Current student assists Stanly County with Master Marketing List of potential businesses.

As I reach the midway point of my PWE with the Stanly County Economic Development Commission (EDC), I wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the work I’ve been involved in so far. The most significant project I have been involved in up to this point has been the creation of a comprehensive master list of all available sites and buildings the EDC is actively marketing for development in Stanly County. Each entry includes key information that supports the EDC’s responses to Requests for Information (RFIs) from companies exploring potential locations.

Since the Stanly County EDC is just a two-person team when I am not here, the economic development coordinator spends a considerable amount of time gathering this information. The purpose of the master list is to make that process more efficient, helping reduce response times for RFIs and allowing the team to focus more on other efforts such as marketing and outreach.

When I first began this project, I assumed gathering the necessary information would be simple and straightforward. I quickly discovered otherwise. Collecting complete and accurate data meant reaching out to a wide range of contacts, including property owners, municipal utilities directors, electric providers, planning departments, and even town managers. Some responded promptly, others provided partial information, and a few did not respond at all. In some cases, especially with utility providers, I found that key personnel had recently left their positions, which required additional steps to identify the right contact person.

Although my initial expectations had to be adjusted, this turned out to be an excellent project for someone like me with limited prior experience in economic development. It gave me a clear view of the field, including the variety of stakeholders involved, what companies prioritize when evaluating sites and buildings, and the communication strategies needed to gather information from different organizations.

I’m pleased to share that the master list is now complete with all essential information. Last week, I presented an overview of the project and a summary of currently available sites and buildings at the EDC Board’s monthly meeting. For the rest of my PWE, I will continue to update the list as new properties become available. I will also begin working on content for the “Success in Stanly” marketing campaign that the EDC plans to launch later this year. This will involve visiting local businesses, writing blog posts about them and their work, and developing social media content the EDC can post on their various accounts throughout the year.