RAPID CITY (3.5.2018) | Elected officials, local leaders and economic development professionals will gather in two Black Hills towns April 4-5, to learn more about attracting new businesses to their communities.

Hosted by the Rushmore Region Economic Development Alliance, the workshops titled, “Preparing Today for Tomorrow’s Growth,” will allow elected officials, local community leaders, and economic developers to gauge their preparedness to respond to businesses looking to relocate and to better understand what those businesses are seeking, said Rushmore Region Chair Pat Kurtenbach of Sturgis.

“We’re bringing in nationally recognized professional business consultant Janet Ady of Ady Advantage to provide an insider’s perspective in the site selection process,” Kurtenbach said. “This is an opportunity for all of our communities to grade ourselves, understand our capacities, and better position us to attract businesses to the Rushmore Region.”

The free half-day sessions are set for April 4 in Hot Springs and April 5 in Spearfish, Kurtenbach said. They will allow participants to gain an insider’s perspective of what businesses look for when they consider choosing a new location, understand site-selection mega-trends, explore special considerations for economic development in our region, and learn how to market to site selectors, she noted.

Ady Advantage, a Madison, Wis.-based economic development and marketing consulting firm, has worked with dozens of communities and companies throughout the U.S. to identify “best-practices” and help its clients position themselves for growth, Kurtenbach said. 

For more information, or to register, go online at rushmoreregion.com/advantage.