Each year brings challenges and successes, and 2024 was no different. Take a look at a few of the 2024 personal and professional highlights shared by Guild members.
Larry Gigerich
Definitely an unusual project, but we were retained by a family-owned sports and entertainment business (Hallett Sports and Entertainment) to help them select a Midwest city to locate a professional minor league hockey expansion team affiliate for the New York Rangers. After evaluating several potential locations and negotiating a license agreement, Bloomington, Illinois was selected.
The project was particularly satisfying because the community’s leadership demonstrated a strong desire to secure a new hockey team for their city’s existing arena after facing adversity with their previous endeavors in professional sports. The Bloomington Bison in the ECHL are playing their inaugural season in the community and Hallett Sports and Entertainment are already giving back in the community.
Seth Martindale
It wasn’t the biggest project, but one of the most fun projects I worked on was the Audemars Piguet relocation to Raleigh, North Carolina. As a guy who loves watches, this was like working with the Holy Grail of companies. I enjoyed meeting all the people and getting a big peek behind the curtain at how everything works.
Phil Schneider
In 2024, I continued to work on site selection projects for Chinese companies looking to establish manufacturing in the United States. Many of these projects are bringing products, processes, and/or technology not present in the U.S. – and often with large employment and capital investment. The current political environment has skewed the location strategy and site selection process, requiring a different site selection approach that keeps this interesting and challenging.
Johan Beukema
I have been pleased to be involved in some very interesting projects this year in different parts of the world. The uncertainties around the globe drove our clients to look for opportunities on different continents, one example being a project for a medical device manufacturer that needed to expand its manufacturing capacity.
We first conducted a desk research analysis of candidate locations across North America, Europe and Asia. Then, we were asked to do fieldwork with them in two Asian countries, Mexico, and a third Asian country. Now, it is up to the client’s board to make a final decision. I have a feel for where the decision is going to head, but we will know for sure soon!
Tess Fay
A personal highlight for me is the two weeks this summer that I spent in Portugal with my mom for a yoga retreat. It was light on yoga and heavy on exploring Lisbon and the Algarve, which was exactly what I was looking for.
Elias van Herwaarden
For us, 2024 was characterized by European ‘Green Deal’ projects and two takeaways rise to the top.
First, given the EU’s un-preparedness for ‘green production’ of sites and overall site scarcity in Europe’s epicenter, companies should consider starting their European site searches with two sets of specifications: one reflecting the ideal site, and another reflecting the acceptable compromise.
Second, the EU should do more to convert basic infrastructures and utilities in line with its climate ambitions. Most countries simply are not ready to allow companies to abide by and contribute to Europe’s ‘Green Deal’ principles. I’ll leave it to others to figure out how that should be funded.