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| Home » About the Chamber » Chamberletter |
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July 2007 |  |
- Conventions
- New Officers
- Guest Column
- Update
- FastTrac
- Skyline DFW Exhibits & Graphics
- Skyline 2
- SBOY 2008
- 125th Anniversary
- VitalLink
- Action Ambassador
- Calendar
- Best City for Relocation
- Newcomer's Guide
- 125th Anniversary Photos
- Ribbon cuttings
Conventions Highlight Collaborative Economic Development Efforts
Chamber officials explained the benefits of doing business in Fort Worth to captive, interested audiences at three recent trade shows—the International Council of Shopping Centers, CoreNet and Bio 2007.
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| Fort Worth-based partners teamed up at ICSC to lure targeted retail to the area. |
The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) is the global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its 65,000 members in the U.S., Canada and more than 80 other countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, lenders, retailers and other professionals as well as academics and public officials. Its annual convention is the nation’s largest retail trade event, with more than 51,000 people in attendance. Bill Thornton, Chamber president, and David Berzina, executive vice president of economic development, attended the ICSC along with representatives from Sundance Square, the City of Fort Worth, Downtown Fort Worth Inc. and Hillwood Properties.
“All of the larger and most of the smaller retail companies are represented there, as are construction companies, real estate companies, and some site selection individuals,” said Berzina. “Retail operations have a finite amount of store openings for the year, and at the event and leading up to the event, they are making their decisions as to where these retail outlets will be for the following year. Collectively our goal was to take an aggressive marketing approach to securing desired retail throughout Fort Worth and making ourselves available to the decision makers in the retail world in attendance at the event.”
The five organizations formed a cooperative agreement and under the leadership of Sundance Square, constructed a 1,000-square-foot booth that included three meeting rooms, a welcoming area and seating area. “The three conference rooms had a flurry of activity—there were meetings going in all three rooms all the time,” said Tracy Gilmour, director of marketing for Sundance Square. This year, the group was joined by Michael Mallick. His company, the Mallick Group, is promoting southeast Fort Worth housing and mixed-use properties.
“We don’t see this as just an opportunity to promote downtown,” Gilmour said. “It’s a great way to talk to people about all of Fort Worth and the positive story that is here.”
Berzina also attended CoreNet Global’s annual convention. CoreNet Global is the world's premier association for corporate real estate and related professionals. As a global learning organization, it is the industry thought and opinion leader. The organization’s member base includes 7,000 corporate real estate executives, service providers and economic developers.
“For years, Fort Worth has been represented on the DFW marketing team or in the association for the state,” Berzina said. “There are many Fortune 500 real estate executives in attendance who make site location recommendations to their boards of directors. We take advantage of the opportunity to get in front of them and showcase the city. It’s important for us to establish new relationships, reinforce existing relationships and make ourselves available to those companies looking for expansion and relocation opportunities in North Texas. We also were able to meet with consultants on an existing project that we are competing for.”
Fort Worth was also represented at the 2007 BIO International Convention, which is the world’s largest event for the biotechnology industry. Held in May in Boston, the BIO exhibition included more than 1,900 companies and 60 domestic, country and regional pavilions representing every aspect of the biotech industry. More than 18,000 biotechnology professionals from 48 states and 64 countries attended this year’s convention.
Melanye Whitson, director of local business development, attended BIO along with a contingency from the state. She was part of the contingency at the Texas Pavilion, which was set up to extol the state’s resources and attract new life science and bio-tech companies to Texas.
“Secretary of State Roger Williams joined us for the opening night reception, and he took appointments with anyone interested in coming to Texas,” Whitson said. “My job was to work alongside the other people from our great state and help attendees understand why they should come to Fort Worth. This is a great area for the life sciences and biotech industries, which are two of the fastest growing industries in the world. Gov. Rick Perry identified the two together as one of the clusters for our state to focus on because of the enormous potential for growth and global competition. Bringing these companies to Fort Worth will bring many jobs to our area.”
