The county’s big picture growth strategy is achieved in various ways. In its efforts to draw and retain private investment, the Wells County Economic Development Corporation (WCEDC) focuses on continuous infrastructure improvements while actively reaching out to prospective new arrivals who are handsomely incentivized to establish themselves here. The cumulative outcome of the corporation’s economic development efforts has been a significant improvement in local utility supply, transportation infrastructure, and broadband connectivity.

With shovel-ready sites, Wells County’s location, infrastructure, and access to major transportation veins all contribute to its appeal as a future-forward location with the means and business savvy needed for further development.

Where business booms
Home to around 10,000 people, its county seat, the City of Bluffton, was once a gas boom town and one of the first to have paved roads, leading it to become known as “The Parlor City” for being “as clean as a parlor” during a time when most streets were commonly either dusty or muddy. Wells County’s other fast-growing towns include Ossian and Markle, amongst others. And while its communities are expanding at an impressive rate, the county really takes care of prospective businesses looking to relocate here by providing state-based, dollar-for-dollar cashback credits and a county-based relocation cost abatement and workforce assistance, plus low equipment investment taxation.

As a result, Bluffton, Ossian, and Markle have seen impressive changes over the past few years. Poised for the significant growth of its industrial park, workforce, and wages, the town of Ossian is proud of two new housing developments that are underway as a result of a powerful regional economic upsurge.

Moreover, the state’s fastest-growing town, Markle, is known for its beauty and higher wages. Markle also happens to be divided by the borderline of the counties of Wells and Huntington. The happy outcome is that, with fabricators relocating from Illinois and Michigan, much of Allen County’s growth is positively impacting Wells County.

In response to this economic boom, Wells County’s housing sector is also expanding. In particular, its section of Markle is experiencing high housing demand. With Wells County offering low taxes, a lower cost of living, and quality schools and amenities, the town of Markle has responded to the demand with a considerable housing development, of which phase one is already fully occupied. It is now moving into phase two of the project.

If you build it, they will come
In its early days, Wells County was under the management of Allen County before establishing itself as an independent entity in the late 1830s. While the town of Zanesville now also spans both counties, the friendly neighbors regularly join forces on regional advocacy and infrastructure.

Now, following the implementation of numerous well-executed strategies to develop its many sectors and overall infrastructure, leaders in logistics, agribusiness, and advanced manufacturing find Wells County an ideal location for their facilities. To accommodate growing demand from industry, Bluffton Industrial Park is working on a new 100-megawatt electrical capacity that will be rolled out in 2028 alongside its existing 249 acres of available land.

The county has also invested $16 million in its water supply and other infrastructure, with a specific focus on improving food production capacity. Ossian’s industrial park has had significant drainage improvements to improve the quality of its shovel-ready sites within five miles of local railway access, and the town also has large-scale electricity and natural gas infrastructure in place.

Of course, it helps that the local workforce has a longstanding reputation for being particularly industrious. Public statistics show just under 20,000 resident workers, of whom just under 15,000 live and work in the county, with nearly 2,700 commuters entering the county daily from elsewhere, actively contributing to the local economy.

As a result, forward-thinking businesses choose Wells County for its capable workforce, integrated and proactive leadership models, competitive overhead costs, and quality of infrastructure. Wells County is also superbly accessible. Situated right on Interstate 69, and connected to U.S. Highways SR1 and 224, the county has direct routes to all corners of the United States, within a day’s truck drive of around half the American population.

It also has international access to important ports on the Great Lakes at Indiana-Burns Harbor; in Toledo, around two hours away; and in Detroit, roughly three hours away. Its dependable rail service offers national connectivity, and Wayne County Airport, Detroit Metropolitan, Indianapolis International Airport, and Fort Wayne International Airport are all within a three-hour drive.

Amenities for all
Committed to creating quality of place, Mayor Scott Mentzer is leading with the idea that for communities to remain healthy, they must have access to what he calls good, safe, and affordable “third places”—places beyond work environments and home—where people gather and meet. “I think we’ve become isolated. And I’m trying to create momentum about breaking down that isolation and having people gather again, connect again, and create connectivity,” Mayor Mentzer says.

“The quality of our public places signals what we believe we deserve,” he adds. Based on this maxim, the county is continuously recreating itself in ways that make people want to stay.

One such new landmark amenity is the Wells County Community Aquatic Park in Bluffton. As a county-wide effort, the park was funded by a number of visionary stakeholders and designed to be accessible to all demographics, with a design that is modern, fun, and packed with activities. The best part is that it is unbelievably popular, with attendance in the first weeks surpassing the previous year’s visitors’ volumes of its original 51-year-old swimming pool by 40 percent. This year to date, it has gifted 3,600 tickets sponsored by generous business owners to local residents.

The generous people of Wells County also ensure that every child has access to all its wonderful amenities and extra-curricular opportunities. The Wells County Foundation assists families in covering the costs of children’s participation in sport, the arts, and school activities, while other organizations with similar missions include Women in Leadership, The Women of Light, and the Wells County Chamber of Commerce.

Furthermore, the economic development team also endeavors to provide the local workforce with quality job opportunities. These efforts include preempting investors’ workforce needs and curating and developing local talent through workforce training and related partnerships in ways that complement prevailing industries.

Diversifying the economy
In the process, the team is looking to further expand the county’s economic prospects by diversifying its industrial profile. By focusing on providing suitable sites with high-volume water and power supply and other business resources, it aims to draw more companies serving the defense, agricultural technology, and aerospace industries.

“With our collaboration with local governments and utility partners, we have improved transportation, utility, broadband, and shovel-ready sites to keep supporting our growth,” says Jessica Beste, Director of Economic Development.

As a historically agricultural region, a considerable part of Wells County’s existing gross domestic product is derived from crops like wheat and soybeans and their subsequent food processing facilities and value-added agricultural products and services.

Thanks to its expansive technical education offerings, strong logistics and storage industries, and accessibility, alongside generational fabrication expertise, advanced manufacturing, precision machining, and cleanroom facilities, medical fabrication has also found a comfortable home here. From automotive OEMs and metal and plastic fabrication to wood and food production, Wells County is known for innovation and a proud tradition of craftsmanship.

Building the future
As the region continues growing, expediting housing development and redevelopment is a priority, as is providing affordable childcare in order to maintain its workforce as a family-oriented region. To this end, two three-year aid pilot programs assist families with childcare bills from state-registered providers. On the trishare plan, one-third of the cost is settled from regional Northeast Indiana funds, while employers cover one-third and employees another. On the coshare plan, higher-income employees equally divide the cost of childcare with their employers.

In the county’s bid to provide sufficient, quality affordable housing, the WCEDC collaborates with multiple stakeholders on work that dovetails with establishing its Skilled Workforce Pipeline. As part of this initiative, students from the school districts of Bluffton-Harrison, Southern Wells Community Schools, and Norwell Community Schools all receive a K-12 education informed by local business requirements to ensure that they develop the necessary academic and technical acumen they need before choosing from a selection of post-secondary institutions where they can further their studies.

“While industries evolve and markets change, one thing that has remained constant in Wells County is our culture of people who believe in building for the next generation. That commitment to innovation, stewardship, and community is what continues to make Wells County a place where businesses don’t just locate to, but they put down roots and grow. Wells County Economic Development (WCEDC) is proud of that,” says Beste.

As part of the development of adult learners and young students alike, the corporation has built alliances with local trade schools and colleges and the towns of Southern Wells, Norwell, and Bluffton Harrison, alongside Area 18 Career & Technical Education (CTE), which has proven tremendously successful over the past half-decade. The greater education system also accommodates employer engagement through curated training, apprenticeships, internships, and other means.

As Indiana’s biggest, this local CTE cooperative provides students with current, industry-relevant training and experience. High standards are maintained by interest groups engaging directly with industry and collecting relevant information, which is then processed and applied in coursework to ensure that student education remains relevant and in stride with the times.

A separate exploratory group gathers all manufacturers in Wells County to identify areas for improvement in employee education, and the CTE cooperative responds with relevant training for students and employees. This is followed by on-site, hands-on skills training in local manufacturing facilities.

The organization also gives students from eight high schools across Wells, Blackford, Jay, and Adams counties the opportunity to earn dual college credit and industry certifications toward their qualifications. There were 6,007 students enrolled in the program for the 2025-26 school year, with areas of study including Public Safety, Business, Agriculture, Health Sciences, Information Technology, Automotive Technology, Construction Trades, Precision Machining, Welding, and Advanced Manufacturing.

Beyond its school districts, Wells County benefits from Northeast Indiana’s wide choice of post-secondary institutions. These include Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana University Fort Wayne, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana Wesleyan University, Huntington University, Manchester University, Indiana Tech, Trine University, and the University of Saint Francis. Considering the vast selection of study fields these schools collectively offer, Wells County residents enjoy incredibly high standards of education, especially for a rural community.

The local Chamber of Commerce is equally proactive in the county’s career exploration and readiness mandates, providing convocation days in collaboration with the WCEDC alongside career expos, influencer tours, manufacturing day tours, career readiness preparation, internships, and more.

Northeast Indiana is not all about work, however. It also invests generously in the development of the arts, as proven recently when a combined $65 million in READI 2.0 Arts and Culture grants were awarded to nearly 50 statewide projects from Lilly Endowment funds. Sources claim that these projects are forecasted to earn the local arts economy just under $370 million. Northeast Indiana received just short of $11 million of the overall grant for six projects, one of which, the Parlor City Digital Projection, was initiated in the city of Bluffton. A permanent digital installation used as a regional arts and mapping tool is being projected onto the front of one of its oldest buildings. The project received $354,062 from the READI Award and cost around $478,000.

