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Dallas Morning News , May 21, 2009 By Brendon Case The Dallas-Fort Worth finished second behind Austin in a national ranking of "best cities for a fresh start," compiled by Relocation.com, an online resource for moving services. To compile the list, Relocation.com looked at consumer requests to move to that city, economic growth prospects, home affordability and a volunteerism rates, which it says help measure community strength. Relocation.com says the Dallas-Fort Worth area benefits from "Texas' energy riches," which I suppose was true until oil and gas prices collapsed (they've moved up from their recent troughs, but they're still far below last year's peaks). Relocation.com also points out that DFW-area housing prices didn't get too inflated during the bubble years. Here's the Top 10: Austin
Star-Telegram, May 17, 2009 by Steve Campbell Across the nation, unemployment is sky-high, the housing market is sucking wind and recessionary fears have frozen Americans in place. Just don’t tell that to a stream of new residents who are "voting with their feet" that Texas is the safest place to ride out the storm and the place to be when the economy recovers. Even in the midst of a recession, economists, demographers and relocation experts believe the Lone Star State is on the cusp of becoming The New California.Or maybe it already is. For people seeking economic opportunity, Texas is becoming what California has been since the Great Depression, says Los Angeles urbanist and author Joel Kotkin. Texas recently "ran the table" in a recent list of "Best Cities for Jobs" prepared by Kotkin for New Geography and Forbes. Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth and Dallas were ranked as the top five large metro areas in the country to find a job. If that weren’t enough to get the moving van loaded, McAllen and Odessa top the mid-sized and small city categories, respectively. Among 333 metropolitan areas, Texas has a remarkable 20 in the top 100. Relocation surveys show that Texas remains a top destination for people leaving other states. Its automobile registrations continue to climb, and the Texas housing market has avoided the double-digit declines other fast-growing states have seen. While the unemployment rate has risen in Texas, it’s nowhere near as high as most of the country, underscoring the state’s economic resiliency even as the downturn deals out its lumps. Kotkin, a professor at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., who analyzed U.S. Labor Department statistics for his report, says Texas’ dominance at the top of the jobs list is unprecedented."Part of it is a function of the economic collapse of Florida, Phoenix and California. The collapse is still important in Texas, but Texas has had more balanced growth and that’s more sustainable," he said in a telephone interview while navigating an L.A. freeway."Part is the nature of Texas: People don’t move there for climate and scenery," Kotkin said. "They move to Texas for jobs and affordable housing. People make economic decisions to go to these places. They don’t go for perfect weather where you can surf one day and ski the next. "Selling "everything but the deer head" and leaving the Detroit area for Texas was simple math for Rodger Benton after Hewlett Packard laid him off. "It was pretty much a no-brainer to make the move," he said. "The unemployment rate in Michigan is really high. Things are really tough up there. There’s just more opportunity here." Jobs beget growth Steve Murdock, who was the Texas state demographer for 25 years and director of the U.S. Census Bureau during the last year of the George W. Bush administration, says jobs attract new residents, and Texas has been driving fast for several years. " he said. "Very few of us say, 'I think I’ll go there because there are not as many jobs and they pay less." Murdock, now a sociology professor at Rice University, says Texas’ growth in the last decade has "been simply phenomenal." According to the latest Census figures released in March, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington added 146,500 people between July 2007 and July 2008 — more than any metropolitan area in the nation. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown added 130,000 for the No. 2 spot, and Texas had 10 of the top 25 counties with the biggest numerical gains.Texas has lost jobs in the recession, with the unemployment rate at 6.7 percent in March, the highest mark since January 2004, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.But that still looks good compared with Michigan (12.6 percent unemployment), Oregon (12.1), South Carolina (11.4), California (11.2) or North Carolina (10.4). "If you had to ride out this downturn, there is no better place than Texas. The declines here have been nothing compared to other states," said Richard Froeshle, deputy director of Texas Workforce Commission. Moving out As the economy has soured, many people are moving to Texas for a new start.In 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, 14.3 percent of the people leaving the once Golden State were bound for the Lone Star State, according to Relocation.com, which tracks moving trends. Other states with sizable outflows to Texas included Florida (7.9 percent), Illinois (4.7), Michigan (4.6) and New York (4.3).Another indicator of moving patterns is U-Haul truck rentals. To rent a 26-foot moving truck today from Los Angeles to Fort Worth would cost $2,141. Renting that truck for a Fort Worth-to-L.A. run would only cost $557. Nearly the same prices apply for moves from Detroit to Fort Worth and vice versa. That means far more people are moving to Texas than going in the other direction, a U-Haul employee in Fort Worth said. Julie and William Taylor of Flower Mound made that jump just before California’s housing bubble burst. Fed up with William’s three-hour round-trip commute and the state’s declining economy, they unloaded their home in Santa Clarita in 2006 1/2 years. "We thought, 'We better do it now while we can.’ I had never even come to Texas, but we knew there were jobs here," said Julie, a stay-at-home mom with two small children. "We knew it was going to be easier for my husband to find a job [in the transportation industry]. And it was true. We feel so blessed to have gotten out when we did."' The place to go Tory Gattis, who runs a software company and writes Houston Strategies, an urban issues blog, is convinced that Texas will be the "focal point" of the nation’s next historic migration trend. "During the Dust Bowl, during the Great Depression, California was the place to go. Texas is the place to go now," Gattis said. "Sure, we are clearly losing some jobs but people are still moving here. I can see it anecdotally in the license plates around town. I see a lot of Michigan plates, California license plates, I see them from all over." That’s playing out across the state, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, which tracks motor vehicle registrations. In 2000, there were 17,962,300 registered vehicles in Texas and that number soared more than 3 million to 21,185,173 by the end of last year, the department reports."Vehicle registrations continue to climb by the hundreds of thousands in Texas despite a decline in vehicle sales," department spokeswoman Kim Sue Lia Perkes said. "This may be one indicator that Texas continues to experience a steady stream of transplants from other states despite the national economic downturn."John McLendon sees the economy where all that rubber meets the road. No Vacancy signs were the norm at his Oak Creek RV Park near Weatherford for years as migratory workers flocked to the drilling fields of the Barnett Shale, he said. Most of them cleared out late last year, when natural gas prices cratered and companies mothballed rigs. Now he’s seeing a different trend. People from states hit hard by the recession are coming here in search of jobs. "I’ve seen some from Florida, Utah, Colorado, Montana — they’re from everywhere," McLendon said.Jo Ann Royer, director of relocations for Williams & Trew real estate, say inquiries about moving to Fort Worth are coming from across the country. "We’re seeing the whole spectrum of medical industry employees. They are coming from everywhere because the hospitals here are expanding," Royer said. "We’ve had, believe it or not in this economy, banking personnel coming in because there is a new bank on every corner in Fort Worth." 'Zone of sanity’ Jim Gaines, a research economist at Texas A&M University, says that the recession has slowed overall growth but that there are good reasons why people continue to come to Texas."Why do people move? Generally, jobs," Gaines said. "Right now, Texas will probably be the only state in the Union that reports more jobs than the year before — by a total of close to 154,000 [in 2008]." Those numbers will be reduced this year. But if you are an entrepreneur or want to start a business, this is the best place to do it because of the pro-business attitude of the state." Eventually, when distressed housing markets across the country stabilize, Gaines predicts that skittish homeowners will be weighing their options. In those places, "as soon as you can finally sell, you’re going to get the hell out of Dodge," Gaines said. Jason Saving, a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, also believes that Texas has some "fundamental advantages" that are spurring growth, even in a recession.First is a "very favorable business climate," and second is affordable real estate."These things make the state attractive to businesses and residents alike," Saving said. "I think that’s why, if you look at the migration data within the U.S., that you see so many people moving from other states to Texas." Gattis says Texas’ cost of living is a key to its attractiveness."It’s not everything," he said, "but when you have more discretionary income you can buy a better house, a better car, you can spend it at restaurants. That’s income that leads to a better quality of life. " Texas State Demographer Karl Eschbach says in tough times, people "move to where they think they can survive.""You might move back home where you have family and a support network, or you move to where you can get a job," Eschbach said. "If I’d left Texas and then lost my job, I would be back in a quarter-second." Mark Lowther moved fast when that happened to him.The Texas native was a marketing manager in Seattle for Washington Mutual, the failed savings and loan which was bought by JPMorgan Chase. His job ended May 1, and he and his wife, Michelle, a disaster contingency consultant, "jumped" at the chance to come to Fort Worth so he could join Southwest Bank as a senior vice president and marketing director."The real estate market here is stronger and more affordable," Mather said as movers were unloading the couple’s belongings. "You can buy a comparable house here for close to half the price what you can get on the West Coast." Kotkin, the L.A. author, says Texas is benefitting by being in what he calls "the zone of sanity," a swath of the nation’s midsection where housing prices stayed stable. The twin lures of jobs and affordable housing are important to young professionals planning to raise a family or start a business, he said. That’s what Lance Marshall and Elizabeth Peirce have in mind. The 25-year-old high school sweethearts from North Texas moved to Chicago in 2005 to pursue careers after graduating from college.Marshall managed a specialty wine store and Peirce worked for a nonprofit and then turned to waiting tables before working as a media coordinator for a fashion boutique. "I was underemployed and I never stopped looking for a job," Peirce said. "In Chicago, the competition was incredibly fierce and the economy wasn’t very good and then it really declined last year."When they got engaged, coming back home looked like the safe bet. In February, they moved in with her parents in Grapevine, which has "been fun and mortifying at the same time," she said. She’s now working as a sales consultant at a bridal shop. It’s not the job in communications that she wants, but it’s a start, and she’s still hunting. Marshall is working