Enhancing quality of life can encompass improving education, developing the arts, stimulating local business creation, or improving the physical amenities of an area…just to name a few. But one idea that has taken off across the globe is the creation of green space. In an effort to attract and retain residents and skilled workers, cities are using parks and open space to leverage investment into their local economies.
In the 1980s, Chattanooga, Tennessee suffered an economic recession due to the closing and relocation of factories…not to mention the area was wrought with air pollution from towering smoke stacks. Due to the increasing unemployment rates and the declining quality of life, residents were quickly moving elsewhere. As a result, the local government, businesses, and community groups came together to explore ways in which they could improve Chattanooga’s quality of life. They decided to purchase land for parks and open space, and, as a result, things began to turn around.
In their case study of Chattanooga, the Trust for Public Land found: “the environmentally progressive redevelopment of Chattanooga’s downtown riverfront [there is a 75-mile network of greenways and trails located along river] involved $356 million in public and private investment. In eight years between 1988 and 1996 the number of businesses and full-time jobs in the district more than doubled, and assessed property values went up over $11 million, an increase of 127.5 %. Over the same period, the annual combined city and county property tax revenues [in the downtown riverfront area] went up $592,000, an increase of 99%.”
Chattanooga’s success is one of many. People want to live in areas that are adorned with open space and that are visually appealing. Countless studies have shown that corporate CEOs and small company owners alike equate parks/open space (ie. quality of life) as the highest priority for choosing a new location for their business.
The Cape Fear Future Quality of Life Team understands this rationale and is currently exploring/supporting efforts to create green space. Other efforts are also already underway: the newly sworn-in New Hanover County commissioners wasted no time, voting unanimously to purchase approximately 63 acres near Castle Hayne Park in an effort to create a multi-use park. In their list of prioritized initiatives, the Vision 2020 Committee has also endorsed ways in which we can create more waterfront parks and green corridors.
There are, however, other “green” projects that improve an area’s quality of life. While traveling in Europe this summer, I had the fortune of seeing multiple projects that were pioneering, creative, progressive, and downright sensible. There were few new large-scale development projects, but instead, revitalization and improvement efforts that enhanced the unique infrastructure already in place. For instance, the European Environmental Agency in Copenhagen launched their “Europe in Bloom” campaign which built on the concept of façade improvements- a brilliant idea. The project puts a twist on the traditional ideas of green space, gardens, and external building improvements. Several agencies came together in Copenhagen and designed a vertical garden, the first outdoor green façade in Denmark. It serves multiple purposes: acts as a home for animals, produces food, insulates buildings, absorbs urban noise, reduces dust (improving air quality), and improves the overall aesthetics of the area (see the link below for photographs and more detail).
The European Environmental Agency explains: “The EEA Living Façade wants to illustrate the significance of vertical gardens as urban green areas. These areas represent a backbone for human health, biodiversity and ecosystem services in cities. For most urban dwellers, the perception of "greenery" in or nearby their cities is an integral part of what constitutes the 'quality of life'.”
In closing, the acquisition of land and redevelopment projects like the aforementioned are not always feasible… in large part this is a result of the current economic state and reduced budgets. But it is important to remember that conservation and open space have overwhelmingly proved to have incredible return on investment. If we want to improve the quality of life in the Cape Fear Region we must formulate strategies that are sustainable and innovative, but that represent our regional brand and satisfy the community as a whole.
http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/biodiversity/living-facade
Monday, December 13, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
An Entrepreneurial Economy
In case you haven’t heard, entrepreneurship is all the rage…and should be.
In a recent opinion column published in the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Jonathan Rowe, the Director of the UNCW Entrepreneurship Center, stated the importance of entrepreneurship: “For Southeastern North Carolina, 73 percent of our registered businesses have less than ten employees and, according to the North Carolina Division of Labor, 60 percent to 80 percent of new jobs each year come from companies with less than 25 employees or less than five years old.” These statistics clearly encapsulate the need for entrepreneurs and startups in our region; they also mean we, as a community, must provide the proper training, education and support to ensure their emergence and fruition.
If you decide to start your own business, no one is going to hand you a blueprint that will determine the roadmap for success. There are however, a few characteristics that set successful entrepreneurs aside from the rest.
Entrepreneurs must be innovative, committed, determined, passionate, and have an ability to understand their target market and why that market must have their product…oh yeah, and successful entrepreneurs need a little financial capital too.
