In fact, around two-thirds of businesses surveyed are having difficulty hiring new workers. According to the Manpower Group’s quarterly survey which covered 43 mostly Western countries, 69 percent of them are having challenges staffing positions, the highest percentage in 15 years.

Another mind-blowing statistic is the number of job openings right now. As of June, there were 826,000 unfilled positions in the American manufacturing industry. And while the pandemic is a factor in this, there were already headwinds on different fronts before COVID-19.

Changing minds
In a Deloitte survey, young people viewed manufacturing as boring and not a creative outlet. In the survey, 45 percent of respondents cited, “negative perceptions toward the manufacturing industry.”

In addition, the manufacturing industry has been seen as less inviting to women. A global study by the World Economic Forum revealed that women make up only 20 percent of the manufacturing workforce.

And these are the kind of problems that will only get worse in the future if something isn’t done now to change the direction of things. How much worse? A study by the Manufacturing Institute notes that 2.1 million jobs could go unfilled by 2030.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are steps that can be taken now. And in the competition to bring younger workers to manufacturing, certain emerging trends may converge to attract generation Z and beyond.

Computers are changing the manufacturing floor. Smart machines and digital technology are coming together in just about every aspect of the manufacturing process to deliver more efficiencies and production power than was possible before.

Data is collected from the machines to quickly and efficiently adjust the manufacturing process of its parts. The machines communicate exactly what needs attention and how to optimize output – at a speed that no human could match.

Often technology gets blamed for eliminating jobs, but advances have often led to more opportunities. In another Deloitte study, economists analyzed data over the past 144 years and found that technology has actually created more jobs than it destroyed over this time.

And this just happens to be what Gen Z workers are looking for. After all, their lives have revolved around digital tech from the day they first got their hands on mom’s smartphone.

Blue collar & new collar
The digital emphasis in the future of manufacturing is creating what Ginni Rometty, former IBM CEO, refers to as “new collar” jobs. In a 2016 Industry Week article, Rometty talks about the changing way employees and employers think about work.

“Getting a job at today’s IBM does not always require a college degree,” said Rometty. “At some of our centers in the United States, as many as one-third of employees have less than a four-year degree. What matters most is relevant skills, sometimes gained through vocational training. In addition, we are creating and hiring to fill ‘new collar’ jobs – entirely new roles in areas of cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence and cognitive business.”

Which brings us back to the plant floor. Information technology skills will increasingly be needed by manufacturers, and that intersects with the natural skill set that the young people of generation Z bring with them, as they enter the workforce in their droves.

There is also a second point where manufacturers and younger workers meet. At the same time as digital technology becomes pervasive in manufacturing, the cost of education is going up – way up. In the past 10 years tuition costs have risen as much as 30 percent.

These costs are leading young people to take a hard look at what education means. And more are considering vocational training to gain the experience that will translate into career opportunities. Manufacturers could soon be in a much better position to employ the skills that they can’t find right now.

As technology changes the way companies do business, savvy employers can get in on the ground floor, finding talent and finding ways to keep it so young employees’ skills evolve with evolving technology.

Beyond younger workers, devising ways to make the manufacturing industry more inviting to women is the other important challenge in developing the workforce of the future. Women make up 51.4 percent of the overall population but as we noted, make up just 20 percent of the manufacturing industry workforce. That’s a big gap for an industry trying to make up for labour shortages.

Welcoming women
The big question is, why aren’t there more women in manufacturing?

An important part of this is the common perception of what it’s like to work on a manufacturing plant floor – right or wrong, it’s not great. A recent Forbes article aptly describes the picture some women have of jobs in manufacturing: “The recent spate of stories connected to the #metoo movement might hold the answer. Women would rather work in service jobs because life on the factory floor can be hell.”

The New York Times spoke to 80 women who worked in traditional “blue collar” jobs including those in manufacturing: “A woman on a repair crew was deliberately stranded on top of a 200-foot wind turbine by her male co-workers after enduring months of lewd taunts. An aerospace worker got the nickname ‘Bird Seed’ because men flocked around her like pigeons. Men dropped tools on female co-workers or deliberately turned on electrical power when they were working on lines.”

That may be hard to hear for employers, but it’s necessary to know.

Some companies are taking a closer look at the environment on their floors and making changes to challenge harassment and create safer, more inclusive spaces for women. In addition, policies such as generous maternity leave are being turned into an advantage when it comes to attracting women to manufacturing jobs.

No question, there are challenges for businesses across the board looking to hire and keep employees. Competition for talent will always be fierce, so changing these beliefs – and in some workplaces, attitudes! – can be an important start to attracting people to fill the gaps.

Change ahead
The bottom line, though, is to recognize that more and more businesses will undergo digital transformation for products and services. Another Deloitte report, The Future of Manufacturing: Making Things in a Changing World, stressed that manufacturing is no longer solely about making physical products.

“Changes in consumer demand, the nature of products, the economics of production, and the economics of the supply chain have led to a fundamental shift in the way companies do business. Customers demand personalization and customization as the line between consumer and creator continues to blur. Added sensors and connectivity turn “dumb” products into “smart” ones, while products increasingly become platforms – and even move into the realm of services.”

All this change translates to increasingly complex manufacturing environments that demand agile skill sets.

Corporations like IBM and Siemens will help lead the way forward in partnerships with research and education institutions to bring smart manufacturing to a range of industries, launching programs to develop the digitally proficient workforce we’re going to need.

The post Workforce Reset<p class="company">Chasing Talent in a Vibrant New Economy</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

It’s not surprising how many businesses fail in addressing this crucial stage in the life of every business, large or small. And while many have some sort of succession plan in place to see the business transition to family members, workers, or acquisition by another company, nothing derails plans like the intrusion of emotions.

Also known as replacement planning, succession planning is preparing a strategy to pass on leadership of a company to the designated person (or persons) after the most important person (or persons) leaves a company.

The reasons behind failure to implement succession planning vary. Some business owners are “too busy” to plan the future, while others refuse to address the inevitable: old age, illness, and death. Other business owners – many of them pioneers dedicating their entire lives to the companies they created by working 18 hours a day and sacrificing anniversaries, weekend, and holidays – refuse to give up the reins because they “aren’t ready” to retire, or don’t entirely trust those waiting in the wings.

Head, not heart
Even the savviest of men and women at the helm of a business sometimes base succession plans on emotion over decisions concerning the best interests of the company, and its employees.

A few years ago, a friend of this writer – a wealthy farmer with thousands of long-ago paid-off acres and expensive machinery like GPS-guided tractors, crop sprayers, and seeders worth upwards of $20 million – assumed his strapping sons, who had helped around the farm, would embrace the farming lifestyle. His rationale: why wouldn’t they?

In his mind, it was a golden ticket, and the ultimate turnkey business. That was how his parents and grandparents built their farming legacies in Germany, and later in Canada.

My friend’s assumption was wrong. When presented with the opportunity, not one of his boys took him up, citing a myriad of reasons, from “just not interested” to “I’m going to university to become a doctor.” Most stinging was from the son who noted how much back-breaking work his father had put into the farm and that he didn’t want to repeat the pattern.

Another friend with a successful landscaping company met the same situation with his 20-something children. Despite offering to transition them into the business, helping with everything from accounting to dealing with suppliers and hiring seasonal staff, the answer was the same: not interested.

Succession planning success
While the checklist of succession planning is lengthy (some business owners turn to outside firms or consultants for future planning), the cardinal rule is, never assume. You strategically built a business over the years, so why would you assume it will take care of itself after you retire or die?

The figures for trouble-plagued succession are much higher than one would expect. A recent survey conducted by the not-for-profit National Association of Corporate Directors revealed a shocking number of American companies did not have a CEO succession plan in place: 20 percent of public companies and 32 percent of private businesses had not prepared a strategy to guide them in the event of a CEO being fired, quitting, retiring, or passing on.

In fact, many admitted to not even having an interim CEO in the wings, as mentioned in the report, Governance Challenges 2019: CEO Succession, which echoed observations in this regard in an earlier report, 2018–2019 NACD Public Company Governance Survey.

Implementing a succession plan requires planning, often years in advance.

On February 2, 2021, Amazon reported its financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2020, which saw a massive cash flow increase of 72 percent to $66.1 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared to $38.5 for the previous year. The press release also stated: “Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos will transition to the role of Executive Chair in Q3, Andy Jassy to become Chief Executive Officer of Amazon at that time.”

The move saw Jassy take over the role in July, with Bezos becoming Executive Chairman. The relationship between the two extends to 1997, when Jassy joined the fledgling company as marketing manager. Spotting opportunity he was instrumental in much of Amazon’s success in cloud computing and structuring web development programs, developing and establishing the unit which would become known as Amazon Web Services (AWS), and which produces fully half of Amazon’s total profit.

For Bezos and Amazon, the company Bezos had led since its founding on July 5, 1994, the succession was a major event. The impact in the news was huge.

