An open letter to mayor-elect Nancy Vaughan

Dear Mayor-elect Vaughan,

Congratulations on your victory. On the campaign trail, you emphasized job creation as one of your priorities—a priority consistently shared by your predecessors since we started bleeding our traditional manufacturing jobs some fifteen years or so ago. Unfortunately, our economic exsanguination has continued despite the sincere desires of mayors before you to find some antidote.

Each of your predecessors, however, took essentially the same approach to job creation, manifesting their hope in the capabilities of others, primarily various "economic development" officials and organizations. While the mayors pitched in with efforts to make land "shovel ready" or to make us an attractive place by improving our quality of life, those efforts, while not unimportant and not unappreciated, essentially consigned the mayors to an ancillary role. I think you should do things differently.

I suggest that you take the lead as a corporate recruiter for Greensboro. Cooperate with and utilize the expertise of the professional "economic developers," but take the lead. What would that look like? A job. Each day, you would do some research into business and industry trends. You'd read. A lot. Then, act. Each day, you would make some calls and send some emails or letters to companies that might be expanding or relocating.

Start with this: Foxconn, the mammoth Chinese manufacturer of iPhones and iPads is looking to establish manufacturing plants in the United Sates; one on the west coast, one on the east. You and I know that with our three-runway airport, confluence of highways, ground and air shipping companies, mobile chip maker RFMicro, and our tech colleges training potential workers in modern manufacturing, Foxconn should know about us. We could be the perfect fit.

Put yourself forward for us. On our behalf, begin to navigate your way to the people who will be deciding where the east coast Foxconn plant will be, introduce yourself to them, identify their needs and offer to personally help them consider Greensboro. Be their problem solver and our ambassador.

There will be, I'm sure, people who will tell you "that's not the way it's done." Tell them you want their help, but you'd like to do it a little differently this time, that you think we'll have more success if companies get the personal attention, and persistence, of Greensboro's mayor. Say that, then take charge. That's my advice.

Best of luck!

Yours,
Roch