Sunday, August 24, 2014

Driving America, Experiencing Its People and Places

A valuable way to discover a community’s brand

By: Jim Walton
CEO
Brand Acceleration, Inc.
                    
On a warm morning, I sit alongside beautiful Lake Norman, just north of Charlotte, North Carolina. Being a serious early morning person, I find a great coffee shop and settle in for a few peaceful moments before I set off to the first of many meetings over the next few days.

One of the things I love about driving trips is that they provide an opportunity to truly experience an area, getting to know the people, lifestyle, and business advantages of each community.

In my job, I travel often and see much of the country that most people never get to experience. I'm often asked which regions I prefer, a loaded question that I honestly cannot answer. America has so much beauty and the people everywhere are amazing. I love it all.

As I make the rounds, visiting with my economic developer and site consultant friends and clients, I take great pride in what Brand Acceleration has become. After the long line of website developers and graphic designers, followed by the small wave of economic development "specialists," my company has truly hit its stride as a firm of economic development marketing professionals. Our team of experts strives to deeply understand the expectations of corporate executives, site consultants, and local employers who make location and expansion decisions. Our clients understand that anyone can build a website or design a brochure, but to craft and promote a strong community brand takes specialists who are in the heads of decision makers. It's not so much about design, technology, or technical jargon as it is about having strong relationships with people who can make investments that create jobs. In the economic development marketing business, relationships really matter.

The heart of a community’s brand
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; a community’s brand resides in the minds of its residents and those outside the area. It’s that feeling a person gets when he or she hears or sees the community name. One great advantage of a personal visit, which we always do, is the opportunity it provides our team to meet the people, getting a feel for what they love about their home. This is something that just cannot be done with a phone call or video chat. Our Brand Profiling research utilizes a combination of personal meetings, focus groups, and other strategies to discover that special emotional nugget known as brand.

At the end of this week, I’ll return home, completely exhausted, but with fond memories of the people and places. I will forever remember the beauty of the region, the restaurants, hotels, and bars that make for a great experience. I look forward to my next trip and another region of this beautiful country.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions. I’d love to hear from you.

Jim Walton
CEO
Brand Acceleration, Inc.
Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations
Indianapolis: 317.536.6255
Fax: 317.222.1425
Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com
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Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and website development firm with a focus on community and economic development.

Good Economic News

Here are just a few of the recent jobs announcements that have crossed my desk in recent weeks.

In Burlington, Iowa, construction and agricultural equipment maker CNH Industrial will expand and create 50 jobs. Congrats to Brand Acceleration client, economic developers Jason Hutcheson and David Toyer.
In Hendricks County, Indiana, mattress maker Tempur Sealy will open a facility and hire 300 people.

Cascade Tissue Group will open a facility in Scotland County, North Carolina, creating 68 jobs.

In Litchfield, Minnesota, operator protective structure maker Custon Products of Litchfield, Inc. will expand and hire 31 workers.

Education products firm Dreyfous & Associates will expand in Caguas, Puerto Rico, creating 66 jobs.

In Hagerstown, Maryland, paper products maker National Golden Tissue will expand and create 100 jobs.

Sports retailer Academy Sports + Outdoors will open a distribution center in Cookeville, Tennessee, creating 40 jobs.

In Cherokee County, Kansas, tank maker Tank Connection will expand and hire 35 people. Congrats to Brand Acceleration client, economic developer Janet Miller.

Craft brewer Sun Kink Brewing Company will expand in Hamilton County, Indiana, creating 55 jobs.

In Princeton, Indiana, auto maker Toyota will expand and hire 300 workers.

Freight brokerage company Total Quality Logistics will expand and hire 75 workers in Fulton County, Georgia.

In Opelika, Alabama, healthcare provider Baxter International will expand and add 200 workers.

Auto components maker Spartan Light Metal will expand and hire 88 workers in Mexico, Missouri.

In Davenport, Iowa, electrical safety products maker Grace Engineered Products will expand and add 11 workers.

Wire products provider Encore Wire Corporation will expand and hire 125 people in McKinney, Texas.

In Williamson, New York, Motts, LLP will expand its food processing facility, adding 20 employees.

Memry Corporation, a maker of alloy products, will expand and hire 76 people in Bethel, Connecticut.

In Atkins, Virginia, Mayville Engineering will open a facility and hire 160 people.

Poultry processor Blue Rooster will open an operation in Warrem, Arkansas, creating 100 jobs.

In Carter Lake, Iowa, Lone Mountain Truck Leasing will open a facility and hire 39 people.

Engineering technology firm Goken America will expand in Dublin, Ohio, creating 15 jobs.

In Floyd County, Indiana, Advance Fabricators will expand and add 20 workers.

Middleville Tool & Die Company will expand in Yankee Springs, Michigan, creating 35 jobs.

