JOHNSTOWN – Fulton County Center for Regional Growth officials say a two-day tour of Fulton and Montgomery counties next week by Memphis-based site selector Michael Mullis could boost local business.
Mullis’ visit, set for Thursday and Friday, was discussed by CRG President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Reese at a meeting of the Fulton County Board of Supervisors’ Economic Development and Environment Committee on Tuesday, and by CRG Chairman Dustin Swanger at a meeting of the CRG’s Board of Directors on Thursday.
“I would encourage you to sign up for the Michael Mullis presentations,” Swanger told his directors. “It think it’s going to be very important to hear his assessment of our sites [and] our region.”
Site selectors are consultants who help businesses find the optimal location for construction or expansion of their facilities. Factors they consider include accessibility to – and availability of – customers, space costs, size, physical characteristics, zoning regulations, tax incentives and quality of the local workforce.
Mullis in 1979 founded J. M. Mullis, Inc., an independent and privately owned, professional project location specialist firm in Memphis, Tenn. According to his company’s website, it was formed to provide professional project location specialist services to companies contemplating expansion or relocation of business opportunities throughout the world, with particular emphasis in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. The company also has affiliates in Mexico, Europe and Asia.
The website says Mullis has completed more than 1,260 assignments, including expansions, relocations, new project establishments, headquarters, distribution, manufacturing, teleservices centers, technical support and e-commerce capital-intensive, labor-intensive, transportation-sensitive, and labor attitude-sensitive projects.
Mullis’ visit is being made possible with the help of the CEO Roundtable, a group of local business leaders, and CRG, Reese told supervisors.
Reese told his board Mullis’ tour of the two counties will include stops in Canajoharie, at the former Tryon facility in Perth, Fulton-Montgomery Community College and three Fulton County industrial parks, including the two in Gloversville.
Mullis’ findings will be made public at a news conference at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Holiday Inn in Johnstown.
Reese told county supervisors he worked on a Fulton County package of information to be sent to J.M. Mullis Inc. for its review prior to Mullis’ visit. He said the Fulton County Planning Department also provided assistance with various maps to include with the county’s marketing materials.
Invitations to Mullis’ tour of the area were extended to entities such as the Empire State Development Corp., National Grid and the Mohawk Valley Regional Council.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at [email protected]
