Leadership 2010 – Expect More!
A Five-Year Strategic Plan by the
Northern Colorado Economic Development
Corporation 2005 - 2010
Since the inception of Leadership 2010, NCEDC has assisted in the announcement of over 3,048 new primary jobs.
The economic impact of these announcements:
Direct Jobs |
3,048 |
Total compensation (millions) |
$210.7 |
Average compensation per employee |
$69,127 |
Secondary Jobs (low estimate) |
2,729 |
Total compensation (millions) |
$82.40 |
Average compensation per employee |
$30,185 |
Total Jobs (with low estimate) |
5,777 |
Total compensation (millions) |
$293.1 |
Average compensation per employee |
$50,732 |
Unemployment Rate (July 2007) |
3.30% |
Population (2005 estimate) |
271,951 |
Expenditures (millions) |
Total annual expenditures |
$170.47 |
Major Expenditure Categories |
Automobiles and Transportation |
$28.96 |
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The following is a summary of our original case for Leadership 2010 -
Expect More!
Introduction: The Challenge
The go-go decade of the ‘90s was a rising tide that lifted all boats. In the last few years, however, that tide has ebbed and Northern Colorado, along with the rest of the nation, found itself struggling. The threats to our continued quality of life and wealth generation are real and compelling:
- More than 7,000 workers still unemployed, including 2,000 technology professionals. This talent will migrate to other communities if we don’t replenish job opportunity.
- 20,000 underemployed workers commuting outside Larimer County
to find work.
- $300-400 Million in wealth lost, the result of corporate downsizing, a recessionary economy and reduced spending.
- A tripling of personal bankruptcy filings in Larimer County in 2004 over 2003 levels. Foreclosures up 27% over last year.
- CSU and other institutions of higher learning in fiscal crisis. Colorado off the radar screen for major job-creation projects, because we are perceived as uncompetitive, high-cost and unfriendly to business.
These are challenges that will not just go away. They must be resolved through committed leadership and decisive action at local, regional and statewide levels.
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Leadership
Campaign Commitee (alpha order)
| Nick Christensen |
Managing Principal, Chrisland Companies |
| Don Churchwell |
CEO, Home State Bank |
| Maury Dobbie |
President and CEO, NCEDC |
| David Eikner |
Senior Vice President. First National Bank |
| Eric Holsapple |
Partner, Loveland Commercial, LLC. |
| Stu MacMillan |
Partner, Everitt Commercial Partners |
| Chad McWhinney |
President and CEO Mcwinney Enterprises |
| Ron Schneider |
Regional President, Bank One |
NCEDC STAFF
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Priorities
Priority #1:
Retaining Talented Workers and Jobs
Knowledge workers are our most critical competitive asset, and they are mobile.
If we don’t put them to work, we risk losing them to other regions. At the same time, our existing businesses are our best hope for new job creation, and our best ambassadors to the global marketplace. Their continued success must be a top priority.
Target: Business retention that really works.
We will strengthen our business environment so that companies can create more and better jobs for the people who live here. This means:
- Building better partnerships between government, education and business
- More sophisticated business tracking software and data gathering
- Regular visits to the headquarters of Larimer county employers
- Consistent, responsive development review and permitting processes
- Prudent incentive policies that help to create high-wage job opportunity
Target: Entrepreneurial Success
CSU and our high-tech employers spin off entrepreneurs with surprising regularity. We will work with our virtual incubator, SBDCs and other entrepreneurial support organizations to enhance entrepreneurial success rates, by:
- Creating a "growth company alliance" to identify young, growing companies and match them to appropriate resources
- Assist local efforts to bring Economic Gardening to Northern Colorado
Target: Higher Education Funding Success
CSU and our other higher education assets are a key part of Northern Colorado’s competitive infrastructure. We will advocate aggressively for a solution to the Tabor/Gallagher/Amendment 23 "perfect storm" that is placing higher education funding at risk in Colorado.
Performance Goals:
- 3,200 jobs preserved and/or created from existing businesses
- 174 new entrepreneurial businesses generated
Priority #2: Marketing Northern Colorado
Perception is reality. While we build stronger business support systems, we must ensure that Northern Colorado sends a clear, consistent and compelling message to the world: "We will lead mid-market regions of the West in new and emerging technological growth."