The News and Observer recently published a report on a Duke Alum who demonstrated such tenacious entrepreneurial spirit. A novice at Microsoft, Kimberly Jenkins went to her boss with what she thought was one heck of a pitch—sell Microsoft products to Universities. Steve Ballmer, CEO, ran the idea up the ladder to Bill Gates; neither was taken with the idea but decided to let her go with it…the N&O reports “Within a year, Microsoft’s new educational products division was responsible for 10% of the company’s domestic revenue”. Jenkins is a beautiful exemplar of someone with determination and passion, and who decided to take a risk because she knew what market to target.
We hear countless stories about entrepreneurs, young and old, who have launched successful start-ups across our region…and most of these start-ups are smaller in scale, with the occasional emergence of a Fred Eshelman—an incredible story of an entrepreneur who established a start up that blossomed into a high-growth company called PPD, with offices in 42 countries and more than 10,500 professionals worldwide. We need more of those types, and we may be on our way.
Universities across the state are already realizing the importance of entrepreneurial activity to the regional and global economy. The UNCW E-Center is growing at an incredible pace, offering mentorship, competitions, regular networking events, education, and even real financial capital. Efforts are underway at both Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill to invest in interdisciplinary entrepreneurial education (see News and Observer article link below), but efforts must go beyond just educational programs. Our region must first understand the importance of entrepreneurship and what resources are needed to foster such an environment.
Peter Drucker, the renowned business management guru and philosopher said: “The best way to predict the future is to create it”. Now is the time. Let us create a prosperous future, a creative future, a future that will buzz with economic wealth and a better quality of life.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/29/831964/duke-alumna-is-hunting-good-ideas.html#storylink=misearch
In a recent opinion column published in the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Jonathan Rowe, the Director of the UNCW Entrepreneurship Center, stated the importance of entrepreneurship: “For Southeastern North Carolina, 73 percent of our registered businesses have less than ten employees and, according to the North Carolina Division of Labor, 60 percent to 80 percent of new jobs each year come from companies with less than 25 employees or less than five years old.” These statistics clearly encapsulate the need for entrepreneurs and startups in our region; they also mean we, as a community, must provide the proper training, education and support to ensure their emergence and fruition.
If you decide to start your own business, no one is going to hand you a blueprint that will determine the roadmap for success. There are however, a few characteristics that set successful entrepreneurs aside from the rest.
Entrepreneurs must be innovative, committed, determined, passionate, and have an ability to understand their target market and why that market must have their product…oh yeah, and successful entrepreneurs need a little financial capital too.
The News and Observer recently published a report on a Duke Alum who demonstrated such tenacious entrepreneurial spirit. A novice at Microsoft, Kimberly Jenkins went to her boss with what she thought was one heck of a pitch—sell Microsoft products to Universities. Steve Ballmer, CEO, ran the idea up the ladder to Bill Gates; neither was taken with the idea but decided to let her go with it…the N&O reports “Within a year, Microsoft’s new educational products division was responsible for 10% of the company’s domestic revenue”. Jenkins is a beautiful exemplar of someone with determination and passion, and who decided to take a risk because she knew what market to target.
We hear countless stories about entrepreneurs, young and old, who have launched successful start-ups across our region…and most of these start-ups are smaller in scale, with the occasional emergence of a Fred Eshelman—an incredible story of an entrepreneur who established a start up that blossomed into a high-growth company called PPD, with offices in 42 countries and more than 10,500 professionals worldwide. We need more of those types, and we may be on our way.
Universities across the state are already realizing the importance of entrepreneurial activity to the regional and global economy. The UNCW E-Center is growing at an incredible pace, offering mentorship, competitions, regular networking events, education, and even real financial capital. Efforts are underway at both Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill to invest in interdisciplinary entrepreneurial education (see News and Observer article link below), but efforts must go beyond just educational programs. Our region must first understand the importance of entrepreneurship and what resources are needed to foster such an environment.
Peter Drucker, the renowned business management guru and philosopher said: “The best way to predict the future is to create it”. Now is the time. Let us create a prosperous future, a creative future, a future that will buzz with economic wealth and a better quality of life.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/29/831964/duke-alumna-is-hunting-good-ideas.html#storylink=misearch
Monday, October 11, 2010
Jobless Need Technical Expertise to Re-enter Workforce
In today’s evolving workforce, there is an increasing demand for technical and computer expertise.
AP Economics writer Christopher Rugaber has reported that in the midst of financial crisis, many retirees and aging employees are finding the need to return to work, but many are not able to compete because the jobs they once knew so well are now relying on technical skills that were not needed before. People are beginning to discover they cannot even qualify for their old positions. Unfortunately, this further hinders the staggering unemployment rate across the country. As most employers are looking for a specific skill set, they are not turning to the unemployed/formerly employed sector, but rather those individuals already employed who are already equipped with the skills they need.
