AKRON, Ohio, Sept. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For the seventh time in the last eight years, Site Selection magazine has named FirstEnergy Corp. one of the top utilities in the country for promoting economic development. Overall, the company helped attract more than $3.7 billion in capital investment to its Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey service areas that resulted in approximately 11,000 new jobs being created.
The designation recognizes utility companies that complement reliable power delivery to their customers with a hands-on approach to fostering corporate investment in the areas where they operate. In addition, the award is based on 2008 economic development achievements in four categories - capital investment, job creation, capital investment per capita and jobs per 10,000 in population.
"We are proud that Site Selection magazine has once again recognized the role we play in attracting capital investment and new jobs to our three-state service area," said John E. Paganie, vice president, Customer Service and Energy Efficiency for FirstEnergy. "Historically, utilities have been instrumental in promoting economic development in the communities they serve and we appreciate Site Selection magazine naming FirstEnergy as one of the best."
In addition to being involved in projects and partnerships that created new jobs and generated sizeable capital investments, FirstEnergy''s 2008 economic development efforts included:
-- FirstProspector - an interactive internet mapping program that allows users to search for available land sites and commercial buildings in FirstEnergy''s service area. The program, which includes presentation-quality demographic and business analysis reports, is designed to help speed up and simplify the search process for new locations. -- Export Now Program - an on-going partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce Foreign Commercial Service helps provide export trade opportunities for FirstEnergy''s small and medium-sized manufacturing customers. In 2008, FirstEnergy-led trade missions to Mexico and Canada helped 19 customers expand their international exports a projected $3.3 million over the next two years. -- Synchronist Program - a business information tool surfaces issues on market changes, facility changes, operating conditions and corporate strategy and the potential impact on business development. Synchronist is used by community-based business retention and expansion professionals throughout the company''s service area. -- IMPACTfactor+ - a computer simulation program for economic development that helps FirstEnergy''s communities model the increase in economic activity as a result of new investment in an area''s economy. Customized IMPACTfactor+ reports are generated for economic development partners to help measure the impact on jobs, output, personal income and tax revenue.
FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services. Its seven electric utility operating companies comprise the nation''s fifth largest investor-owned electric system, based on 4.5 million customers served within a 36,100-square-mile area of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey; and its generation subsidiaries control more than 14,000 megawatts of capacity.
FirstEnergy Corp.
CONTACT: Mark H. Durbin, FirstEnergy, +1-330-761-4365
Web Site: http://www.firstenergycorp.com/