for a wine distribution company and dreaming of owning his own business."I can see a lot of optimistic growth here" he said. "I want to be a 50-year-in-the-same-house kind of guy, and when I was thinking of the places to do it — it was D-FW." Open for business Texas’ business climate of low taxes and a low regulatory burden draws companies and workers, Saving said. "There is something inherently entrepreneurial about Texas. It’s the nature of the state from its formation, Texas was built by people who were looking to better themselves, and that has continued ever since," he said. Kotkin says tight business regulation is hurting California. But not Texas. "Whether you are GOP or Democrat, you can’t imagine Texas becoming anti-business," he said. Seguin Mayor Betty Ann Matthies says that mind-set is part of the reason Caterpillar is building a 850,000-square-feet diesel-engine plant that will employ 1,400 in her town of 25,091 east of San Antonio. "I think that Texas is known right now for trying to encourage industry to come here," Matthies said.The city and state’s "willingness to help," along with a location with easy access to interstates and major ports were key factors in Caterpillar’s decision, spokeswoman Kate Kenny said."It was a good decision all around, the location, the people, the timing," she said. An economic refuge No one argues that the recession hasn’t bruised Texas, too.But for people like Benton from Clinton Township, Mich., Texas feels like an economic safe zone by comparison.When Benton, a 45-year-old staff sergeant in the Army National Guard, was notified that he was losing his job as a computer systems operator, he also learned he was going to be redeployed. He was at Fort Hood in Texas when he was on active duty in the 1990s and he liked it. "People are friendly here," he said. So he leapt at a chance to be stationed in San Antonio and work as a liaison in the Wounded Warrior program helping injured soldiers. "This is rewarding. I don’t plan on going back to Michigan," he said. The auto industry’s woes stretch from Michigan into Dayton, Ohio, where Dione Kennedy, 48, was the president and CEO of a theater association. Since January, she’s held the same title at Bass Hall in Fort Worth."Things are very tough in Ohio," she said "Dayton is a big GM town, and a lot of industry was built around that and it has been hit hard."And the real estate market here seemed healthy by comparison."Prices for homes in Ohio have been rapidly dropping and in the communities here there was no apparent downturn," Kennedy said. She and husband Daniel, a stay-at-home dad for their young daughter, have noticed another difference."It seems like every time my husband talks to someone in Dayton, it’s another concern about someone about to lose a job or has a lost a job. We don’t hear that here." The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that because of the recession, Americans are moving at some of the lowest rates in 50 years. But Saving, the Fed economist, believes people "will vote with their feet" and keep heading to Texas. "Moving is costly, and it’s a hassle. It’s not something people want to do, unless they see a better opportunity think it’s clear that Texas is a favorable place to be from an economic point of view." Best cities for jobs Texas dominated New Geography and Forbes’ annual list of best big cities for jobs in 2009.1. Austin-Round Rock2. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown3. San Antonio4. Fort Worth-Arlington5. Dallas-Plano-Irving By the numbers 14.34: Of people leaving California in 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, the percentage that moved to Texas $2,141: U-Haul rental from Los Angeles to Fort Worth $557: U-Haul rental from Fort Worth to Los Angeles 17,962,300: Motor vehicles registered in Texas in 2000 21,185,173: Motor vehicles registered in Texas in 2008
Star-Telegram, May 15, 2009 By Sandy Baker Site Selection magazine Thursday released its list of the top 10 economic development groups and 10 groups receiving honorable mention, for deals done in 2008. Fort Worth had 24 corporate expansions last year that brought in more than $500 million in capital investment and thousands of jobs, enough for the magazine’s honorable mention. It singled out the $232 million data center deal at Alliance with Health Care Service Corp., the parent of Blue Cross Blue Shield. "We have been on a torrid pace," David Berzina, the chamber’s executive vice president of economic development, told the magazine. "Since November, we have worked on more than 30 projects. Labor force issues are going to be looked at closely in a tough economic environment, and that is one area where we compete extremely well." Site Selection ranks the organizations based on total capital investment, jobs created, ability to generate deals and diversity of industry. The Greater Houston Partnership and the Dallas Regional Chamber were also recognized. "The chamber has been extremely successful in promoting and leveraging Fort Worth’s excellent business climate," said Michael Guyton, vice president of Oncor Electric Delivery and chairman of the chamber’s economic development committee. Top 2008 chamber deals Regent Aerospace, Centreport, 300 jobs Daimler Financial, Alliance, 800 jobs ATC Logistics, Alliance, 800 jobs DynCorp International, Alliance, 350 jobs Cinram International, Alliance, 1,300 jobs Source: Fort Worth Chamber
Star-Telegram, April 1, 2009 Fort Worth City Council members are ready to support an incentive deal to bring a Taiwanese company to far north Fort Worth, where it wants to place an electronics assembly plant and distribution facility. The council will vote on the incentive proposal April 14. During a briefing Tuesday, they all said yes to the deal and praised Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce executives for helping pull the deal together. Under the proposal, Q-Edge, a subsidiary of conglomerate FoxConn Electronics, will receive $158,850 in business personal property tax abatements during the next decade if it meets employee and contract requirements. The city will receive the same amount in taxes. Bringing Q-Edge to Hillwood’s Alliance development will have an economic impact on the region estimated at $700 million, the council was told. "This is just as important as any deal we have seen come across this table, especially in this time we find ourselves," Mayor Mike Moncrief said. "We need to be aware that we are not without competition, that there are still folks waiting to see what this council is going to do. We need to hook this fish now." Tarrant County College and Workforce Solutions are working with the state government to secure federal job skills training funds for Q-Edge. What’s planned Q-Edge wants to lease 365,440 square feet in the former Nokia cellphone plant at Alliance. The company said it plans to spend $5.85 million on equipment by 2015 and hire 350 people by June 2011. The work force should grow to 500 within three years, but some city leaders believe the number could reach 1,000. Q-Edge reportedly has more than 1,400 employees at a computer assembly plant in Indiana. FoxConn Electronics employs more than 200,000 worldwide. Officials with Q-Edge could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but in a statement company representative Wen Ren cited Fort Worth’s business climate and location as key factors in the company’s decision. "We believe that many competitive traits of Fort Worth, namely its central location within the United States will help us achieve significant competitive advantages," Ren said. What’s ahead Early on, Q-Edge was looking at other sites in the Midwest and the Metroplex before it chose Fort Worth, said Mark Folden, the city’s business development coordinator. Councilman Sal Espino, in whose district Q-Edge will be located, said attracting more than 500 jobs to Fort Worth in this economy is exciting. "This is a big deal. We’re talking about good jobs," Espino said. "We’re competitive with all these cities nationwide, and here we are again in the game with a great deal."
by Sandra Baker, Star-Telegram, March 31, 2009 Fort Worth appears to be in the lead to land a manufacturing plant and distribution center, an expansion by Taiwan's largest contract maker of electronics worldwide, that could mean up to 500 jobs for the city. City staff members and representatives of Q-Edge Corp. have reached a tax abatement agreement, and the City Council is scheduled to hear about it Tuesday. Q-Edge is a subsidiary of Foxconn Electronics, a Taiwan electronics conglomerate and the region's top exporter. Q-Edge wants to lease most of the former Nokia manufacturing and distribution center at Alliance in north Fort Worth. Q-Edge, a leading maker of components for computers, cellphones and other consumer electronics shipped worldwide, has looked at several area sites since the first of the year and has narrowed its choice to two, said David Berzina, executive vice president of economic development with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. The other site isn't publicly known. If the tax abatement is approved, Q-Edge would begin hiring 350 workers in May, but that number will eventually grow to 500. Berzina called the final number "conservative." Given today's sour economy, Berzina said he expects few job creation announcements in the U.S. this year. He said he's glad "Fort Worth has one of the first. We were in competition with other communities in the Metroplex. It's safe to say we're choice A, but there is a backup." Executives at a Q-Edge facility in Indiana declined to comment. Jason Lamers, a city spokesman, said he could not talk about the details of the tax abatement proposal before the council is briefed on it, but he called the deal "potentially good news." "During these times, any company willing to invest in our city is an endorsement of the strength of our local economy and the work force," Lamers said. The company will have to meet requirements regarding hiring minority- and women-owned businesses, the number of employees it hires and a percentage of its workers living in the central city or at least within Loop 820, Berzina said. The council will vote on the agreement in two weeks. Berzina said Q-Edge was attracted to Alliance because of its worldwide brand recognition and because the building it wants to lease is in a Foreign Trade Zone, which allows a company to bring in goods from outside the U.S. that are not taxed unless shipped within the U.S. Moreover, there's a large labor pool in Fort Worth; the company will have quick access to railroad, air and freeways for shipping to and from Alliance; and a building the size that the company needs is ready for move-in, Berzina said. The company wants to lease 365,000 square feet of the former 445,000-square-foot facility that Finnish cellphone maker Nokia vacated in 2007. Nokia sold the building back to Hillwood, Alliance's developer. Because Q-Edge is on a fast track, Alliance has already given it limited access to the building, at the southwest corner of Alliance Gateway Freeway and Denton Highway, said Tony Creme, vice president of Hillwood Properties. "Having that building available was one of the key things that made this deal," Creme said. Telecom companies alone occupy more than 2.6 million square feet and employ more than 6,500 workers at Alliance, according to Hillwood, including global leaders LG Electronics, AT&T, ATC Logistics and Electronics and Motorola. Including those created by Q-Edge, more than 3,500 jobs will have been added at Alliance since 2007. Foxconn is the trade name for Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., founded more than 30 years ago by Terry Gou. Its contracts are reported to be with such companies as Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Nokia, Cisco and Sony. Q-Edge leases 292,260 square feet in the Plainfield Business Center for a computer assembly plant in Plainfield, Ind., where it reportedly employs more than 1,400 workers. In 2007, the company received $6 million in incentives from Indiana as well as property tax cuts from Plainfield. The company also has locations in California in Fullerton, Santa Cruz, San Jose, and Ontario, according to its Web site.