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Barnard, Loughry and Baumeister Installed as New Chamber Officers
New Fort Worth Chamber officers for 2007-2008 were announced at the 125th annual meeting. They are Brian Barnard, Chairman; Ben Loughry, Vice Chairman; and Allyson Baumeister, Treasurer and Chair of Finance. The three will work with the board of directors and Chamber staff to promote increased growth and further economic development in the business community, and will work with other local entities to foster a positive business and living environment.
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| Brian Barnard |
Brian Barnard, the administrative partner of the Fort Worth office of Haynes and Boone, LLP and a member of the firm’s corporate section, succeeds Vernon Bryant as chairman. Barnard graduated with honors in finance from the University of Texas at Austin. He earned his law degree with honors from Texas Tech University School of Law.
Barnard speaks frequently at State Bar and other seminars and has written widely on corporate and securities issues. He has been a member of the Small Business Committee of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association since 1983 and is also a member of the Texas Bar Foundation and the Tarrant County Bar Foundation. Barnard is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
Among his Chamber duties, Barnard chaired the 2006-07 Total Resource Campaign, served as co-chairman of the Government Affairs Committee, chairman of the Public School Finance Task Force and chairman of Technology Council. Barnard currently serves as a member of the board of the Alliance for Higher Education and on the boards of directors of many other civic and charitable organizations in Fort Worth, including the Fort Worth Child Study Center.
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| Ben Loughry |
Serving as the new vice chairman, Ben Loughry is the managing partner of Integra Realty Resources DFW LLP and is a founding stockholder of Integra Realty Resources. He has worked with various public and private entities including GSA, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, Bell Helicopter Textron, Texas General Land Office and Sundance Development. Loughry has lectured and taught several Real Estate Courses at Texas Christian University, the University of Texas at Arlington and Tarrant County Junior College.
A graduate of TCU, where he earned a BBA from the M J Neely School of Business, Loughry has served on the Fort Worth Economic Development Council, the Fort Worth Master Plan Committee and on the Fort Worth Aviation Advisory Committee, among other professional and community involvement. Loughry also is currently chair of Fort Worth South Inc. He is a Mayor’s appointee to the Southwest Parkway (121) advisory committee and is a founding director of the Tarrant County Real Estate Council 2005
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| Allyson Baumeister |
Allyson Baumeister will once again serve as treasurer and chairman of finance. She is a certified public accountant and a partner with Sanford, Baumeister & Frazier, P.C. She serves business, individual and trust clients in a variety of industries, including oil and gas, non-profit, construction, farm and ranch and professional services. Baumeister has addressed national continuing education seminars sponsored by the American Institute of CPAs, and she has toured several states presenting a four-hour seminar for owners of small CPA firms.
She graduated magna cum laude with a BBA from Texas A&M University, is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and has served as president of the Fort Worth Chapter of TSCPA. She is also active in the Texas Society of CPAs. Her awards include both the Texas Society of CPAs’ LoneStar Pathfinder award and Young CPA of the Year award. Baumeister is a past recipient of the Fort Worth Chapter of TSCPA’s Young CPA of the Year award and was honored by the YWCA of Fort Worth and Tarrant County in its 2003 Tribute to Women in Business.
Guest Collumn: Chamber Ranks Successes/Failures for 2007 Legislative Session
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As in years past, the Fort Worth Chamber’s executive committee has addressed issues of importance to our community as well as Texas in general. With the recent close of the 2007 Legislative Session, the Chamber is still analyzing much of the legislation that made its way through the process. Here is an overview of what we saw in a session where there were 7,535 bills filed by the House, 3,361 filed by the Senate and 5,228 passed by both Chambers … and a few Speaker’s races.
