marketing and recruiting efforts, resulting in hundreds of new businesses, thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars of economic impact." Some of the area’s projects last year included AT&T’s move to Dallas, the construction of a $232.5 million data center in Fort Worth’s Alliance development for Blue Cross Blue Shield and a distribution center for Cinram International, also at Alliance. Moving up Texas last led the list in 2004 and 2005. The Metroplex was also ranked as the No. 2 metropolitan area in 2005. "Thanks to our state’s commitment to maintaining low taxes and reasonable regulations, I am confident that cities across our state will uphold their strong economic footing compared to others in light of the challenges the slowing national economy presents," Gov. Rick Perry said of the latest ranking. Ohio won the 2008 Site Selection Governor’s Cup with the most new and expanded corporate facilities, the magazine said. Site Selection has been ranking states and metro areas for 55 years. To be included, a project must be an investment of at least $1 million, create 50 or more jobs and include the leasing or building of at least 20,000 square feet of new space. Projects at work Fort Worth, Arlington and Dallas reported 156 projects in 2008, behind the Houston area, which reported 179, according to the ranking. The ranking was for metro areas with populations of more than 1 million. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet ranked No. 3 with 138 projects. Texas reported 497 projects, behind Ohio’s 503. Texas was followed by Michigan with 296 projects. Top 10 areas for corporate facilities Site Selection’s top U.S. metro areas for new and expanded corporate facilities, and the number of projects there last year: 1. Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land…179 2. Fort Worth-Arlington-Dallas…156 3. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill./Ind./Wis.…138 4. Cincinnati-Middletown, Ohio/Ky./Ind.…124 5. Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich.…108 6. New York-Newark-Edison, N.Y./N.J./Pa.…99 7. Pittsburgh…79 8. Columbus, Ohio…77 9. Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, Ohio…67 10. (tie) Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C./S.C.…60 10. (tie) Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C./Va.…60
Fortune Small Business July 2, 2008 Population: 595,062 Fort Worth is one of the biggest places on our list, and it's getting bigger - the city is the fifth fastest-growing community of more than 100,000 people in the U.S. today. It's also home to large corporations such as Radio Shack and Pier One. But Fort Worth has room for the little guys, too: The city presents a number of opportunities for small businesses, including an abundance of incentives and a laid-back tax structure. For companies that locate in one of the city's enterprise zones, investing at least $75,000 and creating 10 jobs, the city offers rewards ranging from reduced development fees to waivers on permit fees. The hottest industry in Fort Worth is the life sciences - combined with Dallas, the region boasts nearly 500 biomedical technology businesses. But tourism is also a thriving sector, thanks to the nearly 10 million visitors that pass through the city annually. Tourists - and residents - enjoy the many rodeos, art galleries, and historical museums in "The City of Cowboys and Culture." -Mina Kimes http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fsb/0803/gallery.best_places_to_launch.fsb/9.html
FW chamber honors businesses that help teens stay in schoolBy Mark Agee, Star-Telegram, October 2008
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Best Places For Retirees |  |
By Matt Woolsey, Forbes.com
Picture from Forbes.com
Warm weather and the availability of early tee times will always help make cities attractive to retirees. But early signs suggest that as baby boomers begin to enter a longer and more active retirement than their parents, they're looking for more.
To determine the best places for retirees, Forbes.com compared 100 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas along traditional criteria, including availability of health care and leisure activities. But we also looked at new factors, like the "retirement job market"--and came up with a surprising list of winners.
The top U.S. city for retirees is Tampa, Fla. The city's cost of living and tax burdens are relatively low, and health-care costs and access are very favorable. And Tampa's arts and leisure rank is in the top third of cities measured, so there's plenty to keep retirees active.
Florida is often considered a hot spot for retirement, but based on the criteria we used, only one other city in the Sunshine State (Jacksonville) made the top 10. Instead, Tampa was joined by such unlikely candidates as Fort Worth, Texas,Washington D.C., and Indianapolis, Ind.
