The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce is among the nation’s top economic development agencies to be recognized by Site Selection magazine as a Top Economic Development Group for 2018. This is the 2nd time in two years and 10th time over the past 15 years that the Fort Worth Chamber has received this distinction.
“The Fort Worth Chamber has been actively pursuing a variety of economic development opportunities for the past two years as part of their Fortify strategy to attract, retain and expand business,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “The Chamber and our regional public and private partners have strengthened their networks to deliver positive results for the region.”
Also known as the Mac Conway Awards for Excellence in Economic Development, named in honor of Site Selection founding publisher H. McKinley “Mac” Conway, the Top Group recognition is for organizations that are attracting investments to help their communities prosper. Two other Texas chambers were also honored. The Dallas Regional Chamber and the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce also received honors.
“Our Fortify strategy is bringing a new attitude to economic development in the region, with more aggressive tactics to attract and grow business as well as talent,” said Chris Strayer, senior vice president of Business Attraction, Retention and Expansion for the Fort Worth Chamber. “Our goal is to grow the business base to reflect our stature as the 15th largest city in the U.S.”
Criteria include the total number of jobs created, the total amount of investment and per capita investment and jobs created in the region in 2018. The publication also looks at unique ways that an organization is addressing critical community issues.
Last year, the Fort Worth Chamber successfully facilitated the completion of 14 projects that occupy a total of two million square feet and will create 2,305 jobs. These deals represent roughly $200 million in total capital investment, including the first ground-up Amazon Air Hub at AllianceTexas that will create 950 new jobs, and the McLane Company grocery and foodservice supply expansion at Carter Industrial Park with 550 jobs.
“Locations throughout the US and in every region of the world compete aggressively for direct investment at home and from abroad,” says Site Selection Editor in Chief Mark Arend. “Those appearing on these rankings have demonstrated with actual project numbers and other measures that they have the location attributes most in demand by capital investors.”
Mac Conway Awards 2018
Charlotte Regional Business Alliance
Columbus 2020
Commerce Lexington
Dallas Regional Chamber
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce
Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
Greater Des Moines Partnership
Louisville Forward & Greater Louisville Inc.
Greater Omaha Chamber
Greater Phoenix Economic Council
Huntsville/Madison County (Alabama) Chamber
Indy Chamber
Lehigh Valley Economic Development
Metro Atlanta Chamber & Invest Atlanta
Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
REDI Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Tri-ED
Regional Growth Partnership (Northwest Ohio)
Savannah Economic Development Authority
The Right Place (Grand Rapids/Western Michigan)
Washington DC Economic Partnership
World Business Chicago