Fort Worth Economic Development Guide 2011

fort worth economic development guide fortwortheconomicdevelopmentguide.com

The Sky’s No Limit

Aviation industry rides an updraft

Cultural Phenomenon

Reputation advances in art and music

Globally Speaking

Business sector adds international flavor

What’s Online See what Tarrant County College is doing to train students in skills needed for today’s jobs.

Sponsored by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce | 2011

fort worth economic development guide

Workstyle Prescription for Innovation

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Fort Worth breeds a diverse life sciences industry

Globally Speaking

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Business sector adds international flavor

The Sky’s No Limit

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Aviation industry rides an updraft

Cultural Phenomenon

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Reputation advances in art and music

Insight

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Overview

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Business Almanac

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Business Climate

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Transportation

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Energy/Technology

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Health

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Education

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Livability

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Economic Profile

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Through the Lens

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On the Cover: Downtown Fort Worth blends modern and classic architecture. Photo by Jeff Adkins

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Please recycle this magazine

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fort worth economic development guide 201 1 Edition , volum e 1 Content Director Bill McMeekin Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Audience Development Director Deanna Nelson Content Coordinator Jessica Walker Staff Writer Kevin Litwin Copy Editor Jill Wyatt

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Contributing writers Melanie Hill, Heather Johnston Johnson, Katie Kuehner-Hebert, Andy Whisenant, Betsy Williams Media Technology Director Christina Carden Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher, Jessica Manner, Janine Maryland, Kris Sexton, Vikki Williams Graphic Designer Rachael Gerringer Media Technology Analysts Chandra Bradshaw, Lance conzett, Michele Niccore, Marcus Snyder Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto

The Sky’s No Limit

Aviation industry rides an updraft

Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Cultural Phenomenon

Reputation advances in art and music

Globally Speaking

Business sector adds international flavor

Lifestyle

What’s Online See what Tarrant County College is doing to train students in skills needed for today’s jobs.

SPONSOred by The FOrT WOrTh Chamber OF COmmerCe | 2011

Find out what it’s like to live here and what makes the community such a special place to be.

Read the magazine on your computer, zoom in on articles and link to advertiser websites.

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News and Notes >> Our editors give you the Inside Scoop on the latest development and trends in the community.

color imaging technician alison hunter Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Senior V.P./Sales Todd Potter, Carla Thurman Senior V.P./Operations Casey Hester Senior V.P./Client Development Jeff Heefner Senior V.P./business Development Scott Templeton V.P./external communications Teree Caruthers

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Workstyle

Meet the people who set the

A spotlight on the region’s innovative companies

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Dig Deeper >> Plug into the community with links to local websites and resources to give you a big

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Fort Worth Economic Development Guide is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.

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fort worth economic development guide Digital Edition

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cultural cultural phenomenon phenomenon Jeff Adkins Jeff Adkins

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Overview

Fort Worth: The Texas Success Story Begins Here The Lone Star State remains a shining star in the U.S. economy.

CNBC named Texas the top state for business in 2010, and the DallasFort Worth region was named the top major market in the South by Southern Business and Development.

Within the best state and the top metro market is the fastest-growing and 16th-largest U.S. city: Fort Worth.

With our diverse economy, central continental location and explosive population growth, Fort Worth has an imaginative, pro-business city government; a plentiful, skilled workforce; and a highly competitive cost of living that attracts significant interest from companies looking to relocate or expand. Fort Worth is home to more than 16,300 companies, including six Fortune 1000 companies headquartered here.

Among the advantages that appeal to businesses is Fort Worth’s role as a transportation super-hub. As the result of decades of planning by local leaders, the city boasts modern airports, well-designed freeway systems and highly efficient rail service. Because of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and the AllianceTexas master-planned commercial airport, Fort Worth is renowned as one of the nation’s most active inland ports.

For the past two years, the Alliance Foreign Trade Zone was ranked No. 1 in the United States, representing $5.3 billion in trade dollars. And our central location means that truck or rail can reach 96 percent of the U.S. population within 48 hours.

Further, Fort Worth is home to numerous education and training institutions and is characterized by a high-tech environment. More than 324,000 college and university students are enrolled in the DFW Metroplex, annually graduating in excess of 30,000 students.

Also, the region’s substantial active and retired military population augments the labor force.

The DFW region was showcased on the world stage recently by hosting the MLB World Series and the NFL’s Super Bowl XLV in nearby Arlington. Area residents enjoy sports representation in all four premier sports leagues (NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB) year round. Add mild weather, world-class cultural amenities, an award-winning downtown entertainment district and people

with a pioneering spirit, and that’s Fort Worth: where the best begins.

For more information, contact: David Berzina, CEcD Executive Vice President – Economic Development Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce 777 Taylor St., Suite 900 Fort Worth, TX 76102 Phone: (817) 338-3391 Fax: (817) 877-4035 dberzina@fortworthchamber.com www.fortworthchamber.com

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Irving

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Arlington 20

TARRANT

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Mansfield

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Almanac here’s the spot The rest of the nation is rapidly catching on to what residents of Fort Worth already know: The city is one the best places to relocate.

In fall 2010, BestPlaces.net rated Fort Worth No. 4 on its Best Cities to Move to in America list. The rating considered such factors as cost of living, crime rates, the number of colleges and how healthy the population is, as well as access to museums, shows, sporting and other events.

BestPlaces noted Fort Worth’s growing arts and culture scene, including an orchestra, ballet, opera, botanical garden and one of the best zoos in the nation, as well as its proximity to major league sports, including the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys, both of which play in nearby Arlington.

The ranking also noted Fort Worth’s average home price of $119,300, well below the national average of $171,700, and a cost of living nearly 14 percent below the national average.

Their Money’s Worth Want to be in the company of billions of dollars?

Check out the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth.

The facility includes two floors of interactive exhibits and displays showcasing the history of currency and the intricacies of the printing process, as well as a high-definition theater film and the Moneyfactory Gift Shop.

A 45-minute tour allows visitors to see billions of dollars being printed as they walk along an enclosed elevated walkway suspended over the production floor. For more on the facility, go to www.moneyfactory.gov/tours/fortworthtxtours.html.

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

They Had Their Game Face On Tarrant County took center stage at Super Bowl XLV. The game between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers was played at the sparkling new, $1 billion Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, and ESPN hosted its Super Bowl shows from Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth.

A number of the sports giant’s signature programs, including Mike & Mike in the Morning and many of its shows related to the Super Bowl, originated from downtown Fort Worth, some 80 hours of programming in all.

Fort Worth officials pitched ESPN in March 2010 and brought network executives to town for a walking tour of downtown, highlighting the availability of space, ample foot traffic and eye-catching backgrounds.

Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau officials mailed out more than 1,200 press releases and “idea books” to media around the world, highlighting all aspects of Fort Worth.

Ph o t o C o u r t e s y o f GLEN ELLM A N

Mr. Hogan Played Here Fort Worth is home to a number of signature golf courses, including two – Colonial Country Club and The Golf Club at Fossil Creek – named among the top 20 Texas golf courses by GolfLink.

Colonial Country Club, named one of the Best 100 Golf Courses in the World by Golf magazine, is the home to the PGA Tour’s Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, held in mid-May. It is the longest-running PGA Tour tournament held at the same venue.

The tournament, which has an estimated annual economic impact of $33 million, has raised more than $39 million for local charities in the last 10 years. Legendary golfer Ben Hogan, who grew up in Fort Worth, won the tournament played at Colonial five times. For more on the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, go to www.crowneplazainvitational.com.

Ph o t o C o u r t esy o f C o lo n i a l C o u n t ry C lu b i n Fo r t Wo r t h

Emphasis on the Dance You can dine, drink and dance all in one place in downtown Fort Worth.

Lone Star in Sundance Square, a 22,000-squarefoot entertainment multiplex that brings music and live entertainment via six distinct venues under one roof, opened in November 2010.

The complex allows a common entrance for the six distinct entertainment venues, which include a dance club, piano bar and karaoke club. The Alamo Bar features more than 100 varieties of beer, many of them locally crafted favorites, while Straight Tequila Night is a blue agave tequila bar with a menu of some 80 different tequilas.

