Lessons for Growth, Trust, and Innovation
The nonprofit sector is more than just a group of charities. It is a major force in the economy and a rich source of ideas for businesses looking to grow sustainably and make a real difference in...
The Outlook for Retail in a Changing Landscape
Retail has seen nothing but change over the past two-plus decades. Just travel back in time to the end of the ’90s. Believe by Cher was at the top of the charts, the Denver Broncos won their second...
Fastenal Canada
When Fastenal Company first opened its doors in 1967 in Winona, Minnesota, its founders had a modest but powerful ambition: to serve customers better and grow organically. They didn’t have a global...
Garaventa Lift
Nearly a century after its founding, the Garaventa Lift Group continues to be a global leader in mobility and accessibility solutions and services that meet people’s real needs. Back in 1928, young...
Bailey International
Tennessee-based hydraulics equipment supplier Bailey International has a global reach. Since we last spoke in July 2024, the company’s biggest milestone has been the unification of Bailey with its...
Nitrofreeze Cryogenic Solutions
Precise and versatile cryogenic processes, including cryogenic deflashing, deburring, dry ice blasting, and part-enhancing processes, are highly effective treatments for improving product quality....
Alltrista Plastics
The history of Alltrista Plastics, a company focused on precision plastics manufacturing across multiple industries, is marked by both change and longevity. The business traces its history back to...
Washington State Wine Commission
Striving to expand the wine business in Washington State through marketing, communications, research, and education, the Washington State Wine Commission (WSWC) has steadily increased demand for...
Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery
In the heart of rural Wisconsin, where rolling hills meet sprawling dairy pastures, there’s a small town that has proudly claimed a big title: The Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin. For more than a...
Avon Food Company
In an industry where brands rise, merge, and disappear from store shelves as quickly as trends change, Avon Food Company stands out as a rare constant, defined not only by its product legacy, but by...
Rural Strategies for Talent Attraction and Retention
There are countless stories of professional and personal success that begin with a courageous leap of faith, leaving behind a small hometown for the bright lights and even brighter promise of the...
Creating Climate-safe Communities
Considered to be among a community’s most prized natural features, coastal areas are also particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts including erosion, storm surges, and rising sea levels....
Village of Oak Park, Illinois
With plenty of growth opportunities, a rich history, vibrant streets, great restaurants and nightlife, striking architecture, and much more, it’s no wonder flocks of visitors and businesses like...
Village of Hanover Park, Illinois
Rod Craig, Mayor of the Village of Hanover Park, has a message to convey: Hanover Park is transitioning from “a very quiet, humble community to one that’s dynamic. We’re on our toes, we’ve got...
World Business Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, on the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan, is a charming, verdant, and towering place with a rich and colorful history. Today, the kaleidoscopic metropolis and its surroundings,...
J+G Companies
For more than two decades, J+G Companies has been quietly reshaping the multifamily housing landscape—first in California, and now across the Midwest and beyond. What began as James Management Group...
Cloward H2O
This spring, staff from Cloward H2O—a leading aquatics engineering firm from Lindon, Utah—got to enjoy the fruits of their labor at the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort in Colorado. Cloward H2O engineers...
MineConnect
Marla Tremblay is someone who isn’t afraid of challenges; in fact, she embraces them. Entering her fifth year as Executive Director of MineConnect Canada, Tremblay reflects on the association’s...
Town of Grimsby, Ontario
Nestled between Hamilton and St. Catharines on the shores of Lake Ontario, Grimsby is proving that small towns can think big. With a flourishing business community, a scenic setting at the foot of...
City of Lawrence, Massachusetts
Few cities in New England embody the story of immigration, resilience, and reinvention quite like Lawrence, Massachusetts. Founded in 1845 along the Merrimack River, Lawrence quickly became one of...
Benson Systems
In the rapidly evolving world of technology, security, and life safety, very few companies have managed to balance tradition with innovation for as long as Benson Systems has. As the Arizona-based,...
JEBCO
Where would we be without welding? What would get built? What tools would we have? How many industries would not even be around without it? Consider the impacts of welding on mining alone. “A lot of...
STG Mining
In the world of mining, laboratories are the unsung heroes. Every ounce of ore, every mineral extraction, and every investment decision relies on the data generated within. And for the past decade,...
City of La Porte, Texas
La Porte, Texas, may be more than 130 years old, but the city is experiencing a renaissance that is anything but dated. Situated just 30 minutes from downtown Houston and nestled along the Gulf...
WBE Canada
At a time when geopolitics are rendering self-sufficiency crucial to the Canadian economy, Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada), the country’s leading council supporting female...
