Plattsburgh named Top 25 by London Financial Times magazine

PLATTSBURGH | Plattsburgh and the North Country Chamber of Commerce have been recognized by fDi Magazine, a publication of the Financial Times of London, among the Top 25 Cities in the Americas for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy. Plattsburgh was #14 among other North and South American cities such as Montreal, New York City, Bogota and San Jose, Costa Rica. "When they first called us from London, we were gratified to think we had placed so highly among other micropolitan cities," said Chamber President Garry Douglas. "But then they clarified that the recognition was not split into size categories but was one list of the top 25 strategic performers for cities large and small together. We're not often speechless but we were for a moment this time." The Financial Times invited the North Country Chamber and Plattsburgh to be considered among cities in the Americas earlier this year and the Chamber provided extensive information on continued and expanded FDI strategies in March. The ranking in part recognizes the many efforts of the North Country Chamber to continue and expand its FDI strategies and activities during the height of the global pandemic in 2020, including its extensive pandemic related support services for the area's international manufacturers and supply chains; the launch of the Chamber's new FDI website and brand, NYMTL.com (Where New York Meets Montreal); the simultaneous redesign and relaunch of its workforce recruitment website at northcountrygoodlife.com; expansion of activities for the region's international transportation equipment and aerospace cluster through its cluster organization, NAmTrans; the continuation by virtual means of its unique FDI workshops and outreach programs in Canada; and its active advocacy related to international supply chains and the U.S.-Canadian border. "The Plattsburgh area has been drawing world attention for some years now as a small place attracting an amazing array of international investments in manufacturing, punching far above our weight," Douglas said. "For 2020, they chose to focus in part on those places which distinguished themselves in terms of stepping up for international business and investment during the pandemic when so much activity froze in the face of uncertainty and travel restrictions. With our local partners such as TDC and CITEC, among others, we chose to work with our many existing international companies to sustain operations and, in many cases, to support growth, with examples including Monaghan Medical, Schluter Systems and completion of the new Norsk Titanium facility. And we doubled down on the deployment of new web-based tools and on continuation of cross border partnerships and promotion to show we were very much open for business, ready to host new investment when the world is ready to invest." Douglas expressed special appreciation for Assemblyman Billy Jones who continues to help secure funding for the Chamber's U.S.-Canada and international business endeavors and for NAmTrans. He also thanked Clinton County and TDC for continued redevelopment of the former Clinton County Airport site, demonstrating local confidence in the future; the launch of U.S. Customs facilities and operations at Plattsburgh International Airport; and many private investments such as the preparation of the former Pfizer site in Rouses Point for redevelopment by ERS Investments. "It all painted a clear picture of an international business community that not only didn't allow itself to be stalled by the pandemic but in fact continued with infrastructure investments and new strategies for the future. I particularly thank our Chamber team who work constantly on these strategies, especially Susan Matton and Joel Wood." In addition to being a recognition of the Plattsburgh area's exceptional strategies for attracting foreign direct investment, the Chamber and its economic development partners will be actively using the recognition in all marketing activities going forward. "From experience," reports Douglas, "this type of strong recognition by such a globally respected source provides a real reason to check us out and to hear our story. This has been true in the past and will especially be true this time as they are placing us so high amongst such big players."

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Plattsburgh named Top 25 by London Financial Times magazine

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