About GO Topeka
Functions and Staff
GO Topeka Private Investors
GO Topeka Board of Directors
Vision
GO Topeka is the leader in creating opportunities for economic growth that provide a thriving business climate and fulfilling lifestyle for all residents of Topeka and Shawnee County.
Mission and action plans
Mission:
GO Topeka’s Mission is to create exceptional opportunities for growth, prosperity, innovation, and economic diversity and vibrancy that positively impact current and future citizens of Topeka and Shawnee County by attracting world-class companies, providing existing companies with the knowledge and resources to reach their highest potential, and cultivating entrepreneurial development and growth.
Adopted April 1, 2011
GO Topeka is a model for economic development organizations- WE CAN DO THAT
GO Topeka’s primary function is economic development which is vital to the growth and prosperity of Topeka/Shawnee County. Through this process of bringing in new "outside" dollars into the community a greater wealth and quality of place is established for our citizens and future generations. GO Topeka achieves this mainly through new capital investment, business creation and recruitment of “primary” jobs, as well as retention and expansion of existing businesses.
A second, but equally important function, is marketing Topeka/Shawnee County internationally, nationally, regionally and locally. Our unique marketing strategy is a complex mixture of creativity, strategy, relationships and dozens of components that come together to form a comprehensive marketing initiative. In 2012, GO Topeka will shift to a more targeted marketing focus to fully capture the audience of decision makers in our target sector industries, and to support our existing businesses and entrepreneurial development.
The lifeblood of any successful economic organization is the relationships it forms, both within and outside of the community. GO Topeka’s existing relationships include the following: the taxpayers of Topeka/Shawnee County, existing employers, companies within targeted industries, site location consultants, and local, state, regional and national partners. These relationships develop over years of continuous interactions where a foundation of trust is established. Our clients rely on GO Topeka’s knowledge to be the expert in business and industry.
The GO Topeka Team together has over 94 years of experience working in economic development and marketing communities and organizations. Those years have been spent building strong trusting relationships with all stakeholders, and increasing our professional expertise in economic development, which is what successful business development is based on. Our solid relationships with Kansas City Area Development Council, KC Smartport, Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas Department of Transportation, state agencies, and Governor Brownback have had huge impacts on recent successful recruitment projects.
GO Topeka and its program for recruitment have been declared a “model for economic development organizations” according to our newest corporate citizen, Mars Chocolate North America. Based on the successes GO Topeka has had since 2002 there are many other companies that believe the same thing. Additionally, GO Topeka’s Entrepreneurial and Minority Business Development program has been cited as a national model to follow by the Institute for Competitive Workforce.
Listed below are some of the functions that GO Topeka specifically performs.
1. GO Topeka provides assistance with the most current and comprehensive information available to companies that are interested in Topeka/Shawnee County for relocation, retention or expansion and who create new jobs. Samples of that information include:
- Local demographic data
- Quality of life
- Public infrastructure
- Business assistance programs
- Real estate
- Taxes, fees and regulations
- Comprehensive Sites and Buildings Database to market Shawnee County available sites and buildings
2. We strategically market Topeka/Shawnee County to our targeted business industries through a variety of efforts including:
- Website development
- Recruitment from targeted geographic areas
- Electronic, social media and print advertising
- Site selection consultants presentations
- Tradeshows
- Multimedia presentations
- Public relations
3. GO Topeka works diligently with state, regional and community partners to ensure that a positive business environment exists in the community. Our existing business program requires a unique marketing approach and many of the community assets that attract new employers, will keep existing firms rooted in Shawnee County. There are several reasons why companies thrive in certain communities and struggle in others. These factors include:
- Proximity to markets
- Ease of international travel
- Local labor skills and availability
- Tax and regulatory environment
- Quality of life issues
- Cost of doing business
- Incentives
- Infrastructure
- Proximity to major universities and concentration of existing industries
4. The core of any community/city is its existing businesses. GO Topeka recognizes that much of Topeka/Shawnee County’s continued job growth comes from its existing business/industry. Businesses thrive in environments that provide support - making it easy to grow and move their product to the market place. GO Topeka is committed to providing many means of assistance and support for primary employers by listening to their needs for growth – as well as finding solutions to barriers that may keep businesses from thriving in the community.
5. The Purpose of Entrepreneurial & Minority Business Development funding program is to increase the accessibility, visibility and viability of entrepreneurialism and small business growth for M&WBD defined entrepreneurs in the community and to promote economic development, recruit and job creation in Topeka and Shawnee County for qualified persons.
The Entrepreneurial & Minority Business Development provides assistance and programs to empower small, low- to moderate-income, minority and women-owned business enterprises with the knowledge and resources to build wealth and contribute to the economic betterment of Topeka and Shawnee County.
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