The WCEDC is clear regarding its vision for the future, and with so many incredible partners on board, the path ahead looks promising. As Beste says, “Wells County Economic Development Corporation believes economic development is about creating a future worth investing in. We are committed to supporting responsible growth, expanding opportunities, strengthening our workforce, and building communities where businesses succeed, families thrive, and future generations choose to stay, return, and invest.”

The post Rooted in Community, Driven by Progress<p class="company">Wells County Economic Development</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

For business leaders, workforce partners, site selectors, entrepreneurs, and even prospective residents on the lookout for an economically progressive county, Boone County’s economic vitality has established they are here for the long haul. Recognized as Indiana’s County of the Year in 2023, its location on Interstate 65 places Boone County within 30 minutes of Indianapolis International Airport and within a day’s drive of around half of the United States population.

Boone County has strong corridor access to Interstates I-65 and I-74 as well as the ability to connect rail systems from business parks. This positioning makes transportation to and from the county just one of its many pluses for existing and prospective business partners. With significant investment in internal roads and utilities, the county’s infrastructure is becoming more modern, efficient, and able to handle the growth. Such investments further secure prospects for its well-established advanced manufacturing industry. Internationally recognized names in life sciences, such as Eli Lilly and Company, have found a home in Boone County. Eli Lilly’s investment totals nearly 18 billion dollars, one of the largest capital investments in Indiana’s history.

The area is also known for large distribution facilities, including those of international equipment giant Caterpillar and NewCold, a well-known cold storage provider. Having firmly established their presence through initial investments, both companies have now chosen to expand their footprint. In the process, Caterpillar recently established a new advanced manufacturing facility in Lebanon. Business retention and expansion is an area Boone EDC understands is of great importance when it comes to creating long lasting growth for the county.

Strategically located at the center of the state, more than half of this 108,500-hectare county remains agricultural land. Recent decades have brought strong growth and a long-term vision to create prosperity for all its communities, and as a result, the population of Boone County grew by over 70 percent to around 80,000 residents over the past 27 years, making it the second-fastest-growing county in the state of Indiana. Awash with young professionals, more than half of their over-25s hold bachelor’s degrees, rating their education status amongst Indiana’s top two counties.

One of the county’s most successful economic drivers at present is the Limitless Exploration Advanced Pace District, commonly referred to as LEAP. This powerful development is considered the United States’ largest innovation district to date. “LEAP is also a reflection of the strong partnerships that we have with our municipal partners, with the city of Lebanon and Boone County government, as well as the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC),” says Andrea Kern, CEO of Boone EDC.

LEAP investments have brought a significant boost to Boone County’s local infrastructure, in addition to each organization’s own campus. This includes the installation of a new interstate 65 interchange, internal roads, and additions to walking and biking trails. Moreover, Meta is supplying most of the water infrastructure, complete with a closed-loop water consumption system to serve its data center demands, and has taken ownership of the costs of the needed growth for electricity infrastructure. “[Electricity infrastructure] is not a cost that’s being taken on by ratepayers within the city of Lebanon or Boone County,” Kern tells us. “META has demonstrated that they are committed to being a great community partner by investing in a number of nonprofits.”

These are all large commitments, and so is Meta’s efforts to fund a workforce training program that will partner with Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC). This training promises to provide candidates with national certification and guaranteed work. META’s initial investment of 115 million dollars will power the program, called America’s Workforce Academy (AWA).

META also extended a $100,000 subsidy to Boone Power to support those unable to pay their electricity bills, while another $100,000 grant went to the Boone County Career Collaborative, allowing the county to further support its three local school districts, Lebanon, Zionsville, and Western Boone Schools, in navigating and implementing recently amended statewide graduation requirements—changes already impacting current freshmen and sophomores.

New diploma guidelines require between 75 and 650 hours of work-based learning for students. “What we’re really trying to do is help support the schools however we can and make sure that these are quality workforce learning hours. Connecting them with our businesses even comes into play with our business retention and expansion plans,” says Denise Niblick, Director of Business Engagement and Partnerships.

Niblick further highlights that making these programs optimally valuable for end users and learners is a priority. To this end, the Boone County Career Collaborative aims to provide extensive support to learners, counselors, businesses, and other stakeholders through coordinating candidates with internship opportunities and other workforce training. Its contribution also extends to resources such as funding curriculum development, work-based learning facilitation, and materials such as personal protective equipment or technology needed for students’ workforce learning experiences.

“I think you would be hard-pressed to find a county that is as willing and able and has a desire to support youth in their community as Boone County,” she continues, noting how beautiful she finds it that business owners have been proactive in reaching out to the EDC, offering their support of their own volition. It is also exciting to see a growing number of parents agreeing that many trade opportunities offer undeniably good remuneration packages—even compared with professions requiring formal tertiary education—all while accruing zero debt. It is now accepted that the sky is the limit for young people who first train in trades and choose to further their education and careers at a later stage.

Good education is, of course, just one aspect that families looking to move here consider. Making her way from downtown Lexington, Kentucky to Lebanon, Indiana in Boone County, Niblick, for one, could not be happier. As a married young professional with two children, there is a lot keeping her here, from the extensive infrastructure investments the county has made since COVID to glorious natural beauty, trails, and parks. One of Boone County’s most recent redevelopments is Carpenter Nature Preserve, a 215-acre former 18-hole golf course turned conservation destination located in Zionsville. There is also the 110-acre former Lebanon city landfill that was redeveloped into Stone Eater Bike Park, complete with five miles of all-weather and mountain biking trails for all levels of riders. With both Chicago and Indianapolis just a stone’s throw away, locals even have access to every possible big-box store and other modern resources virtually on their doorsteps.

Owning a home here also remains affordable, despite relative scarcity. For this reason, affordable housing is one of the EDC’s priorities. The median annual wage is $56,000; the standard household income is around $104,000.

More rural options for those seeking short commutes but the benefits of a small-town feeling are coming to Thorntown, and Jamestown has an estimated 300 new homes available soon. “This is not just happening in our large communities; we are trying to work with those municipalities to make sure that they are positively impacted by the growth as well,” says Kern.

Public transportation is another priority, and getting around is made easier with the Big Four Rail Trail running through the LEAP district, connecting people from Thorntown to Zionsville and with stops in Whitestown and Lebanon.

Boone County also has connections to IndyCar racing with its Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team’s headquarters in Zionsville, which saw significant investments in 2022. Another well-known sports facility, alongside the Farmers Bank Fieldhouse, is a national attraction and home to the Little League Central Region Complex in Whitestown, where visitors flock from across the Midwest to attend sports events. Of course, all event visitors bring their spending power to the area’s restaurants, hotels, and other guest establishments, dollars that have a far-reaching ripple effect throughout the county.

True to its mandate, Boone EDC continues to focus on growing and maintaining the county’s economic landscape. As part of this mission, Niblick has completed three business retention and expansion visits since starting in March. “Boone EDC has decided to really focus on and foster this. Being able to retain and help businesses with a proven track record that are already in our community, who have invested in their infrastructure here, is a huge win when you’re talking about economic development,” she says. Ensuring that such businesses have everything they need to thrive and feel supported is, therefore, at the core of much of the EDC’s work.

Whether that means helping businesses negotiate their utility costs or supporting workforce transportation issues with the help of the Central Indiana Regional Transportation System, the EDC team leverages every partnership it has to fulfill its role. In the process, the EDC considers its partnerships with key contributors such as the various Boone County and Zionsville Chambers, Community Foundation of Boone County, and others as crucial to its long-term viability. “The leadership in Boone County is in alignment with the goals that we have for the future that we see here. And that means that we’re all supportive of one another,” Kern adds.

The EDC also collaborates with Main Street organizations like the Heart of Lebanon, Jamestown Partnership, and Main Street Zionsville to build and maintain healthy small businesses that uphold lively downtown areas. Bustling with markets, public events, and other fun activities, the county is described by Niblick as a place that sticks to you, but where one is never stuck—a county full of lively activity, promise, and outstanding service provision.

And while residents have had to be patient with a high volume of construction, the sacrifice is paying off as the county grows its assets and infrastructure in ways that provide an ever-improving standard of living for all. Additionally, these expansion works have fueled the local economy and added increased demand for dining, housing, and everyday goods.

With its LEAP District still under construction and bursting at the seams with recognized names in pharma, technology, and other key sectors, this phenomenal new local resource holds tremendous promise for Boone County. While forecasts suggest it will take around three decades to develop this property to its full capacity, Kern estimates that the first real returns will provide benefits over the next five years.

Taking the county forward, the EDC is clear that this is no one-man show. “Economic development really is a team sport in Boone County. The success that we’ve seen is really driven by those strong relationships that we have with a number of organizations, such as the Boone County Chamber of Commerce and the Community Foundation of Boone County,” Kern observes. As a result, through full life-cycle support and all the networking needed to keep them running at full speed, businesses continue to boom in Boone County.

The post Booming and Proud of It<p class="company">Boone County, Indiana</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

As a modern, future-focused operation, Altro comprises three packaging-related companies as part of a single group of family businesses: Altro Labels, CanCorr, and Norlands Box Company. While the company is still relatively young, this works in its advantage as it embraces cutting-edge technologies, making this team faster and more nimble than many of its competitors.

Taking change in its stride, the global economic fluctuations of the past decade have served the group well. As the sudden rise in demand for paper packaging during the e-commerce boom in the pandemic years fueled tremendous growth, it became the company’s most lucrative period to date—one that contributed to long-term fiscal stability.