Even now, months after Bezos officially stepped down from his former role, the move resounds in the media as one of the most important events in Amazon’s history.

Hardly leaving the company he created, Bezos – the world’s richest person with an estimated fortune of $177 million – planned to ensure the company would continue its successful business model – or models – while continuing its expansion into tech, music, and making acquisitions like the purchase of Whole Foods in 2017, and film and television company MGM for $8.45 billion this May.

The decision to step down was not made off the cuff; as far back as 2014, Bezos went on the record about creating a succession plan for himself and other senior positions at Amazon.

Dos and don’ts
Few companies are as large, or as diverse, as Amazon, yet they will still benefit from strategic succession planning. If the person chosen is an employee or family member working in the business, rule of thumb is that the plan should be started at least five years in advance.

This will provide all staff, customers and shareholders with enough time to prepare themselves for the change in leadership, while keeping operations running smoothly and letting the heir apparent better familiarize her or himself with the upcoming role.

Of course, potential candidates for key leadership roles like president or CEO need to be thoroughly evaluated by the company to find the person who’s right both for the company now and for the future direction of the business.

Ideally, successors should receive additional relevant training or mentoring years ahead of taking over. This process can also help confirm whether the person is suited to take on the new position to the satisfaction of the owner, management, or board of directors.

One of the most important tools for a business creating succession plans is a self-assessment by the company. Is there a successor who can be identified? Have personal goals for transferring ownership been defined? Are there strategies in place to reduce estate taxes? In the worst-case scenario – the owner dying or becoming incapacitated – is there a plan in place to protect the business, its employees, and assets?

History is full of examples of succession plans gone awry, including the famed dispute between brothers Wallace and Harrison McCain of the legendary multinational Canadian provider of frozen fries and other potato and vegetable products.

In their youth, the brothers were inseparable, building the small Florenceville, New Brunswick business into an empire. By the 2000s, they were barely on speaking terms, disagreeing over who would succeed them.

From small family-run companies to global corporations, succession plans start with open and honest discussions. Does the person want to take over the business? Are dynamics positive for a succession soon or, with a modest family-owned enterprise, is it better for the head to stay on longer and bring in someone from outside, in case the next generation doesn’t want to take over?

The right stuff
Business must face the fact that all CEOs move on, retire, fall sick, or pass on. Every year, 15 percent of corporations need to appoint someone in their place – and that needs to be the right someone.

At the very least, that should be someone trained, familiar with the underlying principles of the type of business and its operations, and able to meet and exceed the expectations of the company, staff, clients and investors.

Transitioning from president, CEO, or owner to past president, president emeritus, or simply ‘retired’ isn’t always easy, but more important than anyone’s feelings is that the sooner a company starts its succession plan, the better.

The post Family Companies<p class="company">Planning for Succession – and Success</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

And Largo residents do not have to cross the bay to find plenty of world-class amenities. Within the City limits, residents and visitors can take advantage of 640 acres of parkland, an aquatic center, a community center, recreation complexes, a performing arts center, a golf course, a nature park, lighted tennis courts, community sports leagues, and much more. These amenities, mild climate, and waterfront location allow residents to live a vacation lifestyle all year round. “I spend a lot of time here out on the water [doing] all the things the tourists come here to do,” Mayor Brown says.

Largo delivers plenty of business opportunities in addition to a high quality of life, and the City government makes it a point to provide a business-friendly environment free from stifling regulations. “We largely set the deck and try to get out of the way as a city government here,” Mayor Brown says. “We try to make it a great place for businesses to relocate and flourish or grow start-ups.”

The City offers plenty of support while allowing businesses the freedom they need to operate successfully. “We’re a good-size city—around eighty-five thousand population—so we’re large enough to be a full-service organization and have a good level of sophistication, but at the same time, we’re still small enough to be responsive and be accessible to both our residents and our business owners,” says City Manager Henry Schubert.

Largo is in the midst of ongoing redevelopment that will further improve the quality of life and will provide additional business opportunities. “We’ve got some really exciting projects downtown,” Schubert says. The City government is in the process of designing a new city hall that will be “much more than just a city hall.”

Approximately 80,000 square feet of the multiuse project will house City Hall, while close to 20,000 square feet on the first floor will contain leasable commercial space. There will also be outdoor community gathering spaces and a parking garage that will accommodate over three hundred vehicles.

“The idea is that this isn’t just a city hall that’s open from eight to five and closed in the evenings and on weekends, but there are activities there and restaurants and retail shops and other gathering places for people,” Schubert says.

The City is currently in discussion with a developer to build a 280-unit apartment complex with around 15,000 square feet of commercial space adjacent to the City Hall project, and, a 16-unit, three-story townhouse development is currently under construction in the same area. This focus on mixed-use development is intentional.

“We are focused on our activity centers in the City to encourage both residential [and commercial] development at a higher density and intensity than the rest of the City,” Mayor Brown says. “A lot of our city is the suburban, typical Florida format, but in our activity centers, we are encouraging higher density and mixed uses. We’re looking for and encouraging business growth in those areas so people can live, work and play in one area.”

Major companies have taken notice of Largo’s advantages and have set up shop in the city. One notable example is Ensurem, one of the fastest-growing companies in the nation, which opened a new headquarters in Largo in May of this year. The insurance brokerage firm employs around 200 people at the headquarters.

Largo already boasts a strong manufacturing sector and is rapidly attracting technology firms. “We have really started to develop a little bit of a technology hub,” the Mayor shares. Tech giant Tech Data recently underwent an $8 billion merger with Synnex. The company is now known as TD Synnex and is located within Largo’s City limits. “They are a Fortune 100 Company, the largest company in the Tampa Bay region as far as employment and gross revenue.”

Tampa Microwave, which designs, develops, and manufactures radio frequency components for the communications market, is another major technology company based in Largo. Tampa Microwave recently opened a brand new, state-of-the-art, 70,000-square-foot facility in the City’s technology-focused office park, Bay Vista.

The City government worked hard to meet the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic brought. Its team pushed through difficult times to increase efficiency and make services more accessible, which will continue to benefit residents and business owners long after the pandemic eases.

“COVID-19 has certainly made us more nimble as a government, as an organization,” Mayor Brown says.

For example, the City government has switched to virtual meetings when appropriate. “It’s made the whole process a little bit more efficient with the ability to be at a Zoom meeting if it’s just a quick meeting, rather than driving to City Hall,” Mayor Brown points out.

Economic Development Manager Karisa Rojas-Norton adds: “We were able to pivot and provide neighborhood information meetings online. We moved over to virtual meetings for several of our boards. All of our predevelopment review application meetings with developers and business owners we took online.”

Going online with City permitting is another good example of how the City stepped up to make it easier for residents to access services from afar. “We were very gradually moving in the direction of online permitting,” Schubert says. “When COVID came along, that speeded up the process very much, so at this point, you can pretty much apply for all permits online.”

These efforts played out throughout all City departments, from the Largo Library to the Recreation, Parks and Arts Department, which opened up mobile recreation services to better serve residents directly in their neighborhoods. “We had some great systems in place because our City Commission and Administration were very forward-thinking and made sure that we had all the technology needed to ensure that we were able to successfully meet the needs and demands of the residents,” Rojas-Norton says.

Transplants are attracted to the region, so the City recognizes the need to plan carefully for the increasing population. “People are moving to Florida whether we do anything or not, so we want to move that growth into Largo wisely,” Mayor Brown says. The City has a clear, strategy to achieve this.

For starters, Largo will become more walkable. “One of the parts of transportation that’s really lacking in Florida and in Pinellas County is pedestrian connectivity, so we work hard to do that,” Mayor Brown says. “We’ve taken great strides in the last several years to connect gaps in our sidewalk network to create urban trails… And [we] continue to work on some really great projects to connect our high-density activity centers with pedestrian access that is safe.”

Promoting inclusion is another key focus. “We’re making strong efforts to reach out to all segments of our community,” Schubert says. “Our community is becoming much more diverse in terms of everything—age, race, and ethnicity. We’re making a strong effort to try to engage everybody in the community, to ensure they feel welcome, that they feel included as part of the City government and they are aware of all the services that we have to offer.”

City leaders are also considering the environment as they plan for the future. “One of the other areas that the City has incorporated into the strategic plan is focusing on sustainability and resilience,” says Rojas-Norton. “It’s so important that we include these priorities in all of our planning and actions, including looking at our existing activity centers, our codes, our City services, to see if there’s an opportunity to update processes and include resilience measures… It’s a huge opportunity to ensure resilience.”

The team is eager to make Largo a great place to work, live, and play for coming generations. “[We are] focused on a long-term perspective, so when we make investments, whether it’s in new buildings or new programs, we’re looking at not just the impact in the next four years, five years, or even ten years, we’re looking out beyond that,” says Schubert.

Mayor Brown summarizes, “Our vision as a City is to be the community of choice in Tampa Bay.”