Economic Development
The Fort Worth Chamber supported increased funding of the Texas Enterprise Fund, a statewide economic development incentive program created by the 78th Legislature. HB1 appropriates an estimated $200 million, including unexpended balances to the fund. The Emerging Tech fund gained $75 million in new general revenue resulting in a total of about $180 million available for the 08-09 biennium.
Education and Workforce Development
The Chamber’s workforce development department continues to monitor activities related to public school funding and state tax code revision and is working with other business organizations to further assess the impact of legislation passed in the session. One of the biggest reform measures taken by legislators this session was SB1031, authored by Shapiro and Eissler, which will phase out the TAKS test in 2011 and phase in end-of-course assessments more closely aligned with college level curriculum.
It should also be noted that HB1 appropriates $51 million to the Skills Development Fund and an increase of $11 million to provide customized job training to an additional 8,000 workers.
We also supported the appropriations requests, including special items, for the University of North Texas (UNT) and UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth, the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and UTA Fort Worth, and Tarrant County College. Most institutions budgets were funded at the requested rate, although many North Texas schools came up short in special budget items. Unfortunately, neither the House nor Senate Conference Committee on the budget included a conferee from the North Texas area. This had an adverse affect on our local special item requests.
Environmental Quality
The Fort Worth Chamber supported the continued funding and implementation of the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) that provides for a state-funded, incentive grant program and local option tools in Fort Worth and other federally designated, non-attainment areas to reduce mobile source emissions and achieve compliance with federal air quality standards. Senator Averitt’s SB12, the omnibus clean air bill, passed and addresses our growing environmental quality issues by further funding programs like TERP and LIRAP. Senator Brimer also addressed our air quality issues with a bill allowing idling railroad engines to qualify for some of the TERP funds and another bill requiring testing for cement kiln emissions, which unfortunately failed.
Water
The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce supported Texas’ statewide water plan, keeping the proposed plan intact during the legislative session and opposing legislation removing any water management strategies from this plan. SB3 was another Averitt omnibus bill. This one, though brutally beaten through the process, finally passed with acceptable provisions. Marvin Nichols Reservoir designation remained in the bill, and a legislatively mandated study will help negotiate future steps in ensuring our region has an adequate water supply for the next 50 years. Increased conservation, which all of North Texas must continue to address, as well as reuse environmental flows provisions, are also contained in the final bill. A special thanks to Representative Charlie Geren for his efforts in this area.
Healthcare
The Fort Worth Chamber urged the legislature to restore funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid programs to a level which increases the state’s receipt of federal matching dollars and ensures that uninsured children in low-income families receive appropriate and needed care. Fortunately, the legislature restored the number of families that benefit back to a 78th session pre-cut level. An important bill, SB10, authored by Senator Nelson to continue reforming the Medicaid system, helps reward recipients of the state-funded program for healthy behavior.
Transportation
We urged the legislature to preserve all transportation resources and revenues and the authority and flexibility achieved with HB3588 and other transportation bills enacted by the 78th and 79th Texas Legislature. In response the state received a toll-road moratorium. Fortunately, and thankfully, through the hard work of our local delegation, our area was exempted from the moratorium. The Chamber supported legislative actions that would have allowed the motor fuels tax to adjust according to economic trends by tying the rate to an appropriate economic index, and bills allowing the Metroplex to enact a voter-approved, local option transportation tax failed. These issues will remain a high priority for us as we prepare for the 81st Legislative Session.
In future issues of the Chamberletter, we will provide updates and the status of these Chamber-supported initiatives. For more information, contact Brinton Payne at bpayne@forworthchamber.com or 817/336-2491, ext. 264, or visit www. fortworthChamber.com/LegislativeAction.
