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Your place to keep up with trending economic development news.

Wednesday, February 06, 2019

The Secret to Workforce Attraction is Purpose and Fulfillment. Earlier this year, my Uncle Tom passed away. I attended the funeral in the small Nebraska town and spent most of the time reflecting on how the town had changed and why people remained or left. I remembered family gatherings and community dinners where the fire hall was so full of people that moving around was almost impossible. The events were loud and joyous. People were held together by a sense of community and purpose. But changed? Why were towns, like this one, across the country shrinking? As I let these thoughts drift in...

Katy Area Economic Development Council Launches Website to Showcase Business Advantages

Monday, January 14, 2019

By 24-7 Press Release Katy, TX – The Katy Area Economic Development Council (Katy Area EDC) has launched a new comprehensive website to bolster its online presence and highlight business opportunities and advantages in this burgeoning area of southeast Texas. Katy Area EDC is focused on business recruitment, development and expansion in and around Katy, Texas, which is just 25 miles west of Houston. The user friendly, online portal includes an array of information about the region, including its workforce, business incentives and quality of life. It features powerful Zoom Prospector and GIS Planning tools that enable auto population of area demographics...

New Website Highlights Kentucky Lake’s Business & Industry Assets

Monday, December 10, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Benton, KY – Kentucky Lake Economic Development just launched a comprehensive website to elevate its online presence and showcase Marshall County, Kentucky’s abundant opportunities and business advantages. This will serve as an important asset for site selectors and investors. "We are extremely excited to reinvent how we do economic development in Marshall County, Kentucky, with Kentucky Lake Economic Development. We are on the verge of a more aggressive and strategic approach moving forward that is generating a level of energy in our community that we have never seen before,” said Josh Tubbs, president of Kentucky Lake Economic Development....

Website Showcases Spruce Grove’s Business Assets

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release City of Spruce Grove, AB – The City of Spruce Grove just launched a new website to promote its economic development efforts. The site will serve as a valuable resource for both existing businesses and potential investors. Spruce Grove is one of Alberta’s fastest growing cities. The website was created as part of the City’s economic development strategy and action plan with the goal to create a comprehensive online portal for existing companies and potential investors. “The new website adds an important level of functionality to our efforts. It will allow potential investors to seamlessly access relevant, concise information...

New MEDA Website a Resource for Economic Developers

Monday, November 19, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release The Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) has launched a comprehensive new website to promote its statewide membership and activities. The professional association for “lead” economic developers is dedicated to building Montana’s economy. “MEDA is all about local economic development professionals serving their community and impacting lives and businesses. The impacts are real and in many cases they shape the future of towns, cities and our state for the future,” noted MEDA President Steve Arveschoug of Big Sky Economic Development in Billings. The updated, user friendly website provides a solid foundation for marketing MEDA and its strong network of members....

St. Landry Economic Development Launches New Website

Monday, November 19, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Opelousas, LA – St. Landry Economic Development (SLED) recently launched a comprehensive new website. The site is a valuable resource for citizens, businesses and site selectors that showcases SLED’s economic development activities, business assets and rich culture. SLED takes a forward-looking approach to the economic and community development of Louisiana’s St. Landry Parish. Its collaborative initiatives are designed to bring growth and prosperity to area businesses and communities. The sophisticated and interactive web platform aims to better connect St. Landry Parish to the region, nation and world. The site has details about the three St. Landry Economic Development Districts,...

New Websites Emphasize Hutchinson’s Many Assets

Monday, October 15, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Hutchinson, Kansas and the larger Reno County area recently launched three new websites to promote the region. The sites will serve as a valuable promotional tool for businesses, economic development and tourism. An online portal combines the sites into one user-friendly and comprehensive resource with a wealth of information for businesses and site selectors as well as potential residents and visitors. The sites were developed for three different organizations with distinct, yet related, missions: the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce; Visit Hutch, the Greater Hutchinson Convention/Visitors Bureau; and Greater Hutch, a partnership for economic development in Reno County. The Hutch...

Workforce Attraction Toolkit: Beating the Workforce Woes

Friday, October 12, 2018

By Golden Shovel Agency To assist you with the items talked about in this article, download Golden Shovel's Workforce attraction Toolkit. -- Worker scarcity permeates almost every conversation in political and economic development circles. For the last three fiscal quarters, analysts predicted the unemployment rate reached the lowest possible level; now, analysts wonder how low the rate can actually drop. One headline earlier this year stated “2018 Too Many Jobs and Not Enough Workers”. At the most basic level, this defines the problem communities’ face. Tight labor conditions have always existed in specific sectors. For example, shortages of programmers created difficulties for software companies. But...

York County Development Corporation Receives Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council

Tuesday, October 02, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release WASHINGTON, DC (October 02, 2018) – York County Development Corporation received a Bronze Excellence in Economic Development Award for York County Educational Partnerships, a project in the category of Partnership with Educational Institutions of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The honor was presented at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, October 2, during the IEDC Annual Conference, which was held September 29 – October 3, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. “It is an honor to receive this award on behalf of York County Development Corporation. This initiatives show that with dedication, a team of partners can come together and...

New Website Highlights Western Iowa’s Business Assets

Monday, September 10, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Carroll, Iowa – Western Iowa Advantage has launched a new website that will serve as a valuable tool for economic development. The comprehensive online portal highlights Western Iowa’s many business advantages. “The primary purpose of the site is to let site selectors and real estate professionals know that Western Iowa has a story to tell. It is a story of long term and innovative business success, while maintaining a comfortable lifestyle,” said Shannon Landauer, vice president of Western Iowa Advantage. The user friendly site simplifies the process of delivering details and custom reports on an array of pertinent topics...

VR Technology Brings Economic Developers and Site Selectors Together

Monday, September 10, 2018

Economic developers face an uphill battle to get site selectors and executives to visit their community and tour available properties. With site selectors scouting locations throughout the country, and potentially the world, it can take months or years of concerted efforts to arrange for a FAM tour. VR technology is solving this problem by making it possible for site selectors and executive to visit communities in the virtual world. Minnesota-based communication firm Golden Shovel recognized the potential for virtual-reality to bridge the gap and make these connections possible. In 2017, the firm launched a new service, PlaceVR, making it possible...

New Website Illustrates Development Opportunities in Pasadena, TX

Tuesday, September 04, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Pasadena, Texas – The Pasadena Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has launched a comprehensive new website to highlight the region’s many business advantages Pasadena, Texas is located just 20 minutes from Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city. Its residents enjoy an excellent quality of life. Its proximity to a vast transportation network, including major airports, freeways and rail systems, makes it a prime location for development and redevelopment. With this new online portal, Pasadena EDC has rebranded itself. The economic development agency’s website is a one-stop-shop for those interested in learning more about Pasadena. “We wanted to provide site selectors,...

South Dakota Prairie Gateway Site Showcases Opportunities

Tuesday, August 07, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Sisseton, SD - The South Dakota Prairie Gateway just launched a new website that illustrates the many economic development efforts and business opportunities in eastern South Dakota. South Dakota Prairie Gateway is a partnership to promote economic growth in the state, with a particular focus on the eastern region. Member organizations work together to attract businesses and develop their local economies. The website is one of the products of that collaboration. “This website partnership showcases the different and yet similar economic development efforts in the area and provides quick links to these partners via links to their websites,” said...

Five Steps to Strategy

Thursday, August 02, 2018

Building a framework in five steps that you won’t snore over. Every economic development director has created or discussed a strategic planning document. This process is critical to building a successful plan. And, getting started doesn’t need to be a formidable process that is overwhelming--start small and build on the success of each stage. Your organization's strategy should start with five basic components: purpose and goals, advantage, target, marketing, and lastly, niche. These components, if built correctly, can provide a solid framework for use in grant writing, business attraction and workforce campaigns as well as internal stakeholder communication. Purpose and Goals Why does a...

