World Business Chicago Awarded Top Economic Development Group

World Business Chicago (WBC) achieved Site Selection Magazine's highest ranking for economic development groups in 2005. WBC is one of 10 groups to attain this ranking, which is based on job creation, capital investment and innovative leadership. Site Selection magazine is an award-winning trade publication that covers corporate real estate and economic development. With more than 44,000 corporate executive readers, Site Selection provides timely news and analysis on the biggest deals making news in project activity.

More than 4,500 economic development organizations throughout the United States and Canada contended for Site Selection's top development group list, which is considered the "industry's scoreboard." The magazine credited WBC's success to assisting in 3.9 billion in capital investment and the creation of 18,377 new and retained jobs for the Chicago region in 2005.

"Since its inception in 1999, World Business Chicago has led by example to demonstrate how public-private partnerships benefit our city," said Mayor Richard M. Daley. "As a result, Chicago has maintained a strong local economy while becoming a center for international commerce."

The distinction comes on the heels of Chicago winning "Top Metro" for 2005 in Site Selection's annual business investment survey of American cities. The city was acknowledged as 2005's leader in economic development, with $6.5 billion of corporate capital invested in 389 projects. Chicago has earned Site Selection's "Top Metro" title for four out of the past five years.

"Thanks to the business-friendly environment Mayor Daley has created, Chicago's business community is thriving," said Paul O'Connor, executive director of World Business Chicago. "The Mayor's unique vision for the city has provided Chicago with the infrastructure, workforce and quality of life that are crucial to keeping existing companies here and bringing in new ones."

World Business Chicago was evaluated and ranked according to new jobs, new jobs per 10,000 residents, new investment amount and new investment per 10,000 residents. Site Selection also analyzed attributes including innovative programs, leadership and customer service.

"As we evaluated the nominations for the Top Development Groups competition this year, it became clear that the winning entries shared several characteristics," said Ron Starner, director of publications and general manager of Site Selection publisher Conway Data. "They had very effective Web sites, strong work-force development efforts and a cohesive approach to regional development."

World Business Chicago submitted top tier projects in response to Site Selection's request for breakthrough location moves, with companies including CDW, CNA Insurance, Mittal Steel, USA and Wrigley Company choosing Chicago in 2005.

Chicago Presents Opportunities to China

Paving the way for Chicago business to grow in and with several regions of China, WBC's director of international business development, Tom Bartkoski, introduced the Chicago economic success story to over 300 Chinese business leaders in Nanjing, at a May 5 forum on developing the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

"The presentation told our story from a perspective of allowing these leaders to visualize growing their companies with the resources of the Chicago area," said Bartkoski. "Certainly they are aware of Chicago but this forum allowed us to display the depth and range of complimentary resources our region can offer. Whether it's using our intellectual capital for growing in China or our transportation, distribution, and financial assets for expanding in America and internationally."

The forum was hosted by groups including the Chinese Association of Productivity Science and the Development and Reform Commissions of Jiangsu Province and Nanjing City. Chief Representative of the United Nations in China, Khalid Malik, also spoke.

The Chinese business and government representatives came from eight provinces and two municipalities. The Yangtze River Economic Belt is the region stretching west from Shanghai, and accounted for 46% of China's GDP in 2005. The area is key to building the country over the next 15 years, as China's accelerating economy continues to move west. Like the Midwest United States, the Yangtze River Belt is located in the interior of China. Bartkoski discussed how Chicago created success as an international center for commerce, while being located in the center of the continent.

Bartkoski's visit comes at an exciting time for China/Chicago relations. Mayor Richard M. Daley is pursuing direct relationships with Chinese business and government leaders—as in his recent trip to Beijing, his second to China—and a score of city departments are working together to develop cooperative processes to accommodate the anticipated arrival of Chinese-based business and cultural organizations over this decade.

Chicago is preparing itself in several different ways as outlined below, from the fundamentals of Chinese language in the public schools to the sophisticated finance and development policies to accommodate not only growth in Chinese-related business and culture but also a welcoming environment for relocating individuals and families:

• The Chicago Public Schools' Chinese language program has been recognized by the People's Republic of China as the largest and best in the world outside of China;
  
• The Confucius Institute—China's government-sponsored program for the development of cultural ties—recently opened the only non-university institute at Walter Payton College Prep. It's one of only six in the U.S. and is supported with a $70,000 grant. The Institute provides grade-school instructors with teaching materials and lesson plans in Chinese and seminars for parents who want to participate.
  