The competition to obtain a job in general is compounded by the fact that most manufacturing industries (where much of the retired workforce has experience) now require two skill sets: business analysis and system analysis. Christopher Rugaber of the Associated Press, reports this trend is a result of companies’ decision to control costs during the recession. The goal is to hire fewer people with varied skills which in turn maintains or increases productivity.
Rugaber reports, “Human resource specialists say employers who increasingly need multi-skilled employees aren’t willing to settle for less. They’d rather wait and hold jobs vacant”.
This is one of the issues that Cape Fear Future will help to address. The skills gap is growing in today’s workforce and it is important to push forward those training and educational programs necessary in addressing the needs of employers. Cape Fear Future is exploring STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs to be implemented in the New Hanover County School System that may better prepare the upcoming workforce. Moreover, to assess the needs of local employers, the Cape Fear Future Education Task Force has distributed surveys asking employers the current educational/technical expertise needed in their field, the current performance/proficiency of their employers, and those demands they expect from future applicants. This survey will allow a closer look at the needs and expectations of our recent graduates, and our current and future workforce.
Click here to read Christopher Rugaber’s full article.
AP Economics writer Christopher Rugaber has reported that in the midst of financial crisis, many retirees and aging employees are finding the need to return to work, but many are not able to compete because the jobs they once knew so well are now relying on technical skills that were not needed before. People are beginning to discover they cannot even qualify for their old positions. Unfortunately, this further hinders the staggering unemployment rate across the country. As most employers are looking for a specific skill set, they are not turning to the unemployed/formerly employed sector, but rather those individuals already employed who are already equipped with the skills they need.
The competition to obtain a job in general is compounded by the fact that most manufacturing industries (where much of the retired workforce has experience) now require two skill sets: business analysis and system analysis. Christopher Rugaber of the Associated Press, reports this trend is a result of companies’ decision to control costs during the recession. The goal is to hire fewer people with varied skills which in turn maintains or increases productivity.
Rugaber reports, “Human resource specialists say employers who increasingly need multi-skilled employees aren’t willing to settle for less. They’d rather wait and hold jobs vacant”.
This is one of the issues that Cape Fear Future will help to address. The skills gap is growing in today’s workforce and it is important to push forward those training and educational programs necessary in addressing the needs of employers. Cape Fear Future is exploring STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs to be implemented in the New Hanover County School System that may better prepare the upcoming workforce. Moreover, to assess the needs of local employers, the Cape Fear Future Education Task Force has distributed surveys asking employers the current educational/technical expertise needed in their field, the current performance/proficiency of their employers, and those demands they expect from future applicants. This survey will allow a closer look at the needs and expectations of our recent graduates, and our current and future workforce.
Click here to read Christopher Rugaber’s full article.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Entrepreneurship Summit - September 19-20
The University of North Carolina Wilmington and the N.C. Biotechnology Center southeastern office will host the fourth North Carolina Entrepreneurship Summit on September 19-20 at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside.
The conference will focus on fostering relationships between policy makers, entrepreneurs and advocates for business, economic or work-force development to help entrepreneurs flourish in the state.
For the two-day agenda visit: http://www.ncentresummit.org/event-details.php
Registration is $95 for professionals and $25 for students. The events are open to the public. To register, go to: http://www.ncentresummit.org
The conference will focus on fostering relationships between policy makers, entrepreneurs and advocates for business, economic or work-force development to help entrepreneurs flourish in the state.
For the two-day agenda visit: http://www.ncentresummit.org/event-details.php
Registration is $95 for professionals and $25 for students. The events are open to the public. To register, go to: http://www.ncentresummit.org
Friday, August 13, 2010
Entrepreneurs Get Opportunity for Free Business Advice
The UNCW Entrepreneurship Center is hosting an Entrepreneurial Speed Dating event on August 26th at 5:30pm where attendees will have an opportunity to talk with leading experts on the following key topics related to individual entrepreneurs and business: legal, accounting, commercial insurance, equity investing, successful entrepreneurs, and commercial bank lending. Attendees will be able to speak with the above individuals in 5-10 minute "speed dating" intervals. Each booth will have a sign-up sheet for the "speed date" on an ordered first come first serve basis.
This creative idea is a great networking opportunity for students, business owners, upcoming entrepreneurs, and all other interested parties. Events are regularly held by the Entrepreneurship Center and are vital when trying to educate, train, and connect the young entrepreneurs of our community.