ChemArt
For ChemArt, 2026 represents a major milestone. The company will commemorate half of a century in business as America celebrates 250 years of independence on July 4th. For the Rhode Island-based...
A Strategic Imperative
In today’s interconnected global economy, resilience, innovation, and sustainability are no longer optional; they are essential for organizations that wish to remain competitive. One of the most...
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)
From safety and technology to education and innovation, SWANA (the Solid Waste Association of North America) promotes and represents waste and resource management professionals while highlighting...
Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Authority (NNRDA)
From striking snow-capped peaks to desert valleys overflowing with sagebrush, the official state flower, Nevada has everything from the lights and glamor of Las Vegas to windswept areas evoking the...
Thunder Bay International Airport
Just like the 700,000-plus passengers that hurry through its doors each year, Thunder Bay International Airport is on a mission: to position itself as the premier airport in Northern Ontario. Air...
Waste as a Resource
A vital component of environmental preservation is sustainable waste management, which emphasizes material recycling, appropriate disposal, and trash reduction. The consequences of poor waste...
Cirtronics
For product companies that require a true manufacturing partner, not just a vendor, Cirtronics Corporation is uniquely positioned to deliver. With a strategic focus on complex builds—including PCBA,...
Sustainability, Equity, and Smart Design
So go downtownThings will be great when you’re downtownNo finer place for sure, downtownEverything’s waiting for you-Downtown by Petula Clark Whether you love or loathe urban living, creating cities...
The Evolution of the Modern Festival
From intimate neighbourhood gatherings to sprawling multi-day festivals, today’s mobile events are a seamless blend of creativity, coordination, and technology. From rock and reggae music festivals...
Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED)
On June 1, 2025, Jennifer Lindley officially assumed the presidency of the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED). From the start, she and CEO Katie Hurst have been laying the...
Pima County, Arizona
Pima County is a sun-drenched region in southern Arizona boasting a strong economy, a long history, leading academic institutions, a wide array of outdoor recreational opportunities, and an...
City of Maricopa, Arizona
In the vast desert landscape south of Phoenix, one of Arizona’s youngest cities is making an outsized impression in the world of economic development. The City of Maricopa, officially incorporated...
City of Prescott, Arizona
160 years after his death, Abraham Lincoln is remembered as a humanitarian, a visionary, and one of the most forward-thinking politicians in American history. The 16th President of the United States...
City of Tempe, Arizona
A world-class destination for adventure and recreation and a welcoming and compassionate community, Tempe, Arizona is situated in the heart of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area. One of the most...
Mohave County, Arizona
Nestled in the scenic high desert of northwestern Arizona, Mohave County is quietly but decisively transforming. Over the past few years, the county has experienced an impressive wave of economic...
Great Western Inorganics
GWI is more than a chemical manufacturer—it’s a vertically integrated solutions partner powering industries that shape our world. From semiconductors and optics to aerospace, green technology,...
Town of Billerica, Massachusetts
The Town of Billerica, Massachusetts is riding a wave of momentum thanks to the approach to municipal development it has taken to strengthen its local economy and elevate the quality of life enjoyed...
City of Peabody, Massachusetts
In verdant Massachusetts, the City of Peabody is a vibrant, diverse community of about 54,000. It is a place of beauty and rich history that is warm and welcoming to newcomers and businesses. For...
City of Torrington, Connecticut
A decade ago, Business in Focus identified Torrington as a city on the verge of change. Today, that potential has been fulfilled, largely thanks to Mayor Elinor Carbone's leadership. During her...
City of Salem, Massachusetts
Preparing to celebrate its 400th birthday in 2026, Salem, Massachusetts is “America’s bewitching seaport,” says Mayor Dominick Pangallo. Although notorious for the witch trials of 1692, when 25...
NEFCO Geotechnical Contractors
Everyone knows that a building’s longevity—and the safety and comfort of those who use it—depends on the strength of its foundation. With so many moving parts on any given project, it is specialty...
The Utility Expo
Described as the place “where the utility industry goes to grow,” The Utility Expo is America’s largest and fastest-growing utility construction show and conference. Held every two years in...
Allegany County, New York
Allegany County, New York has been working hard to highlight its natural splendor, beauty, and other charms. Last profiled by Business in Focus in January 2019, Allegany is a largely rural county...
Shawnee Forward
Since its formation in 2017, Shawnee Forward has made a name for itself as a unifying force in the region’s business and economic development landscape. Created through the merger of the Shawnee...
Lanco Integrated
As technology advances at an ever-accelerating pace, particularly in the realms of artificial intelligence and smart innovations, manufacturers face the added challenge of keeping up with these...