• American Airlines' new nonstop service between Chicago and China, along with United's 20 years of market leadership as America's bridge to China, makes Chicago's O'Hare the base for 25% of all nonstop air service between the U.S. and China—vital for doing business.
  
• Cohesive efforts to reach out to Chinese business, government and tourists are flourishing throughout Chicago's and Illinois' civic, educational, cultural, and corporate communities, working together in such groups as Chicago's Sister Cities Program, the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, and assorted professional associations.
  
  All these efforts are part of a campaign to establish Chicago as a Chinese business gateway in North America.

Learning From New York

Last month, Chicago's top leaders in workforce and economic development spent three days in a learning exchange with New York City officials. Why New York? New York City, which customarily had an underperforming workforce development system, successfully redesigned its system by integrating economic and workforce development. The creative new system better serves business needs, has filled jobs and ultimately leads the country in workforce innovation.

The exchange, organized by the Chicago Workforce Board and funded by the Joyce Foundation, intends for both cities to generate innovative, efficient and action-driven ideas regarding the integration of workforce and economic development. The Chicago delegation spent its time with New York City Departments of Small Business Services, the Workforce Investment Board, Department of City Planning, and NYC Business Solutions.

Both cities recognize that economic growth is driven by a talented, skillful workforce, and agree on the need for an effective system to align workforce and economic development. Integrating workforce and economic development can provide a higher level of customer service to businesses and workforce, ultimately making an impact on business location decisions and the overall economic and social well-being of the city. New York's solution is a "whole" integrated system that can answer: where the jobs are, what the jobs are, where the people to fill them are, are they skilled and what do businesses need to grow.

Consequently, New York's model of integrating workforce development programs into the city's department of Small Business Services (SBS) was of interest to the Chicago delegation. One part of New York's model is establishing "industry desks" to serve the needs of businesses in targeted growth industries. "Industry desks" leverage both business and workforce services and use a non-profit entity for economic development to facilitate and finance customized training. New York also developed their own internal job matching system that can provide staff with real-time data and allow them to make data based decisions.

The learning certainly wasn't one sided. New York was interested in Chicago's Business Express model, Chicago's sector-based "One Stops" for manufacturing and the service industries, how Chicago identifies Non-Workforce Investment Act money for innovative workforce programming and other projects related to critical skills in healthcare, manufacturing and transportation/warehousing/logistics.

New York's implementation of Chicago's innovative 311 Center is an example of the usefulness of sharing ideas. Dialogue enables city officials to take what they've learned and rework it to implement a beneficial solution for each city. For example, New York modified its 311 system to immediately transfer job-seekers to staff who can discuss the services available and locations where services can be accessed. In addition, New York markets its 311 system as a workforce resource.

No one is saying we should implement identical programs—it is the understanding of each other's issues and challenges that prove to be mutually beneficial. Another advantage of the learning exchange is the underlying benefit of competition; each city wants to do it better.

To that end, Chicago's economic development and workforce leaders continue to meet to build on this experience, as much more was learned and needs to be examined. Hopefully, this new line of communication will continue to improve Chicago's skilled workforce and friendly business climate.

--Carrie Simmons and Vernita Gary
World Business Chicago

Upcoming Events

Fifth Annual Chicago Innovation Awards
Honoring businesses and organizations for developing innovative products and services

Nominations are now open for the 2006 Chicago Innovation Awards, the Chicago region's major annual recognition of product and service innovation. Nominations will be accepted through July 31.

This year's award presentation will be held at the main stage of the Goodman Theatre on Oct. 24. The honorees will be profiled in a special section of the Chicago Sun-Times, and featured on podcasts and broadcasts on WBBM-AM 780.

For details on the awards and the nomination process visit the Chicago Innovation Awards website or the Sun-Times online.

Chicago by the Numbers

World Business Chicago
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Chicago, Illinois 60601

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