Fort Wayne MSA Ranks #13 in Job Growth in Milken Institutes Best-Performing Cities Index ’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 21, 2013
Fort Wayne MSA Ranks #13 in Job Growth
in Milken Institutes Best-Performing Cities Index
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Milken Institute--a nonprofit, nonpartisan, economic think tank--recently released its Best-Performing Cities Index. The Fort Wayne MSA (metropolitan statistical area), which includes Allen, Whitley and Wells counties, ranked #13 out of 200 cities nationwide in job growth from May 2011 to May 2012.
"The Fort Wayne MSA shows real strength in the area of job growth," said John Stafford, director of the Community Research Institute (CRI) at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW). "The numbers are compelling and demonstrate steady economic progress in Northeast Indiana."
The annual Best-Performing Cities Index provides a data-driven, comprehensive measure of economic strength across metropolitan areas. It includes job, wage, and technology metrics over a five-year period to capture the structural elements. According to the Milken Institute website, "[The researchers] pinpoint where employment is stable and expanding, wages and salaries are increasing, and economies and businesses are thriving. Armed with this knowledge, businesses, investors, industry associations, development agencies and government officials, academics, and public-policy groups can assess, monitor, and gain insight into each metro's performance relative to the rest."
"This study reaffirms that Northeast Indiana is on the right path, and it shows just what we are capable of as a region. We recently witnessed an upward turn in per capita income and now seeing our job growth rising compounds this success," said John Sampson, president and CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. "The vision and collaborative leadership here in Northeast Indiana is putting our region on the map as a global competitor. We have every reason to believe that we will continue to reap success through a sustained focus on the priorities of Vision 2020."
In addition to the Fort Wayne MSA's job growth ranking, the Fort Wayne MSA also climbed 68 spots up from last year in the overall ranking category from #127 to an overall ranking of #59. (Indianapolis was ranked #51.)
To view the full study, visit the Milken Institute's website. To read additional commentary by John Stafford, visit the Community Research Institute's website.
The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership was formed in 2006 to help build a globally competitive economy in Northeast Indiana. It is a public-private partnership focused on generating business leads and building regional capacity through product development and effective regional collaboration. The Northeast Indiana Fund (Fund) was created in 2005 to operate as a supporting organization of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, focused specifically on product development and regional collaboration. In 2010, the Partnership launched Vision 2020 to bring the region together around five key areas for economic growth: 21st Century Talent, Competitive Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure and Quality of Life. Through its combined efforts in business development and capacity building, the Partnership supports its 10 member counties: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties. For more information, visit www.NEIndiana.com.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Courtney Tritch
Marketing Director
Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
260.469.3460
courtney@NEIndiana.com