A major feature of Lone Star is The Stage, a 10,000square-foot space that can accommodate corporate events in the daytime, but at night serves as a performance venue quipped with professional sound and lighting systems.

A favorite at The Stage is Rock Star Karaoke, which allows wannabe performers to sing their favorite tunes accompanied by a live four-piece band. Go to www.lonestarsundance.com for more.

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Best Foot Forward Justin Brands is a company with a lot of sole.

Fort Worth-based Justin, owned by fabled investor Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, makes and markets Western boots as well as work, safety and sports footwear under the Justin Boot, Nocona Boot, Chippewa Boot and Tony Lama brands, 3,500 different styles in all.

The company’s Western boots come in a variety of exotic leathers, including lizard and ostrich. Justin Brands sells its footwear through department stores, shoe chains, specialty stores, catalogs and online.

The company, which dates to 1879, is also a leader in footwear technology, including such breakthroughs as Grip-on-Demand, Justin Gel cushioning gel and its patented J-Flex Flexible Comfort System. For more on the company, go to www.justinbrands.com.

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

Plugged in to Fort Worth Fort Worth’s labor pool, access to railroad, air and highways, availability of move-in industrial space and ready access to a Foreign Trade Zone availability were key factors in the city landing a major electronics manufacturer.

Q-Edge, a subsidiary of Taiwan’s FoxConn Electronics, has set up operations in more than 365,000 square feet at the Alliance development in north Fort Worth, where it is expected to create up to 500 jobs and generate an economic impact of more than $700 million for the region.

Q-Edge makes components for computers, cell phones and other consumer electronics shipped worldwide. Its parent company works with clients that include Apple, HewlettPackard, Nokia, Cisco and Sony.

Fasten Your Seat belts Texas Motor Speedway is one of the key stops on NASCAR’s Sprint Cup circuit.

The high-banked, 1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth hosts Sprint Cup races in April and November, as well as races in NASCAR’s Nationwide and World Truck series. The track, with a grandstand seating capacity of 138,000 and infield capacity of 53,000, also is home to races in other circuits, including IndyCar. The track is also home to Team Texas, a NASCAR Sprint Cup driving school that operates year round, and the only school in the country that uses authentic Sprint Cup cars and the current NASCAR Chevrolet SB2 racing engines.

Toy Story

Ph o t o C o u r t e s y o f T o m P e n n i n g t o n

Lego, the maker of brightly colored interlocking bricks that have brought children hours of joy for generations, has a Fort Worth connection.

The Denmark company’s North American distribution operations are in the Alliance Global Logistics Hub. Alliance is a 17,000-acre mixed-use development on the north side of the city.

Lego opened a distribution operation in Alliance in 2006, expanded it in 2010 and now has nearly 600,000 square feet of distribution space there. Exel Inc., a third-party logistics company, manages the distribution center for Lego. fo r two r t h e cono m i c d e v e lop m e ntg u i d e . co m

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p h o t o b y Je f f A d k i n s

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

Business Climate

Getting Down to Business City creates perfect climate for jobs, investment

Story by Katie Kuehner-Hebert

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n equal partner in the booming D/FW Metroplex – the 12th largest metro economy on the planet – Fort Worth has attracted international investment, world-class companies and a global reputation as a center of commerce.

American Airlines, BNSF Railway, Pier 1 Imports and Radio Shack are just a few of the household names to call Fort Worth home, part of a 6.3 million population region that includes headquarters for more than two dozen Fortune 500 companies.

Fort Worth has built impressive industry clusters in aerospace, life sciences, logistics and manufacturing, and though it is a city of 730,000, it still has ample acreage within its borders ready for development. More than 324,000 students are enrolled in colleges and universities in the region,

and the 30,000 students that graduate from them each year help stock a deep pool of skilled and talented workers.

With the world’s eighth-busiest airport, D/FW, in its backyard and the nation’s only industrial airport, the Alliance Airport, as well as an integrated interstate network running through it, Fort Worth is at the crossroads of business. Beyond its attributes as a place to invest, the city offers diverse and vibrant neighborhoods, renowned cultural attractions, standout architecture, a lively arts and music scene, a bevy of recreation opportunities and a bustling downtown.

Fort Worth Shines for Solera Holdings In 2010, Solera Holdings Inc., which helps process car insurance claims, moved its corporate headquarters

Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex By the Numbers

6.4 million Population

$356 billion Gross Metro Product

3.24 million Labor Force

24 Fortune 500 Firms

324,608 College Enrollment

Fort Worth is home base for major companies such as Pier 1 Imports and Radio Shack.

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from San Diego to the Fort Worth suburb of Westlake. The company provides the software and services used by car insurance companies and auto body shops.

Company executives said Solera was attracted to Fort Worth because of the travel convenience, talent pool and time zone being closer to Europe.

Senior executives at the company travel overseas frequently and found the travel options out of Dallas-Fort Worth to be much more efficient.

GameStop Expands in Fort Worth Region GameStop Corp., the biggest seller of video game hardware and software in the world, several years ago recommitted to its roots in the region by relocating to a larger facility in the Tarrant County city of Grapevine.

In 2005, the Grapevine City Council unanimously nominated GameStop for $1.25 million in tax refunds, for moving to a larger facility and hiring 60 to 75 additional employees. The City Council also accepted the company’s nomination for the state’s Enterprise Zone Program, which promotes job creation and investment in economically distressed areas. To qualify for the incentives, at least 35 percent of the company’s new hires must be economically disadvantaged.

GameStop’s founders started by opening a retail store of a predecessor company, Babbage’s, in a Dallas regional mall in 1983.

By growing through acquisitions and popularity, GameStop now employees about 3,000 people in North Texas and has about 40,000 employees worldwide. It has 6,606 retail stores throughout the world, with more than 100 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

What’s Online More about Fort Worth’s economy at fortwortheconomicdevelopmentguide.com.

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

Matt Rose, chairman and CEO of BNSF Railway

‘This is a Top-Tier Business Center’ A Q&A with Matt Rose, Chairman and CEO of BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is one of North America’s leading freight transportation companies, operating on 32,000 route miles of track in 28 states and two Canadian provinces. The company, headquartered in Fort Worth, became a Berkshire Hathaway-owned company in 2010. Rose joined the company in 1993 and was named president in 1999, CEO in 2000 and chairman in 2002.

Why is BNSF headquartered in Fort Worth?

This has long been one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas in one of its fastest-growing states because it is well positioned to serve as a national business center and transportation hub.

A friendly business climate has meant a great deal to BNSF and our growth here. Fort Worth and Texas are a key part of our network. We operate on nearly 5,000 route miles of track and originate or handle nearly 6 million carloads of freight in the state.

Between our headquarters in Fort Worth and our operations in the rest of the state, we employ nearly 7,500 Texans with a payroll of more than $785 million.

What advantages does being based in Fort Worth have for BNSF? The Fort Worth-Dallas area has become the nation’s fourth-largest metropolitan area, and is on pace to eventually become its third largest.

This is a top-tier consumer market and business center that is developing and attracting a lot of labor talent, and it has effectively leveraged its transportation infrastructure to become an important part of the global supply chain. Those are things BNSF finds very valuable.

It has become more and more important for local, state and federal governments to work together with private freight railroads to facilitate more efficient movement of freight and people for the benefit of our economy, and to reduce highway congestion, environmental emissions and our dependence on foreign oil. Fort Worth has been a strong ally in those efforts.

Why should companies, national and global, that are looking to relocate or expand consider Fort Worth?

Fort Worth has most of the basic assets companies need for longterm success. That begins with a business-friendly environment in

a pro-business state. Fort Worth is also home to a large, talented labor pool, a favorable cost of living and strong transportation infrastructure that provide easy access to national and international markets by rail, highway and air.

How do you feel that Fort Worth’s climate, location and quality of life offerings position BNSF from a human resources and recruiting perspective?

Fort Worth’s geographic location is definitely an asset. It is a great central location with milder winters and an incredible range of housing, cultural and entertainment choices.

If you think about it, how many places can offer you a choice between living in a high-rise condo downtown or a small ranch, or offer you entertainment ranging from some of the country’s best museums and classical music to indoor rodeo without leaving the city limits?

