Text Box: City of Gering; Karla Nieden from Gering New Horizions Tourism; John Koenig, retired banker; TCD Board Members, Bob Unzicker, Joyce Hillman-Kortum, Bill Trumbull, Joe Schon, Stan Walker, Ron Van Voast, & Gary Hall; and Suzanne Browne & Jenny Rodriquez from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. More than 50 businesses were surveyed in just three days thanks to the efforts of these individuals. TCD also wants to thank each business who participated in the survey. They include: Ferguson Signs; Platte Valley Pet Food; Platte River Materials; Print Express; Aurora Loan Services; Snell Services; Nebraska Transport; Brown Sheep Company; Settles Foundry & Gallery; Panhandle Concrete; Strom's Inc.; Scottsbluff Sash & Door; Thompsons Automotive; Waste ConnecText Box: tions; Sandberg Implement; Herstead Monument; Kelley Bean Co.; Sykes; Kurt Manufacturing; Bare Manufacturing; Star Herald; Brown Transfer; Simplot Grower Solutions; First State Bank; Kent News Co.; Telemetrix Inc.; Nebraska Machinery; Casa de Flores Tortilleria; CS Precision; Ameri-Co Carriers; Twin City Pack; Midwest PMS; Rexus Ag; Regional West Medical Center; Creative Signs by Cozad Cozy, Inc.; The Mercantile; Magnolia Homes; Dally Signs; Irrigation Specialties; Hergert Milling; State Line Bean; Aulick Industries; Valley Bank & Trust; Bayard Transcript; Powers Masonry; Trim Line, Inc.; Platte Valley Companies; R&C Welding; Fastenal; Couplamatic; Floyd's Sales & Service; and Western Sugar. Text Box: Twin Cities Development wants to acknowledge and thank all of those who participated in the recent Business Retention & Expansion Survey for the Department of Economic Development. Local volunteers included: Pat Comfort from the Nebraska Workforce Development Office; Susan Verbeck & Lori Stromberg from WNCC; Cheryl Burkhardt-Kriesel from the University of Nebraska‘s Small Business Resource Center; Zac Karpf from Platte Valley National Bank; Ingrid Battershell from the Nebraska Business Development Center; Marvin Harms from the local chapter of SCORE; Keith Ellis from NPPD; Cindy Dickinson & Dwain McLaughlin from the City of Scottsbluff; Corrinne Pedersen & Jim Keeler from the Nebraska Municipal Power Pool; Karen Anderson from the Scottsbluff/Gering United Chamber of Commerce; Becky Stitt from Aurora Loan Services; Pam Richter from the Text Box: Twin Cities Development assisted the Nebraska Department of Economic Development with their Business Retention & Expansion Survey in late July. More than 50 businesses in Scottsbluff, Gering, Bayard, and Mitchell were interviewed by volunteer teams. The survey included questions regarding each business’ level of satisfaction in areas such as utilities, public transportation, public services, taxes, labor availability, and quality of life, with mixed results. Overall satisfaction with the Text Box: quality of workers in the area was rated good; however, availability of workers, especially those trained in specific fields, was rated fair to poor. Additionally, there was an overall consensus that more technology training is needed. The businesses surveyed indicated their biggest challenges faced are technology, staying profitable, and raising capital. On the plus side, however, quality of life in the Valley was rated as high. Quality of life has become more important to most individuals, Text Box: but having a skilled workforce and up-to-date technology in the area are also important considerations. DED’s community presentation has tentatively been set for Text Box: DED’s Business Retention & Expansion Survey Results Page 2 Text Box: Twin Cities Development Association, Inc. Text Box: Volume 1,Issue 3 Text Box: TCD Thanks Survey Business & Volunteers! Text Box: DED’s Survey Results Presentation Thursday October 24, 2002 Friday October 25, 2002 Watch the newspaper for place and times!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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