Targeting businesses for the Lowcountry: A look at the courting process

It's not difficult to see why people love living here in the Lowcountry.

From our history to our recreational opportunities, beautiful beaches and Southern hospitality, there's something for everyone. And that message resonates not only with retirees and tourists, but also with businesses looking for new opportunities. It's a message that we here at the Lowcountry Economic Network are happy to spread.

I like to say that we don't believe in cubicles down here in the Lowcountry. Instead, we believe in taking your laptop out to the beach or Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park and brainstorming while walking through one of our beautiful mixed-use communities. But most importantly, we believe that today's technology has freed up businesses to work from virtually anywhere, and tomorrow's technology will make that even easier.

The rules of business have changed, and those rules now lend themselves to professionals who want their business to succeed but also want to enjoy a high quality of life. And that's what the Lowcountry offers.

We took all of that into account when we recently identified four target areas for economic development in Beaufort County: logistics and distribution, aeronautics, knowledge-intensive businesses and "green" industry.

Over the coming weeks, I look forward to offering in-depth explanations of each of the four focus groups. So let's call this first column a quick overview.

Beaufort County benefits from two regional bookends, in terms of economic development. In northern Beaufort County, the future arrival of the Joint Strike Fighter at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort will be accompanied by businesses that will follow what's been dubbed the most technically sophisticated fighter jet ever developed. Beaufort County already is home to several companies that touch high-tech, Department of Defense uses, and we're looking forward to the growth of that sector.

To the south, the emergence of the Jasper Ocean Terminal and the potential expansion of the Port of Savannah will create opportunities for this region. Jasper County has land that's well positioned to become an emerging hub in the logistics and distribution sector, creating thousands of jobs for the two-county region. Our focus on "green" industry is twofold. We're certainly seeing an uptick in the number of alternative energy companies that are looking at our region. Additionally, we have to promote our area as a "green" destination through our building codes and community planning. Today's professional requires it.

Last is the knowledge-intensive sector. This is the business or professional that can operate from anywhere. This sector wants to be able to walk or ride a bike to work and grab lunch without having to get into a car. They're technologically savvy, which allows them the ability to focus on quality of life when making their business decisions.

Beaufort County has the facilities and resources to support these four target markets. We have the land, workforce, technology and quality of life. That's not to say we don't have goals to reach and infrastructure still to put in place. But we're making strides every day and spreading the word.

Kim Statler is executive director of the Lowcountry Economic Network, the public-private economic development arm of Beaufort County.