That’s why it is such a popular tourist destination and attractive to both single people and families. You combine that with Fort Worth’s laid-back, friendly culture and it definitely helps our recruiting efforts.

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Prescription for Innovation Fort Worth breeds a diverse life sciences industry Story by Melanie Hill

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ort Worth’s life sciences sector is alive and well, part of a thriving industry metroplex that includes 450 biomedical companies and some 1,100 research, development and testing laboratories.

Among the most recognizable names calling Fort Worth home is Alcon, the world’s largest, most profitable and specialized eye care company. Alcon, whose majority owner is pharmaceutical giant Novartis, was founded in Fort Worth by two pharmacists in 1945.

Today, the company’s revenue is more than $6.5 billion and it sells surgical, pharmaceutical and consumer eye care products in more than 180 countries. The company’s Fort Worth presence includes the largest research and development lab of its kind, sizable manufacturing facilities and headquarters for its

major global operations. With nearly 3,200 employees, it is not only one of the region’s largest life sciences companies, but also one of its largest employers.

In 2009, global dermatological pharmaceutical giant Galderma, a joint venture between French-based L’Oreal and Swiss-based Nestle, opened an administrative office and in-house training facility adjacent to its North American headquarters in Fort Worth. The company also has a 70,000-square-foot distribution facility at its Fort Worth campus.

Fort Worth-based Healthpoint Ltd. specializes in developing technologies for the prevention and treatment of acute, chronic and burn-related wounds. In 2006, Healthpoint opened a research facility in Fort Worth that includes state-of-the-art laboratories.

The company’s Wound Institute

promotes accredited industry education to health practitioners through such high-tech methods as animation, interactive cases and streaming video. The company, an affiliate of DFB Pharmaceuticals Inc., has branched into consumer products with its Outlast line of hand sanitizers that are designed to provide up to six hours of germ protection.

Fort Worth Attracts Startups The region also attracts some of the nation’s most promising life science startups, including ZS Pharma Inc. The privately held specialty pharmaceutical company relocated to Fort Worth from Indiana in 2010.

“The state of Texas has developed a very nice infrastructure to support biodevelopment,” says Dr. Alvaro Guillem, president and chief executive officer of ZS Pharma.

Jeff Keyser, chief operating officer of ZS Pharma, a specialty pharmaceutical company that relocated to Fort Worth in 2010

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

p h o t o b y Je f f A d k i n s

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Keith Brown, executive director of BioDFW. “We have a number of established companies with international presence, thanks to the quality research, medical school programs and entrepreneurial opportunities in North Texas.”

million in 113 early stage companies, and $161 million in grant-matching and research funds to Texas universities. Additional industry funding comes through the Houstonbased Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas. The state program has issued $3 billion in bonds to fund groundbreaking cancer research and prevention programs.

University of North Texas Health Science Center Anchoring research and development efforts in Fort Worth is the University of North Texas Health Science Center.

The organization generated $43 million in research grants annually and is rooted in Fort Worth’s bioscience community through partnerships with health-care providers and biomedical companies. Faculty also provide community care through UNT Health, the largest multispecialty group practice in Tarrant County.

UNT Health Science Center’s facilities include the Center for BioHealth. The facility includes research and drug development laboratories where leading-edge research is taking place in such areas as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, environmental and occupational health, and more.

“We have partnerships with every significantly sized Fort Worth research company,” says Dr. Scott Ransom, president of UNT Health Science Center.

“We have an enormous impact on developing companies as well, which provides an economic base for commercial efforts.”

The UNT Health Science Center includes the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health and School of Health Professions. In 2014, UNT Health Science Center plans to launch an MD program that will boost enrollment to 2,300 and help address a need for more physicians across the state.

Several health-care, business and civic organizations have pledged $25 million to cover the costs of starting the MD program.

BioDFW Promotes Regional Growth Fort Worth companies also gain support through BioDFW, a regional life sciences alliance. Dedicated to the growth and financial prosperity of North Texas’ life sciences industry, BioDFW includes representation from government and industry leaders, universities and support organizations.

“One of the concerns established companies sometimes have is that they will be the only company of their type, which is just not true,” says

J e ff A d k i n s

TECH Fort Worth A key factor in ZS Pharma’s decision to relocate was TECH Fort Worth, a nonprofit business incubator that assists entrepreneurs through its business accelerator programs. In 2009, TECH Fort Worth boasted an economic impact of more than $12 million.

“Most of our clients are people who have been very successful in their careers, but have never started a business from scratch before, which is what we’re good at,” says Darlene Ryan, executive director of TECH Fort Worth. “It’s often the little things in the beginning, but then we help them get funding, introduce them to investors and assist with presentation development.”

With guidance from TECH Fort Worth, ZS Pharma secured a $2 million grant from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund. In its five-year history, the fund has invested $159

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

The University of North Texas Health Science Center (left) includes research and drug development laboratories (right) that are performing leading-edge research.

DFW Life Sciences By the Numbers

460

1,100

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Number of life sciences companies in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex

Number of research and testing laboratories in the region

Members of the National Academy of the Sciences based in the region

P h o t o C o u r t es y o f Je r e m y E n l o w/S t ee l S h u t t e r

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Globally Speaking Transportation assets, workforce give Fort Worth international business flavor

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

Story by Betsy Williams

F

ort Worth has a global address.

In addition to being home to a number of companies that do business internationally, including American Airlines, Pier 1 Imports and Radio Shack, the region has capitalized on its transportation assets, workforce, cultural diversity and specially designed incentives programs to lure direct investment from a trove of foreign-owned companies, some of whom are among the region’s major employers.

French dairy products giant Dannon has a Fort Worth plant.

Vétoquinol, a French company involved in research and development, production and marketing of medical and dietary products for animals, has

its U.S. base in Fort Worth. Mexicobased bakery giant Grupo Bimbo operates the Mrs Baird’s bakery products line in Fort Worth. taking a seat at alliance.

RECARO Aircraft Seating Americas Inc., part of a German conglomerate, manufactures top-quality seats for a variety of international customers, including Delta, American Airlines, FlyDubai and EgyptAir. Approximately 300 engineers, production technicians, human resource professionals and support personnel work in the 100,000-square-foot facility at AllianceTexas in Fort Worth.

A talented technical workforce, favorable labor rates and proximity

to its biggest customer at the time, American Airlines, factored into the company’s decision to locate one of its three manufacturing facilities in Fort Worth, says Jim Cangiano, vice president of sales and marketing. “We have been successful because of our workforce,” he says. “There is a good chance that we will need to expand further, and because of the success that we have enjoyed in this area, we will consider Fort Worth as a prime candidate for our location.”

The Fort Worth facility deals primarily with customers in North America and South America, but visitors from all over the world regularly visit the plant. And that international flavor carries over

Above: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is home to American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth. Left: RadioShack’s corporate headquarters and Tarrant County College in Fort Worth p h o t o b y j e ff A d k i n s

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to a diverse workforce.

“We are very proud to note that of our 300 people, we are represented by many countries, including Germany, India, Mexico, the UK, the Middle East and, of course, Texas,” Cangiano says.

J e ff A d k i n s

Calling on the World U.S. companies based in Fort Worth are active players in global business markets. In a five-year period from 2003 to 2008, foreign trade in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex increased 56 percent. Exports to foreign markets from the region top $19 billion.

A host of services and resources promote international business in the region, including presence of 29 foreign consulate offices and five foreign trade offices, a regional office of the U.S. Department of Commerce, a district office of the U.S. Customs Service and a regional U.S. Export Assistance Center.

RECARO Aircraft Seating Americas Inc. produces top-quality seats in Fort Worth.

World of Opportunity Fort Worth chamber helps forge international ties Fort Worth isn’t just waiting for international companies to come calling. Through the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, business leaders are taking a proactive approach to stimulating global business locally through incentives, strategic alliances, trade missions to foreign countries and other targeted efforts.

In addition to offering counseling and expertise in foreign exports, imports and market strategy, the chamber hosts inbound and outbound trade missions and has sent first-time exporters, as well as established international players in Fort Worth, to Ecuador, Brazil, Beijing, Shanghai, Mexico, Canada and Switzerland to meet with potential clients and partners.

