Today, the local economy is flourishing, bringing this charming place into an era of prosperity like the one it knew over a century ago. After many years of preparing new infrastructure, Thomaston-Upson County Industrial Development Authority (TUCIDA) welcomes entrepreneurs and companies looking to put down roots in a trade- and industry-friendly city with a strong workforce and room to grow.

Two centuries interwoven with cotton
Incorporated in 1825, Thomaston has played a crucial role in America’s cotton industry since the late-1800s. As the seat of Upson County (current population 28,000), the city became a recognized industrial hub, with Thomaston Cotton Mills exporting its fabrics around the world, alongside the cotton products of other artisans who made their mark on the local economy.

Although most of the industry would suffer tremendously a century later, coming to a sad end only one year into the new millennium, Thomaston Mills and others continue to produce their premium fabrics, helping to maintain the soul of the city and the county.

With several new industries now developing, regular enquiries to relocate here, and around 300 existing business listings, this city of 9,800 is industrious and future oriented. Board member and native of the town, Jennifer Rogers, tells us that the IDA chair recently noted that they have never before been this busy in the five years he has served on the board. “It’s a very exciting time for us,” she says.

It comes as no surprise, then, that the community’s downtown area is now growing in leaps and bounds following considerable renovations—and a new hotel may soon be joining the mix.

Executive Director Slade Gulledge explains that since Thomaston’s industrial downturn came as the result of unfavorable multinational trade agreements, rebuilding the prosperity that was lost is a significant and ongoing task. Deliberate diversification will be the city’s key to buffering against future misfortune. “Our main focus is to make sure that we have a lot of great places for people to work that are in different types of industries,” Gulledge says of TUCIDA’s efforts to welcome everyone from retailers to industrial outfits.

To achieve its goals, TUCIDA is lucky enough to have an exceptional board including county and local representatives who all genuinely care about the region as a whole. “Economic development is for everybody. We’re not just doing it for the city or the county,” Gulledge says, highlighting the importance of maintaining cohesion amidst its efforts. Many board members are born-and-bred Thomastonians.

Heart and Soul
Rogers recounts how many of her generation chose to return home to Thomaston during its low times after exploring other places, committing themselves to creating a city they are happy to call home once again. As a result, one of the initiatives that took shape was the Community Heart & Soul Program through the Orton Family Foundation, the first community to complete the initiative in the state of Georgia, coordinated by Rogers and partnering with Georgia EMC.

The two-year program was a collaboration between the city, county, and other stakeholders wherein citizens gathered to share what they felt would make Thomaston great once more. This data was carefully collected and analyzed, and then it was all systems go.

“There was real revitalization,” Rogers says. “That was about five years ago, and we haven’t stopped since.” Of all these goals, the community’s biggest wish was to retain its rural soul while growing employment and the economy at a steady pace.

Through transparency and owning their commitments, all stakeholders were issued clear action plans that continue to be closely monitored to ensure success. Gulledge describes his introduction to the program, with his appointment about a year ago, as impressive. The number of goals that had already been achieved by the time of his arrival made it clear to him that he had landed in a most enterprising community. Seeing this inspired him to help and play his part in taking the community forward.

Today, large companies like Marriott, with their ‘Made-in-America’ policy on towels, ensure that a company like Thomaston’s Standard Textile can help the city thrive by boosting its legacy industry, standing on the shoulders of the giants who originally built it.

These giants are not forgotten, either—a local park is dedicated to their memory, while Silvertown Historic Mill Village, commissioned by Martha Mills in 1929, is still in existence. A respected city planner and landscape architect of those times, Earle Sumner Draper, combined forces with Robert and Company, an engineering and architectural firm, in 1929. One could argue that the designers were ahead of their time, as they worked to protect nature in every way they could while creating a spacious layout for a well-functioning village complete with churches and schools.

Acknowledged in the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district, Silvertown was incorporated into Thomaston in the late 1950s. The great-great-grandchildren of many of the old-time millworkers still work in this industry for companies in Thomaston that specialize in various types of cotton fabrics.

Making the move
Amongst the newer, unrelated firms that now call Thomaston home is Brightmark, an industrial renewable plastics outfit that responded to the community’s handsome incentives to move here. The company is set to soon bring investments of over 900 million dollars and employment for around 200 individuals to Thomaston-Upson.

There is also the Tidal Wave Auto Spa, a car wash company with 200 employees in downtown Thomaston and wash locations across the United States. Moreover, Thomaston recently welcomed Value Smart Products, a manufacturer of dish and laundry additives, who moved into an original Thomaston Mills factory space and is already looking to expand.

In addition, the local industrial park is seeing both organic and planned growth. Companies settling here benefit from a regional airfield with a 6,350-foot runway right next door and accordingly, there are also aircraft maintenance and repair service companies that call Thomaston home.

Another collection of projects currently remains under wraps but represents around 6 billion dollars’ worth of potential investment and around 2,000 potential jobs for the region. While all will be revealed in due course regarding these projects, the good news in the meantime is that the community’s current priority is to ensure sufficient housing to support such expansion.

A special place
“It’s a really good time. We’re on the cusp of something big happening,” Gulledge says of the leap the city is poised for. Handily situated within Georgia’s Golden Triangle, an hour or so away from the cities of Columbus, Atlanta, and Macon and just 60 miles from an international airport, there is no reason for this lovely place to lose its small-town feel while gearing up to be home to big national brands. With a daily three-minute commute between his office and his home in Silvertown Village, Gulledge could not recommend the lifestyle more.

Part of Thomaston’s appeal is how family-friendly it is, considering its natural beauty combined with robust infrastructure. With an outstanding school district and nearby tertiary institutions, quality education is certainly taken care of, and the well-equipped regional hospital is continuously expanding its facilities.

There is also a plethora of activities to enjoy including kayaking, skydiving, a selection of beautiful parks to visit, and a soon-to-come local farmers market, a signature community project resulting from the Heart & Soul Program. This new downtown venue will host festivals, concerts, and other community get-togethers.

Open for business
Passionate about creating opportunities for “real careers,” Rogers says that a great number of local employees are now under 40 years of age, lending a sense of vibrancy to the town that it perhaps did not have just a few years ago. “The huge increase in entrepreneurship over the last couple of years has been impressive,” she adds.

Gulledge agrees that it is imperative not to become a “net exporter of local talent,” predicting a race for space to hit the downtown area once the hotel plans come to pass.

Speaking of local talent, Thomaston’s artisanal scene is also thriving. Blessed with lovely boutiques and specialty shops, its future retail strategy includes plans to strengthen this sector even further.

With great access to water resources, easy logistical access, and a local and regional workforce equipped to handle the challenges of advanced manufacturing, TUCIDA is on a roll, continuing to bring more industry to the area with the full support of residents and board members who are dedicated to change and growth—and to being the change they wish to see.

Additionally, with the small-town superpower of bringing together the right people in a single space to make positive change happen quickly, Gulledge and Rogers are clear about Thomaston-Upson being open to good deals that foster strategic growth. “We’re very excited about the future,” says Gulledge, “and we want to make sure everybody knows we’re open for business.”

The post Historical Revival Meets Modern Momentum<p class="company">Thomaston-Upson County Industrial Development Authority (TUCIDA)</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

This is also true of the investment environment in the region. From a development standpoint, Saratoga County has enjoyed countless major economic wins which have supported diverse employment opportunities and shared prosperity—and it shows no signs of slowing down.

“In 2024, Saratoga Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) enabled just over $175,000,000 in new investment in Saratoga County, creating just under 600 new permanent full-time jobs, and maybe as important or, in some cases, more important, we were able to retain about 200 jobs from leaving the county. So despite the uncertainty, we’ve had some success,” shares President Greg Connors.

As a dues-paying membership-based organization with tiered benefits for members and an annual operating budget of only $1.1 million—not a lot by most measures—this organization is getting a lot done and bringing a solid long-term growth strategy to the region.

Primed for growth
With everything in place including the necessary amenities and infrastructure, interstate access, an international and recently constructed county airport, navigable public waterways, and a robust public transportation system, Saratoga County enjoys access to 44 percent of the U.S. marketplace within an eight-hour drive, which is ideal for the various economic sectors that call the region home. Its critical location halfway between New York and Montreal also offers access to international marketplaces, which is a boon to capital investment that reinforces the region’s economic diversity and prosperity.

The area is home to 21^st-century industrial operations including Soleno, Evonix, Kersia Group, Protex International, Regeneron, and GlobalFoundries, as well as many small businesses and entrepreneurs who take advantage of the connectivity the region affords. GlobalFoundries is among the largest and most successful economic development projects in New York State’s history. The $15 billion operation employs 3,000 full-time employees and has plans and government approvals with economic support from the Federal Chips and Science Act as well as New York State’s Green Chips legislation to invest another $12 billion, adding another 1,000 jobs in the not-so-distant future.

