Give Broome County a look, so you too can #thrivenow through economic development - by Stacey Duncan

Successful economic development is more than just an idea for a start-up. It’s more than the desire to revitalize a downtown area, or the countless contracts, permits, and applications that go into seeing a project from start to finish. While these are all components to the commercial growth of an area, they are not the starting point.

Economic development begins with a conversation, and in Broome County, The Agency is central to that conversation.

Before any of the substantial goals of our community can be met, such as new businesses opened, infrastructure expanded upon, or jobs created, there has to be an open dialogue about the best way to help businesses and developers reach their goals.

As the leading dynamic, approachable driver of economic development in Broome County, our goal is to facilitate the conversation that goes along with helping our community and your business—should you choose to invest in Broome County—to reach its full potential and truly thrive.

So how do we carry out these conversations and how can we extend that conversation to include your business? Through a number of different efforts carried out every day by our staff and partners.

Attracting global companies  

If you choose to invest in Broome County, let us use our strong local connections to foster and grow relationships for your business, whether it is through building supply chains or connecting with support services. We recently welcomed global company Canopy Growth Corp. (CGC) to the town of Kirkwood. CGC announced the creation of an industrial hemp park because of the access to major U.S. markets and proximity to lush agricultural land. Amphenol AIO recently announced the insourcing of some of their advanced manufacturing technologies with access to their national supply chain and for access to our outstanding workforce.  These relationships can bring about endless collaboration possibilities and other opportunities for your business, and its inevitable success in the area.

Having a positive communications strategy 

The Agency launched the, “Broome County…a good life” (broomeisgood.com) program to promote the many advantages to living in Broome, including access to a mobile professional and personal life. You can find yourself kayaking at Dorchester Lake at one moment and making a show in Manhattan by evening. 

Connecting with millennials 

There is a rejuvenated entrepreneurial spirit in Broome County and the Southern Tier with young and enterprising individuals making the area their own. The Koffman Southern Tier Incubator in downtown Binghamton is filled with exciting and innovative millennial start-ups and the annual Southern Tier YP Summit and HYPE awards are celebrating our growing millennial workforce. 

Building our academic and R&D capacity 

Binghamton University’s Smart Energy Complex and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences are opening up new avenues with research in the last technologies in energy and battery storage, as well as cutting-edge research in pharma. Now is the perfect time to create innovative private public partnerships and locate in proximity to the premier public university, ranked 16^th in best public universities in the U.S. 

Investing in all parts of the economy 

The Agency is dedicated to influencing every part of Broome County’s economy. This takes shape in many different ways, but starts with promoting how much Broome County can offer both seasoned businesses and enterprising entrepreneurs. We believe in Broome County, and if you choose to invest in Broome County, your business will always be promoted and supported by The Agency. Team up with us and the opportunities for you and your business will be endless.

The ingredients for success are all right here. I hope you’ll be a part of the future of our community.  Give Broome County a look, so you too can #thrivenow.

Stacey Duncan is the executive director of The Agency, Broome County IDA/LDC, Binghamton, N.Y.