Message from
The President:
Happy new year. Looking forward to 2012, my hopes are buoyed by the strides we've made in the past year to streamline the PTP and local economic development organizations into an agile force with a laser-like focus on job creation. Although economic recovery has been slower than hoped, last week's numbers showed U.S. unemployment drop to 8.5%, while the region dropped to 9.6%. We can gain solace that the numbers are trending in the right direction.
Late last year, the PTP began to publicize our new strategy and structure to a positive response. Most recently, I authored an Op-Ed in the Business Journal outlining the need for a "game changer" in the region to regain a significant amount of the ground we have lost.
As we look ahead, we need to be realistic about the losses we've suffered; but also to demonstrate how we are moving in the right direction to make the most of opportunities. Our end-of-year press release highlighting jobs pledged for the Triad in 2011 was picked up in stories by the Business Journal, Winston-Salem Journal, WFMY-TV, and Fox News 8. Each ran pieces about hopes rising for local economies in 2012.
I look forward to seeing many of you in person in the coming year. Here's to a productive and prosperous 2012!
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New & Expanding Firms
Click on the links below to read more about recently announced new and expanding firms: |
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Follow us on these social media sites!
  
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Looking Ahead: Pledges and Potential
For the past few years, the PTP has emphasized key clusters of opportunity for the Triad. The table below lists the top volume job announcements in 2011 - each promising over 100 jobs - which neatly covers our key clusters: aviation, logistics, sciences, furnishings, and hi-tech manufacturing.
In all, companies announced their intent to create more than 4,700 new jobs in the Triad in the coming year. (Follow link for a complete list of new and expanding firms in the Triad.)
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Building on Momentum: Short and Long Term Goals
Kicking off 2012, we at the PTP feel that our economic development community is in good shape. Having put past intra-region competition to rest, and we are working together as a unified force for the good of the whole region. To build on the momentum of 2011 job growth, the PTP is concentrating on two key areas of impact: site readiness and workforce development. For site readiness, the PTP will act as navigator for prospective companies. We continue to examine the entire 12-county region to identify "shovel ready" sites. In the next year our goal is to identify and market a mega-site that will fit a facility with the size and impact of an auto or aviation plant. We have studied the selections by Toyota, BMW and others located in the southeast to understand what such a site involves, what companies require, as well as the resulting economic impact. Another critical focus must be developing a workforce prepared to fill these jobs. Currently, there are at least 3,000 well-paying jobs that are unfilled in the region due to a lack of skilled workers. This is an untenable situation. For the longer term, we are sponsoring TriSTEM, a regional program with the mission to promote K-12 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education through private support. In the coming year, we will seek your continued support in our efforts on site readiness and workforce development. With leaders across the Piedmont Triad working together, we can support near-term economic growth and prepare for 21st century jobs. |
Quick Hits
 New Marketing Director
As of January 1st, we are happy to welcome Matt Harrington as the organization's new director of marketing and client development. Matt will be responsible for coordinating the external marketing program for the Piedmont Triad Economic Developers Council including marketing missions, trade shows, and business development. He will promote the region in key industries and respond to client inquiries and communicate with site location consultants, prospects, and targets. Matt and his wife look forward to returning to the Triad where he attended Wake Forest and held his first job.
In The News
This week, the News & Record included a Counterpoint article from David Powell which addresses a New York Times front page article published January 8th. The NYT titled its article, "Private Sector Gets Job Skills; Public Gets Bill" -- but they failed to close the feedback loop on the process. When a company like Caterpillar employs workers who were trained at Forsyth Tech -- yes, the company benefits -- but so does the community as a whole.
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