By SANDRA BAKER, Star-Telegram March 9, 2009 -- Dallas-Fort Worth was recognized as the second-best market in the U.S. for new and expanded corporate facilities in 2008 by Site Selection magazine. Texas was ranked No. 2, the only Southern state to make the top-10 list, which was released Monday. Improved corporate recruiting brought the region up four places from its sixth-place ranking in 2007, according to executives with the Fort Worth and Dallas chambers of commerce. "Our position as one of the nation’s top marketplaces is the result of tremendous collaboration among the cities, counties, chambers of commerce and economic-development organizations in our region," David Berzina, the Fort Worth chamber’s executive vice president for economic development, said in a statement. "Working together, we have exponentially increased the impact of our marketing and recruiting efforts, resulting in hundreds of new businesses, thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars of economic impact." Some of the area’s projects last year included AT&T’s move to Dallas, the construction of a $232.5 million data center in Fort Worth’s Alliance development for Blue Cross Blue Shield and a distribution center for Cinram International, also at Alliance. Moving up Texas last led the list in 2004 and 2005. The Metroplex was also ranked as the No. 2 metropolitan area in 2005. "Thanks to our state’s commitment to maintaining low taxes and reasonable regulations, I am confident that cities across our state will uphold their strong economic footing compared to others in light of the challenges the slowing national economy presents," Gov. Rick Perry said of the latest ranking. Ohio won the 2008 Site Selection Governor’s Cup with the most new and expanded corporate facilities, the magazine said. Site Selection has been ranking states and metro areas for 55 years. To be included, a project must be an investment of at least $1 million, create 50 or more jobs and include the leasing or building of at least 20,000 square feet of new space. Projects at work Fort Worth, Arlington and Dallas reported 156 projects in 2008, behind the Houston area, which reported 179, according to the ranking. The ranking was for metro areas with populations of more than 1 million. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet ranked No. 3 with 138 projects. Texas reported 497 projects, behind Ohio’s 503. Texas was followed by Michigan with 296 projects. Top 10 areas for corporate facilities Site Selection’s top U.S. metro areas for new and expanded corporate facilities, and the number of projects there last year: 1. Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land…179 2. Fort Worth-Arlington-Dallas…156 3. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill./Ind./Wis.…138 4. Cincinnati-Middletown, Ohio/Ky./Ind.…124 5. Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich.…108 6. New York-Newark-Edison, N.Y./N.J./Pa.…99 7. Pittsburgh…79 8. Columbus, Ohio…77 9. Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, Ohio…67 10. (tie) Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C./S.C.…60 10. (tie) Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C./Va.…60
Fortune Small Business July 2, 2008 Population: 595,062 Fort Worth is one of the biggest places on our list, and it's getting bigger - the city is the fifth fastest-growing community of more than 100,000 people in the U.S. today. It's also home to large corporations such as Radio Shack and Pier One. But Fort Worth has room for the little guys, too: The city presents a number of opportunities for small businesses, including an abundance of incentives and a laid-back tax structure. For companies that locate in one of the city's enterprise zones, investing at least $75,000 and creating 10 jobs, the city offers rewards ranging from reduced development fees to waivers on permit fees. The hottest industry in Fort Worth is the life sciences - combined with Dallas, the region boasts nearly 500 biomedical technology businesses. But tourism is also a thriving sector, thanks to the nearly 10 million visitors that pass through the city annually. Tourists - and residents - enjoy the many rodeos, art galleries, and historical museums in "The City of Cowboys and Culture." -Mina Kimes http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fsb/0803/gallery.best_places_to_launch.fsb/9.html
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area adds second-largest number of jobs in U.S. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington region added the second-largest number of jobs of any of the nation’s biggest metropolitan areas during the 12 months ending in October, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report Tuesday. Nonfarm employment in the area rose 1.7 percent, compared with a national 0.9 percent drop for the period. The area also had the second-fastest job-growth rate among the nation’s 12 largest areas, the bureau reported. "We are the biggest economic engine in the state," said James Quick, a University of Texas at Arlington management professor. "We have a clearly diversified economy." John Lovett, a Texas Christian University economics instructor, attributed some of the good news to the fact we ducked the housing bubble that racked other areas and are not as heavily tied to "old economy" sectors like auto manufacturing. "The big wild card is energy," Lovett said. "I assume that’s not going to go any lower." Energy helped here. Area payrolls in natural resources/mining/construction rose 2.2 percent from October 2007 to October 2008. Trade, transportation and utilities also were gainers, but Joseph Faust, a spokesman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway in Fort Worth, said his company’s projections for the rest of the year and for 2009 called only for replacing essential positions, not adding jobs. "I think it’s going to be another 12 to 18 months before we know whether we’re going to get out of this anytime soon," Quick said. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington region added 50,000 jobs for the October-to-October period. It and Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown region, which led the nation in job-growth rate and in number of new jobs, were two of only four of the 12 large metropolitan statistical areas that gained jobs in the period. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown had a 2 percent rate of gain. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (1.2 percent) and Boston-Cambridge-Quincy (0.6 percent) also saw employment gains. Education and health services added the largest number of Fort Worth-Arlington jobs, with 2,900 positions. But the largest area percentage gainers were leisure and hospitality employment and education and health services, both advancing 3 percent in Fort Worth-Arlington. The bad news: The local job-growth rate slowed from an annual 3 percent increase in October 2007 to 1.7 percent this October. North Texas lost 5,500 manufacturing jobs and 2,000 information jobs, with most declines in Dallas- Irving-Plano. Jobs: the ups and downs.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; online: www.bls.gov/ro6/home.htm
Unemployment is up and wages are down, but the Fort Worth-Arlington economy continued to buck the national trend, adding jobs in October, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. Statewide, unemployment edged up from 5.1 percent in September to a seasonally adjusted 5.6 percent in October, according to figures released Friday. But the job market in Texas is far better than the national market. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rose to 6.5 percent in October, up from 6.1 percent in September and 4.8 percent in October 2007. On average, workers in Tarrant County saw weekly wages drop from $858.83 in 2007 to $838.26 in the second quarter of 2008, according to newly released Texas Workforce Commission figures. Third-quarter figures weren’t available. Texas added 23,000 nonagricultural jobs last month. The Fort Worth-Arlington area, which includes Johnson, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties, added 300 nonagricultural jobs in October. In the past year, the area added 15,200 jobs, or 1.7 percent, according to the commission. "Texas is in a better position than most other states, with continued positive job growth," TWC Commissioner Andres Alcantar said in a statement. "However, we must remain diligent throughout our state, strategically connecting workers to job opportunities." Commission Chairman Tom Pauken blamed "adverse national economic trends" and Hurricane Ike for the state’s unemployment increase. Houston and Beaumont accounted for almost half of the Texas unemployment increase. The commission attributed the jump there to Hurricane Ike. "While Texas still has nearly a 1 percent lower unemployment rate than the nation, I would expect unemployment rates in Texas to continue to track the national trend upward in the months ahead," Pauken said in a statement. Texas October employment facts Percent unemployed: October 2008/October 2007 Tarrant County: 5.3 percent/3.9 percent Arlington: 5 percent/3.7 percent Bedford: 4.5 percent/3.4 percent Burleson: 4.6 percent/3.6 percent Euless: 4.8 percent/3.3 percent Fort Worth: 5.6 percent/4.2 percent Grapevine: 4.3 percent/3.2 percent Haltom City: 5.2 percent/3.9 percent Hurst: 4.9 percent/3.7 percent Mansfield: 4.8 percent/3.6 percent North Richland Hills: 5 percent/3.5 percent Southlake: 4.4 percent/3.5 percent Other employment facts: Texas unemployment was lowest in Midland: a seasonally unadjusted 3.1 percent. Texas unemployment was highest in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission: a seasonally unadjusted 7.7 percent. Texas seasonally adjusted unemployment total: 656,801 Texas 2008 average weekly wage: $902.56 Texas 2007 average weekly wage: $911.41 Source: Labor Market & Career Information Department of the Texas Workforce Commission
FW chamber honors businesses that help teens stay in schoolBy Mark Agee, Star-Telegram, October 2008
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Chamber Chairman on Transportation Impact Fees |  |
By BEN LOUGHRY - Fort Worth Chamber Chairman
Special to the Star-Telegram
http://www.star-telegram.com/245/story/680835.html?goback=%2Ehom
Legendary patriot Benjamin Franklin left us a six-word thought more than 200 years ago that should be carved into Fort Worth's mind: "When you're finished changing, you're finished."
He might as well have been talking about 21st-century Fort Worth and the unprecedented expansion that's expected to mean a population of 2.9 million by 2030.
While harsh conditions deliver painful blows to giants such as American Airlines, they also ignite North Texans' competitive genius and entrepreneurial spirit. But unprecedented expansion has far outpaced Fort Worth government's ability to provide and pay for infrastructure, including transportation improvements that will need $2.38 billion by 2018.
Booming residential and commercial developments -- particularly in north Fort Worth -- have spawned massive traffic congestion. Four- and six-lane arterial thoroughfares are planned but are years away from completion.
Meanwhile, there is skepticism among developers and others in the private sector regarding city government's aim "to build the most livable city in Texas." Concerns focus on whether Fort Worth's fee structure and other costs are too expensive and will drive developers away.
The city of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce are co-sponsoring a benchmark study of the total cost of development here along with revenue analysis that will identify the best short- and long-term funding options for capital improvements.
Economic consultants have until 1:30 p.m. Monday to submit to the city proposals to conduct the Study of Development Costs and Infrastructure. That study will begin in earnest July 28 and end with a comprehensive report at year's end. Costs will be negotiated with the selected consultant. The full Request for Proposals is at www.fortworthgov.org/tpw.
A key part of the study will involve a cost-of-doing-business comparison of Fort Worth and 19 comparable cities, 12 of them in Texas.
