FEATURE STORY

The Four Pillars of Economic Development

The June 13, 2006 edition of the Economic Review featured Jason Perry, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. In that article Perry spoke of GOED’s four pillars of economic development:

• Growing Business
• Creating Business
• Recruiting and Retaining Business
• Travel and Tourism

Today’s feature covers the first pillar, 'Growing Business'

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) is all about helping Utah businesses thrive. Thus the “Growing Business” pillar, which is managed by Doug Clark. In regard to growing businesses, Clark says it’s important to understand that GOED doesn’t create jobs. “Having started several technology companies, I clearly understand that the private sector is where job creation is. The purpose of GOED is to help create the environment where business can flourish.” Clark has four groups under his management, each of which focuses on a significant area of support to Utah companies:

• International Trade and Diplomacy
• Rural Utah
• The Procurement Technical Assistance Center
• GOED Business Technology Parks

International Trade and Diplomacy Office (ITDO)

Clark says the ITDO helps Utah companies develop markets for their products and services in North America, South America, and Asia. “The International Office leverages an in-house team of trade experts and an international network of trade representatives to prepare and introduce Utah companies to foreign marketplaces.” Key members of the ITDO are: Brett Heimburger, director – East Asia, Franz Kolb, director – Europe and India, and Miguel R. Rovira, director - Latin America and Canada.

Rovira has led two successful trade missions to Mexico in which participating companies have returned with contracts in hand. “We see great potential for business in Mexico.” Regarding Europe and Asia, Clark says Kolb and Heimburger have extensive knowledge and experience in their respective areas.

In October GOED will be leading a trade mission to China, which will be attended by Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. Clark says the Governor's presence will open the doors for Utah businesses to meet with high-level Chinese government officials, U.S. Embassy and Commercial Service officials, trade organizations and successful U.S. companies currently doing business in China. There will also be opportunities for one-on-one matchmaking meetings with private companies to evaluate potential distribution and joint venture partners.

Rural Utah

Clark says GOED provides a variety of assistance to rural Utah communities interested in creating business environments that support entrepreneurship. For example, the Utah Main Street Program, headed by Bim Oliver, works with Utah communities to restore the physical and economic vitality of their historic business districts. Furthermore, GOED has partnered with the Small Business Administration and Utah’s institutions of higher education to fund a network of regional Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), which provide entrepreneurial education, advocacy, and business development support.

Rural team member Les Prall provides staff support to the Governor’s Rural Partnership Board, whose Rural Action Agenda addresses issues impacting rural Utah’s entrepreneurial environment, such as health insurance, capital formation and rural economic development clusters. “A number of rural communities are getting hit with high growth and development, which are typically urban issues. We are here to help them deal with the transformation occurring in their communities, to help them preserve what is unique to their communities while managing growth,” says Clark.

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers

Fred Lange heads up the Utah Procurement Technical Assistance Center (UPTAC), which was established to provide Utah companies with the information and assistance necessary to sell products and/or services to federal, state and local governments. According to Clark, recent statistics from the U.S. Air Force indicate that Utah leads the nation in small business materials contracts (per capita) with the Air Force. “We’re off the charts—ahead of everyone in the country for Air Force small business contracts,” he says.

UPTAC Symposium

To help small businesses seek government contracts, Clark says PTAC will be holding a Procurement Symposium Oct. 19 at the South Towne Exposition Center. Lange’s office has invited federal, state, county and city agencies to participate, along with large companies like ATK Thiokol, L3 and Kennecott. Small businesses will have the opportunity to find out first hand the small business contracting needs of government and large businesses.

Representatives from the European Union will also be on hand to discuss the contracting needs of member nations in Europe, and three sets of breakout sessions will be held in the morning and afternoon. Clark says pre-registration doesn’t officially begin until September; however, interested businesses can go to GOED’s site for more information or call (801) 538-8775.

Business and Technology Parks

The Business and Technology Parks Program’s primary goal is to partner with industry to develop a variety of business centers to foster tech commercialization, business expansion, and business recruitment. These business parks range from “Sure Sites” – relatively small sites identified in advance as being ready for business relocation – to major technology and research parks covering hundreds of acres. His office is also working with developers on conceptual plans for inland port facilities, foreign trade zones and expanded intermodal facilities.

According to Clark, financing for the business and technology parks will come from a combination of private-sector and public sources, including office developers, the State and Salt Lake County. Also involved in project discussions are Envision Utah, Wasatch Front Regional Council, the Utah Department of Transportation, the Utah Transit Authority and local governments.

As world-class locations for tech commercialization, particularly in the life sciences and microelectronics fields, Clark says the parks will generate quality jobs and help generate new sources of tax revenues—especially as the commercialization of companies through the USTAR initiative begin to occur.