To put together the list, we ranked each city on factors including cost and availability of health care; sales, property and income-tax rates; an index of arts and leisure activities ranging from museums to parks to sports teams; and cost of living, based on data from Sperling's BestPlaces.
But we also added a Forbes.com study of inter-metro migration patterns of people between the ages of 55 to 65. That showed us where people approaching or beginning their retirement are actually going, and which places are worth relocating to, as opposed to which cities simply have aging populations.
The most often relocated-to city? Phoenix. The weather and tax rates and are amenable to retirees, and the city boasts good health-care availability and costs. Drawbacks include a cost of living above national averages and relatively underwhelming number of culture activities.
Other interesting patterns emerged in our analysis, showing the growth of new retirement centers. Washington, D.C., beat Miami; Portland, Ore. attracted more boomers than Orlando, Fla., and Boise, Idaho; and Idaho drew more older migrants than San Diego.
Why are these migratory patterns changing? One reason is a new factor, never before worried about much by retirees: jobs. For the boomers, retirement won't be throwing a switch between working one day and playing canasta the next. Instead, it's increasingly becoming a period where people cycle in and out of working and not working.
Demographers use terms like "working retirement" or "active retirement" to express these new retirement patterns, where boomers are often going into small businesses, teaching, consulting jobs or jobs where they can do what they've always wanted to do.
"There's a curious thing about boomers, because in their early formative years they went through a very idealistic time," says Larry Cohen, director of consumer financial decisions at SRI Consulting Business Intelligence. "It won't be as important for them to earn six-figure salaries, so long as they don't [spend] their nest egg."
To reflect this change, we included the quality of the retirement job market in our rankings. A retirement job is classified as either a full- or part-time job done after retiring from a long-term career. Using data from RetirementJobs.com, cities were assigned a score based on the quality of this growing job market.
Boomers also want to live in cities that younger people enjoy. "You have baby boomers buying properties where they can get their children and grandchildren to come visit," says David Hehman, president of EscapeHomes.com, a San Francisco-based real estate research company. "That desire is often large."
Maybe all of these changes are representative of boomer denial, and people who don't feel like they're getting old. But life expectancies are the highest they've ever been, and climbing--so maybe there's something to it.
"Boomers think, 'Why is everyone getting older while I stay the same?'" says Cohen. "They don't feel that old or think they look that old ... and they might be right. The time that they're going to have in retirement is going to be significantly longer than previous generations ... and [they] are moving toward what they want and like to do instead of what they have to do."
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Best Cities For Jobs In 2008 | |
By Matthew Kirdahy, Forbes.com
Picture from Forbes.com
The Lone Star State shines brilliantly in a list of the best places to work in the U.S. when some economists peer into their crystal balls for 2008.
Austin, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio all rank high on the latest forecast data from Moody's Economy.com. McAllen, Texas, is expected to have the highest job growth rate, as its leisure and hospitality, educational and health services and commercial construction jobs flourish.
"While the economy is cooling, Texas continues to generate more jobs than the national average," said Krista Piferrer, deputy press secretary to Gov. Rick Perry. "Unemployment is low in Texas, thanks in large part to a favorable business climate that encourages businesses to expand or relocate to our state."
Even still, Salt Lake City, in all its tech-job abundance, looks like it will remain No. 1 since Forbes.com's most recent ranking (see last year's story).
To compile the rankings for the Best Cities For Jobs list forecast, we used five data points, weighted equally: the state's unemployment rate, job growth, income growth, median household income and cost of living for full-year 2006 (only partial data is available so far for 2007). We measured the largest 100 metropolitan areas, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, and obtained the data from Moody's Economy.com.
The numbers are compiled based on greater metropolitan areas; it's also important to note that this list doesn't weigh specifics like job composition or job stability, two significant characteristics that will appeal to any job seeker.
Mark Zandi, chief economist and co-founder of Moody's Economy.com, acknowledged the housing market depression the company is facing and said the destinations that prevail on this list weren't as heavily vested in the real estate development boom, which ultimately led to a historic bust.
That's not to say the highest-ranking cities on this list are completely in the clear, though: "If we have a national recession, if problems intensify nationwide, these economies are going to struggle," Zandi said.
