it's the diaspora, stupid.

Is a fundamental component of improving a regional economy improving the connectivity to a region's own diaspora?

Today's Youngstown Vindicator highlights the opening of the VXI Center in 20 Federal Place, and tells the story of how the communications company selected the Mahoning Valley as a place to expand:

"Chris Butcher, who started with VXI Global Solutions two years ago in Los Angeles, said he and a few others talked up Youngstown when they heard the company was looking to locate its first call center in the Eastern time zone.

“I said, ‘If you want more people like us, and if you want to get the results we’re getting, come to Youngstown, Ohio,” said Butcher, 35, a Howland native who now lives in Hubbard.

Tobias Parrish, vice president of U.S. operations for the Los Angeles-based company, said executives looked at the area based on employee recommendations and liked what they saw."

"VXI intends to fill up the fourth floor of the building with 500 workers and has talked to the city about adding more workers on the fifth floor as business grows."

This blog reviewed last week the value proposition of expanding your technology-based business to the city of Youngstown:

"Youngstown has some of the lowest prices for office space and skilled labor costs in the United States; Youngstown is in close proximity to some of the smartest places and largest markets in the world (including Pittsburgh of G20 fame); Youngstown is home to its own clusters of IT and advanced materials companies and research; and, Youngstown now has the political and community leadership who are ready and willing to engage you."

Video and Business-Journal story with further details here.

Yesterday, the Greater Youngstown 2.0 blog highlighted some of the political leadership.



fired up . . . ready to go.

Entrepreneur magazine: youngstown one of "10 best cities to start a business"

hot off the presses...


The August 2009 issue of Entrepreneur magazine is now in stores across the world, and highlights the "10 Best Cities to Start a Business".

from the article:

"But in the last decade, something special has happened in this northeast Ohio city."

"...are taking Youngstown's business future into their own hands."

"...was revolutionary enough to ignite a renaissance"

what is the magazine talking about?

well, go buy yourself a copy and read about what is growing in downtown youngstown.

it seems Youngstown's neighbor across this page is also on the top 10 list: Austin, Texas. Not bad company.


So really, what are you waiting for?

Get connected to Greater Youngstown 2.0 now.

youngstown diaspora is pitching in - can YOU connect?

a recent post highlighted last week's regional sustainable energy conference held in Youngstown - and the need for the mega-region to skate where the puck is going - in terms of government support.

but what is the back story on how this conference came to be?

The Youngstown Vindicator shines some light on this quandary:

"Abraham credited YSU alumnus Jack Scott with being the driving force behind the conference.

Scott earned a degree in mechanical engineering and worked his way up to become president and chief operating officer of Parsons Corp., a California-based engineering and construction company that has $3.4 billion in annual revenues.

Scott said he has a passion for sustainable energy, but he wanted to hold the conference in Youngstown because of his love for the Mahoning Valley and its people.

“One of the greatest assets of this area is the work ethic,” he said. “We hire people from all over the world. You can always tell people who were hired from this area.”

Scott said the forum has to produce action to be a success. The goal is to link researchers with innovative ideas to people who can bring those ideas to market, he said."

And looking at the mega-region, those assets are already in place, to name a few:

- a national laboratory (NETL) National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh
- a centralized location of energy production
- firming up university research strengths into formalized Centers of Excellence
- connectivity to an educated workforce

but what's missing here?

you.

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as illustrated in the story of the Sustainable Energy Conference and other examples, people from Youngstown are helping their hometown out.

in a big way.

and you can become a part of it.

Connect to the Greater Youngstown 2.0 LinkedIn group today.

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Be a part of the global Youngstown team.

Listen. Help Others. Engage.