The team at Altro has always kept a close eye on its market, and with its early years providing sufficient opportunity to thoroughly study the pre-pandemic market, it quickly became clear that what was needed in the local area was corrugated paper packaging products and reliable supply chain processes. Requiring a significant investment, Altro Industries Inc. responded to the market gap with state-of-the-art corrugator equipment, establishing a sheet feeder facility that became CanCorr. CanCorr’s 100,000-square-foot facility was completed in 2022.

The new company went into operation with full velocity, bringing novel offerings to market, which garnered it the loyal following of many smaller companies needing smaller packaging batches. “In six months, we filled up one capacity. Now, we’re sitting at about 80 percent capacity at CanCorr, running in three shifts,” says Baha Naemi, Co-founder and Managing Partner.

But this was just the beginning. Based in Surrey, British Columbia, the Naemi family’s next outfit, Norlands Box Company, followed in quick succession. Complete with an in- and outbound sales team, this company turns CanCorr’s corrugated paper into boxes. It helped the group go from humble beginnings to employing more than 150 team members in a total of 300,000 square feet. In the process, the company’s team has truly become a family.

As a result, Naemi is open about the realities of needing trustworthy people. “The only reason we were able to grow was because of our employees and being able to identify similar-minded people who are looking at growth, especially in a country and in an industry that’s not known to be very aggressively growth-minded,” he says.

Thanks to this future-forward approach, Altro’s integrated team and strategic investments enabled the company to meet the paper packaging market at the right angle at the right time—when many large corporations in the industry lacked service delivery and diversity. In meeting this need, the group also changed the overall landscape of corrugated paper packaging in Canada for the better.

As the country is considered a comparatively small market on a global scale, super-sized North American paper mills traditionally divided the local geography. In the process, their Canadian clientele was roughly divided into East and West North America, requiring large orders to be considered for product and service partnerships with them.

Altro changed all that when it started serving regional box converters and independent Canadian businesses with paper packaging products in smaller quantities to suit their business demands, serving everyone from manufacturers to supermarkets. The success of the approach is evident in its output.

As an operator that runs only full trucks from its facilities, Altro dispatches around 50 containers of paper packaging in a given 24-hour cycle, supporting Canadian businesses all the way. “We utilize local distribution, and we try to use as many Canadian trades and Canadian partners as possible as well as a Canadian supply chain,” Naemi tells us.

While lucrative, this trade is not without its challenges. Paper mills are one of them. As a result of having no paper mill in Western Canada, Altro is pursuing the possibility of investing in such infrastructure once its operations are ready to handle the addition of another facility, either fully or partially.

Beyond the paper mill challenge, however, future markets look promising. With as many as 70 percent of the brands it supplies demanding fully recycled paper packaging, the industry is alive and well—a trend set to continue. Based on the well-managed balance Canada strikes between deforestation and reforestation, Naemi’s forecast is positive.

“Quite honestly, environmentally, [recycled paper packaging] makes more sense than plastics or anything else that they’re coming up with as alternatives to plastics, because wood is not going anywhere,” he confirms. It is this dynamic that made the industry a worthy investment opportunity for the Naemi family in the first place.

Looking at how the industry is unfolding and evolving today, this visionary leader sees artificial intelligence (AI) as a game changer for the corrugated paper packaging industry. His take on the fear of workforce replacement is perhaps best described as pragmatic. “If you’re worried about AI replacing you, then you have to be the one who is a proponent of AI in your own department, no matter what you do,” he says. “What that does is it gives you the knowledge base of what you can do to improve your own scope of activities,” he highlights, advising staff members to turn AI into a tool to enhance their performance rather than replace them. This strategy, he advises, creates an environment wherein a company’s leadership is unable to replace proactive individuals with technology.

As a result, such technologies are employed to improve overall efficiency by streamlining logistics, scheduling, machine learning, and other functions. To fine-tune its approach, the company is partnering with university departments to develop custom algorithms to refine its processes.

Naemi is a big proponent of family businesses—especially around midlife when maturity makes it easier to put things into perspective while improving people’s natural ability to lead. This appears to be a strategy leveraged by many successful businesses. “Not many people know that more than 50 percent of Fortune 500 companies are still family-controlled. And that means there’s huge potential in running a family business,” he says.

Naemi ascribes the success of family businesses to common goals, shared visions, and highly functional leadership processes that stand in stark contrast to those often found in standard corporate environments, where it is not uncommon for members to lose sight of their common goals. For him, running a firm alongside siblings means streamlined, integrated decision-making and better-controlled bottom lines. Both are considered imperative aspects of any successful manufacturing operation.

While the group continues exporting 50 percent of its products to the United States, recent geopolitical shifts have turned local market psychology toward renewed economic expansion. As a result, the corrugated paper industry has also shifted. Altro is proof that recently implemented tariffs have strengthened how Canadians view locally manufactured goods and services, and Naemi reports that this dynamic has brought entrepreneurs together in new ways to develop improved economic outcomes with a long-term vision.

Considering British Columbia and Alberta’s comparatively small economies, these leaders know that simply placing value on numbers is no good if their businesses are to remain in stride with the market. Therefore, the company considers the greater economic climate of its own ecosystem of companies in relation to their abilities and resources. The approach has allowed Altro to develop uncanny agility within its market, adapting at impressive speed to its customers’ needs and demands.

At Altro, the renewed growth mindset of the nation is further reflected and supported by its staff, many of whom are immigrants like its owners, who moved to Canada from Iran nearly three decades ago. Canada’s potential has always been a motivating force behind the family’s and the team’s aspirations to create a better future for all, and this sense of altruism appears to naturally attract employees who share a similar mindset. For that reason, the company supports its people in finding and securing good housing and schools, ensuring that the families connected to it are well established and cared for.

Moreover, team members receive generous incentives for pursuing personal growth and furthering their education. By ensuring that its employees, systems, and facilities perform at optimal efficiency and by removing the complexities and cost of American imports, Altro provides its Canadian partners with stability and predictability alongside top-quality corrugated paper packaging they can count on.

For the same reason, the group considers itself a respectful competitor to legitimate Canadian businesses in the same market. “We are very respectful of genuine businesses that are not owned by private equity firms in the market just making some quick money and passing it on to the next private equity,” Naemi points out. “Any business that is looking at building an actual long-term business in British Columbia, we are very cordial with,” he continues. The reason is simple: many of Altro’s competitors are also its customers, making for a genuinely amicable business environment where healthy competition and mutual support help create a vibrant trade environment.

Proud of what the company has achieved in a market where prices of everything from commodities to real estate are currently inflated, competition is rife, and human resources are sparse, Altro Industries Inc. is a shining example of what is possible when a company commits to long-term success with resilience and watertight economic contingency plans. Now, its strategy for continued success includes further growing its presence in the Western Canadian paper packaging sector to secure its future plans over the next two to three decades.

Maintaining its loyalty to local communities, the company aims to expand its presence, particularly in British Columbia and Alberta, while cultivating its market share in the United States. In the process, it is exploring possibilities in procuring the services of a local paper mill, either as part of its own portfolio or through partnership, as most of the paper pulp produced in Western Canada is still exported. In establishing its own operations, Altro’s goal would be to keep pulp in the country for its own use. As Naemi says, “That will give us assurance that the business can stay for a long time to come.”

The post Agility, Speed, Capability: Paper Packaging on the Move<p class="company">Altro</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

After 115 years of helping to connect Canadians by forging premium, mission-critical transmission, distribution, and communication infrastructure and hardware, Slacan Industries Inc. has built a fine reputation for excellence and trustworthiness. The company has achieved this through commitment, reliability, tight quality control, and in-house fabrication, producing even its smallest parts in its own facility.

Standing apart
Here, product longevity and resilience guide a daily mission to be Canada’s best in its industry. As a result, continuous investment in technology has brought Slacan’s count of next-generation machinery to 10 units—and that number is growing. During a recent visit of around 20 engineers, all from a prospective client company, the company’s value proposition once again became as clear as ever. The longevity of its products and its capabilities speak for themselves.

Slacan Industries is not only known for service and hardware excellence, however. The company is also the proud owner of a vast cache of historic dies and hardware worth a few million dollars, which it maintains to continue servicing older infrastructure. In the process, the team serves most of Canada’s largest utility providers through distribution partners; some have been customers for the past half-century, while another giant served by Slacan is Bell, one of Canada’s leading telecommunications providers. And with in-house processes including Steel Forging, Hot & Cold Stampings, and Casting, among others, the team is able to serve a variety of other markets as well, including OEM, Agricultural, and Mining.

The company is in fact so robust in its capabilities that it asks clients removing spent parts from their old infrastructure—anywhere from 30 to 70 years old—to return worn parts to Slacan’s factory for in-depth study and further product development and improvement. With fully-fledged engineering design and product engineering teams, the company takes both pride and pleasure in improving on earlier designs, and with a collection of around 30,000 products, it receives requests to reproduce about 10,000 of these annually.

While it is common amongst competitors to source raw materials, engineering, and fabrication from foreign suppliers, Slacan is proud to source most of its raw materials for forging on Canadian soil. Because here, price and product are not the only important considerations. Slacan’s legacy, quality, generational knowledge, and product guarantees are as much a part of its value proposition as its engineering prowess, and these attributes are not necessarily the case when working with offshore facilities.