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In May 2010, the chamber and Fort Worth’s Sister Cities International affiliate traveled to China to establish economic ties with the cities of Guiyang and Zhaoqing, and choose one as Fort Worth’s newest sister city. “We help facilitate relationships between Fort Worth citizens and local leaders in international cities, and make introductions for the chamber and other organizations looking to create business opportunities abroad,” says Mae Ferguson, president of Sister Cities for Fort Worth.

Since adding an economic development focus to its selection process for sister cities, the organization has helped Fort Worth forge partnerships with cities in

F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

Canada, Asia and central South America. These friendships are beneficial because they build a sense of trust that makes it easier for companies to “develop a relationship right off the bat rather than make a cold call,” Ferguson says.

Guiyang was selected as Fort Worth’s eighth sister city, in part because both cities share a specialization as a distribution hub.

And Ferguson sees more international economic partnerships on the horizon. “So many people who come to Fort Worth from other countries visit because of the cowboys, but we’re also a city of culture and commerce – and that surprises a lot of international people,” she says. – Emily McMackin

More than 1,700 employees work locally at RadioShack’s Trinity River Campus headquarters, two distribution centers and retail stores, and are part of an international retail group of almost 7,000 stores and kiosks.

“RadioShack has found a skilled, stable and diverse labor pool to draw from,” says Eric Bruner, director of RadioShack corporate communications, says of the local workforce. “They are drawn to the Fort Worth area by a favorable tax environment, affordable living standards, a wide range of choices for education at all levels, and a varied selection of restaurants, entertainment and recreation venues.”

In addition, Fort Worth has proven to be an optimal location for product distribution.

“RadioShack’s distribution facilities in Fort Worth are ideally located to support thousands of the company’s retail stores across a broad portion of the central United States,” Bruner says. “Because of the Fort Worth-based facilities’ proximity to high-quality air, rail and interstate highway infrastructure, these local operations replenish more than half of all merchandise shipped to RadioShack stores nationwide.” air facilities Move the Goods DFW International Airport’s strategic central location facilitates cargo connections around the world, offering air and trucking connections and commercial air travel for 60 million passengers a year.

Fort Worth’s Alliance Airport, the world’s first industrial airport, is the only Foreign Trade Zone in North Texas with combined air, rail and highway access, and provides special customs procedures to U.S. plants engaged in international trade-related activities as part of a comprehensive incentives package designed to lure foreign investment to the region.

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The Sky’s No Limit Fort Worth aviation, aerospace industries ride an updraft

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ike childhood pals, Fort Worth and the aviation industry have grown up together.

Since the World War II era, the city’s heavy military presence, including the former Carswell Air Force Base along with its mild climate, have made it a breeding ground for all aspects of aerospace and aviation enterprise.

Southwest Airlines and numerous aviation-related suppliers and manufacturers.

Years of aerospace and aviation expertise have given the Fort Worth region a big piece of the aviation pie.

Harris says the region has 9 to 10 percent of the nation’s total aerospace workers.

Aviation Brings Jobs To Fort Worth “Our culture and traditions make us unique,” says Tom Harris, senior vice president of operations for Hillwood, a real estate development company.

Hillwood subsidiary Alliance Air Services manages Fort Worth Alliance Airport, a centerpeice of the massive Alliance mixed-use, office, industrial, retail and residential development.

Allinace houses divisions of more than 240 companies, including Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopter, American Airlines,

Lockheed Martin Brings Big Business To Fort Worth A major building block of the Fort Worth aerospace community is Lockheed Martin’s Aeronautics Division, which builds military jets including the F-16 and the F-35, and employs more than 13,000 people in the region. The division had $13.2 billion in sales in 2010, including the Fort Worth headquarters and other operations in California, Georgia and other smaller locations.

Norman Robbins, senior manager of community relations with Lockheed

Lockheed Martin makes the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) fighters in Fort Worth.

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

Ph o t o C o u r t e s y o f L o c k h e e d Mar t i n

Story by Heather Johnston Johnson

What’s Online  For more about the thriving aviation industry in Fort Worth, go to fortwortheconomicdevelopmentguide.com.

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Ph o t o C o u r t e s y o f Ka l e e A p p l e t o n , B e l l H e l i c o p t e r p h o t o g ra p h e r

Bell Helicopter employs about 5,700 people in Fort Worth.

Lockheed Martin manufactures its F-35 in the area. The airplane is part of the largest defense program in the nation’s history and will likely have a lifespan of 50 years.

Martin, says Fort Worth’s local military presence is invaluable. “The amount of support here is overwhelming. A lot of Air Force personnel were based here and they ended up retiring here,” Robbins says.

Lockheed Martin manufactures its F-35 in the area. The airplane is part of the largest defense program in the nation’s history and will likely have a lifespan of 50 years, Robbins says. The company is still building the F-16. The project, which began in 1975, likely has another 10 years of production.

Local expertise is important to the company. “Many of our employees are retired military employees; they have experience and knowledge. So the people who sell our aircraft aren’t the usual salesmen,” Robbins says.

Aside from its current heavy-hitting military products, the company takes

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advantage of the local education base and continually considers new products and innovations. Lockheed takes education seriously and subsidizes the cost of advanced degrees. It also hires employees from local universities, who are recent graduates just starting their careers “The Fort Worth and Dallas area have a large number of good universities, several with advanced engineering and degree programs,” says Joe Stout, director of communications with Lockheed Martin.

Bell Helicopter Is A Major Military Supplier Bell Helicopter, a Textron company, is another area success story that builds on local military expertise and the strong education base. “Operating in and around Fort Worth allows us to

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attract talent from all over North Texas, and allows our employees to live in an area ranked as one of the top places in the country to live and work,” says Robert Hastings, senior vice president for Bell, which has about 5,700 employees in Fort Worth.

The company’s Bell 429, a light twin helicopter, is a relatively recent offering. Hastings says the model is one of the most advanced versions on the commercial market today. The company also received a U.S. Army contract for cabin upgrades to the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior. The craft is a proven staple in the Army’s combat operations fleet, Hastings says.

Other products produced by the company include the V-22 Osprey, the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter and the UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter.

Made in Fort Worth Region builds a roster of signature manufacturers From trucks to work clothes, boots to beer, aerospace systems to airport passenger boarding bridges, Fort Worth has an active and diverse manufacturing sector aided by its central location, integrated transportation infrastructure and highly skilled workforce.

Fort Worth has attracted a core of diverse and high-profile manufacturers.

Q-Edge, a company specializing in manufacturing and assembly for computers, cell phones and other consumer electronics, picked the Alliance Global Logistics Hub for a 365,000-square-foot operation that brought close to 500 jobs and an almost $700 million economic impact to the city.

Williamson Dickie Manufacturing Co., a leader in work apparel production, is based in Fort Worth, where its Dickiesbrand apparel, footwear, school uniforms and medical scrubs are sold all over the world. Justin Brands, which has roots that go back to 1879 and moved to Fort Worth in 1925, makes and markets 3,500 styles of Western, work, safety and sports footwear.

General Motors Corp.’s assembly plant in nearby Arlington employs 2,400 workers who make large sports utility vehicles such as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Cadillac Escalade. MillerCoors’ Fort Worth brewery was the first to produce Miller Lite. The 700-employee operation produces

some 9 million barrels of beer a year.

Fort Worth is one of three manufacturing locations for ThyssenKrupp Airport Systems, which produces passenger boarding bridges and systems used at airports around the world.

And the region remains

an attractive locale for new manufacturing investment. Pratt Industries Inc., the sixth-largest paper and packing company in the U.S., will build a corrugated box manufacturing facility in Fort Worth.

Pratt plans to create 140 full-time jobs by the end of 2013.

– Andy Whisenant

RELOCATE WITHOUT BREAKING ROUTINE. When it comes to relocating, the Residence Inn Fossil Creek/ Fort Worth lets you stay in the routine of real life. So when it’s time to settle in your new home you’ll already be settled in your new city.

To reserve your room, call the hotel directly at (817) 439-1300, our reservations desk at (800) 489-0765 or visit www.residenceinn.com/DFWRI.

Residence Inn by Marriott ® Fort Worth Fossil Creek 5801 Sandshell Dr. Fort Worth, TX 76137 T (817) 439-1300 • F (817) 439-3329 www.residenceinn.com/DFWRI Rates are per room, per night, based on availability, not available for groups of 10 or more rooms.