While GlobalFoundries’ plans continue in the planning stage, that doesn’t mean it’s not business as usual for SEDC. In fact, there are another five major projects valued at over $300 million in the pipeline with more to come, bringing greater light industrial development and commercial manufacturing opportunities to the region.

“We’re busy and we continue to advance the ball down the field,” says Connors of SEDC’s strategy. “Typically, SEDC has been focused on the commercial/light industrial/manufacturing sectors, but we’re expanding.” The region is primed for sectors like healthcare, renewable energy, agriculture/equine, and multifamily housing, and the organization has a solid roster of partners who work collaboratively to support these industries.

These partners include “the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce, my partners in economic development in the 10 county areas, the Center for Economic Growth, the Albany Alliance, Metroplex, and the Warren County Economic Development Corporation, to name just a few,” Connors says. “It’s a collaboration. It’s communication. They are a critical part of our success. And for years, we’ve performed productively and collaboratively together,” which has been a boon to the work of the organization.

While SEDC has enjoyed some high-value investment wins with major corporations, there is also a focus on supporting and empowering small businesses and entrepreneurs who are looking to expand their operations and their economic impact in the community. Together with collaborators like local Chambers and business leaders, Empire State Development, and Saratoga County government, which offers funding and support, SEDC is addressing the gaps that can prevent these businesses from taking the next steps in their success. Small business, after all, is at the heart of the local economy and contributes greatly to the area’s quality of life.

“Upon solicitation, we will bring these entrepreneurs in and will help put together, with our collaborators, business plans and budgets,” Connors explains. “We’ll try to relocate them off of the dining room table and into, say, a storefront or an applicable Main Street location to give them higher visibility as well as a greater chance at success and profitability,” he says of the Small Business Startup Initiative, of which he is particularly proud.

Efforts are also underway to more strongly leverage modern technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) by courting businesses that can support this transition and offering education and support for those who seek to integrate these technologies into their operations.

From Connors’ perspective, “Saratoga County is open for business and SEDC is prepared to help.”

An attractive locale
Saratoga County is a fine example of a community that has taken full advantage of its natural endowments to drive economic success. The area is steeped in natural beauty, culture, and entertainment, which is supported by infrastructure and amenities that are attractive not only to diverse businesses and residents but also millions of visitors each year.

For those seeking an experience rich in history, there is Saratoga National Historical Park (NHP), a 3,200-acre site located along the upper Hudson River that preserves the grounds that played host to the Battles of Saratoga, which were instrumental during the American Revolutionary War.

The area is also the birthplace of thoroughbred horse racing. Saratoga Race Course opened in 1863, making it one of the oldest horse racing tracks in the country. Each year, it attracts over a million visitors who not only spend their dollars on-site but throughout the region, bringing millions of dollars in economic impact as well.

For 55 years, residents and visitors alike have been drawn to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) in the heart of Saratoga Spa State Park, which plays host to countless best-in-class artists across genres. With performances from the New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, and Opera Saratoga, and concerts by Live Nation, SPAC enriches the arts and cultural backdrop that collectively elevates the community.

And for those who enjoy live entertainment, fine dining, and taking chances, the Saratoga Casino Hotel is another reason to visit historic Saratoga Springs. With over 1,200 slot machines, electronic table games, live harness racing, and simulcast wagering, it is another significant economic contributor in the region.

Collaborative success
The economic potential of Saratoga County is boundless. Everything is in place to weather whatever uncertainty and take the economy to the next level, and through continued partnership and collaboration, SEDC and its partners will continue to leverage the many assets and amenities that help the region stand out from the rest.

“Being successful for over 45 years, I think our trajectory is pretty well established, and in this business, like many businesses, on January 1^st you go back to zero and the numbers have to start growing again,” says Connors. “You don’t carry those dollar successes from year to year, but we do build on the years of new investment, job creation, and job retention that we have enjoyed for over 45 years.”

Noting that SEDC doesn’t have a corner on the market for good ideas, Connors and the SEDC team will continue to keep an open ear and an open mind to welcome opportunities and partnerships for the benefit of the county with regional, national, and international interests. So stay tuned, as there are some exciting projects in the pipeline that will continue to position Saratoga County as a region where success thrives.

The post A Region on the Up<p class="company">Saratoga Economic Development Corporation (SEDC)</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Yet, despite its rural delights, Welland is a thriving economic hub, and, with Toronto just one-and-a-half hours away, it provides easy access to the Greater Toronto Area and all it has to offer. With the city focused on growth, its state-of-the-art amenities and public facilities are a big draw for those looking to set down roots. Its friendly people make Welland a welcoming and sought-after address.

And it looks like people who move to Welland tend to stay. A recent tally of the city’s population count currently sits at about 65,500 and is projected to nearly double over the next decade and a half, as current projections indicate the possibility of its census hitting figures as high as 103,000 by 2041.

The city’s overall infrastructure is top-notch. Niagara College Canada is a proud, expanding tertiary institution offering over 125 programs, and St. Catharines’ Brock University has a selection of more than 100 programs. There is also a modern hospital which is part of Niagara Health. Beyond quality education and healthcare, residents also love their local, year-round farmers market, which has been running since 1907, creating an opportunity for everyone to get together and have a good time while being able to purchase locally produced food, treats, and other products.

The Welland Canal, which dates back to 1829, was built to join Lakes Erie and Ontario, and this 44.4km stretch of water became part of the city’s economic heartbeat when it was developed as an industrial shipping highway. Originally part of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the canal remains pivotal in providing cargo vessels access to the Niagara area. Although the region has a healthy economy and fabrication sector, it maintains the well-manicured ambiance of a fantastic place to visit, live in, play in, and enjoy.

As such—and with its very own rose named after it—the City of Welland is the ideal place to stop and smell these gorgeous blooms and perhaps even stay forever. The city is home to friendly, thriving communities where people are warmly welcomed, and a custom, illustrated children’s book, Wonders of Welland, available in English and French, shares with them all the fun stories, history, and awesome things to do in and around the city. Of course, this means a lot of exciting exploration for the entire family.

Written by the City’s Chief Communications & Engagement Officer, Marc MacDonald, and illustrated by a Niagara College student intern, Javier Carranza, the book was published in 2024, proving to be an invaluable resource in helping new arrivals settle in and become truly part of this dynamic place. “We were looking at the influx of families, children, newcomers and how to embrace the people who [arrive here],” Paul Orlando, Communications Specialist and the book’s editor, tells us.

As an absolute first of its kind across the United States and Canada, to the team’s knowledge, this invitation to adventure has proven as popular with longstanding locals as it has with new arrivals. Fully funded by private developers seeking to provide newcomers with a positive experience, the initiative is proving to be a real hit.

Many Wellanders are typically sporty folks who have a great love of and focus on environmental stewardship and enjoy spending time in the great outdoors. As a result, the city has become a popular tourist hub amongst sports aficionados of all kinds, especially those partial to water activities. To this end, the city boasts the Welland International Flatwater Centre (WIFC), which provides world-class facilities for everything from dragon boat racing to canoeing, kayaking, and rowing all year-round. There is also the Empire Sportsplex, which opened in 2023 and was honoured with the Parks and Recreation Ontario Park or Facility Design Award not long ago.

One of the city’s newest assets is its beloved Jackfish baseball team, and support for the team has given its stadium a new lease on life. “It’s a pretty popular ticket to get your hands on throughout the summer,” Jessica Ruddell, Director of Community Services, says with a smile. “We’re thrilled with that partnership and the investments made.”

Indeed, as several redevelopment projects are underway, the City of Welland has a future of growing excitement ahead of it. Upgrades include the redevelopment of Cooks Mills community centre and park in the east of the city. There are also talks of an arena development that aims to expand the use of existing infrastructure.

And sports are not the only recreational pursuits catered for here. There are many options for rest and relaxation, with much of the leisure activity in the city happening in and around the canal. There are also more than six well-tended parks to visit, offering hiking, biking or just basking in nature while taking in the splendid views.

Getting around is also a pleasure, as local city planners are firm in their resolve to make Welland less dependent on private motor vehicles through efficient public transport, biking, safe pedestrian spaces, and more. Robust planning in the past means that today, ample accommodation and housing options of many different types are available for people of all ages and stages of life. Whether starting up or winding down, in the middle of raising a family, or single, the city has plenty of suitable housing available for everyone.