Service above all
Located in a 200,000-square-foot facility on a 14-acre property in Brantford, Ontario, with both Toronto, Ontario and Buffalo, New York just 70 miles away, Slacan Industries is perfectly situated to serve customers across an impressive footprint. Serving the breadth of Canada from coast to coast, its superpower resides in having developed the foundational elements of many of these service providers’ hardware components itself.

Trading in this industry at such a high level is an expensive endeavour, however, as many of the tools needed to maintain such lines cost in the region of $30,000 to $40,000. For this reason, Slacan historically outsourced its large tooling while making its own smaller tools. But that recently changed when it invested in acquiring the appropriate equipment to become self-sufficient in all its tooling needs. Now, when customers call in with the name of a broken line under its care, replacing old hardware with new hardware—no matter how long ago it was installed—has become significantly easier.

Once, when a client called in to request repairs on towers that collapsed under six inches of ice during an extreme weather event, the team was able to go back to its records, find the original part designs, and then locate the dies in its die store. “They had helicopters landing on our 14 acres here to pick up parts because they were so desperate. There was no power there at all,” shares Director of Sales and Marketing, Tom Lepera. “We’re not just here to sell; we’re more of a partner. We take the good with the bad,” he adds, describing the company’s approach to loyalty.

Lepera notes that some clients arrive with requests for small-volume, high-cost component fabrication. Fulfilling such orders is expensive, but the company takes the work on anyway, even when it takes four to five hours to set up the machines needed to fabricate the parts. This is just one way in which it demonstrates its commitment to its customers’ success.

A top team
Of course, none of this would be possible without the people behind its success. “We have a tremendous amount of respect for our people as we realize how hard they work in our factory, especially as temperatures get hot and they are working in a very hot forging environment with very heavy steel parts,” Lepera says. For this reason, the company has invested in exoskeletons to minimize physical fatigue for team members stationed at its forging hammers. As this is a heavy and laborious industry, Slacan ensures that the team’s health and safety are protected as much as possible in the workplace by maintaining high standards.

It also honours legacy staff. To this end, the company took the opportunity to invite a number of former team members who had been retired for some time on a tour to show them its latest transformation. Most of them had started working for the company 50 years before the major overhaul, which, of course, now includes extensive automation and robotics.

“It was thanks to them as the pioneers that led the way to perfecting the quality and operation of our processes that led us to build what we have today,” Lepera says, noting how much the company’s owner also appreciated the letter of thanks that followed their visit.

The road ahead
With roads and other infrastructure being installed to service Canada’s Ring of Fire, the famous mineral-rich area in James Bay’s lowlands of Northern Ontario, Slacan will be providing poleline hardware to which it also holds the patents.

Moreover, as the demand for utilities drives U.S. companies to reach out to poleline hardware fabricators in Canada, Slacan Industries is ready to expand its presence across the border. Currently, the projected expansion includes a possible new fabrication facility in the Chicagoland area. The strategy will allow for U.S.-made products alongside its existing Canadian-made ranges to serve a wider audience.

The time is ripe for such expansion; the past few years have seen Slacan making significant capital investments, bringing its collection of large, updated automation machines to about 10. Preparing for the inevitable has meant tripling its capacity over the past half-decade and securing supply chains.

“We will continue to make huge investments in equipment and people as well as alternate facilities to support our growth in both Canada and the USA,” Lepera tells us. “There is and will continue to be huge projects across North America in the next 15 years with electrical infrastructure of 340KV to 765KV, which will put massive demand on all products associated with transmission towers and our high-quality hardware,” he continues. Such Extra-High Voltage (EHV) infrastructure is responsible for minimal energy loss when transmitting large volumes of electricity over impressive expanses of land.

By positioning itself as a high-quality engineer and fabricator serving the critical utilities market across the United States and Canada, Slacan Industries is committed to remaining relevant in the high-voltage market over the next century. Once prospective customers visit its facilities and understand the level of long-term quality and top safety standards its products provide, any quibbling about price goes out the window. And a new customer walks in the door.

The post Forging Bonds: Hardware Solutions for Canada and the United States<p class="company">SLACAN Industries Inc.</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

With European origins tracing back to the 13^th century, casinos have evolved significantly from their humble beginnings in the private apartments of Venetian nobles. These early “casini” were discreet spaces for both social gatherings and gambling, a practice typical of the maritime Republic at the time. Wealthy British youths on their 17^th and 18^th-century Grand Tours described these establishments as hotbeds of secret rendezvous and social maneuvering. In a city where discretion was paramount—except concerning the ruling government—the elite amassed significant debts in exotic coffee houses, their identities masked and anonymous.

In Anna Miller’s 1777 Letters from Italy, she describes the casinos as “small houses of one or two rooms on a floor… It is the fashion here for every person of distinction to have one casino at least, and very frequently more: they have little pleasure in inhabiting their palaces, which are really uncomfortable, and by the plans and dimensions rendered extremely melancholy.” This firsthand account highlights why these small social hubs attracted patrons and why they have endured.

In contrast to the exclusive circles of the past, modern commercial casinos reflect the sophistication of today’s middle-class society. While socializing remains a key attraction, the motivations have become more subdued compared to earlier eras. With amenities like restaurants, spas, and swimming pools, contemporary casinos offer a luxurious experience, arguably drawing more parallels to ancient Roman bathhouse complexes than to the intimate Venetian party houses of old.

Beyond mere entertainment for the elite, today’s casinos play a crucial role in the economic independence of many communities. Casinos are significant employers in both the U.S. and Canada, offering a wide range of job opportunities, from dealers to hospitality staff, security personnel, and back-end operations. Casinos also create myriad indirect jobs, boosting local economies by increasing demand for services in areas such as transportation, retail, and food and beverages.

Certainly, casinos also play a pivotal role in the tourism sector. “Iconic establishments such as Casino Niagara, Casino de Montréal, and River Rock Casino Resort attract millions of visitors each year,” the Montreal Guardian reports. “These visitors not only spend money at the casinos but also contribute to the local economy by staying in hotels, dining at restaurants, and shopping in local stores. Events and entertainment shows hosted by casinos further enhance their appeal as tourist destinations, drawing international visitors and boosting local tourism revenues.”

This is particularly evident in the number of casinos owned by First Nations. The Snuneymuxw First Nation’s development division, for instance, recently invested in Richmond, British Columbia’s River Rock Casino, the largest of its kind in the region. This business model demonstrates strong potential for long-term returns, which can be reinvested into youth programs and community development. CBC News reported that eight casinos in the vicinity were sold to First Nations groups, with the Snuneymuxw acquiring five. Among these, the transactions for Elements Casino Victoria and Casino Nanaimo are reportedly complete.

Casinos provide First Nations with economic freedom and self-reliance, improving opportunities for future generations in ways previously unimaginable. According to Yale Belanger, a political science professor at the University of Lethbridge, casinos represent significant long-term economic power for these communities, especially given existing political and regulatory constraints. “The Indian Act still has an incredible level of influence over how a local community is able to develop,” Belanger told CBC. “It involves the government getting involved; it drags out processes that can ultimately deter investors from sinking money into projects.” First Nations often face challenges establishing casinos on reservations; thus, acquiring existing businesses allows them to overcome bureaucratic hurdles.

Despite predictions of online gambling capturing a significant market share, the economic outlook for brick-and-mortar casinos remains positive. The Snuneymuxw Nation’s ownership of five casinos illustrates this. Projected 2024/2025 total revenues include approximately $251,974,000 for River Rock Casino Resort, $140,506,000 for Great Canadian in Vancouver, $80,852,000 for Elements Victoria, $43,614,000 for Nanaimo, and $29,849,000 for Chances Maple Ridge. These figures underscore why casino ownership is a robust strategy for Nations seeking to build better futures after centuries of disenfranchisement.

The Globe and Mail reported another significant acquisition on March 30^th of this year. Pure Casino Entertainment LP made a $282-million offer to purchase GameHost Inc., a publicly traded company with a substantial gaming and hospitality portfolio. This acquisition is partially funded by the $200-million sale of four Alberta properties to an American firm, with the ownership linked to Nova Scotia-based First Nations: Annapolis Valley First Nation, Millbrook First Nation, Glooscap First Nation, Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation, and We’koqma’q L’nue’kati.

The earnings generated by these enterprises have yielded widespread benefits. This year alone, the Cherokee Nation in the United States gifted $7.26 million to 107 school districts. Similarly, communities in Saskatchewan can access grants from casino profits for social, senior, cultural, and other local development initiatives.

While gambling has presented challenges, including struggles for smaller rural casinos and concerns about addiction, the Canadian government is actively reevaluating First Nations gaming rights. In February, The Honourable Tracy Muggli, Senator from Saskatchewan, considered Bill S-241, introduced by Senator Scott Tannas. This bill proposes amending the Criminal Code and the Indian Act, aligning with Call to Action 92 from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The final outcomes remain uncertain. Nevertheless, First Nations casinos have become an integral part of the Canadian entertainment landscape.

Though a far cry from their origins in 17^th-century Venice, these businesses now contribute significantly to the country’s economy and entertainment landscape. More importantly, their evolution reflects a broader shift in purpose, from exclusive enclaves of leisure and secrecy to dynamic engines of opportunity, investment, and cultural renewal. For many First Nations, in particular, casino ownership represents not just financial gain but a pathway toward greater autonomy, resilience, and long-term community well-being. As regulatory frameworks continue to evolve and the balance between digital and in-person gaming finds its footing, brick-and-mortar casinos appear poised to remain relevant, grounded not only in their rich history but in their capacity to adapt and deliver meaningful benefits to their communities.