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Cultural Phenomenon Fort Worth carves a reputation as a center of art, music

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

Story by Kevin Litwin

J e ff A d k i n s

F

ort Worth’s roots are in the Old West, and while it gives a nod to its Western heritage, it is most definitely a sophisticated city on the move, perhaps no more in evidence than in the cultural mosaic it has created.

Yes, its slogan is City of Cowboys and Culture, and with 2 million people who visit the Stockyards National Historic District, no doubt Fort Worth’s cowboy- and Westernrelated heritage is a popular draw.

But Fort Worth has created another side to its culture, too; one that is drawing the city acclaim as a major center of art and music, not only creating a whole new market for visitors, but contributing heavily to a rich and diverse quality of life.

“Our latest tourism figures show that about 1.5 million visitors are now enjoying the cultural side of Fort Worth annually,” says David DuBois, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau. “There will always be a cowboy/cowgirl focus in Fort Worth – as there should be.

But it’s nice to see that visitors are finding out about the many other sites we have.”

Histories, Mysteries Five major museums form the backbone of an impressive cultural district: the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Kimbell Art Museum, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011. Combined, the museums draw 1.5 million cultural visitors a year.

The Kimbell’s reputation is not only for its collection, which includes works by masters such as Picasso, Matisse and Cezanne, but its stunning design

by American-born architect Louis I. Kahn (1901-1974) that features innovative use of natural light and subtle articulation of space and materials, and makes the museum a work of art in its own right.

The Jubilee Theatre, Circle Theatre, Will Rogers Memorial Center and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra round out a cultural powerhouse that also includes the Fort Worth Zoo, which draws 1 million people each year and is home to 5,000 native and exotic

A visitor views artwork at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth. fo r two r t h e cono m i c d e v e lop m e ntg u i d e . co m

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photos by Antony Boshier

animals in 12 permanent exhibit areas.

Bass Performance Hall A signature feature of both Fort Worth’s culture and its downtown renaissance is the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall, which opened in 1998 and encompasses an entire city block. It is the home base of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Texas Ballet Theater, Fort Worth Opera, and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and Cliburn Concerts.

“Bass Performance Hall is the focal point of the performing arts opportunities available to our community,” says Dione Kennedy, president and CEO of Performing Arts Fort Worth Inc. “In addition to classical music, ballet, opera and touring Broadway, we are also the perfect intimate venue to present some of the finest country music artists.”

The 2,056-seat hall’s design was modeled after the classic European opera houses, and its signature features include an 80-foot-diameter Great Dome atop the Founders Concert Theater and twin 48-foot-tall angels

that grace the Grand Facade.

The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and Cliburn Concerts bring world-class classical music talent to Fort Worth. The Fort Worth Opera, a cultural fixture since 1946, has added the Fort Worth Opera Festival that occurs in late spring each year.

“We give the world the gift of new opera and continue to surprise and enchant our audiences,” says Darren Woods, Fort Worth Opera general director. “My prediction is that in 2011 and beyond, our scrappy little company will continue to surprise and enchant.”

Cultural and tourism-related business has a major impact on the Fort Worth economy. More than 12,000 jobs are associated with the industry, and tourism provides an economic impact of more than $1 billion annually.

“We are an economic engine for the city,” DuBois says. “And things are getting better all the time. In 2010, the Fort Worth Convention Center held 57 major events. And those events meant 122,000 hotel rooms were booked in 2010, compared to 95,000 in 2009.”

FORT WORTH CONVENTION CENTER STATS

252,000 Size, in square feet, of exhibit space

1,200 Number of on-site parking spaces

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Number of breakout rooms

30,000 Size, in square feet, of the ballroom

13,500 Number of seats in the arena Source: www.fortworthgov.org

From left: A tiger at the Forth Worth Zoo; Bass Performance Hall in downtown Fort Worth

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Transportation

A Force by Ground and Air AllianceTexas development anchors Fort Worth transportation, distribution infrastructure

p h o t o s b y Je f f A d k i n s

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

Story by Kevin Litwin

I

t helps to have connections, and Fort Worth has plenty of them.

The city has become one of the nation’s logistics and distribution powerhouses, thanks in large part to its proximity to the world’s eighthbusiest airport – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – and ease of access to strong transportation options that include an expansive rail network and major interstates I-20, I-30 and I-45, as well as I-35, a major north-south route that links the United States to Mexico and Canada.

Paved With Good Intentions The Texas Department of Transportation has approved funding to widen I-35 from downtown Fort Worth to near Alliance Airport. That initiative is part of the North Tarrant Express roadway project, designed to improve the I-820 and Airport Freeway corridor. Both initiatives will ultimately improve traffic flow in the region, and are part of $3.3 billion in highway projects under way in that section of Tarrant County.

The region’s road, rail and air facilities make Fort Worth a draw for logistics and distribution businesses, many of them located in one of nine major industrial parks.

The Mercantile Center, for example, is a 1,500-acre master-planned office and industrial development at I-35 and Loop 820. A number of logistics and distribution businesses including DHL Express and National Logistics are located at Mercantile Center.

Carter Industrial Park, which opened in 1962, is home to operations for several major companies, many of them in the food and beverage sector, including MillerCoors, Budweiser, Mrs. Baird’s Bakeries, Ben E. Keith Foods and Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee. The park’s location at I-35 and I-20 makes it appealing as a distribution location.

Left: Interstates 30 and 35 intersect in downtown Fort Worth.

Fort Worth Business Parks

Beechwood AllianceTexas Fossil Creek Railhead Industrial Park

CentrePort Riverbend 30

Mark IV Industrial Park

820

Mercantile Center

820

Carter Industrial Park

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35W

Carter Distribution Center AllianceTexas/alliancetexas.com Primary Uses: Office, Manufacturing, Distribution, Retail & Service Tenants: 243 Acres: 17,000 Has Foreign Trade Zone Beechwood Primary Uses: Retail Tenants: 2 Acres: 902 Carter Distribution Center Primary Uses: Light Manufacturing & Bulk Distribution Tenants: 1 (Fort Worth’s newest industrial park) Acres: 800 Carter Industrial Park/carterpark.com Primary Uses: Manufacturing & Distribution Tenants: 30+ Acres: 950 CentrePort Business Park/ campusatcentreport.com Primary Uses: Office, Distribution, Retail & Service Tenants: 100+ Acres: 1,300 Has Foreign Trade Zone

Fossil Creek Primary Uses: Office, Manufacturing, Distribution, Retail & Service Tenants: 50+ Acres: 1,150 Has Foreign Trade Zone Mark IV Industrial Park Primary Uses: Manufacturing & Distribution Tenants: 100+ Acres: 1,000 Mercantile Center/ mercantilecenter.com Primary Uses: Office, Distribution, Retail & Service Tenants: 30+ Acres: 1,500 Has Foreign Trade Zone Railhead Industrial Park Primary Uses: Distribution Tenants: 11 Acres: 633 Has Foreign Trade Zone Riverbend Business Park Primary Uses: Office, Distribution, Retail & Service Tenants: 275 Acres: 97 Has Foreign Trade Zone

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Fort Worth Alliance Airport Ph o t o b y D e bra H a l e , c o u r t e s y o f H i l lw o o d D e v e l o p m e n t C o , LLC

Form an Alliance A signature development not just for Fort Worth but the entire Metroplex is AllianceTexas, a 17,000acre master-planned community that is the vision of real estate developer Hillwood – A Perot Company.

Alliance, which includes office, industrial, commercial, retail and residential components, has generated more than $7.2 billion in investment and an economic impact of more than $38 billion since its 1990 opening.

Hillwood Chairman Ross Perot Jr. points out that Alliance has been successful because its location in the bustling North Texas marketplace, one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States. A total of 1 million people are being added to the North Texas population every seven years.

“In the mid-1980s, we saw a great opportunity to develop the region northwest of DFW Airport because it was really the last large piece of undeveloped land in North Texas,” Perot says.

Alliance is home to more than 250 companies, 28,000 employees, more than 31 million square feet of developed space and 7,400 single-

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family residences. “We’re only about one-third done and still have another 60 million to 70 million square feet of land to build on,” Perot says.

