The larger
and better-managed the organization, the more political influence
it generally has with state economic development organizations,
legislators, lieutenant governors and governors. This political
influence is often essential to providing the necessary funding
for incentives including infrastructure improvements, quick
processing of permits, and when necessary, special programs
designed specifically for larger employers.
When performing
site searches, regional groups are generally given priority
by state economic development organizations, not only because
they tend to have the greatest political clout, but they generally
are the most professional and have the greatest resources available
to make a deal happen. Simply put, states and site selectors
prefer to work with regional groups, since these groups generally
have the most professional staffs and have the political and
financial power to make deals happen.
As is the
case with virtually everything, there are always exceptions.
If a community is not a part of a large, well-run regional organization,
then it better have outstanding resources and leadership if
it is to compete in today’s global marketplace. The development
of an economic development organization staffed with professionals
is an essential component of any successful economic development
program. In today’s highly competitive national and international
markets, regions that most successfully maintain and attract
employers are those that have full-time economic development
staffs.
If your
community is not getting the attention it deserves or if your
regional organization is not performing to the best of its abilities,
then Pollina Corporate can help by providing a thorough evaluation
of what your region has to offer a business, and how it can
be structured to function as efficiently as possible.
