Thank you for the insight on economic development! I, along with an
associate, have tried to develop relationships with several of our ED
professionals within Fort Wayne. However, as you mentioned, many of
them would rather have the Comcast. Interesting enough, GM built a
very nice plant about 30 years ago, and they are now developing a
third shift, thus will bring 700 employees to the area. Great? But
the question should be "What happens When GM isn't around?" In the
midwest, the collective wisdom is to go after a new factory, when the
old closes. That being said, Fort Wayne does have a great number of
individuals who started companies out of their basements, and would
have been lime lights of coworking, if it existed back then. Vera
Bradley, a purse manufacture, started out in the basement of two
women's home, and now they have 500 employees. The advantage to
highlighting such as story, ED professionals realize that
entrepreneurs need support and creatives need to be in Fort Wayne; if
not they will build companies in other markets and invest
elsewhere.
Recently, our social sphere has has been challenged , as
Fort Wayne has become home to 7,000+ Burmese refugees in the last 5 -
10 years. One of the challenges of having a refugee population form
within in less than a decade is the lack of jobs. Most of these
individuals do not speak English, do not drive, have lived in refugee
camps without basic needs met, so a traditional factory job, may not
be a good fit. With that being said, most of the Burmese know how to
sew. Thus, Fort Wayne's very creative individuals (clothing
designers, purse designers, etc.) can design fashion items, then team
up with Burmese and have them sew the items. There are a few
individuals with in Fort Wayne, that have done this, and they have not
only been able to make a great product, but have moved the local
independent scene forward, while putting money into the hands that
need it!
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