Clark can be reached at (801) 539-8873 or dougclark@utah.gov.

Economic Development Headlines

Utah Faces Challenges in Producing a Qualified Workforce, University Presidents Maintain

- Producing qualified new workers continues to be one of Utah’s greatest challenges, according to Utah’s university presidents. (UITC)

Outdoor Industry Touts its Clout

- The outdoor recreation industry has a $730 billion impact on the national economy and, armed with that and other new data released Friday, outdoor enthusiasts say they have a powerful new tool to help shape public policy. (Morning News) (SL Tribune) (Herald Extra)

Plenty of Room to Play

- Salt Lake City's biggest convention is ready to grow even more. With a newly expanded Salt Palace convention center, Outdoor Retailer is attracting more people, more exhibitors and more attention. In fact, the show, which ranks as the 52nd biggest convention in the United States, opened on Thursday with 967 exhibiting companies, a 12 percent increase over 861 companies featured last summer. (Morning News) (KCPW) (SL Tribune)

A Goundbreaking Day: 'This is the Place,' Checketts Says of Decision to Build Sandy Soccer Stadium

- Forget St. Louis, New York or Utah County: Real Salt Lake is here to stay. International soccer superstar David Beckham joined a handful of local leaders Saturday to turn the first shovel of dirt at the team's future home in Sandy.
(Morning News) (SL Tribune here and here) 

Rocky Works to Keep RSL, Even if it's in Sandy

- Rocky's latest crusade may be his strangest. In a frenzy to preserve Real Salt Lake's future in Utah, the Salt Lake City mayor is pushing a plan to build a soccer stadium - in Sandy. At the same time, Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan, whose city stands to benefit, is vowing not to raise taxes for a stadium deal and is sitting on the sidelines. (SL Tribune)

Bus Station Now Ticketed for Business

- The former Greyhound bus station at 2501 Grant Ave. is no longer a local transportation hub. Local entrepreneur and venture capitalist Alan Hall has reincarnated the Historic 25th Street building as an incubator for new and early-stage businesses, giving them a place to locate and lending his extensive business knowledge and acumen to existing and aspiring entrepreneurs. (Standard Examiner)

SLC's Importance to Delta Grows

- As events go, this one caught almost nobody's attention. On Aug. 1, Delta Air Lines began service to Durango, Colo., from its hub at Salt Lake City International Airport. The occasion turned out to be a landmark. With that flight, operated for Delta by SkyWest Airlines, the No. 3 U.S. carrier now flies nonstop to 108 cities from Salt Lake, which is more than any other airline serving destinations from any other airport in the west. (SL Tribune)

Rural Summit Looks at Utah's Economy

- Public employees and elected leaders from throughout rural Utah gathered on the campus of Southern Utah University on Thursday for the start of a two-day summit on economic-development issues. (Morning News)

Lawmakers Visit an Oil-Shale Area of Utah

- The energy scene in rural Duchesne and Uintah counties is important, and not just to Utah, about 80 state lawmakers were told here Tuesday. (Morning News)

SKB Plans $54M Trolley Square Expansion

- Scanlan Kemper Bard of Portland, OR has paid $38.6 million for the 226,092-sf Trolley Square retail center and plans a $54 million renovation of the tourist attraction that will include an expansion and condominiums. (Globe St.) (KCPW) (Morning News)

(SL Tribune)

Businesses Must Show Worth

- New businesses will now have to prove they will be an economic asset to the community before Ogden City grants incentives, such as waiving impact fees. (Standard Examiner)

Heritage Plastics Plans Milford Plant

- Heritage Plastics — West will be the company's first plant in this part of the United States and will serve seven Western states and Hawaii. To be built on 13 acres in the city's industrial park, the 50,000-square-foot facility will feature six extrusion lines and two fabrication machines.

(Morning News) (The Spectrum) (Utah Business Magazine)

Qwest Opens North Logan Call Center

- A former home improvement center here is now the workplace for nearly 500 people who have learned the nuts and bolts of telecommunications customer service. (Morning News)

Provo OKs Business Center

- City Council members here are starry-eyed over a proposal that would bring a new convention center to downtown Provo. (SL Tribune)

County’s Employment Up 2 Percent

- Cache County’s employment has grown by nearly 2 percent since last March, putting its jobless rate below the state average but placing small business owners in a bind. (HJ News)

Thanksgiving Point Adds Hotels, College Campus

- Thanksgiving Point continues to be a horn of plenty for the Lehi area.(Utah Business Magazine)

Air Liquide to Build New Air Separation Plant in Salt Lake Area

- The resurgence of oil and gas drilling and production in the Rocky Mountain region is creating greater demand for industrial gases from oil and gas customers throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. (Utah Business Magazine) (Reliable Plant) (SL Tribune) (Morning News)