Welland’s residential properties are balanced with commercial spaces to ensure retail needs are well served. Maintaining and strengthening the city’s cultural heritage is another priority, so the city is planning to implement a parks, recreation, and arts master plan, which promises to add even more appeal to an already inspiring place. Community participation in the program is being encouraged through a public art assessment program under the guidance of a culture advisory committee.

The city aims to develop its existing public art collection by incorporating new work in novel and functional ways—like inviting visitors to engage with such works throughout its parks—and the project is invigorating Welland’s existing asset portfolio. One example of such new public art is an oversized sculpture that doubles as seating and takes inspiration from the modern impression of an anchor. In addition, a beautiful amphitheater at Merritt Park on the canal seats a little over 700 people and is a prime location for concert season.

Many of the city’s professionals have been honoured with a flurry of awards in recognition of their good work. “To me, that signifies that Welland is being looked at as a leader,” says Ruddell. “We’re really happy with that and want to highlight our staff’s accomplishments.”

Such awards include three cooperation performance awards from Brock University and Top 100 Festivals and Events Ontario for its concerts on the canal. “We’re excited for the staff that put that event on,” shares Ruddell. “This was their first time delivering the event, and they did a really great job with it.” Moreover, the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce honoured Lina DeChellis, Director of Economic Development and Strategic Initiatives, for her contributions to this sector with an ‘Excellence in the Public Sector’ award last year. As a result of the vitality characterizing its team, the City of Welland has become a sought-after employer.

To further bolster this legacy of excellence, the City of Welland is generously investing in its people’s professional development. “People are our greatest asset,” Ruddell says. “There’s an ongoing appreciation for continuous improvement, learning, and pushing ourselves to be better. Even our senior leaders are participating in executive leadership development.”

In a world where the values that make us human and keep us mentally, spiritually, and physically healthy are significant parts of any progressive city planner’s priorities, investing in nurturing meaningful leadership skills goes a long way to securing the overall well-being of Welland. “As municipal leaders, we realize that we can achieve a lot more by partnering with the community. We’ve had a lot of success doing that,” Ruddell highlights.

One thing is certain: with its commitment to integrity, innovation, and people, the city’s wealth of unique natural assets, motivated business leaders, and everyday people who take pride in keeping this the outstanding place that it is, all come together to provide Welland with the most precious asset of all: a sense of community. We look forward to seeing where Welland goes next.

The post A Premium Destination<p class="company">City of Welland, Ontario</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

“We want people to know that Sioux Falls is a thriving community,” he says. “The city may not be as well-known as others or on someone’s radar, so we want people to know this is a great place to do business and raise a family.”

The area was once inhabited by the Lakota and Dakota peoples, who hunted bison. The cascades on the Big Sioux River (aka The Falls) attracted the notice of early explorers, including Lewis and Clark. Settlement began in the 1850s, and the community grew to 593 residents by 1873. Railroads led to explosive expansion, as the population soared from 2,164 residents in 1880 to over 10,000 within a decade. The arrival of interstate highways in the 1960s continued to drive growth, with the population topping 100,000 people by 1990.

Located in southeast South Dakota near several major transportation routes, the city today enjoys low unemployment, affordable housing, strong public, private, and post-secondary education systems, and a comprehensive healthcare network. The biggest city in South Dakota, it has around 220,000 residents—while the Sioux Falls Metro area has a population of over 316,000—and is growing at a rate of 4,000 to 6,000 people per year.

Sioux Falls is “a big city with a smalltown feel,” says Mundt. “We attract businesses and people here because of the quality of life paired with our cost of living and the safety component that we have. Companies can thrive here. We have a hard-working [labor force] that’s willing to put in the time to be successful.”

Indeed, the city has recently experienced a surge of economic, residential, and commercial growth. Foundation Park, for instance, is a 980-acre industrial zone established in 2015 near rail lines and interstate highways. Billed as “South Dakota’s first mega-site,” by the SFDF, Foundation Park counts Amazon, FedEx, and a range of manufacturers, warehousing operations, and other businesses as tenants. Sites are still available for companies looking to locate here.

The lure of plentiful, shovel-ready land—Foundation Park features well-established utilities infrastructure—is just one of the city’s attractions. The Sioux Falls Development Foundation offers negotiated pricing on its industrial land, while the city and state offer incentives and competitive utility rates. State-level initiatives include the South Dakota Reinvestment Payment Program, which gives reinvestment payments to companies that initiate projects valued at over $20 million or make equipment upgrades of at least $2 million. South Dakota is also a right-to-work state, meaning it is illegal to compel workers to join a union or deny employment to someone based on their membership or non-membership in a union. There is also no personal or corporate state income tax.

Sioux Falls is conveniently located at the crossroads of two interstates, I-29 and I-90, enabling easy north/south and east/west travel, respectively. Average commuting time is under 20 minutes. The Sioux Falls Regional Airport, already the largest in the state, might get even bigger in the near future. “We’re looking, in the next five to 10 years, at expanding our airport, expanding the capacity we have for both passenger air and also freight,” Mundt tells us.

As for what kinds of companies the city aims to attract, “We are targeting high-tech manufacturing,” he says. “We’re also targeting warehousing and distribution and looking at bio-tech industries, specifically [agricultural bio], areas of genetic engineering, biopharmaceuticals… We’re also looking most currently at cyber and cyber-security.”

Above all, Sioux Falls wants to work with businesses offering high-quality, high-paying positions. “If you’re looking to come here and pay people in the $12 to $13 an hour range, you’re not going to attract enough workers to fill your jobs,” says Mundt. “We make sure they understand they’re going to have to pay what it takes to get people.” Median family income in the Metro Sioux Falls area was $103,464 in 2023, while the per capita income was $46,368, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures.

Coupled with good wages is affordability. The city scored 91.0 on a cost-of-living comparison published by the Council for Community & Economic Research that tabulated and contrasted average food, housing, transportation, health, and utilities expenses in various cities. Denver, Colorado scored 108.6, Madison, Wisconsin scored 104.7, and Minneapolis, Minnesota came in at 93.6. Sioux Falls also boasts an abundance of new housing, as $6 billion worth of residential construction has taken place here since 2020, with over 15,000 new housing units built. The median home price in 2024 was roughly $330,000.

Over the past decade, the city’s labor force has grown by 14 percent, with unemployment in 2024 standing at a very low 1.8 percent. The city’s two major medical systems—Sanford Health and Avera Health—are also its top employers. Other leading employers include Amazon, Smithfield Foods, Wells Fargo, and Walmart/Sam’s Club. Thanks to its strategic location, Sioux Falls can draw workers from three states: South Dakota and neighboring Minnesota and Iowa.

Foundation Park is not the only big development here; Cherapa Place and the Steel District are two high-profile projects in recent years that have transformed the downtown core. “We’ve taken areas that were once industrial, downtown by the river, and transformed them into cities within the city,” explains Mundt.

Cherapa Place is a mixed residential, commercial, and office neighborhood featuring large building complexes and condominiums, while the Steel District, whose name pays homage to the area’s industrial roots, is a “live-work space, with commercial development, residential development, and high-end condos,” as well as the Canopy by Hilton Sioux Falls Downtown, a hotel with over 200 rooms.

In addition to the two large healthcare systems, the city hosts specialty hospitals and facilities focused on hearts, bones, and ophthalmology. “We get a lot of retirees—seniors that come here because of our healthcare system,” notes Mundt. In fact, the state of South Dakota was ranked number six amongst the best places to retire in America in 2025 by the website Seniorly.com, while earlier this year, WalletHub.com included Sioux Falls on its list of the top 25 safest cities in the U.S. based on crime rates, financial safety, and a limited potential for natural disasters.

The city is rich in educational opportunity, with the University of Sioux Falls and Augustana University, both private, based in the city, along with Southeast Technical College. The city is within an hour’s drive of three other major universities: The University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota State University in Brookings, and Dakota State University in Madison.

Cold winters and warm summers are the norm in Sioux Falls. January features a mean temperature of 17.9°F (-8°C), while the July mean is 74.4°F (23°C). The average annual temperature stands at 46°F (7.6°C) with an average annual snowfall of 42.5 inches. “If people move here from California or Southern states, certainly that first winter here is eye-opening to them,” Mundt shares.

But for all that, “we embrace our climate. We live in the upper Midwest, and we know we’re going to have four seasons, and that’s what we appreciate about being here. We know that spring, summer, and fall are kind of our ‘make hay’ months outside, if you will. We really do a lot of stuff during those months. [But we also] have tremendous winter activities. Some are outside; some are inside. We want to make sure that this is a year-round community,” he adds.

In winter, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and tubing are hugely popular. During the warmer months, hiking, mountain biking, hunting, kayaking, fishing, and all manner of sports are big draws. The area boasts over 80 parks, 17 golf courses, four minor league sports teams—hockey, baseball, basketball, and soccer—three state parks, and four recreation areas.

