Based on all major geographically variable operating costs for a 75,000 sq. ft. corporate headquarters facility employing 300 workers.

Source:Bizcosts.com. BiszCosts® is a registered trademark of the Boyd co., Inc., Location Consultants, Princeton, NJ.

 

Economic development is a rewarding profession that moves at a fast pace. Often too fast. Traveling to a scenic location away from the office and constant interruptions can help any professional think more clearly and strategically. That’s one of the key concepts behind the Janus Forum and Janus Institute.  The Forum, which began five years ago as an annual event literally on my porch overlooking Lake Rabun in the Northeast Georgia mountains, brings together invited economic developers from around the country to assess critical issues currently facing the profession and shaping its future. The Janus Institute, the administrative home of the Forum, disseminates the results of the Forum and offers other services to the profession and communities.

When you get comments from participants such as “high point of my 30+ years in economic development” and “a significant impact on our profession” you know you’re onto something.  Five years of growth and success has clearly demonstrated that:

• Good ideas emerge when you put new invited economic developers together with returning alumni in a relaxed, scenic environment for focused discussions and networking (as well as some leisure and recreation).  Add some leading site consultants and corporate executives to the mix and the value increases even more.
• Tapping into the broad and deep knowledge of experienced economic developers and applying that to help communities and economic development professionals alike, and advance the state of the art in community and economic development benefits everyone.
• Mixing together young and experienced economic development professionals in a relaxed venue such as the Forum offers many benefits including learning through sharing and great mentoring

Our new partnership with Conway Data will take the Janus Forum and Institute to an entirely new level. With Conway Data, the Institute can get important findings and best practices disseminated out to the broadest group of community and economic developers, corporate executives, site consultants and related professionals.  We will replicate the successful Forum model in locations throughout the country to offer more people the opportunity to enjoy this special experience. Look for more detailed information and Forum findings in the coming weeks. Future editions of this “On the Porch” column in the Janus Reporter will include commentary on the economic development findings and recommendations from the Janus Forum and Institute. We invite you to take this journey with us, and join a great group of professionals advance the state of the art and become even better economic developers.

Robert H Pittman is Founder and Executive Director of the Janus Forum and Institute. He has held a number of executive positions in the industry including Director of Lockwood Greene’s Global Business Location and Economic Development Consulting Group and Vice President of Conway Data.

 

Are there any rural communities or EDO’s out there who are strategically attempting to diversify/enhance their local workforce by offering incentives to companies who attract a certain type of employee who resides in their respective community (for example, foreign labor, skilled engineers, etc.) some sort of specific workforce attraction strategy? This would primarily be directed to smaller manufacturing sectors or rural communities. If so, how is it structured and has it worked? For example, we are working with our local community college to launch a “Center for Manufacturing Technology” in a vacant building in town. In addition, the city would then offer companies an additional incentive for new employees who utilize the program. The end goal being to enhance the skill level of the local workforce.