Recent Economic Activity in Tarrant County
IN THE WORKS
Russell Feed and Supply is building an 11,500-square-foot corporate office and distribution facility at 5710 Jacksboro Highway to expand the company. Kenny and Teresa Russell bought a feed and supply store in 1997 that was then 20 years old and had two locations. The couple has added three stores and now must get bigger distribution space. Star-Telegram, May 7
The city's Downtown Design Review Board approved a four-story office building planned by Klabzuba Oil and Gas Co. It will rise at Weatherford and North Lexington streets and be called One Hundred Lexington. Star-Telegram, May 14
Greystone Communities of Irving, a developer of senior-living centers, is scheduled to close a deal with Hughes in June to buy 2.5 acres, from just south of the Marriott Residence Inn to the Lancaster Avenue bridge. The company says it will start that project within 18 months. It will have units for independent and assisted living. Star-Telegram, May 14
The Cantey Hanger law firm, the oldest in Fort Worth, will be the nameplate tenant for a four-story office building to rise at 600 W. 6th St. and open in summer 2008. The 86,300 square foot building will be called Cantey Hanger Plaza. Cantey Hanger will lease the fourth floor and half of the third floor, about 30,000 square feet of space. Star-Telegram, May 16
EXPANSIONS & MOVES
Buxton plans to add 25,000 square feet to its 20,000-square-foot headquarters in north Fort Worth to accommodate the company’s growth. The demographic-services company has 100 employees after adding 51 last year, and executives said they expect to hire 100 more in the next several years.
Construction on the addition will begin when Buxton completes the purchase of 3.5 acres of land next to its headquarters at 2651 S. Polaris Drive, near Meacham Boulevard. Star-Telegram, May 21
The Cisneros family, owner of Los Vaqueros Mexican restaurant on north Main Street, has leased the 7,700-square-foot former Jubilee Trailhouse in Willow Park for Los Vaqueros West, 4971 E. Interstate 20. The restaurant was built in 2002. Star-Telegram, May 21
Real estate investor and developer Jim Austin sold his 2,400-square-foot office building at 100 Main Street to the Rilo Group, headed by Ricardo Del Fierro. Austin was there for 14 years and recently moved his business, the Austin Co., to the Austin Plaza, a building he owns off Lancaster and Scott Avenues. Star-Telegram, May 21
Northwestern Mutual Financial Network has leased 2,139 square feet in the Summit Office Park, 1300 Summit Ave. to expand its Fort Worth operations. Star-Telegram, May 21
ON THE DOTTED LINE
The investor group that bought the historic 16-story Sinclair Building at 512 Main St. in September has also acquired the historic former Hogan Office Supply Co. building, 901 Houston St. The building houses a FedEx Kinko's copy and printing shop on the ground floor. The deal closed in late March. Star-Telegram, May 14
Two well-known restaurants with locations on Dallas' popular McKinney Avenue, as well as a group of specialty retailers, have signed as tenants for the retail phase of So7, the more than $200 million development next to Trinity Park on the near west side that began four years ago. The section will be called the Shops & Lofts at So7. Primo's Bar & Grille has leased 6,500 square feet, and Hola Tapas Bar will lease 3,000 square feet. Performance Playground, a high-end health club, is taking 8,500 square feet. Backwoods plans to move from Camp Bowie Boulevard to take 9,000 square feet. Star-Telegram, May 14
DFJ, the environmental cleanup company at 5070 Brush Creek Roadhas leased an additional 6,250 square feet. Star-Telegram, May 14
A private investor from San Jose, Calif., has bought the 8,682-square-foot, five-tenant Fossil Creek Office Building, 3345 Western Center Blvd, from the FW Fossil Creek partnership in Roanoke. The building is fully leased. Star-Telegram, May 21
The accounting and consulting firm Sanford, Baumeister & Frazier has leased 13,000 square feet in the historic Sinclair Building, 512 Main Street. The firm will occupy the top two floors and most of the 14th floor starting this summer. Star-Telegram, May 28
MK Teriyaki Sushi Roll has leased 3,000 square feet for a fine sushi and Asian cuisine restaurant at the northwest corner of Western Center Boulevard and Interstate 35W. The restaurant will serve sushi, sashimi and a full menu of cooked items and vegetarian dishes. Star-Telegram, May 28