The city also features an impressive zoo and Falls Park, which features the city’s famous waterfalls and is “kind of our signature area,” says Mundt. Levitt at the Falls offers free concerts throughout the summer and hosts other arts events throughout the year. “If you need something to do on a weekend and you can’t find something, you’re not looking very hard,” Mundt laughs.

In terms of getting the city’s name out, Experience Sioux Falls, the city’s convention and visitors bureau, “does a really good job,” promoting the area to tourists, visitors, and convention goers, he says. The SFDF, meanwhile, is responsible for highlighting business opportunities for companies and job opportunities for individuals. The Foundation achieves this through a robust social media presence and by attending trade shows.

Looking to the future, city officials want Sioux Falls to continue growing—but in a responsible way, says Mundt. This means making plans for future infrastructure and services to accommodate new residents and businesses.

Within a few years, he would like to see Sioux Falls “in that 300,000 to 350,000-person range. We’d love to have more advanced manufacturing companies here creating high-quality jobs.” We look forward to seeing where this city’s evolution takes it next.

The post Big Developments in a Growing Upper Midwest City<p class="company">City of Sioux Falls, South Dakota</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

In working with the EDC for about a decade before coming on board as president and CEO in 2012, Clifton had polished his knowledge of business retention, workforce development, strategic planning, grants and incentives, policies, and other key tactics. “I was familiar with what they do, and traveled with them a lot,” he shares. The law firm he was with represented the CCEDC as well as the airport and several cities in the county, and when his predecessor left, the chairman of the EDC suggested Clifton apply. “I had a lot of economic development experience on the law side,” he says, “and I was ready for a change.”

Top state for business
Located in rural south Alabama, Covington County is near the Florida border and has a population of about 38,000. Andalusia serves as the county seat for Covington, which encompasses 1,034 square miles and has 10 incorporated towns.

For many years, one of the area’s major businesses was Alabama Textile Products Corporation (ALATEX). Founded over 100 years ago as the ANDALA Co., it served as a contract manufacturer for legendary clothing company Arrow Shirts.

Cementing its reputation early on as an ideal place to do business, Alabama was named one of the Top States for Doing Business by Area Development magazine last October. “Certain states just have the right ingredients for attracting and nurturing business growth,” enthused the publication. “The 2024 Top States for Doing Business rankings are in, and guess what? The Southern states are shining bright once again.”

Some reasons for this recognition include the state’s business-friendly policies, workforce development, competitive tax rates, and incentives, which together create an ideal climate for growth and investment. Being a right-to-work state also means that Alabama fosters a lower overall cost of doing business.

Unmatched training offerings
“The report credits two main reasons for Alabama’s success: a favorable property tax structure and strong investments in workforce development,” says the CCEDC website. “AIDT (Alabama Industrial Development Training), a division of the Alabama Department of Commerce, continues to provide new services and customized technical training programs at no cost to both employers and trainees.”

This training encompasses everything from trainee recruitment and screening to continuous improvement, safety assistance, process improvement assessments, and leadership training programs.

Training is conducted through AIDT staff or contracted instructors, and delivered via classrooms or one of 38 Mobile Training Units (MTUs). These MTUs can be customized for individual company needs, and even set up directly on employer sites.

“In terms of incentives and what we try to do, Alabama Industrial Development Training is our biggest incentive,” says Clifton. AIDT is consistently ranked as one of America’s top industrial training organizations, and Clifton and the CCEDC are impressed with how streamlined qualifying projects and Requests for Information (RFI) are.

“The AIDT will come in, develop a training program, recruit and train people,” he explains. This includes trainers being sent by auto manufacturers Mercedes-Benz, Honda, and Hyundai from Germany, Japan, and South Korea respectively, with workers being screened and placed, all at no cost. “They will pay your people to train your people,” says Clifton. “That can really make a difference when you’re going after a project… the cost to you is zero.”

At present, Hyundai has a training facility in Alabama’s capital city, Montgomery, where its plant is located.

“Many businesses already know that Alabama—and especially Covington County—offers ample space, favorable taxes, and low utility costs,” adds Clifton on the CCEDC website. “However, fewer companies know just how much Alabama is investing in workforce development. Our goal is to make staffing one of the easiest parts of moving your operations to the state.”

Strong leadership
Rick Clifton works alongside CCEDC Vice President Jacob Morgan, various public and private partners, and a board comprising bankers, businesspeople, an airport director, and a community college president.

“We’ve got a very diverse board with a lot of business leaders, and our biggest employer, Shaw Industries, is on our board,” says Clifton. “It’s a very good group.” The executive committee includes the head of electricity producer PowerSouth Energy Cooperative along with the head of Covington Electric Cooperative, the local electricity distributor, and the president of Southeast Gas Co-op.

Indeed, many businesses remain faithful to Covington County, including Shaw Industries. “You wouldn’t think of aviation in rural South Alabama,” says Clifton of Shaw. A leader in flooring and surface solutions, Shaw is a wholly owned Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. subsidiary with over $6 billion in annual sales. The company recently completed a $300 million upgrade and renovation project for its local plant, furthering its commitment to Covington. “It’s the largest renovation in the company’s history, and we’re proud of that.”

Covington County continues to attract and retain many top manufacturers and businesses. According to the CCEDC, Alabama has been responsible for $18.82 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2019.

A rich business landscape
With an abundance of available land, Alabama and Covington County are home to many diverse sectors, including agribusiness and food production, automotive, aviation/aerospace, metal manufacturing, and many more. And with the second-largest timberland base in the United States at almost 23 million acres, Alabama is ideal for forestry-related products and manufacturing. Covington County itself is home to species including pine, elm, beech, oak, poplar, and hickory, as well as several historic mills.

Covington County is also home to the North American headquarters of McDermott Aviation, Australia’s largest Heli-Aviation company, with helicopters made by McDermott sent worldwide to fight fires. The area is also home to a massive, 70,000-square-foot twin hangar aviation complex. Supporting fixed and rotary aircraft OEM, repair, modification, and overhaul, the complex will become available this July.

Earlier this year, legendary sausage-making business Conecuh Sausage announced an $80 million processing facility in the area, which will create dozens of new jobs. The new facility is set to open in May. Other recent initiatives include a large landscaping, timber, rock, and mulch company announcing the creation of an $18 million facility in Florala, a town along the Alabama-Florida state line.

On the energy side, a solar farm will soon be constructed in the southern part of Covington County. The area is already home to several prominent engineering firms, along with PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, Southeast Gas, and Covington Electric Cooperative. Other businesses recently opening in the county include mulch, soil, and landscape rock company Sims Bark and agribusiness giant Simplot.

These companies join many others with a presence in Covington, including chemical and applications company Arclin, global packaging solutions experts Sonoco, Molded Fiber Glass Alabama, and Andalusia Distributing Co., to name a few.

“We fill a void,” says Clifton. “When the co-op system for rural electric services was built, Covington was the center. It made sense for utilities to make Covington their headquarters.” He jokes that the county is “90 miles from everything—90 miles from Montgomery, 90 miles from Dauphin, 90 miles to Mobile, and 90 miles to the Gulf of Mexico.”

Shovel-ready industrial parks
For Clifton and his team at the Covington County Economic Development Commission, nothing happens by chance. Everything is planned and thought out long in advance, including the area’s industrial parks. These include shovel-ready industrial parks, with expedited permitting, in both Andalusia and Opp.

“We have Advantage Sites that are pre-qualified and independently certified as shovel-ready. The Opp Industrial Park and Sutton Road Industrial Park are both Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) Certified Advantage Sites. Since the program was created in 2008, it has grown to 60 active Advantage Sites across Alabama.

What this means for new tenants is that all utilities are on site. All necessary studies—cultural, environmental, geophysical/soil, and even ensuring there are no endangered species—have been pre-completed, so businesses are comfortable knowing they can get up and running quickly.

“Alabama is business-friendly,” comments Clifton. One website he often directs people to is Made in Alabama, at www.madeinalabama.com. The comment he often hears is, ‘What’s made in Alabama?’ His response: ‘Everything.’ This encompasses aerospace, automotive, bioscience, chemicals, operations, logistics, metal and advanced materials, and much more, all backed by a business-friendly climate, great incentives, solid infrastructure, and a motivated workforce.

As a rural community, one challenge is getting companies to come to the area to experience for themselves all that Covington County has to offer. One time, Clifton worked on attracting a retail client for years. “When they finally came, they said, ‘We didn’t know you had all this.’ So if we can get them here, we can show them what we’ve got, and how you get from A to B,” he says.

