Business Beat
Semaphore Inks New Economic Development Partnership
Alliance Will Broaden Services to Clients

Semaphore clients will now have even more economic development expertise at their fingertips thanks to a strategic alliance with Alan Craig, CEO of Competitive Economics.

With more than 15 years of economic development experience as both a local economic developer and consultant with a variety of clients, Craig brings a level of research and other services combined with the marketing expertise of Semaphore to help economic development clients more thoroughly prepare themselves for the competitive global market, said Cynthia Gilliam, Semaphore president.

"Economic development is not simply industrial recruitment or ribbon cuttings; rather, it is a focused, ongoing process that, at its core, raises both a community's quality of life and its standard of living. This requires the right mix of resources to be successful," Craig said. "When I began looking for a marketing partner I kept hearing about Semaphore. Their years of experience in economic development marketing made it a natural that I approach them about this unique partnership.

"When you combine the economic development marketing experience of Semaphore with research, in-the-trenches experience and data management, you get a strategic alliance of professionals who know economic development," he said.

"In order to improve our services, we wanted to add another dimension to our considerable marketing experience," Gilliam said. "This partnership strengthens Semaphore and Competitive Economics' abilities to offer our clients the absolute best in economic development marketing and research."

Craig created Competitive Edge, an array of products that includes reliable economic and demographic data assessment, business climate analysis and programming, image audits, marketing implementation planning, organizational assessment, economic development strategic planning and implementation planning. These products are designed to be a package or a la carte, whatever fits your needs and budget.

For Semaphore's economic development clients, this means you get a team of experts who know that the key to all successful economic development programs is first to understand the realities that define the current and future competitiveness of an area and then to assist the community in implementing a sustained, successful economic development program.