Heading into the second half of 2023, the Select CLT Team continues to promote the Charlotte Region across the globe and assist companies expanding and relocating. As they look ahead to the next two quarters of the year, they are excited about the developing project pipeline for the Charlotte Region and the upcoming trips that are coming their way. With an upcoming participation in 18 industry events and 7 direct marketing trips planned for the rest of the year, the team will be busy closing out the year.
The team shared some of the key trips they are most looking forward to that will have the most impact for the recruitment team on promoting the region and developing the economic pipeline. Gretchen Carson is heading to the IAMC Fall Forum in Boise, Idaho, to explore the latest trends and developments in the industrial real estate market. Her next stop will be the IEDC Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas. She highlighted the importance of both trips, stating: “the two conferences will be a convergence of key partners that are critical to developing project pipelines and working projects for the region. IAMC provides value given the strength of our manufacturing presence in the Charlotte Region and convenes economic developers, real estate, and service partners. IEDC will have a lot of economic development practitioners and site consultants that are on the ground and connections we can lean into when needed.”
Carson is most looking forward to the connectivity the conferences will bring to the professionals in the field that will yield projects and access to knowledge.
Eduardo Venegas shared about his upcoming marketing trip to Greenville, South Carolina, with EDAC partners, and the strategy behind choosing locations and partners for direct marketing trips. “There are a good number of site selectors based in Greenville that work around the United States and the globe,” he said. “The goal of this trip is to get to know them better, building relationships and showcasing what we have to offer as a region.”
Because of the shorter travel distance, the trip will allow Select CLT to include and engage more partners like EDAC and give the county economic development practitioners opportunities to meet with site selectors and talk about their own communities and unique assets.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to keep Charlotte relevant and top of mind for site selectors that work directly with companies looking to relocate or expand around the world,” Venegas said. “The more we do that, the more recognition the market gets. The message we are delivering is that we’re here, we’re a resource and we want your business.”
Internationally, Jeremiah Anderson and Danny Chavez will be traveling to Ireland and the United Kingdom for a direct marketing trip, meeting with companies and delegations to grow international relations and partnerships.
Anderson shared his insight into the importance of international travel for business recruitment: “Overall, the goal is building and expanding our network for international business communities to have a local resource here to help its potential expansion into the U.S. market.”
Anderson said he is most looking forward to the opportunities in Ireland. “It’s great that we will be developing many new relations in Ireland and building off an existing one we have with the United Kingdom.”
Partnering with Electricities, Select CLT will be meeting with direct companies, industry associations and local chambers, while also tying in a stop at the Welsh Tech Week and meeting with two local universities.
Another trade show that will bring unique opportunities in emerging tech markets will be Slush in Helsinki, Finland. As the world’s largest gathering of venture capitalists, startups from all over the world will be in attendance.
“Slush is fintech focused, which is an emerging market for us with a lot of really interesting opportunities for the Charlotte Region,” Anderson said.
The team will be able to build brand awareness and learn more about the emerging industries and development of fintech, healthtech, cleantech, and smart manufacturing while promoting the region as an investment opportunity for these industries.
The team is looking forward to the rest of the year and are hopeful about the economic outlook of the Charlotte Region.
“It’s been very encouraging that we’ve had the amount of site visits that we’ve seen this summer, which is usually a quieter season,” Carson said. “We are hopeful for what’s to come in quarters three and four and that it is an indicator of economic activity and growing interest in the region.”
“As we are all aware, the world has been beholden to some market factor stressors,” Anderson said. “But this region is still very much a market of interest for different industries and subsectors to invest in. Our job is to keep beating the path to find these opportunities and engage our partners in the process.”
The team is also preparing for the full deployment of Select CLT programming in Q4 that will engage investors looking to be more involved in the economic development of the region and Select CLT’s recruitment efforts. To learn more about the work of the Select CLT team, click here.