Along with fostering a business-friendly environment, one of Covington’s biggest assets is its outstanding quality of life. It’s a genuine community where locals are friendly, helpful, and don’t lock their doors. “One phrase I use a lot is, ‘We do business with professional hospitality.’ You’ve heard of Southern hospitality, and we’ve taken a twist on that, and tell people we do it with professional hospitality,” says Clifton. “We have a lot of things going on, and when we get people to come and look, they like what they see.”

The post Where Business and Southern Hospitality Meet<p class="company">Covington County Economic Development Commission</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

With a population of almost 75,000 and growing, Blaine is so much more than a commuter city. Through intentional placemaking and strategic investments, it has established itself as a full-service community with a character and economy of its own.

“We’re not just a suburban community that has large single-family homes. We have apartments; we have single-level villas for seniors; we have single-family homes for growing families; and everything in between. Our existing housing stock offers different price points to enter the market as well,” says Blaine’s Community Development Director, Erik Thorvig.

From Thorvig’s perspective, Blaine is a real draw. “Between location, cost, and the other amenities that we have here, it’s a very attractive place for builders to look at and a place where people want to locate.” The city’s leadership continues to do everything it can to enhance the quality of life that’s so appealing to residents and visitors alike.

Investing in the community
To sustain its present growth, several infrastructure investments are being made to strengthen the access and connectivity offered in Blaine via Interstate 35W, State Highways 65 and 610, and US State Highway 10, infrastructure that is critical to growth.

“When you talk about infrastructure, one of the biggest challenges we’ve had in Blaine is Highway 65, which is a major north-south corridor that runs right through the middle of our community,” says Thorvig of the state-owned highway that is traveled by over 55,000 vehicles every day.

Highway 65 actually carries the same volume of traffic as Interstate 35W but, unlike the interstate, has signals and other traffic restrictions that can lead to congestion and safety challenges. Fortunately, Blaine has received more than $100 million from the state and federal governments to invest in that corridor, and while Thorvig expects the work to cause some disruptions, “it will help our existing residents and drive other economic development activity as well.”

This investment has reinforced the State of Minnesota’s decision to relocate its new State of Emergency Operations Center in Blaine, moving existing operations away from downtown Saint Paul to take advantage of this connectivity.

Blaine is also investing in the community through the designation of redevelopment areas. The Northtown Mall, like many other shopping centers built in the 1970s, would benefit from a refresh and is envisioned to become a mixed-use destination of choice. One project injecting new life into this property is Asia Village, a 130,000-square-foot space that will feature an Asian grocery store, food court, retailers, and event venue. This is a model that has had success in other communities and will add life and culture to the area.

This is also true of the 105^th Redevelopment Area. A sports entertainment district, the 60-acre mixed-use redevelopment will bring new restaurants, hospitality, entertainment, and residential to the area surrounding the National Sports Center (NSC), which has been a beacon for development since the 1990s. The neighborhood is designed to be walkable and will boast a unique character of its own playing to the area’s many strengths, particularly its sports-tourism draw.

The draw of sports
From a development standpoint, sports tourism driven by the National Sports Center has been a pillar of the surrounding community. The world’s largest amateur sports facility, it offers over 100 unique sports programs and events including countless national and international competitions that draw more than four million visitors to the city each year.

“It has turned into a sports entertainment hub in the Twin Cities metro area and the primary driver originally for that was the National Sports Center,” says Thorvig of the 600-acre sports campus.

As the most visited sports facility in the state, it is revered by visitors and locals alike, as 90 percent of participants are from the state of Minnesota. This generates over $70 million in annual visitor economic impact—an impact that just keeps growing.

The NSC plays host to the Target USA Cup, one of the largest amateur soccer tournaments in the world, which draws countless individuals and families to the area, and since ice rinks were added in the early 2000s, the community impact of the complex has continued to grow. Now, the world’s largest indoor ice arena of its kind, with eight sheets of ice under one roof, is home to the USA Women’s Olympic Hockey Team and serves as a training facility for athletes of all skill levels.

In total, the facility features 17 artificial turf fields and more than 30 grass fields as well as the M Health Fairview Dome, which, at 110 feet tall, is the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. It has the space to house two full-size soccer fields and two full-size baseball diamonds. There is also a 58,000-square-foot NSC Sports Hall and a 5,000-seat stadium that hosts countless events.

Blaine is also home to Victory Links Golf Course, an 18-hole championship golf course and the only PGA-Tour designed course open to the public in Minnesota. It welcomes the best golfers in the world each July. The course hosts the qualifying round for the 3M Open held the same week at the TPC Twin Cities.

Room to grow
As a growing community, Blaine is fortunate to have the space to expand. Over the last several years, there has been a great deal of industrial investment, a testament to the pro-business climate, the forward-thinking leadership, and the growth plan that is successfully being implemented.

As Economic Development Specialist Ruth Tucker notes, “We’ve had about 600,000 square feet of new industrial space come online over the last three or four years and a lot of it is filling quite quickly. We’ve had one building that was completely leased before it was even built and two or three others that were fully leased shortly after,” she says.

“A lot of those spaces are attracting businesses that each bring in a hundred jobs or more to the city, and there are three, sometimes four, companies in each building, so we have a lot of growth from our industrial sector—specifically manufacturing.”

Despite the low industrial vacancy rate, all eyes continue to be on Blaine. With strong software and MedTech sectors, the city is taking full advantage of its location in the Minnesota Technology Corridor along Interstate 35 to become a hub of its own, attractive to educated professionals and skilled talent who value the quality of life it has to offer.

The community is projected to grow by 21.4 percent through 2040, which is reflected in not only population growth but economic growth as well. At full build-out, which is anticipated for 2040, Blaine is expected to have 87,000 residents, but the additional population should not place any strain on the services and amenities on offer.

“Some suburbs grow too fast, and they can’t manage that growth, but our growth has been metered to a point that we’re not getting in over our head or out in front of our skis,” explains Thorvig. “Fortunately, for us, primary functions like our water and sewer systems already exist and can handle the growth that we’re expecting.”

Loving the lifestyle
That’s just what the lucky residents of Blaine have come to expect—the necessary services and amenities, a strategic plan, and a continued focus on elevating their quality of life.

This Minnesota city’s leadership continues to purposefully curate economic opportunities and timely investments in infrastructure and capacity, adding to the economy and lifestyle so loved by its residents and the many individuals who cross the state, country, and world to visit and take in all that Blaine has to offer.

The post A Destination for Business, Sports, Entertainment, and So Much More<p class="company">City of Blaine, Minnesota</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

One recent initiative that CBICC has used to promote these ends is still underway. Since late 2023, Centre County has rolled out its EDSP (Economic Development Strategic Plan), described as a forward-thinking road map designed to support business expansion and retention.

“The launch of a county-wide strategic plan, after months of collaborating with just about everyone in the Centre County business community, was a transformative moment for us,” Scott shares. “We had businesses and townships stepping forward and signing resolutions and letters of support for the plan’s efforts to boost our economy by leveraging our strengths and focusing on our collective goals to grow and support businesses.”

The EDSP also seeks to promote better alignment with the county’s educational partners by targeting specific growth industries, as well as identifying infrastructure needs and challenges within them and how to grow the area while maintaining its strong quality of life.

“What we want to do,” Dolbin says, “is to identify and outline tangible actions that impact businesses [of all sizes],” so that everyone from major employers to smaller entrepreneurs can benefit from all that CBICC has to offer.

The roll-out of the EDSP coincides with the state of Pennsylvania enacting its own economic plan through its Department of Economic and Community Development. In many respects, Centre County’s plan seeks to act in alignment with the state’s. For example, one clustered industry segment identified in both the county and the state as having a strong competitive advantage is the sensor technology sector, which includes spectroscopy, ultrasound, and chromatography, as well as sustainable energy research through The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). From there, both entities are looking to pull businesses in the industry together and amplify their strengths to put both Centre County and Pennsylvania overall on the map as sensor hubs and go-to locations for work in material sciences and research, rare earth minerals, and more.

Most recently, the CBICC is involved with new projects, including an early-stage concierge service wherein it is working with different industry partners to help grow nascent entrepreneurial businesses. This affords these businesses the help needed to navigate the resources available in the economic ecosystem, which Dolbin says can be a daunting and confusing process at times for those unfamiliar. This help includes sharing information for easier hand-offs, as well as securing workforce, locations, financing, or funding when needed. Centre County also maintains links to the ag/ag tech sector, a rapidly evolving industry that is always coming up with new technologies to help drive efficiencies.