From the Archives: Five Strategies to Make Your Economic Development Content Marketing Stand Out in 2018

Monday, July 30, 2018

It’s past the halfway point for 2018, how many of these strategies have you implemented? Enjoy one of our archived articles for strategy development. ------------- Published by Golden Shovel 12/19/2017 The 2017 calendar is running out of days and there is a steady supply of cookies and eggnog in offices all over the country. This time of the year brings people together for conversations and optimism for the coming year. It is a special time of the year. It is also the right time to review successful content marketing strategies to be utilized in 2018. Before going to the big whiteboard and mapping out...

Midland Development Corporation Launches New Website

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Midland, Texas – The Midland Development Corporation (MDC) has launched a state-of-the-art website that displays the organization’s services and touts Midland’s many advantages and amenities. Midland has an auspicious location about halfway between Dallas and El Paso, Texas. It’s the third fastest growing metro area in the nation. MDC’s new online portal includes a host of innovative tools, yet is easy to use and optimized for mobile devices. “The Midland Development Corporation is proud to release a website that highlights our organization’s role in the community, and provides a wealth of information about living, working and doing business in...

With Oculus Go, VR for Economic Development is Ready for Business

Thursday, July 19, 2018

By Aaron Brossoit Golden Shovel Agency unveiled PlaceVR in Toronto at the 2017 International Economic Development Council’s Annual Conference. Our team showcased the first 360 videos of familiarization tours and site tours to the industry. For economic development professionals promoting their regions, these spherical videos are the best way to virtually bring people into a region or community. In September of 2017, however, the VR viewer options that were available for showcasing the videos were still limited. There were the top quality systems like Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and the Playstation VR which presented a great VR experience, but was burdensome...

Why Some Economic Developers Find “All” The Deals

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

It is no secret that new introductions and relationships are fundamental to the success of an economic developer. Having the ability and tools to build a robust network of key industry contacts is critical to the success of failure of many of the economic developers I know. Conferences and tradeshows provide popular gathering events for people to come together and trade contract information. But there is another gathering place for economic developers and business owners: your website. Your website is attracting people every day. Have you reviewed the website traffic to see who’s visiting and how you can attract more visitors? With...

Using Data and Storytelling for Industry Attraction

Thursday, July 05, 2018

We’ve all heard the importance of data, and storytelling, but we haven’t spent much time working on storytelling with data and hard numbers. Communities have to not only have tangible numbers to show industry and site selectors, but they also have to have a compelling story for why the industry would want to move there. Let’s examine what you could be doing better to tell your community story. You are not a marketer. As an economic development professional, you wear many hats. But the most important hat you wear is the leader. Too often economic development directors try to lead and try to...

Violet Township’s State of the Art Website Aims to Attract Industry

Monday, June 25, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Pickerington, OH – Violet Township has launched a new website, which will serve as a valuable tool for the region’s economic development. The online portal showcases the area’s many business advantages and aims to attract business. Site selectors for large projects, small business owners looking for a place to start up and existing business looking to expand will all find helpful information on the website. It features available sites and buildings as well as details on the area’s infrastructure and three distinct growth corridors. “This state of the art website tells the story of Violet Township and will...

Now What? Why Site Selectors are Looking Past Your Community.

Monday, June 18, 2018

So your community didn’t get on the finalist list for Amazon HQ2, now what? The site selection process is changing and adapting with the trends in business. While it may still be important to look for potentially large company relocations, many good business expansions can occur with small to mid-sized companies. But gaining the attention of these businesses requires some creative approaches. Incentives don’t matter as much as talent Workforce, workforce, workforce. The ability for a community to attract and retain a workforce is ranking at the top of the incentive list. Business owners may still be interested in traditional incentives, but...

Attracting New Industry Through Advanced Marketing Strategies

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Northeast Kentucky Development has officially launched this week, a organization that aims to attract new businesses into the 12 county region, which will serve as a valuable player for the region’s economic development. The development organization will highlight available sites, buildings, and resources available for new and expanding industry into the area, primarily in Aerospace and Automotive. Sam Howard, Managing Principal of Northeast Kentucky Development says he started the organization to provide the region with a voice. “Counties within the region are typical of rural Kentucky. We have an abundant availability of land at a reasonable cost. We have a workforce...

Golden Shovel Agency Partners with Barber Business Advisors for Economic Growth

Thursday, May 17, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Barber Business Advisors and the Golden Shovel Agency have agreed to a strategic partnership in which the two firms will jointly offer consulting services to economic development organizations nationwide. The announcement was made while representatives of the two firms were attending the Consultant Connect ECONOMIX conference in Frisco, a Dallas suburb. BBA is based in Dallas and Golden Shovel is based in Little Falls, Minnesota. Representatives of the two firms attending the conference said the partnership is designed to bring additional services to communities that seek to market their locations for business attraction. “Promoting the economic development narrative of communities...

Golden Shovel Agency partners with Kentucky Association for Economic Development

Monday, April 30, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release LITTLE FALLS, MN, April 30, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ --Promoting your community’s economic development narrative has never been so important. Social media and virtual reality video advancements give economic developers an astounding arsenal of communication tools. Aaron Brossoit, CEO of Golden Shovel Agency, announced earlier this month the new partnership with Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED) and Golden Shovel. The partnership hopes to bring more services to the communities in Kentucky including communication and marketing; while also working with KAED to craft success stories for the members of the association. Best practices in communication and marketing will be highlighted by...

Addressing The Child Care Shortage: Lee Container offers unique employee benefit

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

A Centerville company is gaining statewide attention for a proactive new benefit it’s offering to employees. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds was on hand for an October 31 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new daycare facility in Centerville that will largely serve children of Lee Container employees. While chatting with Lee Container President Robert Varnedoe at a governor’s deer hunt a few years ago, Gov. Reynolds gave early encouragement for his idea to open a day care in Centerville. At the ribbon cutting, she praised Lee Container’s efforts and the impact such actions can have on overall economic growth. “We want to acknowledge how...

Advanced SEO for Economic Developers: A Look Behind the Curtain

Monday, April 09, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release LITTLE FALLS, MN, April 09, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Advanced SEO involves a complex process that begins with a content strategy. Ultimately, the goal of search engine optimization (SEO) is for a website to pull up at the top of an organic search. With so many websites available, Google spiders have to crawl websites to determine what they are about and then to determine if a site is authoritative/valuable or not. This allows them to make an instant determination as to which site is going to be provide someone with the information they are search for. So, what matters...

Montgomery County Development Corporation Launches Marketing Initiative

Friday, March 23, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Red Oak, IA - Executive director, Shawnna Silvius is committed to raising the awareness of Montgomery County, IA and to expanding economic development and growth of the region. The communities of Montgomery County have already begun launching downtown development initiatives, working to establish gap funding to spur housing, industrial and business development and pairing with local school districts to expand workforce training and improve workforce and business attraction. To ensure the success of the new economic development programs, the Montgomery County Development Corporation Board of Directors partnered with the national communications firm, Golden Shovel Agency. The Board recognizes the...

Little Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau Launches New Website

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Little Falls, MN – The Little Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau, the main point of contact for visitors to the historic Central Minnesota town, has launched a new website to highlight the wide array of attractions and activities in the region. "When we market, we want to send people to a website that they can easily find what they are looking for. Our new website will help the LFCVB direct tourists in the right direction. This will be a main navigation point for any tourist wanting to explore Little Falls,” said Sabrina Koelsch, LFCVB marketing manager. The user-friendly online...

What's Wrong with WordPress

Friday, March 09, 2018

There's been a war on security, cyber security, and if you have a WordPress site you might be at risk, like the 50,000 users who have recently been hacked (don't believe, us? read here). But that's only one of the reasons why a WordPress site might not be the best fit, especially in Economic Development. Another key concern is it's code quality, an integral issue is the quality of the WordPress code itself, such as old use of versions and contributors who did not follow the strict structural standards. If that still doesn't have you convinced, let's bring up another topic...

