Commerce successfully attracts ‘Who’s Who’ of corporate location pros
Our business development team scored a big win in partnering with the Port of Seattle to co-host the Site Selectors Guild Annual Fall Forum. This group is the primary national association of corporate location consultants, and it was the first time one of their annual professional summits had taken place on the west coast.
Other sponsors were Economic Development Council of Seattle-King County, Tri-Cities Development Council (TRIDEC), Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County, Pierce County, city of Seattle, Economic Alliance Snohomish County, Kitsap Economic Development Alliance and Greater Spokane Incorporated (GSI).
The three-day gathering provided an opportunity for top site selectors to see the outstanding business advantages Washington state has to offer companies in many key industry sectors.
Joining with our partners from all over the state, we showcased attributes including a favorable tax environment, low-cost clean energy, affordable land, talented workforces and world-class industry ecosystems in high tech and clean tech, aerospace and advanced manufacturing, life sciences, maritime, military and defense, value-added agriculture and others.
Site selectors play a key role in helping corporations evaluate and choose locations for new, expanding or relocating facilities and operations. Our Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness (OEDC) has limited marketing resources compared with our competitor states, so we must be highly targeted and strategic in our business recruitment efforts. Focusing on site selectors has proven to be an effective tool over the past several years.
Currently, nearly 30 percent of our active recruitment projects involve site selectors or other investment and development consultants.