Western Canadian Shipbuilding Summit to Provide Opportunities for Businesses Across Western Canada - msnbc.com

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — More than 400 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be connecting with new business opportunities being generated at the Western Canadian Shipbuilding Summit, to take place in Vancouver on May 23, 2012.

"Western Canada's Shipbuilding Action Plan is focussed on creating jobs, economic growth, and long-term prosperity in the West," said the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification. "Events like the upcoming Shipbuilding Summit are crucial in helping western Canadian businesses showcase their expertise and continue to grow."

The Summit is being hosted by Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) and Seaspan Marine Corporation, and will provide western Canadian SMEs an opportunity to meet with Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. and Irving Shipyards, who were selected to construct the non-combat and combat work packages respectively under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS).

Economic Action Plan 2012 highlighted Western Canada's Shipbuilding Action Plan, which will help western SMEs take advantage of the business opportunities presented by the NSPS. This event allows western SMEs to make valuable business connections in the shipbuilding industry and learn about specific shipbuilding projects.

For more information on the Western Canadian Shipbuilding Summit please visit WD's web site at www.wd-deo.gc.ca.

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© Marketwire 2012

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Western Canadian Shipbuilding Summit to Provide Opportunities for Businesses Across Western Canada - Market Wire

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - May 9, 2012) - More than 400 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be connecting with new business opportunities being generated at the Western Canadian Shipbuilding Summit, to take place in Vancouver on May 23, 2012.

"Western Canada's Shipbuilding Action Plan is focussed on creating jobs, economic growth, and long-term prosperity in the West," said the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification. "Events like the upcoming Shipbuilding Summit are crucial in helping western Canadian businesses showcase their expertise and continue to grow."

The Summit is being hosted by Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) and Seaspan Marine Corporation, and will provide western Canadian SMEs an opportunity to meet with Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. and Irving Shipyards, who were selected to construct the non-combat and combat work packages respectively under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS).

Economic Action Plan 2012 highlighted Western Canada's Shipbuilding Action Plan, which will help western SMEs take advantage of the business opportunities presented by the NSPS. This event allows western SMEs to make valuable business connections in the shipbuilding industry and learn about specific shipbuilding projects.

For more information on the Western Canadian Shipbuilding Summit please visit WD's web site at www.wd-deo.gc.ca.

Subscribe to news releases and keep up-to-date on the latest from WD

Follow us on Twitter

A stronger West. A stronger Canada

View the original article here

EuroContactPool Extends Business Data Solution across Europe

GOTHENBURG, Sweden--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

EuroContactPool has announced an expansion of its pan-European business data services to provide local expertise in five additional countries: Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway and Switzerland.

EuroContactPool, which enables companies worldwide to access data to acquire, keep and manage customers, is Europe’s most comprehensive and accurate business-to-business (B2B) information service.

The decision marks a major Europe-wide investment by EuroContactPool’s highly respected parent group Bisnode, the world’s leading pan-European business information provider which employs 3,000 people in 17 countries.

The expansion of EuroContactPool pitches its high quality international B2B data services against those of other providers, reinforcing its position as a leading business information brand.

EuroContactPool has at its heart a world-leading database covering 26 million contacts in 16 countries and expanding. The data is compiled by selecting the best partner in each market, ensuring its constant freshness and reliability. Its high level of accuracy – 10,000 adjustments and amendments are made every day – enables marketers to develop and manage business opportunities Europe-wide.

EuroContactPool enables companies to truly understand their marketplace by profiling their best clients and finding more of the same – right across Europe. Its sophisticated search metrics, backed by a friendly expert team, enable marketers to devise campaigns that hit their targets first time and really deliver results.

Johan Lindqvist, Business Manager for EuroContactPool, says: “This expansion provides marketers across Europe with an international business-to-business data solution to help them acquire, keep and manage customers. Increasingly, Europe is a hub for global companies, driving demand for a one-source data solution.”

Businesses across Europe are already showing a strong interest in the range of EuroContactPool services. These include: Data Delivery (data sourcing), Data Quality (cleaning, enhancing and updating), and Data Intelligence (combining, analysing and appending data).