The post Tampa Bay Treasure<p class="company">City of Largo, FL </p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

At the heart of South Florida’s tri-County region, Sunrise has a population of 97,000 (2020 Decennial Census), and because of the proximity of Interstate 75, I-595, I-95, and the Florida turnpike, it connects to a pool of some 2.7 million workers.

“There are so many different factors that make Sunrise such an attractive city for businesses, but I believe the most important one is that we deliver easy access to Latin America and other global markets via the three nearby airports and seaports,” says Mayor Michael J. Ryan. “Every day, our population blossoms because we are such a powerful workforce center for businesses, for shopping, and for entertainment.”

And compared to other larger Florida cities, Sunrise does not have the same paralyzing traffic congestion, making it an altogether nicer place for workers and suppliers alike. The City has highlighted many of the advantages it offers in an engaging video available at www.sunriserisesabove.com.

Upside-down history
While Sunrise is younger than some Florida cities, it has a compelling history. In 1960, seeing the location’s potential, developer Norman W. Johnson purchased the area – all 2,650 acres – for $9 million, an enormous sum at the time.

Naming it Sunrise Golf Village, he induced some 350 people to actually live there in 1961, in a developer’s community of one and three-quarter square miles. That same year, Florida’s governor appointed Johnson the first Mayor of Sunrise, a position he held until 1967. “It’s a little-known fact that Broward County’s first condominium was built in Sunrise,” says Mayor Ryan.

“We began as a concept, as a golf village, as a place for people to come and relax in the autumn of their lives,” says the Mayor, “and what we’ve become is a far more dynamic economic powerhouse in a very diverse community that’s far younger than had been intended.”

To entice people to the area, something revolutionary was needed. Johnson and Dykstra developed and constructed an ‘upside-down house,’ unveiling it to the public to attract potential property buyers. Their plan worked. In 1962, the wonderfully weird upside-down house became a national attraction, drawing thousands to the Village, and earning coverage from newspapers and LIFE magazine.

Completely furnished with everything upside-down including the automobile in the carport, the topsy-turvy exhibit drew in thousands to stand on the ceiling, with a surprising number deciding to get in on the ground floor of Sunrise Golf Village. Through a referendum, they changed the name to the City of Sunrise in 1971.

Ideal for business
After years of steady and strategic growth, Sunrise is no longer synonymous with retirement communities. Today, the City is home to a diverse and vibrant population: approximately 62 percent of Sunrise residents are between 18 and 65 years of age, with a median age of 39.The local unemployment rate is currently 5.1 percent; prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was 3.1 percent.

Sunrise works hard for its reputation as being family friendly – investing in parks and recreation amenities, offering programs that promote quality of life, and partnering with schools to enhance educational opportunities. Thanks in large part to those efforts, the City boasts desirable demographics that have helped it attract many national and international business headquarters. Says the Mayor, “We have a young workforce, and we have the capacity to grow as an economic powerhouse in South Florida.”

With 38,238 housing units and an outstanding quality of life, the City of Sunrise is well-suited to meet the needs of residents and businesses alike. Unlike many other cities, Sunrise presents competitive incentive packages. “In Sunrise, every incentive package is designed to stand on its own merits and they have been known to stand out against our competitors,” says Economic Development Director Danielle Cohen Lima. “Our packages are developed with a multitude of considerations.”

Recognizing that time is money, Sunrise does everything possible to cut red tape so companies can get started quickly. Unlike in many larger, more bureaucratic cities, the economic development director of Sunrise works directly for the city manager. This allows businesses to cut through multiple layers and get things done faster, while showing the commitment Sunrise has to development at the highest levels.

“We also have an entire City Commission that fully understands the benefits of attracting development, redevelopment and the right companies to the City,” adds Mayor Ryan. “The City recognizes the importance of supporting the business community and bringing in great jobs for our residents. Being business friendly doesn’t just mean throwing incentives at businesses, but also being there when any issues arise.

“Another important factor in being business friendly is helping businesses through the permitting process. We are always looking for ways to make processes faster and better for the development community, while making sure we maintain high quality development in the City.”

For Mayor Ryan, Sunrise’s approach to welcoming new businesses is a strong point, one the City has displayed time and again. “We sit with them, and we make a commitment to them,” he says. “When they tell us when they need to be open, we work with them to make sure they open on time.

“What these businesses really want to know is that – if they’re going to commit to a community – they’re not going to be tied up for six months or a year, trying to get things done. They need to fast track. We do that, not just for large businesses coming here; we feel the same way about small businesses.” This philosophy continues to work for the City and business alike.

Acknowledging that the City is competing with other state and regional municipalities, Sunrise is attracting small businesses while being able to meet the requirements of larger corporations and light industrial. “We want to be home to both,” says Mayor Ryan. “We want to facilitate whatever that dream is; no matter how small or how large the business is, we want to make sure they get open on time. Most important is we are very open-minded, and able to adjust to what the market conditions are.”

Corporate parks ready to go
Unlike some cities where business and corporate parks are either still under construction or near capacity, Sunrise is home to a wide variety of corporate parks able to meet the needs of many businesses.

One of South Florida’s largest office parks, and the biggest in the county, is Sawgrass International Corporate Park. Strategically bound by I-595, I-75 and Sunrise Boulevard, this state-of-the-art business park features a variety of business spaces on 612 acres of prime sites, from high-tech manufacturing and research and development to executive office suites and mid-rise, Class A office projects with facilities for corporate headquarters and regional office operations.

A key point in Sunrise’s success is its location literally in the center of the county. As the infrastructure developed, all three highways – I-595, I-75 and the Sawgrass Expressway – touch on Sunrise. “So as a result, the ability to come into Sunrise and to leave Sunrise is about as easy as it can be anywhere in South Florida,” states Mayor Ryan. “And that’s been true for our workforce, light industrial capacity, and our entertainment.”

At 100 acres, Sawgrass Technology Park is made up of a dozen charming Mediterranean Hacienda-style buildings, complete with courtyards and covered walkways.

Like the Sawgrass International Corporate Park, it is readily accessible by I-595, I-75, and the Sawgrass Expressway. With a complex comprising 650,000 square feet of space, the Sawgrass Technology Park is perfect for the diverse needs of large-space users. And with about 32 acres available, and direct frontage on Sunrise Boulevard, it is ideal for build-to-suit corporate office development.

Located in the City’s northern section and bordered on the west by the Sawgrass Expressway is the 550-acre Sunrise Commerce Park. This business park features distribution centers, manufacturing space, low-rise offices, executive suites and other multi-tenant business facilities, with most of the parcels zoned I-1 (Industrial), allowing for a variety of operations.

In the City’s southwest section is Broward Lakes Business Park. With I-75 as its western border, the 120-acre business park features multi-tenant flex space and select office projects.

“That’s the light industrial component,” says City Manager, Mark S. Lubelski. “You’ll see a warehouse with 10 or 12 bays, individually owned or rented, mainly mom and pop businesses.”

With its ideal location, corporate parks, and willingness to work with business, the City of Sunrise is perfect for domestic and global companies.

“We also offer CEOs and their employees a variety of living options, beautiful and well-maintained parks, and our world-class amenities, including the FLA Live Arena, Sawgrass Mills mall, and the additional $2.3 billion of new multi-use projects in development, such as Metropica and Radius,” says Lima. “The City is also professionally run and financially stable — so much so that we haven’t raised taxes in the City for the last 10-plus years.”

Great to visit, great to call home
Along with fostering a wonderful environment for business, the City of Sunrise is attractive to visitors and homeowners alike.

Well-known for its world-class restaurants, shopping, entertainment, and sports, Sunrise is home of the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers, and a 20,000-seat arena hosting top-tier concerts and events. With the Sawgrass Mills mall – one of the largest and most successful outlet malls in the continental U.S. – shoppers can take advantage of upscale and value retailers.

As Florida’s second-largest tourist destination, drawing 40 million visitors annually, Sunrise boasts outstanding luxury hotels and upscale restaurants. “In the four square miles of Sunrise known as our Sawgrass Business and Entertainment District, the aggregate existing property value is over $5 billion,” says the Mayor. “We are also at the edge of the Everglades with beautiful views and greenery that tourists enjoy and less than 20 minutes’ drive to beautiful beaches.” Additionally, the Mayor speaks with pride of the area’s sustainability and growing appreciation for the Everglades in South Florida’s ecology. “That’s been a place that people come to and spend the day, getting out on an airboat and enjoying nature.”

Where other communities invest heavily in advertising, much of Sunrise’s ability to attract new businesses comes from word-of-mouth referrals, and realtors praising the City and how it is governed.

Sound strategies win out
For years, Sunrise has invested in itself for the betterment of all. Through sound financial management strategies, taxes haven’t increased in 10 years, yet the city is investing millions into infrastructure, parks, wastewater treatment, and other vital infrastructure projects. This significant investment, in turn, attracts high-profile developments to the area.

These include Metropica, a first-class, transit-oriented, mixed-use project comprising class A office buildings with structured parking, commercial and hotel facilities, and luxury high-rise condominiums, at the edge of the Everglades.