The top cities on this list also include Atlanta, plentiful in transportation, distribution and financial services careers. Indianapolis has a strong showing in agriculture, too. Omaha, Neb., Warren Buffet's hometown, offers jobs at opposite ends of the spectrum, in financial services and agriculture as well. The Emerald City--Seattle--brings aerospace and global trade professions to the table.
Kurt Ronn, president and founder of HRworks, an Atlanta-based job recruitment and consulting firm, said Americans gravitate to certain locales based on opportunity and affordability, both offered right in his backyard.
He noted that, on a broad scale, the employment picture has been strong in the areas of technology and logistics, such as in distribution and sales.
Some notables: Honolulu is the best in the pack for low unemployment, a good sign that tourism there remains healthy. Edison, N.J., ranked the highest in the median income category. Buffalo, N.Y., has the lowest cost of living, while San Jose, Calif., has the highest. New York sits at No. 58 on the list, while Los Angeles is No. 87.
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Chamber Marks 125 Years of Boosting Business | |
Fort Worth's Main Street, looking north, in the 1920s.
By Sandra Baker, Star-Telegram - June 2007
In 1882, a group of businessmen sat in a saloon, discussing the state of commerce in Cowtown. They took the notion to start a board of trade to promote business development and the interests of the local business community.
They rarely have meetings in saloons anymore, but the group's initiative is still alive in the city.
In the early days, efforts included bringing the Texas & Pacific and the Santa Fe railroads to town. In 1896, it sponsored the first Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show, still one of the city's biggest attractions.
From attracting packing companies in the early days to organizing trade trips to Latin America in recent years, the group's reach is still being felt.
The chamber building circa the 1950s
In its 125-year history, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce has had its hands in just about every major business development to occur in the city.
The group was started by businessmen who met in a saloon to discuss how they could attract businesses to Fort Worth. Although the methods might be a little different today -- and there are many women involved now -- the organization still focuses on attracting business to the city and gets involved in community issues such as education and transportation.
Recent chamber initiatives have included programs geared toward young professionals and businesswomen, global and regional business pitches, and legislative efforts that focus on issues such as air quality, water sources and transportation.
Highlights from the past dozen decades:
1882-1900
The group was officially organized in 1882 as the Fort Worth Board of Trade by businessmen meeting at a saloon to discuss business conditions and how to attract industry to the city. The men are credited with bringing the Texas & Pacific and the Santa Fe railroads to town. In 1896, it sponsored the first Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show.
1900-1910
The Board of Trade was reorganized in 1900. The group persuaded Armour & Co., Swift & Co., and Libby, McNeil & Libby to locate packing plants here. In 1908, the board launched an $8,000 advertising campaign to attract new industries to Fort Worth.
1910-1920
The board lured Texas Christian University from Waco to Fort Worth. In 1912, the board became the Chamber of Commerce and took over management of the Freight Bureau and Fat Stock Show. When the oil boom hit during this decade, the group helped raise $2.5 million to build the Hotel Texas, now the Fort Worth Hilton, to accommodate the influx of visitors to the city.
1920-1930
The chamber reported 442 new businesses open in 1920. It organized the Tarrant County Flood Prevention and Water Conservation Association, helped in establishing Meacham Field, brought the Texas, Panhandle & Gulf Railroad to town and assisted Montgomery Ward in building a store on West Seventh Street. In 1928, the chamber merged with the Manufacturers and Wholesalers Association to form the Association of Commerce.
1930-1940
The chamber was instrumental in bringing the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital to Fort Worth, the construction of the new post office and organized a Junior Chamber of Commerce.
1940-1950
By 1941, the chamber was successful in landing the Army bomber assembly plant. The chamber worked to help local businesses secure government contracts to produce everything from canned peas to shell cases in the war effort. Chamber efforts also helped establish the military installation, Fort Worth Army Air Field, later known as Carswell and now Naval Air Station Fort Worth.