The post Winning Big<p class="company">Casinos’ Historic Origins and Modern Impacts</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Cross-county collaboration, administrative efficiency, and attractive tax abatements all make Trumbull County a desirable location for new businesses and legacy names looking to relocate to an affordable, business-friendly environment.

Thanks to outstanding accessibility, quality infrastructure, and a well-respected workforce, Trumbull County has paved the way for continued robust industrial expansion. As one of the area’s most active growth acceleration drivers, the Trumbull County Planning Commission collaborates with a host of partners to build positive change and prosperity.

With the Mahoning River as the life-giving force of this freshly up-and-coming region in Northeast Ohio, Trumbull County’s population is well supported by the bounty of nature. Statistics showed around 202,000 residents in 2020, with an estimated 27,000 children of school-going age spread across the 22 school districts of 24 townships, five cities, and six villages. To ensure that children have the futures they dream of, the quality of education is maintained under the watchful eye of the Trumbull County Educational Service Center. And thanks to concerted efforts to regenerate good future prospects, the population has seen its first growth since the 1970s over the past two years.

But not all the county’s arrivals are new. Many are folks who are returning to their home county after leaving as youngsters in search of better prospects. A part of the Youngstown–Warren OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, it is common to see familiar faces who left years ago coming home to share in the success of a county that is overcoming past economic hardships one new venture at a time.

Regardless of economic tides, Trumbull County has always been rich in natural resources. Thanks to significant iron ore and coal deposits, and despite an industry crash in the late 1970s, this remains steel country. As such, the county has played an important role in the national gross domestic product through its presence in the automotive industry.

Trumbull County was part of the Connecticut Western Reserve with Warren, Ohio, the County seat, being the Historic Capital of the Western Reserve. The county’s steel industry played a pivotal role in America’s national war efforts during World War II. “We were one of the largest steel manufacturing areas in the world and supported the war effort,” Coggins says.

Back then, the resulting industrial soot that settled on everything from trees to porches became known as “pay dirt” in recognition of the economic security the money earned from steel afforded the county and its people. Its glory days continued until the sense of security ended abruptly on Black Monday, a historic day, September 19,1977, when many factories went out of business, ending staff contracts and long legacies.

The economic hardship that followed is remembered to this day, with statistics showing up to seven people per day leaving the Mahoning Valley as recently as a decade ago. Despite this dark time in the county’s history, its steel industry remains strong now with big names like Liberty Steel Industries, Vallourec, Youngstown Steel, Youngstown Tube, Wheatland Tube, and others forming the backbone of its reviving economy.

The county’s successful revitalization efforts include welcoming new businesses to the region while further developing the workforce. It is also transforming brownfield properties into viable income generators with the support of JobsOhio and Lake to River. Together, the partners also develop bespoke incentives for new and existing businesses, driving prosperity and building the population.

There are also zoning-related tax incentives that businesses investing in improvements can benefit from. Moreover, in an effort to improve capital expenditure burdens for investors, qualifying newly built commercial and industrial structures stand to garner tax abatements spread over a decade. “Tax increment financing is specifically done when you have infrastructure needs,” Coggins confirms.

Other partners include, but are not limited to, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, Trumbull Couty Land Bank, Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, the Board of Trumbull County Commissioners, the Western Reserve Port Authority, and the Business Resource Network, a job and family services coalition supporting new arrivals and existing businesses in procuring staff and resources while providing expansion support. In the process, professional teams from different agencies and departments partner to identify and secure the funding necessary to clean and restore brownfields that formerly housed steel mills and other high-impact industrial businesses.

Trumbull County’s affordable housing market and the quality of life provided by its ample amenities like beautiful parks and trails mean that some residents choose to live here while working in nearby counties. To accommodate everyone, “Our office actively goes after community development block grant funds and works with our land banks to try to improve our housing stock,” Coggins says.

The county’s tourism office is equally motivated, bringing new visitors into the area who often become residents. “We want to make this a place where people not only come to get a paycheck, but they want to live, they want to stay, and they want to bring their families. Our tourism bureau does a fantastic job putting out marketing material to attract people not just to visit, but to visit and then find a reason to stay,” he adds.

Beyond good schools and affordability, another of Trumbull County’s greatest draws is the number of authentic dining experiences the region offers. From Arabic food to its Italian Food Trail, the place is packed with genuinely good food cooked by restaurateurs from a range of nations.

Other innovative businesses have made a name for themselves as local landmarks. One of these is Past Times Arcade in Girard, which opened in a former grocery store. This open-range, all-day gaming arcade, with over 600 pinball machines, offers 1,041 games from across the decades at around a $20 entrance fee for unlimited fun—an achievement that landed it in the Guinness Book of World Records. It has proven to be a national favorite with visitors arriving from across the country. Past Times has proven so popular with young and old alike, it will celebrate its third anniversary on June 1^st this year.

Significant investments have also been made in developing the Museum of Science Fiction & Fantasy Arts (MoSFA) in Warren. The museum was co-founded by John Zabrucky, a Hollywood prop master who decided to make his collection of more than 500 original high-tech props accessible to the public when he returned to his hometown. The museum is being established in partnership with the Trumbull County Historical Society.

Community development efforts are also proving fruitful with the arrival of new employers. Among these, the county recently welcomed a data center manufacturing plant and a 592,000-square-foot Kimberly-Clark distribution center, an enterprise that could soon employ up to 500 people. Investments are also being made in climate protection with economic development incentives secured by Trumbull County Planning Commission. TJX’s HomeGoods also recently brought more than 1,500 new jobs to the region.

Then there is Foxconn EV System LLC, which took over GM’s former Lordstown fabrication complex, hailing back to the days of Packard, an automobile fabricator that operated from 1899 to 1956. Despite GM’s replacing Packard many decades ago, the county still pays homage to its pioneer fabricator at the National Packard Museum in Warren. Intricately intertwined with the Trumbull community, GM leaves deep footprints in the collective memory. Having indicated plans for creating a considerable number of new jobs, Foxconn is likely to expand the facility’s existing footprint.

As planning professionals, Coggins and his team are well-versed in assisting developers across the county in easing legal and municipal processes, as each township, city, and village has a unique set of laws and rules to abide by. “We’re familiar with those people and we actively attend our township trustees’ associations, our city mayor’s association,” says Coggins. “They know us, and we can work with them and help ease that transition.”

Cross-entity collaboration does not end here. Trumbull County is known for its townships’ partnering with cities for the purpose of economic development. The resulting capital improvement plans are typically run on money from taxes paid by local investors in economic development districts, instead of being funneled into general city funds. “The Tax Increment Financing (TIF) focuses on property tax, while the Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) is derived from income tax. It makes sites more attractive, because now we have this improvement plan, and the taxes that you’re paying anyway are going to pay for major improvements needed for your facilities,” Coggins explains.

Enabled by the Ohio Revised Code, the system appears to be most popular in the state’s south around Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton. “We’ve started using it to try to help our development, help our growth, because it’s been successful in the south.” By using the income tax from local labor, such areas can provide large businesses like Kimberly-Clark with quality infrastructure. “We are already looking at improving multiple roads, and that facility hasn’t even opened yet. We’re just using the income tax dollars from the construction workers,” Coggins continues.

Trumbull County’s efforts are a proud continuation of the county’s industrial legacy. Its busiest industrial area, the Golden Triangle Industrial Area, was a result of the industrial revolution and the area’s powerful steel and manufacturing capabilities. The area has been evolving since the 1900s—organically and out of necessity. Today, Golden Triangle offers what Coggins refers to as “the largest primary metal manufacturing subsector in the state of Ohio.” As a result, it still offers well-paying employment despite historic setbacks.

The natural outcome of these extensive reinvigoration strategies is an improving housing market, with new development breathing life into an area where homes are typically older. Four new developments by the same company have seen new lots in individual development complexes become available for purchase in Girard and Niles, while three more developers are also doing business here. Another project is entirely sold out in Howland Township, while a sister project in Liberty Township is halfway sold. With grant money awarded by the state and the Housing and Urban Development Authority, new infrastructure is being installed for each new residential settlement.

Securing $15.5 million in grant funds for industrial, urban, and community regeneration, site and infrastructure improvements, and low-cost housing between 2020 and 2023, this formidable team of seven, working alongside partners like the Port Authority (which provides capital leases), JobsOhio (which provides funds from the state), the regional council of governments, and others, continues to fight the good fight. And, as it scouts for more supply chain partners and other operators to settle here as tourism also expands, the Trumbull County Planning Commission’s message is clear.

As Coggins says, “Trumbull County is open for business. We have a team of professionals that is going to find you whatever we can to make your projects move forward.”

The post Steel Roots, New Horizons<p class="company">Trumbull County Planning Commission</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Out of Michigan’s 1,240 townships and 275 cities, Canton ranks as the ninth-largest municipality and second-largest township. Canton Township Supervisor, Anne Marie Graham-Hudak, explains that as Canton has around 100,000 residents, it is ranked as a township, and so its municipality provides the level of service one would expect from a large metropolitan area. That includes having independent and fully-fledged fire and police departments, while maintaining a township management structure where a supervisor replaces the position of mayor, supported by a treasurer, clerk, and trustees, rather than councilors, as one would typically see in the management structures of cities.

Canton’s biggest employers are the healthcare and automotive industries, which support a thriving middle class keeping three school districts alive and growing. With an annual median income of $107,000, the township outperforms national averages on a number of statistics, including its below-average unemployment rate. While many businesses and industries drive its prosperity, Ford remains one of its greatest anchors, both economically and socially.

