Best-selling Boomtown author to speak
Do people in a prosperous town approach their lives differently than those in a struggling town? Can communities that are struggling rebound? If so, how? These are questions Jack Schultz, CEO of Agracel, Inc. will address when he conducts his presentation at noon on August 31 at Sturges-Young Auditorium.
Schultz is the author of “Boomtown USA, the 7 ½ Keys to Big Success in Small Towns,” a national best-selling book that details the characteristics of successful small towns. Since writing the book, he has delivered his “Boomtown” presentation across the USA over 180 times in 18 months.
Schultz theorizes there are 7 ½ common traits flourishing communities possess. These include possessing a “can-do” attitude, developing a vision, leveraging resources, raising strong leaders, encouraging entrepreneurialism, maintaining local control, building a brand and embracing the “teeter-totter factor.”
Schultz now predicts new technologies will precipitate a move from the suburbs to what he calls “agurbs.” He says this is good news for small communities prepared to position themselves for those changes. Schultz defines agurbs as rural communities with populations of less than 50,000 that have ties to agriculture and a location outside a metropolitan statistical area.
“We feel very fortunate to be able to bring Jack Schultz to St. Joseph County,” said David Allen, executive director of the St. Joseph County Economic Development Corporation. “Our County fits perfectly into the agurb criteria and can greatly benefit from his message.”
While he is in the area, Schultz will also provide private presentations to organizations such as the St. Joseph County Sustainability Council and the Boards of Directors from the St. Joseph County EDC; River Country Tourism Bureau; Sturgis Area, Three Rivers Area, Burr Oak and Colon Chambers of Commerce.
“We are looking forward to interacting with Mr. Schultz,” said Cathi Garn, executive director of the Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce. “We have some regional groups working on projects to create a niche for St. Joseph County and we will be interested to enlist his feedback.”
Schultz’s company, Agracel, Inc. is an industrial development firm specializing in the agurban market. Since its inception in 1986, Agracel’s focus has been to facilitate new jobs in the hi-tech and manufacturing sectors specifically in small town America. Agracel, Inc. has projects in eight states and has developed more than four million square feet of industrial space on long-term leases, several commercial office buildings and manages industrial, office and commercial parks.
This event is being sponsored by Aquila, Consumers Energy, Indiana Michigan Power Company, Midwest Energy, Norfolk Southern, SEMCO Energy and the St. Joseph County EDC. There is a $10 per person charge to attend. For reservations, please call Cathy Annis of the St. Joseph County EDC at (269) 467-5663 or e-mail her at annisc@stjosephcountymi.org.
