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Magazine cites economic development efforts in '07
By Paula Schleis
Beacon Journal
Published on Saturday, May 03, 2008
A magazine aimed at professionals who choose sites for expanding companies says the Greater Akron Chamber was one of the top 10 economic development groups in the country in 2007.
Site Selection, which released its list Thursday, also gave an honorable mention to the Wayne Economic Development Council based in Wooster.
The magazine said Akron's multimillion-dollar efforts to retain Goodyear and Bridgestone Firestone have nabbed headlines, but many other projects were quietly under way.
In 2007, the Akron area landed 29 corporate expansions, second only to Greensboro-High Point, N.C., in the population category of 200,000 to 1 million.
Total investment in the Akron area passed $1 billion last year, with 1,203 jobs added to the local economy.
With many of the new jobs in the advanced materials industry, Akron is earning the nickname ''Polymer Center of the Americas,'' the magazine said.
Ron Starner, who authored the story for Site Selection, said the most competitive organizations shared several characteristics.
''They provide market access to expanding companies, strong logistics support networks, highly qualified and abundant labor pools, competitive business costs and good old-fashioned ingenuity to get deals done,'' he said.
Local economic development groups were first ranked according to four objective categories: new jobs, new jobs per 10,000 residents, new investment amount and new investment per 10,000 residents.
Then they were scrutinized for more subjective attributes, including innovation, leadership and customer service.
The magazine's complete story can be viewed online at http://www.siteselection.com. The 54-year-old publication delivers expansion planning information to 44,000 executives of fast-growing firms.
In March, Akron and Wayne County both ranked high in the magazine's Governor's Cup competition, which annually tracks investment by private companies in plants and jobs.
Akron tied for second among midsize metropolitan areas, and Wayne County was named the country's third top '''micropolitan'' region.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.
A magazine aimed at professionals who choose sites for expanding companies says the Greater Akron Chamber was one of the top 10 economic development groups in the country in 2007.
Get the full article here.
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