Then there’s Radius, a prime 32-acre tract of vacant land slated to be a mixed-use development, and The Edge at Sawgrass Point, the first speculative Class (A) office building to be built in Sunrise in over a decade.

Lubelski explains that the City also has 1.5 million square feet of office entitlements ready for development.

Owing to the ease with which people can access Sunrise, the City is seeing more R&D, high-tech, and medical innovation companies come into the area. “They are really able to draw upon a large workforce base across South Florida that can easily get to Sunrise,” comments Mayor Ryan of the area’s highways making commuting simple and convenient. “Even traditional businesses that wanted to locate out by the port or near the airport are coming out west, because it’s just so easy to come and go.”

Committing over $30 million in infrastructure and other improvements in the City’s original neighborhoods, the City is active with road and lighting improvements, and the recently completed reconstruction of City Park in the heart of the east Sunrise area.

“To further enhance the appeal of the original neighborhoods and to complement City Park, we are finalizing the design of the new Village Arts Plaza and we expect to start construction by the end of 2022,” says Lima. Other capital projects under construction include City Hall and Municipal Campus Improvements; the investment of over $65 million since 2014 through the GO Bond Program to expand parks; the completion of a new $14 million high-level disinfection re-use water treatment facility at the Sawgrass Wastewater Treatment Plant in 2020; and a $9.3 million Re-use Water System.

All in all, there are very few communities of a similar size anywhere in the United States that welcome the millions of visitors that we do here in Sunrise, or that can boast the amount of regional assets and corporate investment found in the City. “We want every one of our small businesses to flourish and think about expanding,” says Mayor Ryan. “And for our big businesses, we want them to know that when it comes time to expand, we are here to help them do it. We need to have that relationship on the streets with the businesses, to meet their needs. If they are thinking about expanding, our response is, ‘Come on in, sit down and tell us what you want to do and what your timeframe is, and we’ll help you get there.’ And that’s a non-economic incentive but it’s probably the most powerful, because you’re encouraging businesses to stay home where they are, and [showing them] that we’re committed to helping them follow their dream.”

To learn more about why Sunrise Rises Above the Rest, watch the City’s video at www.sunriserisesabove.com.

The post The City that Rises Above the Rest<p class="company">City of Sunrise, FL</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Home to the legendary world heavyweight boxing champion, Rocky Marciano, as well as world middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler, there is a lot more to the City of Brockton than it first lets on. Situated south of Boston, this thriving city in Massachusetts is the largest in the state’s south-east and, as such, is also the regional capital. Brockton is as dynamic as it is diverse – and it is open for business.

Midway between Boston, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island, the City boasts a well-thought-out transit system that allows for a free flow of feet into its central business district and beyond. “Brockton offers quality of life. [We] emphasize the diversity of our communities. Brockton welcomes everyone. It is proven by our [collaborative] leadership and the work we are doing in educating people on Brockton,” says Robert Jenkins, Executive Director of the Brockton Redevelopment Authority.

As in all cities around the world, communities like Brockton had a lot to deal with during the COVID-19 health crisis. But, in contrast to many, instead of putting a hold on development and construction efforts, the City took its foot off the brakes and went for gold. “In other major municipalities in the commonwealth, many mayors put a pause on construction. I chose not to do that; I chose to continue building in a safe manner. And it’s paying off,” says Mayor Robert F. Sullivan.

One prime example of the City’s continued construction is the Sycamore on Main on the corner of Main Street and Frederick Douglass Avenue. A mixed-income development, the 48 apartments sit above the headquarters of the Brockton Beer Company, the first Black-owned brewery in Massachusetts, on the first floor. The building was initially run-down, and the City stepped in to demolish the building. Key shareholders then turned the property into one of the City’s most beautiful – and promising – crown jewels. It is owned by NeighborWorks Housing Solutions headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts, and the project was recently visited by the Commonwealth’s Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, Mike Kennealy, who was impressed to find just how resourceful Brocktonians are when given the appropriate support.

Part of the beauty of the building’s location is the street named after Frederick Douglass, who was a human rights activist and abolitionist who argued against slavery in the nineteenth century and would often speak at the Liberty Tree on this very street, which served as a stop on the “Underground Railroad.”

The Brockton Beer Company’s brewery is unique in that it is Black-owned – the first of its kind in the state. The Mayor is particularly excited about the project. “On behalf of the City and as Mayor of Brockton, I wholeheartedly support this endeavor. It is wonderful. [And] it is a game-changer. It is a catalyst for development – other amenities will follow,” he says. The Brockton Beer Company was founded by Pierre Alexandre, Rowan Olmstead, Eval Silvera, Latisha Silvera, and Ed Cabellon, with their mascot, Mr. Gloves, lending moral support.

“This is part of our blueprint for Brockton’s downtown urban revitalization efforts. This particular building, which was in planning for approximately two and a half years, brings vitality to the people who work, live, and play downtown,” says Jenkins.

Such projects are made possible thanks to the Mayor’s foresight when he was City Councilor At-Large for fourteen years. “We have to credit the Mayor for implementing 40R Smart Growth Zoning,” says Rob May, City Planner and the Director of Planning and Economic Development. “This laid the groundwork for growth because this zoning allowed for mixed-use development in areas where it wasn’t [possible before].” May points out that as a result, higher density and lower parking counts are now possible. “This forms the basis of what we were trying to do downtown around the train station,” he adds.

Thanks to this visionary approach to revitalization and business development, Brockton continues to be popular among large corporations like WB Mason, a nationally significant office supply giant whose headquarters have been based in Brockton since 1898. Such large employers combined with the new residential possibilities will drive the City’s vision for the downtown area to become fully alive and buzzing day and night.

The community’s businesses such as these are supported both by robust communications infrastructure and a wealth of natural resources, such as water. The combination of these factors continues to draw many manufacturers to the area, and the result is that a number of established food manufacturers – including one of the biggest food fabrication facilities around – continue to thrive and grow.

In addition to business, the City also holds its residents in high regard. Support services to its most vulnerable population include public grants and health and technological support for the young and old alike through collaborations between its public service organizations, Chamber of Commerce, local banks, and local, state and federal authorities. The aforementioned entities are doing what they can to put residents in a better position than ever before.

One such initiative leading the improvement of the City’s overall wellbeing is driven by the Brockton Partnership, a collaboration between business owners and local communities. It is headed up by Eastern Bank and HarborOne Bank, two entities that have created a loan fund supporting small minority businesses with expanding or upgrading facilities. Mayor Sullivan and the Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) also recently introduced a new tech application called Brockton MA City of Champions, a directory that markets two thousand businesses to locals and visitors alike via both Apple and Android platforms.

Indeed, the City is constantly exploring how to further establish secure employment, competitive incomes, and rich amenities for all Brocktonians. “[Our work] has been very successful over the past seven years. We have over 400 units that have been created or are in construction right now, [with around] 350 that are in the planning process. We’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth,” says May.

Achieving such a feat takes teamwork. The City Council, the Mayor’s office, the Brockton Redevelopment Authority (BRA), and the state all collaborated to deliver the enormous change that is sweeping the City and its communities.

With minority groups and women featuring high on the City’s priority list when it comes to opportunity, it comes as no surprise that Brockton is booming. Apart from several new restaurants, the City has also seen many more large developments come to fruition, including One Nine Residence (at 19-31 Main Street), formerly known as The First Parish building. Today, it is set to become a 20-unit residential building with two commercial spaces and a bistro on the main level. Then there is Trinity Financial’s Enterprise Block with 109 mixed-income residential units, with a new development at 93 Centre Street recently also setting sail to create 53 residential units.

In addition to fresh new apartment blocks, one of the City’s biggest draws for new arrivals looking to make a life here is its comparatively low cost of living. “The price point in Brockton is favorable to someone who wants to rent an apartment compared to other municipalities,” says Mayor Sullivan. “People can get more for their money here, with high-end living arrangements. And it gets even better with Boston being only a thirty-five-minute commute away by train. In this way, the City hopes to attract even more young people to live and work here.”

To be sure, Brockton is a place to play, with many places of interest and opportunities for rest and relaxation. The City is home to the Fuller Craft Museum, which was founded as an arts center that would also educate. Over the years, the center has developed into the hub of creativity it is today, offering free access to all Brockton residents. There is also the Milton Museum, recently revived in the Enso Flats Building on 50 Centre Street, after hundreds of exquisite pieces of art by masters such as Renoir, Cézanne, Manet, Picasso, Whistler, Turner, Warhol, and more were put into safekeeping around 2019. With such a prize collection, the museum offers viewers a taste of a select art world. It also houses impressive Asian and modern art collections that are every bit as decadent as its older European pieces.

The Brockton Rox, the City’s very own professional baseball team, is another big attraction – not to mention the City’s fantastic choice of restaurants that cater to the large and diverse communities who call it home. Its restaurants include Cape Verdean, Ecuadorian, Caribbean, Asian, Peruvian and Portuguese cuisine.