The Township’s strong Chamber of Commerce also contributes to its robust workforce and favorable business conditions, especially as the Chamber supports local municipal leaders in keeping community ties and the economy strong. In terms of its economic strengths, Canton is also easily accessible from other parts of the country via I-275 and is just 15 minutes from Detroit Metro Airport.

Many companies have headquarters based here, including Yazaki, NxLite, Professional Pump, voxeljet America, and E-XTEQ USA; however, many Canton residents work in downtown Detroit due to its proximity. As industrial outfits and the retail sector continue growing, local authorities are collaborating with the South Michigan Transit Authority (SMART) to extend the public transportation infrastructure to facilitate Canton’s residents, visitors, and employees.

Canton is also known for its hospitality and welcoming attitude toward all, especially those in need of protection. To this end, it is proactive in ensuring everyone has food on the table through its local food banks, and city officials don’t hesitate to present their cases at a higher level when necessary to secure grant funding for important causes such as creating care facilities for abused children. Local businesses—especially restaurants—are also well-known for their philanthropy.

Thanks to its demographic mix, Canton’s food scene could, quite fairly, be compared to a foodie paradise, but that is not the only aspect that makes this township different. It also hosts a popular annual LGBTQ pride festival and takes special care of the wellbeing of its youth by keeping them meaningfully engaged in healthy activities and projects. Canton’s parks and recreation department, for instance, hires around 200 high school students annually—all of whom are mentored and trained in maintenance and other useful skills, while contributing to their community.

Naturally, children in Canton learn about diversity from a young age, with 6,300 children speaking a combined 66 languages and dialects. This is a place where hospitality and progressive values are more than taglines. Instead, local government has made it an official mandate for its teams to familiarize themselves with the customs and cultural norms that should be considered and respected when engaging with locals from the many faiths and cultures represented here.

Canton’s sense of inclusion is the result of a 20-year commitment toward consciously facilitating meaningful change. “When you look at the rest of the world and all of the issues that are happening between some of these faiths or cultures, I think Canton is like a model to show how we can all live together in peace and how we should live together in peace,” Graham-Hudak says. To mark this achievement, three years ago a peace pole was installed exemplifying Canton’s mission, with ‘Peace on Earth’ in 13 of its major languages written on it.

Indeed, its absolute freedom of faith is one of the area’s most appealing features as Sikh, Hindu, Christian, Muslim, and many other faiths are represented and supported by one another here. One example is an innovative new bakery in Cherry Hill Village, SAJ, home to delectable Lebanese fare, which serves customers until 3 a.m. to accommodate those observing Ramadan. “The owner, Hussein Siblini, does such a nice job, and it’s a beautiful store. He spared no expense on the finishes,” says Jon LaFever, Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Services.

Despite its size, Canton has never really had a downtown area. However, Canton has a vibrant Ford Road District, a 3-mile commercial area maintained by the Downtown Development Authority, where statisticians have identified traffic from as many as 30,000 vehicles per hour across 22 intersections. It is not surprising, then, that nearly every large chain and restaurant imaginable, including Swedish furniture giant IKEA, can be found here. Interestingly, this same store has brought with it an unexpected destination element that Canton is only too pleased with.

The township also enjoys the annual Liberty Fest, which sees thousands of visitors each summer and boasts carnival rides, midway games, live entertainment, marketplace vendors, a food truck rally, the annual Liberty Run, and more. Liberty Fest this year will be held on June 18, 19, and 20 in Heritage Park.

As Ford Road feeds into Canton’s major shopping area and Michigan Avenue at the southern part of its commercial district ultimately connects Detroit and Chicago, Canton often boasts more than one branch of a big chain; in such a comparatively small community, this is evidence of its popularity as a commercial tourist destination. This road has also been the focus of the Michigan Avenue Innovation Network (MAIN), a technology corridor stretching from Detroit to Canton.

The MAIN will also be used as a tool to maintain the integrity of the commercial endeavors in the area by focusing on clean industries. “We’re looking at the MAIN as a way to positively increase and enhance our communities,” says LaFever.

Since many people recognize these advantages and the wide variety of real estate on offer, growth has been consistent. Years ago, Canton Township went from a community of around 35,000, when development was on the rise in the ’90s, to its current booming population that lives across six square miles. The speed of Canton’s growth has taught its leaders to think on their feet, making them responsive, efficient, and resilient change makers. Over time, as everywhere else in the United States, some areas developed in more economically conducive ways than others. Now, thanks to a welcome cash injection through the American Rescue Plan Act, the township has revitalized areas in need of fresh visions.

One such area is Cherry Hill Village to the west. Described as a neo-traditional development and perhaps its most popular area, this is one of Canton’s most charming places to live and play, as Cherry Hill Village was developed around the original Cherry Hill School in a beautiful, historic area now re-envisioned for modern lifestyles while maintaining its character.

The project was undertaken to regenerate the township at large. As Canton was a residential hub with lively communities but lacking a definitive downtown zone, the extensive improvements to Cherry Hill Village solve this and keep the social scene buzzing. In the process, planners are creating more places for residents to gather, joining an existing performing arts center with an active theatre that welcomes audiences from across the region nearly every day of the year.

This initiative was achieved in collaboration with a nonprofit, Partnership for the Arts and Humanities, which has been a part of the community for over 20 years. This group is now mandated to actively maintain the cultural and activity programs in a number of new spaces, including weekly concerts, yoga in the park, and myriad other events.

There is also a new farmers market pavilion that hosts over 1,000 people on Sunday mornings, where fresh produce, flowers, and delicious treats are on sale. The township also has a new town square—a lovely park right in the center of the village, opposite the theatre, where residents and visitors can enjoy each other’s company and the beauty of the setting. “The leadership here in Canton had a vision to utilize some of the Rescue Plan Act dollars to infuse into that area, to create places for people to gather and stay, give people a reason to go there and be there and spend time there,” says LaFever. An old Ford factory building—with its original wooden floors—is also being transformed into a small community center which will welcome locals and their activities seven days per week.

The result of all this meticulous planning and diligent development is growing commercial development as new businesses all want their slice of the Cherry Hill Village pie. Achieving their goals in good time, it stands to reason that the township’s management teams are proud of the achievement, with every empty plot of land accounting for a new development set to take off over the next two years or so. And the effort is getting Canton noticed, with a delegation from the National Planning Conference in Detroit booked to visit.

Against this backdrop, residents also take great pride in maintaining Canton’s heritage. Committed to preserving and sharing its history with locals, the next generation, and visitors alike, the Historic Society maintains storyboards throughout the area. There are also many recreational options to choose from: apart from a generous sports complex, people can enjoy two golf courses and 10 parks that are well managed and maintained, benefitting from large investments in all of Canton’s amenities.

“These features make Canton an ideal location for people to live, work, play, and visit,” says Dr. Gavin Beckford, Economic and Downtown Development Manager.

Moreover, Canton is undertaking a project that will see the creation of a portal that identifies parcels of real estate eligible for possible redevelopment, aiming to optimize the area’s use of land and infrastructure while helping property owners earn more from their investments. “Canton is also open to considering specific tax incentive vehicles, which can then attract developers who are seeking opportunities,” Beckford explains. The overhaul will include ensuring that every area has strong internet connectivity and other services that support robust economic frameworks.

There is no doubt, the area has momentum. Looking at the many plans in place in Canton, one thing is clear: as the economic landscape continues shifting, Canton Township and its remarkable people continue to meet change with the same sense of welcome with which they meet one another.

The post Real Peace, True Progress<p class="company">Canton Township, Michigan</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Over the past six decades, Atlas Technologies has proven itself in innovative global die change equipment with automated cart technology that is reliable, durable, and prioritizes safety. Today, from its base in Fenton, Michigan, the company is stronger than ever.

After spending many years as a coveted industry specialist known mainly to a discerning few, the company today is increasingly respected for its fast die changers and robust die-movers that manage dies of 80 to 200 tons, plus its extensive line of equipment for sheet metal stamping and fabrication processes. It also recently reinvented its capabilities and its people, appointing a new sales accounts manager in the process. Its customer base and its teams have welcomed the improvements.

President David Hense is especially positive about the recent changes. “Since Stonebridge Technical Enterprises took Atlas over five years ago, we’ve been focusing on our internal processes and product development to make our entire product line cutting-edge for the manufacturing stamping industry,” he says.

This move not only stimulated product evolution but also contributed to the deeper development of its people. In recent years, in-depth staff education has translated into in-house training in collaboration with key manufacturers and the State of Michigan, in a decision that has proven to be tremendously valuable for the company’s continued success.

“We’re really proud of our employees; we have a nice team. They’re very flexible and knowledgeable,” Hense says, highlighting that watching employees new to the industry grow and flourish through focused education is a genuine pleasure.

Now, with its most recent overhaul complete, the company is welcoming new and returning customers alike to enjoy the results. “I’m an engineer,” Hense says, adding with a smile that the company’s new sales accounts manager is far better at marketing the company than he is. As its social media presence and press visibility continue growing, the firm is excited to welcome new trade partners and end users alike.

Not one to pepper conversations with commercial buzzwords, Hense instead leads by providing customers with top quality engineering and letting the premium work speak for itself. It is thanks to this approach that Atlas Technologies continues trading on a reputation for reliable, durable products and outstanding financial management. The company also invests in the latest technologies which ensure cutting-edge control systems that can be customized to suit customers’ needs.

