This weekend, college football fans across the state will don school colors, packing stadiums to observe the 2018 edition of their favorite teams. Since last season concluded, each of these teams has added a few dozen new players thanks to strong recruiting efforts, which are often referred to as the lifeblood of any good football program. That notion also rings true for the state’s economic development team. Industry recruitment is at the core of our very mission – which is to create opportunities for citizens in all corners of this state.
Just as football coaches look far and wide for blue chip athletes, South Carolina’s economic development team travels the globe to recruit industry to the state. This week, our international recruitment efforts were recognized as IBM’s annual Global Location Trends report was released. In it, South Carolina ranked as the top state for creating jobs through foreign direct investment on a per capita basis. A testament to the hard work of Team South Carolina, this achievement is a result of the unmatched pro-business environment that's been cultivated in our state. Because of that environment, I'm confident that we'll continue to build on our winning ways, remaining a top destination for foreign direct investment for years to come.