Also in demand is Data Integration which provides a seamless link between the powerful EuroContactPool database and industry-standard Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, such as Salesforce, SuperOffice, Lundalogik and Microsoft Dynamics.

~ends~

View the original article here

Rural firms across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire urged to bid for a slice of £60m to help boost business opportunities - EDP 24

Rural firms are being urged to apply for a slice of a £60m government grant to help their businesses

By shaun lowthorpe?Business editor
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
6:30 AM

Rural businesses across Norfolk and Suffolk and Cambridgeshire are being urged to bid for a slice of a £60m scheme to help boost business opportunities from farm produce to holiday cottages.

Grants worth up to £1m each will meet up to 40pc of the cost of projects that improve farm competitiveness, develop agri-food businesses, exploit tourism opportunities or make forestry more competitive and environmentally friendly.

Funding, which is distributed locally, will also be available to support small rural businesses.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said farmers will be able to apply for funding to improve areas of their farm businesses including animal health and welfare and water management.

Among those helped already by the scheme, which was first launched in 2010, include Cranswick Country Foods, which was awarded a grant of £408,250 for a sausage factory at Watton in Norfolk.

That has seen 71 staff taken on which is due to rise to 86 when the new venture reaches full production. The grant was used to upgrade existing premises and to construct a new unit for five production lines allowing Cranswick will expand their business in Norfolk and produce a range of pork sausages packaged and distributed in East Anglia with pig meat supplied by 17 local farms.

Bungay basesd JH Lambert also opened its new abattoir at Eye in Suffolk after receiving £1.4m which has seen 25 extra staff taken on with a further 10 jobs due to be created.

The project supports about 1,100 local livestock farmers who are able to cut travel time, costs and distress to their animals. The new facility is considered crucial to not only protect livestock and meat production in the region but also to promote East Anglia as a world class meat producer.

David Fisher, who received just over £30,000 to support his Wisbech-based apple juice business Watergull Orchards, which supplies 40 Waitrose stores, said the cash helped to invest in a new press and mill to enable the company to supply more stores over a larger area and enter the cider market.

“The grant has really helped me move the business forward and freed up some time to pursue more potential sales which are essential to keep growing the business,” Mr Fisher said. “The application process and follow up has been helped by the team and I really appreciate their help.”

Grants may also be available to rural companies to buy new processing and packing equipment which will allow them to sell their products to new markets.

And funding will help businesses exploit the growing tourism industry by allowing them to apply for backing to provide accommodation, visitor services and countryside activities.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said: “Businesses in rural England can play a significant part in helping to rebuild the nation’s finances.

“From today, they have the chance to turn their most ambitious and innovative business plans into a reality - boosting profits, supporting a thriving rural economy and improving the natural environment.

“Our £60m investment will give farmers and rural entrepreneurs life-changing opportunities to transform their business prospects for the long term.”

The scheme opens for applications today, with the first round running until the end of April. A second round of applications is expected in the autumn.

Funding will prioritise small businesses in rural growth networks, a £15m pilot project which aims to address some of the hurdles faced by countryside areas including a lack of suitable premises and poor broadband and mobile facilities.

A large electrical shop in Dereham will shut this weekend nearly a year after the business was rescued by its rival Hughes Electrical.

Read full story »

View the original article here

Rural firms across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire urged to bid for a slice of £60m to help boost business ...

Rural firms are being urged to apply for a slice of a £60m government grant to help their businesses

By shaun lowthorpe?Business editor
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
6:30 AM

Rural businesses across Norfolk and Suffolk and Cambridgeshire are being urged to bid for a slice of a £60m scheme to help boost business opportunities from farm produce to holiday cottages.

Grants worth up to £1m each will meet up to 40pc of the cost of projects that improve farm competitiveness, develop agri-food businesses, exploit tourism opportunities or make forestry more competitive and environmentally friendly.

Funding, which is distributed locally, will also be available to support small rural businesses.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said farmers will be able to apply for funding to improve areas of their farm businesses including animal health and welfare and water management.

Among those helped already by the scheme, which was first launched in 2010, include Cranswick Country Foods, which was awarded a grant of £408,250 for a sausage factory at Watton in Norfolk.