Taking root around 1649, Brockton’s history reads like a treasure map. Thomas Edison established himself here, opening the Brockton Edison Electric Illuminating Company Power Station on 1 October 1883. Thanks to Edison, Brockton became the first City with an electrified fire station, movie theatre, and street lights in the United States. It is also home to the first Edgars Department store whose founder, James Edgar, is claimed to be the world’s first ‘department store Santa’, starting the tradition in 1890. The country’s oldest family-owned candy manufacturer, F.B. Washburn Candy, operating since 1856, is Brocktonian, too. Once known as ‘the shoe capital of the world’, Brockton was catapulted to fame during the two World Wars as its factories supplied stores across America and further afield. But today, people come here for many new reasons.

Statistics show that recent homebuyers place Brockton in the top three most popular cities in the region. “We’re also the single largest location for mortgages [awarded to minority groups]. This is a very welcoming community where people are staking out their futures,” adds May. One of the biggest drivers for families moving here is the City’s public high school, the largest east of the Mississippi River and earmarked for huge upgrades soon.

Brockton’s public high school is one of the largest east of the Mississippi, with over 4,000 students. In addition, Massasoit Community College Campus is also considered to be the largest in Plymouth County, and affords another big opportunity for young people to improve their futures. There is also an adult learning center and a virtual learning academy alongside several other types of schools, such as nearby Bridgewater State University and Stonehill College. In total, there are fifteen tertiary education institutions in the immediate vicinity ranging from public schools to the prestigious Harvard University in Cambridge just under thirty miles away.

In addition, three hospitals and a neighborhood health center make for solid healthcare infrastructure that locals can count on when the need arises. As large employers, the hospitals drive a steady influx of younger healthcare professionals who come to live here, taking advantage of the inexpensive living cost. As far as overall safety goes, the City has also set aside an entire block for the development of a next-generation public safety hub that will house critical response teams including the fire department, police department, information technology and the Brockton Emergency Management Agency (BEMA) as well as athletic fields and everything else needed to make such a space optimally functional.

One of its greatest attractions for investors, apart from the City’s great fiscal status, is its latest superpower – a fiber installation between Boston and New York that comes straight through the downtown, making it the hottest place to be for operators in need of red-hot internet speeds. “[These high internet speeds] make us a location for future investment in knowledge-based industries. Robert Jenkins and I are working on a series of urban renewal plans [to] expand downtown into an area that we call Trout Brook, a former railway yard. We can see [a future for investment in] knowledge-based, high paid and high-skilled jobs there,” says May. In a different part of the City, the Good Samaritan Medical Center will also be taking advantage of the excellent possibilities brought about by such technology to make advancements in its life sciences equipment. This also opens the doors to the biotech industry and a greater banking presence.

The Hollywood film industry is bringing even more opportunities for residents to prosper, with a major Netflix film starring Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence recently shooting in Brockton. AMC also films a television series within the City. “We are in the people business,” says Mayor Sullivan. “We have a winning formula for success. I know that we’re going to continue thriving, and it is a wonderful time to be a business owner and a resident in Brockton.”

With increasing international, national and local interest in the City’s great return on investment plus its strong Moody’s rating, the City of Brockton is preparing itself for a bright future – one where all Brocktonians can flourish. Because everything’s better in Brockton.

The post Everything’s Better in Brockton<p class="company">City of Brockton, MA</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

However, Salem encompasses far more than those witch trials of long ago. Before European settlement, the region was home to a vibrant Native American community, and during the Age of Sail, ships returning with spices and other goods from China and East India made Salem the wealthiest city per capita in America. The city also played an important role in the Revolutionary War and is the birthplace of the National Guard. The entrepreneurial city was also home to America’s very first millionaire. More recently, major companies have called Salem home, including Parker Brothers, which designed and manufactured iconic games such as Monopoly and Clue in the community.

Tourists pour into Salem to see well-preserved seventeenth to nineteenth-century architecture, museums, a charming waterfront, and of course, destinations related to those notorious witchcraft trials, which are one of the most widely misunderstood chapters of New England’s history.

“At the surface level people think of green-faced women with pointy hats as witches—something comedic,” Daniel says. “But when you peel it back and look at the Witch Trials, what it talks about is intolerance and judgment and hysteria, the issues that our society still grapples with in different contexts. It’s easy for people to make light of it, but these were real people, and descendants of these individuals who lost their lives still come to Salem and pay respect… It’s a serious event. It’s something that’s commemorated rather than celebrated. It’s something that causes reflection and that [even though] it is three centuries later, the fragility of society and social connections is still something that’s real that we see today.”

The world-class Peabody Essex Museum is another foremost tourist attraction. The museum “traces its origin back to the sea captains, during the Age of Sail, who traveled to the Far East and brought back interesting objects as well as spice and silks and things that were hugely valuable in terms of commerce,” Daniel says. “The curiosities they brought back became the foundation for the Peabody Essex Museum, which is a leading art and cultural museum globally.”

The museum is an unexpected feature in a city with a population of just 44,000 people. “It’s a really small community to have an institution of the caliber of the Peabody Essex.”

While tourism is certainly an important driver of Salem’s ongoing success, the city’s array of business sectors underpin a diverse economy. “We’re a community that has had this history and value and ethic of entrepreneurship going back to the Age of Sail, and that… continues now,” Daniel says.

The city is full of startup success stories, from electronic component manufacturers to mom-and-pop bakeries. Tropical Products Inc. is one such success story. The business gained recognition producing dog shampoo, then grew to become a private label manufacturer for several huge brands. Now, the thriving company is moving to a larger building and will soon hire a further 120 employees.

Companies like Tropical Products Inc. receive strong backing from Salem’s business development community. “We have a really robust economic development team,” Daniel says.

This network of partners includes the Salem Chamber of Commerce; Salem Main Streets, which supports businesses located in downtown Salem; and The Salem Partnership, which focuses on specific, long-term economic development initiatives. The Creative Collective focuses on creatives and the gig economy; and Destination Salem, the city’s destination marketing organization, is a strong partner. In addition, the Enterprise Center at Salem State University provides local entrepreneurs small business office space, education, and other resources. Salem is also home to a workforce development center and workforce investment board.

“We are really fortunate in this small community to have all these economic development partners that bring together resources and expertise to assist with business growth,” Daniel says.

Salem offers a high quality of life with opportunities not often found in a community of its size. “Salem is a small city,” Daniel says. “It’s only eight square miles. [But] it’s got a range of living opportunities and lifestyles.” Options vary from single-family suburban houses with easy access to big-box stores to historic seventeenth and eighteenth-century homes near the waterfront to condominiums in Salem’s walkable downtown “where you don’t even really need a car,” to access eclectic local retail and dining.

Salem’s tourist economy supports an assortment of locally-owned eateries and shops, giving locals far more options than expected. “We have a million visitors every year, and because of the dollars that they spend here, we’re able to have a more diverse set of restaurants and retail offerings,” Daniel says.

A commuter rail and commuter ferry whisk residents to Boston in thirty minutes or one hour respectively, making “it a very appealing community for people who want an urban experience without having the headaches that come with living in the heart of Boston,” Daniel says. Residential and commercial real estate is also more affordable than in Boston.

The city has been particularly committed to revitalizing its historic waterfront, creating charming walkways and plenty of amenities for recreational boaters. “We have really done a lot of work in the past decade to enhance that access,” says Port Authority Deputy/Planner Seth Lattrell.

Salem’s waterfront is now able to accommodate cruise ships, which bring even more tourists to support local businesses. “As we look toward the water and the ocean we are really reconnecting with what is core to the identity of Salem,” Daniel says. “We were put on the map for our port but we lost engagement from the waterfront. We have really made a focus of reconnecting to the waterfront.”

With so many amenities, it is no surprise that Salem draws an array of residents, from families who have lived in the community for generations to recent immigrants. The city is proud of this diversity and works hard to cultivate it and provide opportunities for all levels of income and education.

“One of the core values the community has is diversity,” Daniel says. “That’s a value the community holds dear. So as we look at opportunities for the future, we are always mindful of how we are balancing the jobs, housing, transportation… to allow for diversity of people, diversity of jobs, diversity of creativity, et cetera.”

Historically, people have been able to live and work in Salem, regardless of their career or income. “Housing costs are increasing. We are trying to ensure that if you’re the person working at a café getting people cups of coffee you can afford to live here, and you have a way to get to work that isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg,” Daniel says. “Similarly, there’re employment opportunities for folks that have PhDs, so they can work here in Salem and not have to commute into Boston or Cambridge.”

AARP designated Salem an Age-Friendly Community, as it is an ideal place for seniors as well as residents of all ages. “It’s a community that works for everyone,” Lattrell says. “If you’re a young person or a family with kids, the community works for you as well as for people who are aging here. [We’re] actively working to ensure that the community works for people regardless of how old they are and that there’re opportunities to engage and feel connected.”