If Fort Worth truly is in danger of losing its competitive edge, as some maintain, we need to know precisely why and take immediate action accordingly.
But we need data on taxes, fees and many other factors based on detailed findings from an objective third party. We cannot gamble with Fort Worth's vitality by relying on special-interest spin or visceral perceptions. All sides must have cold, hard facts and Fort Worth's best interests at heart.
Further, the city wants guidance from the study in how to adjust the recently adopted transportation impact fee.
The fee -- a justified and chamber-supported step -- opens one trickle in the search for substantial revenue streams that must be found to avoid increased infrastructure burdens on taxpayers and to fund arterial and bridge construction where needed in new residential and commercial developments.
We must continue to attract business development, yet maintain our quality of life. This has been the Fort Worth chamber's charge for 126 years.
The current impact fee ordinance, which goes into effect July 1, calls for a flat $2,000 fee per new single-family residence (a 36 percent maximum allowable fee) and a 27 percent fee for nonresidential projects. The fee adjusts for different sectors and square footage associated with each service, retail, warehouse and industrial-related project.
Some criticized the fees as too low; some found them too high. Some thought them premature, some long overdue. The ordinance was, as Mayor Mike Moncrief and the Star-Telegram pointed out, "a starting point."
Because this is Fort Worth, the chamber hopes that the ordinance will adapt, stretch and fit a need that everyone will understand better once the benchmark study results are in this December. Our chamber staff will continue to work with city staff and leadership, as well as the development community, to seek the best solution.
Franklin probably would sympathize. Nothing's finished in Fort Worth except the decision to tap potential.
LOOKING AT ...
The study will compare business costs in these cities:
Texas
Arlington, Austin, Dallas, Denton, Frisco, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Irving, McKinney, Plano, San Antonio and Waco.
Nationally
Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Denver; Kansas City, Mo.; Las Vegas; Oklahoma City; and Phoenix.
For more on this topic, click here.
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Chamber meeting celebrates Lockheed... | |
Fort Worth Chamber meeting celebrates Lockheed, defense industry
BY ELIZABETH BASSETT, Fort Worth Business Press
Recognizing Fort Worth’s contributions to the United States military both through its service members and its role in the defense industry was the main focus of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce’s 126th Annual Meeting and Luncheon today.
Lockheed Martin was recognized for its support of national security and local economy with the Chairman’s Spirit of Enterprise Award, initiated in 1975 to recognize local companies that make significant contributions to the development of the community.
Ralph Heath, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said the company could not succeed without its employees, who have science and engineering skills that are valued worldwide. Finding employees and retaining them is more of a challenge than ever, he said, and Fort Worth has qualities that make it a more desirable place to work than some other areas.
“We’re in an incredible competition globally,” he said.
Heath also pointed to the company’s successful first flight of the F-35B on June 11 as a program that could be operating for several decades, providing the next generation of fighter planes to countries around the world.
“All that translates into business,” he said.
Brian Barnard, who has been serving as the chairman of the Fort Worth Chamber, introduced Ben Loughry, managing partner of Integra Realty Resources DFW LLP, as the new chairman. Loughry said he was excited to begin in his new role and while there are many issues facing the region, such as a weakening dollar, increasing energy and gasoline prices, and the quality of air and water supplies, the chamber and its supporters can get Fort Worth through any situation.
“Regardless of economic circumstances, the Fort Worth Chamber looks at the long-term impact of not only these but also other local and national issues that affect our city, state and country,” he said.
General Peter Pace, a Marine officer who served at the 16th Chairman of the Join Chiefs of Staff from September 2005 to October 2007, was the keynote speaker at the event. He discussed the nation and its continued need for a strong defense, not only traditional defense but also against new threats such as advanced computer hacking.
“Your community has a very, very strong future in the defense of the nation if you continue to do what you have chosen to do,” he said
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Gen. Pace warns of cyber-attacks |
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Cyber-attacks threaten security, ex-joint chiefs chair says in FW
Bob Cox - Star-Telegram, June 2008
Not all the terrorist or national security threats the U.S. faces, probably not even the most likely, involve bombs, chemical weapons or hijacked airliners, a former top U.S. military officer said Thursday.
Cyber-attacks on business and government computer systems pose a real threat to U.S. security and the economy, Peter Pace, retired Marine general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the annual meeting of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.
Government and business, Pace said, both need to step up efforts to anticipate and ward off computer threats whether they are from malicious hackers, terrorists or adversary nations.
“The more anything is dependent upon computers the more vulnerable it is,” said Pace. “Our nation is enormously dependent upon computers, therefore it is enormously vulnerable.”
The damage a cyber-attack could do to banks, airlines and other companies dependent upon computers systems could be enormous, far reaching and wreak enormous financial and other damage.
Pace said his concern over cyber-security is based on what he knows about the computer capabilities of the U.S. military and intelligence establishment.
“If you know what you can do to others, you have to assume they can or will have the ability to do it to you. It may be five years or it may be 10 years, but sometime soon small groups of individuals will have the computer capacity countries have today. And if they have it, they will use it.
“We have just begun as a nation to understand this threat,” Pace said, adding that government and private sector need to both work to identify vulnerabilities.
“It’s not about attacking or defending. It’s about understanding the capability of computers,” Pace said. “We need lots of brainpower in this country working on this problem.”
Commenting on the war in Iraq, Pace said the U.S. had made real progress on the ground and not just because of Bush’s so-called surge strategy. What has made the difference, Pace said, is that Iraqis of different ethnic and political backgrounds have made the decision to live and work together.
“It’s about Iraqi’s loving their children more than hating their neighbors,” Pace said, adding that the U.S. military role must continue to be keeping violence in check well enough to allow Iraqi society and the political system to function.
Pace said the U.S. government and its European allies have widely varying views on how significant the threats posed by terrorists or rogue states are to the interests of individual nations. The result has been that only a few nations, even in NATO, are willing to take forceful action which has undermined efforts to pursue effective, cohesive military policies, particularly in Afghanistan.
“We have not come to a good understanding of the global threat we all face,” Pace said.
Pace reportedly was denied a second term as chairman of the joint chiefs by Defense Secretary Robert Gates because of the likelihood of opposition from key members of Congress due to his perceived support of President Bush’s Iraq policies.
He said he will not publicly support the presidential candidacy of either Rep. Sen. John McCain or Democratic Sen. Barack Obama.
“Once the election is over, if I am asked I would be willing to provide my advice and counsel to whoever is the president,” Pace said.
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Lockheed honored by Chamber | |
Lockheed to win chamber's Spirit of Enterprise Award
By BARRY SHLACHTER, Star-Telegram, June 2008
Lockheed Martin, the successor to a line of aircraft builders in West Fort Worth, on Thursday will receive the 2008 Chairman’s Spirit of Enterprise Award from the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce for contributions as a “responsible corporate citizen” that has benefitted the local economy and enhanced the city’s quality of life.
“Having Lockheed Martin in our community as one of the top job providers is an enormous advantage for Fort Worth, but their contributions as a corporate citizen make us even more proud,” said Bill Thornton, the chamber president. “Lockheed and Fort Worth have been through a lot together and their continued commitment to our city and to our national defense is worthy of this recognition.”
The award was created in 1976 to recognize a local business that has made significant contributions to the development of Fort Worth. Past recipients read like a Who’s Who of the area’s leading companies and non-profit entities: the first went to Mrs Baird’s Bakeries; last year’s honor went to JPMorgan Chase.
Other winners include Texas Christian University, XTO, Carter & Burgess, Williamson-Dickey, Alcon, the Stock Show and the Star-Telegram.
Aside from employing 14,000, Lockheed Martin has been working with other aerospace companies in the area to organize “Gotta Jet?” — a career awareness program aimed at involving high school students, parents, teachers and counselors, the chamber noted.
“Lockheed Martin’s participation in the ‘Gotta Jet?’ program will help build a pipeline of qualified employees for years to come,” the chamber said in a statement regarding the Spirit award.
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America's 50 Greenest Cities | |
By Elizabeth Svoboda, with additional reporting by Eric Mika and Saba Berhie, Popular Science
How the Rankings Work:
Popular Science used raw data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Geographic Society’s Green Guide, which collected survey data and government statistics for American cities of over 100,000 people in more than 30 categories, including air quality, electricity use and transportation habits. They then compiled these statistics into four broad categories, each scored out of either 5 or 10 possible points. The sum of these four scores determines a city’s place in the rankings. Categories are:
- Electricity (E; 10 points): Cities score points for drawing their energy from renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric power, as well as for offering incentives for residents to invest in their own power sources, like roof-mounted solar panels.
- Transportation (T; 10 points): High scores go to cities whose commuters take public transportation or carpool. Air quality also plays a role.
- Green living (G; 5 points): Cities earn points for the number of buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, as well as for devoting area to green space, such as public parks and nature preserves.
- Recycling and green perspective (R; 5 points): This measures how comprehensive a city’s recycling program is (if the city collects old electronics, for example) and how important its citizens consider environmental issues.
Top 15 Rankings
(For the full list and score breakdowns, please visit Popular Science's website)
1. Portland, Ore. 23.1
America’s top green city has it all: Half its power comes from renewable sources, a quarter of the workforce commutes by bike, carpool or public transportation, and it has 35 buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.
2. San Francisco, Calif. 23.0
3. Boston, Mass. 22.7
4. Oakland, Calif. 22.5
5. Eugene, Ore. 22.4
6. Cambridge, Mass. 22.2
7. Berkeley, Calif. 22.2
8. Seattle, Wash. 22.1
9. Chicago, Ill. 21.3
10. Austin, Tex. 21.0
11. Minneapolis, Minn. 20.3
12. St. Paul, Minn. 20.2
13. Sunnyvale, Calif. 19.9
14. Honolulu, Hawaii 19.9
15. Fort Worth, Tex. 19.7
- Electricity: 8.3 Transportation: 4.6 Green Living: 2.4 Recycling/Perspective: 4.4
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Best Places For Retirees | |
By Matt Woolsey, Forbes.com
Picture from Forbes.com
Warm weather and the availability of early tee times will always help make cities attractive to retirees. But early signs suggest that as baby boomers begin to enter a longer and more active retirement than their parents, they're looking for more.