One of the county’s major employers is the aforementioned Penn State, which boasts an incredible wealth of resources that can be accessed by Centre County’s business community. The Chamber makes sure that the university is part of the important decisions made for growing the county, believing that educational institutions are important in creating a pipeline to the Centre County workforce for skilled labor, professionals, and partnerships, so that local graduates have immediate business connections upon graduation.

The university has also enabled advanced manufacturing and technological innovation to become a core part of the county’s workforce. As Penn State is a global leader in research and development, a lot of early-stage businesses and new concepts are emerging from it, which are in turn the businesses that the Chamber wants to grow and retain in the area. Five university research labs also work with growing businesses and aim to bring additional opportunities home.

But life in Centre County is not just about work; Dolbin and Scott say that the county’s high quality of life is one of its trademark strengths. “We have small-town charm but significant and sizable amenities,” he shares. These include a strong outdoor recreation offering, with activities ranging from biking, hiking, skiing, and kayaking to just about anything else accessible outdoors. Along with its many business upsides, Penn State also draws a strong arts, entertainment, and cultural presence. Furthermore, the university sports a nationally recognized football program that brings in over 200,000 visitors every home weekend in the fall.

Centre County is also a more affordable area compared to other larger cities, and boasts a plethora of community activities and events, making it ideal for incoming or existing workers to settle down and raise a family.

All of these advantages combine to help CBICC and the county continue to prosper even through challenging times. Pennsylvania is currently seeing a low unemployment rate, which Scott says can be seen as both positive and negative. When it comes to growth, a low rate of around three percent (the state’s current rate) can be challenging, so one of the Chamber’s solutions is to partner closely with Penn State such that students build more direct contact with local businesses. This way, there’s a stronger likelihood of retaining these students after their graduation, thereby growing the local workforce further. Talent retention is a big focus of the community, as well as the importance of affordable housing, the latter also being an ongoing issue at the national level. Part of the plan to address housing locally for CBICC is developing more opportunities for a wide range of income levels, so that area employers can attract outside talent and give workers a place to stay and lay down roots.

As 2025 unfolds, CBICC will be focusing on growing the state’s sensor technology industry, as well as focusing on infrastructure. Notably with infrastructure, Scott says that work will be done to help grow State College’s Airport so as to increase flights and other travel opportunities, along with general county accessibility, to support a growing population. Partner organization Penn State is currently pursuing a sizable federal grant in partnership with Westinghouse Electric Company to develop micro nuclear reactors, ones that are small enough to transport by truck and provide power to remote sites for over eight years. If successful, Penn State will be one of the first universities in America to develop this technology, another potential feather in the cap for Centre County.

Looking further ahead, Dolbin and Scott say that CBICC will look to strengthen its workforce development initiatives and partnerships with its local education providers, from high schools to universities and beyond. Business attraction will also stay top of mind, as the Chamber looks to attract new types of businesses to the area while building on its existing strengths (i.e. the sensor technology industry). This will be supported through targeted expansion programs and recurring meetings with major employers to keep them engaged in the Centre County community.

Finally, the Chamber will continue to emphasize the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation by working with startup companies. “[Startups] are the next major anchor employers, if we can grow them and have them become a major asset in our community,” says Dolbin. There is no shortage of opportunities waiting for new and innovative business ventures in Centre County, especially with the CBICC ever ready to support its burgeoning workforce and prosperous community.

The post Centre County’s Next Chapter: Growth, Innovation, and Economic Resilience<p class="company">The Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Sound founding principles
Yorkton was founded as a settlement and trade centre in 1882 by a group of businessmen who had formed the York Farmers Colonization Company. They purchased portions of crown land on the banks of the Little White Sand River (now Yorkton Creek) where lots were assigned to settlers who purchased land from them. In 1889, the original town was relocated alongside the new rail line to maintain economic viability as a trade centre.

In keeping with this spirit of cooperative economic development, we were recently invited to participate in an interview with various stakeholders for this article, speaking with Michael Eger, the City’s Director of Planning, Building, and Development; Randy Goulden, Executive Director of Tourism Yorkton and a member of City Council; and Marty Sveinbjornson, owner of SveinCo Developments and two-term past president of the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce.

Thriving community
Eger describes Yorkton as “too small to be a big city, and too big to be a small town,” but possessing the advantages of both. It is home to over a thousand businesses of every size. While the population of the City is 16,280—projected to grow to 25,000 by 2040—it is known for having the third largest trading district in the province, drawing employees from and supplying services to a catchment area with a population close to 200,000, which extends into western Manitoba.

According to a study from The School of Public Policy Publications, small to mid-size cities in Saskatchewan are the exceptions to the downward trend observed in the rest of Canada’s small to mid-size cities, which are not doing well in terms of a ‘vitality scale’ that measures aspects like employment rates, immigration, and youthful demographics.

Yorkton, however—which the study singled out—along with Estevan, which we featured in February; Swift Current; and Lloydminster are all scoring higher on the ‘vitality scale’ and are cited as “enticing places to build a life” by Global News’ Kimberley Fowler. Moreover, Alberta Venture Magazine labelled Yorkton as one of the Best Communities for Business in the category of “Community on the Rise.”

Balanced and advanced
Yorkton’s diverse local economy has a balanced mix of agriculture, food processing, advanced manufacturing, and both commercial and industrial operations. The economy continues to grow by encouraging expansions and attracting compatible new companies.

The City is home to some of Canada’s leading international agri-business companies. With two canola-crushing plants and four grain elevators, their success is a result of their location in the centre of some of the most fertile and productive land in Saskatchewan.

“We crush more canola oil in Yorkton than is done in the entire U.S.,” says Eger, “and we have many more opportunities in agri-processing. We have land, we have water, and we have a competitive advantage people may not realize. I think agri-business will continue to be our bread and butter. We’re the canola capital of Canada, and we have one of the largest oat-milling plants in the country, but we have even more to offer,” he says.

“Flax, wheat straw, and oat waste products present a major opportunity to expand, either through recycling byproducts to create green energy or utilizing the leftover pulp for paper and packaging materials. Through the integration of the entire agri-business sector, there are many more opportunities than just processing canola oil.”

Eger also highlights the City’s partnerships with area First Nations communities, who, he says, “are keen on expanding their businesses by partnering with parties interested in renewable energy. They are looking at solar and wind power generation and food security through developing large-scale commercial greenhouses. They are highly motivated, but sometimes it takes a partnership to move things forward.”

Shopping, health and wellness, and the arts
Yorkton’s diverse retail sector ranges from independently owned fashion boutiques and quaint cafés to large retailers including Walmart, Tim Horton’s, Superstore, and Canadian Tire, to professional and financial services, personal and health services, general contracting and trades, and hospitality.

The Yorkton Regional Health Centre, administered by the Saskatchewan Health Authority, provides fast-efficient access to health and wellness facilities. In addition, the City of Yorkton offers aquatic classes, recreation facilities, fitness programs, parks, skating rinks, walking trails, and community gardening initiatives, in order to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Yorkton is also home to a rich group of arts and cultural organizations including an art gallery, two community theatre companies, a film festival, a writer’s alliance, several dance studios, and the representation of various ethnic groups, including the Bayanihan Filipino Arts and Culture Club and the Kalyna Ukrainian Dance School.

Suncrest College, meanwhile, offers a variety of trade apprenticeship programs, technology diplomas, and the first two years of a number of university degree programs, with students able to complete their bachelor’s degrees at the University of Regina or the University of Saskatchewan. In addition, the college provides training tailored for specific local employment opportunities.

Combined with these urban amenities is the cozy feeling of a small town, a safe place for families where people volunteer and where parents drive their children to hockey practice or the dance studio no more than seven minutes from home.

A warm welcome
Sveinbjornson can speak from experience as to just how welcoming the City of Yorkton and its various development organizations are. “I grew up in a community east of Yorkton,” he tells us, “and I started my construction company (residential, small to medium size commercial, and renovations) here 18 years ago, but I was very green to business. I joined the Chamber of Commerce, put an advertisement in their magazine, and that one small $30 ad brought me a lot of business and recognition,” he says.

“There are many stories like this that other local businesses can share of the help that’s provided by the Chamber and the good relationship it has with the City Council, with Michael, and with our Mayor, who are all open and receptive to the community.”

For Goulden, “What resonates with me is the collaboration and the cooperation within our city. It is the Chamber, the City Council—the administration and the Mayor—the downtown business association (the Yorkton Business Improvement District), and our major stakeholders, who all work together to solve anything that comes across our desks and to be welcoming to new businesses,” she says.

“My time on Council goes back to when Walmart was looking to come in; when big box stores want to come into a community, it can sometimes be divisive, because there are concerns they may negatively affect smaller businesses. But working together brought everyone to understand that Walmart would be an addition to our retail sector that could grow the whole economy for us as a regional hub,” says Goulden. “When we have a challenge, our organizations and our businesses step up to decide how to solve it, and that is a huge plus.”