New Website Aims to Attract Business and Talent to Momentum West Region

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Eau Claire, WI – Momentum West has launched a new website and valuable tool for economic development. The online portal is comprehensive representation of the resources and infrastructure in West Central Wisconsin. The website features the region’s Gold Shovel Ready sites certification program as well as available sites and buildings. It showcases business incentives as well as talent development initiatives, as the area is placing emphasis on attracting and retaining talent. Site selectors, entrepreneurs and business owners will find the user friendly and packed with helpful information. Each county served by Momentum West has a profile page complete with pertinent information and...

From the CEO's Desk: What Kind of Economic Developer Do You Want to Be?

Monday, February 26, 2018

By Aaron Brossoit, CEO Economic development is about building communities. This type of transformation requires leadership and hard work. The economic developers I see everyday have a range of skills and wealth of experience to draw from to perform their jobs, and these individuals are community leaders. Some economic developers recognize their leadership role and are able to guide boards and community groups through strategic plans. Others are quiet servant leaders who diligently work hard for the community and are able to accomplish monumental tasks and initiatives by serving others. There is no right or wrong way to be an economic...

Great River Energy Launches Redesigned Economic Development Website

Thursday, February 22, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Maple Grove, MN - Great River Energy, a wholesale energy provider to 28 member cooperatives, has launched a revamped website that highlights its economic development efforts in Minnesota. Site selectors, entrepreneurs and business owners will find a comprehensive suite of user-friendly tools and information on the site. The new economic development portal is a comprehensive repository featuring data from its member cooperatives that span the state, in-depth information on industry sectors, resources for businesses looking to relocate and more. The site was rebranded with an updated look and feel. It features an interactive map of Great River Energy’s 28...

Investment promotion 4.0

Monday, February 19, 2018

By fDi Intelligence IPAs are enhancing their tech strategy with geographic information system platforms, proptech applications and even virtual reality to cater for increasingly sophisticated site-selection processes. But will data-driven innovation ever replace the personal touch? Jacopo Dettoni investigates. In the world of big data, investment promotion is finally catching up with other sectors. A growing number of economic and property developers are looking at data-driven solutions to showcase their assets or communities, thus increasing their chances of attracting and retaining investment. This in turn is prompting tech companies to develop tailor-made applications for the industry. For instance, solutions based on geographic information system...

Goshen County Economic Development Corporation Launches Website Highlighting Tools and Resources for Businesses

Monday, February 05, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Goshen County, WY – The newly launched Goshen County Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC) website features powerful tools as well as resources for entrepreneurs, businesses, job seekers and site selectors. Visit http://www.goshenwyo.com/goshen-edc to access the site. GCEDC is excited to have a website that serves as an authentic window into the region and a powerful resource for business. “We realized that the website is the face of our community and it was our priority to portray the look and feel of our community while accessing information helpful to business and community development,” said Ashley Harpstreith, Chief Executive Officer. The site...

Golden Shovel Agency Helps Utility Companies Deploy Successful Economic Development Strategies

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Golden Shovel is leading the economic development industry by deploying innovative communication strategies for communities and bringing regional partnerships together. One key player in any regional economic development effort is the utility companies and cooperatives. Great River Energy, Powder River Energy, Arkansas Electric, Guadalupe Valley and Black Hills Energy are some of the utility clients who have leveraged the communication strategies developed and deployed by Golden Shovel Agency. In 2017, Powder River Energy wanted to leverage their regional presence and centralize key information for all their stakeholders. This objective was part of the Member Community Engagement and Sustainable Growth plan. “PRECorp has put...

Great River Energy: Investing in community and technology

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

After the recession, job growth in rural America has lagged behind that of its cities. But the outlook for rural regions remains promising. Research indicates that rural areas have higher levels of entrepreneurs than their metropolitan counterparts. And rural start-ups are typically more resilient. Tom Lambrecht has dedicated much of his career to finding ways to help rural Minnesota thrive. Since Great River Energy’s inception in 1999, he has headed up the Minnesota-based electric cooperative’s economic development services. It might seem unusual for an electric company to focus on economic development, but Great River Energy isn’t just any electric company — it’s...

Benton Economic Partnership Launches New Website to Highlight Area’s Economic Assets

Monday, January 22, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Benton County, MN – The new Benton Economic Partnership website highlights its member investors and offers a picture of Benton County’s economic assets for prospective businesses and workers. Visit http://www.bentonpartnership.org/bentonmn to access the newly launched site. Benton Economic Partnership is excited to share the area’s mix of urban and rural advantages through the website. The organization believes “Benton County has been a closely held secret for far too long and needs to break out of its shell and tell the world why it’s so great to be here.” “It was important for us to have a web presence that...

Success Story: Co-ops Build Community

Monday, January 22, 2018

By Great River Energy "If communities are strong and vibrant, our service territory grows, the co-op benefits from that. If communities are dying or not doing well, we’re not doing well. There’s an alignment of interests there that we need to help grow our region." Up until about 75 years ago, the majority of rural areas of the United States were literally in the dark because big power companies didn't think it was worthwhile to expend the resources to develop infrastructure to allow farmers and ranchers to tap into the electric grid. People in rural areas banded together to establish electrical cooperatives to...

Golden Shovel Agency Launches Powerful Economic Development Portal for Powder River Energy Corporation

Thursday, January 18, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release SUNDANCE, WY, January 18, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Powder River Energy Corporation (PRECorp) is giving a helping hand to the communities it serves with a full-service economic development website and portal. The site will focus on aiding in business attraction, business retention and expansion, and workforce development in northeast Wyoming. Member and Community Engagement and Sustainable Growth are two of three central aspects of PRECorp's Strategic Vision to better serve its membership. To help fulfill that vision PRECorp has launched the economic development website and portal. The new PRECorp website centralizes key information and resources for regional stakeholders, entrepreneurs,...

Golden Shovel Agency Shares Small Town Economic Development Strategies at 2018 NET Conference

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

LITTLE FALLS, MN (Golden Shovel Agency) –- Small town growth is critical for state economies, the residents and utility companies who operate large grids. At the 2018 NET Conference, Golden Shovel Agency executives will share proven communication strategies for small towns who wish to leverage the gigabyte economy. The NET Conference is Touchstone Energy’s signature business conference that brings account and energy service professional together from around the country. The conference is known for presenting the most relevant economic development and energy issues as well as presenting innovative ideas and solutions. One of the innovative ideas to be presented is “Bringing Success...

Golden Shovel Agency Adds New Talent to Team

Monday, January 08, 2018

LITTLE FALLS, MN (Golden Shovel Agency) –- Company growth is happening for The Golden Shovel Agency, four positions have been appointed during the New Year. Bethany Quinn, Darren Varley, and Greg Kolbjornsen are bringing their experience and expertise to the team, some of which have been serving in a capacity with Golden Shovel for several years. Bethany Quinn is stepping in as Director of Content overseeing the content process for all Golden Shovel clients through her team of copywriters. New services, including Gatekeeper 2.0, will be project cornerstone’s for Quinn. Quinn has served in a role with Golden Shovel Agency for...

Six Reasons Utilities Energize Economic Development and Make Great Partners

Monday, January 08, 2018

By Golden Shovel Agency We live in a connected world where everything is related. This connectivity is especially true in the economic development industry where relationships are critical to the success of community growth and economic development projects. Assembling a robust group of economic partners and advisors to help secure an economic development project is one of the first steps towards success. And, one important partner must be the local utility company. Utility companies are dependent on community success and their growth and survival are directly tied to increasing electric power consumption levels making them a motivated and natural best-fit partner for...

Five Strategies to Make Your Economic Development Content Marketing Stand Out in 2018

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

The 2017 calendar is running out of days and there is a steady supply of cookies and eggnog in offices all over the country. This time of the year brings people together for conversations and optimism for the coming year. It is a special time of the year. It is also the right time to review successful content marketing strategies to be utilized in 2018. Before going to the big whiteboard and mapping out the 2018 strategy, consider what has worked in 2017 and what may change in the next year. I recommend starting with an in depth review of the...