To determine the best places for retirees, Forbes.com compared 100 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas along traditional criteria, including availability of health care and leisure activities. But we also looked at new factors, like the "retirement job market"--and came up with a surprising list of winners.
The top U.S. city for retirees is Tampa, Fla. The city's cost of living and tax burdens are relatively low, and health-care costs and access are very favorable. And Tampa's arts and leisure rank is in the top third of cities measured, so there's plenty to keep retirees active.
Florida is often considered a hot spot for retirement, but based on the criteria we used, only one other city in the Sunshine State (Jacksonville) made the top 10. Instead, Tampa was joined by such unlikely candidates as Fort Worth, Texas,Washington D.C., and Indianapolis, Ind.
To put together the list, we ranked each city on factors including cost and availability of health care; sales, property and income-tax rates; an index of arts and leisure activities ranging from museums to parks to sports teams; and cost of living, based on data from Sperling's BestPlaces.
But we also added a Forbes.com study of inter-metro migration patterns of people between the ages of 55 to 65. That showed us where people approaching or beginning their retirement are actually going, and which places are worth relocating to, as opposed to which cities simply have aging populations.
The most often relocated-to city? Phoenix. The weather and tax rates and are amenable to retirees, and the city boasts good health-care availability and costs. Drawbacks include a cost of living above national averages and relatively underwhelming number of culture activities.
Other interesting patterns emerged in our analysis, showing the growth of new retirement centers. Washington, D.C., beat Miami; Portland, Ore. attracted more boomers than Orlando, Fla., and Boise, Idaho; and Idaho drew more older migrants than San Diego.
Why are these migratory patterns changing? One reason is a new factor, never before worried about much by retirees: jobs. For the boomers, retirement won't be throwing a switch between working one day and playing canasta the next. Instead, it's increasingly becoming a period where people cycle in and out of working and not working.
Demographers use terms like "working retirement" or "active retirement" to express these new retirement patterns, where boomers are often going into small businesses, teaching, consulting jobs or jobs where they can do what they've always wanted to do.
"There's a curious thing about boomers, because in their early formative years they went through a very idealistic time," says Larry Cohen, director of consumer financial decisions at SRI Consulting Business Intelligence. "It won't be as important for them to earn six-figure salaries, so long as they don't [spend] their nest egg."
To reflect this change, we included the quality of the retirement job market in our rankings. A retirement job is classified as either a full- or part-time job done after retiring from a long-term career. Using data from RetirementJobs.com, cities were assigned a score based on the quality of this growing job market.
Boomers also want to live in cities that younger people enjoy. "You have baby boomers buying properties where they can get their children and grandchildren to come visit," says David Hehman, president of EscapeHomes.com, a San Francisco-based real estate research company. "That desire is often large."
Maybe all of these changes are representative of boomer denial, and people who don't feel like they're getting old. But life expectancies are the highest they've ever been, and climbing--so maybe there's something to it.
"Boomers think, 'Why is everyone getting older while I stay the same?'" says Cohen. "They don't feel that old or think they look that old ... and they might be right. The time that they're going to have in retirement is going to be significantly longer than previous generations ... and [they] are moving toward what they want and like to do instead of what they have to do."
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Best Cities For Jobs In 2008 | |
By Matthew Kirdahy, Forbes.com
Picture from Forbes.com
The Lone Star State shines brilliantly in a list of the best places to work in the U.S. when some economists peer into their crystal balls for 2008.
Austin, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio all rank high on the latest forecast data from Moody's Economy.com. McAllen, Texas, is expected to have the highest job growth rate, as its leisure and hospitality, educational and health services and commercial construction jobs flourish.
"While the economy is cooling, Texas continues to generate more jobs than the national average," said Krista Piferrer, deputy press secretary to Gov. Rick Perry. "Unemployment is low in Texas, thanks in large part to a favorable business climate that encourages businesses to expand or relocate to our state."
Even still, Salt Lake City, in all its tech-job abundance, looks like it will remain No. 1 since Forbes.com's most recent ranking (see last year's story).
To compile the rankings for the Best Cities For Jobs list forecast, we used five data points, weighted equally: the state's unemployment rate, job growth, income growth, median household income and cost of living for full-year 2006 (only partial data is available so far for 2007). We measured the largest 100 metropolitan areas, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, and obtained the data from Moody's Economy.com.
The numbers are compiled based on greater metropolitan areas; it's also important to note that this list doesn't weigh specifics like job composition or job stability, two significant characteristics that will appeal to any job seeker.
Mark Zandi, chief economist and co-founder of Moody's Economy.com, acknowledged the housing market depression the company is facing and said the destinations that prevail on this list weren't as heavily vested in the real estate development boom, which ultimately led to a historic bust.
That's not to say the highest-ranking cities on this list are completely in the clear, though: "If we have a national recession, if problems intensify nationwide, these economies are going to struggle," Zandi said.
The top cities on this list also include Atlanta, plentiful in transportation, distribution and financial services careers. Indianapolis has a strong showing in agriculture, too. Omaha, Neb., Warren Buffet's hometown, offers jobs at opposite ends of the spectrum, in financial services and agriculture as well. The Emerald City--Seattle--brings aerospace and global trade professions to the table.
Kurt Ronn, president and founder of HRworks, an Atlanta-based job recruitment and consulting firm, said Americans gravitate to certain locales based on opportunity and affordability, both offered right in his backyard.
He noted that, on a broad scale, the employment picture has been strong in the areas of technology and logistics, such as in distribution and sales.
Some notables: Honolulu is the best in the pack for low unemployment, a good sign that tourism there remains healthy. Edison, N.J., ranked the highest in the median income category. Buffalo, N.Y., has the lowest cost of living, while San Jose, Calif., has the highest. New York sits at No. 58 on the list, while Los Angeles is No. 87.
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Chamber Marks 125 Years of Boosting Business | |
Fort Worth's Main Street, looking north, in the 1920s.
By Sandra Baker, Star-Telegram - June 2007
In 1882, a group of businessmen sat in a saloon, discussing the state of commerce in Cowtown. They took the notion to start a board of trade to promote business development and the interests of the local business community.
They rarely have meetings in saloons anymore, but the group's initiative is still alive in the city.
In the early days, efforts included bringing the Texas & Pacific and the Santa Fe railroads to town. In 1896, it sponsored the first Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show, still one of the city's biggest attractions.
From attracting packing companies in the early days to organizing trade trips to Latin America in recent years, the group's reach is still being felt.
The chamber building circa the 1950s
In its 125-year history, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce has had its hands in just about every major business development to occur in the city.
The group was started by businessmen who met in a saloon to discuss how they could attract businesses to Fort Worth. Although the methods might be a little different today -- and there are many women involved now -- the organization still focuses on attracting business to the city and gets involved in community issues such as education and transportation.
Recent chamber initiatives have included programs geared toward young professionals and businesswomen, global and regional business pitches, and legislative efforts that focus on issues such as air quality, water sources and transportation.
Highlights from the past dozen decades:
1882-1900
The group was officially organized in 1882 as the Fort Worth Board of Trade by businessmen meeting at a saloon to discuss business conditions and how to attract industry to the city. The men are credited with bringing the Texas & Pacific and the Santa Fe railroads to town. In 1896, it sponsored the first Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show.
1900-1910
The Board of Trade was reorganized in 1900. The group persuaded Armour & Co., Swift & Co., and Libby, McNeil & Libby to locate packing plants here. In 1908, the board launched an $8,000 advertising campaign to attract new industries to Fort Worth.
1910-1920
The board lured Texas Christian University from Waco to Fort Worth. In 1912, the board became the Chamber of Commerce and took over management of the Freight Bureau and Fat Stock Show. When the oil boom hit during this decade, the group helped raise $2.5 million to build the Hotel Texas, now the Fort Worth Hilton, to accommodate the influx of visitors to the city.
1920-1930
The chamber reported 442 new businesses open in 1920. It organized the Tarrant County Flood Prevention and Water Conservation Association, helped in establishing Meacham Field, brought the Texas, Panhandle & Gulf Railroad to town and assisted Montgomery Ward in building a store on West Seventh Street. In 1928, the chamber merged with the Manufacturers and Wholesalers Association to form the Association of Commerce.
1930-1940
The chamber was instrumental in bringing the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital to Fort Worth, the construction of the new post office and organized a Junior Chamber of Commerce.
1940-1950
By 1941, the chamber was successful in landing the Army bomber assembly plant. The chamber worked to help local businesses secure government contracts to produce everything from canned peas to shell cases in the war effort. Chamber efforts also helped establish the military installation, Fort Worth Army Air Field, later known as Carswell and now Naval Air Station Fort Worth.
1950-1960
After the 1949 flood, the chamber helped secure voter approval on a $7 million flood-control bond issue that resulted in the construction of lakes in Grapevine and Benbrook. The group also attracted Bell Helicopter and General Motors plants to Tarrant County. By 1952, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area Development Committee was formed. Chamber officials proposed the idea of a toll road between Dallas and Fort Worth and secured the necessary legislation to create the Texas Turnpike Authority.
1960-1970
Was involved in campaigns to build a downtown convention center, a sports stadium in Arlington and Tarrant County Junior College. It started the chamber's Development Corp. to bring more industry to Fort Worth. In 1968, the chamber was already looking toward the 21st century and established a top-level policy group -- Task Force 2000 -- to review long-range policies and projects.
1970-1980
In 1973, Dallas-Fort Worth Airport opened, after efforts by the chamber to secure a regional facility. American Airlines would later relocate its headquarters from New York to Fort Worth. The Fort Worth and Dallas chambers lobbied successfully to have the cities combined into one Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S. Bureau of Budget.