Hense illustrates this customization with the example of de-stacking machines—heavy equipment used for feeding sheet metal on press lines. While it would be lovely to replicate these machines exactly for all customers, unique process needs simply do not allow this. “The product mixes and the mechanical strain that products place on equipment don’t make it practical,” he explains. Therefore, while key components are used across systems, every system is unique. “We pride ourselves on the ability to [adapt] to customer needs.”

Keeping itself at the forefront of innovation, Atlas Technologies perpetually pushes the boundaries of its field. As a result, there are a few fresh and innovative lines in its product reveal. Firstly, its FLEX Transfer collection comprises three series of front-to-back mounted, in-press servo transfers that move parts between stamping dies in a transfer press. This collection also offers two series of through-the-window-type transfer models—all five showcasing the state-of-the-art driving mechanics and control systems. This decision was based on the high performance and durability track records of these products. The company’s driving mechanics “are built on 40 years of proven methods and technologies. We didn’t reinvent the wheel when we came to the mechanical drive system,” Hense points out. “We used what works and made it better.”

The second collection—the Navigator Carts Series—features an expanded line of trackless transfer carts for transporting oversized loads such as molds, coils, and dies across fabrication facilities as well as components used in wind turbine and rail car fabrication, for instance, between assembly cells.

With the positive recent developments in reshoring fabrication, Hense is excited to see the process slowly beginning to take shape in the industry and on the company’s balance sheet as many of its clients return their press lines and other tooling operations to home soil. Alongside this shift, other operators are setting themselves up from scratch with greenfield sites, new facilities, and new staff. In many such instances, Atlas Technologies is invited to provide planning and fabrication support for the next decade or so. One recent contract with an international industry leader is especially exciting. “We’re excited to be part of the future that this global powerhouse of a company is presenting,” he says.

Recent geopolitical decisions have somewhat curbed international trade volumes while also reducing export volumes to the rest of North America, so the company’s current reach stretches primarily across the United States for now. Since the resulting economic situation has caused uncertainty for manufacturers in how they allocate their largest investments, business has, understandably, been slower in some areas than when trade and exportation were more predictable. As markets adjust, however, Hense indicates a rise in orders in recent months. He also points out that the company has been holding off on price increases despite a rise of 30 percent in the cost of automation control systems.

In the meantime, it continues to be an exciting time in the company’s history. “We’re proud to be part of people who are outfitting old manufacturing lines and updating them into new state-of-the-art systems,” Hense says of the innovation that is contributing to the health of the American fabrication industry and saving operators millions. To this end, Atlas Technologies offers tremendous value to companies with large heritage arrays like tandem lines. In such cases, its tracked cart series is especially favored. These are installed with robots mounted atop as robot transport carts that transfer components between presses along an entire line.

“When it comes time for die change, the robot carts move out of the way, and from the other side, a die cart enters in between the presses, and then you change the dies in the press line,” he explains. As there are many of these older systems throughout the United States, Atlas’s robot systems save on wasting precious long-term capital investments from years gone by.

Closer to home, the company considers its investments in its people as some of the most important it will ever make. While a previous period of training saw all its staff officially complete their Occupational Safety and Health Administration certifications due to a Going PRO Talent Fund training grant from the State of Michigan in 2024, new intakes are now completing hydraulics, electrical, programming, and other courses. Apart from appreciating his existing team, Hense is equally impressed with the company’s most recent appointments—capable, hardworking, and willing to learn, these young people give him hope for the future.

Putting its efforts into boosting sales and expanding market reach, the company continues leading with expert staff and legendary quality rooted in decades of evolution. “I’m really proud of this company. We have hard workers, and our people understand the needs of our customers,” Hense says confidently. It is indeed the company’s ability to evolve based on past experience and its drive to innovate a better future that underscores reaching the fiscal and cultural goals ahead. By continuing to navigate change better than ever before, this industry leader remains a constant of American pressroom automation.

The post Learning from History, Leading with Innovation<p class="company">Atlas Technologies</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

In the pages of history
Displaying the rich textures of local culture, the Moton Museum in Farmville occupies what was once the Robert Russa Moton High School, which gained fame as the birthplace of the student-led Civil Rights movement in 1951, when 16-year-old Barbara Rose Johns took a public stand against segregation, giving rise to a student strike that would reverberate down the years through collective American memory.

To mark this significant moment in history, the state of Virginia commissioned a statue of the brave young woman, which now stands in the Statuary Hall in Washington, DC. The museum was later nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With the majority of plaintiffs in 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education (another landmark case during the Civil Rights Movement) from Prince Edward County, the area’s legacy of commitment to equality prevails. As a friendly county known for its creativity and warmth, it has also been home to a string of glitterati, from hip hop star The Lady of Rage (Robin Yvette Allen) to admired screenwriter and filmmaker Vince Gilligan of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, to Founding Father Patrick Henry.

Today, this ACT Work Ready Community is experiencing a renewed surge in popularity, and not a moment too soon. Flush with unique assets ranging from the historical to the recreational, Prince Edward County offers variety in addition to natural beauty. In addition, buying land here remains within the reach of ordinary Americans, while the county’s welcoming attitude to new business creates an ideal economic climate for continued, sustainable growth.

Committed to quality education, the county is also home to two proud institutions of higher education, Longwood University, dating back to 1839, and Hampden-Sydney College dating back to 1775, both liberal arts colleges with the latter open only to men.

Weddings this way
Famous for its exquisite landscapes and hospitality venues alongside other amenities, Prince Edward County has carved a special niche for itself in the wedding industry. With the area providing everything couples could wish for on their big day, the sector is expanding at a healthy pace as growing numbers of former students choose to marry near their alma mater.

In addition, for the benefit of the wide selection of vendors in the region, the economic development team has partnered with the Farmville Chamber of Commerce to host an annual Bridal Expo where soon-to-be newlyweds can explore options to their hearts’ content.

Complete with an enterprise zone managed in collaboration with the Virginia Enterprise Zone program, local businesses here benefit from local incentives like reimbursement grants for job creation and property improvement, as well as tax reinvestment grants whereby certain areas of investment earn business owners welcome tax breaks—perks that a growing number of businesses are taking advantage of.

“We have been very intentional about economic development and tourism while promoting both. We’ve invested in local BRE (Business Retention and Expansion) efforts, job creation, and regional collaboration through various partnerships,” says Chelsey White, Director of Economic Development and Tourism, whose family has been here for generations. White and her team are stationed at the local visitor center, a designated marketing organization under the leadership of the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

Some of the organization’s most recent work has been in collaboration with the Virginia Heartland Regional Economic Development Alliance (VHREDA). “We foster a pro-business, solution-oriented culture from community development to economic development,” says White.

Also proud of the work his organization is doing to improve the local labor situation and provide opportunities for all communities is County Administrator Doug Stanley. This is achieved, he says, by aligning local priorities with business needs. As a result, the county vigorously fosters a healthy organizational environment, evident in its recognition in both 2025 and 2026 by Virginia Business Magazine as one of the region’s Best Places to Work out of 95 counties, cities, and towns.

Economic leadership
Prince Edward County is committed to serving the public with strong economic leadership and support through its collaborations with the Board of Supervisors and Industrial Development Authority, which provides flexibility and the confidence to lead. “From a staff resource standpoint, we bring a lot to the table to help folks navigate the development process and to investigate what kind of incentives are available,” says Stanley. The economic development team also collaborates with Longwood Small Business Development Center, helping prospective entrepreneurs in the planning phases of their business journey.

In this context, the lively downtown area’s most noteworthy anchor, Green Front Furniture, offers around a million square feet of retail space, contributing to the region’s reputation as a shopping hub for quality fare across seven surrounding counties.

Then there are the South Central Workforce Development Board (SCWDB) and the Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce, in addition to a clutch of regional and state agencies. “It’s common for us to partner on different grant applications. Sometimes it’s better for us, being smaller, rural areas, to pool our resources,” White adds.

Business at high speed
To ensure the region advances in sync with the times, the team has worked hard across numerous grant programs to make high-speed internet a reality in every area. What has now become a long-term project is expected to conclude next year. The ultimate goal is to give students improved access to online education and adults more freedom to work from anywhere.

Moreover, the reality of stable, reliable internet has also allowed the county to establish and further develop the 280-acre Heartland Innovative Technology (HIT) Park into a $3 to 4 billion hyperscale data center campus project in collaboration with Dominion Energy and AVAIO Digital, with an estimated two-year construction phase ahead.

Another new arrival, YakAttack, which moved here following a $2 million renovation by the county to ensure the firm’s future in the business district, has seen business go from strength to strength. 5 Pillar Meats has also invested multiple millions in the county, which is reaping results. Harbor Freight and Wawa are other respected operators that have planted roots.

The county also has an impressive new website, developed in collaboration with its tourism council, that brings flair to covering the region’s every amenity and activity. Moreover, the economic development team is expanding its social media presence through channels like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

A good claim to fame
Wrapped in verdant glory, Prince Edward County is famous for having the most state parks in the region, alongside incredible fishing opportunities. Interestingly, many of its recreational spaces have historic significance, with Twin Lakes State Park having perhaps the most significant history of them all.

Dating back to the pre-Civil War era, this park offers a nostalgic piece of African-American heritage in the area. “During segregation, people from all over the state would come to Twin Lakes as it was one of its kind, serving as a social hub for African-American families in the region,” White says. Generations of African-Americans have grown up with fond memories of weekends, holidays, and vacations here. Nowadays, it is a popular destination for family reunions.

One of the county’s rail-to-trail conversions, the High Bridge Trail State Park, which dates back to the Civil War, traverses Cumberland, Nottoway, and Prince Edward Counties and the towns of Burkeville, Farmville, Pamplin City, Prospect, and Rice. Popular amongst horse riders, the bridge’s elevation measures 125 meters at its highest point.