Xceligent Bankruptcy: What You Need to Know

Monday, December 18, 2017

LITTLE FALLS, MN -- Xceligent has declared bankruptcy and shut down operations as of December 15, 2017. We are working closely with the GIS Planning team to assist with any data issues. The GIS Planning team has designed a variety of possible solutions for economic development organizations left in the lurch by this news and seeking to offer sites and buildings listings. While we were as surprised by this development as anyone else, we have identified some alternative strategies and sources of real estate data for different regions. Here are some possibilities we can discuss with you: Possible alternate listing services in different...

Golden Shovel President John Marshall Successfully Presents Upton, WY Rail Park Project

Thursday, December 14, 2017

The Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors considered five Business Ready Community (BRC) grant and loan staff recommendations during its Dec. 7 meeting in Cheyenne. Among the projects considered by the The Board was a $3 million grant and $3 million loan to the town of Upton to construct a 40,000 square-foot rail car cleaning and repair facility on a lot owned by the Upton Economic Development Board. Rail Car Holdings will operate the facility, which is the only one of its kind for 220 miles in any direction. Upton Economic Development Board would contribute $3,893,250, half of which comes from an...

Town of Groton Launches Business Assistance Website to Attract Investors, Businesses and Residents

Tuesday, December 05, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release The newly created Groton economic development website offers a full suite of business assistance resources and comprehensive business information. Investors, businesses and new residents can visit http://exploremoregroton.com to access the available assets. Groton economic developers want to attract new businesses, entrepreneurs and residents to participate in the success of Groton. Known as the “Home of the Submarine Force” and for perfecting penicillin and vitamin C Groton’s success has been fueled by Groton’s big ideas and innovators. “The creation of the Groton Economic Development website was a priority recommendation from the recently-completed Market Analysis,” said Economic Development Specialist Sam Eisenbeiser....

Golden Shovel Team “All In” for the 2017 Mid-America Competitiveness Conference

Monday, November 27, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release John Marshall, Michael Cooley, and Matt Shermoen will introduce virtual reality for economic developers at the 2017 Mid-America EDC Conference in Chicago, IL LITTLE FALLS, MN (Golden Shovel Agency) –- Michigan Avenue in Chicago will be buzzing with excitement on December 3rd 2017 for the Mid-America Competitiveness Conference. Held annually, this conference brings economic developers, site selectors, and professionals from the industry together for an informative conference. John Marshall, President of Golden Shovel Agency, looks forward to building relationships at the conference. “I always enjoy the Mid-America event because of the high caliber of economic development professionals,” said Marshall....

York County Development Corporation Promotes Area with Virtual Reality Tours

Thursday, November 16, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Attracting workers and businesses is the name of the economic development game today and Executive Director for York County Development Corporation, Lisa Hurley has a game changing strategy. On November 16, 2017, York, NE will begin production on virtual reality tours to bring awareness to the area. Golden Shovel Agency, a national economic development communications firm, will be in town for three days using spherical camera technology to create a workforce and business attraction familiarization tour. Once the virtual reality tours are completed, workers, businesses and site selectors will experience York County in a completely immersive experience. These virtual...

Golden Shovel Agency Presents "New Trends in Economic Development Marketing" at Kentucky Conference

Tuesday, November 07, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release LITTLE FALLS, MN, November 07, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Promoting your community's economic development narrative has never been so important. Social media and virtual reality video advancements give economic developers an astounding arsenal of communication tools. Aaron Brossoit, CEO of Golden Shovel Agency, will help organizations effectively navigate best practices and demonstrate the latest in marketing tools at the Kentucky Association Economic Development (KAED) annual conference November 8-10, 2017. Promoting your community's economic development narrative has never been so important. Social media and virtual reality video advancements give economic developers an astounding arsenal of communication tools. The three-day conference will feature...

Powder River Energy Corporation launches powerful online economic development website and portal

Monday, November 06, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release SUNDANCE, WY – Powder River Energy Corporation (PRECorp) is giving a helping hand to the communities it serves with a full-service economic development website and portal. The site will focus on aiding in business attraction, business retention and expansion, and workforce development in northeast Wyoming. Member and Community Engagement and Sustainable Growth are two of three central aspects of PRECorp’s Strategic Vision to better serve its membership. To help fulfill that vision PRECorp has launched the economic development website and portal. The new PRECorp website centralizes key information and resources for regional stakeholders, entrepreneurs, businesses, and economic development...

Montgomery County, OH Launches Forward-Focused Website for Business Expansion and Retention

Thursday, November 02, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release DAYTON, OH -- Montgomery County has successfully launched their focused comprehensive business expansion and retention economic development website. The new online portal is a repository of business incentives, success stories and resources. Site selectors, entrepreneurs and business owners will find the tools and information on the site to be easy to use and thorough. “We are excited that this website ties together our previous marketing campaigns and serves as an anchor for our future marketing and business attraction efforts,” said Community and Economic Development Specialist, Dan Bish. “Site selectors, economic development professionals and businesses will immediately see the advantages...

Golden Shovel Agency to Demonstrate PlaceVr Economic Development Immersion Video at 2017 NREDA Annual Conference

Wednesday, November 01, 2017

LITTLE FALLS, MN (Golden Shovel Agency) - Virtual reality for economic developers is coming to San Antonio, TX. This innovative technology is being used by forward-thinking communities for business and workforce attraction and participants at NREDA will witness its potential first hand. This revolutionary approach to economic development marketing creates a completely immersive experience that brings a community to life for potential site selectors and business owners. The three-day conference to be held on November 1st, 2nd and 3rd will feature breakout sessions, peer roundtables and numerous networking breaks for industry leaders and economic development executives. “I thought the PlaceVR tour was very...

NIFA Launches Online Housing Resource at Workforce Housing Forum in Kearney

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release LINCOLN, NE -- Tim Kenny, Executive Director for Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA), announced the launch of a comprehensive online housing resource. The LiveNE site hosts case studies, best practice videos, and funding information in one easy-to-use location. LiveNE will be showcased at the 2017 Nebraska Workforce Housing Forum and Workshop on October 25-26, 2017 in Kearney, Nebraska. “We are extremely excited to launch this new website for the NIFA,” said Tim Kenny. “Having all of the housing resources and best practices information in one location will greatly assist NIFA visitors and non-metro Nebraska communities.” The new website was a...

GSA Team Heads to TEDC

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

TEDC’s Conference is packed full of opportunities for economic development professionals looking to network and learn new communication strategies. For a full session agenda please visit https://texasedc.org/2017-annual-conference To schedule your personal Virtual Reality Tour with PlaceVR demonstrating the elite communities visit this link and check out the booth at the conference.

Economic Developers Showcase Elite Communities Using Virtual Reality

Monday, October 16, 2017

How do you reach a CEO sitting in a boardroom, a thousand miles away or across the world? How do you capture the imagination and attention of a site developer sitting at their mahogany desk, sifting through a mile-high stack of proposals? Elite communities have discovered the answer – virtual reality. Flyers and Glossy Brochures Are No Longer Enough Amid those stacks of proposals will be information on a variety of communities, all with their own advantages. Among them could be your flyers and glossy brochures - the mainstay of presentation and marketing tools. The problem? They are not necessarily enough. Everyone...

Golden Shovel Agency to Introduce PlaceVr Economic Development Immersion Video at 2017 TEDC Annual Conference

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release LITTLE FALLS, MN –- Virtual reality for economic developers is coming to Houston, TX. This innovative technology is being used by forward-thinking communities for business and workforce attraction and participants at TEDC will witness its potential first hand. This revolutionary approach to economic development marketing creates a completely immersive experience that brings a community to life for potential site selectors and business owners. The three-day conference to be held on October 18th, 19th, and 20th will feature breakout sessions, peer roundtables and numerous networking breaks for industry leaders and economic development executives. “I thought the PlaceVR tour was very good,...