That has seen 71 staff taken on which is due to rise to 86 when the new venture reaches full production. The grant was used to upgrade existing premises and to construct a new unit for five production lines allowing Cranswick will expand their business in Norfolk and produce a range of pork sausages packaged and distributed in East Anglia with pig meat supplied by 17 local farms.

Bungay basesd JH Lambert also opened its new abattoir at Eye in Suffolk after receiving £1.4m which has seen 25 extra staff taken on with a further 10 jobs due to be created.

The project supports about 1,100 local livestock farmers who are able to cut travel time, costs and distress to their animals. The new facility is considered crucial to not only protect livestock and meat production in the region but also to promote East Anglia as a world class meat producer.

David Fisher, who received just over £30,000 to support his Wisbech-based apple juice business Watergull Orchards, which supplies 40 Waitrose stores, said the cash helped to invest in a new press and mill to enable the company to supply more stores over a larger area and enter the cider market.

“The grant has really helped me move the business forward and freed up some time to pursue more potential sales which are essential to keep growing the business,” Mr Fisher said. “The application process and follow up has been helped by the team and I really appreciate their help.”

Grants may also be available to rural companies to buy new processing and packing equipment which will allow them to sell their products to new markets.

And funding will help businesses exploit the growing tourism industry by allowing them to apply for backing to provide accommodation, visitor services and countryside activities.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said: “Businesses in rural England can play a significant part in helping to rebuild the nation’s finances.

“From today, they have the chance to turn their most ambitious and innovative business plans into a reality - boosting profits, supporting a thriving rural economy and improving the natural environment.

“Our £60m investment will give farmers and rural entrepreneurs life-changing opportunities to transform their business prospects for the long term.”

The scheme opens for applications today, with the first round running until the end of April. A second round of applications is expected in the autumn.

Funding will prioritise small businesses in rural growth networks, a £15m pilot project which aims to address some of the hurdles faced by countryside areas including a lack of suitable premises and poor broadband and mobile facilities.

A large electrical shop in Dereham will shut this weekend nearly a year after the business was rescued by its rival Hughes Electrical.

Read full story »

View the original article here

Oregon Investment Act: Responding to business needs across Oregon - Oregonian

By Ted Wheeler, Cliff Bentz and Tobias Read

We heard hundreds of stories, from across the state -- in Ontario, Klamath Falls, Bend, The Dalles, Portland, Pendleton, Coos Bay.

Business stories. Your stories.

The themes were consistent. Oregon must do better -- and be smarter and more strategic -- to support and invest in business opportunities. And the state can better connect capital to job creators, whether they are fledgling startups or established companies with plans to expand.

A manufacturer in the Columbia River Gorge can't get financing for a new project, which prevents it from hiring more than a dozen people. A promising Bend technology startup is struggling to connect with investors. Small businesses need help to hire technical assistance in Klamath Falls.

When we look around Oregon, we see signs that business is picking up. Opportunities abound. That's reason for optimism.

However, opportunities don't become realities on their own, and Oregonians are missing too many of them now. A recent analysis financed by the Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon State Treasury and Meyer Memorial Trust identified a spectrum of "capital gaps" that are hamstringing business development in Oregon.

That's why a bipartisan coalition is proposing a new storyline when it comes to our economic development imperative: the Oregon Investment Act, which will be considered in February.

Oregon spends significant Oregon Lottery profits and other funds today to enhance business development. Yet those tools are scattered across multiple agencies and have little strategic connection, and sometimes have little accountability to measure results.

The Oregon Investment Act responds to the common themes we heard. It will require that we allocate state funds in nimble and effective ways, and it will help ensure that Oregonians get value for their money.

The multifaceted approach could include thoughtful participation in bank loans, focused attraction of venture capital, targeted tax credits and small-business assistance. The overriding goal: better help for communities across the state to build their own economic futures.

Government is in the economic development arena because taxpayers directed it. At the same time, taxpayers rightly expect that the state will invest our limited resources in a coordinated way that will maximize job creation and retention.

Oregon can and should.

Today's uncoordinated system of economic development will be improved by a new Oregon Growth Board that must partner with private sector expertise. That collaboration will allow Oregon to do a better job anticipating and reacting to opportunities.