At the heart of Alliance is the inland port known as the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, which includes a Foreign Trade Zone, two Class I rail carriers, BNSF’s Alliance Intermodal Facility and Alliance Airport, billed as the world’s only industrial airport. The airport is owned by the city of Fort Worth and managed by Alliance Air Services. “Our first major project was to build Alliance Airport after Fort Worth asked if we would donate land for an airport. It opened in 1989, and I think Alliance Airport is the most successful public-private partnership in the nation today,” Perot says.

Alliance Airport handles only cargo, and its grounds make up the busiest Foreign Trade Zone in the United States.

“North Texas has become the demographic center of North America,” Perot says. “If you look at all of North America as a trading block, you certainly would want to have your company located in North Texas.

We’re in the middle of the country in a pro-growth state with no state

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income tax, where there is a strong workforce, a strong transportation system and a beautiful quality of life.

The Fort Worth/North Texas region is logistically a great place to be.”

clear for takeoff Along with DFW International and Alliance Airport, the Fort Worth region is also served by Meacham International and Spinks airports. Meacham International, which handles corporate and general aviation flights, includes four fullservice fixed-base operators, three maintenance facilities and six flight schools. Spinks Airport, which opened in 1988, is a general aviation reliever airport for DFW and includes a full-service fixed-base operator, multiple maintenance facilities and three flight schools. For more on Fort Worth’s airports, go to www.fortworthgov.org/aviation.

Ross Perot Jr.: ‘Fort Worth is a Great City With Great Leaders’ Ross Perot Jr. Chairman Hillwood In addition to serving as chairman of Hillwood, one of the top real estate developers in the United States, Ross Perot Jr. also is chairman of The Perot Group, which manages many of the family’s real estate, energy and financial investments. Perot was a founder of global technology company Perot Systems Corp. and served as chairman of its board from 2004 until the company was acquired by Dell Inc. in 2009. He is a 1981 graduate of Vanderbilt University in Nashville and a former U.S. Air Force pilot.

Since 1990, Alliance has generated a total economic impact of more than $38.5 billion. What do you see as the project’s most significant accomplishment?

Back in the mid-1980s when Hillwood was starting to roll, Fort Worth/Tarrant County was the No. 1 job-loss region in the United States because of our area’s defense industry slowdowns and layoffs due to the end of the Cold War. As Alliance has evolved, we have used mostly private dollars to develop and build it – at a 17-1 ratio to public dollars – and the direct economic impact to the region has been about $19 billion.

Why should a company choose to locate in Alliance?

Leading to and from the development are great roads, great rail and a great airport, plus there are nine different fiber optic providers to Alliance. All the incentives are in place to bring companies to Alliance, and we still have plenty of room for companies

to come here. We also have the land for two or three more mega-deals for huge companies that want to settle here.

What would you tell a company that is considering investing in Fort Worth and North Texas?

The biggest economic advantage for a company settling in North Texas is just that – you’re in the state of Texas. Fort Worth and North Texas are in the middle of the country in a pro-growth state with no state income tax, where there is a strong workforce and a nice quality of life. Fort Worth is a great city with great leaders.

– Kevin Litwin

1905 Windsor Pl. Fort Worth, TX 76110 (817) 926-2067 www.contiwarehouses.com

The principals at Conti Warehouses have been involved in Fort Worth Commercial Real Estate for over 20 years. Our company offers businesses the chance to grow with us, and we seek to develop long-term relationships with our tenants.

Our holdings consist of over 1.5 million square feet giving us the resources to meet the space requirements for any business. We can provide tenants with office/warehouse options from 2,500 square feet to well over 100,000 square feet at a time.

Conti Warehouses is a local Fort Worth company and employs its own in-house construction team, maintenance supervisors, and leasing professionals in an effort to provide the highest quality of service to our tenants, with the fastest response times.

Please visit us online to explore our available properties! We look forward to growing with you and your company.

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Energy/Technology

Breakthroughs Born Here Fort Worth cultivates innovation through hands-on assistance

Story by Betsy Williams • Photography by Jeff Adkins

B

uilding on its cluster of higher education institutions, diverse workforce and superior quality of life, Fort Worth has cultivated a climate of entrepreneurial achievement and growth, thanks to focused efforts provided through resources such as TECH Fort Worth and the city’s Business Assistance Center.

The help Arlyn and Will Kantz received aided them in launching their Fort Worth-based developmental learning company, Precision Songs.

The firm encourages the learning potential of special-needs children and has resulted in the creation of

Goals of TECH Fort Worth TECH Fort Worth (techfortworth.org) continues its mission of encouraging entrepreneurs in getting their products to market by: • Giving new companies solid roots • Creating the right environment for technology-based entrepreneurs • Building a strong reputation for success • Achieving sustainability

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an iPad application called Tuneville.

Precision Songs Helps Autistic Children As Arlyn Kantz explains, Precision Songs was born out of necessity – and love – to help their own son, Willson, who is autistic.

“TECH Fort Worth gave us the resources and the moral support we needed to know what direction we needed to take, and even had an intern help adapt one of our grant proposals into a submission to publishers,” she says. “They have always been available to answer questions and have stayed engaged with us, even when we were no longer active clients.”

The couple, with partners Chris and Erica Flynn, received the TECH Fort Worth Impact Award in 2009 for creating a music curriculum that can unblock the autism communications barrier.

“Regarding the iPad process, if it weren’t for that TECH Fort Worth Impact Awards event, we would not have met the professionals that sent us down this path,” Kantz says.

TECH Fort Worth Partners With UNT, City, Businesses TECH Fort Worth, a public-private partnership between the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, the city and the business community, offers assistance to technology-based entrepreneurs, ranging from three-month workshop programs that help determine idea feasibility to full-time incubation programs that include specialized space, says Brent Sorrells, operations manager for the center.

“As clients move into the more intensive programs, the requirements are more strict, and all must have a new technology they are bringing to market,” he says. “We have designed the program so we can work with five to six early-stage companies at a time in the incubation workshop or one-onone with startup companies in the Acceleration program.”

The center assists entrepreneurs in developing business models and product development, Sorrells says.

“Most of our Acceleration clients are in the product development phase, and

Right: The new 234,000-square-foot Engineering Research Building at UT-Arlington includes state-of-the art, multidisciplinary laboratory space, classrooms and offices.

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we try to help them attract investors to get their product to market,” he adds.

“Our clients are from a broad spectrum of industries; several are medical device or pharmaceutical companies, and they must be in this effort full time.”

ZS Pharma Receives TET Grant ZS Pharma, an Acceleration client developing products to treat high levels of potassium in the blood, was

started in 2008 and moved to Fort Worth in 2009, where it has grown to eight employees. Currently working with the University of North Texas on pre-clinical studies and clinical studies in humans, the company received a $2 million award from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund in 2010.

“That type of success helps foster interest from other technology-based entrepreneurs who have the ideas but

need help in launching their product,” Sorrells says.

The city’s Business Assistance Center, comprised of 12 service providers, offers services to startups and growing small businesses, including educational workshops, business counseling, business plan advice, counseling on financing options and market research help.

Engine for Innovation UT-Arlington boosts research status with state-of-the-art engineering building With a new $126 million Engineering Research Building that opened in January, the faculty at the University of Texas at Arlington’s College of Engineering are hoping to turn ideas into dollars. The 234,000-square-foot building, which features state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary labs and classrooms, new offices, support areas and conference rooms, expands research space for both science and engineering programs, and will bring computer science and biomedical engineering students as well as chemistry, biology, physics, math and genomics majors together under one roof to collaborate and innovate.

University officials hope that the building will boost UT-Arlington’s efforts to achieve status as a Tier 1 research institute – recognition that could not only draw more students but also attract more research contracts

and dollars. The university’s biggest new structure since its 128,000-square-foot chemistry and physics building opened in 2006, the research center will add visibility to innovation taking place in UTA’s Engineering and Science College, both of which are rising in enrollment.

The research center is designed with collaborative spaces to encourage students to brainstorm and develop fundable ideas that could potentially turn into startup ventures. It also incorporates energy-saving features, such as green and light-reflecting roofs, window designs for improved use of natural light, rainwater capture and storage for landscaping, use of local recycled materials, and other touches that will allow the facility to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silvercertification requirements.