OPENINGS
Grainger, a building maintenance supply company, opened a 21,000-square-foot warehouse and showroom at 4924 Cambridge Road south of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. The new site is one-third larger than the previous one, on Post and Paddock Road in Grand Prairie. Products distributed from the new location include motors, fasteners and supplies for electrical and air conditioning use. Star-Telegram, May 21
PlainsCapital has leased 8,263 square feet in the Trinity Commons shopping center for the company's third Fort Worth banking facility. It is scheduled to open in August. Star-Telegram, May 14
Fort Worth specialty import and garden stores Terra Cotta Mule and Señorita Frog’s have signed a lease for a 1,500-square-foot space in the Historic Camp Bowie Mercantile, a Hickman Cos. project located at 7200 Camp Bowie Blvd. The stores will leave their current joint location at 6711 Camp Bowie Blvd. on May 31, with plans to re-open June 4 in the Mercantile. Fort Worth Business Press, May 28
AROUND TOWN
Fort Worth’s Bass family announced on May 3 that they are selling two of their landmark buildings in the city’s central business district. The Basses built the Paul Rudolph-designed glass and steel towers in the early 1980s as part of a plan to revitalize business in downtown. Both buildings are more than 95 percent leased, according to Sundance Square Management. Fort Worth Business Press, May 7
JMG Realty Inc. of Atlanta has purchased The Depot, a 210-unit apartment community near downtown’s Sundance Square, between Fourth and Fifth streets, from Cotton Depot Associates LP for more than $24.5 million. The 95 percent leased building, which was built in 1915, includes one- and two-bedroom units averaging 894 square feet. Fort Worth Business Press, May 28
OUT OF TOWN REPORTING
Presidio Hotel Group, LLC and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.,® have announced they will open their first Fort Worth property in late 2007. The Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa will make visitors feel they truly belong, helping them make connections while traveling. A formal construction kick-off is scheduled for June. Business Wire, May 29
Worldwide ERC®, the association for workforce mobility, and Primacy Relocation® announced that Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Provo-Orem, Utah, are 2007's Best Cities for Relocating Families(TM) among large, medium and small U.S. metropolitan areas. Pegasus News, May 25
DID YOU KNOW?
The Kress Building in downtown Fort Worth has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Historic Fort Worth, which helped with the nomination, will offer tours of the building to celebrate. Star-Telegram, May 14
The Barnett Shale is contributing billions of dollars annually to the local economy and has created 55,000 permanent jobs in the region. “So substantial, in fact, are the economic benefits from the Barnett Shale – approximately five percent of total economic output – that energy can now be considered one of the major industries in the region, taking its place alongside aerospace, transportation, education and health services, professional and business services, manufacturing, and leisure and hospitality,’’ said the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, which commissioned the study. Star-Telegram, May 16
Data provided by Strategic Insight Group, Intelligence Research Partner of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.
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Eight business professionals graduated from FastTRec on June 8. FastTrac is a cooperative program between the Fort Worth Chamber and the Tarrant County College Small Business Development Center that is desinged to help small business owners streamline business processes, analyze strength and shortcomings, and achieve more balance in their work and personal lives. From L to R in back ar LaShanda Franklin, Arden Dufilho, Sheldon Dennis, EArl Wright and Don Brookins. From L to R in front are Hao Tran, FrastTrac Facilitator Robin Lasher, Sarah Garett and Shakisha Crooks. |
Valuing Its Employees Leads Company to Small Business of the Year Award
Some companies say they value their employees—Skyline DFW Exhibits & Graphics puts that idea into practice.
“We invest very heavily in our employees, helping them with our consultant-selling approach and gaining industry knowledge,” said Jeff Meisner, president and CEO of Skyline DFW. “That’s something many small business owners don’t do, even on the back end. We also pay 100 percent of their health insurance, and we offer them profit sharing, as well as a 401K with a 100 percent match. We also give our employees a 30-day sabbatical after 10 years of employment. We understand that if we invest in and take care of our employees, they are going to want to stay. We have many people who have been with us since we opened. A high degree of turnover is unsettling to your clients. We’re going to be better off because our people are happy, therefore our clients are happy. We are definitely getting back what we put in.
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| Skylines DFW's employees teamed up to win the Small Business of the Year Award. |
Meisner said that his employees are the key to the company being named this year’s Chamber Small Business of the Year in the category of 11 to 50 employees. “The company started a week before 9/11, and trade shows were being canceled all across the country,” Meisner said. “We had five people, and they had to have great faith in us. The first two years were really just surviving. Even in 2002, marketing budgets were shriveled because of the uncertainty in the industry. Companies weren’t going to trade shows or if they were, they were taking their old property.”
Skyline DFW’s leadership reinforced the importance of its core values—honesty, integrity and professionalism—and survived the first two years. “We did a few things that gave us a solid foundation,” Meisner said. “There was pent-up demand in the marketplace, and when the cork came off the bottle in 2003, we were able to meet that demand,” Meisner said.
Potential employees are given a personality assessment to determine skill sets. “We focus on people’s strengths. Many businesses focus on trying to correct people’s weaknesses, rather than focusing on people’s strengths and get people who are naturally gifted for the job. We realize that our employees are like athletes—gifted and passionate in certain areas. If we can keep them in the zone on a daily basis, we will build a great company.”
Since 2002, Skyline DFW’s revenues have doubled every two years. The relocated from a 3,000-square-foot office to 12,000 square feet, and they are now in the process of securing a 30,000-square-foot location. With more than 1,000 customers, including many marquee names like American Airlines, the company is poised for even greater growth. Meisner continually attributes that success to the company’s people.
“We are very particular about who we bring on board. We go through a very strict hiring process that includes interviews with numerous people in the company, including a group interview. If we find someone we think is a good fit, but the group disagrees, he is not hired. It’s difficult to not hire someone, but in waiting and trusting our employees, we’ve always gotten the best people for the job.
Skyline to Present Trade Show Best Practices on July 11
Don’t miss your chance to learn from one of the best at “Minding Your Business Mid-Morning,” sponsored by Reliant Energy.
- Wednesday, July 11
- 9-11 a.m.
- Residence Inn Marriott, 2500 Museum Way, 76107
Complimentary, but for Chamber members only. Register online. For more information, contact Doris Becker at dbecker@fortworthchamber.com or 817/336-2491, ext. 288
Small Business of the Year Nominations Now Being Accepted
The 2008 Small Business of the Year Awards recognizes and honors businesses who have demonstrated exemplary “Best Practices.”
Consider self-nominating your business for one of the following award categories: 1-10 employees, 11-50 employees, 51-100 employees, 101-250 employees and emerging business (in business less than three years and not a buyout of an existing business). Nomination criteria includes:
- Any for-profit business headquartered in Tarrant County.
- Applicant must be owner, partner or major shareholder of the business and active in its day-to-day operations.
- Business must be financially stable and operational for a minimum of three years with the exception of the “emerging business” which is less than three years and not a buyout of an existing business.
- Businesses providing a current member of the Fort Worth Chamber Board of Directors will not be eligible for consideration.
- Businesses must be members of the Fort Worth Chamber at the time award is presented.
Judging elements include business growth and performance; sound business strategies and practices; business challenges; unique and innovative approaches and community involvement and contribution.
For more information on how to nominate a business, go to www.fortworthchamber.com or contact Lydia Hall at lhall@fortworthchamber.com or 817/336-2491, ext. 272. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Becky Matson at bmatson@fortworthchamber.com, ext. 243.
Pat Green Celebrates Chamber’s 125th Anniversary
It’s not too late to purchase your tickets for a party that’s 125 years in the making, presented by Devon Energy Corporation and featuring three-time Grammy nominee and Fort Worth resident, Pat Green.
