The EDAWN Executive Update is designed to give you a quick update on what is happening in our community and at EDAWN regarding economic development.
Please forward this to others you know that may be interested. For more information, please email
Tamera Pitts
or call 775.829.3700.
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| CEO Update |
Media Continues to be positive:
Elle Magazine, March 30, 2016,
Reno ranks 2nd in overall fitness
. "A new survey analyzed the 100 most populous American cities based on fitness levels. The company took into account physical activity, diet habits, and obesity and overweight percentages."
Reno-Sparks Jumps 93 spots to rank 4th in the nation for mid-size economic hot spots; according to RCLCO, a national real estate consulting firm that tracks estate trends and issues. Here is the article.
Reno the place to be for new entrepreneurs
. View a short video from co-founder, Rob Armstrong, who came to Reno in June 2015 to scout the area for a new R&D office. He found "The Reno Collective" - where he discovered a thriving and supportive business community, allowing him to build out his local network and... well, Bombora too!
Nationally Recognized Site Selector Gives Reno-Sparks a Critical Look.
Dennis Donovan, one of the country's leading advisors to global companies regarding location of corporate facilities, provided his insights on where Reno/Sparks stands as a business location both positive and negative. His remarks to the EDAWN Board, Investors and Community Leaders, offered some suggestions for improving the region's competitiveness as a business location. Here is the handout and slide presentation.
The EDAWN Board has voted to support the proposed sales tax increase to fund the infrastructure needs of the Washoe County School District (WCSD).
The EDAWN Board believes that if the capital needs of our schools are not addressed, EDAWN's ability to attract companies, retain existing companies, and facilitate entrepreneurial job creation will be adversely impacted. Here is the
Press Release.
Support our Family and Business Friendly Taxi top Campaign.
Bell Limo & Whittlesea Checker Taxi is the only taxi service in Reno-Sparks that has remained committed to family and business friendly taxi advertising. Consider advertising your business or supporting a community message on a taxi topper to keep our message diversified and welcoming in the year ahead.
Contact Alex Crosby to advertise your business!
The EPIC Report with Actual Numbers updated through March.
The actual jobs number shows we are ahead of the EPIC report projections. These actual numbers will help us track and respond to our growth in the months ahead. Here are the Actual Numbers Graphs.
The latest RGJ Article about our "
Flawed Tax Structure Drives School Capital Needs." Mar 27, 2016. In November, voters will be asked to support an increase in sales tax to fund the capital needs of our schools. The overcrowding we are experiencing in our schools is a result of years of neglect and the failure to address our infrastructure needs in a timely manner. It is also the consequence of a broken tax system.
Here is the Article.
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| Business Development and Marketing |
Samba TV, a media and television analytics company announced the opening of their new operations in Incline Village, NV. The company is from San Francisco; plans to fill up to 30 positions and invest over $1million in cap ex. They were awarded incentives in March.
Click here for press release.
Mark your calendar to attend the next company announcement and press conference on May 23rd at 10:00 am! Details to follow soon.
The Business Development team hosted 8 site visits, added 11 new leads and 6 new projects to the pipeline.
Stan Thomas and Chris Ault attended the Area Development Site Meeting in Las Vegas this month to meet with 11 site consultants. A strong message among site consultants was the concern about workforce availability and skills.
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Entrepreneurial Development
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The UNR Engineering School's Innovation Day is right around the corner - May 6th from 9:30am to 3pm at the Lawlor Events Center.
Seniors will be showcasing and demonstrating around 60 of their products; this is a great opportunity to check out new tech and you won't want to miss it! More information here.
Reno Sculpture Fest is this Friday, May 6th - Sunday, May 8th in downtown Reno with 30+ sculptures, 50+ artists, 3 sounds stages, kids activities, wellness workshops, craft brew gardens, and more attracting more than 30,000 visitors throughout the weekend. Visit www.renosculpturefest.com for more information!
We celebrated the Summit VMS 2-year Anniversary party this April.
Since the pilot program launch in Spring 2014, the mentoring program has grown from a total of 6 ventures and 20 mentors, to 21 ventures and over 60 mentors who have donated over 9,000 hours of mentorship (i.e. 4 yrs. of work hours). The ventures also saw an increase in revenue by 90%, as a group, since enrollment in the mentorship program.
There are several entrepreneurial events happening throughout the region!
Don't forget to
check the calendar
and list your event by utilizing
Reno Startup Digest
.