– Emily McMackin fo r two r t h e cono m i c d e v e lop m e ntg u i d e . co m

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Health

Ph o t o C o u r t e s y o f STEVE H INDS / B AYLO R H E A LT H MEDI A

A Healthy Outlook City’s medical cluster offers the latest in treatment, technology Story by Melanie Hill • Photography by Jeff Adkins

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owntown Fort Worth is a hub for health care and medical research. The city’s south side medical district employs more than 30,000 people through a healthy mix of medical clinics, major medical centers and the University of North Texas Health Science Center.

With more than 40 locations throughout Tarrant County, JPS Health Network has the county’s only Level I trauma center, John Peter Smith Hospital. The department receives approximately 95,000 visits each year.

“Any level of emergency care patients might need is at this facility,” says Robert Earley, president and chief

Above: Baylor All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth

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executive officer of JPS Health Network.

As both a teaching and a public hospital, JPS boasts a vibrant residency program. The system also has implemented electronic medical records, ensuring that patients receive consistent, quality care, regardless of which JPS site they visit.

Another major provider of care is Baylor All Saints Medical Center, which has been taking care of medical issues both major and minor for more than 100 years. The 537-bed hospital has spent more than $300 million on upgraded facilities and services, including research and community service programs in education and screenings.

Cook Children’s Medical Center Advancements are made daily at Cook Children’s Medical Center, where a $250 million expansion is under way. Additions include a 106-bed, all single-room neonatal ICU set to open in 2011 and the $20 million pediatric cancer center expected in 2012.

“The expansion will meet the needs of our families, physicians, nurses and staff, and allow us to care for more children in the community,” says Rick Merrill, president and CEO of not-for-profit Cook Children’s Health Care System.

The hospital’s signature Pediatric Neurosciences program includes biofeedback, pediatric deep brain simulation, and a comprehensive epilepsy program and specialized unit. Cook Children’s also boasts one of the largest pediatric transport programs in the nation.

Across Sixth Street from Cook is Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, a regional referral center owned by nonprofit Texas Health Resources System. The hospital has received Magnet designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center – a sign of nursing excellence given to less than 6 percent of hospitals nationwide. The hospital also is recognized for its cardiac services, and was among the first to offer patients “cold” technology to treat atrial fibrillation. Arctic Front ® Cryoablation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a balloon catheter system

to deliver a freezing coolant instead of heat, significantly reducing the risk of damage around the heart.

“Our heart center has redefined the landscape of Texas Health Fort Worth and cardiovascular care in Tarrant County,” says Senior Vice President Lillie Biggins, RN, MSN, FACHE. University of North Texas Health Science Center Cutting-edge technology is no stranger in Fort Worth, where the University of North Texas Health Science Center operates The Department of Forensic and Investigative Genetics. The program is the academic component of the school’s Center for Human Identification, which provides genetic analysis and database services for a variety of governmental entities. In 2014, the UNT Health Science Center plans to add an MD program, an independent fifth school that will join the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health and School of Health Professions.

“Fort Worth’s medical district truly maintains a sense of community,” says Earley, who works closely with physicians, administrators and researchers from nearby facilities. “There’s a huge advantage to being located so close to each other, and it also means we have to be good at what we do, because patients can easily go to another system.”

Fort Worth Hospitals: • Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth • Baylor Medical Center at Southwest Fort Worth • Cook Children’s Medical Center • GlobalRehab • HCA North Texas/ Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth • Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Worth • Huguley Memorial Medical Center • John Peter Smith Hospital • Kindred Hospital Fort Worth Southwest • LifeCare Hospitals of Fort Worth • Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth • Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth • USMD Hospital at Fort Worth

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Education

Business Partners Region’s colleges and universities build workforce muscle

Story by Kevin Litwin

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Training New Hires Tarrant County College won a 2010 Community Partner Award for its work with Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County. TCC works closely with Workforce Solutions on a variety of training programs, including providing students with skills training needed for jobs in “hot” industries, such as logistics and transportation, advanced manufacturing and hospitality.

“Workforce Solutions is responsible Tarrant County College in Forth Worth

Antony Boshier

ort Worth has a deep pool of skilled and knowledgeable workers, owed in great measure to the region’s nucleus of quality higher education institutions, which have a combined enrollment of more than 324,000 students.

The 30,000 students who graduate each year from the region’s colleges and universities are a major draw to businesses that need access to a work-ready labor pool, and those higher learning institutions actively participate in helping place those qualified workers at Fort Worth employers.

In addition, colleges and universities are partners in promoting economic development, providing everything from workforce training programs to research to resources that assist entrepreneurial companies.

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for overseeing nearly $55 million in employment and training dollars to benefit businesses and citizens in Tarrant County,” says Troy Vaughn, Tarrant County College’s vice chancellor for continuing education services.

“They often turn to TCC to develop training that helps provide costeffective ways for companies to train incumbent and newly hired employees.”

Tarrant County College also partners often with local municipal and economic development officials to make sure graduates have a direct pipeline into the local and regional workforce.

Improving Your Business The University of Texas at Arlington’s Fort Worth Center assists the region’s business community through programs such as the Institute for Professional Development. The Institute’s slogan is

“Be a Fort Worth Maverick,” and its goal is to find innovative ways to increase revenue and decrease expenses for local businesses.

Institute officials point out that they set up proven programs that can accelerate the success and bottom line of a startup company or established company. The Professional Development programs are taught by leading academic experts and experienced industry practitioners, and officials point out that participants leave the training sessions with business and leadership improvement plans that can be implemented the minute they return to work.

BrainStorming Entrepreneurs Texas Christian University is also heavily involved with the region’s business community, and its Neeley

Entrepreneurship Center was named the 2011 National Model Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

“Our approach to entrepreneurship begins with helping students identify and develop their individual talents and core virtues, then put them into action to accomplish entrepreneurial endeavors,” says Keith Hmieleski, TCU professor and Neeley Entrepreneurship Program director. “This enables our students to focus on their strengths in a way that enhances engagement in the learning process, and allows them to function with an economy of means. In the end, it is our hope to place each of our students on a path toward a career and life of meaning. We believe that sets us apart.”

Colleges and Universities in Fort Worth • Columbia College ccis.edu/nationwide • Concordia University Texas-Fort Worth Canter concordia.edu • Everest College everest-college.com • Remington College remingtoncollege.edu • Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary www.swbts.edu • Tarleton State University Fort Worth campus tarleton.edu/fortworth • Tarrant County College www.tccd.edu • The Art Institute of Fort Worth www.artinstitutes.edu • Texas Christian University www.tcu.edu • Texas Wesleyan University www.txwes.edu • UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth www.hsc.unt.edu • University of Texas at Arlington/Fort Worth www.uta.edu/fortworth

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Students at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth p h o t o b y j e ff A d k i n s

F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

Are You Ready, Students? new Tarrant county College campus opens in fall 2011 And we christen you: Trinity River East Campus.

Tarrant County College will officially open its sixth and newest campus in August 2011, in time for the 2011-2012 school year. The campus will focus primarily on health-care training, with students studying course programs in nursing, radiology, sonography and respiratory care.

chancellor. “We expect our new campus to be a main part of the downtown landscape.”

Built Into a River Bluff The $200 million campus is being situated near a sunken plaza between Belknap and Weatherford streets, and a walkway will link the plaza to Trinity River. Buildings have actually been constructed into a

river bluff just east of the Tarrant County Courthouse.

The new campus will allow allied health students to achieve about 50 percent of their clinical experience in the on-site hospital setting.

Students will also be able to earn certification in areas such as health information technology, as well as long term care administration.

– Kevin Litwin

Complete With Mannequins Classrooms will feature 21st-century technology and will resemble hospitals complete with lifelike mannequins so students can gain a full spectrum of clinical skills. The Tarrant County College nursing program is currently headquartered at the TCC South Campus, and all allied health programs will move to Trinity River East by August 2011.

College leaders say the complex will add to downtown Fort Worth’s features while creating a training facility to help meet the growing need for health professionals.