Target: A Strong Business "Brand" for Northern Colorado
Impact, consistency and frequency are the watchwords for creating a Northern Colorado "brand", one that conveys a dynamic, adaptive and friendly location for high quality primary business growth and sustainable quality of life. We will:
- Lead a collaborative partnership to create a positive brand and consistent marketing themes for use by a variety of Larimer County organizations
- Conduct high-level media events and in-bound site selection tours aimed
at specific, compatible industry and media targets
- Obtain favorable media exposure for Northern Colorado
Target: Specific Appeal to Desirable Industries or Clusters
The emergence of new technologies and the continued evolution of infotech, aerospace, environmental and life sciences underscores our mandate to remain adaptive and competitive. We will improve our understanding of key location criteria for targeted industries and build our capacity to support and foster job growth in each of them.
Target: Continually Improving Client Services
With tough competition and collapsing timeframes in which to affect corporate site decisions, client services
can mean the difference between success and failure. We will:
- Adopt a region-wide code of ethics for business recruiting and retention practices
- Enhance the NCEDC website with real-time data
- Work to build rapid-response capability within local governments
Performance Goals:
- 1,000 new primary jobs
- Adoption of a code of ethics among NCEDC members
- Placement of 200 positive media stories
Priority #3: Emerging Opportunities
Competition between governments for retail revenue, congested transportation corridors and inadequate long-term water supply are among the barriers to continued business growth. We must secure our future infrastructure and business environment through partnership, advocacy and communication. We will also remain flexible, ready to act decisively when an extraordinary opportunity for a new project, for media exposure, for economic impact or unforeseen challenges present themselves.
We will:
- Establish a regional Leadership Council to identify, strategize and act on key competitive issues that directly affect Northern Colorado
- Establish a partnership with CSU to provide needed research and develop new economic development tools
- Establish a Legacy Fund within the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, where substantial, donor-advised gifts may be made by individuals or organizations seeking to perpetuate Northern Colorado’s economic and community vitality long-term
Performance Goals:
- The resolution of "barrier" issues to future success
- The ability to seed countywide initiatives critical to economic vitality
- The ability to ensure continued resources for economic development
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Goal - Expect Results!Goal - Expect Results!
Our overall goal is the expansion of our regional economy by 9,175 jobs, with an attendant increase in employee income of $324 Million. Accomplishing that goal will mean an increase in Gross Metro Product of $1.6 Billion over the next five years.
Leadership will make the difference – with financial backing, with strategic guidance and with accountability to our investors and the communities we serve. NCEDC’s Board of Directors will continue to ensure fiscal responsibility, continuity and organizational performance. A new Leadership Council, comprised of top investors, will provide strategic direction and considered action on key issues facing Northern Colorado.
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Return on Investment
Download our detailed Return on Investment balance sheet here.
(Adobe Acrobat required.)
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Become an Investor
On top of bringing more business and primary jobs to Northern Colorado,
Investor benefits include:
For investors at the $10,000 level and up:
- A seat on the Leadership Council convening 3-4 times per year to develop strategy and action items
on key issues facing Northern Colorado, and for roundtable discussions with regional elected officials
and peer business leaders.
For all investors:
- Monthly investor e-mail briefings including progress toward goals, substantive program updates, information on key economic development projects and issues.
- Active participation in issues discussions, business missions, ground breakings, trade shows, prospecting and media events.
- Periodic "breaking news" e-mails prior to major expansion/relocation announcements, publication of research findings and more website advertising, hot links and password protected information.
- A profile of each investor company by business category included under
a "resource" tab in every marketing package sent to prospects.
- The opportunity for more than one member of your firm to get involved in Leadership 2010 committees and to receive NCEDC communications.
- Early access to research conducted by NCEDC.
Anyone investing under $2,500 per year can be "Friends of the NCEDC" whereby the investment is placed in the LEGACY 501(c)(3) in the Northern Colorado Community Foundation under "NCEDCLeadership2010" account.
To become an investor or learn more about investor benefits,
contact Eric Berglund at (970) 667-0905.
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