1950-1960
After the 1949 flood, the chamber helped secure voter approval on a $7 million flood-control bond issue that resulted in the construction of lakes in Grapevine and Benbrook. The group also attracted Bell Helicopter and General Motors plants to Tarrant County. By 1952, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area Development Committee was formed. Chamber officials proposed the idea of a toll road between Dallas and Fort Worth and secured the necessary legislation to create the Texas Turnpike Authority.
1960-1970
Was involved in campaigns to build a downtown convention center, a sports stadium in Arlington and Tarrant County Junior College. It started the chamber's Development Corp. to bring more industry to Fort Worth. In 1968, the chamber was already looking toward the 21st century and established a top-level policy group -- Task Force 2000 -- to review long-range policies and projects.
1970-1980
In 1973, Dallas-Fort Worth Airport opened, after efforts by the chamber to secure a regional facility. American Airlines would later relocate its headquarters from New York to Fort Worth. The Fort Worth and Dallas chambers lobbied successfully to have the cities combined into one Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S. Bureau of Budget.
1980-1990
By 1980, the chamber had become an aggressive organization with a professional staff in the fields of the Convention & Visitors Bureau, industrial development and governmental affairs. The chamber helped to establish Alliance Airport and worked to bring the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing's first currency plant outside of Washington, D.C., to Fort Worth.
1990-2000
The chamber developed a strategic plan focusing on economic development, "Fort Worth, Catching the World's Attention." The chamber established the Fort Worth News Bureau to work with national and international media, an important step as the international department was planning trade missions to Latin America.
2000-today
In March 2000, after a tornado ripped through heart of downtown, the chamber, with community partners, turned lemons into lemonade with an award-winning campaign, "No Gusts, No Glory," to let the world know that Fort Worth was open for business. It has taken part in the cultural boom that has seen the opening of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the expansions of the city's other museums.
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Women Influencing Business | |
New initiative is aimed at underrepresented majority
By Sandra Baker, Star-Telegram -- June 2007
FORT WORTH - For the second time this year, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce is launching a program to get women more involved in the business community.
Women Influencing Business is aimed at female professionals and business owners with the goal of getting them more involved as leaders, advisers and corporate directors.
This year, the chamber started Vision Fort Worth, which is designed to bring younger business leaders into leadership roles and break down generational barriers between them and the group's older, more established members.
Three-year chamber member Karel Rucker, owner of Mother Rucker's Sweets in Fort Worth, was tapped to head an 18-member committee that created the program. It was her first chamber assignment, and Rucker said it has been a huge and rewarding undertaking.
She said she agreed to the assignment because, like many other female members of the chamber, she feels more on the outside than the inside of the business community.
"I knew it would take a lot of time, but it was worth it," Rucker said.
Suzi Hill, president of Hill Co., an underground storage tank contractor that specializes in emergency generator fuel systems, said the time has come for such a program.
"This group is not about getting yourself the share of the business," said Hill, a chamber member of more than 30 years who is also on the new initiative's steering committee. "This is about getting to know us and us getting to know the men in the community, so we'll work together.
"I've been around for a lot of years. I am meeting women I never knew and might never have met if the chamber had not formed this group."
Women own or operate more than half of Fort Worth-area businesses, according to the Fort Worth Business Assistance Center. Women are the owners or the main company representatives of 37 percent of the chamber's member businesses, the organization said.
"We realize this is a growth group for the organization, and we want to recruit, retain and engage more women in business," said Marilyn Gilbert, the chamber's executive vice president of marketing.
The two new programs stem from focus groups the chamber held last year to gauge members' attitudes about the organization and find ways to increase membership involvement and meet needs. Some of the focus groups addressed the attitudes and needs of businesswomen, the chamber said.
Comments from the focus groups found that female professionals and 21- to 35-year-old professionals were being overlooked. Women said they wanted to establish themselves as community leaders, the chamber said.
"That's the part that was missing," Rucker said. "We wanted to be more than just women in business."
To launch the group, the chamber is hosting a WIB Texas Hold 'em party this week at the Fort Worth Club downtown. Men are encouraged to attend the launch party and all other Women Influencing Business events, which will be held monthly, Rucker said.
