Giving thanks

"You can tell a city (or community or region) by the companies it keeps."

That's a direct quote from Angelos Angelou, president of Angelou Economics architect of much of the technology growth in the City of Austin, Texas and principal of the firm hired to conduct a Target Industry and Skill Set project and a Regional Economic Development Strategy Initiative (REDSI) in northern and western Nevada over the next few months.

It is a play on the old saying that you can tell a person by the company he or she keeps and relates to quality.

In economic development the headlines and announcements of new perhaps brand-name companies moving into a region are always exciting, not only to those of us who manage organizations but to our boards and community leaders.

Yet more and more emphasis is being placed on keeping even expanding the quality companies already committed to northern Nevada.

This is an opportunity for both urban and rural counties to work together inspiring each other to develop their resources in a cooperative and winning fashion.

On Tuesday, Nov.

8, the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) and the Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA) will co-host the 21st Annual Governor's Industry Appreciation Awards at the Reno Hilton.

Presented in cooperation with the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, with the support of 24 sponsors, it is a "harvest time" celebration of the companies who have committed to doing business, providing jobs and innovation and importing new dollars into our regional economy.

Oftentimes we hear from companies that have left or are considering leaving a region that one factor was they simply felt unappreciated.

At the Governor's Industry Appreciation Awards, 27 companies will be seated at the dais and presented before the community to show our appreciation.

One company, Ormat Technologies, will be recognized as the "Distinguished Business of the Year." The company that receives this honor is recognized for doing business in northern Nevada for at least five years, for being a primary industry, one that imports new revenue into the market by exporting goods and services and demonstrates strong corporate citizenship.

Sparks-based Ormat Technologies, the third-largest geothermal power plant operator in the United States,meets all of that criteria and is an exceptional recipient for this year's distinguished award.

You will most certainly be surprised at the diversity of companies operating here, so while they will learn of our gratitude, you will learn about how they contribute to keeping our economy vital.

Our speaker is Joel Kotkin, the author of a recent Inc.

magazine article ranking us the No.

1 best place to do business in America.

Kotkin will explain how our region was evaluated for this significant ranking, but most importantly, will explore ways our region can continue to remain competitive as a business friendly location and quality place to live.

For more information or to purchase tickets for the 21st Annual Governor's Industry Appreciation Awards, visit www.edawn.org/giaa or call EDAWN at 829.3700 or NNDA at 883.4413.

EDAWN and NNDA work together in recruitment, retention, and expansion and stay in touch with our constituent companies in the region through our partnered Business Builders program among other methods.

As hard as we work at it, there simply are too many companies to keep track of, so if your company or one you work with appears to be considering leaving or closing or simply downsizing, contact us and we'll see what we can do to help.

We are well aware that our region's popularity as a place to do business, live, work and play has driven up some of the very costs that once were a key attraction to the area.

Finding employees has become increasingly difficult.

Through our partnership and our connections we may be able to help solve key issues.

This region northern and western Nevada has seen great success in quality economic development over the last five years.

One key reason for that is the strong partnership between our two organizations.

The primary benefit is providing outstanding, seamless customer service to the companies looking to locate, expand or start-up here.

Companies don't see geopolitical boundaries and if they do, they may become prone to stimulate unhealthy competition between counties and communities.

By working closely together EDAWN and NNDA can avoid confusing messages and duplication of effort.

Together we provide a wide ranging and diverse portfolio of opportunities for primary companies those who import new dollars by exporting goods and services outside our region.

We can assure you that we work closely with companies to best fulfill their needs and in so doing, better insure their long term viability in our region.

Where they decide to locate which community or county is their decision, not ours.

It is our job and our best tactic to show them what is available and support their efforts.

It is counterproductive to duplicate efforts, mix up the messages they receive and generate unnecessary competition between specific entities within our region.

Divided we will become weak.

Working together we have become one of the hottest and most competitive economic developing region in the United States.

Chuck Alvey is president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada.

Ron Weisinger is executive director of the Northern Nevada Development Authority.