APEX: Targeted Growth and Top-Notch Technology

Tuesday, October 03, 2017

Growing up in Grand Rapids, on Minnesota’s Iron Range, Brian Hanson learned lessons about the importance of economic diversification early. The region has rich iron deposits and other mineral resources. Its mining industry has weathered tumultuous boom and bust cycles, particularly in the 1980s. As a resident, Hanson witnessed firsthand how devastating mine shutdowns could be — not just for miners and their families but also for the region as a whole. He carried this memory with him as he embarked on a career in economic development. After college, Hanson worked for over 15 years in various business and community development roles...

Palestine Economic Development Corporation Steps Up Business Attraction and Retention Efforts

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Tom Manskey, Executive Director of Palestine Economic Development Corporation today announced the launching of their new community development, wealth generation and business promotion website. The website serves as the ‘front door’ for visitors to access local community development efforts and business incentives as well as experience the quality of life in Palestine, TX. The user-friendly interface and clean navigation offers an attractive online economic development resource. Developed from local marketing strategies and business growth and retention goals, the website amplifies the community growth opportunities. “We are extremely excited to launch this new website for the PEDC,” said Tom Manskey, Executive Director for...

Golden Shovel Agency Demonstrates PlaceVR 360 Immersion Video to the York County Development Corporation

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release YORK, NE - Virtual reality fever has reached York, NE. Today, Golden Shovel Agency President John Marshall demonstrated the power of using 360 degree immersive video to promote York County. Since unveiling PlaceVR at the IEDC conference in Toronto last week, Golden Shovel Agency has been busy demonstrating the new technology to economic developers. There is a noticeable interest among communities looking to increase their awareness. "Once people put the goggles on and begin looking around to fully experience the community there is an immediate 'Ah'," said Golden Shovel Agency President John Marshall. "This virtual reality experience showcases communities...

How Economic Developers Can Compete with Funny Cat Videos

Monday, September 25, 2017

Funny cat videos dominate the internet and each video seems to tickle the emotions of viewers. According to the Huffington Post, research at Indiana University Media School by assistant professor Jessica Gall Myrick found that respondents felt happier after watching animal videos and experienced less anxiety and sadness. This research begs the question: How can economic developers compete with the antidepressant effects of cat videos? Video works. Over 80% of internet traffic is video. The average internet viewer wants to consume information, but they want to get the message quickly. So when you present a viewer with a compelling video about...

APEX Debuts 360-Degree Virtual Reality Tour

Thursday, September 21, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Duluth, MN: The Area Partnership for Economic Expansion (APEX) is pleased to announce the availability of a 360-degree virtual reality(VR) tour that provides prospective business partners and site selection consultants a full-immersion experience of the APEX region from anywhere in the world. The PlaceVR tour, created by Golden Shovel Agency, highlights existing industry and infrastructure and showcases the region’s high quality of life. “It’s one thing to see images or video of our region. It’s quite another to be fully immersed in the PlaceVR tour,” said Brian Hanson, APEX President and CEO. “This innovative approach showcases many elements...

Experience Little Falls, MN: A New Virtual Reality Workforce Attraction Tour Brings the Community to You

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

LITTLE FALLS, MN – Jon Radermacher was sitting behind his desk viewing a sample virtual reality tour video on his smartphone. “This is exactly what Little Falls needs,” he enthusiastically proclaimed. As he was viewing the video, he began to speak out loud of the different attractions in Little Falls and the positive impact an immersive video could have on workforce attraction. Guided by the vision of Little Falls City Administrator, Jon Radermacher, a 360 VR workforce attraction and tourism video was created. The video brings people into Little Falls via a virtual reality experience and allows them to fully immerse...

360 VR Immersion Video Introduced at IEDC 2017 Annual Conference by Golden Shovel Agency

Monday, September 18, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release APEX, JOCO and Little Falls, MN were the first three communities to unveil their immersion videos created by Golden Shovel Agency. LITTLE FALLS, MN – In front of an intrigued group of economic development professionals at IEDC in Toronto, Canada, Aaron Brossoit, CEO of Golden Shovel Agency, unveiled the PlaceVR immersive video technology. Viewed through a headset, or on a computer or through a smartphone these videos allow people to experience communities. And, in the competitive world of economic development, this technology brings the community to site selectors and business owners--eliminating the time and space barrier. Brian Hanson, CEO...

VR is Disrupting the Economic Development Industry

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Imagine teleporting to your favorite vacation spot, climbing the Himalayas or a soaking up the sun on a distant island. This can all be done from the comfort of your home, without fighting traffic at a crowded airport. Virtual teleportation is no longer the stuff of science fiction, but reality with VR technology. While Scotty won't be there to beam you up, simply putting on a head mounted display can virtually teleport you to any destination. Instead of watching something on a screen, you will be immersed in a new world thanks to 360-degree videos with spatial audio. By expanding...

The Golden Shovel Team is Unveiling the Latest in Economic Marketing Innovation at IEDC 2017

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Come witness something brand new to economic development, where Golden Shovel will be unveiling the latest economic marketing innovation at IEDC in Toronto. We will showcase three elite communities who are “virtually” disrupting the industry during the conference on September 17-20 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. “Virtually” impossible to miss! See you there. The Golden Shovel Team. Economic Developers Showcase Elite Communities Using Virtual Reality How do you reach a CEO sitting in a boardroom, a thousand miles away or across the world? How do you capture the imagination and attention of a site developer sitting at their mahogany desk, sifting through a mile-high...

Five Reasons Economic Developers Should Use Video on Their Websites

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

By Aaron Brossoit Research suggests over 60% of the internet traffic is video. We are captivated by videos and we retain information better when video accompanies content. Additionally, websites using video for promotion gain better organic search engine rankings. If you are not using video to promote your community, here are five reasons why you should be. Video attracts engaged visitors According to a Digital Content Next Study, “80% of all video viewers watched an ad online, and 52% have taken some sort of action . . . “. Economic developers want people to experience and interact with their communities. Adding video to...

Economic Developers Showcase Elite Communities Using Virtual Reality

Monday, August 28, 2017

By Aaron Brossoit How do you reach a CEO sitting in a boardroom, a thousand miles away or across the world? How do you capture the imagination and attention of a site developer sitting at their mahogany desk, sifting through a mile-high stack of proposals? Elite communities have discovered the answer – virtual reality. Flyers and Glossy Brochures Are No Longer Enough Amid those stacks of proposals will be information on a variety of communities, all with their own advantages. Among them could be your flyers and glossy brochures - the mainstay of presentation and marketing tools. The problem? They are not necessarily...

Relocate to the Iowa Lakes Region: New Website Offers Information for Businesses and Workers Seeking a New Location

Monday, August 21, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release SPENCER, IA, August 16, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Iowa Lakes Corridor is inviting business owners, entrepreneurs and workers seeking new job opportunities to visit its new website. The website has been redesigned with a user-friendly navigation allowing visitors to easily access the Jobs module, available business properties and quality of life resources. The site includes a robust suite of modules to help people relocate to the Iowa Lakes region and take advantage of the business, work and recreation opportunities. "The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is excited to share our website's new look to the people of our region and...

What You Should Know About VR Technology and How It Works

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

By Golden Shovel Agency Virtual reality and augmented reality are transforming how we view and interact with the world around us. In many cases, the world half a continent or several states away. Virtual reality creates a sense of presence where viewers are transported into a realm full of experiences and possibilities. Rather than simply watching something, viewers feel as though they are actually there through a full immersion experience. A viewer can now walk through a virtual site tour, experience a day hiking in the mountains, or see a factory in action, without needing to leave their office. Virtual Reality Is...

