Washington State Association of Counties的动态

Well, the (not so secret) secret is out! In June, I relocated to Dallas with my family to strategically align my location for KellyMitchell Group. San Diego will always have our hearts, and no doubt we will be back there someday in the future. However, the opportunity we see in front of us at KellyMitchell is simply too awesome to pass up. It puts me in the center of the ring for our growth strategy across Texas and the South, and allows me to be within close reach of many of our strategic customers. It’s our intent to build Dallas as our third major hub for KM, alongside Chicago, Saint Louis, and our markets across the Company. With all that said, there was a deeper reason that compelled me to move our family away. Back in 2020, the employees of KellyMitchell received some surprising news. Since our inception, we had always been a privately held organization owned and led by Mark LoCigno and Cassandra Sanford They had successfully built KellyMitchell over the last 25 years into one of the largest and most respected firms in our industry. After years of hard work and sacrifice, they made the decision to do something that so few owners do. They transitioned KellyMitchell into a 100% employee-owned organization, or an ESOP. This is rare air for companies; most entrepreneurs choose a different path. Private equity and acquisition are easier options for them, frankly. For those of you who don’t know, an ESOP is a company where a portion (in our case, 100%) of the ownership is gifted to the employees, who own individual shares of their employer. Think of companies like Publix, which remains my favorite grocery store. Over the last few years, I’ve come to realize that being an owner of an ESOP is very different than being an employee. 99% of staffing firm employees either work for their founders if privately held, or work mostly for strangers if they are public or private equity-backed. That’s not us at KellyMitchell. They say to whom much is given, much is required. In my role, I have been given a lot, and I wanted to do all I could to ensure I am positioned to lead our organization for our shareholders. That’s why we moved. Because at KellyMitchell, we work for each other, and that just hits a little different.

Georgia has been named the No. 1 State for Business for the 11th consecutive year by Area Development Magazine! “Certain states just have the right ingredients for attracting and nurturing business growth. The 2024 Top States for Doing Business rankings are in, and guess what? The Southern states are shining bright once again.” Andy Greiner, the publication’s Editor noted. This is extra special for Georgia, because no other state has earned the distinction of Top State for Business for so many years. Here’s how the Top 10 rounded out… Top States for Doing Business in 2024: 1. Georgia 2. South Carolina 3. Tennessee 4. North Carolina 5. Indiana 6. Ohio 7. Texas 8. Alabama 9. Virginia 10. Michigan And to add an extra cherry on top, Georgia also earned a No. 1 ranking for the 15th year in a row for its nationally recognized workforce development program, Georgia Quick Start. More about the poll: ‘Area Development’s annual poll of approximately 50 leading site consulting firms from across the U.S. considers 14 different factors to make this coveted determination.’ ……… A huge congratulations to Governor Kemp and everyone at Georgia Department of Economic Development. ?? #Georgia #Construction #Manufacturing #Business #Sales #Marketing

The LCN team took a well-deserved screen break with a visit to the iconic Great Falls in Paterson! Just as the Falls once powered Paterson to become one of the nation’s first industrial cities, our team powers growth and delivers continuous insights to our clients every day. A refreshing outing and a reminder of the powerful results that come from dedication and drive. #insightsandanalytics #competitiveIntelligence #poweringgrowth

What does it mean to work smartly? Andy Lake is an expert in successful hybrid working models. He has worked across the public sector where he has helped businesses personalise their approach to work. This is smart flexibility. Check out the resources linked in the comments section to hear how Andy's strategy can help transform your workforce.

Come out next week and join me and some of my colleagues for a discussion about how we develop and implement plans/projects that provide a better quality of life for all. #TransportationPlanning #TransportationEquity #AccessToOpportunities

Looking forward to this, especially since it will be post election which seems to be an uncertainty in the Boardroom right now for a few industries, especially on FDI and reshoring initiatives. LOL! #siteselection #locationstrategy #CRE #FDI #crossborderinvestment #supplychain #strategy

Thank you to Atlantic Business Magazine for recognizing the impact and importance of continuing to celebrate women in business. Many people do not realize that the advertising industry continues to be male dominated in senior leadership positions.? It makes me tremendously proud to accept this award for the amazing growth our agency has had.? I share this honor with my female business partner Susan Clarke and all the female leaders at m5 (btw, 75% of our manager level and above employees are women and that is double the industry average). We have proven that putting women in leadership positions brings diversity, creativity, collaboration, and empathy to the workplace.? And we have shown that you can do that and be successful in business. ? This International Women’s Day I am reflecting on the great conversations I have been part of the last few days. ?Here is a quick summary of key nuggets of advice I have heard: Take up space.? Your ideas and thoughts have value.? Share them confidently. ?Share them with a smile. Be your true self. ?Don’t hide parts of yourself or your personality.? Be authentic. Be vulnerable. This should not be misunderstood as not being professional. Shake off the fear. ?You are going to be afraid, there is no way to avoid that. ?But learn and practice putting that fear aside. Allow room for people to grow and change.? This is the goal in life, so give others that benefit as well. Be kind.? Always. Full stop. Laugh often and deep. Find a career, workplace, colleges, friends that you can laugh with. ?I didn’t hear this, but I felt it. Lots of laughing this week and it reminded me what a privilege it is to have that in my life at work and at home.

The Local Government Chronicle have produced an interesting map outlining the current state of devolution across England. It's worth a look at what is a complex jumble. This was a key theme when I put together the ?What’s Next for Local Government?report. One of the major challenges with the approach to devolution so far is that it remains highly centralised. What makes a difference? A deep understanding of place, scale, economic geography, political commitment, regional identity, and a focus on the finances of the constituent parts. While regional approaches are important, they must be paired with an understanding that empowering and partnering with communities through "community devolution" is equally critical. Locality matters in making devolution relevant. However, as devolution progresses, we must not lose sight of accountability. Transparency and local input must remain central to ensure decisions are made?with?communities, not?for them. Devolved and regional arrangements must be accountable to the people they represent. https://lnkd.in/eKmg7HzU #Devolution #LocalGovernment?#Place #31ten

The #Pittsburgh region outperformed its peers over the past decade on growth in productivity and earnings, signaling gains in innovative, high-value industries. However, those industries are not yet generating widespread employment opportunities; Pittsburgh ranked last among 54 large U.S. metro areas for job growth and registered widening economic disparities across communities and racial groups. #economy #FI #FounderInstitute

Check out this Inside Higher Ed article offering valuable insights on how higher ed Boards and Presidents can work together more effectively.