A Complete Range Of Services For Companies And Communities.
Sanford Holshouser is a full service economic development consulting firm with services in Economic Development Planning, Site Selection, and Public Policy Formation. Each area of expertise is built on a foundation of real world experience:
- Economic Development Planning — Our partners have headed local, regional, and state level economic development organizations and are deeply experienced in developing strategic and action plans.
- Site Selection — Our firm has been involved with over $4 billion in investments.
- Public Policy Formation — We have conducted state-level economic development policy analysis with the involvement of Governor Holshouser.
Economic Development Planning
Since its founding in 1999, Sanford Holshouser has provided consulting services to more than 80 communities in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, and Minnesota. Projects have included strategic planning and action planning for economic development, product development, competitive analysis, site certification, board development, organizational development, and coalition building for EDOs. We have worked for small towns, rural counties, high-tech large cities, and urban regions.
- Economic development strategic action planning for communities
- Development of industrial, business, and corporate parks
- Site identification, assessment, certification, and planning
- Downtown revitalization
- Creation and implementation of business retention and expansion programs
- Organizational structure analysis for the EDO
- Return on investment analysis
- External and internal marketing
- Integrating workforce development and training into an economic development program
- Executive search and bridge management for an EDO
- Board retreat facilitation
- Incentive negotiations and policies on behalf of communities
Site Selection
Sanford Holshouser’s Site Selection Division works with corporate clients to site new facilities and expansions, analyze workforce characteristics, negotiate incentives, and work through the many tasks involved in locating a new or expanded facility. We have also represented communities in the site selection process assisting with incentive negotiations and return on investment analysis. Our partners have site selection experience as consultants and as local, regional, and state level economic developers. Having both sets of experiences gives us a unique perspective in site selection.
- Determining site selection criteria
- Comprehensive search for sites and/or buildings that meet client needs
- Assisting with local codes, ordinances, associated public hearings, and permitting process
- Performing location analysis
- Incentive negotiation
- Licensed real estate brokerage services
Public Policy Formation
The firm’s Public Policy Division has completed projects such as the NC Motorsports Study which quantified the economic impact of the industry on the State’s economy and formed state-level policy recommendations to retain and grow the industry. Sanford Holshouser partnered with UNC-Charlotte Urban Institute on the motorsports project. A similar study was recently completed for North Carolina’s equine industry. Commissioned by the NC General Assembly, the equine study was done in partnership with NC State, East Carolina, and Western Carolina Universities.
- Statewide industry impact studies
- Evaluation of economic development public policies
- Formulation of economic development policies to retain, grow, and recruit industry sectors
- Analyzing economic impact of legislation