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NEPA Receives Well-Deserved Recognition for Economic Development
March 10, 2024
By Bill O’Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
In case you missed it this week, our home area received quite an “attaboy” from a very credible economic development magazine.
John L. Augustine III, president/CEO of Penn’s Northeast, said there’s no question that more and more companies are seeking out Northeast Pennsylvania as a place of choice for new business development.
And proof of that statement arrived when, for the first time, Northeast Pennsylvania was recognized as one of the best locations across the United States for economic development projects.
As legendary Yankee broadcaster of the past, Mel Allen, would say, “How about that!”
Augustine said: “Our location continues to be one of the strongest selling points. You can reach one-third of the United States and half of Canada in a one-day drive from Northeastern Pennsylvania. Companies continue to recognize this as they need to get their products to market and consumers as quickly as possible.”
All true — and it has been true for decades. It seems that now, the message is getting through to big time employers, thanks to loud voices of people like Augustine.
Augustine said The Governor’s Cup Awards, produced annually by Site Selection Magazine, records the top places in the United States based on completed economic development projects.
And this year, the NEPA ranked in the Top 10 Tier 2 Metros — population 200,000 to 1 million — for both the total number of projects and per capita.
Augustine enthusiastically added:
“This impressive ranking demonstrates the exceptional work we do as economic developers in cooperation with our members and partners at the local, regional and state levels. In addition to our strategic location, reliable utilities and dedicated workforce coupled with an amazing education network, our region continues to stand out amongst many other areas of the country.”
And more importantly, Augustine said the results show that NEPA continues to be a top location in the United States for companies looking to grow their business. The trend of unprecedented growth, not just in warehouse distribution, but also in manufacturing, continues, he said.
As Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo put it, “Some positive news!”
Indeed it is good news. This region has always been a prime area for economic development, and it seems we are riding a wave of interest that will likely result in many more companies locating here, bringing many, many more jobs — jobs that will pay family-sustaining wages.
A while back, Augustine said more than 20 years ago community leaders knew there had to be a better way to approach economic development. He said communities across the country were looking for more effective ways to attract new employers.
“The task was enormous,” Augustine said. “Getting groups of ‘competitors’ to work together to combine regional resources and build a strong outward image to market Northeastern PA was the goal.”
In 2022, Penn’s Northeast helped them define their needs, identify potential sites, provides them with demographic and salary information and connects them with other economic development groups and chambers of commerce in specific areas of interest.
Augustine said this regional collaboration was working and it continues to be successful.
In 2021, Northeastern PA led the commonwealth in job creation — not only in ecommerce and distribution, but also in manufacturing and regional and national headquarters, according to the annual report by the Governor’s Action Team.
Augustine said, “We are fortunate to have a diverse, affordable, and reliable energy portfolio and our education system is second to none. We will continue to build on these strengths by growing and providing the necessary skills for our workforce and by adding new industrial options for business looking to grow in Northeastern PA.”
And Augustine said, another key component is to make sure that our region is a premier place to live, work and play.
Augustine said the Annual Report of the Governor’s Action Team for Fiscal Year 2020-21 showed Northeastern Pennsylvania as the Commonwealth’s leader in job-creation as a whole, as well as in the manufacturing industry and regional and national headquarters sectors.
Augustine was elated when he heard the findings of the GAT report. He had been advocating a regional approach to economic development for years and the effort is showing huge dividends.
“This is a testament to our regional approach to economic development,” Augustine said. “This could not have happened with one community competing against another. This is cooperation at its finest, showcasing the best that Northeastern Pennsylvania has to offer.”
The GAT report showed that we created more new jobs than any other region in the state and the majority of those jobs were in manufacturing and other sectors.
The GAT report was a positive story that still is great for the entire region. Augustine said the GAT report reaffirms what we already knew — that our region is one of the most sought-after locations in the U.S.
And the latest ranking proves that out.
Find the full Site Selection article here.
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Michelle Mikitish President
- August 20, 2024
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