The board will catalog the myriad ways Oregon now pays for economic development and ensure that funds are spent as wisely as possible. The board also will identify potential new sources of funding to bolster innovation and job creation.

The Oregon Investment Act will attract private dollars by using public funds as a catalyst, such as through investment partnerships and private loan guarantees. By combining those resources, we can help strengthen a culture of entrepreneurship.

It is important to note that the Oregon Investment Act restructures government, rather than adding to it. At least one existing state entity, the Oregon Growth Account Board in the State Treasury, will be dissolved.

This vision is the result of many voices, from small-business owners to community leaders to Oregonians of every political stripe. Together, we are working to write a new chapter in Oregon's story.

And together, we can encourage the business growth that will catapult us into a more prosperous tomorrow.

Ted Wheeler is Oregon's treasurer. Republican Cliff Bentz represents Ontario in the Oregon House of Representatives; Democrat Tobias Read represents Beaverton.

View the original article here

Oregon Investment Act: Responding to business needs across Oregon - Oregonian

By Ted Wheeler, Cliff Bentz and Tobias Read

We heard hundreds of stories, from across the state -- in Ontario, Klamath Falls, Bend, The Dalles, Portland, Pendleton, Coos Bay.

Business stories. Your stories.

The themes were consistent. Oregon must do better -- and be smarter and more strategic -- to support and invest in business opportunities. And the state can better connect capital to job creators, whether they are fledgling startups or established companies with plans to expand.

A manufacturer in the Columbia River Gorge can't get financing for a new project, which prevents it from hiring more than a dozen people. A promising Bend technology startup is struggling to connect with investors. Small businesses need help to hire technical assistance in Klamath Falls.

When we look around Oregon, we see signs that business is picking up. Opportunities abound. That's reason for optimism.

However, opportunities don't become realities on their own, and Oregonians are missing too many of them now. A recent analysis financed by the Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon State Treasury and Meyer Memorial Trust identified a spectrum of "capital gaps" that are hamstringing business development in Oregon.

That's why a bipartisan coalition is proposing a new storyline when it comes to our economic development imperative: the Oregon Investment Act, which will be considered in February.

Oregon spends significant Oregon Lottery profits and other funds today to enhance business development. Yet those tools are scattered across multiple agencies and have little strategic connection, and sometimes have little accountability to measure results.

The Oregon Investment Act responds to the common themes we heard. It will require that we allocate state funds in nimble and effective ways, and it will help ensure that Oregonians get value for their money.

The multifaceted approach could include thoughtful participation in bank loans, focused attraction of venture capital, targeted tax credits and small-business assistance. The overriding goal: better help for communities across the state to build their own economic futures.

Government is in the economic development arena because taxpayers directed it. At the same time, taxpayers rightly expect that the state will invest our limited resources in a coordinated way that will maximize job creation and retention.

Oregon can and should.

Today's uncoordinated system of economic development will be improved by a new Oregon Growth Board that must partner with private sector expertise. That collaboration will allow Oregon to do a better job anticipating and reacting to opportunities.

The board will catalog the myriad ways Oregon now pays for economic development and ensure that funds are spent as wisely as possible. The board also will identify potential new sources of funding to bolster innovation and job creation.

The Oregon Investment Act will attract private dollars by using public funds as a catalyst, such as through investment partnerships and private loan guarantees. By combining those resources, we can help strengthen a culture of entrepreneurship.

It is important to note that the Oregon Investment Act restructures government, rather than adding to it. At least one existing state entity, the Oregon Growth Account Board in the State Treasury, will be dissolved.

This vision is the result of many voices, from small-business owners to community leaders to Oregonians of every political stripe. Together, we are working to write a new chapter in Oregon's story.

And together, we can encourage the business growth that will catapult us into a more prosperous tomorrow.

Ted Wheeler is Oregon's treasurer. Republican Cliff Bentz represents Ontario in the Oregon House of Representatives; Democrat Tobias Read represents Beaverton.

View the original article here

Oregon Investment Act: Responding to business needs across Oregon - Oregonian

By Ted Wheeler, Cliff Bentz and Tobias Read

We heard hundreds of stories, from across the state -- in Ontario, Klamath Falls, Bend, The Dalles, Portland, Pendleton, Coos Bay.

Business stories. Your stories.

The themes were consistent. Oregon must do better -- and be smarter and more strategic -- to support and invest in business opportunities. And the state can better connect capital to job creators, whether they are fledgling startups or established companies with plans to expand.

A manufacturer in the Columbia River Gorge can't get financing for a new project, which prevents it from hiring more than a dozen people. A promising Bend technology startup is struggling to connect with investors. Small businesses need help to hire technical assistance in Klamath Falls.

When we look around Oregon, we see signs that business is picking up. Opportunities abound. That's reason for optimism.

However, opportunities don't become realities on their own, and Oregonians are missing too many of them now. A recent analysis financed by the Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon State Treasury and Meyer Memorial Trust identified a spectrum of "capital gaps" that are hamstringing business development in Oregon.

That's why a bipartisan coalition is proposing a new storyline when it comes to our economic development imperative: the Oregon Investment Act, which will be considered in February.

Oregon spends significant Oregon Lottery profits and other funds today to enhance business development. Yet those tools are scattered across multiple agencies and have little strategic connection, and sometimes have little accountability to measure results.

The Oregon Investment Act responds to the common themes we heard. It will require that we allocate state funds in nimble and effective ways, and it will help ensure that Oregonians get value for their money.

The multifaceted approach could include thoughtful participation in bank loans, focused attraction of venture capital, targeted tax credits and small-business assistance. The overriding goal: better help for communities across the state to build their own economic futures.

Government is in the economic development arena because taxpayers directed it. At the same time, taxpayers rightly expect that the state will invest our limited resources in a coordinated way that will maximize job creation and retention.

Oregon can and should.

Today's uncoordinated system of economic development will be improved by a new Oregon Growth Board that must partner with private sector expertise. That collaboration will allow Oregon to do a better job anticipating and reacting to opportunities.

The board will catalog the myriad ways Oregon now pays for economic development and ensure that funds are spent as wisely as possible. The board also will identify potential new sources of funding to bolster innovation and job creation.

The Oregon Investment Act will attract private dollars by using public funds as a catalyst, such as through investment partnerships and private loan guarantees. By combining those resources, we can help strengthen a culture of entrepreneurship.

It is important to note that the Oregon Investment Act restructures government, rather than adding to it. At least one existing state entity, the Oregon Growth Account Board in the State Treasury, will be dissolved.

This vision is the result of many voices, from small-business owners to community leaders to Oregonians of every political stripe. Together, we are working to write a new chapter in Oregon's story.

And together, we can encourage the business growth that will catapult us into a more prosperous tomorrow.

Ted Wheeler is Oregon's treasurer. Republican Cliff Bentz represents Ontario in the Oregon House of Representatives; Democrat Tobias Read represents Beaverton.

View the original article here

Oregon Investment Act: Responding to business needs across Oregon - Oregonian

By Ted Wheeler, Cliff Bentz and Tobias Read

We heard hundreds of stories, from across the state -- in Ontario, Klamath Falls, Bend, The Dalles, Portland, Pendleton, Coos Bay.

Business stories. Your stories.

The themes were consistent. Oregon must do better -- and be smarter and more strategic -- to support and invest in business opportunities. And the state can better connect capital to job creators, whether they are fledgling startups or established companies with plans to expand.

A manufacturer in the Columbia River Gorge can't get financing for a new project, which prevents it from hiring more than a dozen people. A promising Bend technology startup is struggling to connect with investors. Small businesses need help to hire technical assistance in Klamath Falls.

When we look around Oregon, we see signs that business is picking up. Opportunities abound. That's reason for optimism.

However, opportunities don't become realities on their own, and Oregonians are missing too many of them now. A recent analysis financed by the Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon State Treasury and Meyer Memorial Trust identified a spectrum of "capital gaps" that are hamstringing business development in Oregon.

That's why a bipartisan coalition is proposing a new storyline when it comes to our economic development imperative: the Oregon Investment Act, which will be considered in February.

Oregon spends significant Oregon Lottery profits and other funds today to enhance business development. Yet those tools are scattered across multiple agencies and have little strategic connection, and sometimes have little accountability to measure results.

The Oregon Investment Act responds to the common themes we heard. It will require that we allocate state funds in nimble and effective ways, and it will help ensure that Oregonians get value for their money.

The multifaceted approach could include thoughtful participation in bank loans, focused attraction of venture capital, targeted tax credits and small-business assistance. The overriding goal: better help for communities across the state to build their own economic futures.

Government is in the economic development arena because taxpayers directed it. At the same time, taxpayers rightly expect that the state will invest our limited resources in a coordinated way that will maximize job creation and retention.

Oregon can and should.

Today's uncoordinated system of economic development will be improved by a new Oregon Growth Board that must partner with private sector expertise. That collaboration will allow Oregon to do a better job anticipating and reacting to opportunities.

The board will catalog the myriad ways Oregon now pays for economic development and ensure that funds are spent as wisely as possible. The board also will identify potential new sources of funding to bolster innovation and job creation.

The Oregon Investment Act will attract private dollars by using public funds as a catalyst, such as through investment partnerships and private loan guarantees. By combining those resources, we can help strengthen a culture of entrepreneurship.

It is important to note that the Oregon Investment Act restructures government, rather than adding to it. At least one existing state entity, the Oregon Growth Account Board in the State Treasury, will be dissolved.

This vision is the result of many voices, from small-business owners to community leaders to Oregonians of every political stripe. Together, we are working to write a new chapter in Oregon's story.

And together, we can encourage the business growth that will catapult us into a more prosperous tomorrow.

Ted Wheeler is Oregon's treasurer. Republican Cliff Bentz represents Ontario in the Oregon House of Representatives; Democrat Tobias Read represents Beaverton.

View the original article here

Oregon Investment Act: Responding to business needs across Oregon - Oregonian

By Ted Wheeler, Cliff Bentz and Tobias Read

We heard hundreds of stories, from across the state -- in Ontario, Klamath Falls, Bend, The Dalles, Portland, Pendleton, Coos Bay.

Business stories. Your stories.

The themes were consistent. Oregon must do better -- and be smarter and more strategic -- to support and invest in business opportunities. And the state can better connect capital to job creators, whether they are fledgling startups or established companies with plans to expand.

A manufacturer in the Columbia River Gorge can't get financing for a new project, which prevents it from hiring more than a dozen people. A promising Bend technology startup is struggling to connect with investors. Small businesses need help to hire technical assistance in Klamath Falls.

When we look around Oregon, we see signs that business is picking up. Opportunities abound. That's reason for optimism.

However, opportunities don't become realities on their own, and Oregonians are missing too many of them now. A recent analysis financed by the Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon State Treasury and Meyer Memorial Trust identified a spectrum of "capital gaps" that are hamstringing business development in Oregon.

That's why a bipartisan coalition is proposing a new storyline when it comes to our economic development imperative: the Oregon Investment Act, which will be considered in February.

Oregon spends significant Oregon Lottery profits and other funds today to enhance business development. Yet those tools are scattered across multiple agencies and have little strategic connection, and sometimes have little accountability to measure results.

The Oregon Investment Act responds to the common themes we heard. It will require that we allocate state funds in nimble and effective ways, and it will help ensure that Oregonians get value for their money.

The multifaceted approach could include thoughtful participation in bank loans, focused attraction of venture capital, targeted tax credits and small-business assistance. The overriding goal: better help for communities across the state to build their own economic futures.

Government is in the economic development arena because taxpayers directed it. At the same time, taxpayers rightly expect that the state will invest our limited resources in a coordinated way that will maximize job creation and retention.

Oregon can and should.

Today's uncoordinated system of economic development will be improved by a new Oregon Growth Board that must partner with private sector expertise. That collaboration will allow Oregon to do a better job anticipating and reacting to opportunities.

The board will catalog the myriad ways Oregon now pays for economic development and ensure that funds are spent as wisely as possible. The board also will identify potential new sources of funding to bolster innovation and job creation.

The Oregon Investment Act will attract private dollars by using public funds as a catalyst, such as through investment partnerships and private loan guarantees. By combining those resources, we can help strengthen a culture of entrepreneurship.

It is important to note that the Oregon Investment Act restructures government, rather than adding to it. At least one existing state entity, the Oregon Growth Account Board in the State Treasury, will be dissolved.

This vision is the result of many voices, from small-business owners to community leaders to Oregonians of every political stripe. Together, we are working to write a new chapter in Oregon's story.

And together, we can encourage the business growth that will catapult us into a more prosperous tomorrow.

Ted Wheeler is Oregon's treasurer. Republican Cliff Bentz represents Ontario in the Oregon House of Representatives; Democrat Tobias Read represents Beaverton.

View the original article here

Africa: Progress in Regulatory Reform Expands Business Opportunities Across Ohada Member States - AllAfrica.com

World Bank (Washington, DC)

25 January 2012

press release

Mali — A new report from IFC and the World Bank finds that member states of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) have increased the pace of reform in making it easier for local firms to do business.

The report, Doing Business in the OHADA Member States 2012, draws on data from the annual global Doing Business study and takes a detailed look at business regulations in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, the Comoros, Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. The report states that the 16 OHADA member states could benefit from sharing good practices in business regulation as measured by Doing Business.

Founded in Mauritius in 1993, OHADA is a system of business laws and implementing institutions adopted by 16 West and Central African nations. OHADA is the French acronym for "Organisation pour l'Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires."

The average ranking of the OHADA member states is 166 out of the 183 economies measured in the global Doing Business 2012 report. Mali, with a global rank of 146, is the easiest place among OHADA member states for an entrepreneur to do business, followed by Burkina Faso (150) and Senegal (154). In the past six years, all 16 OHADA member states made it easier to do business. Across the region, the average cost of starting a business decreased from 338 percent to 110 percent of the average per capita income. The average time required to register property also decreased by 28 percent.

No single economy outperformed the others across the board. But in some of the categories that were measured, the region's economies are comparable to the world's best performers. Senegal, for example, has reduced the time needed to set up a business to only five days through its "one-stop shop" system - the same amount of time as in Canada. After four years of successive reforms, dealing with construction permits in Burkina Faso takes only 98 days - three months faster than the European Union average.

"Competitive economies cannot ignore what their neighbors are doing", said Dorothé Sossa, Permanent Secretary of OHADA. "Pooling, as is the case with OHADA, and sharing reform experiences is an opportunity to improve national and regional competitiveness."

One of OHADA's priorities is to establish a uniform legal framework to govern business activities in the region's economies. This year, the first revision of the body of commercial laws in the region simplified business entry in eight member states and strengthened secured transaction laws in all 16 member states.

"The overhaul of the common business legislation addressed two of the top constraints to enterprise development and investment in Africa: access to finance and the quality of the legal framework," said Pierre Guislain, Director of Investment Climate Advisory Services of the World Bank Group.

Doing Business in OHADA Member States 2012 was prepared as part of the OHADA Business Law Reform Program of the Investment Climate Advisory Services of the World Bank Group. The program includes support to the OHADA member states and the OHADA Permanent Secretariat in reforming and implementing the common set of laws.

About the World Bank Group

The World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It comprises five closely associated institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Each institution plays a distinct role in the mission to fight poverty and improve living standards for people in the developing world. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org, www.miga.org, and www.ifc.org.

About the Doing Business report series

Doing Business analyzes regulations that apply to an economy's businesses during their life cycle, including start-up and operations, trading across borders, paying taxes, and resolving insolvency. The aggregate ease of doing business rankings are based on 10 indicators and cover 183 economies. Previous year's rankings are back-calculated to account for the addition of new indicator(s), data corrections, and methodology changes in existing indicators so as to provide a meaningful comparison with the new rankings. Doing Business does not measure all aspects of the business environment that matter to firms and investors. For example, it does not measure security, macroeconomic stability, corruption, the level of skills, or the strength of financial systems. Its findings have stimulated policy debates in more than 80 economies and enabled a growing body of research on how firm-level regulation relates to economic outcomes across economies. For more information about the Doing Business report series, please visit www.doingbusiness.org. Join us on Facebook.

More News on allAfrica.com

View the original article here