16C — January 26 - February 8, 2018 — Economic Development — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
www.marejournal.com
E conomic D evelopment
Greene CountyDepartment of Economic Development Greene County, Pennsylvania is open for business G
By Renee Chapline, VGR The VGR celebrates years of continued job growth
Established in 1960, Vir- ginia’s Gateway Region Eco- nomic Development Organi-
are Advanced Manufacturing, Global Logistics and Distribu- tion, and Food and Natural Products. Several competi- tive advantages have enticed existing companies to expand and new businesses to open locations in the region. With a strategic location at the midpoint of the East Coast, the Gateway Region enjoys unparalleled access to major markets, a workforce drawn from both the Richmond-Pe- tersburg and Virginia Beach- Norfolk metropolitan areas, and close proximity to Wash- ington D.C. and North Caro- lina. With direct access to rail, sea and airports, the region is a prime business location for companies seeking a gateway to global markets. Virginia’s Gateway Region has worked toward the devel- opment of resources to sup- port existing businesses and to ensure their growth in the region. The Metro Richmond Exports Initiative (MREI), a partnership between VGR and other local organizations, stems from the recognition that 81 percent of bulk de- mand for American products exists outside of the United States. MREI encourages local firms to keep up with the growing global economy via programs, grants, and scholarships designed to help businesses begin or increase export sales. Existing and new businesses in the Gate- way Region also benefit from proprietary training resources that VGR employs, such as the Community CollegeWorkforce Alliance (CCWA). VGR’s part- nership with CCWA ensures that jobs in the region are ad- equately staffed with qualified employees trained to support the research and development of innovative products and services that ultimately bring profits to shareholders and drive sustainability for their industries. Renee Chapline is the Executive Director of Vir- ginia’s Gateway Region. n In 2005, the Virginia’s Gateway Region hired Renee Chapline as its executive director, making her the first female to run an Economic Development Organization in Virginia. Although founded in 1960 as the Appomattox Industrial Development Cor- poration, the most substantial regional economic impact has occurred under Chapline’s leadership.
reene County is a beau- tiful area which con- nects thriving centers of Pittsburgh, Washington Coun- ty, and Monongalia County in Morgantown, WV via I-79. Its 37,000 residents are talented, hard-working people. We have an available, dependable in- dustrial workforce and many retraining opportunities tai- lored to the company's needs. Greene County is 25 minutes from half a million people. The region has long been a vital resource for the energy industry: coal mines and natu- ral gas. The County’s location makes it a prime opportu- nity to use these and its other natural resources: I-79, the Monongahela River, proximity to several interstates and the PA Tpke. Besides the energy industry, Greene County has Waynes- burg University, UMWA Ca- reer Center, a medical canna- bis operation, a winery, many historical places such as cov- ered bridges, trails, hunting, and lots of cultural events. It’s a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Blair Zimmerman, Chair- man, Greene County Board of Commissioners, said “it’s a safe place to live; the cost of living is low. It’s a great place!” The median list price of a home in the county, according to web- site Realtor.com, is $119,000. Development Opportunities in your area Natural gas in the area will take on even more impor- tance in the near future. Shell Chemicals’ ethane cracker plant being built in nearby TRENTON, NJ —The New Jersey State Teen Arts Tour- ing Visual Arts Exhibit is on view through January 26 at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) on West State Street in Trenton. The exhibit features 40 paintings, drawings, and photographs selected from thousands created by teens across the State. Each of the 15 participating counties were eligible to nominate up to four pieces to be part of the exhibit. The exhibit launched on July 20 at the Bergen Performing Arts Center and will continue traveling through May 2018, ending its tour at the Jay and
zation (VGR) was the first regional eco- n om i c d e - v e l o pme n t o r g a n i z a - tion (EDO) in the Com- monwealth of Virginia.
Renee Chapline
VGR exists to enhance the economic development op- portunities for the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg, and the coun- ties of Chesterfield, Dinwid- die, Prince George, Surry and Sussex, representing over 2,400 miles of the southern half of the Richmond Metro- politan Statistical Area. Under the leadership of VGR’s President & CEO, Renee Chapline, the last thirteen years in the Gate- way Region have proven to be lucrative for job growth and investment. According to an evaluation of VGR by an independent Massachusetts- based consulting group, VGR ranks among the best EDOs in the nation as VGR has fa- cilitated the creation of more than 19,300 quality jobs from new and existing business growth, and the attraction of over $5.6 billion in capital investment and $3.3 billion in foreign direct investment since 2005. The evaluation of VGR, funded by the nonprofit Cameron Foundation and completed in 2017 by Sus- tained Impact, benchmarked and validated VGR’s metrics, achievements, and practices with globally competitive EDOs. The evaluation demon- strates that the growth VGR has fostered through job cre- ation and capital investment has generated more economic opportunities for residents to support local businesses. Such activity also increases tax revenue, giving public services, which includes lo- cal schools and public safety departments, more funds for better resources. Since 2005, VGR has at- tracted investments in the Gateway Region from more than 180 national and inter- national companies, including Rolls-Royce, Sabra, and Aldi. About two-third of those com- panies are local. Sixty-three percent of those companies are classified within VGR’s key industry clusters, which
Beaver County might require six thousand workers to con- struct the multi-billion dollar facility and a permanent staff of six hundred employees to run it once it opens. “The cracker plant is in Beaver County, a little more than an hour from us, but the state is putting $1 billion into a new highway that will improve our access to the site. Another company is expected to make a final decision this year on a cracker plant just over the Greene County border, so it’s closer to us,” said Robbie Ma- tesic, Greene County Executive Director of Economic Develop- ment. Manufacturers who locate in Greene County will have resources nearby: ethylene products, timber, natural gas, coal, and an abundant work- force. Greene County is stra- tegically located in the heart of interstates, rail, and river shipping. Opportunities for business- Linda Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College just in time to kick off the 2018 New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival. Members of the public are invited to view the exhibit in the lobby of the EDA’s headquarters at 36West State Street, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The 2017-18 State Teen Arts Touring Visual Art Exhibit features 40 pieces of student art work. The pieces featured in exhibit were selected among thousands of pieces of artwork showcased from 15 different counties: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Cum-
es to relocate to your area Greene County maintains a large inventory of sites and has an available workforce trained in many field such as welding, electrical, and management. Special initiatives to en- gage new and or local busi- nesses: Greene County Alli- ance for Economic Growth has several programs designed to assist new and local busi- nesses. These include tax abatement programs for new construction and financial in- centive programs to locate in Greene County. Commercial Property and Parks available for Lease and or For Sale: Greene County Industrial Develop- ment Corporation has 2 busi- ness parks which include six sites currently available. We also have many pad-ready locations and exiting business locations. Greene County Depart- ment of Economic Develop- ment. n berland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, Salem, Somerset, Sus- sex, and Union. Mercer County students whose work is featured in the exhibition include Amaliya Agambila of Trenton Central High School, Jillian Hauer of Steinert High School, and Robyn Mentee of Hamilton High School West. “Cultivating the arts is cen- tral to encouraging the ele- ments that create thriving com- munities, including excellent schools, creative expression, lifelong learning, and economic opportunity,” said EDA presi- dent and CEO Tim Lizura . n
NewJersey EDA headquarters onWest State Street hosts Touring State Teen Arts Visual Exhibit
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