About the Author

Global recruitment and trade are key elements of Governor Mike Beebe's strategic plan for economic development. The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) is committed to attracting and retaining the best companies and the most advanced industries from around the world.

For two years in a row, the Little Rock region has been named "America's Fourth Strongest Economy" by the Brookings Institution's MetroMonitor. The Wall Street Journal calls it the nation's "Sixth Best Real Estate Market," while Forbes says it is America's "Seventh Best Place for Jobs."

With so many states trying to lure businesses to their cities, why have such pioneering companies as Intel, Siemens Mobility, Micron, and SynapSense chosen to call Sacramento, California, home?

Kentucky remains a leading location for foreign direct investment. Since January 2010, approximately 30 percent of all announced new investment resulted from FDI activity. Today, nearly 400 foreign-owned companies from almost 30 nations employ more than 75,000 people in the state.

Buffalo Niagara, located in western New York with a population of 1.5 million (2010), is a region that's truly on the rise. In the past decade more than 50 American, Canadian, and international companies have set up shop in Buffalo Niagara, drawn to the many unique benefits the region provides.

Home to more than 900,000, Tulsa, Oklahoma perfectly balances convenience and affordability with the advantages of a highly skilled work force, a central location, a pro-business atmosphere, and an excellent quality of life.

Why have companies like Volkswagen, Alstom, Sanofi-Aventis, and Amazon.com invested more than $3 billion in Chattanooga during the worst economic downturn in recent memory?