AllianceSTL – Showing the U.S. and World What St. Louis Has to Offer
By Steve Johnson, President and CEO, AllianceSTL
In March, a group of top regional business leaders launched AllianceSTL, a private-sector business recruitment and regional marketing organization with the following purpose, “To stimulate sustained regional growth by winning competitive business investment projects.” Business investment brings economic activity, such as new construction and infrastructure, jobs and increased revenue. It’s the fuel that powers our regional economy and provides opportunities for groups such as the Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGC of Missouri).
AllianceSTL was created as an independent subsidiary of the St. Louis Regional Chamber, reporting to a separate CEO-led board of directors. Our notable board includes the respective chairs of Civic Progress, Regional Business Council and the St. Louis Regional Chamber and includes ACG-member Bruce Holland of Holland Construction Services, Inc. This intentional alignment ensures a level of cohesion necessary to accomplish significant results. There’s a confidence that accompanies this surety of purpose and support; and our team goes to work every day understanding exactly what success looks like and how we keep score.
AllianceSTL focuses on regional business recruitment services for companies looking to grow or locate jobs and investment in the bi-state, 15-county St. Louis region. Leveraging the newly-created regional narrative known as STLMade, we travel across the country and world demonstrating how businesses and talent can start up, stand out and stay in St. Louis. For example, on June 2-5, a united coalition of 40+ business, government and economic development leaders from St. Louis, including City of St. Louis Mayor Krewson, joined together in San Antonio, Texas for GEOINT, the nation’s largest annual gathering of geospatial professionals and businesses. As many of you know, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s NGA West campus in North St. Louis will be a $1.75 billion investment in our region, bringing thousands of jobs and construction work to the area.
It’s no exaggeration to say St. Louis had a loud and proud presence at GEOINT that helped attendees better understand the jobs, academic resources, innovation spaces and other opportunities for geospatial companies in our region. We brought Ted Drewes, gooey butter cake and Blues Hockey to GEOINT but what we left behind was a sparked interest in St. Louis among geospatial industry leaders and top talent. This kind of collaborative and strategic effort helps strengthen our regional brand, gets people excited about St. Louis and ultimately, helps us grow our key industries, such as construction, and attract talent to St. Louis. Now we are working together to follow up with these business contacts to let them know more about St. Louis assets, our geospatial advantages and opportunities to locate or expand in our region.
Geospatial is one example, but we along with our community partners have many opportunities to show the world what St. Louis has to offer. We will achieve long-term success by focusing on several strategic priorities, key among them is fostering a genuinely collaborative culture throughout the region, and AGC of Missouri members are key to our continued momentum. We have a great opportunity to work together to promote the region’s workforce and infrastructure assets.
Successful regional economic development is not easy and achieving success across a bi-state region presents unique challenges. Together, we are prepared to meet them. This is an exciting time for St. Louis and the entire bi-state region, as people throughout the world take note of all that we have to offer.