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| Business Retention|Expansion & Workforce |
Local manufacturer's got together in April to provide input to EDAWN, the WCSD and the Governor's Office of Economic Development on critical skills, courses and certifications needed to support manufacturing career pathways. We were also pleased to meet with the TMCC Presidential candidates and we are looking forward to working closely with the new President, Dr. K
arin Hilgersom. Here is
more information about Dr. Hilgersom.
On the workforce front, big thanks to zulily and Now Foods for hosting the WCSD high school "Changing Landscape of Workforce Needs" industry tour for faculty members. Participants were able to observe the amazing and diverse growth at the TRI Center and speak one on one with employees to learn more about the skill sets students will need for employment success. Careers in Logistics and Manufacturing require STEM training as a foundation.
Biggest Little Employee Retention Tip of the Month:
Chris Cox, Owner & Chief Learning Officer of Amplitude LLC, shares how to create a culture where leadership, trust, communication, and skill training engage the best talent to want to stay.
Read more here.
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Investor Update
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Thank you to the following new Investors for supporting EDAWN's Mission to create quality jobs in our region:
We appreciate your support of our job creation efforts!
EDAWN values the continued support of current investors and invites those who are not, to consider becoming involved with our organization. For more information, please contact
Sheila Imsdahl
or call 775.829.3704.
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Partner Updates
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The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) introduces a new spin to the annual event. The 2016 theme "Baseload Renewable Technologies: Keys for Economic Growth and Environmental Quality" will feature the combined voices of geothermal, hydropower, and biomass and focus on the future prospects of these three baseload renewable energy resources.
Go here for more information or contact
[email protected]. Early-bird discount rates end May 6th so
register here.
Congratulations to the 2016 Northern Nevada Best Places to Work award winners which includes a number of EDAWN major investors as well as companies that EDAWN helped to locate to Northern Nevada. For the list of winners, go here.
The Nevada Association of Employers is currently collecting data for their annual Northern Nevada Pay Survey. This survey has over 270 job titles from industries such as manufacturing, retail, service, healthcare, hotel/restaurant/gaming and more. To participate, go to the 2016 Questionnaire link just to the left of this article on their main page at
www.nae-online.org
.
Congratulations to TMCC whose students earned Eight Skills USA, Bronze Silver and Gold Medals across multiple areas of study. The Skills USA organization is comprised of students, teachers and industry representatives and is focused on preparing students for careers in technical, service, and skilled occupations.
High School Sophomores, start planning now! H
igh school juniors now have the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and a TMCC Skills Certificate at the same time! TMCC High School invites you to learn more about the Technical Pathways Option, which could lead to additional educational opportunities or to a good paying job right after high school! Here is more information.
The Nevada Department of Taxation offers "Ask the Advisor Tax Seminars" at no charge for anyone interested in business tax information
. This will include taxpayer's responsibility and The Audit Process, with information on what to expect in case of an audit and the opportunity to ask questions of the experts. Classes are offered 4 times per year and last approximately 3 hours with reservations recommended. For more information, go here.
Application Workshop for Nevada Trade Mission to Australia
will be provided by teleconference on May 5th and May 10th. This is a great opportunity for companies who are interested in the Australia market and trade mission. Learn more about the benefits of joining the delegation here and view the application here.
The Stat Pack is a monthly business e-report, co-authored by Mike PeQueen of HighTower Las Vegas and John Restrepo of RCG Economics, with input from Brian Bonnefant of UNR. It combines important metrics relevant to business decision makers and financial commentary on current issues facing the Nevada economy. The Stat Pack features data and dialogue about the Southern and Northern Nevada economies.
Here is their March issue.
Help spread the word about what a great place the region is to do business!
If you belong to a national organization or association which holds annual meetings, consider the area as a location for their next meeting? The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority will do the work and you will get the recognition! Call 775.827.7784 for more information!
The Nevada Economy in Brief
provides a wealth of Nevada workforce and economic information and is published monthly by the
Nevada Department of Employment
, Training and Rehabilitation / Research (DETR) and Analysis Bureau. For questions, please contact DETR
Ken Pierson
.
The economic pulse is an economic update provided by Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED). Here is more information.
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EDAWN Events
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EDAWN Community Luncheon
"The State of Washoe County Schools"
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Eldorado Resort Casino/Convention Center
11:30 am | Check-In
12 noon - 1:30 pm| Lunch & Program
Cost: $25 pp - ADVANCE REGISTRATION WILL BE REQUIRED!
Tickets will not be sold at the door. Seating is limited!
For more information, please contact Sheila Imsdahl or call 775.829.3704.
For a list of additional 2016 EDAWN entrepreneurial events, please click here. For more information, please contact Shyla Pheasant or call 775.829.3702.
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| PRESIDENTIAL GOLD INVESTORS |
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