regional economic Development council of the Southern Tier ...

1 The Southern Tier S ApproAch To economic GrowTh Catalytic, Collaborative, Comprehensive, CompetitiveRegional economic Development council of the Southern TierSouthern tier2 Delivered to the Navy in June 2011, the 100th fully missionized MH-60R helicopter departs from Lockheed Martin, Owego. The systems integrator for the aircraft, Lockeed Martin integrated the helicopter s digital cockpit, multi-mode radar, acoustic sonar suite, long-range infrared camera and other advanced sensors to detect, identify, track and engage surface and subsurface TieR3 Southern TieRCatalytic, Collaborative, Comprehensive, CompetitiveRegional economic Development council of the Southern TierSTrAT eGic economic Development p lAn: 2011 2016 Catalytic, Collaborative, Comprehensive, Competitive Section i. i ntroduction and executive SummaryA. Introduction 9B. Philosophy and Approach 9C. Summary of Existing Conditions and economic Opportunities 10D. Vision 18E. economic Development Strategy and Components 18F.

2 How Strategies Will Transform the Region s Economy 25G. Implementation Agenda 28H. Performance Measurement 34 Section ii. existing conditions and Strategic opportunitiesPAR T 1. regional Assessment of Existing Conditions and economic Opportunities A. Southern Tier Overview 39 B. Demographic and Socioeconomic Trends 45 C. Education 48 D. Health 49 E. Housing 51 F. Labor 52 G. Infrastructure 57 H. Natural Resources 61 Table of Contents4 Par t 2. Southern tier s Principal Growth Sectors and Clusters A. Industry Growth Trends 64 B. Industry Custer Analysis 65 Section iii. vision StatementA. regional economic Development Vision for the Southern Tier 73B. Strategies 73C. Critical Issues to be Addressed and Opportunities to be Seized 74D. Public and Stakeholder Engagement Process 97 Section iv. economic Development Strategy and componentsA. Process Used to Determine Strategies 105B. Criteria Used to Select Priority Projects 105C.

3 Strategies, Projects and Initiatives 105 Section v. i mplementation AgendaPAR T 1. Implementation Schedule 139 PAR T 2. Organizational Structure to Ensure Plan Implementation and Ongoing Public Participation 144 Section vi. performance measurementAppendicesAppendix A. Work Plan Group Members 155 Appendix B. List of Organizations Contacted and Reports and Plans Secured 158 Appendix C. Summary of Public Engagement 161 Appendix D. Statewide economic Development Issues 172 Appendix E. Recent Business Announcements 175 Appendix F. List of Potential Shovel Ready Sites 177 Appendix G. Additional Detail, regional Assessment of Existing Conditions and economic Opportunities 179 Table of Contents5 Southern TieRCatalytic, Collaborative, Comprehensive, CompetitiveRegional council General MembersDavid Skorton, regional council Co-chair and President of Cornell UniversityTom Tranter, regional council Co-chair and President & CEO of Corning EnterprisesKeith Baumann, Director of Finance, Howell PackagingDr.

4 Kathryn Boor, Dean of College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Cornell UniversityPatricia A. Cummings, Partner, Leonard & Cummings, LLCM artin A. Dietrich, President & CEO, NBT BankPeg Ellsworth, Executive Director, MARK Project Hartman, Business Manager, IBEW Lo c a l 139 Diane Lantz, Executive Director, REDEC Relending CorporationDr. C. Peter Magrath, President, Binghamton UniversityJames (Jay) McNamara, President & CEO, Endicott Interconnect TechnologiesGeorge Miner, President, Southern Tier economic Growth, J. Patak, President & CEO, Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial HospitalUttara Prasad, President & CEO, Lin Industries, Santoni, President & CEO, Greater Binghamton Chamber of CommerceBarbara J. Schindler, President & COO, Golden Artists Colors, M. Shumaker, President, Shumaker Engineering & Surveying, Spoor, Vice President, Lockheed Martin Systems IntegrationMichael Stamm, President, Tompkins County Area Development , Inc. A. Scott Welliver, Chairman & CEO, Welliver McGuire Candace Vancko, President, SUNY DelhiElected OfficialsPatrick Brennan, Broome, County ExecutiveMartha Robertson, Tompkins, Chair of County LegislatureThomas Santulli, Chemung, County ExecutiveDale Weston, Tioga, Chair of County LegislatureJoseph Hauryski, Steuben, Chair of County LegislatureDennis Fagan, Schuyler, Chair of County LegislatureRichard Decker, Chenango, Chair of County LegislatureJames Eisel, Delaware, Chair of County LegislatureJohn Bernardo, Town of Union, SupervisorCarolyn Peterson, City of Ithaca, MayorJohn Tonello, City of Elmira, MayorRegional council Support StaffKevin McLaughlin, council Executive Director and Director, Southern Tier regional Office, Empire State Development Robin Alpaugh, Southern Tier regional Office, Empire State Development Frank Surdey, New York State Department of Labor Julie Sweet, New York State Department of StateTimothy Grippen, New York State Department of LaborAnn Kossachev.

