As part of Northern Kentucky Tri-ED's 25th anniversary celebration, NKY Thrives shared
a list of 28 business projects that have helped Northern Kentucky rank at the top of regional and national indices for economic success.
This month, Tri-ED shares renewed efforts to keep -- and grow -- those businesses in the area.
NKY Boost, Tri-ED's new Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) program, supports the continued success of Northern Kentucky businesses by:
- Troubleshooting problems that could prompt an employer to leave the area, and providing resources to help overcome those obstacles
- Identifying ways to help businesses reach more area consumers
- Building relationships and establishing loyalty among individual business leaders
Increased face-time
According to Wade T. Williams, VP of Advanced Manufacturing and BR&E, Tri-ED has been setting the stage for the NKY Boost Program since 2011. The organization underwent a comprehensive review of its strategies and emerged with the new goal of reaching out to every primary employer in Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties with a face-to-face visit every 18-24 months.
That's double Tri-ED's previous efforts.
"NKY Boost will visit approximately 200 primary industry businesses annually," Williams says. "We expect that the program will produce valuable information on workforce trends, training needs, utility reliability, facility and municipal services as well as quality of life indicators. The long-term goal is for NKY Boost to be a resource that helps drive business decisions that include continued investment and expansion in NKY leading to job growth."
NKY Boost will target employers in manufacturing, back-office operations and service centers, corporate headquarters, aviation, distribution facilities, technology companies and research and development centers.
Duke Energy, business leaders, cities and counties join forces with NKY Boost
Some area heavyweights are now on board to assist in the program's efforts. Duke Energy has pledged financial support for the program over the next five years, funds that will go toward coordinating and executing planned visits as well as data collection and analysis.
NKY Boost will also bring together city and county leaders to monitor and improve the program, along with private business leaders, local economic development professionals, and industrial representatives. The program will also engage utilities, educational institutions, workforce organizations, and other groups related to the retention of businesses and expansion opportunities.
That combined strength will make it easier to tackle some of the biggest issues facing Northern Kentucky business growth.
An exciting outlook
Williams is optimistic about what the program means for Northern Kentucky.
"NKY Boost will not only succeed in retaining and growing our local businesses and workforce," he says, "but will serve as an additional recruiting tool as Tri-ED demonstrates that we continue to support and foster growth for new and existing companies once they relocate to Northern Kentucky. Small and large primary industry businesses can reach out to us as well, at any time, with issues, questions, or growth opportunities. We simply want to stay engaged with our businesses by addressing issues and supporting their growth."
Interested in learning more about how the NKY Boost BR&E Program works and how it could benefit your business? Contact Wade Williams at 859-344-0040 or
[email protected].
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