The joys of business—or simply being—in Saskatchewan
Welcoming investors, new businesses, business expansions, and families to Yorkton is something the various organizations have put a lot of time and thought into.

The City’s economic development website clearly explains all the advantages of doing business in Yorkton, and these include the broader advantages of doing business in Saskatchewan: a low cost of living, no payroll tax for employers, a 10 percent refundable tax on scientific research and development expenditures, no levied health premiums, and a provincial sales tax rate of only six percent.

And people looking to relocate to Yorkton will find that housing prices are the lowest compared to other cities in Saskatchewan with a similar population; that the municipal tax rates are competitive; that the City has robust infrastructure, utilities, and high-speed internet capabilities; and that there are affordable, vacant, and serviced commercial and/or industrial lots available for sale.

In addition to the City website’s detailed resource guide to help investors and entrepreneurs work their way through business licencing, the City has a number of incentives. For a limited time, Yorkton is offering a 50 percent rebate on the purchase of any City-owned residential lot for anyone looking to build a new home, while the Residential Construction Incentive gives a 100 percent tax rebate over five years to the owner of a new one-, two-, three-, or four-unit dwelling. The Rental Housing Incentive Program offers tax abatement to create new rental units in order to accommodate new workers and their families moving to Yorkton.

The City also has incentives that apply to commercial properties, including:
• the Façade and Site Improvements Program (for existing buildings)
• the New Commercial Building Tax Abatement Program
• the Vacant Commercial Building Tax Abatement Program, which is intended to offset the cost of bringing vacant buildings up to the National Building Code.

Tourism Yorkton, above and beyond
The City’s website is not the only one welcoming newcomers to Yorkton; Tourism Yorkton is also doing its part.

The organization is unique, Goulden tells us, in that it operates the only year-round Visitor Information Centre in Saskatchewan. As one might expect, it offers a visitor guide detailing activities for every season, including golf, snowmobiling, access to two provincial parks, events, and accommodations. Goulden’s organization, however, has gone above and beyond showcasing an agri-tourism program where people can learn about the various crops grown in the region and their potential uses.

Tourism Yorkton also offers a complete relocation guide. Its 16 pages are chock-full of information for newcomers—about health services, education, recreation, housing, transportation, places of worship, law enforcement services, media, employment, shopping, entertainment, culture, clubs, and organizations.

In summary, Goulden says, “A well-educated and skilled workforce, moderate property taxes, stable commercial, industrial, and residential sectors, and the good fortune of having sunny, clear blue skies, even on the coldest days, have fostered Yorkton’s emergence as one of Saskatchewan’s most promising economic regions, where a warm welcome awaits.”

The post A Community on the Rise<p class="company">City of Yorkton, Saskatchewan</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

This move marked an important milestone not only for Minerva Dairy but also for the broader dairy industry of the time. By relocating to Minerva, Ohio, the creamery positioned itself to take advantage of new transportation and refrigeration advancements, which allowed it to consolidate operations and improve efficiency. The shift also exemplified the changing dynamics within the dairy sector, where technological innovation was beginning to redefine how and where businesses operated. This strategic decision set the stage for Minerva Dairy’s enduring success, showcasing its ability to adapt and thrive amid an evolving industry landscape.

The creamery’s move from Wisconsin to Minerva, Ohio, is a significant chapter in its history. By the mid-1920s, Minerva Dairy operated over 20 locations. However, advancements in transportation and refrigeration eventually allowed the business to consolidate operations. In 1935, the company moved into its current facility in Minerva, which had been vacant since 1928 due to the stock market crash.

“When we came to Minerva, the local milk farmers were stranded without a place to send their milk. Our arrival revitalized the area,” explains Adam Mueller, co-owner of Minerva Dairy. “We rebuilt the milk farming ecosystem here, creating a sustainable network that continues to thrive today.”

This relocation wasn’t just about business; it was about building a community. Minerva Dairy became a vital economic driver in the region, offering stability to local farmers and creating jobs. Over the decades, the company has become a beloved fixture in Minerva, contributing to local events and charities and forming lasting bonds with the community.

From its humble beginnings, Minerva Dairy has always been a family affair. The company’s history spans five generations, with each generation bringing its own unique contributions to the business. “Every single generation has had their own impact on the organization—some more than others, but all significant,” says Mueller.

The business’s commitment to family values is reflected in its leadership structure, which has consistently included women. “I’m not the first woman to have ownership in the company,” Venae Watts, sister of Mueller and co-owner, notes proudly. “Unlike most businesses that pass down leadership to male descendants, ours has always been shared among both male and female family members.”

The commitment to family values is also evident in the way Minerva Dairy fosters relationships across the entire supply chain. From the farmers who supply the milk to the team members who craft the artisanal products, every stakeholder feels like part of the extended Minerva Dairy family. This sense of inclusion and collaboration has been a cornerstone of the company’s longstanding success.

In terms of product, Minerva Dairy is renowned for its artisanal butter and cheese, which stand out for their exceptional quality and traditional craftsmanship. Unlike mass-produced alternatives, the company’s products are made in small batches, ensuring that every piece carries the richness of its heritage and the attention to detail that comes from generations of experience. The butter’s distinct creaminess and the cheese’s nuanced flavors are a direct result of the family’s commitment to using high-quality ingredients and time-honored methods. This dedication to authenticity not only elevates the taste but also creates a deeper connection to the agricultural roots of the craft.

Despite butter being the company’s most recognizable retail product, it’s Minerva Dairy’s cheese that accounts for the majority of production. “Our cheese is primarily a B2B product,” says Watts. “You won’t see our cheese on grocery store shelves under our name. Instead, it’s used as an ingredient in food manufacturing or served in food service applications.”

The creamery specializes in 40-pound blocks of direct-salted cheese with customizable moisture levels, catering to a variety of client needs. These cheeses find their way into everything from soups and baked goods to military rations. On the butter side, Minerva Dairy offers premium products, including an 85 percent fat butter, one of the few in the nation capable of producing this at scale. “Our butter is pasture-raised, which we believe is the best,” says Watts. “When cows are allowed to graze freely on lush, nutrient-rich pastures, it not only ensures their well-being but also enhances the flavor and quality of the butter. The milk they produce has a higher content of omega-3 fatty acids and a more robust nutrient profile, which translates into butter that’s richer, creamier, and more vibrant in taste. This process embodies our dedication to premium quality and is a testament to our commitment to animal welfare and sustainable farming practices.”

Indeed, quality is at the heart of everything Minerva Dairy produces. The team employs traditional methods, ensuring that each batch of butter and cheese is crafted with care and precision. This dedication to quality has earned the company numerous awards and accolades, further solidifying its reputation as a leader in the dairy industry.

One of Minerva Dairy’s standout qualities is its ability to adapt to customer needs. “What sets us apart is our ability to adjust recipes and processes to meet specific requirements,” says Mueller. “We’re small enough to be flexible but large enough to handle national distribution.” This adaptability extends to private label manufacturing and co-packing services, allowing the creamery to cater to a wide range of clients, from high-end restaurants to retail chains.

The company is also prepared for growth. “We’re not at full production capacity,” says Watts. “We have room to grow, both on the cheese and butter sides, which allows us to take on new clients and projects without compromising quality.”

Innovation is another driving force behind Minerva Dairy’s success. The creamery continually invests in new technologies and processes to enhance efficiency and sustainability. Whether it’s implementing eco-friendly packaging or exploring new product lines, the company remains at the forefront of industry trends.

At the heart of Minerva Dairy’s success is its dedicated team. With approximately 85 employees, the creamery prides itself on fostering a supportive, family-oriented culture. “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, and working together is success,” quotes Watts, emphasizing the company’s collaborative spirit. “Our team is truly passionate about their craft, whether they’re cheese makers, butter makers, or part of our QA and warehouse staff.”

This commitment to teamwork extends beyond the walls of the creamery. “We’re deeply connected to the agricultural community,” says Mueller. “Our responsibility is not just to our consumers but also to the family farms that supply us. By providing a reliable market for their milk, we help ensure their survival in an industry that’s increasingly challenging.”

Employee retention is a testament to the company’s positive culture. Many team members have been with Minerva Dairy for decades, a rarity in today’s workforce, and this loyalty speaks volumes about the respect and appreciation employees feel within the organization.

Minerva Dairy’s role as a balancing plant is another crucial aspect of its operation. By stepping in to process surplus milk, the creamery ensures that local farmers have a consistent and reliable outlet for their products. For example, during times of fluctuating demand, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Minerva Dairy’s ability to absorb excess supply helped stabilize the livelihoods of numerous small-scale dairy farmers. This role not only prevents wastage but also strengthens the broader supply chain, creating a ripple effect that supports both agricultural communities and food security on a larger scale.

