Investors view Great Falls marketing plan

About 120 Great Falls residents braved brisk temperatures Thursday morning to watch personnel from a New York City-based marketing firm roll out a blueprint they say will attract new businesses to town.

By JO DEE BLACK
Tribune Staff Writer

The majority of those residents, investors in the Great Falls Development Authority, want the plan to work — after all, they’re paying for it.

The GFDA recently launched a five-year effort to attract new companies and more jobs to the Electric City. The effort is being paid for with $2.34 million pledged by businesses and individuals.

Thursday’s development authority gathering was the first of what will be quarterly events.

"I thought it was an informative presentation, and I guess I would say I’m cautiously optimistic," said Leslie Malsam of Culligan Water Conditioning.

Pledges range from more than $100,000 to less than $1,000, with the bulk falling in the $10,000 to $2,500 zone.

The blueprint, a marketing strategy, is the work of Development Counsellors International of New York.

It’s intended to put Great Falls in the line of sight in the world of business, especially those intending to expand or relocate, said Julie Curtin of DCI.

Theresa LaPadula of DCI said her firm asked 14 business-relocation insiders what they thought of Great Falls. Three replied "nothing."

"They said they’ve never even heard of Great Falls," she said.

That lack of name recognition isn’t really a bad thing, LaPadula said.

Great Falls isn’t trying to shrug off a negative image among business leaders.

"You get to start with a clean slate," she said.

DCI’s role is to create a marketing plan for the Electric City.

Malsam, who has been in business in Great Falls for 25 years, has seen plenty of development efforts — many with less than stellar results.

"You really want very much for this to work, but you really haven’t seen a whole lot to be optimistic about in the past," she said. "There’s a real hopeful feel. If this plan works, it’s money well spent. We all have to be concerned with the future of Great Falls, and we all have to get involved."

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