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A number of Heartland states—Nebraska, Missouri and Michigan—moved up on Chief Executive’s rankings from last year, with several CEO survey respondents backing that up with glowing reviews.
“Nebraska has it all, great state to do business in and [to] live,” said one CEO respondent. “Parts of the Midwest, including Ohio and Michigan, continue to reawaken to business interests and it’s an exciting time to be working there,” said another CEO respondent.
Nebraska moved up seven slots on the list, from No. 27 last year to No. 20 in 2017, and for good reason. The Cornhusker State ranks 7th for Workforce Quality, 11th for Living Environment and 12th for Taxation and Regulation.
According to the Nebraska Dept. of Economic Development, 2012 legislation enhanced the state’s competitive incentives package, called the Nebraska Advantage, to include benefits for large data center projects and a 10-year personal property tax exemption for “Tier 2” mid-sized projects It’s no wonder the state ranked 2nd in the country by CEOs for awareness of incentives. Companies headquartered in Nebraska include Berkshire Hathaway, ConAgra Foods, HobbyTown USA and Mutual of Omaha.
Missouri moved up four slots, from No. 29 to No. 25. The Show-Me State ranks No. 31 for Taxation and Regulation, No. 30 for Workforce Quality, and No. 29 for Living Environment. Missouri also is a Top State for Energy/Utilities. The Missouri Energy Initiative, a nonprofit association of public and private-sector entities, united together to enhance energy activities in Missouri. Companies based in Missouri include Emerson Electric, Anheuser-Busch, Arch Coal and Ferrellgas.
Michigan also moved up four slots, from No. 40 to No. 36. The Wolverine State ranks No. 35 for Taxation and Regulation, No. 41 for Workforce Quality, and No. 48 for Living Environment. Michigan is also a Top State for High-Tech. Companies headquartered there include Ford, GM, Gerber and Hummer. In 2013, Michigan became the 24th right-to-work state in the nation. Since Michigan’s right-to-work law took effect, its job growth now ranks 16th of the 50 states, according to Capcon at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
Mississippi was the overall biggest gainer, moving up 10 slots on the list, from No. 42 last year to No. 32 in 2017. Rolls-Royce, GE Aviation, Northrop Grumman, ROXUL BorgWarner and Caterpillar are among the global companies that call the state home. The Magnolia State ranks No. 27 for Taxation and Regulation, No. 48 for Workforce Quality, No. 42 for Living Environment, and is a Top State for Energy/Utilities. A right-to-work state, Mississippi is centrally positioned in the country’s fastest-growing region, and provides industries with a strong competitive advantage, including a highly productive workforce, a welcoming business climate and a strong network of research university partnerships, according to the Mississippi Development Authority.
Pennsylvania moved up seven slots, from No. 36 to No. 29. Companies based there include Respironics, ViroPharma, Airgas and U.S. Steel. The Keystone State ranks No. 34 for Taxation and Regulation, No. 39 for Workforce Quality, and No. 34 for Living Environment, and it is a Top State for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products.The state hosts many biopharmaceutical and life sciences companies, medical devices firms and private contract laboratories, according to the Ben Franklin Technology Center of Southeastern Pennsylvania. The state’s research universities, institutions and medical centers from which biotech innovations emerge attract more than $2 billion of federal research funding. In conjunction with private industry, led by the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Association, the Commonwealth brought renewed focus to the importance of biotech through the Technology 21 initiative.
Utah moved up four slots, from No. 16 to No. 12. The Beehive State ranks 3rd for Workforce Quality, 8th for Living Environment and 15th for Taxation and Regulation, and it is a Top State for Financial Services. The State of Utah has made a strategic investment to drive economic growth through regional workforce development by participation in the ACT’s Certified Workready Communities Academy. The state’s communities will benefit in several ways; proof of the quality of the workforce, it serves as a process to measure and close the foundational skills gaps, and creates systemic alignment to state and regional economic development. Companies headquartered in Utah include Bullfrog International, Hunstman Corp., iBahn, NPS Pharmaceuticals, Questar Corp., Sinclair Oil Corp., SkyWest Airlines and Zions Bancorp.
Louisiana moved up four slots, from No. 37 to No. 33. The Pelican State ranks 33rd for Taxation and Regulation, 46th for Workforce Quality and 41st for Living Environment. Companies headquartered there include CenturyLink, Entergy, Oreck and Taylor Energy. Provision Healthcare in April announced a $100 million capital investment to build a 30,000-square-foot Louisiana Proton Therapy Center in the New Orleans biomedical corridor. The project will create 60 new direct jobs with an average annual salary of $100,000, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project also will result in 63 new indirect jobs, for a total of more than 120 new jobs in the New Orleans area.
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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.