Future of Economic Development: Immersion Video

Monday, August 14, 2017

From the CEO's desk Future of Economic Development: Virtual Reality In 1995, the internet was still far off in people’s minds and there was no clear consensus on whether the mainstream consumer would even use the internet. Four years later, advertising companies and real estate companies were using the internet to bring their products and properties to the consumers. Today, virtual reality adoption is traveling the same trajectory. This technology—known as immersion economic development—will disrupt the economic development industry and give elite communities who use immersive video a clear advantage in business and workforce attraction. Communities want site selectors, business owners, and workers...

North Central Region 5 Launches "The Good Life" Website Promoting Quality of Life and Work Opportunities

Monday, August 07, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release STAPLES, MN, August 07, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Success breeds more success. Region 5, located in North Central Minnesota, has a reputation of successful growth and vibrant economic development. And, today, the Region 5 Economic Development Commission announces the launch of "The Good Life" website to promote the five counties of Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena and the exceptional quality of life accompanying this region. The user-friendly interface and clean navigation offers an attractive online workforce attraction resource. Developed from local marketing strategies and business growth and retention goals, the website amplifies the region's growth opportunities, regional...

New programs aim to assist with worker shortage

Monday, July 31, 2017

By My Journal Courier The Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation, in conjunction with the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, is aiming to fix one of the biggest gripes businesses have about the city: A worker shortage. Paul Ellis, director of the JREDC, said that in his interviews with businesses both within and outside of Jacksonville, there seems to be a general consensus that there simply aren’t enough workers with the appropriate skills. This isn’t an issue unique to Jacksonville — Ellis said that most communities he’s talked to have a similar problem. “In some cases, there’s not in enough people. In all cases,...

Golden Shovel Agency Hosts Business Retention and Expansion Webinar

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release LITTLE FALLS, MN, July 18, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Golden Shovel Agency has invited Joe Raso to host a business retention and expansion webinar. Participants of Mr. Raso's presentation will gain strategies and insights that can be directly applied to any community's economic development plan. In a 21-year career serving as the chief executive of a Main Street program, rural county economic development organization, and two metropolitan economic development organizations and chambers of commerce, Joe Raso used his Business Retention & Expansion program as the foundation for all his work. In that time, he discovered the four essential challenges...

SEO For the Savvy Economic Developer

Monday, July 10, 2017

From the CEO’s Desk By Aaron Brossoit Author’s don't’ write books for librarians, they write books for readers. So why are economic developers creating websites just for search engines? The sole focus on search engine rankings has moved economic development website marketing away from the true intended purpose: connecting communities to business owners and expanding economic growth opportunities. Economic development professionals desire more traffic. But the goal of more traffic is getting in they way of making sure the users actually find the information they are seeking. We confuse the search engine rankings and analysis with success when the primary goal is still to...

Golden Shovel Agency Promotes John Marshall to President

Monday, June 26, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Golden Shovel Agency has promoted John Marshall to President. John has been with the company since 2009 and as Vice President of Sales has expanded Golden Shovel into 24 states and Canada. As President of Golden Shovel Agency, John will oversee all the company sales and acquisitions of strategic partners. He will continue to develop new markets and new product offerings. “John has consistently exceeded market growth goals and has become an economic development strategic thinker,” boasted Golden Shovel Agency CEO Aaron Brossoit. “He continues to be a ‘go to guy’ for market strategy and workforce attraction.” John Marshall...

Golden Shovel To Attend MidAmerica EDC 2017 Best Practices Conference

Monday, June 19, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Golden Shovel Agency Eastern Territory Manager, Matt Shermoen, will attend the Mid-America Best Practices Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Talent attraction continues to be front and center to the attention of economic developers. And, the Mid America Best Practices summer conference will highlight talent attraction strategies. On Wednesday, June 21, 2017, Debbie Maranger Menk and Jennifer Hackman from Emsi will discuss attraction efforts and how “talent” can be defined. Their new talent attraction scorecard will help communities with their growth strategies. “Mid-America always puts forth a great conference that is highly relevant to economic developers,” said Matt Shermoen of Golden...

Golden Shovel Agency and Lead Forensics Give Economic Developers the Data Advantage

Monday, June 05, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Little Falls, MN – Today, Golden Shovel Agency and Lead Forensics announced the integration of the Lead Forensics tracking software into the Economic Gateway to give economic developers a new approach of converting website traffic into business relationships. The partnership between Golden Shovel Agency and Lead Forensics allows economic development professionals to analyze website traffic to improve the marketing ROI of their website. Additionally, Lead Forensics reveals the identity of website visitors so economic developers can quickly contact potential new businesses. Today’s economic developers need to build relationships, meet new entrepreneurs and identify growing companies. By incorporating Lead...

Sharpening the Edge: A fresh look at economic development online.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

By Golden Shovel Agency The world as we know it is an ever changing place, we have continuously changing technology, the way we communicate, and how we build communities. Golden Shovel Agency has designed groundbreaking technology tailored to fit the needs of ED agencies. During the Texas Economic Development Council’s Mid-Year Conference, Aaron Brossoit, CEO of Golden Shovel will be presenting on this technology, and how it impacts the ever changing economic landscape. Throughout the presentation Aaron will share techniques to guide economic development professionals towards a winning online workforce and business attraction strategy. He will share success stories from the one...

Ramping up: Sharpening the Edge

Thursday, May 18, 2017

By Golden Shovel Agency Engaging potential businesses and workforce in a local economy can be a perplexing task. Coupled with an ever-changing online environment, it can be difficult to pick the right business or workforce attraction strategy: Golden Shovel Agency can help. Golden Shovel is excited to announce their upcoming presentation at the Texas Economic Development Council’s mid-year conference. “Sharpening the Edge: A Fresh Look at Economic Development Online” will bring Golden Shovels approaches together in one dynamic presentation; shaping the economic dynamics in workforce and business attraction. Golden Shovel Agency, CEO Aaron Brossoit will step participants through the components of a successful...

Mills County, IA Launches Powerful New Online Marketing Strategy and Website

Monday, May 15, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Glenwood, IA - Today, Mills County announced the launch of their new economic development website. After a recent reorganization, the Mills County Economic Development Foundation hired Rick Allely as the new Economic Development Director. One of Allely’s first priorities was to initiate a user-friendly economic development website directed towards business growth and economic development. Allely, with thirty years in the development industry, hired Golden Shovel Agency to create an effective online presence and social media marketing strategy highlighting the available building sites and business incentives. Site selectors, business owners and existing community members will find the website to be...

From the CEO's Desk: Four Key Components to Create a Sophisticated Economic Development Marketing Strategy

Tuesday, May 09, 2017

By Aaron Brossoit The U.S. economy continues to shrug off economic shackles and is potentially entering a new period of expansion. According to the Institute For Supply Management, in their April 2017 Manufacturing ISM Report on Business, “Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in April, and the overall economy grew for the 95th consecutive month . . . “ Moreover, the report provides anecdotal accounts from manufacturing leaders that market confidence is increasing. Current conditions are signaling strong corporate investment and job creation. Is your community prepared? The strategy of simply creating a website and hoping new businesses will look at...

Little Falls, MN Launches Community Website To Engage Residents

Monday, May 08, 2017

By Aaron Brossoit Along the banks of the Mississippi in central Minnesota there is a surge of excitement for engaging community websites. The City of Little Falls, MN has just launched its new community-focused website. The previous website was difficult to search and not palatable to residents so the city council sought a new website redesign prioritizing community engagement. This newly launched site gives residents a user-friendly, helpful interface that is searchable. “We needed an easy site to update so the information would be always be relevant to our residents,” said City Administrator Jon Radermacher. “For example, the resource library will be...