1980-1990
By 1980, the chamber had become an aggressive organization with a professional staff in the fields of the Convention & Visitors Bureau, industrial development and governmental affairs. The chamber helped to establish Alliance Airport and worked to bring the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing's first currency plant outside of Washington, D.C., to Fort Worth.
1990-2000
The chamber developed a strategic plan focusing on economic development, "Fort Worth, Catching the World's Attention." The chamber established the Fort Worth News Bureau to work with national and international media, an important step as the international department was planning trade missions to Latin America.
2000-today
In March 2000, after a tornado ripped through heart of downtown, the chamber, with community partners, turned lemons into lemonade with an award-winning campaign, "No Gusts, No Glory," to let the world know that Fort Worth was open for business. It has taken part in the cultural boom that has seen the opening of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the expansions of the city's other museums.
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Women Influencing Business | |
New initiative is aimed at underrepresented majority
By Sandra Baker, Star-Telegram -- June 2007
FORT WORTH - For the second time this year, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce is launching a program to get women more involved in the business community.
Women Influencing Business is aimed at female professionals and business owners with the goal of getting them more involved as leaders, advisers and corporate directors.
This year, the chamber started Vision Fort Worth, which is designed to bring younger business leaders into leadership roles and break down generational barriers between them and the group's older, more established members.
Three-year chamber member Karel Rucker, owner of Mother Rucker's Sweets in Fort Worth, was tapped to head an 18-member committee that created the program. It was her first chamber assignment, and Rucker said it has been a huge and rewarding undertaking.
She said she agreed to the assignment because, like many other female members of the chamber, she feels more on the outside than the inside of the business community.
"I knew it would take a lot of time, but it was worth it," Rucker said.
Suzi Hill, president of Hill Co., an underground storage tank contractor that specializes in emergency generator fuel systems, said the time has come for such a program.
"This group is not about getting yourself the share of the business," said Hill, a chamber member of more than 30 years who is also on the new initiative's steering committee. "This is about getting to know us and us getting to know the men in the community, so we'll work together.
"I've been around for a lot of years. I am meeting women I never knew and might never have met if the chamber had not formed this group."
Women own or operate more than half of Fort Worth-area businesses, according to the Fort Worth Business Assistance Center. Women are the owners or the main company representatives of 37 percent of the chamber's member businesses, the organization said.
"We realize this is a growth group for the organization, and we want to recruit, retain and engage more women in business," said Marilyn Gilbert, the chamber's executive vice president of marketing.
The two new programs stem from focus groups the chamber held last year to gauge members' attitudes about the organization and find ways to increase membership involvement and meet needs. Some of the focus groups addressed the attitudes and needs of businesswomen, the chamber said.
Comments from the focus groups found that female professionals and 21- to 35-year-old professionals were being overlooked. Women said they wanted to establish themselves as community leaders, the chamber said.
"That's the part that was missing," Rucker said. "We wanted to be more than just women in business."
To launch the group, the chamber is hosting a WIB Texas Hold 'em party this week at the Fort Worth Club downtown. Men are encouraged to attend the launch party and all other Women Influencing Business events, which will be held monthly, Rucker said.
The program's section on the chamber's Web site includes space for women to post their résumés and interests, including their golf handicaps.
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D-FW Tops Growth List | |
Star-Telegram / Jill Johnson
The cloud over the housing market hasn't hurt the economy in Fort Worth.
Business 2.0 magazine asked Economy.com to rank major metro areas for growth over the next two years, and Dallas-Fort Worth is at the top of the heap. Indianapolis was second. The magazine projects the median price of a single-family home will rise from $151,900 in the first quarter of next year to $161,690 in the last quarter of 2009. By avoiding the housing boom-and-bust cycle, it said, the area is poised for the sharpest housing gain of any major U.S. city. The magazine said D-FW "is smoking, adding jobs at twice the national rate. Better yet, those new jobs are concentrated in well-paying fields."
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A Vision for the Future | |
Chamber works at bridging a generation gap
FORT WORTH - The 125-year-old Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce wants to put on a new face.
And it will be as young a face as the group can make it.
After years of watching as fewer and fewer young people got involved and after asking focus groups why, the chamber has launched Vision Fort Worth, which is designed to break down the barriers between younger and older professionals and counter criticism that the organization fosters a "good ol' boy" network.
The move was prompted by comments like this one: "This city is an older one with a good ol' boy network, but as the city grows it [should] become less and less. You still see a lot of the same names and faces making decisions."
The sentiment was echoed by another young member who also saw the potential: "I think you have a great opportunity in Fort Worth. It is a dynamic and up-and-coming city, and the Chamber has a role to engage the city in the next step of developing the leadership. We can be an integral part of shaping Fort Worth."
As many chamber members near retirement age, Vision Fort Worth is expected to be a way to tap younger members for future leadership roles, the organization said.
"The purpose of this is to mix things up a bit," said Michael Appleman, a partner in the Cantey Hanger law firm and Vision Fort Worth's first chairman. "I hope this initiative is a way to break those barriers."
The program is targeting professionals ages 21 to 35, although no age limit is being enforced. Its purpose, in part, is to get younger members more involved in the chamber and the community and help them develop business relationships. There will also be mentoring opportunities.
"There are benefits to both groups," Appleman said. "The young people have a lot to learn and to gain, and vice versa."
Having a young professionals group will also benefit the city, said Brian Barnard, chairman of the chamber's board and an administrative partner in the Haynes and Boone law firm.
"Fort Worth's future is extremely bright, and these people are going to make that happen," Barnard said.
Participants in recent chamber focus groups reinforced the need for a young professionals program, saying they see barriers to joining the leadership of Fort Worth's business community.
Several other organizations in town have programs for their younger members, but those are industry specific; the chamber's program will be broad-based, said Andra Bennett, director of communications.
The chamber also found that young professional programs started by other chambers of commerce have been very successful and that membership is very high, she said.
Last week, the chamber launched the program with a social attended by more than 400 younger adults.
As its leader, Appleman, 39, is a good example of what the program is about. He said he has attended chamber functions through his law firm's membership but never really got involved. Now, he's heading the committee overseeing Vision Fort Worth.
"Vision Fort Worth slingshots us into a position to give back later on," Appleman said. "We'll be in charge someday, and this program will give us the tools to do for others what the establishment is doing for us today."
Vision Fort Worth plans to host quarterly luncheons, six after-hours events and a half-day seminar this year. Membership levels range from $100 for individuals to $425 for corporate memberships for five individuals.
ONLINE: www.visionfw.com
WHAT WAS SAID IN THE FOCUS GROUPS
- "The 'old schoolers' don't want change."
- "Fort Worth is a 'good ole boy' network, developing business relationships here is a marathon not a quick race."
- "When I go to [chamber] mixers, there is never anyone my age."
- "When I go to the [chamber] mixers, everyone knows each other and they are much older."
- "Many people are ready to step up in terms of leadership but don't have the confidence or connections."
- "If we can show that young workers are involved and leading, then more companies will want to come into Fort Worth to do business."
ABOUT THE CHAMBER
- The organization was founded in 1882 as the Fort Worth Board of Trade.
- It changed its name to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce in 1912.
- There are 2,545 member companies representing more than 5,000 individuals.
- Bill Thornton has been president and chief executive since June 2000.
- Its Mr. B's Newz-E-Letter is sent to about 4,200 e-mail addresses weekly.
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Metroplex enjoys solid growth | |
By Mitch Schnurman
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
How strong was the local economy last year? Check out this number: Business expansions and relocations in Fort Worth increased 68 percent in 2006, according to local officials.
It's good to see that our tax abatements are paying off.
That's a remarkable increase, even on a small base, because the comparison figure wasn't a gimme. A year earlier, Fort Worth was also the leading city in the Metroplex in new business projects.
The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce compiles the expansion statistics, which are submitted to Site Selection magazine. The trade publication annually recognizes the states and cities that lead the country in this kind of activity, and Texas has been No. 1 for two consecutive years.
Among metro areas, the Metroplex usually ranks among the elite, placing second in 2005 to Chicago and first in 2004, ahead of Detroit. The newest ranking will be published in a few months, and the area will report a sharp increase in economic-development deals, led by 64 in Fort Worth, up from 38 the year before.
To be included in the magazine's count, a project must create at least 50 new jobs, add 20,000 square feet of new space or represent an investment of at least $1 million. There were more than 450 such deals in the Metroplex last year, according to the chamber.
It's also notable that Fort Worth had 13 more projects than Dallas, even though Dallas is much larger.
Fort Worth can point to several strong economic numbers these days; in the central business district, for instance, the office occupancy rate is 96 percent. The business expansions may be my favorite, because they reflect the appeal of the Metroplex to outsiders.
Some growth is expected to occur naturally, simply because of the region's size and the fact that more companies are expanding and diversifying their headquarters' functions.
But Fort Worth is on a roll, with those 64 projects alone totaling almost $1.4 billion in investment, and it could continue for several years.
"Things are just teed up for Fort Worth right now," says Rob DeRocker, a partner at Development Counsellors International, a New York firm that advises companies on where to expand. "The business climate in Texas, by our surveys, is the best in the country, no matter how you define it. And Fort Worth has a lot of good, municipally led development, especially in downtown. That creates a certain centrifugal force," DeRocker says.
"Fort Worth has a history, which people like, but it's also reinventing itself. It has a real there there."
Tax abatements and other incentives get a lot of attention in economic development, especially in Texas, because Gov. Rick Perry uses a cash fund to close relocation deals. DeRocker says that incentives "tend to be tiebreakers," but Texas usually starts at second or third base in most competitions, because of other advantages.
The state has no income tax, a strong pro-business environment and, at least in the Metroplex, a large labor force and consumer market.
