Wichita, Kan. (4/9/10) - The study by Site Selection Group has just been delivered to the investor community.

The Steering Council secured this third-party analysis of our community’s level of competitiveness to keep and attract new companies so we would have an objective assessment upon which to build. We knew it was time to again closely examine our ability to compete in the economic development environment today.

There is good news in the report about which industry sectors we should target. There are also some areas that we need to work together on as a community so we can be competitive. Some of the discussion and action needs to happen through our Coalition, while others are broader initiatives that should not be driven by GWEDC.  This is the beginning of the conversation, and it is up to us to determine our own next steps on these recommendations.

If investors have any questions or input about the process or next steps, please contact GWEDC Steering Council Chairman, Doug Stanley, at 291-9502 or Vicki Pratt Gerbino at 268-1140.
 

Wichita, Kan. – The Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (GWEDC) Steering Council elected Doug Stanley Chairman of the Coalition. He serves as the volunteer leader of the public-private organization charged with creating and executing the region’s business recruitment, retention and expansion efforts. 

Stanley is the Managing Partner of the Foulston Siefkin law firm. In addition to serving as the Chairman of the GWEDC Steering Council, Stanley has served on numerous community and business boards and is currently Vice-Chair of the Newman University Board of Trustees. GWEDC investors recently re-elected Stanley to a second two-year term on the Steering Council.

The Steering Council also elected:
Paul Allen, Allen Gibbs & Houlik, Vice Chairman
Scott Strode, Boeing Defense, Space and Security, Treasurer
Lyndon Wells, INTRUST Bank and Immediate Past Chairman

Other private sector steering council members are:
Linda Brantner, Delta Dental
Jim Ludwig, Westar Energy
Sam Williams, Sullivan Higdon & Sink and chair of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce
Bryan Derreberry, Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce

Public sector representatives are:
Chairman Karl Peterjohn, Sedgwick County
Commissioner Gwen Welshimer, Sedgwick County
Mayor Carl Brewer, City of Wichita
City Manager Robert Layton, City of Wichita
Augusta Mayor Kristey Williams, Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP)

“The strength of this Coalition is the strength of its volunteer leadership, and we thank them for their time and effort on behalf of the community and companies who want to invest here,” said GWEDC President Vicki Pratt Gerbino.
 

Wichita, Kan. – The Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (GWEDC) announced first half 2009 projects at its mid-year investor meeting at the Hyatt Regency Wichita. 

In addition to the projects report, guest speaker Mark Sweeney, a principal in McCallum Sweeney Consulting, presented information about site selection, including the role of shovel-ready sites and the certification process. Sweeney is a national expert in the shovel-ready site certification process.

Projects facilitated in the first half of 2009 included deals with two businesses planning 335 jobs representing $13.4 million in payroll and $16.5 million in capital investment. The businesses are Nex-Tech Aerospace and Premier Processing.

For every dollar of city and county money invested in economic development activities through GWEDC in the first six months of 2009, including local incentives for GWEDC projects, the public will receive $1.44 in public benefits.*

GWEDC Chairman Lyndon Wells said, “We are pleased that during these difficult economic times, this partnership has been able to finalize two deals. Despite a tough economy, we continue to see activity and are actively competing for projects. This partnership allows us to effectively compete for business investment here in our community.”

GWEDC public sector partners include the City of Wichita, Sedgwick County, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP), a council of 36 city and county governments. Private sector investors include 95 businesses that invested in the initiative and the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce which manages and staffs GWEDC.

“Now is the time to stay strong on economic development opportunities,” said Sedgwick County Commission Chairman Kelly Parks. “Helping business increase their presence here is a top priority given current economic conditions.”

In addition to results, GWEDC President Vicki Pratt Gerbino also reported on ongoing initiatives, including:
1) Upgrading GWEDC’s infrastructure to create more efficient systems to respond to prospective projects more quickly and comprehensively, including the addition of site & building locator software to the GWEDC website. The software will provide enhanced data on available properties in the region.
2) Continuing IDEA (Industrial Development and Expansion Assistance) visits with local companies and capturing aggregate data with ExecutivePulse software to track regional results and trends;
3) Aggressive marketing and developing relationships through industry-targeted trade shows and trade publication advertising.

Mayor Carl Brewer said, “Communities and organizations are enduring change and challenges, but it’s important that economic development partnerships continue in an effort to make our community more efficient and more competitive.”

“We continue to advance our ability to respond to prospects, while also working hard to seal deals. During the past six months, it was great to have the opportunity to finalize two projects with two quality companies investing more in this community,” said Pratt Gerbino. “Premier Processing made its investment decision here based upon our great workforce. Through a business retention visit, we found that Nex-Tech was considering consolidation strategies, and we were able to keep them here with plans to expand here.”

The Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition is the regional public/private partnership charged with creating and executing the region’s business recruitment, retention and expansion plans.

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* Return on public investment is measured and reported by the Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR) at Wichita State University. CEDBR measures public benefit by estimating the streams of tax revenues for city and county governments based on jobs, earnings and capital investment of the companies recruited, retained or expanded.