Michigan residents were voting on Proposal 1, the largest tax hike proposed for the state since at least 1967, which promised a net $1.9-billion tax hike. The fact that it was supported by elected officials in both Democratic and Republican parties underscored the seriousness of the crumbling-roads problem in a state that has been trying to climb up off the mat economically since the Great Recession.
Now the importance of highway infrastructure also has been highlighted by the results of a new survey of company executives and industry consultants which showed that “highway accessibility” rose to the No. 1 factor in site selection in 2014, leapfrogging past business concerns about “availability of skilled labor.”
Highway accessibility was the No. 1 concern cited by a combination of these two groups in 2012 and again in 2013 in the annual survey by Area Development magazine. And in the 2014 survey, it rose to No. 1, while availability of skilled labor receded to No. 5 in importance. About 35% of respondents to the survey were manufacturers.
In general, many business and government leaders have been sounding the alarm for several years about the state of the nation’s roads and bridges, and the United States fell from 7th to 18th place overall in the quality of roads in the most recent rankings by the World Economic Forum.
Concerns about road quality have become most acute among manufacturing CEOs who are putting a premium on quick access to new and expanded facilities as they make their site decisions.
“Differences in infrastructure will continue to grow in importance as we become even more of an economy where just-in-time manufacturing and distribution of goods are more critical,” Larry Gigerich, managing director of Ginovus, an Indianapolis-based site consulting firm, told CEO Briefing. “States and communities that make the investments in increasing road infrastructure, and in existing infrastructure, will be in better shape for economic development.”
Michigan voters’ decision was an important one. “Many places have let highway infrastructure go,” said Dean Uminski, partner in the Crowe Horwath consulting firm in Indiana. “Now everyone wants on-time delivery, so it had to be addressed sooner or later.”
Manufacturing CEOs are showing, in the Area Development survey and otherwise, that they want pathways streamlined for optimum delivery efficiency. States and localities that want to succeed in the economic-development derby in a recovering economy will have to heed this concern.
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