The program's section on the chamber's Web site includes space for women to post their résumés and interests, including their golf handicaps.
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A Vision for the Future | |
Chamber works at bridging a generation gap
FORT WORTH - The 125-year-old Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce wants to put on a new face.
And it will be as young a face as the group can make it.
After years of watching as fewer and fewer young people got involved and after asking focus groups why, the chamber has launched Vision Fort Worth, which is designed to break down the barriers between younger and older professionals and counter criticism that the organization fosters a "good ol' boy" network.
The move was prompted by comments like this one: "This city is an older one with a good ol' boy network, but as the city grows it [should] become less and less. You still see a lot of the same names and faces making decisions."
The sentiment was echoed by another young member who also saw the potential: "I think you have a great opportunity in Fort Worth. It is a dynamic and up-and-coming city, and the Chamber has a role to engage the city in the next step of developing the leadership. We can be an integral part of shaping Fort Worth."
As many chamber members near retirement age, Vision Fort Worth is expected to be a way to tap younger members for future leadership roles, the organization said.
"The purpose of this is to mix things up a bit," said Michael Appleman, a partner in the Cantey Hanger law firm and Vision Fort Worth's first chairman. "I hope this initiative is a way to break those barriers."
The program is targeting professionals ages 21 to 35, although no age limit is being enforced. Its purpose, in part, is to get younger members more involved in the chamber and the community and help them develop business relationships. There will also be mentoring opportunities.
"There are benefits to both groups," Appleman said. "The young people have a lot to learn and to gain, and vice versa."
Having a young professionals group will also benefit the city, said Brian Barnard, chairman of the chamber's board and an administrative partner in the Haynes and Boone law firm.
"Fort Worth's future is extremely bright, and these people are going to make that happen," Barnard said.
Participants in recent chamber focus groups reinforced the need for a young professionals program, saying they see barriers to joining the leadership of Fort Worth's business community.
Several other organizations in town have programs for their younger members, but those are industry specific; the chamber's program will be broad-based, said Andra Bennett, director of communications.
The chamber also found that young professional programs started by other chambers of commerce have been very successful and that membership is very high, she said.
Last week, the chamber launched the program with a social attended by more than 400 younger adults.
As its leader, Appleman, 39, is a good example of what the program is about. He said he has attended chamber functions through his law firm's membership but never really got involved. Now, he's heading the committee overseeing Vision Fort Worth.
"Vision Fort Worth slingshots us into a position to give back later on," Appleman said. "We'll be in charge someday, and this program will give us the tools to do for others what the establishment is doing for us today."
Vision Fort Worth plans to host quarterly luncheons, six after-hours events and a half-day seminar this year. Membership levels range from $100 for individuals to $425 for corporate memberships for five individuals.
ONLINE: www.visionfw.com
WHAT WAS SAID IN THE FOCUS GROUPS
- "The 'old schoolers' don't want change."
- "Fort Worth is a 'good ole boy' network, developing business relationships here is a marathon not a quick race."
- "When I go to [chamber] mixers, there is never anyone my age."
- "When I go to the [chamber] mixers, everyone knows each other and they are much older."
- "Many people are ready to step up in terms of leadership but don't have the confidence or connections."
- "If we can show that young workers are involved and leading, then more companies will want to come into Fort Worth to do business."
ABOUT THE CHAMBER
- The organization was founded in 1882 as the Fort Worth Board of Trade.
- It changed its name to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce in 1912.
- There are 2,545 member companies representing more than 5,000 individuals.
- Bill Thornton has been president and chief executive since June 2000.
- Its Mr. B's Newz-E-Letter is sent to about 4,200 e-mail addresses weekly.
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Metroplex enjoys solid growth | |
By Mitch Schnurman
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
How strong was the local economy last year? Check out this number: Business expansions and relocations in Fort Worth increased 68 percent in 2006, according to local officials.
It's good to see that our tax abatements are paying off.
That's a remarkable increase, even on a small base, because the comparison figure wasn't a gimme. A year earlier, Fort Worth was also the leading city in the Metroplex in new business projects.