While Salem is known for its unique history, the city is not just rooted in the past. As the tagline states, Salem is still making history and plans to keep doing so far into the future. Offshore wind power generation is one opportunity about which the community is particularly excited. The city recently announced a partnership with Vineyard Wind and Crowley Maritime aimed at establishing Salem Harbor as the state’s second major offshore wind port.

Salem’s port holds enormous potential for the offshore wind industry. As well as being the second-deepest port in Massachusetts, “We are one of the only ports in the northeast that has sufficient depth, but also doesn’t have any overhead restrictions,” Lattrell says. “To the offshore wind industry, which is very much in its infancy in the United States, [this] is extremely attractive, and it puts us in a unique position to support the installation of offshore wind turbines.”

The city is currently installing a fiber-optic network to every property, which will be a boon to both residents and businesses as people continue to work from home post-pandemic. With this and all future projects, Salem plans to keep sustainability in mind. “[We are] looking to be a sustainable city using its resources efficiently, thinking long-term about how we grow and change in a way that is sustainable,” Daniel says.

In just five years from now, Salem will celebrate its 400^th anniversary of European settlement. “That’s a target that we look to for some of our near-term goals,” Daniel says. “We’re looking to build upon the strength of the identity, the character that makes Salem, Salem.” With four centuries upon which to build, the community certainly has a robust, unique foundation, as well as a promising, well-planned future.

The post Still Making History<p class="company">City of Salem, MA</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

At the heart of these efforts, the Chisago County HRA-EDA is working to preserve the small town feel and a quality of life that is revered by residents, while promoting targeted growth to further enrich the lives of the people and the vitality of the businesses that call the area home.

“Our main focus is bringing jobs, infrastructure and tax base to Chisago County,” says Chisago County HRA-EDA Chairman Jim Stein. “We do that through supporting the businesses we already have here so they can expand and thrive. We always have our eyes open for new businesses whether they are startups or coming from somewhere else. We’re doing what we can to make sure that we have a good business climate where people can be successful.”

Chisago County has taken stock of the needs of the business community and its residents, conducting studies, surveys, and strategic planning sessions. As board member Cathy Bennett says, the council is doing all it can to “methodologically identify the priorities.”

Executive Director of the organization, Nancy Hoffman, elaborates. “One of the strategic directions is countywide growth strategy and working collaboratively and even better together. We’re in a high growth area and we want to make sure that we grow in a planned growth pattern.”

A targeted marketing plan was developed which focused on which businesses or industries would best suit Chisago County. The findings showed that the area is ideal for sustainable energy companies and supply chain operations that would support existing industry, such as wholesale and distribution, and which could take advantage of the access to I-35, the short line rail in the county, and the room to grow.

“Chisago County is certainly a diverse county,” says Stein. “We have I-35 running up our west side, so past economic development has been along the freeway. When we reach out to existing businesses to see how they can expand and be successful, that’s where a lot of them are.”

According to Hoffman, “We’re focusing on our rail a little more now because we do have two business parks on the rail, one in Rush City and one in North Branch. We also have three privately owned sites available on the rail. One of the reasons we’re focusing on warehouse and distribution is because we feel we have some really good sites for that.” Hoffman points out that, in addition, the necessary infrastructure to support it already exists.

“Right on I-35 to the east,” Hoffman continues, “we have four cities that have industrial parks and we’ve seen quite a bit of movement there, recently.” Land has been sold and spec buildings will be developed in Wyoming that are proving attractive to prospective investors. But, as it often goes, everyone’s lips are sealed until the deals are done.

There is also activity in Stacy, which is a small community that has one recently completed industrial building and two other buildings underway. This will offer the county much needed inventory from a commercial industrial standpoint.

The largest industrial park in the county is located in North Branch, offering over 200 acres of land. Recently a new 15,000 square foot building was added to the park. Working with the City, Chisago County applied for “Opportunity Zone” designation. “We have teamed up with an investor to put up a building for a specific business making use of the Opportunity Zone designation,” says Hoffman.

It’s not just about attracting new investments to the county, either. In fact, a number of existing businesses are expanding in Chisago County including Rosenbauer, the largest fire truck-apparatus and emergency response-vehicle manufacturer in the world. Rosenbauer has increased its physical footprint by 100,000 square feet.

Likewise, Kendall Howard, manufacturer of metal tables, carts, racks, cabinets, shelves, and accessories for IT needs, is expanding by 25,000 square feet. In Rush City, Dennis Kirk, a distribution center for parts and apparel for powersports is looking at a 100,000 square foot expansion.

Additional efforts are being made to partner with the State of Minnesota to enhance Highway 8 which will further reinforce the economic strength of the county, as well as improve resident safety and connectivity, especially since there are commuters in the area.

Data from the Department of Economic Development indicated that 68 percent of residents leave for work each day, though that figure is trending downwards with COVID and the growth of jobs in the county.

Bennett has noted that wages in Chisago County are 38 percent lower on average than in the metropolitan area, and that many residents travel out of the county each day to their jobs. The next step is the issuance of an RFP for a labor assessment to get a better understanding of these trends.

“The reasons they leave are usually higher pay, or that we don’t have the type of business here that they’d like to work in. So those are the types of businesses that we want to attract to the county, so people can work closer to home and shop closer to home, and volunteer, spend less time in the car, that sort of thing,” says Hoffman.

One of the ways this is being achieved is by investing in the area’s connectivity, which has been a priority of the Chisago County HRA-EDA for many years but became even more important as COVID forced people to work from home.

Chisago County participated in the Blandin Broadband Communities Program which helped it garner an investment of more than $5.5 million by the MN Border to Border Broadband Grant Program and an additional $4.5 million from the provider, as well as contributions from the townships – dedicated to bringing fiber to homes in several communities.

“It’s a very helpful program to go through,” says Hoffman. “We really learned which areas were lacking with broadband and we were actually successful in bringing three border-to-border broadband projects in our county for three different townships.”

Efforts to expand broadband services continue, so as to ensure the infrastructure is in place to support the growth of jobs and investment in the county, and further grow the relationships the county enjoys with local providers. Chisago Lakes is the next area of focus, as well as others that are interested in seeking support for broadband development.

In addition to the help from Blandin Foundation, other development partners in Chisago County include the providers, cities, townships, school districts, Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations like the Initiative Foundation and East Central Regional Development Commission.

According to Hoffman, “We have quite a few school expansions in the Chisago Lakes area and a number of new buildings including a community center and amenities attached. North Branch had expansions of beautiful facilities and has very highly rated schools as well.”

Together with its partners, the Chisago County HRA-EDA is making Chisago County a community and an economy to be watched, as they work collectively to identify gaps in services and infrastructure. Their goal is to deliver a well-rounded value proposition to those who are looking to live, work or invest in the area, but especially those who already live in Chisago County.

According to Bennett, “The studies indicated that there were income disparities between owners and renters and that there was a significantly low supply of rental units with very low vacancy. The study also indicated that there was demand for 3,600 housing units, with a lot of them senior units, by 2030.”

Currently, Chisago County HRA-EDA owns six housing developments that mostly target seniors and low-income earners, but there are no vacancies, and demand still exists. With 90 percent senior occupancy, there is a need to expand affordable housing in the area.

“We felt that the existing HRA-owned housing units certainly serve a critical need for the county but they’re not addressing the workforce housing needs, whether for owned or rented units,” says Bennett.

Bennett explains that one of the challenges Chisago County faces is that because of the increase in construction material costs and the shortage of skilled labor, it’s difficult to meet the demand for affordable housing, affordably.

She noted, “One of our hopes is that we find opportunities and assist developers build new housing options in the county and provide the cities and developers with the different resources that might be available, as well as giving them access to land area and zoning for each city to make it easier.” She includes the new HRA – EDA local housing trust fund that was created to generate additional interest in the area. The program provides grants or low interest loans for low to moderate income housing developments.

“That’s why we’re all here: we love the outdoors, the recreation, the small-town feel, but yet we know we need more growth to provide more and better jobs and, as well, be able to shop and have the types of businesses we want around us,” says Hoffman.

And here we have it – the driving force behind the efforts of Chisago County to enrich the quality of life and economic potential of the region by design.

The post Growth and Prosperity by Design<p class="company">Chisago County, MN</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

In a world where image and speed drive sales, having the best team and technology to take care of fleet graphics is paramount to spreading brand awareness as far and fast as possible. Turbo Images ensures that its clients’ vehicles get noticed on all North America’s roads and for all the best reasons. It is trusted for top-quality materials and printing methods that give clients a clear edge over their competitors. Charles Veilleux, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and Anne-Laure Rey, Sales and Marketing Coordinator, recently shared some of the company’s latest developments with me.

Headquartered in Saint-Georges, Quebec, Canada, the impetus that gave birth to the company is as impressive as its subsequent success and phenomenal recent growth. An unshakeable commitment to quality and customer satisfaction is part of its secret.

The company offers clients “the best warranty in the marketplace… We make sure that their brand is well exposed and that they’re using their vehicle as an asset to showcase [it],” says Veilleux.

