Strategic Location Advisors Launches
I am thrilled to announce the launch of Strategic Location Advisors, LLC at the end of this month. As the motto states, we will be “Guiding Locations and Location Decisions” via site selection, strategic planning, and other economic development services. The past 2.5 years at Next Move Group has been extremely rewarding and I appreciate the opportunity Chad and Alex gave me to take that next step. When my career in economic development began, I took the time to learn the industry and all that it has to offer. Eventually, I sat and wrote out goals for my professional life over the next 5, 10, and 15 years, which culminated in launching my own consulting firm. This summer marks the end of that 15th year and I am excited to begin this next chapter!
It’s truly hard to believe it has been that long already. Reaching this goal could not have happened without the guidance of so many mentors and inspiring professionals in the industry along the way. I still remember sitting at the first SEDC Young Professionals conference (now called Emerging Leaders) in Greenville, SC and soaking in the presentations of Del Boyette, Tonya Crist, and others. It has now come full circle as I will get the opportunity to share my experiences with the SEDC Emerging Leaders in Greenville later this year after having recently sited a major project there.
Two of the most brilliant and talented individuals I know are joining as part of our key team members, Ivy Stanley and Chandra Williams. Both have extensive knowledge and experience in economic development, consulting, and site selection. I could brag all day about both of them, but feel free to check out their personal bios on our team page to learn more about their careers. In addition to key leadership, I felt it was important to bring subject matter experts into the fold for critical pieces of the projects we work. Our advisory council adds specific expertise to our client projects with up-to-date and relevant information to ensure desirable outcomes.
In site selection, Strategic Location Advisors will continue working with similar types of clients you have seen the past few years, with a specialty in foreign direct investment projects, particularly Canadian manufacturing firms. Our passion for strategic planning and economic development work will be highly focused on rural communities. I grew up in a rural community, have worked professionally in rural communities, have sited companies in rural communities, and will always have a heart for seeing them grasp opportunities to create a better future for the folks who live there. You will see us working with large companies and communities from time to time, but our heart is in guiding rural locations toward growth and helping international companies land in the most appropriate community for them inside the U.S.
Our entire team is very supportive of the economic development profession and we will begin by giving back to what molded our careers. Having been a member of SEDC for the past 15+ years and serving on the board as both a State Director and Regional Director, we will continue supporting that network along with multiple state associations. The SEDC Annual Conference in Savannah will be our first big event as Strategic Location Advisors and we hope to see you there! It is shaping up to be a tremendous conference due to hard work by the staff, board, and membership.
We be wrapping up client projects with our friends at Next Move Group and I’m sure there will be some fun partnerships as we move forward! Thank you for taking a brief moment to read about the launch of SLA and the dream I’ve had for nearly two decades. Feel free to take a look through the website, learn more about our team and our services, or schedule a meeting with me to catch up by clicking here. We will see you in Savannah!