By Milt Capps
Published Wednesday, September 2, 2009 12:44 pm
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'InvestTennessee' is the name of a robust new website being launched this month by State Economic and Community Development, in cooperation with private-sector allies.
ECD Assistant Commissioner Mark Drury confirmed for VNC today that the new site is a result of a partnership with allies closely linked to ECD and the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry, including the Tennessee Economic Partnership (TEP) and the Tennessee Economic Development Council.
Drury (at left) said the new site will have a greater range of content, including video with YouTube-type social-media features, and is designed to support recruitment of foreign and domestic reverse investment in Tennessee, expansion and strengthening of existing businesses here, and the relocation of corporate headquarters and facilities.Although many of these functions are addressed by State ECD's official government-agency website, the new site affords more freedom to use technologies that may go beyond state Web standards, while also providing another outwardly facing face to attract Web traffic, including information searches launched by industry executives using online search engines. Drury said ECD will have authority over the content of the site.
At the behest of TEP, the website address was secured by Abby Trotter, a partner in Hall Strategies LLC, the 2nd Avenue
lobbying and public-relations firm. Drury said the site is being developed by MMA Creative Inc., represented by that firm's senior vice president for public affairs and strategy, Mike Kopp (at right).Kopp is scheduled to present the website to conferees gathered in Nashville, Sept. 14-15, for the annual Governor's Conference on Economic and Community Development. ♦