Are We In or Are We Out!
Will the economy double-dip or are we still in a recession. Peter Cohan, president of Peter S. Cohan, a management consulting and venture capital firm, wrote in his latest blog for Daily Finance, that we really haven’t emerged out of the first recession; and, though growth might be occurring it is happening at such a slow pace it doesn’t feel like real growth.
Contrast our country’s anemic growth over the past three years with that of Japan’s lost decade where economic expansion came to a total almost complete halt from 1991 to 2000. During this period, most Japanese households didn’t feel the economic effects on a daily basis but the long-term impact of nearly negative growth shifted Japan from having the world’s second largest economy to a point where today China’s economy has recently surpassed it.
The Eagle has Landed!
Good news for Evansville Regional Airport with the addition of another daily Dallas flight on American Eagle starting in November. Most airlines are doing anything but adding new service and the new Dallas route comes at a good time as Evansville Regional Airport is also seeking a federal grant to add new service to the Washington, DC market, which will allow for greater air access to the east coast.
Capital Campaign getting ready to Start
It’s hard to believe that the Coalition’s inaugural three-year capital campaign is nearly complete. Due to the financial generosity of Southwest Indiana companies and individuals, we’ve been able to achieve some significant accomplishments over this same time period.
Since 2007, the Coalition has helped secure $346 million in new investment, 1,780 new jobs and $33 million in grant funds to build community capacity in an economic environment that some might say has been difficult at best. A third of the Coalition’s annual budget is generated by contributions from the private sector.
We’re getting ready to kick-off another three-year campaign and we firmly believe that the Coalition has provided real value for all of our partners. Our goal is simple – to maintain private investment at $400,000 per year. If we are lucky enough to increase that number by adding new investors, it would be a strong plus as currently 80% of the Coalition’s private sector contributions are provided by just 28 investors.
Within the next 45 days, the Coalition will be reaching out to you asking for your continued support. I realize that these are tough economic times to be asking for financial support but much of the new investment and grant funds secured for Southwest Indiana would not have come about had the Coalition not existed. Your financial support makes what we do possible, and let me thank you in advance for your consideration.
J. Gregory Wathen, APR
President & CEO
