Corporate Site Selection and Economic Development:
A 35-Year Perspective

Mark’s updated and expanded book is a must read for corporate executives, economic developers and elected leaders who want enlightened, direct and real-world perspectives on facility site selection and the pursuit of economic development. Written with a practical and humorous flare, it provides an interesting and easy reading experience. With numerous case studies and real stories, it is being utilized around the U.S. in academic settings as an informative and entertaining teaching tool. It is available in print and kindle.
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About the Book

Mark Williams provides an informed and unique perspective based on his 35 years in corporate site selection and state level economic development.

His updated and expanded book highlights the best site selection and economic development practices and describes the high cost of mistakes, particularly when the wrong site is chosen for corporate facility locations. New chapters address the latest site selection trends, energy, conditions that kill site selection deals and what site selection clients want from site selectors and economic developers.
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About The Author 

Mark Williams is a nationally recognized site selector and economic development expert with over 35-years of experience working with corporations locating facilities from a variety of business sectors. He has also advised governors, mayors, utilities, railroads and development agencies on site readiness and economic development strategies.

In the early stages of his career at the South Carolina Department of Commerce, he was Chief Development Officer charged with developing the state’s U.S. and foreign investments and directing offices in Tokyo, Japan, and Frankfurt, Germany. During his service under two governors, Mark established statewide economic development strategies for existing industry and business recruitment, directing capital investment projects valued at over $5 billion.

In 1999, Mark founded the professional site selection firm, Strategic Development Group, Inc. (SDG). The firm is nationally recognized and has an extensive record of working on major projects in the automotive, chemical, steel and life science sectors. After 26 years, he is currently SDG’s President, with continuing fascination with the complexities of business decision making and site selection.

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About Strategic Development Group

Founded in 1999, SDG is a highly specialized site selection consulting firm focused on identifying optimum locations in a timely manner, maximizing the value of incentives, and minimizing risk for corporations from across the globe. SDG has managed projects with capital investment from $15 million to over $1 billion for companies in a wide range of industries including automotive, chemical, steel and life science.

SDG also provides economic development services including site evaluation and development strategy, targeted marketing, and economic development strategy for life science and other business sectors.

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Mark’s updated and expanded version of Corporate Site Selection and Economic Development further verifies his vast U.S. and global experience in navigating the complex interactions between government, economic development organizations and corporate executives in the site selection process.

– David M. Beasley
2020 Nobel Peace Prize Recipient for the World Food Programme and Former Governor of South Carolina

This expanded version of Corporate Site Selection and Economic Development is essential reading for corporate executives considering locating new manufacturing and office facilities. Mark’s intimate knowledge of the site selection process and the art of business negotiation is unmatched.

– Bob Handlos
Retired CEO and President of Bridgestone America’s Firestone Polymers Division

Mark has served on the faculty of the national Advanced Economic Development Leadership program and used his vast experience and books to teach senior professionals valuable lessons that can be applied in their local footprint. The class evaluations for his sessions are off-the-chart and his conversational style, applied lessons and class interaction get great reviews.

– Neal Wade
Former Alabama Chief Economic Development Officer and Founder, Advanced Economic Development Leadership Program

Mark is known throughout the South as a top site selector with extensive success in both the private and public sector. His expanded book highlights unique insights into the process of site selection and getting deals done for a variety of international and domestic clients and is the best book of its kind I’ve seen in a long time.

– Michael Randle
Publisher, Southern Business and Development Magazine

Conference and Retreat Speaking

With extensive U.S. and global site location and economic development experience, Mark is a popular keynote speaker at a variety of conference and event venues in the U.S. and abroad related to the following:

  • Site location trends
  • Corporate site location strategy
  • Case studies in corporate site selection
  • The role of utilities in the site selection process
  • The value and purpose of economic development
  • Economic development strategy
  • What site selection clients want
  • What kills site selection deals
Please contact Mark for speaking availability and rates.
Contact Mark

Contact

Phone

803.917.6118

Email

mwilliams@strategicdev.com

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