Huntley gets update on attracting business
By Jeanie Mayer For The Courier-News March 1, 2013 1:50PM
Updated: April 4, 2013 6:40AM
HUNTLEY — Village Board members received an update from village staff on ways to meet objectives outlined in Huntley’s 2011-2015 Strategic Plan to attract quality commercial, office, service and business park development.
Village Manager David Johnson said the efforts will enhance the village’s ability to attract quality retailers and employers to the village. He identified the top development successes in progress at this time as being Centegra Hospital Huntley and the I-90/Route 47 Interchange project.
The village’s development team of business recruitment coordinator Victor Narusis and business retention and expansion coordinator Margo Griffin then outlined the achievements of 2012 and identified their plans for 2013.
They said their major initiatives for last year were messaging and media coverage to help make regional and national companies aware of Huntley’s advantages.
“We launched a website (HuntleyFirst.com) last January that is meaningful, accurate and useful. We emphasized our location along Chicago’s ‘golden corridor.’ We looked for retailers not currently on the market on Randall Road and communicated why Huntley is the best location for their next site,” Narusis said.
Narusis said he not only markets Huntley’s 25,000 residents but includes nearby Hampshire and Pingree Grove for an estimated 45,000 potential customers.
Griffin said the village is pursuing foreign direct investment from countries like Japan, Germany and Korea. She said staff has been attending trade shows and conferences in efforts to court new business to the village.
“This year has been about building partnerships,” Griffin said.
The staff also is using high speed communications as a major draw to tech companies and those that manage data.
Griffin indicated that Huntley is in position to become a communications hub due to its location along a major fiber optic arterial that runs parallel to I-90.
“Our number one goal is to increase the number of quality contacts we make, to increase our centers of influence and introduce (new businesses) to land owners and site owners,” Naruisus said.
