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2011 Gold & Silver Shovel Awards: Recognizing Individual States for Excellence in Economic Development and Job Creation

Spring 2011

    It's not easy winning big investment projects, especially in a recovering economy where states are desperate for jobs and competing fiercely with incentive packages, tax breaks, and work force development programs. Successful economic development leaders must make every effort to understand the drivers behind a company's expansion or relocation, match their assets to the company's needs, and make quick decisions. Only then can they survive the often-strenuous due-diligence process and close deals on high-value investment projects that lead to long-term economic growth, job creation, labor stability, and trustworthy relationships - and even the possibility of national or international recognition as a place to do business.

    With that in mind, Area Development's annual Gold and Silver Shovel Awards recognize individual states for their achievements. This year, three states that were top achievers - Indiana, Michigan, and South Carolina - are being awarded Gold Shovels in recognition of projects undertaken in 2010 creating a significant number of high value-added new jobs as well as investment. Silver Shovels are being awarded to nine runner-up states in three population categories. The Silver Shovel Award recipients are Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia in the greater than 9 million population category; Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Louisiana in the 4 to 9 million population group; and the fewer than 4 million population category is represented by Mississippi and Kansas.


    Gold Shovel Awards

    POPULATION OF 9+ MILLION

    Indiana

    Michigan

    South Carolina

    Silver Shovel Awards
    POPULATION OF 9+ MILLION

    Georgia

    North Carolina

    Texas

    Silver Shovel Awards
    POPULATION OF 4-9 MILLION

    Alabama

    Kentucky

    Louisianna

    Tennessee

    Silver Shovel Awards
    POPULATION under 4 MILLION

    Kansas

    Mississippi

     

     

    .................................................
    Projects of the Year
  • MICHIGAN
    LOUISIANA
    SOUTH CAROLINA
    MISSISSIPPI
    Johnson Controls-Saft
    Nucor Corporation
    First Quality Enterprises
    KIOR
    .................................................
    Methodology
    Area Development's annual Gold and Silver Shovel Awards recognize states for their achievements in attracting high-value investment projects that will create a significant number of new jobs in their communities. We collected information from all 50 states about their top-10 job-creation and investment projects initiated in 2010 (only those projects that actually had monies invested, "broke ground," began an expansion, started new hiring, etc. were considered). Based on a combination of weighted factors - including the number of new jobs to be created in relation to the state's population, the combined dollar amount of the investments, the number of new facilities, the diversity of industry represented - three states achieving the highest weighted overall score are awarded Area Development's 2011 Gold Shovels. Runner-ups in three population categories - over 9 million, between 4 and 9 million, and under 4 million - are awarded 2011 Silver Shovels..

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