Sandy River Outdoor Adventures is another example of a business that has benefited from the economic development team’s support. Following an Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund grant, the business expanded and now offers a wide selection of activities including tipi glamping, ziplining, a whiskey and bourbon distillery, and a restaurant offering wood-fired pizzas. The Sandy River Reservoir is also known as one of the region’s hottest bass fishing spots, together with Briery Creek Lake.

Stanley, who has worked in local government for 30 years, is positive about the economic development team’s future. “Economic development brings business and brings tax base jobs that help generate funds for us to achieve the other functions of the county, whether it’s making improvements, capital improvements to improve our schools, or other services in the community. It’s an important function because it really drives growth,” he says.

White agrees, especially when it comes to developing the region’s housing provisions and evolving commercial potential. “Over the next five years, we see Prince Edward County continuing to emerge as a regional, commercial, and industrial hub while also beginning to realize the residential growth that we know the community can support,” she adds.

None of these goals come at the expense of the county’s commitment to authenticity, however. It’s plain to see that the charm of Prince Edward County is much of what makes it so attractive to so many, and safeguarding its heritage and keeping its character will see it continue to flourish for decades to come.

The post Cherishing the Beauty, Nurturing the Economy<p class="company">Prince Edward County, Virginia</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

An organically defined region, yet one of the country’s loveliest, this rural area rich in character has been described by the Brave Little State podcast as having “fuzzy edges.” Some certainties, however, include Hanover and Lebanon in New Hampshire, with its White Mountains, and Hartford and Norwich in Vermont, with its Green Mountains—all on the Appalachian Trail stretching from Maine to Georgia.

At least, these are the widely accepted facts, while another clutch of towns—the ‘in or out’ status of which is hotly debated by locals—are gathered along the outskirts. What is not debatable is the exquisite landscape carved out by the Connecticut River that defines the region—that and the Upper Valley’s bustling business scene, which is enjoying a welcome revival as of late.

A place to prosper
Education and healthcare are primary contributors to the prosperity of the region, with Dartmouth College (an Ivy League School that is the source of many local tech startups and medical research facilities) and the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center as two of the largest employers. Technology and manufacturing, logistics and services, agriculture, light manufacturing, and a lumber industry also thrive in the Upper Valley.

To maintain this lively economic ecosystem, local businesses are supported and stimulated by the Upper Valley Business Alliance (UVBA). The product of two local Chambers of Commerce merging six years ago, the organization serves around 500 businesses across the Upper Valley, taking great care to help shape each area’s business landscape according to its unique character while offering support in legislative advocacy and economic and workforce development.

The UVBA also contributes to creating and maintaining a sense of community. As the Upper Valley is fairly remote, the UVBA works hard at helping new arrivals establish their place and build comfort zones through community involvement and fun activities. Some of its groups include Upper Valley Women in Business, Upper Valley Mosaic Network, Upper Valley Young Professionals, and the Upper Valley Arts Alliance.

“We cover Vermont and New Hampshire—a kind of bi-state support which you don’t see often,” explains Morgan Brophy, President and Chief Executive Officer.

The Upper Valley three
Headed by three visionaries who each own their own business beyond their office duties, the organization is a hive of activity where problem-solving and economic regeneration meet hospitality and the type of zesty yet well-directed originality that only accomplished creatives bring. And the UVBA has three of the best.

Morgan Brophy took up her position as President and CEO in 2025, following a career as an arts administrator and producer in opera and classical music, during which she founded the Artist Relief Tree (ART) following the dire economic situation artists found themselves in during the COVID-19 crisis, raising $750,000 in mutual aid. The fund supported more than 3,000 artists globally, for which Brophy was awarded the 2020 Virginian of the Year Award. Brophy and her husband’s business, StrongRabbit Designs, supplies merchandise to nonprofits, individual artists, and small businesses looking to create additional income streams.

The region’s historic opera house, built in Lebanon in 1924, is the beautiful community hub that first drew Brophy to the area. She originally visited in her capacity as a Stage Manager for Opera North, the well-known local opera company, when she met her future husband backstage, little knowing that this would one day bring the couple back to the region to settle for good.

“Arts administration takes imagination,” Brophy says, “but also good organization. So that’s really what I contribute to the organization, to the region as a whole.” Additionally, bringing several years of administrative and nonprofit experience to her position, she combines her love of small business and community crafting with strong organizational skills to serve the people of the Upper Valley in fresh new ways.

Gordon Boddington recently joined the UVBA as Marketing and Administration Manager. He is driven by a rich talent for building connections and developing public interest in new business ventures. With a background in small business management and more than two decades securing millions of dollars in grants as part of his role in economic and community development, his wide range of skills, now being applied to building community and helping small businesses flourish, along with his skills in creating marketing campaigns that typically go viral, are being put to good use in the Upper Valley. Boddington is also the founder of the @heyuppervalley social media channel.

Nicole Follensbee, Membership Director, has been a local of the Upper Valley for the past 13 years, and is also the owner of Simply Beeutiful Events, an event and wedding planning business she established in 2021. With a bachelor’s degree in business management and an MBA from Plymouth State University, Follensbee brings nearly two decades of invaluable soft skills and expertise in the hospitality industry to her position.

Together, these three leaders offer valuable support for local businesses in need of more exposure and access to new markets. The team also provides tourist services; workforce attraction, development, and retention; and state advocacy. Moreover, it assists people moving to the region and aids in building and maintaining networks. Maintaining strong collaboration between the town management offices and planners of the four towns, the UVBA directly supports the economic and regional development commissions while weaving a fine tapestry of involvement amongst local stakeholders.

Breaking the boundaries
“This isn’t the case in every community, but for us, there is quite a bit of crossover and cross-pollination, which benefits us a lot,” Brophy says. “The town managers and planning departments have their fingers on the pulse of what’s happening in their neighborhood pockets and their downtowns.” She remarks on how well this cross-pollination works in such a large region when new businesses open, for instance. “They let me know that there’s a new business opening, or if someone is struggling, so that I can reach out.”

As a business support aid, the team also focuses on where members’ goals for gaining market share are positioned. Brophy notes that joining the Chamber of Commerce or the Regional Economic Committee means gaining access to resources that help entrepreneurs in introducing themselves to new markets.

There’s another reason, too, why the approach is proving successful in economic regeneration. “New Hampshire is one of the most tax-friendly states for businesses,” Brophy explains. “It’s a great place to have a business because there is a very low tax burden.” And, with all the burgeoning business opportunities to be filled, the UVBA’s workforce development initiatives provide plenty of opportunities and resources to make this a healthy business ecosystem worthy of exploration and investment.

Part of this work includes further development of its affordable housing and childcare infrastructure, two social issues that stand to improve the current economic landscape. “We do need more talent in this region. What we hear repeatedly is that retention comes down to housing and childcare,” she says. As an important stakeholder in local business health, addressing the ‘missing middle’ in the housing sector has become a crucial element of the UVBA’s contribution to the region’s pathfinding mission.

It’s common to find this team engaged in facilitating conversations and easing processes between large employers and local municipalities on the subject of establishing affordable housing for employees. The UVBA is also frequently involved in national conversations surrounding how different states and municipalities address childcare and learning about how they might address those same challenges in the Upper Valley. Housing and childcare are issues that directly impact the economic health of a region so the UVBA is invested in being a part of the conversation at all levels.

Beyond business
But doing good business isn’t the only reason to move to this exquisite part of the country. Brophy describes the communities of the Upper Valley as very special and the dual region as providing locals with “the best of both worlds.” Both interesting and fun, this is the place where the Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation runs an initiative called the Welcome Wagon that helps new arrivals settle in and feel at home. It is where families gather for games of glow-in-the-dark mini golf, at the new rock-climbing venue, to bike or walk the Rail Trail, or at the virtual reality escape room.

A new bar also recently opened, complete with an arcade-style doggy play park where cameras provide a live feed to the bar upstairs such that pet owners can watch their pooches on sports bar-style TV screens while enjoying a tipple with friends. And, even though the big brand names are certainly represented here, the Upper Valley is definitely a place where supporting local small businesses takes precedence.

The area also boasts a number of wonderful nonprofits doing great work; one in particular, Cover Home Repair (COVER), helps the elderly age in place by providing them, and others in need, with crucial home repairs and upgrades such as ramps and support rails.

The UVBA is committed to supporting both traditional and novel solutions—especially when it comes to shifting strategic stalemates in need of new direction. “Oftentimes, you’re not able to see action until we start participating in the conversation,” says Brophy. Herein, perhaps, lies the UVBA’s greatest contribution—bringing life and dynamism to what can otherwise easily become stagnating corners of its local enterprises and communities. The result of this support is lush crops of healthy new businesses flourishing across the area.

Now, while the UVBA remains dedicated to fulfilling its mandate of invigorating local business and caring for the overall well-being of the area, it is also revamping its own office system to ensure that it has the resources and performance power to achieve this. And so while it lays the groundwork that must anchor a host of new developments—the “sandboxes,” as Brophy puts it, where collaboration can spark new initiatives—this team understands that the Upper Valley Business Alliance must continue adding its layers of input to local businesses and local workforce creation. The organization excels at facilitating good relationships and building strong networks one season at a time—fully knowing that right now, all its hard work is helping to prepare the region for its next season of blooming.

The post Where Two States Meet to Prosper<p class="company">Upper Valley Business Alliance</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.