The April Sponsor Spotlight features two Gold Level Phoenix Professional Forum sponsors, North Dakota, for the Sunday morning Research Roundtable, and Texas, for the Sunday evening Hospitality Lounge. Read about both in the articles below, and support their Phoenix Forum events if you have a chance.

Need a Competitive Advantage? Consider North Dakota. North Dakota’s business climate has earned a reputation for supporting successful company expansions, emerging businesses and entrepreneurs. Global companies such as Microsoft, Bobcat, Goodrich, Archer Daniels Midland, Cirrus Design, Case New Holland and ING have growing operations in North Dakota. They recognize the state for its secure location, highly educated and productive workforce, abundant tax and business incentives, and low employee turnover.

October 3, 2007 — North Dakota Governor John Hoeven and Don Morton, site leader with Microsoft Fargo, climb aboard a bulldozer to break ground on a new 120,000 square foot building that will expand the capacity of Microsoft’s Fargo campus and create additional jobs for the community.

In North Dakota, you’ll realize these competitive advantages:

• Reliable, low-cost energy;
• The most aggressive R&D tax credits in the nation;
• Easy access to local, state and federal officials; and
• Absenteeism rates less than 6 percent, and turnover rates less than 15 percent.

WORKFORCE ADVANTAGE

COST ADVANTAGE

• CNBC ranks North Dakota #1 for cost of doing business (2007).
• State Science & Technology Institute ranks North Dakota #1 for the amount spent on R&D per dollar of gross state product (2000-2004) with a 200 percent increase.
• Beacon Hill Institute ranks North Dakota #4 for state economic competitiveness (2007).
• North Dakota delivers the lowest worker’s compensation premium rates in the nation (2007).
• Milken Institute ranks North Dakota #3 for its overall cost of doing business index (2007). With 100 being the average, North Dakota rates a 68.9 in the electricity cost index; a 61.2 in the industrial rent cost index; a 73.7 in the wage cost index; and a 81.3 in the overall cost of doing business index.

Cirrus Design manufactures the best-selling certified single engine airplane.

LOCATION ADVANTAGE

Looking for great high-tech manufacturing processing space? You need to see this 95-acre site that features two buildings with 227,000 square feet that meet the National Industrial Security Program secure operation requirements. Nearly half of the total space maintains clean-room designations of class 100,000, 10,000 or 1,000. This premiere facility includes its own rail spur, easy access to two interstate highways and is designated a Foreign Trade Sub-Zone.

This 95-acre site features two buildings with 227,000 square feet of high-tech manufacturing process space. The premiere facility in North Dakota includes its own rail spur, easy access to two interstate highways and is designated as a Foreign Trade Sub-Zone.

To learn more about your competitive advantages in North Dakota, contact Paul Lucy at 1-866-4DAKOTA or plucy@nd.gov. Paul is the Director of Economic Development and Finance for the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

 

 

Texas Wide Open for Business

Texas continues to garner international attention because of the state’s favorable tax climate, tort reform, business-friendly attitude and low cost of doing business. The numerous global companies that call Texas home greatly enrich its multi-faceted, wide open for business landscape.

If Texas were its own nation, it would represent the world’s 10^th largest economy. Texas is the top exporting state in the nation for the sixth consecutive year with 2007 exports valued at $168 billion.

For the third straight year, the nation’s leading executives have ranked Texas as the best state in which to do business, applauding the state for controlling taxes and spending as well as for its positive regulatory burden, quality of life and infrastructure. (Chief Executive Magazine, January 2008)

Texas also has innovative incentives for job growth such as the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) and the Emerging Technology Fund (ETF). TEF, the state’s deal-closing fund, continues to be a drawing card for businesses with more than $15.6 billion in capital investments and approximately 51,800 jobs announced to date. ETF focuses on three main areas: top talent research, commercialization awards, and matching awards. As of January 2008, more than $100 million has been awarded to emerging technology companies and universities.

The choice is clear. From our competitive business incentives and highly skilled work force to our rich cultural heritage and low cost of living, companies are choosing the Lone Star State. Learn more about Team Texas at www.teamtexasonline.com or contact Tim Chase, Chair, at 940-723-2741, tchase@wfc.net.