Bill McMeekin is director of content at BusinessClimate.com and director of content/business at Journal Communications Inc., where he oversees content development and direction for JCI's economic development and business publishing programs. JCI's work in that segment includes the statewide economic development publications for Kentucky, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming, as well as several regional economic development organizations across the country. He has more than 20 years’ experience in business publishing as a reporter, editor and publisher and he loves nothing more than keeping his ear to the ground and sharing ideas and opinions on trends in economic development.
Texas ranked at the top of the list of the 736 corporate bigwigs CEO surveyed, just as it did in 2012. The Lone Star State and its individual cities have dominated scores of lists and rankings for the better part of a decade, during which time the state has cemented its reputation for creating a climate for business investment and expansion, and elevated its reputation as a world headquarters for business
Among the 50 largest U.S. metros with the greatest percentage increase in jobs from 2011 to 2012, six of the top 10 are in the South or the Southwest, including the trio of Texas darlings – Houston, Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth.
While U.S factories have added more than 500,000 jobs in the United States since early 2010, he notes, the manufacturing sector lost nearly 5.7 million jobs from 2000 to 2010 and U.S. companies are still operating at a 20 percent cost disadvantage.
Housing affordability is an attribute many communities actively extoll, though it can be an attribute that underscores less positive aspects such as lack of job creation, population loss and stagnant incomes. On the flip side, communities where jobs are in abundance and demand for workers is high often have a dearth of affordable housing, making it more difficult to attract both talent and investment.
The upheaval that was the story of U.S. manufacturing in the last couple of decades of the 20th century erased thousands of manufacturing jobs and along with it, the identities of dozens of places that were synonomous with the things they made.
The decline in domestic flight volume on U.S. airlines raises some interesting questions on the role airports play in corporate site selection.
If you need further proof of how the technology and energy sectors are drivers of economic growth, look no further than a new analysis on the best metros for younger people.
Bill McMeekinBill McMeekin is director of content/business at Journal Communications Inc., where he oversees content ...
Emily McMackinEmily McMackin is a business magazine project manager and Web content developer at Journal Communications ...
Clay PerryClay Perry is vice president/business development at Journal Communications Inc., where he works with economic ...
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