In Trenton, Tennessee, Big Bend Galvenizing, LLC will open a facility and create 40 jobs.

Communications equipment provider ViaSat, Inc. will open in Tempe, Arizona, creating 400 jobs.

Online food retailer Green BEAN Delivery, LLC will expand in Indianapolis, Indiana, adding 105 workers.

In Todd County, Kentucky, cooler and freezer maker Custom Cooler will open a facility and hire 75 people.

Zipper maker Ideal Fastener will expand and hire 155 people in Granville County, North Carolina.

In Greenville County, South Carolina, Mannan Pharmaceuticals LLC will open a facility and hire 34 people.

Molded parts maker Green Tokai will hire 24 people for its expansion in Maysville, Kentucky.

In Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, metal fabricator Advanced Laser Machining will expand and hire 27 people.

Rail car repair company Transco Railway Products will expand in Oelwein, Iowa, creating 31 jobs.

In Troy, Michigan, business services provider Unified Business Technologies will expand and create 171 jobs.

Plastics maker Sigma Plastics Group will expand in Transylvania County, NC, adding 80 workers.

In Monticello, Arkansas, energy producer Zilkha Biomass Energy will open a facility and hire 52 workers.

Tubing maker Seymour Tubing, Inc. will expand and add 22 jobs in Jackson County, Indiana. Congrats to economic developer Jim Plump.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, packaging maker Sealed Air Corporation will establish its headquarters and hire 1,262 people. Congrats to economic developer Jeff Edge.

Integrity HR, a human resources service provider, will open an office in Louisville, Kentucky, creating 20 jobs.

In Grayson County, Virginia, coating spray maker Hansen Turbine will expand and create 25 jobs.

Technology provider Information Control Company will expand in Columbus, Ohio, creating 25 jobs. Congrats to economic developer Kenny McDonald.

Viva Recycling of South Carolina, LLC will open a facility in Anderson County, South Carolina, hiring 14 people.

In Urbandale, Iowa, IP Pathways will open a data center and hire 54 workers.

Staffing services provider Elwood Staffing Services, Inc. will expand in Columbus, Indiana, hiring 40 workers.

In Winnsboro, South Carolina, toy maker EnorCorp will open a factory and create 151 jobs.

Security products maker Bosch Security Systems will open a facility in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, creating 50 jobs.

Online retailer Overstock.com will expand in Salt Lake City, Utah, adding 333 workers.

In Union County, North Carolina, grocer Harris Teeter will expand and add 41 jobs.

Plastic film maker Celia Corporation will expand in Sparta, Michigan and add 50 employees.

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Siemand Rail Automation will expand and create 129 jobs.

Food products supplier Inclusion Technologies will open its headquarters in Atchison, Kansas, creating 17 jobs.

In Dixon, Illinois, BorgWarner will expand and hire 40 people.

Financial services provider Spectra Group, Inc. will expand in Charlotte, North Carolina, creating 250 jobs.

In Tupelo, Mississippi, Philips Lighting will open a facility and hire 50 people.

Logistics firm Express Logistics will expand in Waukee, Iowa, creating 19 jobs.

In Dorchester County, South Carolina, SpecChem, a supplier to the concrete industry, will open a new operation and hire 50 workers.

In Lenexa, Kansas, Alliance Data Systems will expand and create 530 jobs.

Pharmaceutical maker Unither USA will expand in Henrietta, New York, creating 22 jobs.

In Marion, Iowa, hose maker Legacy Manufacturing Company will expand and add 34 employees.

Shared Services Center will expand in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, creating 320 jobs.

Fluid control device maker Flow-Rite Controls, Ltd. Will expand in Byron Center, Michigan, adding 64 jobs.

Footwear provider PW Minor will expand in Batavia, New York, hiring 17 people.

In Hamilton County, Indiana, sports marketing firm U/S Sports Advisors will expand and hire 36 people. Congrats to economic developer Tim Monger.

Power tool maker Apex Tool will expand and hire 150 people in Sumter County, South Carolina.

Rail car maker Nippon Sharyo Manufacturing will open a facility in Rochelle, Illinois, creating 90 jobs.

Technology services firm Tribridge will expand in Tampa, Florida, adding 200 employees.

Kentucky Dairy Product Innovations will open a processing plant in London, Kentucky, creating 20 jobs.

Award maker Bruce Fox will expand in Floyd County, Indiana, creating 22 jobs.


Total Jobs Announcements: 7,300


Jim Walton
CEO
Brand Acceleration, Inc.
Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations
Indianapolis, Indiana:
Office: 317.536.6255
Fax: 317.222.1425
Cell: 317.523.7380

  
Brand Acceleration is a full-service website development, marketing communications, branding, and public relations firm with a focus on economic and community development.