The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce compiles the expansion statistics, which are submitted to Site Selection magazine. The trade publication annually recognizes the states and cities that lead the country in this kind of activity, and Texas has been No. 1 for two consecutive years.
Among metro areas, the Metroplex usually ranks among the elite, placing second in 2005 to Chicago and first in 2004, ahead of Detroit. The newest ranking will be published in a few months, and the area will report a sharp increase in economic-development deals, led by 64 in Fort Worth, up from 38 the year before.
To be included in the magazine's count, a project must create at least 50 new jobs, add 20,000 square feet of new space or represent an investment of at least $1 million. There were more than 450 such deals in the Metroplex last year, according to the chamber.
It's also notable that Fort Worth had 13 more projects than Dallas, even though Dallas is much larger.
Fort Worth can point to several strong economic numbers these days; in the central business district, for instance, the office occupancy rate is 96 percent. The business expansions may be my favorite, because they reflect the appeal of the Metroplex to outsiders.
Some growth is expected to occur naturally, simply because of the region's size and the fact that more companies are expanding and diversifying their headquarters' functions.
But Fort Worth is on a roll, with those 64 projects alone totaling almost $1.4 billion in investment, and it could continue for several years.
"Things are just teed up for Fort Worth right now," says Rob DeRocker, a partner at Development Counsellors International, a New York firm that advises companies on where to expand. "The business climate in Texas, by our surveys, is the best in the country, no matter how you define it. And Fort Worth has a lot of good, municipally led development, especially in downtown. That creates a certain centrifugal force," DeRocker says.
"Fort Worth has a history, which people like, but it's also reinventing itself. It has a real there there."
Tax abatements and other incentives get a lot of attention in economic development, especially in Texas, because Gov. Rick Perry uses a cash fund to close relocation deals. DeRocker says that incentives "tend to be tiebreakers," but Texas usually starts at second or third base in most competitions, because of other advantages.
The state has no income tax, a strong pro-business environment and, at least in the Metroplex, a large labor force and consumer market.
David Berzina, who heads economic development at the Fort Worth chamber, says the vitality of downtown is a key factor in attracting new projects, even if companies end up choosing a location on the outskirts of the city.
Low costs for construction and labor make a difference. But the labor supply is crucial, too.
CUNA Mutual Group, which provides financial services to credit unions, considered a handful of cities for a regional headquarters, including Jacksonville, Fla.; Oklahoma City; and Kansas City, Mo.
In the Metroplex, it weighed sites in Plano, Arlington and Fort Worth. Ultimately, it selected the CentrePort development on the eastern edge of Fort Worth, near Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.
A key metric, Berzina says, was the number of potential employees who live within a short commute and would be attracted by the yearly pay, which ranges from almost $40,000 to $60,000.
Fort Worth agreed to a 10-year tax abatement and fee waivers valued at $747,640; to get all of that, CUNA has to meet several requirements, including having 25 percent of its 500 hires from Fort Worth, 10 percent from the central city.
"You got to have a hook to get the attention of these companies," Berzina says about the incentives.
In his view, the offers are a lot more important to smaller cities, which often adopt a sales tax to generate revenue for economic development. They can then dangle cash awards in exchange for new jobs.
"Fort Worth gets outbid on incentives on almost every deal that's proposed," Berzina says.
Fort Worth doesn't have to match the offers, but it can't ignore them, either.
To get a $75 million expansion with ConAgra Foods, the city had to compete with Ardmore, Okla., whose incentives were valued at six times higher than Fort Worth's. Of course, Ardmore can't provide a similar pool of potential hires or a distribution network that's in the same league.
Fort Worth won the project, but it agreed to $4 million in incentives, contingent on ConAgra meeting its pledges on minority contracting and hiring Fort Worth residents.
Many of last year's deals didn't involve any public money. Berzina says Whirlpool agreed to put a large distribution center in the Carter Industrial Park, south of the central city. Fort Worth had an existing facility that was available when Whirlpool needed it, so it quickly made the short list.
Likewise, when the city misses on a deal, often it's because it doesn't have the inventory, and many companies don't want to take on the expense or time in new construction.
