Civic Leaders Have a New Tool
to Target Jobs and Livability

Mayors, city councilors, city managers, and other civic leaders across America now have a new tool to identify viable strategies to improve their economy and enhance their local quality of life.

Brian Cole, a 20-year economic development veteran, has written a new book: Building Communities 25 Strategies to Advance America. The book will present approaches to help American leaders capitalize on a rebounding economy.

“I have identified 25 proven economic development strategies that either help communities enhance their local economic condition or improve their local quality of life—or both,” said Cole, author and founder of Building Communities.

The Buildings Communities book will not only present each of the 25 strategies, but it will present charts and graphs to help civic leaders understand the relative benefit of each strategy in terms of both job creation as well as improved livability.

“These strategies represent the full gamut of the type of activities that American communities can pursue to improve themselves,” said Cole.

Cole has developed the Building Communities methodology that not only helps communities identify the types of strategies that they desire, but also helps them measure their likelihood of implementation success.

“Economic development is not just about doing what you want to do,” said Cole. “But it is also about implementing strategies that have a realistic chance of success.”

Building Communities presents 25 strategies, 85 key success factors, and dozens of actions steps to help communities jumpstart their strategic plan once it is completed.
Cole utilizes his background in local and state economic development as well as serving as past chairman of a county board of commissioners to develop a methodology that makes sense for economic development professionals, port managers, chamber of commerce leaders, city managers, and other civic leaders.

“In these trying times, it is critical to deploy your resources wisely,” said Cole. “Building Communities is all about being efficient and effective in implementing economic development activities.”