Date: 02-09-11
For Immediate Release
Contact: Justine Gazzola
Phone: 704-336-2350
Cell: 704-315-3259
Email: jgazzola@charlottenc.gov
Local Businesses Asked to Participate in Inaugural BusinessFirst Charlotte Confidence Index
Business
First Charlotte, the City and Chamber’s business retention program, as well as Advantage Carolina and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Workforce Development Board, are currently soliciting businesses to participate in the inaugural Business
First Charlotte Confidence Index survey. The survey will be administered quarterly by the Urban Institute at the University of North Carolina - Charlotte to produce real-time reports that reflect the economic climate in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
The concept of a business confidence index stemmed from the Mayor’s Job Summit held in January 2010 as a way to help policymakers, businesses, job seekers and the media determine which industries will be adding jobs or making investments over the upcoming quarter. In addition, the index will provide much needed data about the possible expansion or contraction of industries over time.
“This inaugural Business
First Charlotte Confidence Index will help us to better understand the needs of our local businesses and learn how we can help existing industries here in Charlotte. I encourage all local businesses to take a moment to complete this survey and let us know how we can better serve you,” said Mayor Anthony Foxx.
Business
First Charlotte is seeking 500 businesses of varying sizes and from a variety of business sectors to participate in the survey. Businesses are asked to identify an appropriate individual within their company who has sufficient organizational knowledge and will commit to filling out the short, six-question electronic survey each quarter.
Interested businesses can complete a one-time registration at
http://ui.uncc.edu/businessconfidence to designate their company representative (the same individual should complete the survey each quarter). The first online survey will go live on February 28, 2011. The participants who have registered will be directed to take the survey at that time. The results of the inaugural index report will be released at the end of March 2011.
For more information, or to register as a participating partner, go to
http://ui.uncc.edu/businessconfidence.
Survey Contacts:
Dennis Marstall
Economic Development Program Manager
Neighborhood & Business Services
704-336-3980
dmarstall@charlottenc.gov
Steve Partridge
Manager, Charlotte Regional Economic Workforce Recovery Initiative
(704) 779-9640
spartridge@charlotteusa.com
Jonathan Kozar
Research Specialist
UNC Charlotte Urban Institute
Phone: 704-687-2681
jmkozar@uncc.edu
About Advantage Carolina
The Advantage Carolina fund is designed to support the overall economic health of the Charlotte Region through support of initiatives in four key areas: economic development, regionalism, education and inner city development.
About BusinessFirst Charlotte
Created in 2006, BusinessFirst Charlotte is a partnership between the City of Charlotte and the Charlotte Chamber to maintain and grow existing businesses in Charlotte through comprehensive customer relationship management.
About the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Workforce Development Board (WDB)
The purpose of the WDB is to provide policy, planning and oversight for local workforce development programs and address workforce issues as identified by the community.
###