From our Director
DEDO Director Judy McKinney-Cherry
Happy New Year!
First of all, please allow me to thank all of you who offered such wonderful comments about our first e-newsletter! We are pleased to have this opportunity to keep you up-to-date on the latest news at DEDO and in the economic development community at large.
We begin 2007 with some fantastic news! On January 11, the Council for Enterprise Development issued its 20th annual Development Report Card for the States, which offers side-by-side comparison of how each state stacks up in economic development. Delaware received the highest ranking of "A" in each primary category of performance, business vitality, and development capacity. Delaware was one of only two states to achieve this ranking. What a great way to start the new year!
We have many new initiatives and projects lined up for 2007 - our tourism television spot will begin airing late this month in at least 8 television markets; we'll begin promoting our Technology-based Seed Fund/Emerging Technology Center/IP Business Creation Program as a one-stop-shop for Delaware entrepreneurs; and our Cluster Market Leaders are moving at full force to recruit new businesses to Delaware. Our goal is to create an e-newsletter that delivers the information that you need to know and keeps you informed of the latest DEDO initiatives. And, again, I welcome any feedback you may have. All of us at DEDO look forward to working with you for a prosperous 2007!
Sincerely,
ABOUT THE
DELAWARE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICEThe mission of the Delaware Economic Development Office (DEDO) is to be responsible for attracting new investors and businesses to the State, promoting the expansion of existing industry, assisting small and minority-owned businesses, promoting and developing tourism and creating new and improved employment opportunities for all citizens of the State.
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Delaware Earns Top Ranking from Council for Enterprise Development - The Council for Enterprise Development (CFED), a Washington, DC-based economic development think tank, released its annual report, the Development Report Card for the States, on January 11th. In this report, Delaware received an "A" rating, one of only two states to do so! This report uses 67 measures to provide a relative, state-by-state assessment of economic development, assigning grades in three main areas: Performance (economic climate for a wage-earner), Business Vitality (economic climate for a business), and Development Capacity (how a state is positioned for the future). View the entire report at this link: http://www.cfed.org/focus.m?parentid=2346&siteid=2346&id=2404.
Still Driving to the Big Airport and Waiting in Long Lines? - Your time is valuable, so, for business travel, don't waste your time negotiating traffic, parking remotely, and waiting in long lines. We have the solution right here in Delaware! The New Castle County Airport - airport code ILG - offers daily Delta Airlines service to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, from where you can connect to hundreds of worldwide destinations, and without all the hassle and time crunching of the big airport.
Click http://www.newcastleairportilg.com/ for more information.
What's for Dinner? Reservations! - The National Restaurant Association released its 2007 forecast, noting that industry sales are expected to reach a record $537 billion this year. The nation's 935,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets will employ 12.8 million individuals, and add two million new career and employment opportunities in the next decade. The industry is heading into 2007 as an economic powerhouse and an essential part of Americans' lifestyle, with Americans spending 47.9 percent of their food budget in restaurants. Looking for a tasty bite? Click here to check out the dining and leisure section of our visitdelaware.com website: http://www.visitdelaware.com/dining.htm.
News You Can Use…Web Statistics from YOUR Website - Many companies with a website are not aware that statistical analysis is readily available and already on their server. Each site generates logs which are stored with the web pages themselves on your website's server. The logs monitor page views, most popular links, even how much time a viewer spends on your site and how they got there! This is valuable information often sitting in folders unused! To find out how to access your website's information, contact your web host and ask about the availability of statistics and data analysis for your site.
DEDO Happenings Delaware Main Street Offers Free Retail Sales Seminars - Calling all Delaware retailers! Would you like to learn more about how you may increase sales through appropriate signage, the potential of e-commerce, and working with today's decision makers? Then please join us for a retail sales seminar featuring nationally renowned retail expert Rick Segel, CSP. The seminars will be held on January 23 from 9am-11am in Rehoboth Beach, January 24 from 6:30pm-8:30pm in Dover, and January 25 from 8am-10am in Newark. Registration is requested. There is no charge for the seminar. For more information, please contact Diane Laird, Delaware Main Street Program Manager, at (302) 672-6834 or diane.laird@state.de.us or visit www.delawaremainstreet.com.
Delaware BIE Job Fair - Mark your calendar for Wednesday, April 18, 2007 for the 20th Annual Business Industry Education (BIE) Job Fair. The Fair will be held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center, Delaware State University, 1200 N. DuPont Hwy., Dover from 8:30am-3:00pm. For more information or to exhibit at the Fair, please contact Lori Brandner at (302) 856-5230 or Carol Blaeuer at (302) 739-4561.
Attention Delaware Tourism Partners! - The Delaware Tourism Office is gearing up for National Tourism Week, May 12-20, 2007. We're getting ready now for our very popular Free to the First State event, where we encourage state residents to visit our attractions. We are asking all Delaware attractions to participate in Free to the First State by waiving their admission fee for everyone with proof of residency on Saturday, May 19, 2007. For attractions who would like to participate or for more information, please contact Jo-Ann Walston at (302) 672-6841 or joann.walston@state.de.us.
Delaware On Film - The Delaware Film Office, part of the Delaware Economic Development Office, was recently featured in two film industry publications. Delaware starred in two separate stories in P3 Production Update for their "On Location" special. All Along, an independent film shot in Delaware, also earned a role in the "Spotlight" section. In December, Markee magazine featured Delaware in the "Great Locations" issue. The story, "Tiny Delaware is Big on Locations," mentioned 10 potential film destinations. It was the first time Delaware was featured in either national magazine. Review the stories here.
Congratulations Schering-Plough - Hats off to Schering-Plough in Millsboro! The firm recently took advantage of DEDO's workforce development programs with 48 employees completing training in Lean Manufacturing, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), and a 5S Kaizen event. These programs reduced the company's total expenditures in cost of goods for the 2007 plan by 8%, resulted in increased projected sales for 2007, and increased capacity in overall production area which will allow for the introduction of new products or transfer of products from other sites. Schering-Plough's division vice president perhaps summed it up best by saying, "It's amazing that a site with a 55 year history has become so dynamic." For information on how our training programs can make your company dynamic, please contact Helen Groft at (302) 672-6807 or helen.groft@state.de.us.
CAMA Develops Marketing Plan - The Delaware Chemistry and Advanced Materials Alliance (CAMA) has been working with the Delaware Economic Development Office (DEDO) to explore the various options available to most efficiently and cost-effectively strengthen their business position in Delaware and help the State to retain and recruit new businesses. A special Marketing & Public Image subcommittee has analyzed a variety of public outreach tools and the group concluded that an integrated mix of marketing disciplines, with a heavy emphasis on media relations, was the direction to take. As a result, companies are pooling funds so they can work with a third party to help present a mixed media campaign in 2007. For more information, please contact Barbara DeHaven, Chemistry & Advanced Materials Cluster Market Leader, at (302) 577-8478 or barbara.dehaven@state.de.us.
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Volume 1, Issue 2 - January 2007