The events and networking socials at the Center showcase upcoming entrepreneurs and regional businesses, serving as a catalyst in training and attracting knowledge sector workers and businesses. Jonathan Rowe, the Director of the UNCW Entrepreneur Center, is also an active team leader for the Entrepreneurship task force under Cape Fear Future. Cape Fear Future is thrilled to have the support and cooperation from Rowe and his colleagues as their efforts give momentum to the CFF Entrepreneurial Team, and benefit the business community as a whole.
For more information on the UNCW Entrepreneurship Center or the Entrepreneurial Speed Dating Event, please contact Jonathan Rowe at rowej@uncw.edu
This creative idea is a great networking opportunity for students, business owners, upcoming entrepreneurs, and all other interested parties. Events are regularly held by the Entrepreneurship Center and are vital when trying to educate, train, and connect the young entrepreneurs of our community.
The events and networking socials at the Center showcase upcoming entrepreneurs and regional businesses, serving as a catalyst in training and attracting knowledge sector workers and businesses. Jonathan Rowe, the Director of the UNCW Entrepreneur Center, is also an active team leader for the Entrepreneurship task force under Cape Fear Future. Cape Fear Future is thrilled to have the support and cooperation from Rowe and his colleagues as their efforts give momentum to the CFF Entrepreneurial Team, and benefit the business community as a whole.
For more information on the UNCW Entrepreneurship Center or the Entrepreneurial Speed Dating Event, please contact Jonathan Rowe at rowej@uncw.edu
Friday, August 6, 2010
Wilmington Looks to Expand International Ties
Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo signed a Letter of Understanding with Samarra, Iraq Mayor Mahmood Khalaf Al Bomahdi, with the intent to establish a Sister City relationship between the two cities. The arrangement, signed on August 5th, will help open doors for cultural and educational exchanges and will encourage economic and commercial activity between the cities.
Samarra, like Wilmington, is a riverfront city that also has significant tourism, mainly due to holy sites in the area. Mayor Mahmood visited Wilmington in March of 2010, and met with local business and education leaders over lunch at the Chamber of Commerce to discuss ideas for riverfront and economic development.
If approved by the councils of both cities, Samarra will become Wilmington's fifth Sister City since the program was established in the 1980s. Twinnings have also been established with Dandong, China; Doncaster, England; Bridgetown, Barbados; and San Pedro, Belize. Having international ties is looked upon favorably by knowledge sector workers. Expanding Wilmington's international ties could also be a source for attracting skilled workers to the region in the future.
Samarra, like Wilmington, is a riverfront city that also has significant tourism, mainly due to holy sites in the area. Mayor Mahmood visited Wilmington in March of 2010, and met with local business and education leaders over lunch at the Chamber of Commerce to discuss ideas for riverfront and economic development.
If approved by the councils of both cities, Samarra will become Wilmington's fifth Sister City since the program was established in the 1980s. Twinnings have also been established with Dandong, China; Doncaster, England; Bridgetown, Barbados; and San Pedro, Belize. Having international ties is looked upon favorably by knowledge sector workers. Expanding Wilmington's international ties could also be a source for attracting skilled workers to the region in the future.
Schools Earn Good Marks
Education is one of the three priority areas for Cape Fear Future. A recent report shows New Hanover County Schools are doing well, but there is still considerable room for improvement.
Almost all area schools met expected academic growth goals, and no local schools were classified as low performing, according to a statewide report on education released Thursday, August 5, 2010.
The ABCs of Public Education report is based on results of end-of-grade and end-of-course tests taken in grades 3 through 12. The report also includes information about Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, the federal measure of school progress required by No Child Left Behind and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
In New Hanover County, 37 of 41 schools met expected academic growth, according to the report, while 27 schools recorded high academic growth. The report put 20 schools into the top three tiers of performance – Honor Schools of Excellence, Schools of Excellence and Schools of Distinction – and 29 schools met AYP.
Read the full article at StarNews Online
Almost all area schools met expected academic growth goals, and no local schools were classified as low performing, according to a statewide report on education released Thursday, August 5, 2010.
The ABCs of Public Education report is based on results of end-of-grade and end-of-course tests taken in grades 3 through 12. The report also includes information about Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, the federal measure of school progress required by No Child Left Behind and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
In New Hanover County, 37 of 41 schools met expected academic growth, according to the report, while 27 schools recorded high academic growth. The report put 20 schools into the top three tiers of performance – Honor Schools of Excellence, Schools of Excellence and Schools of Distinction – and 29 schools met AYP.
Read the full article at StarNews Online
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