President’s Message 2012 Annual Dinner Updates and Articles Standing Committees Upcoming Events Staff Members Board of Directors November 2012 Update Newsletter Contents Greater Yuma Economic Development Greater Yuma EDC Mission Statement: To expand economic activity within Yuma County by attracting commerce and industry to the region, and by assisting in developing the region's existing industry to its fullest potential. Greater Yuma EDC Vision Statement: Greater Yuma will be recognized as a globally competitive region— one that embraces advancing technology, attracts and retains human capital and continues to develop & foster the amenities that make the Yuma Region a great place to live and work.
Transcript
President’s Message
2012 Annual Dinner
Updates and Articles
Standing Committees
Upcoming Events
Staff Members
Board of Directors
November 2012Update
Newsletter Contents Greater Yuma Economic DevelopmentGreater Yuma EDC Mission Statement:
To expand economic activity within Yuma County by attracting commerce and industry to the region, and by assisting in developing the region's existing industry to its fullest potential.
Greater Yuma EDC Vision Statement: Greater Yuma will be recognized as a globally competitive region— one that embraces advancing technology, attracts and retains human capital and continues to develop & foster the amenities that make the Yuma Region a great place to live and work.
Message from the PresidentOctober was a very busy month regarding meetings and events. I would like to thank all of you who were able to attend our annual dinner on October 18 th. If you were not able to attend or you were not able to pick up a copy of the GYEDC annual report, please contact us and we will mail you the report. I would like to point out a significant change in reporting that is reflected in our annual report. You will see a decrease of 26% from 2010/11 to 2011/12 in the Taxable Sales Base for Yuma County and in the State Tax Collections within Yuma County a decrease of 27%. The State Department of Revenue used to include revenues from several categories ranging from General Excise Tax, Jail House Tax, Health Tax and Education tax to name a few. These categories are no longer included in the State’s report to the local jurisdictions. This did cause the year over year comparison to be distorted. I would like to thank Vic Smith for bringing this to our attention.
GYEDC recently hosted a meeting for businesses interested in exporting their goods or services outside the United States. Kevin O’Shea from the Arizona Commerce Authority and Eric Nielsen from the U.S. Export Assistance Center both gave a presentation of their programs and met individually with several businesses here in Yuma County. If you have attended a trade show or met with a potential client outside of the U.S. in the last eight months you are eligible for reimbursement of those expenses through the programs both gentlemen represent. Jeremy Babendure from the Arizona SciTech Festival was in town on October 30 along with Trisha Gllam of Gangplank to discuss a Statewide Branding campaign for Science and Technology. The program is a state-wide celebration of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM or STEAM when you include the art and/or agriculture community) held annually in February and March. Through a series of over 200 expos, workshops, conversations, exhibitions and tours held in diverse neighborhoods throughout the state, the Arizona SciTech Festival excites and informs Arizonans from ages 3 to 103 how STEM will drive our state for the next 100 years. The festival is a grass roots-roots collaboration of over 350 organizations in industry, academia, arts, civic community and K-12. Yuma will be participating in the 2012 Festival by incorporating some of our existing events. Watch for more to come on this exciting campaign. Grey is the new Gold, was the topic of an International Economic Development Council Webinar held at GYEDC on October 25. Attendees were Linda Jordan of the Yuma Visitors Bureau, Kevin Wilkins of the City of Yuma and GYEDC Staff members Alison Morey and Julie Engel. Opportunities for capturing this talent as well as strategies for attracting this demographic on a more permanent basis were the primary topics of discussion during the webinar. In the years I have been with GYEDC I have found most everyone wants to be engaged in the community they are in whether permanently or temporary. The number 1 reason given for not being more engaged is “I’ve never been asked”. When conducting our Business Retention Survey of the local industries, there isn’t a single plant manager or owner that hasn’t offered to work with schools, students of any age or other industries. People want to help; they just haven’t been asked. I believe the same is true for our visitors. We have a resource of talent that is not tapped into and there needs to be a way to capture and capitalize this abundant supply of experience and leadership. With Yuma County growing their footprint in STEAM academics and programs there is a way to combine the AZ SciTech Festival with community volunteers who have experience in science and technology. We are in our infancy with this concept however we have all the ingredients to make this a living sustainable partnership for the future of our youth which in turn is the future of our region. As I mentioned earlier in my message, watch for more to come.
Julie
2012 Annual DinnerGreater Yuma EDC Investors were regaled by this year’s guest speaker, Mr. Anthony Galie. Visionary thinking is truly what separates the exceptional achievers from everyone else. Those who can imagine a better world, and their place in it, are free to shape the future. Mr. Galie gave a presentation filled with insight and entertainment, demonstrated pathways to understanding and realizing the power of this hidden talent.
We have received an enormous amount of positive feedback from this event. We are pleased everyone enjoyed the evening and hope each person took something affirmative away from the event. The individuals responsible for the success of this event deserve special recognition.
Greater Yuma EDC Investor Committee members:
Chairman – Jeff Nolte, Director of Sales and Marketing, Radisson Hotel (Jeff provided the Hotel for Mr. Galie, gratis)Vice Chairman – Nate Schug, President Westmoor ElectricMember – Joni Wheerheim, Publisher Yuma Sun (GYEDC Board Member and Chair Strategic Committee)Member – Ken Rosevear, Executive Director Yuma County ChamberMember – Derek Ruckman, General Manager Allied Waste (GYEDC Chair Projects Committee)Member – Kevin Wilkins, Economic Development Administrator City of YumaGYEDC Staff – Greg LaVann, Stephany Turner and Alison Morey were all working behind the scenes to ensure the event was a success.