Appalachia To Lead the Manufacturing Boon: Braidy Industries Invests 1.3 Billion

Wednesday, May 03, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Producer for aerospace and automotive industries will revitalize the Appalachian region. PRESTONSBURG, KY, May 03, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Braidy Industries will construct a 2.5 million square-foot aluminum mill near South Shore in Greenup County, KY. Construction is expected to begin in early 2018 with completion scheduled in 2020. Construction is expected to create an estimated 1,000 jobs, and the completed mill will created 500 advanced manufacturing jobs in Greenup County. The facility will produce about 370,000 tons of aluminum per year for the automotive and aerospace industries, with opportunities for expansion. One East Kentucky has been promoting the worker potential...

Use Your Website Analytics Reports to Build Relationships

Thursday, April 13, 2017

By Aaron Brossoit New introductions and relationships are fundamental to the success of an economic developer. The economic developers I meet are always looking for more contacts to add to their network. Conferences and tradeshows provide popular gathering events for people to come together and trade contract information. But there is another gathering place for economic developers and business owners: the internet. Your website is attracting people every day. Have you reviewed the website traffic to see who’s visiting and how you can attract more visitors? If you’re not regularly reviewing your website traffic, you’re missing introductions. According to a January 12, 2017 Pew...

Minnesota’s Workforce Service Provider of the Year Relaunches Website

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Detroit Lakes, MN – Rural MN Concentrated Employment Program(RMCEP) recently relaunched its website with a robust set of workforce attraction modules. This attractive, easy-to-use website redesign http://www.rmcep.com/rmcep will give clients a powerful workforce development resource. RMCEP serves thousands of enrolled clients and has an average of over 65,000 visits to the eight WorkForce Centers located within their service area every year. RMCEP is committed to improving the lives of people in Minnesota and preparing people for employment opportunities. “The employment training services module is a powerful resource to help build the Minnesota workforce,” said Golden Shovel CEO Aaron Brossoit....

Golden Shovel CEO, Aaron Brossoit, Attends 37th Annual CALED Conference

Monday, March 20, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Golden Shovel CEO Aaron Brossoit will share powerful communications strategies for economic developers at the CALED Conference in Wyndham, San Diego LITTLE FALLS, MN -- Economic development executives will converge for the 37th Annual CALED Conference on March 21-23, 2017 at the Wyndham San Diego Bayside in San Diego, CA. Brossoit will be connecting with urban marketing professionals to listen to current trends and he will be sharing Golden Shovel’s strategies to grow urban markets. Participants will hear how to maximize exposure with quality content, leverage the power of regional exposure, and demonstrate killer first impressions. Each strategy is easily...

Irvine Chamber Creates Multiple Websites to Engage Key Audiences

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

By Aaron Brossoit In June of 2015, Golden Shovel Agency launched the Irvine Chamber Economic Development site (http://www.irvinechambereconomicdevelopment.com). This project was developed under the leadership of Linda DiMario, the Vice-President of Economic Development and Tourism for the Irvine Chamber Economic Development organization. In January of 2017, Laura Perdew, Director of Communications for the Irvine Chamber, presented us with an aggressive challenge: “Can you launch an additional, comprehensive website, to complement the economic development site for our existing businesses and chamber members? AND, can you do it in 30 days?” Thirty days later, Golden Shovel Agency announced the launch of the Irvine Chamber website....

Greater Irvine Chamber Launches Ambitious New Website for Businesses and Professionals

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release IRVINE, CA, March 14, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Greater Irvine Chamber continues business outreach efforts with the launching of a new website (https://www.greaterirvinechamber.com). This attractive and easy-to-use new website highlights the educational opportunities, business initiatives, legislative affairs, and a suite of other tools for business professionals in the Irvine area. The Chamber hired Golden Shovel Agency, an economic development marketing firm with a strong focus on website development and online communications, as the Chamber's new website developer. "The decision to go with Golden Shovel Agency for the rebuild and rebrand of the Greater Irvine Chamber's website was the right...

Leading a Small Business Revolution: Red Wing, MN is a Top Five Finalist

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

By Aaron Brossoit Supporting the hopes and dreams of entrepreneurs was the vision that motivated Golden Shovel Agency to empower small towns across the country. Red Wing, MN was one of first communities that shared their vision and convinced us that a small town and small business revolution was forming. This short video tells their story perfectly (http://smallbusinessrevolution.org/main-street/season-two/finalist-red-wing-mn/). Six years later, Red Wing, Minnesota has been named a Top 5 finalist in this year’s Small Business Revolution – Main Street. Red Wing became a national finalist after beating out 14,000 town nominations from all 50 states. They need votes because the decision...

Tod Faris Named as Manager of New Accounts and Economic Development with Chariton Valley Electric Cooperative

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Golden Shovel officially wishes to congratulate Tod Faris, former Executive Director for Appanoose Economic Development Cooperation, on his new role with Chariton Valley Electric Cooperative. “Tod has shown leadership and vision at Appanoose, and I am pleased to see him growing and expanding his skills,” said Vice President of Sales for Golden Shovel Agency, John Marshall. “I’ll miss working with him at Appanoose, but I look forward to new opportunities.” Appanoose is currently in the process of seeking a new Executive Director of Economic Development. Interested applicants may apply at http://www.appanoosecounty.org/aedc/news-&-events/?item=10195 or send a letter of interest and resume to the search...

Executive Director Named to “40 Under 40” List of Disruptive Economic Developers for 2017

Tuesday, February 07, 2017

The Greater Fremont Development Council announced today that Executive Director Cecilia Harry has been named as one of the “40 Under 40” for 2017. She joins a prestigious list of disruptive economic developers who are challenging the industry standards of economic development. Cecilia is responsible for the promotion of economic development activities in Fremont and Dodge County Nebraska. She excels at building relationships with business leaders and enjoys leading Greater Fremont’s business attraction, retention, and expansion efforts as well as partnering with community organizations to promote Fremont’s workforce and quality of life. Cecilia maintains two offices on behalf of the community:...

One East KY CEO Named to “40 Under 40” List of Economic Developers for 2017

Tuesday, February 07, 2017

Chuck Sexton, President and CEO of One East Kentucky (OEK) has been named as one of the “40 Under 40” for 2017. He joins a prestigious list of disruptive economic developers challenging the industry standards of economic development. Chuck Sexton is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. As President/CEO of One East Kentucky he is charged with championing the OEK region for business recruitment purposes and working closely with partners throughout the nine county service territory. “Chuck is turning heads in the economic development industry with his leadership and ideas,” said Golden Shovel Agency VP of Sales, John...

Powerful Website Amplifies Economic Growth Efforts For Greater Fort Dodge, IA Area

Monday, February 06, 2017

By 24-7 Press Relese The Fort Dodge, IA region is growing, and the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance has launched a stunning and informative website promoting the area’s economic assets and quality of life. The new website can be accessed at http://www.greaterfortdodge.com. Formed in 2012, the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance focuses on business growth for the area with an emphasis on business retention and attraction efforts. The new website reinforces the economic development efforts and offers a single easy-to-navigate resource. Job seekers, existing businesses, new businesses, and nonprofits are now able to find pertinent information quickly in a centralized location. “Our region...

Yankton Area Progressive Growth Seeks the Attention of Site Selectors and Mobile Users with New Website

Monday, January 30, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Yankton Area Progressive Growth has launched a new website to promote business growth, job development, and prosperity for the City of Yankton and surrounding area. “We’re excited for the launch of our new website,” shared John Kramer, President of Yankton Area Progressive Growth. “We see our website as an important tool for marketing our available sites and buildings as well marketing our community.” One important focus for the new website was on the smartphone and mobile devices visitors. According to a 2015 Pew Research study, two-thirds of Americans use a smartphone so making a mobile-friendly site was extremely important. “We’ve...

FEDA opts for its own website

Thursday, January 12, 2017

By The Sentinel FAIRMONT — Fairmont Economic Development Authority took a progressive step on Monday by authorizing creation of a self-promotional website. FEDA currently has a link on the city’s website, but it’s a static page with limited information. “What we’re doing is a stand-alone website separate from the city’s,” said Linsey Preuss, the city’s economic development director. “We’re looking at a completely different consumer.” The site will contain an array of current information about available buildings, the local workforce, housing and other data geared to luring the relocation of an existing company or sparking the development of a new venture. The endeavor carries a...

