Study - Southern Illinois has much to offer business

VIENNA, Ill. -- Economic developer Jody Johnson stopped his truck outside the county's latest experiment with economic stimulation -- a nearly finished 25,000-square-foot building that he's in charge of filling with paying tenants.

But as the wind blew through the building's gaping holes where garage doors will soon hang, Johnson said he hopes a new study aimed at pitching the region to businesses will help him pitch the building to tenants, too.

"We can target specific industries and say we know they'd be a good fit," said Johnson, 33, who is Johnson County's head of economic development. "We can say we know this because we've been working with a worldwide company that did the research."

The $50,000 study by Spartanburg, S.C.-based Lockwood Greene consultants is aimed at helping local boosters like Johnson sell the poorest part of the state to businesses wanting to relocate or expand, said Donna Raynalds, director of the Southernmost Illinois Delta Empowerment Zone, the agency that commissioned the study.

SIDEZ distributes grants and loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to boost the economy and improve the quality of life in Alexander, Johnson and Pulaski counties, which are among Illinois' poorest.

Included in the three volumes released Friday are a list of the industries best suited to the people, economy and climate of the state's far south, and analysis on how competitive the area is in attracting them.

The industries best suited for the region: engineered-wood and plastics manufacturing; printing; primary metals and metals processing; heavy-equipment manufacturing; wholesale trade; and niche, entrepreneurial industries like shrimp farming and wineries.

The report says the firm believes "some of these industries will experience growth in the future on the national level."

On the other hand, the region suffers from a reputation of having hostile unions, poor schools and a relatively high percentage of workers who tend not to want to work, the report said.

"The area should consider undertaking a campaign to eliminate the union stigma," the report said.

Johnson said he doesn't yet know what industries he'll approach to move into the empty building.

But as he drives his truck in front, it becomes easy to believe things are changing in his county.

The wood frame of a winery has risen from the grass near the empty building; a new Kraft distribution center sits a few yards away, across the road from a Subway restaurant that opened last week.

To Pat Widger, who ate lunch Monday at Subway, anything that will help sell Johnson County is worth a try.

"Look at all this," she said, pointing to the construction sites nearby. "People here know this is a great place, we just have to get the word out to everyone else."