One business proposition that didn't work out, Berzina says, involved a cellphone-programming company in Miami. It had heard about the cash in the Texas Enterprise Fund and wanted to know what it could get.
The maximum from the state was $1 million, based on the size of the operation. But the company wanted at least twice as much, Berzina says, so the deal died there.
That's reassuring. Even the strongest markets have to say no sometimes.
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Chamber Builds on 125 Years of Business Leadership | |
By Bill Thornton, president & CEO, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce
Printed in the Fort Worth Business Press, January 2, 2007
Talk about great comebacks.
In the aftermath of the tragedy of 9/11, Karl Zandi, chief data officer at Moody’s Economy.com, predicted that the Fort Worth metro would be one of the top three hardest-hit economies because of the aviation industry’s significant presence.
Fort Worth certainly felt the economic effects of 9/11. But having weathered the recession and defense cutbacks of the early 1990s and then the tornado of March 2000, our business and community leaders had already faced hard times with determination to rebound.
Looking for bright spots at the time, I told Zandi I had my fingers crossed on the Joint Strike Fighter contract.
Fast forward to 2006. Moody’s Economy.com named Fort Worth one of the best values in the nation for housing and the overall cost of living, and Moody’s Investors Service said Fort Worth has the best central business district in the country, with just four percent office vacancy. Forbes, Site Selection and Southern Business and Development have named us one of the top markets in the country for business. And the JSF Lightening just completed its first successful test flight.
Hit us hard, we huddle, we hit back. And score.
So what’s on the agenda for Fort Worth in 2007?
Of all the urban revitalization projects underway in our city, one of the most astounding transformations will be the Sierra Vista project and the complimentary activities at the intersection of Berry and Rosedale.
The momentum from the Lancaster Corridor project and the Omni Hotel should tie in nicely with other near Southside activities like the remarkable Magnolia Green makeover.
On the west side, urban village plans spurred by Montgomery Plaza, So7th and the new Museum of Science and History will enhance the gateway to downtown from the west.
And to our north, Trinity Uptown will transcend from a vision to reality as we see Trinity Bluff condominiums completed and the new TCC campus going up.
Fort Worth has experienced record numbers in business recruitment and expansion throughout Tarrant County. We’re putting together our annual entry to Site Selection magazine’s Governor’s Cup Awards for economic development, and are excited to submit a 50 percent increase in qualified recruitment / expansion deals (from 40 to 67)!
In addition, the Barnett Shale play will continue to change the economic landscape of north Texas. To gauge the extent of the impact, the Chamber is funding a study by noted economist Ray Perryman. Already we’re seeing projections in the billions. These funds are needed by our municipalities and school districts as we address exponential population growth.
All of which segues into some challenges we face: water supply, workforce education, and transportation needs. Briefly, the Chamber supports the Region C Water Plan to increase conservation and develop new water sources. We urge state support of scholarship programs and curriculum adjustment to increase access to public and private higher education.
We also advocate that the Legislature allow the motor fuels tax to be tied to an economic index, and to use transportation revenues for transportation projects. For a complete legislative agenda, visit www.fortworthchamber.com.
We collaborate with many partners on these community issues, and also respond to the changing needs of our membership. A few years ago, our Board of Directors’ strategic plan called for fresh faces and greater diversity in the membership. We examined and confirmed the needs with surveys and focus groups in early 2006. So in 2007, we will launch new programming for two important groups: Young Professionals and Women in Business.
The Young Professionals’ committee is led by Michael Appleman, attorney with Cantey Hanger, and the Women in Business committee is headed by Karel Rucker, owner of Mother Rucker Sweets.
Mark your calendar for May 16th and come to the Barnett Shale EXPO, presented by Devon Energy Corporation, EnCana Oil and Gas, and XTO Energy, Inc. The expo will educate the community about the benefits and issues surrounding the industry, present business and job opportunities, and the Perryman economic impact study results will be released.
Finally, the Fort Worth Chamber invites you to celebrate its 125th anniversary at our annual meeting June 7th, and throughout 2007.