Golden Shovel To Attend WEDA 2017

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release Wyoming Economic Development Association Brings Leaders Together in Cheyenne on January 18 - 19 Participants of the 2017 Wyoming Economic Development Winter Conference will hear the latest trends and practices in economic development and have an opportunity for site tours to Brewista or the Array School of Technology & Design. Abandoned buildings and redevelopment and business ethics in economic development are just two topics to be covered during the breakout sessions. At the end of the first day will also be a legislative reception. “WEDA is one of my favorite economic development conferences,” said John Marshall, VP of Sales for...

Golden Shovel CEO To Open EDAM 2017

Tuesday, January 03, 2017

By 24-7 Press Release LITTLE FALLS, MN, January 03, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Economic development executives will converge in Brooklyn Park, MN for the 2017 EDAM Winter Conference on January 19-20 to hear the latest best practices for improving community economic development efforts. In an opening presentation, Brossoit will discuss how different organizations are implementing strategies for success. In the current competitive climate, businesses and site selectors are interested in progressive communities with a strong suite of assets. An effective communication strategy is essential to catch their attention. Participants will hear how to maximize exposure with quality content, leverage the power of regional exposure,...

Americans Supplement Their Income With Online Apps And Digital Jobs

Monday, January 02, 2017

By Aaron Brossoit Economic Developers Should Explore the GIG Economy At end of 2007, Americans began to feel the effects of an economic slowdown that lasted until June of 2009. The 4 percent decline in gross domestic product wiped out jobs in every segment of the U.S. economy and wages froze. Five years later, communities are seeing changes in American work habits and new job segments are emerging. People who needed to find ways to supplement their day job turned to the digital online app world for part-time work. Many people have turned the digital jobs into full-time careers. So what are...

A Two-State Comparison of Workforce Attraction Efforts: How Colorado and Ohio Are Approaching The Worker Shortage Gap

Monday, December 05, 2016

By Aaron Brossoit Workforce attraction has been a familiar topic for economic development professionals for at least the last decade. The United States Department of Labor and individual state economic development efforts have invested significant time and energy developing workforce development plans and strategic documents. All of these state plans are published and currently the strategic initiatives are being planned or executed. So with all this effort to develop workforce attraction, what are states doing? Golden Shovel Agency looked at the state plans of Ohio and Colorado to see what efforts are underway in the MidWest. According to Ohio’s Integrated Workforce Plan...

4 Ways to Attract New Workforce Online

Thursday, July 28, 2016

By Aaron Brossoit It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the rules changed for economic development organizations. In recent memory, the priority was on attracting businesses and that in turn would attract the workforce. Perhaps it was partly the internet easing the need to move for a good job. Perhaps it was the values of millennials prioritizing a high quality of place over higher pay. Or perhaps because there are more people retiring from the workforce than entering. No matter what the reasons are, we can all agree that a qualified workforce is the number one concern of businesses today and therefore...

Greater Yankton Living Launches Workforce Website

Friday, October 16, 2015

By 24-7 Press Release YANKTON, SD, October 23, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Greater Yankton Living has partnered with Golden Shovel Agency and its online solution, Economic Gateway, to promote the quality of life in the greater Yankton area of South Dakota as a means of growing the region's workforce. View the new website at: http://www.greateryanktonliving.com According to Rita Nelson, Greater Yankton Living's Workforce Development Coordinator, "we have received many positive comments about our collaborative efforts to promote the exceptional living and career opportunities on our new website. Our website has seen steady increase in visitors and followers who enjoy discovering our region's diverse...

September COO Update: Workforce Attraction Online

Tuesday, September 01, 2015

September 2015 I mentioned in the last update that the Golden Shovel team has had a busy Summer. The results of that are three recent website launches: Yankton South Dakota’s Workforce Attraction Website GreaterYanktonLiving.com The Golden Shovel team has just launched Yankton South Dakota’s new workforce attraction website! Instead of choosing to split the economic development website between the business and workforce audiences, Yankton Area Progressive Growth, Inc. chose to build GreaterYanktonLiving.com at the center of their workforce attraction strategy. The new site highlights the quality of life, low cost of living and great job opportunities available in the Yankton area complete...

SD officials ready to battle workforce issue

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Article by The Daily Republic Bryan Hisel sees opportunities in South Dakota's workforce shortage. "Sometimes, what appears to be a problem is really caused by something good," Hisel said in an interview Thursday with The Daily Republic. Hisel, executive director of the Mitchell Area Development Corporation and the Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce, spoke Thursday to the Mitchell Rotary Club and gave an overview of a series of six workforce summits, the first of which will be held April 29 at Mitchell Technical Institute. The event is open to the public and free to attend, but attendees must pre-register at southdakotawins.com/workforcesummits. The summits are...

Opportunity Zone “Investment Ready” - Is Your Community Ready?

Thursday, December 27, 2018

What does it mean and what a community can do to attract investments? Save the date for January 17th, for an indepth look at becoming investment ready in your community during our expert webinar. Register here. While the idea behind Opportunity Zones has been in the works for over 10 years, it was the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that finally brought them into being. Congress’ main goal for establishing Opportunity Zones, is to support investments in low-income neighborhoods by letting individuals and corporations capture unrealized capital gains through long-term investments in designated census tracts. In return, private investors...

National Economic Development Week 2018

Tuesday, May 08, 2018

The Golden Shovel Agency Team is excited to celebrate National Economic Development Week, May 7th through May 11, 2018. This is a fantastic way to increase awareness to the hard-working economic developers across the United States and especially to our clients who are committed to increasing awareness to their communities. Thank you for building our communities and helping the next generation succeed. Economic development, by definition, has the goal of improving the well-being and quality of life for any state, region or community by expanding the businesses, expanding the workforce and growing incomes so the tax base can be expanded. In...

Golden Shovel Team Presenting at 2018 CALED Annual Training Conference.

Thursday, March 01, 2018

By 24-7 Press Release Aaron Brossoit, CEO of Golden Shovel Agency will be presenting during the 2018 CALED Annual Training Conference in Monterey, CA March 14th - 16th. LITTLE FALLS, MN (Golden Shovel Agency) –- Monterey, CA will be a Economic Development dream for leadership this March as the 2018 Annual Training Conference kicks off. Aaron Brossoit, CEO of Golden Shovel Agency, looks forward to building relationships at the conference. “Training conferences are always a great place to engage with Economic Development leaders,” said Brossoit. “There are always key connections to be made.” Aaron Borossoit will be presenting at this years Annual Training Conference...

Lead Forensics Partnership Brings Powerful Lead Generation Software to Our Clients

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

By Aaron Brossoit One value-added service Golden Shovel Agency brings to economic development professionals is a strong bench of partners. We strategically pick partnerships that give our clients the best tools to help them connect with businesses or build relationships. We are pleased to announce our newest partner: Lead Forensics. Lead Forensics is a cutting-edge lead generation tool that can be integrated into our economic development websites. This lead tracking tool gives economic developers the ability to convert anonymous website visitors into tangible names with contact information. Golden Shovel Agency has developed a comprehensive set of tools and strategies to help economic development...

Yankton Area Progressive Growth Seeks the Attention of Site Selectors and Mobile Users with New Website

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

By Aaron Brossoit Yankton Area Progressive Growth has launched a new website to promote business growth, job development, and prosperity for the City of Yankton and surrounding area. “We’re excited for the launch of our new website,” shared John Kramer, President of Yankton Area Progressive Growth. “We see our website as an important tool for marketing our available sites and buildings as well marketing our community.” One important focus for the new website was on the smartphone and mobile devices visitors. According to a 2015 Pew Research study, two-thirds of Americans use a smartphone so making a mobile-friendly site was extremely important. “We’ve seen...

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