Manufacturing 2.0
Rock River Valley manufacturing experts discuss the many facets of manufacturing: technology, education, training, events, people and any other aspects of this important segment of our economy. They’ll use this blog to get the word out and solicit feedback on local and global manufacturing. They hope to better engage our employers, employees and our future work force and increase their understanding of manufacturing.

IBM-Dubuque Update

February 25th, 2009 at 03:16pm Bob Trojan

I posted earlier IBM  some further facts about reasons for IBM going to Dubuque.  One additional key feature that IBM and Dubuque bragged  about was that “7 college presidents spoke in support of this move”.

It got me wondering…how many do we have around here?  Sweeny’s post today about stimulus money coming for the airport’s aerospace education building tells me we have more than we think…

Let’s call it the Aviation University or something like that…and let’s add:

NIU, RVC, Rockford College, Rockford Business College, U of I School of Medicine, College of Nursing, Rasmussen College…let’s see, that’s 8 so far.

How about we add the Entrepreneurship Center at the Eigerlab and something I’m  not familiar with: a College of Pharmacy?

Gee, that could make 10!!

If you look at Dubuque’s list, they include a Bible College, a Theological Seminary and an aviation “enrichment program for children”.

Maybe we need to blow our horn more!!

Entry Filed under: Technology, Economy

4 Comments Add your own

  • 1. Jim Phelps  |  February 25th, 2009 at 5:12 pm

    Sometimes I wonder if it only the relative “outsiders” or transplants that see the value that is Rockford.

  • 2. bob trojan  |  February 25th, 2009 at 5:58 pm

    Jim;
    I’ve been around the region since late 1990, consider myself a Rockfordian and live in Boone County. OK, I grew up in Chicago and lived in other places before 1990.
    Thanks for your comment.

  • 3. Jim Phelps  |  February 26th, 2009 at 10:50 am

    Bob,

    I guess what I meant to develop as an idea is that I see a lot of “non-native” Rockfordians doing the moving and shaking around here.

    I think those folks see the relative value of starting a business and very few obstacles to growing that business right here, unlike the indigious Rockfordians.

    The constant refrain I hear from the locals is that it won’t work here, done that and it failed or the area/polititians/powers-that-be/churches ect.., won’t support it.

    In other words, a regressive and back-to-the-past anchor point that the best times are behind us and not in front of us.

    The outsiders that come to the region are not “burdened” by that orthodoxy and make things happen.

    And it is easy to do that because the locals generally don’t get off their backside to get in the way.

    Seriously, the Greater Rockford Area is a marketing case of “be what you want to become” and not “be what we used to be.”

    I am very encouraged by the positive manufacturing movement and City encouragement of nascent industries like Photovoltaic and Heat Exchange Technologies from China and Sweden to invest here.

    We will always have manufacturing here in Rockford.

    It is up to us to decide if will we be the industries of the future or the dying dinosaurs of the past.

    Thanks Bob for letting me have my .10 with you!

  • 4. Bob Trojan  |  February 26th, 2009 at 11:21 am

    Jim;
    Thanks for your comments.

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