Since 1881, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce has rallied support for this community through many economic ups and downs. But the way Fort Worth citizens tackle challenges head-on leaves me amazed at the accomplishments, and filled with confidence for the years ahead.
Still, I’ll cross my fingers from time to time, if you don’t mind.
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Heritage Trails Walking Tour: First Marker Dedicated | |
Marking the past
Series of 19 plaques designed to highlight city's colorful history
By BRETT HOFFMAN
STAR-TELEGRAM -- April 2007
FORT WORTH -- From Maj. Ripley Arnold on the north to President Kennedy on the south, stories from Cowtown's yesteryear will soon be told on or near Main Street, downtown leaders say.
The first of a planned 19 markers in a Fort Worth Heritage Trails project was unveiled Thursday.
The idea is to place the bronze markers in areas with lots of pedestrians -- mostly along Main Street -- near where historic events occurred.
The first marker, titled "The Stage Leaves From Here," was placed in front of the Wells Fargo Tower at Main and Second streets. It features a drawing of an early 1880s stagecoach and a narrative of the stagecoach line's importance in the city's development in the 1800s.
Wells Fargo, which exhibits a stagecoach in the upper lobby of its tower, sponsored the inaugural marker.
Each marker will be sponsored by a local business.
Other markers will display information about such things as the city's Hispanic heritage, cattle drives, gamblers and gunfights, and aviation.
"There's good historical information [already] around here, and a variety of different signs, but this pulls it all together," said Doug Harman, president of the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Harman said Fort Worth officials were inspired by similar markers in Galveston.
"Cities everywhere are getting into heritage tourism," Harman said each marker costs $5,000, and some sponsorship packages remain available. The final marker is expected to be installed by the end of 2007, officials said. The project is being overseen by the Fort Worth Chamber Foundation.
The markers are free-standing, permanent bronze plaques bearing a signature longhorn design from the late 1930s by Fort Worth artist Evaline Sellors. Each marker has a sepia-toned screen illustration and a brief narrative.
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Texas ranked No. 1 for corporate locales | |
D-FW in No. 2 spot for new, expanded facilities, magazine survey finds
12:00 AM CST on Friday, March 3, 2006
By ANGELA SHAH / The Dallas Morning News
For the second year in a row, Texas ranked first in the nation for new and expanded corporate facilities, according to a survey released Thursday by Site Selection, a trade magazine.
The publication also named the Dallas-Fort Worth region as the No. 2 market, while top honors went to the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet area in Illinois. North Texas held the No. 1 position in 2004.
The state award gives Texas leaders a second Governor's Cup award. Gov. Rick Perry accepted the recognition at an event at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Employers frequently point to Texas' low tax structure and right-to-work policies as reasons they choose to do business here. Also, the region's location in the nation's center has brought companies to North Texas, including a number of high-profile moves such as American Airlines Inc. and J.C. Penney Co.
Fluor Corp., which is moving its headquarters to Irving from Southern California, is included on the 2005 list. The engineering and construction giant's building is expected to be completed in April.
"Our coordinated strategy to educate out-of-state employers about Texas' excellent business climate is working," Mr. Perry said.
"And it is proof that our unprecedented investments in job-creation tools are paying real dividends for the people of this state."
The 2005 award marks the first time in 23 years that Texas has received the Governor's Cup two years in a row.
Before 2004, the state had last won the award in 1992, when it shared honors with North Carolina.
In all, Texas has been cited seven times, more than any other state.
Qualifying projects for consideration in the survey included those with a capital investment of at least $1 million; the creation of 50 or more jobs; or the leasing or building of at least 20,000 square feet in new floor space.
More than 300 companies relocated or expanded into North Texas in 2005, an 11 percent increase over the previous year. The region ranked third in 2003 but didn't make the top 10 in 2001 and 2002.
Recently, Expansion Management and Sales and Marketing Management magazines also named North Texas a top market for relocations and sales potential.
Media contact:
Andra Bennett, APR
Sr. Director Communications
817-338-3333
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Fort Worth, TX 76102-4997 817.336.2491