David Berzina, who heads economic development at the Fort Worth chamber, says the vitality of downtown is a key factor in attracting new projects, even if companies end up choosing a location on the outskirts of the city.
Low costs for construction and labor make a difference. But the labor supply is crucial, too.
CUNA Mutual Group, which provides financial services to credit unions, considered a handful of cities for a regional headquarters, including Jacksonville, Fla.; Oklahoma City; and Kansas City, Mo.
In the Metroplex, it weighed sites in Plano, Arlington and Fort Worth. Ultimately, it selected the CentrePort development on the eastern edge of Fort Worth, near Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.
A key metric, Berzina says, was the number of potential employees who live within a short commute and would be attracted by the yearly pay, which ranges from almost $40,000 to $60,000.
Fort Worth agreed to a 10-year tax abatement and fee waivers valued at $747,640; to get all of that, CUNA has to meet several requirements, including having 25 percent of its 500 hires from Fort Worth, 10 percent from the central city.
"You got to have a hook to get the attention of these companies," Berzina says about the incentives.
In his view, the offers are a lot more important to smaller cities, which often adopt a sales tax to generate revenue for economic development. They can then dangle cash awards in exchange for new jobs.
"Fort Worth gets outbid on incentives on almost every deal that's proposed," Berzina says.
Fort Worth doesn't have to match the offers, but it can't ignore them, either.
To get a $75 million expansion with ConAgra Foods, the city had to compete with Ardmore, Okla., whose incentives were valued at six times higher than Fort Worth's. Of course, Ardmore can't provide a similar pool of potential hires or a distribution network that's in the same league.
Fort Worth won the project, but it agreed to $4 million in incentives, contingent on ConAgra meeting its pledges on minority contracting and hiring Fort Worth residents.
Many of last year's deals didn't involve any public money. Berzina says Whirlpool agreed to put a large distribution center in the Carter Industrial Park, south of the central city. Fort Worth had an existing facility that was available when Whirlpool needed it, so it quickly made the short list.
Likewise, when the city misses on a deal, often it's because it doesn't have the inventory, and many companies don't want to take on the expense or time in new construction.
One business proposition that didn't work out, Berzina says, involved a cellphone-programming company in Miami. It had heard about the cash in the Texas Enterprise Fund and wanted to know what it could get.
The maximum from the state was $1 million, based on the size of the operation. But the company wanted at least twice as much, Berzina says, so the deal died there.
That's reassuring. Even the strongest markets have to say no sometimes.
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North Texas executives heading to China get no shortcut this year | |
By DAVID WETHE
STAR-TELEGRAM
If anybody knows the travails of going from Cowtown to China, it's Mike Markwardt.
The Fort Worth furniture-import business investor had to get a third passport after stuffing the previous two with visa stamps. These days, he's able to "get by" with only two business trips a year to the world's most-populous country, after going five or six times a year from 1984 to 1998.
Markwardt and plenty of other North Texas business leaders, economic-development officials and representatives of nonprofits had their high hopes for a D/FW-China flight dashed last week, when the Transportation Department turned down a bid from American Airlines and instead awarded a Washington-Beijing route to United Airlines. "Just devastating," Markwardt said of the news.
American's original petition for a nonstop disintegrated after bickering with its pilots over a contract provision covering the long trip forced the airline to change its application to connect the flight in Chicago. The airline plans to apply for a 2008 route.
For now, North Texas road warriors who were yearning for a nonstop will have to trudge through one or two connecting cities before landing in Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong. Their reasons for going -- sometimes to find office furniture, caskets and suits; recruit exchange students; and adopt children -- vary as much as the combinations of flights used to get there.
Travelers regard the proposed Beijing nonstop as a luxury that would have made their road-warrior lives easier, and in some cases could help them make more money. American dominates D/FW Airport, and the airline's only flight to China is a Chicago-Shanghai route launched last year.
North Texas is home to a host of businesses that are trying to establish links to China for the first time or have been there for decades. And executives who go typically visit often.
That's because of the Chinese culture, said Marshall Williams, vice president of international adoptions for the Fort Worth-based Gladney Center for Adoption, which sends packs of families to China every month to complete adoptions.
Williams said he travels once or twice a year to China to maintain the agency's relationship with the Chinese. Another Gladney executive visits twice a year or so.
Business deals there are much more dependent on face-to-face conversations than anything else, Williams and other travelers said.
"We Americans are more comfortable doing phone calls or a written contract, where much of the rest of the world is relationship-based, where I know you, you know me, we look in each other's eyes and we decide how to do this," Williams said. "Our relationship is strong enough to make this deal happen. In order to make that relationship strong enough to happen, you must go on a periodic basis."
Williams' preferred route to China: American from D/FW to Los Angeles, where he switches to AA code-share partner Cathay Pacific and a lengthy flight to Hong Kong. From Hong Kong, which is southeast of mainland China, Williams hops a third plane, taking advantage of cheap fares within China's borders.
"I have really been impressed with the Chinese airlines," Williams said.
Markwardt, majority partner of Legare Furniture, helped fund the startup three years ago. It sells "patented tool-free assembly" furniture for home offices, entertainment centers and kids' rooms. The furniture looks Scandinavian but is made in China. "It's kind of like Legos for adults," Markwardt said.
He likes to fly American from D/FW to Tokyo. He then takes Cathay Pacific or Japan Airlines to Hong Kong, where he has had an office for 15 years.
Markwardt and Williams are examples of long-haul travelers who like to get their longest leg of the trip over with first. But others say they'd rather do their short leg, such as D/FW-Chicago, first, and then go on to Shanghai or Beijing, because they're more awake and alert when it comes time to find their connecting gate.
Troy Daniels, founder of Fort Worth-based Ellipsis Consulting, goes to China about twice a year. And when he goes, it's almost always with American. He likes the Chicago-Shanghai route. By flying between two hub airports -- D/FW and Chicago O'Hare -- he's assured of finding a convenient flight to O'Hare.
Other travelers have complained that it's hard when they have to book United, which flies to China from Chicago and San Francisco, because the Chicago carrier doesn't have a large number of flights to choose from at D/FW.
American's competitors for this year's China route battered the D/FW-Beijing proposal, arguing that it would generate little local traffic from North Texas and instead rely on connecting traffic from the southern United States and AA's Latin American stronghold.
Daniels said that argument was shortsighted. D/FW is already a hub for China cargo.
"If we could go directly to Shanghai, then Shanghai would go directly to us," he said. "So, we would be the port in the hub for business to China."
Daniels, whose well-established business helps U.S. firms outsource manufacturing to China, started investing in Chinese business opportunities three years ago. He says he feels for people who are just getting into the Chinese market.
"I can see if we were trying to start something without someone over there, it would be very difficult," he said.
Ricardo Carrillo is somewhat of a rookie to China.
After a trip last May with the Dallas and Fort Worth chambers of commerce, his eyes have widened.
He said he was surprised to find out how cheaply he could buy Chinese-made caskets for his Fort Worth funeral home. And the quality is just as good as the ones he's buying from manufacturers in the U.S. and Mexico, said Carrillo, who runs Carrillo Funeral Directors on Fort Worth's north side.
A casket there is 69 percent cheaper than here, he notes, declining to give specific prices for competitive reasons.
"I was amazed at the similarities of products, how they can manufacture almost the same products," he said. "The only difference is it's made in China."
Carrillo plans to return in August or September to buy more for his funeral-home business. His first trip resulted in him buying crucifixes, rosaries and suits for the deceased.
Greg Upp, senior vice president for community engagement at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, made the same trip last May.
He managed to strike up a partnership with the University of Shanghai Health Science Center for exchange students and faculty sharing. Upp also talked at length with a real-estate developer in Beijing who was interested in partnering on a construction project with a U.S. school.
Those development talks will be put on hold, but UNT will continue sending a top official to China in hopes of developing a stronger relationship with the University of Shanghai, Upp said.
The trick is getting there.
"It would be great to have nonstop flights from D/FW," said Upp, whose route on American went from D/FW to Chicago to Shanghai. "It's not the easiest. ... You really have to get an amount of time dedicated and a loss of convenience understood before you decide to go."
The trip lasted about 18 hours, Upp said.
Markwardt, who estimates that he has taken 75 trips to China, said he has been dubbed the Fort Worth chamber's ambassador to China.
He longs for the day when he can fly straight into China from D/FW, rather than to Japan first.
"I hate getting stuck at transit cities like Tokyo."
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Chamber Builds on 125 Years of Business Leadership | |
By Bill Thornton, president & CEO, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce
Printed in the Fort Worth Business Press, January 2, 2007
Talk about great comebacks.
In the aftermath of the tragedy of 9/11, Karl Zandi, chief data officer at Moody’s Economy.com, predicted that the Fort Worth metro would be one of the top three hardest-hit economies because of the aviation industry’s significant presence.
Fort Worth certainly felt the economic effects of 9/11. But having weathered the recession and defense cutbacks of the early 1990s and then the tornado of March 2000, our business and community leaders had already faced hard times with determination to rebound.
Looking for bright spots at the time, I told Zandi I had my fingers crossed on the Joint Strike Fighter contract.
Fast forward to 2006. Moody’s Economy.com named Fort Worth one of the best values in the nation for housing and the overall cost of living, and Moody’s Investors Service said Fort Worth has the best central business district in the country, with just four percent office vacancy. Forbes, Site Selection and Southern Business and Development have named us one of the top markets in the country for business. And the JSF Lightening just completed its first successful test flight.
Hit us hard, we huddle, we hit back. And score.
So what’s on the agenda for Fort Worth in 2007?
Of all the urban revitalization projects underway in our city, one of the most astounding transformations will be the Sierra Vista project and the complimentary activities at the intersection of Berry and Rosedale.
The momentum from the Lancaster Corridor project and the Omni Hotel should tie in nicely with other near Southside activities like the remarkable Magnolia Green makeover.
