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April
2008 Edition |
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Columbus ranks in top 100 Best places to
live and launch a business by Fortune Small Business
Magazine |
Columbus, Ind., lies within
a 75-minute drive of Indianapolis and Louisville. The city
houses the headquarters of Cummins, a Fortune 500 engine
manufacturer and distributor, as well as the
48,000-square-foot IT center for auto supplier
ArvinMeritor. Manufacturing is the town's primary
industry, thanks largely to Cummins: The industry employs
more than 15,000 workers and pays $1.1 billion in annual
wages.
Now town business leaders are working to diversify the
local economy by encouraging startups and recruiting firms
to relocate to Columbus. Entrepreneurs will find guidance
at the small business incubator known as the Columbus
Enterprise Development Center, which offers 30,000 square
feet of floor space for new businesses as well as guidance
on all aspects of running a business, from securing
financing to marketing to business planning.
Only a handful of Midwestern cities were recognized. The
only other Indiana community that made the list was
Zionsville.
Taxes have remained stable for more than a decade, and
residents expect free city-wide wireless access by the end
of the year. Columbus hopes to make itself more attractive
to younger workers by encouraging competitively salaried
development work in tourism, healthcare, and advanced
manufacturing. Those workers who do stick around will get
to enjoy a town ranked sixth in the nation for
architectural innovation and design by the American
Institute of Architects.
-Kelsey Abbott
Full list:
View all 100 Places |
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