Join us at Billy Bob’s Texas for the biggest business celebration this side of the Rio Grande!
- Tuesday, August 21
- Doors open at 6 p.m. exclusively for sponsors and reserve ticket holders; enter at the North door under awning
- Dinner served at 7 p.m.
- Doors open for general admission ticket holders at 7:30 p.m.; enter at West door by will call.
- Concert begins at 8:30 p.m.
Additional sponsors are Compass Bank, XTO Energy, Inc., the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and Lockheed Martin.
Reserved seating-$150. Tables of 10-$1000. General admission-$20 (does not include dinner). Sponsorships are still available. To purchase tickets or for sponsorship information, contact Becky Matson at bmatson@fortworthchamber.com or 817/336-2491, ext. 243.
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Do you have a desire to get out and meet business professionals from industries other than your own? Would you like to play a more active role at the Fort Worth Chamber?
Action Ambassadors are dedicated Fort Worth Chamber members who devote their time and energy to assisting other members, with a focus on membership retention. A critical arm of the Membership Department, this select group of business volunteers attends ribbon cutting and groundbreaking ceremonies, as well as acts as greeters at various Chamber functions.
Limited to only 65 individuals, this prestigious program is currently recruiting new members. Applicants must be current members of the Fort Worth Chamber.
Action Ambassadors at recent ribbon cuttings.
For more information on the Action Ambassadors, contact Teresa Pearson at tpearson@fortworthchamber.com or 817/336-2491, ext. 249.
Click here for the Chamber Calendar of Events
Fort Worth-Arlington Named Best Cities for Relocation
Fort Worth’s sterling reputation as a place to live and work continues to spread. The city was named the 2007 Best City for Relocating Families. The Fort Worth-Arlington area was recognized in the category of U.S. metropolitan area with 1.25 million residents or more.
The selection was made by Worldwide ERC, the association for workforce mobility, and Primacy Relocation. The two organizations worked with Bert Sperling of Sperling’s BestPlaces to rate cities based on those that determine the likelihood of a successful relocation.
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Fort Worth received the top designation after analysis of the area’s cost of living, crime rates, education and climate, the arts and culture scene, focus on diversity and number of physicians per capita. The 2007 study also placed a special emphasis on the housing market, which significantly impacts an employer’s ability to transfer employees. The variables that weigh heavily in this category include home price, home affordability index, appreciation rates and property tax.
Several new categories were added to this year’s rankings, including recreation and leisure, arts and culture, air quality, watershed quality, sales tax, unemployment rate, job growth, high school and higher education index, school expenditures per student, students in public school, SAT/ACT percentile and population growth.
The ranking organization seeks to find the variables that not only affect a family’s decision of where to move, but also the ability to get settled once they arrive.
2007 Newcomer’s Guide Available
The Newcomer’s Guide is published annually by the Fort Worth Chamber to assist those people relocating to the area. It includes information on such daily necessities as the location of area hospitals, banks and credit unions, shopping centers and malls, libraries, parks, houses of worship, as well as useful start-up information on utility companies, where to get car tags and driver’s license and so much more.
To order a copy of the guide, visit www.buyfortworthchamber.com.
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Recent Ribbon Cuttings
Grainger
4924 Cambridge Road, 76155
Contact Ellen Bearden at 817/791-4821
KO Trading
6316 Airport Freeway, 76117
Contact Brandi Ray at 817/348-0665
State National Bank
1400 W. 7th Street, Suite 100, 76102
Contact Anna Springer at 817/333-2790.
Stone Distribution LTD
4600 Airport Freeway, 76117
Contact Don Sanford at 817/546-2050
Sunrise Assisted Living of Fort Worth
6151 Bryant Irvin Road, 76132
Contact Samantha Castilleja at 817/292-2288
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Fort Worth, TX 76102-4997 817.336.2491