On the west side, urban village plans spurred by Montgomery Plaza, So7th and the new Museum of Science and History will enhance the gateway to downtown from the west.
And to our north, Trinity Uptown will transcend from a vision to reality as we see Trinity Bluff condominiums completed and the new TCC campus going up.
Fort Worth has experienced record numbers in business recruitment and expansion throughout Tarrant County. We’re putting together our annual entry to Site Selection magazine’s Governor’s Cup Awards for economic development, and are excited to submit a 50 percent increase in qualified recruitment / expansion deals (from 40 to 67)!
In addition, the Barnett Shale play will continue to change the economic landscape of north Texas. To gauge the extent of the impact, the Chamber is funding a study by noted economist Ray Perryman. Already we’re seeing projections in the billions. These funds are needed by our municipalities and school districts as we address exponential population growth.
All of which segues into some challenges we face: water supply, workforce education, and transportation needs. Briefly, the Chamber supports the Region C Water Plan to increase conservation and develop new water sources. We urge state support of scholarship programs and curriculum adjustment to increase access to public and private higher education.
We also advocate that the Legislature allow the motor fuels tax to be tied to an economic index, and to use transportation revenues for transportation projects. For a complete legislative agenda, visit www.fortworthchamber.com.
We collaborate with many partners on these community issues, and also respond to the changing needs of our membership. A few years ago, our Board of Directors’ strategic plan called for fresh faces and greater diversity in the membership. We examined and confirmed the needs with surveys and focus groups in early 2006. So in 2007, we will launch new programming for two important groups: Young Professionals and Women in Business.
The Young Professionals’ committee is led by Michael Appleman, attorney with Cantey Hanger, and the Women in Business committee is headed by Karel Rucker, owner of Mother Rucker Sweets.
Mark your calendar for May 16th and come to the Barnett Shale EXPO, presented by Devon Energy Corporation, EnCana Oil and Gas, and XTO Energy, Inc. The expo will educate the community about the benefits and issues surrounding the industry, present business and job opportunities, and the Perryman economic impact study results will be released.
Finally, the Fort Worth Chamber invites you to celebrate its 125th anniversary at our annual meeting June 7th, and throughout 2007.
Since 1881, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce has rallied support for this community through many economic ups and downs. But the way Fort Worth citizens tackle challenges head-on leaves me amazed at the accomplishments, and filled with confidence for the years ahead.
Still, I’ll cross my fingers from time to time, if you don’t mind.
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Heritage Trails Walking Tour: First Marker Dedicated | |
Marking the past
Series of 19 plaques designed to highlight city's colorful history
By BRETT HOFFMAN
STAR-TELEGRAM -- April 2007
FORT WORTH -- From Maj. Ripley Arnold on the north to President Kennedy on the south, stories from Cowtown's yesteryear will soon be told on or near Main Street, downtown leaders say.
The first of a planned 19 markers in a Fort Worth Heritage Trails project was unveiled Thursday.
The idea is to place the bronze markers in areas with lots of pedestrians -- mostly along Main Street -- near where historic events occurred.
The first marker, titled "The Stage Leaves From Here," was placed in front of the Wells Fargo Tower at Main and Second streets. It features a drawing of an early 1880s stagecoach and a narrative of the stagecoach line's importance in the city's development in the 1800s.
Wells Fargo, which exhibits a stagecoach in the upper lobby of its tower, sponsored the inaugural marker.
Each marker will be sponsored by a local business.
Other markers will display information about such things as the city's Hispanic heritage, cattle drives, gamblers and gunfights, and aviation.
"There's good historical information [already] around here, and a variety of different signs, but this pulls it all together," said Doug Harman, president of the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Harman said Fort Worth officials were inspired by similar markers in Galveston.
"Cities everywhere are getting into heritage tourism," Harman said each marker costs $5,000, and some sponsorship packages remain available. The final marker is expected to be installed by the end of 2007, officials said. The project is being overseen by the Fort Worth Chamber Foundation.
The markers are free-standing, permanent bronze plaques bearing a signature longhorn design from the late 1930s by Fort Worth artist Evaline Sellors. Each marker has a sepia-toned screen illustration and a brief narrative.
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Texas ranked No. 1 for corporate locales | |
D-FW in No. 2 spot for new, expanded facilities, magazine survey finds
12:00 AM CST on Friday, March 3, 2006
By ANGELA SHAH / The Dallas Morning News
For the second year in a row, Texas ranked first in the nation for new and expanded corporate facilities, according to a survey released Thursday by Site Selection, a trade magazine.
The publication also named the Dallas-Fort Worth region as the No. 2 market, while top honors went to the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet area in Illinois. North Texas held the No. 1 position in 2004.
The state award gives Texas leaders a second Governor's Cup award. Gov. Rick Perry accepted the recognition at an event at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Employers frequently point to Texas' low tax structure and right-to-work policies as reasons they choose to do business here. Also, the region's location in the nation's center has brought companies to North Texas, including a number of high-profile moves such as American Airlines Inc. and J.C. Penney Co.
Fluor Corp., which is moving its headquarters to Irving from Southern California, is included on the 2005 list. The engineering and construction giant's building is expected to be completed in April.
"Our coordinated strategy to educate out-of-state employers about Texas' excellent business climate is working," Mr. Perry said.
"And it is proof that our unprecedented investments in job-creation tools are paying real dividends for the people of this state."
The 2005 award marks the first time in 23 years that Texas has received the Governor's Cup two years in a row.
Before 2004, the state had last won the award in 1992, when it shared honors with North Carolina.
In all, Texas has been cited seven times, more than any other state.
Qualifying projects for consideration in the survey included those with a capital investment of at least $1 million; the creation of 50 or more jobs; or the leasing or building of at least 20,000 square feet in new floor space.
More than 300 companies relocated or expanded into North Texas in 2005, an 11 percent increase over the previous year. The region ranked third in 2003 but didn't make the top 10 in 2001 and 2002.
Recently, Expansion Management and Sales and Marketing Management magazines also named North Texas a top market for relocations and sales potential.
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You can afford it | |
Survey attests to attractive cost of living in Fort Worth
By Andrea Jares, Star-Telegram Staff Writer
As other cities have gotten more expensive, Fort Worth has become a better value.
A recent survey by Moody's Economy.com put Fort Worth's cost-of-living index at 91.6; the national average is 100. Five years ago, Fort Worth's index was 97.6. Fort Worth ranked No. 123 out of 379 U.S. cities. The index takes into account the cost of housing and other essentials.
David Berzina, executive vice president for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, said the extra buying power in Fort Worth could make the city more attractive to people relocating.
"If the cost of living stays or goes down, it can only help," Berzina said.
The cost of living isn't the top reason companies move here, Berzina said. The overall cost of doing business and proximity to a major airport carry more weight, he said. But, he said, cost of living affects two important factors: wages and the availability of workers.
Economists point to housing prices as the biggest reason for Fort Worth's relative affordability. The cost of housing, a large part of any budget, has increased sharply in many parts of the country. For example, in the third quarter of 2005, home values rose 11.4 percent in San Diego and 13.7 percent in Las Vegas, according to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, a government division that tracks housing sale prices. Meanwhile, home prices increased 3.8 percent in Fort Worth.
That might disappoint local homeowners who want their home equity to soar. But home prices are a big part of what makes an area affordable. Local real-estate agents regularly hear from homeowners in more expensive areas such as California who sell their houses and then buy much bigger ones here for less money.
Nine of the 10 most expensive cities are in California. New York City is No. 5. San Francisco is No. 1. A person moving from Fort Worth to San Francisco would need a 62 percent pay increase to maintain the same standard of living. The most expensive city not on the East or West Coast or in Hawaii is Reno, Nev., at No. 27.
David Berson, chief economist for Fannie Mae, said housing prices in the Fort Worth area are unlikely to rise dramatically. He said geography or building restrictions in more expensive parts of the country keep inventory from growing, forcing up prices. Housing, food, utilities, car insurance and transportation are factors in the Economy.com index.
Terry Clower, associate director for the center for economic development at the University of North Texas, said Fort Worth's relatively mild winters help keep utility costs down. He also noted the area's low food costs. But "if I had to point to one thing, the biggest and most obvious factor is the housing," said Clower, who is also on the board of directors for ACCRA, which compiles a cost-of-living index for economic development.
ACCRA computed Fort Worth's cost of living at 87.7 points on the index in the third quarter of 2005, down from 92.4 a year earlier, according to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. ACCRA found that the relative cost of groceries fell 11.5 percent, housing 5.2 percent and utilities 2 percent. Like Fort Worth, many cities in the annual index have gotten relatively less expensive, said Ben Weagraff, associate economist with Economy.com and co-author of this year's report.
Many Texas cities increased their affordability compared with other parts of the country. Economists point to soaring housing costs in America's most expensive cities as the main reason the cost of living in Fort Worth has fallen.
|
1999 index |
1999 rank |
2004 index |
2004 rank |
San Francisco |
137.4 |
1 |
148.6 |
1 |
Santa Cruz, Calif. |
132.1 |
3 |
144.4 |
2 |
San Jose, Calif. |
137.3 |
2 |
144.1 |
3 |
Austin |
104.8 |
33 |
98.6 |
63 |
Dallas |
103.0 |
44 |
97.0 |
76 |
Houston |
97.5 |
90 |
92.8 |
114 |
Fort Worth |
97.4 |
93 |
91.6 |
123 |
San Antonio |
94.2 |
149 |
89.9 |
142 |
Johnstown, Pa. |
82.3 |
378 |
76.0 |
377 |
Springfield, Ill. |
82.7 |
377 |
75.6 |
378 |
Danville, Ill. |
82.2 |
379 |
74.6 |
379 |
Source: Moody's Economy.com
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Fort Worth, TX 76102-4997 817.336.2491