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Local Ideas Sometimes Don't Measure Up

While local knowledge can be vital to site selection, sometimes local ideas are not scalable for regional and national considerations.

Question Originally Asked Here:

Local Knowledge Key Asset in Location Decisions

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In which situations should companies ignore the advice of local entities?

Tim Feemster, Managing Principal, Foremost Quality Logistics

"Ignore" is pretty tough. But many locally-developed ideas do not scale up. A team may have a brilliant solution for a strictly local condition. Just because it's brilliant doesn't mean it needs to be repeated, or it might be too expensive to apply except in truly dire situations. Likewise, when it comes to location selection, on-site people tend to focus on specific customers and logistics problems, which may be at odds with regional or national strategy. In this case, the locally-developed process might be worth promoting, but the local interpretation of results may miss the mark.

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About the Author

Tim Feemster, Managing Principal, Foremost Quality Logistics
Over 35 years of experience have provided Tim Feemster, Managing Partner, Foremost Quality Logistics, with a variety of problem solving situations in real estate, transportation, logistics, and distribution. Tim is quoted frequently in the industry press and makes over 20 presentations a year to professional organizations. Before starting FQL Logistics, Feemster was a senior manager in three manufacturing companies, a consultant, an executive in two 3PL logistics providers, and a Practice Group leader two real estate companies. Feemster has been responsible for transportation & warehouse operations, real estate site selection, economic development strategy consulting, strategic planning, and lean quality management. Feemster holds an M.B.A. in Marketing from the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a B.A. in Mathematics from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Feemster is an active member in the Warehouse Education and Research Council (WERC.org), where he is Past President; Council Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP.org); Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC); Intermodal Association of North America (IANA.org), International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses (IARW), and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC.org). He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Trade Data Exchange (TDE) Corporation.

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Noah Shlaes, Seni or Managing Director, Global Corporate Services , Newmark Grubb Knight Frank
Noah Shlaes is a Senior Managing Director of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank’s Global Corporate Services Consulting group and brings to the table over 28 years of experience in corporate real estate strategy and operations, portfolio planning, and real estate technology. Shlaes joined Newmark Grubb Knight Frank from Grubb & Ellis, where he started in 2004 as Managing Director of the Strategic Consulting group. From 1988 to 2002, Shlaes worked at Arthur Andersen, culminating in his role as Director of Corporate Real Estate Services. From 2002 to 2004, he was Senior Director of FPL Associates Consulting, and focused on portfolio review, due diligence, and operations strategy for real estate investment companies. Shlaes has advised international banks, utilities, manufacturing companies, railroads, universities, and state governments on various real estate matters. With a focus on corporate real estate strategy, Shlaes has spanned a diverse client base that includes governments, universities, investors, and corporations across the globe. Shlaes is the creator of the Grubb & Ellis proprietary Thinking Tool and Portfolio Pulse for portfolio planning, and has published articles on portfolio planning, real estate strategy, software selection, and the valuation of brownfield properties. He has also taught real estate appraisal at the graduate level and overseas, and has extensive background in real estate-related computer applications. He has served as a guest lecturer and instructor at DePaul University’s Kellstadt GSB, Boston College, and the School of the Art Institute. Major clients have included Alcoa, Inc.; Arden Realty, Inc.; Arthur J. Gallagher & Company; City of San Diego; Conoco Phillips; Equity Office Properties Trust; Georgia-Pacific; Hewitt Associates; Kamehameha Schools; Microsoft; The Ohio State University; Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Roosevelt University; Union Pacific Railroad; US Postal Service; US Sprint; Waste Management; and Vornado Realty Trust. Shlaes holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Michigan.

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