5 Southern Tier regional Office, Empire State Development Strategic Planning Consultant to the regional council Susan Payne, Community & economic Development ConsultantCouncil and Work Plan Group Meeting FacilitatorsThomas Kowalik, Binghamton University, Director of Continuing Education and OutreachSusan Payne, Strategic Planning ConsultantStrategic Plan Design and Production TeamElisabeth Corveleyn, Consultant, Market Research and Document DevelopmentClive Howard, Cornell University, Project Management, Document Design and ProductionLorraine Heasley, Cornell University, Document DesignKatelyn Schultz, Cornell University, Final Document Editing Coordination and LogisticsElizabeth Kelly, Binghamton UniversityThomas Kowalik, Binghamton UniversityStephen Johnson, Cornell UniversityKathleen Mary Snyder, Cornell UniversityTracy Vosburgh, Cornell UniversityClaudia A. Wheatley, Cornell UniversityPhotos provided by: Binghamton University; Ed Aswad and the Broome County Industrial Development Agency; Cornell University Photography; Corning Community College; Corning Gaffer District; Corning Incorporated; Endicott Interconnect Technologies; I Love NY; Lockheed Martin; New York State Department of Labor; NYSERDA; Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital; Press & Sun-Bulletin; Southern Tier economic Growth; and various contributors who documented the 2011 tierSouthern tierNovember 14, 2011 Kenneth Adams President and Chief Executive Officer Empire State Development Corporation 633 3rd Avenue, 37th Floor New York, New York 10017 Dear Mr.

6 Adams:We are pleased to present the regional economic Development council of the Southern Tier economic Development Plan. This is a thoughtful and comprehensive blueprint for economic growth, involving community leaders focusing on five significant themes that will bring jobs to the Southern Tier. Our council is confident that the execution of this plan will recharge the Southern Tier into a competitive economic region. We expect the implementation process will continue to serve as a unifying force in the region, one that brings together agencies, academic institutions and the private sector at all levels, with a shared vision for economic plan presents an analysis of the region s core strengths and opportunities to leverage its assets. The document identifies tactics to deal effectively with the barriers we face to bring about real change with measurable results. The planning process represented the deliberative involvement of businesses, stakeholder groups, and the residents of our region.

7 The resulting strategies highlighted in this plan are designed to increase employment, facilitate the growth and expansion of industry and business, improve the quality of life of all residents, grow the tax base, further promote and develop the region, and position the Southern Tier as a great place to live, work, and increase economic this plan, the leadership of our region will be empowered to employ strategies for attracting business, enhancing agriculture and health care, expanding the industrial base, and rebuilding our infrastructure by the active involvement of industry and government working with our colleges and universities. The plan to combine our eight counties to collectively forward economic Development has created a cohesive and competitive regional force. With your support we look forward to implementing this dynamic blueprint. Best regards,David Skorton, President of Cornell University Co-chair, regional economic Development council of the Southern TierTom Tranter, President of Corning Enterprises Co-chair, regional economic Development council of the Southern Tier7 Southern TieRCatalytic, Collaborative, Comprehensive, CompetitiveSection i.

8 I ntroduction and executive Summary Our council is confident that the execution of this plan will recharge the Southern Tier into a competitive economic region. We expect the implementation process will continue to serve as a unifying force in the region, one that brings together agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector at all levels, with a shared vision for economic growth. David Skorton, President, Cornell University Tom Tranter, President, Corning Enterprises Co-chairs, regional economic Development council of the Southern Tier 8 The Southern Tier region is distinguished by innovative partnerships between academic centers and its manufacturing base. Cornell and Binghamton Universities offer nationally recognized programs of study and faculty, research and Development centers, new technologies and business incubators. Global corporations offer the opportunity to productize next generation technologies, especially in energy and TieR9 Section iintroduction and executive SummaryA.

9 IntroductionOn August 4, 2011, at Binghamton University, the Southern Tier regional economic Development council was established. Thirty two individuals representing the region s colleges and universities, businesses and industry, economic Development agencies, government, education, health care and services sectors joined together with the ambitious goal of forging a plan, that over five transformative years, would guide the region to renewed economic prosperity. The planning process brought together stakeholders, community leaders, economic Development practitioners, innovators at the forefront of their fields, and for the first time, brought scholars and researchers from the region s distinguished universities into a collaborative exchange. That exchange catalyzed productive discussion and, through the leadership of the council by late October, culminated in a focused, comprehensive economic Development plan designed to restore the Southern Tier to a competitive market strategic plan demonstrates an overall economic Development strategy that addresses challenges, leverages opportunities and is focused on return on investment with measurable philosophy and ApproachThe regional council s approach to the planning process was based on the assumption that its strategic plan would be Catalytic, Collaborative, Comprehensive and Competitive.

10 To reach this objective the council set forth a vision, and then undertook an intense process designed to maximize citizen involvement and those resources that have the potential to be economic drivers in the information-gathering process, while assuring an accurate and comprehensive identification and analysis of issues and opportunities from across the Southern Tier and its economic sectors. The council reached out to every critical constituency group, acknowledging realities and differences, encouraging lively and frank discussions, and finally, achieving consensus-building from within. The regional council actively engaged these stakeholders and the general public in meaningful dialog through eight work plan groups, online surveys, open comment section of its public website, six public forums, and public sessions held during each council meeting. Experts in their fields, academic leaders and scientists, business decision-makers and strategic planners were brought in to make certain the council s plan would maximize the potential and bring about real, measurable results that would be in the form of job creation and improved quality of life.