Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council selected to be part of Raise the Bar-Assess program

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Missouri Partnership has announced the official kickoff of the Raise the Bar-Assess program, a key component of the organization’s Raise the Bars announced capacity-building initiative. This program is designed to prepare communities across Missouri to respond quickly and competitively to business attraction opportunities.

Missouri Partnership is collaborating with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority and Missouri Farmers Care on the initiative. A core component of Raise the Bar–Assess is an intensive mock site visit that mimics food and beverage projects.

Following a nationwide search, site selection firm Quest Site Solutions was selected to lead the exercise in six Missouri communities.

“The Raise the Bar-Assess program is a game-changer for communities striving to attract businesses,” Subash Alias, CEO of Missouri Partnership, said in a press release. “This initiative not only sharpens their competitive edge but also demonstrates Missouri’s commitment to being the best place for business. The expertise of Quest Site Solutions and the collaboration with MASBDA and Missouri Farmers Care add incredible value to our efforts.”

Six organizations have been selected to participate in the program:

• Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council
• Jefferson City Regional Economic Partnership
• Kirksville Regional Economic Development Inc.
• Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation
• Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
• Washington County Industrial Development Authority

The program offers selected communities the opportunity to work with site selection experts, providing site-specific feedback to further enhance their readiness for future business attraction projects.

“I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together,” said Chris Chinn, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture. “By combining resources and expertise, we’re ensuring that Missouri communities are well-prepared to compete for and win critical business attraction projects. This project is about investing in our future and positioning Missouri as a national leader in economic development.”

“This collaboration underscores the strength of Missouri’s statewide partnerships,” said Ashley McCarty, executive director of Missouri Farmers Care. “Missouri has unique strengths in the agriculture, biotechnology and food and beverage sectors. We’re excited to see these communities take what they learn and apply it to real-world projects, ensuring Missouri remains at the forefront of agricultural growth and economic development opportunities.”

The Raise the Bar-Assess program exemplifies Missouri Partnership’s dedication to empowering communities through strategic collaboration and targeted capacity-building efforts. The initiative’s focus on readiness and competitiveness is key to driving economic growth across the state. Quest Site Solutions will begin conducting mock site visits in Missouri. the last week of January.

Missouri Partnership is a public-private economic development organization focused on attracting new jobs and investment to the state and promoting Missouri’s business strengths. Missouri Partnership has worked with partners statewide since 2008 to attract companies that have created more than 34,100 new jobs, more than $1.7 billion in new annual payroll and more than $8.1 billion in new capital investment.

Some recent successful projects that led to major investment in Missouri include Accenture Federal Services LLC, American Foods Group, Casey’s, Chewy, Inc., Google, James Hardie, Meta, Swift Prepared Foods, URBN, USDA and Veterans United.