The Investor Committee began meeting in May of 2012 to vet potential speakers for the 2012 annual dinner. The group met on multiple occasions to ensure this was the ideal topic for GYEDC investors as well as a financially prudent choice. Derek Ruckman’s employees made courtesy phone calls prior to the event to ensure all investors were reminded of the opportunity to attend. Based upon the feedback we have received, it is very clear; this committee performed their task exceptionally well. Let us all give a well-deserved thank you to the members of the GYEDC Investor Committee:
The GYEDC 2011/12 Annual Report was distributed at the Annual Dinner. We will be mailing copies to investors who did not attend the dinner. If you did not pick up your copy at the dinner and would like to have the report mailed to you, please notify us. We strongly urge each of our investors review the report. Client activity, programs and the health of the economy are depicted in the report. We welcome questions and feedback regarding the report. The report is also available in the news center at www.greateryuma.org. Thank you GYEDC Investors for your continued support.
For those of you, who would like a DVD copy of the 2012 GYEDC Annual Dinner Presentation by Anthony Galie, please contact us at 928-782-7774. If you would like to contact Anthony Galie directly you can reach him at:
Anthony Galie Seminars Inc. 1329 Tipperary Dr.Melbourne, Fl. 32940(800)462-5748 [email protected]
If you were not able to attend the Greater Yuma EDC annual dinner on October 18th, here is a glimpse of the Subconscious Mind at work.
You may also reach Anthony through the entertainment group, Rave Speakers. Jon Reed is the gentlemen who brought Anthony to the attention of the GYEDC Investors Committee.
Doug Nicholls, Past Chairman of the Greater Yuma EDC Board of Directors, receiving a plaque for his service as Chairman of the Board for two years.
Sharon Gardner, who served on the Greater Yuma EDC Board of Directors receiving a small token of appreciation for her years of service
Again, We would like to thank all our sponsors for helping make the dinner a success.
ALLIED WASTE ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF ARIZONA NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA SOUTHWEST GAS UNION PACIFIC YUMA PRIVATE INDUSTRY COUNCIL YUMA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Updates and Articles
Greater Yuma EDC, in partnership with Arizona Western SBDC hosted an International Trade Seminar on October 29. Our guest speakers were Eric Nielson, Director, U.S. Commercial Service, Arizona, and Kevin O’Shea, State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) Program Manager of the Arizona Commerce Authority. Less than 1% of small businesses actually engage in exporting their goods and/or services internationally, and they presented programs that could potentially assist small businesses based in Yuma County to increase their sales revenue by engaging in the export business.
The U.S. Commercial Service, located across the United States and in U.S. Embassies and Consulates, offers opportunities such as Market Intelligence, Trade Counseling, and Business Matchmaking. New-to-export and new-to-market businesses are all eligible to take advantage of their expertise, connections, and services, such as sponsored International Trade Shows for a very nominal cost. Enrollment in the STEP program offered by the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is free to businesses, and is often able to offset half or all of the U.S. Commercial Service program fees via the grant incentives that the State of Arizona is now funding.
After the seminar, Mr. Nielsen and Mr. O’Shea made themselves available to meet with companies one-on-one to offer counseling on their services. They also conducted site visits to three local companies, and were able to evaluate their export readiness. The STEP program currently has 136 Arizona-based companies enrolled, and is looking to establish traction in Yuma County by making it known that these grant incentives are available to local, small businesses that meet the requirements. If you would like more information about either of these programs, please call the GYEDC office at 928.782.7774
International Trade Seminar
Articles of InterestSmiths honored with Heart of Yuma award
BY CHRIS McDANIEL - SUN STAFF WRITER2012-10-30 23:38:00
Valero Shopping its Two California Refineries - SourcesPublished October 19, 2012Dow Jones Newswires
CARB: Truck inspection sent ‘a clear message to truckers’Oct. 19, 2012Deborah Whistler | Fleet Owner
F-35 Makes Its Mark in Marine CorpsOct 18, 2012Marine Corps News| by Cpl. Daniel Wetzel
Governance/Finance Committee Review of By-laws and Articles of IncorporationReview of personnel policiesCreating a plan for financial stability Creating a stable funding model for Greater Yuma EDC’s Public InvestorsA personnel committee will also function within this committee. The Personnel Committee will be responsible for CEO Contract, evaluation and reviews.
Strategic Planning/Outcomes Committee Set goals and objectives for Greater Yuma EDCCreate a value proposition - an Incentive Program to be used in attraction and retention effortsAsset identification and developmentEstablish benchmarks for return on investment (ROI)
Joni BrooksChair
Project Management Committee Assisting new and/or existing businesses in industry specific consultation, local operational guidance (navigating permitting, hiring etc.) state laws, insight into industry efficiency models, workforce training, effective cost cutting measures and shared supplier referrals (i.e. shipping, lean manufacturing, educational resources)Help new or expanding businesses navigate start-up challenges and best practices for operating a business in YumaAct as an extension of the Yuma Manufacturers Association and the Yuma Logistics AssociationAccompany Greater Yuma EDC when meeting with prospective businesses to serve as ambassadors for the regionReport monthly to the GYEDC Board of Directors
Membership Committee Responsible for new private sector campaign Responsible for meeting with Public agencies to secure funding for GYEDCUpdate and create value added benefits to each investor level and implement those benefitsResponsible for P/R of private sector investors who are recognized in the community or are receiving unpaid press in local or national publications. Monthly updates will be submitted to GYEDC staff for dissemination to entire GYEDC investor database. Provide topics and speaker recommendations for quarterly luncheons and annual dinner.Responsible for soliciting feedback from these events, in order to meet the needs of the Public/Private investorsReport monthly to the GYEDC Board of Directors
