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NEWS: Buffalo Niagara Enterprise
For Immediate Release: September 10, 2009
 
For Information Contact:
Paul S. Pfeiffer
Director, Investor & Public Relations
(716) 842-1357, ext. 118 or cell: (716) 913-6283

Strong Numbers and Pipeline of Activity Highlight
Buffalo Niagara Enterprise Annual Meeting

2008 - 2009 Annual Report recaps regional entities 10 years

Buffalo, NY – Strong numbers associated with a primary focus on attraction efforts, the most significant level of project activity and company interest since their inception, and one of the most globally recognized brands all took center stage at Buffalo Niagara Enterprise’s (BNE) 2008 -2009 annual meeting today.  The event was hosted at the recently opened Avant building, owned and operated by BNE investor Uniland Development Company.  It also marked the organization’s tenth year of marketing the Buffalo Niagara region as a place for new business investment.

BNE reported 19 new project “wins” for the fiscal year, representing more than $336 million in new private sector investment and a positive job impact on the region of 1,354 (810 new jobs pledged and 544 jobs retained).  A “win” is defined as a commitment by a BNE client managed company to invest in new or expanded business operations. 

“In 2008 - 2009, BNE continued focusing on its core competency of attracting business investment to our region.  In the face of the formidable challenges presented by our economic climate,  I’m very pleased with our results,” said National Fuel Gas Company President & CEO David F. Smith, Chairman of BNE’s Board of Directors.  “Our ability to succeed in this extremely competitive environment is a validation of the message delivered and the tactics employed in the markets and industry clusters identified as having strong potential for growth in the eight county region we serve,” Smith added.

The success of BNE’s outreach and attraction efforts were emphasized in the reporting of their numbers.  Three of their project wins have company headquarters outside of North America – Kemper System, Vellmar, Germany; Sampla Belting SRL, Milan Italy; and Menai Medical, East

Sussex, United Kingdom.  The Canadian market yielded seven project wins across three industry
clusters with the Province of Ontario producing 37% of BNE’s total wins.  Those wins categorized as pure attraction projects made up 89% of the total number of wins, an increase of 9% over last year. 

For the last two years, a primary BNE goal has been the restocking of their pipeline of activity and projects.  In spite of the significant economic challenges, the group made major strides this year generating 137 new opportunities, 118 new business leads and 35 active projects by the close of their fiscal year on June 30, 2009. 

“The numbers reported are the most significant and represent the busiest our staff has ever been in our 10 year history,” said President & CEO Thomas Kucharski, CEcD.   “They are a true testament to the effectiveness of our research, marketing and economic development efforts, and they are the reason why we remain so optimistic about the year ahead,” he added.   In summarizing BNE’s workload for the year, Kucharski pointed out that the BNE assisted 26 companies with the conduct of 106 site visits during the year.  That averages out to one site visit every 2.2 working days.

Perhaps the most recognizable wins of the year was the Yahoo! data center project in Niagara County.  In a presentation made by Chris Page, Director of Climate & Energy Strategy for the internet giant, attendees learned that the region successfully competed in a process that started with 22 states and 2 other countries.  Page cited the region’s workforce, availability of clean power (hydro-power) and the cool climate as being important to the company’s decision to locate here.  Regarding BNE, Page said the responsiveness, the tenacity and creativity shown in overcoming hurdles in the process and the seamless teamwork across organizations provided by BNE staff was key to the success of the entire project.

Other highlights included in the annual report to BNE investors and the community at large were the U.S CEO Perception Analysis and Green Industries Research studies; continuation of aggressive efforts in the Canadian market that included 16 speaking engagements and six separate e-communications to over 2,000 Canadian contacts; joining with Empire State Development to bring more than 50 foreign trade consulates from over 30 countries to the region for two days of educational, marketing and business development activities; and hosting the 2008 Northeastern Economic Developers Association Conference, the 2009 American Solar Energy Society National Conference, and the Wind Component Manufacturing Symposium. 

 “I believe very strongly that the results and initiatives we have reported are not only proof that our Buffalo Niagara region can successfully compete for new businesses and new jobs, but that this community can prosper in a global economy,” Chairman David Smith told the meeting attendees.  “I am confident that we will continue to achieve success and I want to thank all of our investors and partners for sharing my optimism for the future,” the Chairman concluded.

Buffalo Niagara Enterprise is the point of contact for business attraction and expansion for the eight counties of Western New York.  For information on doing business in the BuffaloNiagara region, visit www.buffaloniagara.org.

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