Spartanburg County leaders mark first anniversary of community’s 5-year vision plan

By Trevor Anderson

After one year, a unified vision for Spartanburg’s future economic and cultural prosperity is progressing.

Community leaders gathered Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the University of South Carolina Upstate to receive an update on the county’s five-year development strategy, aptly named OneSpartanburg.

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County, cities working together for growth

By Claire Kowalick

An economic report from the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce to the county suggests communities working together for growth is the wave of the future.

Henry Florsheim, president and CEO of the chamber, met with the Wichita County Commissioners Monday to discuss an ongoing effort between the city, chamber and multiple stakeholder groups throughout the county.

Florsheim said Market Street Services, a community and economic development planning group based in Atlanta, is working with the Wichita Falls Economic Development Corporation (4A Board) to create a strategic plan for economic growth and community development.

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Greater Manhattan Project rolls out assessment findings

By Megan Moser

Manhattan area leaders have released the findings of a community assessment, part of an effort to create a unified vision and strategy to attain a “thriving, sustainable and equitable future” for the region.

Among the conclusions: the region’s economy relies too much on public-sector employment and lags in retail; the perception of public K-12 education doesn’t match performance compared to that of peer communities; and the community needs to improve its base of skilled workers to take advantage of opportunities at the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility.

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Strategic initiative underway to improve city, area

By John Ingle, Times Record News

As the saying goes, it's hard to get where you want to go without a road map.

A group of community members representing almost all sectors of business and government has been put together to develop a road map, of sorts, to guide the city toward growth and create a Wichita Falls of the future.

Henry Florsheim, president and CEO of the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce & Industry and chair of the newly formed Wichita Falls Economic Development Steering Committee, said the group is in the beginning stages of the roughly 10-month process to create the strategic plan. Consulting firm Market Street Services will help keep the group on track and analyze information gathered.

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The inclusion solution: Sioux Falls grapples with diversity as workforce woes mount

Jeremy J Fugleberg

Jason Ball stepped up to the microphone before the downtown Rotary Club last month and delivered a strong message calling for Sioux Falls to come into its own.

“We have to begin to get okay with becoming a major metro area," said the president and CEO of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce,

The metro area now includes more than 250,000 people, he reminded the crowd.

"We’ve got to grow into the community we need to be," he said. "And I think that’s going to begin here, with us not only just valuing the diversity that exists in this community but finding ways to celebrate it."

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