“We ensure that no milk goes to waste,” Watts explains. “If other manufacturers have surplus milk, we step in to process it, preventing wastage and supporting the supply chain.” This flexibility proved invaluable during the pandemic, highlighting the importance of a secure and robust food supply chain.

The creamery’s commitment to sustainability is also evident in its certifications. Minerva Dairy is SQF-certified and USDA organic certified, as well as kosher and halal certified. These credentials reflect the company’s dedication to producing high-quality, ethically sourced products.

Beyond environmental sustainability, the company is deeply invested in social sustainability. Minerva Dairy actively supports local schools, charities, and community events, reinforcing its role as a cornerstone of the Minerva community. “We’re not just a business; we’re a neighbor,” says Watts.

And the impact on the broader dairy industry cannot be overstated. By maintaining strong relationships with small family farms, Minerva Dairy ensures these businesses continue to thrive despite the dominance of larger industrial producers. The company’s advocacy for small-scale farming helps preserve biodiversity, protect rural economies, and maintain ethical farming practices that prioritize animal welfare.

With a new website launch, Minerva Dairy is poised to share more of its story with the world. The updated site will feature videos showcasing the butter-making process and a glimpse into the company’s cheese production. “We want to give people a holistic picture of who we are and what we do,” says Watts.

As Minerva Dairy continues to grow, its commitment to quality, community, and sustainability remains steadfast. “We’re not just making butter and cheese,” concludes Mueller. “We’re supporting a way of life, preserving traditions, and ensuring a future for small family farms. That’s what makes this work so meaningful.”

The post Artisanal Craftsmanship, Sustainability, and Community Impact<p class="company">Minerva Dairy</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Drinking in a creative manner means “challenging the status quo,” says Chief of Staff Toni Shelton. “Consumers make a choice every single day when they pick up a drink. By picking up a Collective Arts drink, you’re supporting artists, you’re supporting the local economy, you’re supporting your neighbours, you’re supporting innovation.”

The company matches this celebration of creativity with business acumen and a commitment to quality. Collective Arts sources natural ingredients and utilizes a huge variety of hops to add flavour to its craft beers. The team sells its products worldwide, operates brick and mortar locations in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario, and maintains a broad, entrepreneurial vision.

Collective Arts primarily works within three product categories: craft beer and RTD products (this segment includes canned cocktails and the like), non-alcoholic beverages, and cannabis-infused drinks.

Craft beers from the company include Collective Lager, Ransack The Universe, Life in The Clouds, and Jam Up The Mash, a “juicy, sour, and extremely refreshing” beer. RTD offerings range from a Blood Orange & Lime Margarita to Skinnycap vodka sodas and beyond, while Guava Gose, Hazy Pale Ale, and Emerald Stout comprise some of the brand’s non-alcoholic brews. And all beverages come in wildly illustrated bottles and cans featuring unique artwork.

The company originated in 2013 when Matt Johnston, who worked for independent Canadian brewery Moosehead, joined forces with Bob Russell, who worked in the art and design sector, to create a craft beer brewery.

Initially, the business sold “one or two SKUs” (it’s first product was a craft beer called Rhyme or Reason), recalls Shelton. Soon, the company also began to branch out and started making cider as well as craft beer. It now offers Local Press Apple Cider and Local Press Apple & Cherry Cider, with 5.6 percent and 5.8 percent ABV (Alcohol by Volume) respectively.

From there, the company expanded into spirits, particularly gin, and then non-alcoholic wares. Gin offerings include Lavender & Juniper Gin (containing botanicals such as orris root, juniper, coriander, heather, chamomile, and lavender), artisanal dry gin, and Rhubarb & Hibiscus Gin. And once more, there was a strong emphasis on quality and creativity.

“We felt we could be experiential and creative and disrupt that premium [spirits] category with art on bottles. So, we developed a unique system where all of our bottles are painted. You can peel the label off, and you get a beautiful bottle,” explains Shelton. Artists can submit their work to Collective Arts for possible inclusion on a bottle, store wall, merchandise, or another surface. If the company selects an artist’s work, they will be offered a licensing deal, with Collective Arts reserving one percent of revenue to pay for this service.

The company’s Toronto and Hamilton locations offer patrons a full-on Collective Arts experience. The Toronto facility consists of a taproom, kitchen, café, music venue, and retail space. It features “rotating music—we have jazz nights, piano bar nights,” and other special events, says Shelton. The Hamilton locale offers a slightly different mix; in addition to a 10,000-square-foot event space, retail store, and beer garden, the Hamilton branch also houses the company’s manufacturing operations.

Collective Arts’ fun and well-conceived marketing strategy centres around community building and storytelling. The team attends trade shows, maintains an active social media presence, and celebrates its relationships with artists to get its name out, as well as relying on proactive email campaigns. “Email marketing is where we really thrive,” says Shelton. “We have a really strong database. We’re up to 80,000 consumers on our database, and communicate with them weekly.”

It’s all about the product here, and Collective Arts takes a huge amount of pride in its brewing, distilling, and mixing processes. “On the beer side, craft breweries in general are going to be using higher quality ingredients than macro breweries… I think we may be one of the top hop buyers in the country… It’s all about the quality and quantity of the hops,” says Shelton, referring to one of the main ingredients in beer-making.

In terms of RTDs, Collective Arts “procures real ingredients” including “real blood oranges from Italy and real mango juice that we use in our cocktails. We also use real spirits, where a lot of companies will use a neutral grain spirit.”

And the company takes the same approach to its energy drink line. This line—called Wide Eyed Energy—includes Blood Orange Vanilla BOOST, Lemon Berry BOOST, Raspberry Lime MAX, and other drinks made without sugar, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners. Shelton compares Wide Eyed Energy drinks to sparkling water, adding, “We’ve actually steeped all the fruit and ingredients to give them a bold flavour without having to add in all that extra stuff.”

The company’s non-alcoholic beer (a rapidly growing category for people who are wary about intoxicants), is tastier than the competition’s, claims Shelton. Most breweries simply remove alcohol from their brew to create non-alcoholic beer—a process that can result in lackluster suds. Collective Arts, by contrast, relies on a controlled fermentation process involving a type of yeast “that slowly ferments the beer so you can control the flavour” while keeping alcohol content to a minimum, Shelton explains.

The company also offers a line of cannabis-infused beverages, which are sold in Canada under the brand name Collective Project (the brand separation stems from Canadian regulations that aim to keep alcohol and cannabis companies apart). Products include a cherry and vanilla sparkling juice called Cosmic Cowboy and White Peach & Cardamom seltzer.

“We’re the top selling cannabis beverage in Canada. We have about nine SKUs on the market. It’s very much based on the Collective Arts non-alcoholic portfolio: juices, sparkling waters,” says Shelton.

The company’s devotion to taste and innovation has been recognized by the beverage industry. Rum and gin from Collective Arts have earned gold, silver, and bronze awards at the London Spirits Competition in the UK while the company’s Lavender & Juniper Gin was named Best Flavored Gin at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Last fall, non-Alcoholic Guava Gose took home a Gold at the 2024 Canada Beer Cup Awards (a competition for independent breweries), while Stranger than Fiction Porter earned a Bronze at the World Beer Cup 2016. The company was also named Brand of the Year in 2020 by Strategy magazine, which covers the Canadian marketing and advertising sectors.

Today, Collective Arts has approximately 100 employees, including staff at the manufacturing plant in Hamilton and sales teams in Canada and the United States, and the company’s website contains a detailed code of conduct for its workers that prohibits bigoted and toxic behaviour. This code of conduct is a reflection of the fact that creativity requires diversity, says Shelton. At the same time, the company also wants “passionate folks who are entrepreneurial… When it comes to finding the right people, it’s a mix of what I call ‘head up’ and ‘head down,’” she continues.

In simple terms, this means staff members who can look into the future, watch for trends, and help with planning without losing sight of day-to-day operations and any areas or processes where the company can improve.

Going forward, Collective Arts is “very much in test phase on the non-alcoholic innovation front. We’re still trying to learn and find out what’s resonating with consumers, what needs to be tweaked here and there. Ultimately, we’re bringing out new flavours, new formats,” states Shelton.

Asked what the company’s goals are for the next few years, she tells us that “it’s to be a global leader in the three categories that we are currently in… We want to create a brand where consumers can open their fridge and it all be Collective Arts. That’s going to be an amazing thing.”

The post Where Art, Creativity, and Beverages Meet<p class="company">Collective Arts</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.