“Approximately one in every 19 Tarrant County residents takes a class at TCC each year,” says Erma Johnson Hadley,

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What’s Online  For more about what makes Fort Worth such a livable community, go to fortwortheconomicdevelopmentguide.com.

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Livability

Where Life is Good Fort Worth creates a vibrant, diverse and affordable community

Story by Kevin Litwin • Photography by Jeff Adkins

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rom its vibrant downtown to its diverse neighborhoods to its cultural showpieces, Fort Worth is modern, eclectic – and affordable.

The city has blended the traditional and the modern with gleaming new buildings that are intermixed with art deco architecture masterpieces.

Revitalized neighborhoods such as Near Southside and the West Seventh Street corridor are magnets for artisans and young professionals, and have created individual urban villages with unique shops, restaurants, and arts and entertainment venues.

Downtown Fort Worth in 2011 is alive not only for business, but as a bustling residential neighborhood and entertainment hub. Meanwhile, an extensive greenway and parks system is in place throughout Fort Worth, and there is a bold plan on the drawing board for development along the Trinity River.

Worth Bragging About Stacy Landreth Grau is originally from Louisiana and lived in Philadelphia for several years before moving to Fort Worth in 2010.

Stores and restaurants line the streets of Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth.

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“There’s a lot about Fort Worth that I like, including both of the schools where our young daughters are enrolled,” says Landreth Grau, associate professor of professional practice at Texas Christian University.

“As for attractions, my husband, George, and I have already taken the kids a couple times to the IMAX Theater at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. My husband and I are homebodies now, but we like the Fort Worth entertainment scene.”

Is That a Michelangelo?

Eric McCauley Lee left a job as director of an art museum in Cincinnati in 2009 to become the director at Kimbell Art Museum.

The Kimbell is known not only for its collection of works by masters such as Picasso, Matisse and Cezanne – it is also home to the first painting

by Michelangelo – but its stunning design by famed architect Louis Kahn.

“The Kimbell is small in terms of works in our permanent collection, but every painting is a treasure,” Lee says. “In a city this size, it is amazing that Fort Worth not only has the Kimbell but also the Amon Carter Museum and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. All the pieces in those three facilities are staggering to an art lover like me.”

In just two years in Fort Worth, Lee says he has come to enjoy the great weather. He says the daylight of Fort Worth puts him in a good mood because it’s usually sunny even in the dead of winter.

“Everything in this city is within a 10-minute drive, and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is also nearby,” he says. “I also like the ‘can do’ spirit in this city, and the best years of Fort Worth are in its future – not the past. There is a real optimism in the people who live here, and I’m proud to say that I am now a citizen of Fort Worth.”

Top: Visitors explore the Powering Our World exhibit at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Below: Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth

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Sportsmanlike Conduct Region is a winner for fans of college, professional competition Texas Christian University not only has a unique name for its sports teams – the Horned Frogs – but a growing reputation for on-field performance. TCU’s football team notched an undefeated 2010 regular season, followed up with a victory over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day 2011. TCU will join the Big East Conference beginning in 2012.

College sports are not the only sports story in Fort Worth. Major sporting events include NASCAR and IndyCar Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, and Fort Worth also opens its arms each May to the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club, considered one of the most prestigious golf tournaments on the PGA Tour each year. Fort Worth also hosts the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl college football game each December.

the Dallas Vigilantes and Allen Wranglers of indoor football, baseball’s Fort Worth Cats and Grand Prairie AirHogs, the Texas Legends and Dallas Impact in basketball, and the Allen Americans and Texas Brahmas in hockey.

And besides TCU, the Metroplex is home to NCAA Division-I athletics that feature teams from the University of North Texas, Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas at Arlington.

– Kevin Litwin

Metroplex Mania With its location in the heart of the DFW Metroplex, Fort Worth offers easy access to major professional sports teams. The Dallas Cowboys of the NFL and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball play in Arlington in Tarrant County, and the region also includes the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, Dallas Stars of the NHL and FC Dallas of Major League Soccer.

Minor league teams that call the Metroplex home include

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F o r t W o r t h Econo m i c D e v e lop m e nt G u i d e

economic profile Business snapshot

Population (2010) Fort Worth: 741,206 Fort Worth-Arlington Metro Division (Tarrant, Johnson, Parker and Wise counties): 2.2 million Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA: 6.4 million Fort Worth median age: 32

Notable Headquarters in Fort Worth Acme Brick Alcon Laboratories (U.S. HQ) Allied Electronics American Airlines Bell Helicopter Ben E. Keith BNSF Railway D.R. Horton Healthpoint Justin Brands RadioShack Pier 1 Imports Williamson-Dickie Mfg.

Cost of Living (Fort Worth) Composite: 92.1 Grocery items: 90.7 Housing: 77.3 U.S. average=100 Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Survey

Fort Worth is home to more than 16,300 companies, including six Fortune 1000 companies. Because of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and the AllianceTexas master-planned commercial airport, Fort Worth is renowned as one of the nation’s most active inland ports. Fort Worth is home to numerous education and training institutions and more than 324,000 college and university students are enrolled in the DFW Metroplex, annually graduating in excess of 30,000 students.

Major Employers AMR/American Airlines: 22,169 Texas Health Resources: 18,866 Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.: 14,988 Fort Worth Independent School District: 11,000 Arlington Independent School District: 8,126 University of Texas at Arlington: 6,239 City of Fort Worth: 6,195 JPS Health Network: 4,872 Cook Children’s Health Care System: 4,826 Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth: 3,968 Chase Bank: 4,200 Tarrant County Government: 4,173 Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.: 3,820 Keller Independent School District: 3,492 Alcon Laboratories: 3,299 Fidelity: 3,200

Civilian Labor Force Fort Worth-Arlington: 1,077.0 Dallas-Plano-Irving: 2,160.8 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA: 3,237.8

Major Business Sectors (By % of establishments) Retail Trade: 28% Services: 21.1% Finance Insurance & Real Estate: 9.9% Medical & Health: 7.1% Wholesale Trade: 6.1% Construction: 5.9% Manufacturing: 5.4% Transportation & Utilities 3.1% All other: 13.4%

Housing Estimated median housing value (2009): $121,700 Average housing price, detached home (2009): $155,128 Median gross rent (2009): $805

Median Household Income (2009) Fort Worth: $47,634 Tarrant County: $53,757

visit our

advertisers Conti Warehouses www.contiwarehouses.com

Jackson Walker LLP www.jw.com

Texas Wesleyan University School of Law www.law.txwes.edu

Crowley Area Chamber of Commerce www.crowleyareachamber.org

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company www.lockheedmartin.com

UNT Health Science Center www.hsc.unt.edu

Fort Worth Transportation Authority www.the-t.com Hillwood Properties www.alliancetexas.com

Omni American Bank www.omniamerican.com Residence Inn Marriott www.residenceinn.com/dfwri

Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County www.workforcesolutions.net Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/dfwdt

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Through the Lens

Get the Story Behind the Photo Now that you’ve experienced the Fort Worth region through our photos, see it through the eyes of our photographers. Visit fortwortheconomicdevelopmentguide.com to view our exclusive photographers’ blog documenting what all went in to capturing those perfect moments.

From Our Photo Blog: Fort Worth Economic Development Guide During a recent trip to Fort Worth, Texas, I was surprised to find several world-class museums all within walking distance of each other. And, by far, the most impressive piece I shot at any museum was the Torment of Saint Anthony by Michelangelo Buonarroti, which hangs on a wall at the Kimbell Art Museum. This is the first – and only – Michelangelo piece to enter an American collection, and was painted when he was around the age of 12.

Also within walking distance of the Kimbell are the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, which specializes in art from the American West; and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, which has exhibits for the whole family; and the Cowgirl Hall of Fame Museum, honoring women of the American West.

Posted by Jeff Adkins

More Online

See more favorite photos and read the stories behind the shots at fortwortheconomicdevelopmentguide.com.

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DinoLabs Dinosaur exhibit at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

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Ad Index

33 Conti Warehouses

3 Crowley Area Chamber of Commerce

4 Fort Worth Transportation Authority

C2 Hillwood Properties

C4 Jackson Walker LLP

C3 Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

12 Omni American Bank

25 Residence Inn Marriott

21 Texas Wesleyan University School of Law

38 UNT Health Science Center

41 Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County

46 Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel