Event Date: October 19-22, 2014

Location: Fort Worth Convention Center

Exhibition Booth Number: 315

Big Data: Raising the Bar in Site Selection

Since the recession there has been an unprecedented convergence of inter-disciplinary research experts such as economists, geo-spatial experts, data scientists and sociologists who are coming together to understand shifting labor supply and demand and how labor trends impact communities. As a result, site selectors, economic developers and prospecting companies are designing innovative approaches that uncover hidden geographies of opportunity at the hyper-local level, from sub markets within urban areas to rural gems. In this session, industry experts and economic developers will dive into real-world examples and share how they are helping companies from multiple sectors identify the right community for their organization based on labor cost, availability and sustainability.

What you will learn:

• How companies are using new and expanded data sources to influence site selection decisions
• Tips for improving the positioning of your community within the new site selection landscape
• Strategies for working with local partners to access important data requested in the site selection process

Moderator:Amy Fobes, Principal and Founder, geoCommunica, Dallas, TX

Speakers:

• Josh Bays, Principal, Site Selection Group, LLC, Dallas, TX
• Christine Chmura, PhD, President & Chief Economist, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Richmond, VA 

Conference Website: IEDC 2014 Annual Conference