The company has service centres across Quebec and Ontario. It also has three sister companies that work closely together, namely Turbo Studio, its specialist design department; Lettra Pub; and Team Coach Imaging. These all help to make it entirely self-sufficient in many ways. The latter two firms were acquired during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

The company holds several, respected, industry-related certifications, including MCS, a seven-year, full warranty on its eco-friendly vinyl offered by the manufacturer. As one of this manufacturer’s most important and largest clients, it has also been furnished with a 3M Platinum certification. In addition, it holds a G-7 certification, which ensures that its colour matching remains exact and unbeaten. Considering that substrates come in white and that adding lamination further distorts colour, this is a complex task that requires real skill.

Turbo Images equips itself with all the most relevant knowledge and technology to meet or exceed these high standards. “Every customer is different and every branding is different, so every order is also different. We are dealing with a very custom product/service offering. So, we have specialized ourselves in meeting all the needs of our customers. We can do it with the right tools and technologies and knowledge,” says Rey.

The company was founded in 1993 by Veilleux’s father, Pier Veilleux, who also established its culture based on family values and a respect for quality. Veilleux, Senior remains the company president.

“We’re not slowing down any time soon. We need more people to grow the company with us. We’re passionate [about teamwork]. We put customers first and offer them the best customer experience,” Veilleux says before regaling me with a story of how the company came about.

His father, Pier Veilleux, was visiting a prospective buyer for his decals and stickers when he noticed a mock-up for a branded trailer in the office. Veilleux, Sr. enquired about the sketch and learned that it was an upcoming job requiring painted artwork for 162 trailers. He put in his proposal for doing the entire job at ten percent less than a competitor and landed the project without any prior experience in the field whatsoever.

With a new crew, he set to work in a rented space and completed the job in about two months. When the work was complete, he and his team delivered early and within budget. The profits of this first job paid for the land on which its headquarters has been built.

Despite its impressive growth, Turbo Images is still synonymous with tenacity and customer care. It always keeps the bigger picture in mind with eco-friendly efforts that include running its facility almost entirely on sustainable hydroelectricity, reusing packaging from its suppliers to ship its clients’ goods, plus using specialized films, and more.

It is also in the process of aligning itself with the International Standards Organization’s ISO 14001 requirements surrounding environmental management principles. “Since the founding of the company, [the president] already had in mind to be the expert in vehicle graphics,” says Rey, noting that the focus on vehicle graphics “started twenty-eight years ago. This is why we really are an expert in this field.”

Other services and products include all-latex printing, which allows it to work entirely without the toxic solvents that give the traditional printing industry a bad reputation. This transition recently cost Turbo Images a cool two million dollars, reflecting the power of its resolve to be the best printer in the industry and the kindest to the environment. The company also uses and recommends 3M’s PVC- and phthalate-free film, Print Wrap Film LX480C 3M™.

Add to this the fact that vehicles are back at work much faster and it quickly becomes obvious that this new way of doing things is much smarter. Following much in-depth enterprise resource planning, the company’s current large investments are also supporting its goals of becoming Industry 4.0 proficient. Apart from increased efficiency, it means that every department is systematically overhauled to integrate this technology.

The Turbo Images team of 135 people is a close-knit one. For this reason, it could seamlessly pull off one of its most involved projects to date. When Coca-Cola needed just short of 500 trailers wrapped in next to no time, the crew stepped up to the challenge in the true spirit of the firm. The specifications for the project demanded, in some cases, wrapping over old artwork and working in nearly thirty different places with moving targets. The entire project was negotiated over three days, after which it took only seven weeks to complete and deliver some quality branding, again on time and within the budget.

Turbo Images is now also doing a complete rebranding with eco-friendly, 3M vinyl for Telus, Canada’s well-known telecommunications giant. The project supports Telus’ move toward environmental responsibility.

With such fierce capabilities for speed and quality, it stands to reason that Turbo Images has won several awards over the years. More recently, it was a finalist in two categories for some of its industry’s greatest Canadian honours. Canada’s Sign Company of the Year (SCOTY) nominated it for outstanding work, overall involvement, and staff training benefits, while BOCSI awards trailblazers in vehicle graphics. The SCOTY nomination honoured the company’s sterling work on the City of Brampton’s first fleet branding of a forty-foot, fully electric Nova Bus LFSe.

Turbo Images’ superb teamwork and talent for planning also meant that the company weathered COVID-19 and the challenges that came with it with ease. When the lockdown set in, the company quickly regrouped, falling back on several measures that were already in place, like working remotely, for instance. Its strong marketing campaign, which launched before the health crisis, carried it through measures that prevented the company from attending any significant industry marketing events.

But the company is not only known for its quality service. Turbo Images is also known for its generosity in its local region, where being part of local charity organizations is a natural part of being responsible. “We do our best to always stay involved in the community and be a part of the social and economic wellness of the region, as well as supporting some of our clients’ charities,” Rey says.

Turbo Images will also continue to collaborate with organizations on unique wrap projects that spread awareness about important topics, like the roadshow wrap launched by the Universal Womens Network™ on International Women’s Day on March 8 to promote women in the industry. The artwork features one hundred accomplished Canadian women leading industries across the country. The collection of images first appeared on the cover of its publication, 100 Women of Inspiration Book, and now has pride of place on the wrapping of the official truck traveling across Canada, underscoring workplace challenges that women come up against. The initiative specifically aims to promote inclusion and diversity for working women. Women across the country can participate by sharing their stories on social media and adding #SupportHER.

Moving ahead, Turbo Images does not leave its growth up to chance. Its growth plan is shared with the entire company four times every year to ensure that everybody understands what is expected to achieve its common goals and exactly what they are. “We are all aware of what is happening at Turbo Images,” Rey adds. As things are right now, its next goal is to increase the company’s revenue to almost twice its current amount over the next half a decade.

With such an acute awareness of the natural world, its markets’ needs, as well as the human aspect behind every deal, Turbo Images’ success is assured.

The post Expert Fleet Branding Like No Other<p class="company">Turbo Images</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Clean water is critical to life, and Burt Process Equipment is passionate about helping to provide potable water to the world’s poorest communities. As the company’s principles are focused on philanthropy, people, their quality of life, and stability, it stands to reason that its team of over one hundred and fifty employees loves working here.

“The company’s core values allow us to focus where our attention needs to be—on how we run our business to benefit all of our customers and supplier partners alike,” says Dave Carson, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “We have the ability, the resources, and the teams to do what it takes to meet our customers’ needs.”

Burt Process Equipment is a leader in all fluid handling systems and everything related to system start-up, improving output, and diversifying capabilities. From pumps to instrumentation, flow and level measurement, and everything in between, the company offers expert design, fabrication, and implementation services. Burt Process serves a wide variety of industries including chemical processing, industrial manufacturing, food and beverage to oil refining, adhesives manufacturing, craft beer and wine, medicine, municipal water, pharmaceutical, and more.

Burt Process delivers for its clients by improving the health and safety of staff and end-users, extending system longevity, and saving time and money throughout the lifespan of the equipment. The company provides the latest technology for predictive maintenance and testing equipment, to eliminate system failures. The Internet of Things (IoT) means that the company is increasingly able to lend intelligence to parts and even entire systems in a way that was impossible to achieve before. Clients rely on the company’s team of experts, regarding Burt Process Equipment as a valuable business partner.

The company’s technology also allows the team to create equipment bundles from individual off-the-shelf parts. “That is a huge differentiator between us and the competition that we typically deal with, who might not be able to connect the dots through a whole process equipment solution,” says Carson. He explains that, in the past, the water systems industry was much more focused on separate parts rather than complete processes. Understanding how each element of every process integrates within entire systems gives the company a significant edge over lookalike operators. This approach has provided huge growth potential.

Over the past three years, Burt Process has expanded its services to the U.S. West Coast and Ohio.

“We service varied industries across North America and continue to have a presence on seven continents. Burt Process has grown from being just a Northeast-based company to a global player in handling worldwide clientele. Most of our customer base is still in the United States,” says Carson.

Today, many communities in these new territories benefit from state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facilities and other infrastructure designed by the Burt Process team. Carson also acknowledges, with much gratitude, the company’s supplier partners in each new area, who have met various challenges with great resolve and dedication, making its entry into this new territory not only possible but also hugely successful.

He also notes how good it was for company morale to have the team see and contribute to the expansion, stating that everyone is “really proud, and they should be. It is very motivating to see what we can accomplish when we put a plan in place, and the organization collectively works together,” Carson says.

Ensuring clear communication was the key to achieving this growth and long-term success, implementing systems across the company’s facilities. Continuing its transparency despite obvious challenges also became central to its revised mission. Instead of sending memorandums to its teams, senior management opted for video conferencing to share new developments directly. This approach minimized the occurrence of miscommunication and confusion and bound its teams together even more tightly.

Carson attributes the team’s commitment and mettle partially to profit sharing and the firm’s willingness to be open and offer them the opportunities and security they need to flourish. Naturally, this commitment to clear communication builds solid relationships with suppliers as well.

This culture of care continues to guide the company’s ethos and support the globe in its dire need for potable water. “Being able to help provide clean drinking water to people who don’t have access to it globally is where we are highly invested in our community as an environmentally responsible company in being able to provide that awareness, equipment, and support to help our fellow man,” Carson says.

To make this happen, the company partners with non-profit organizations, like Water Mission and Global Water Center based in South Carolina, that support underdeveloped nations in gaining access to drinking water by introducing varying levels of technology into struggling communities. Burt Process Equipment also supports the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center with an annual golf tournament fundraiser that has run for twenty-five years, and has donated $77,000 to date.

In line with the United Nations’ ten-year goal to make this its Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development by 2028, Burt Process Equipment is investing in the initiative regarding funding and sharing its extensive knowledge. “We have capable individuals here who can do a lot of great things for the world by providing engineering support, equipment, and general solutions to help the billions of individuals who don’t have access to clean, disinfected drinking water,” Carson says.

As a result of its company-wide commitment to the lives of others, countless communities have benefitted from Burt Process Equipment’s generous support, including places like Haiti after hurricanes. Selflessness is evident in its teams and in several of its suppliers who co-sponsor and invest in these projects.

Burt Process Equipment is accustomed to handling high-pressure, time-sensitive situations, so adapting to the COVID-19 situation was manageable for the company. Apart from remote working, it also implemented protocols to secure the best service for mission-critical operations supporting the health industry and those responsible for people’s overall safety.

Carson describes how every industry changed in different and often unexpected ways and how Burt Process creatively met so many new and sudden challenges, handling them in meaningful new ways.

“You had industries like the paint industry that did not have critical status. We saw those industries, specifically the paint industry, convert their operations from manufacturing paint to manufacturing hand sanitizers. We were able to not only provide the equipment but also work with our suppliers who fast-tracked that equipment to allow entities doing good work to move fast,” he says, pointing out how marvelous it was to behold such seamless teamwork in motion.

Doing the right thing also applies to the company’s energy usage, as it has since 2012. To this end, Burt Process Equipment is the proud owner of one of the largest solar panel arrays on a building in Hamden, Connecticut. Several team members also come to work in electric vehicles. Looking toward the team’s 2028 plans to double sales revenue, this conscious development and growth will continue to be a theme. Despite the global health crisis, the firm’s financial situation is sturdier than ever, putting it right on track to reaching this goal, perhaps even before then.

Part of its expansion plan revolves around developing existing staff and those who are new to the industry. “It is important to let young professionals know that companies like ours exist. These are great-paying and highly-respected jobs where one can contribute to the greater good, and if we invest in them, great things are going to come from it,” Carson says. Every successful job brings the same sense of achievement, from helping mom-and-pop outfits survive to dazzling Fortune 500 clients at Burt Process Equipment.

The post Keeping the Water Flowing<p class="company">Burt Process Equipment</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Business in Focus had the opportunity to sit down with the current owners, brothers Derek and Tyler Kivi who provided fascinating insight into the evolution of the company. They also shared their view of the future, which looks pretty bright from the outside.

Kivi Bros Trucking is an open deck, heavy haul carrier with broad capabilities and extensive resources that has built its success on a foundation of family, integrity, and hard work. It is a legacy in the making and a trusted name.

Regarding the history of the company, Tyler explains, “Kivi Trucking is what it was called, which started in the 1950s with my grandfather. His name was Henry Kivi. They hauled a variety of freight from concrete culverts to logging. So, fast forward from the 1950s to 1995.

“His sons — my father Jeff and my uncles Mark and Robert — formed Kivi Brothers Trucking, which ran from 1995 to 2017, which is when Derek and I purchased the company from them.”

The real heavy haul
Today, Kivi Bros Trucking operates across the continental United States, Canada and into Alaska. Four terminals support it – the headquarters in Duluth, Minnesota; and facilities in Blaine, Minnesota; Harrodsburg, Kentucky; and Kimball, Wisconsin.

From these, the company serves the lumber industry, manufacturers, heavy equipment, and all who need expertise moving valuable freight. According to Tyler, when it comes to heavy haul loads, “Those guys are extremely experienced. They’re top caliber and they get paid for it.”

The company’s breadth of capability across all loads and conditions is enhanced by the versatility and range of equipment that includes Peterbilt, Kenworth, Volvo, and Western Star – and when it comes to trailers, a special loyalty to Ritenour. With 300 trucks and around 400 employees, Kivi Bros has grown impressively.

“As far as our services go, they are a little more particular to the equipment we offer. We’re an open deck carrier, so we provide flat-bed, step deck, Conestoga, and RGN. We also have some extremely specialized trailers so they offer a wide variety of services,” says Tyler. In addition, there are less-than-truckload (LTL) services.

At Kivi Bros Trucking, the goal is to provide safe, reliable transportation services that deliver the same standard of quality that has come to be expected since the founding of the company three generations ago. With the family name and reputation on the line, these ambitions are taken very seriously.

Family support
When asked what underpins the company’s success, Tyler sees a simple underlying reason. “I would have to lean on the commitment we have from our family, because it’s a heavily influenced family company. There’s Derek and I, and another brother who works directly in operations, and we have uncles who still work here, and we hope to have our own kids join in someday. The commitment from our family has always stood strong.”

There is a real dedication to the maintenance and enforcement of exacting standards of quality, safety, and service, an exceptional work culture and a work environment that breeds success, which seems so often characteristic of family-owned operations.

“We’ve never wavered from challenges or challenging times and the same goes for our employees. Once our employees get involved, they show that same kind of challenge-accepted mentality,” says Tyler. Good hiring and training practices go a long way in this regard.

He also notes, “The requirements we have set are higher than the standard requirements. When we hire the driver, they go through an orientation, and we have some of the best trainers/teachers in the world.”

The trainers are veteran drivers who work one-on-one with the drivers after the paid orientation period to ensure that the driver is comfortable and has the resources and information to do his or her job safely. This includes instruction and practice on how best to use available deck space while loading cargo.

“We want to set our drivers up for success – not only our drivers, but the company, too. And doing that starts at the very beginning,” says Tyler. The beginning is where Derek, Tyler and their family started as well.

“Derek and I both carry CDLs and that’s not only because we learned from the bottom up, but we enforce the idea that we lead by example. There’re things that we make sure we understand. We get out there and get our hands dirty. We’re always familiar with what’s going on and people enjoy that,” explains Tyler.

Leading by example has always been a defining principle of the culture at Kivi Bros Trucking. Everyone is part of a team that collaborates to uphold the company’s reputation. The result is an open, transparent, and honest business model. They are an open deck carrier with an open-door policy.

“Integrity for us is very important,” said Tyler of the company culture. “As far as drivers are concerned, we’ve got a wide variety of freight, so when you couple that with the equipment we have to offer, it makes several opportunities for them.”

Just the deal for drivers
One of the greatest opportunities for drivers is the pay structure. Whereas many carriers are mileage based, Kivi Bros Trucking offers drivers a percentage, which is viewed as greatly beneficial. They also have the possibility of LTL which gives them the opportunity to earn two to three times what a mileage-based driver could.

That sounds almost too good, but Tyler confirms it, “especially in this market right now, because they benefit instantly. They don’t have to look for a raise – they get that raise when the market is like it is now, when the capacity is tight. We really give them an opportunity to make the most out of every trip.”

Another benefit for drivers is having experiences that will not only reward them financially, but also provides memories for a lifetime. Tyler still recalls his first trip to Alaska, which seems to be the memory that drivers relish the most.

“We send a lot of our first timers up there and it’s probably something that they’ll talk about for the rest of their lives. So, to give that opportunity to somebody not only to make money, but to enjoy going and doing a first that they’ve never done, and might never do again – that’s something they’ll always talk about,” Tyler says.

The good news for Kivi Bros Trucking is that the market is extremely hot right now, which means there is no shortage of opportunity, but COVID has certainly introduced its share of challenges in an already difficult industry.

Kivi Bros Trucking, despite not having the opportunity to go into restrooms or eateries at the height of the pandemic when shutdowns challenged the economy, continues to keep on trucking, both literally and figuratively. The team continues to offer outstanding performance and service despite the unique challenges of these times.

Keeping it Kivi
For Tyler, the goal is to maintain the value proposition the Kivi family has worked hard to establish.

“There’s so much that is always changing and coming at us, so navigating through this while providing the best that we can and maintaining that integrity is what we want.” Continued diversification and sustainable growth as an asset carrier will follow, as surely as it has for seven decades.

The team at Kivi Bros Trucking – drivers, management, and support staff – will continue to face challenges head on to ensure that assignments get where they need to go, and arrive when they need to be there.

Hard work like theirs keeps the economy moving and the market strong, while above all they strive to keep themselves and the motoring public safe. It is the Kivi way and so it will continue for many years to come.

The post The Kivi Way<p class="company">Kivi Bros Trucking</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.