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It's the fourth largest trade corridor in the world, a region that boasts 9 million people and 30,000 corporations. Until recently, few game plans for economic growth have positioned Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Hamilton, Rochester and Syracuse as a single trade region. But a binational coalition that includes several corporate Goliaths is forging a plan to give the "BorderNet" region its own identity in hopes of bringing new jobs and investment to a corridor that is comprised of six distinct -- and fiercely independent -- population centers. "The old way of doing business doesn't work anymore," said Willie Moskowitz, executive director of the Canada-U.S. BorderNet Alliance. "To be successful, you have to think regionally, or even better, binationally. European countries have been doing it since the early 1980s." Conceived in 1994 by Buffalo attorney Lauren D. Racklin, BorderNet struggled for five years to move beyond the embryotic stage. Nine months ago, the not-for-profit initiative hired its first executive director. Within the next few weeks, BorderNet directors are expected to announce their first round of priority projects -- initiatives that will aim to promote trade, tourism and investment in a 25,000-square-mile region that stretches into the Southern Tier, as far north as Toronto and as far west as Syracuse. One likely project will be the creation of a first-of-a-kind database for site selectors, CEOs and entrepreneurs. The system would use a standard format across all jurisdictions to provide detailed data on trade, demographics, quality of life and other variables that are important to businesses. Future projects might include joint tourism initiatives, sponsorship of venture capital shows and annual economic development summits that would bring together CEOs from the region's largest corporations. But far more modest collaboration schemes have been plagued by uphill struggles, including efforts in the Buffalo area to bring more cohesion to a fragmented economic development landscape. Is it realistic to expect that six metropolitan areas located in two countries, each having different demographics and economic challenges, will embrace a common agenda? "We heard some skepticism in the early stages," Moskowitz conceded. "But when people realized that we're not trying to replicate any existing efforts and that we recognize the importance of protecting individual identities within our larger framework, they enthusiastically embraced the concept." BorderNet's power structure includes executives from AT&T Canada Corp., Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., PricewaterhouseCoopers and Welch Allyn. Paul Ciminelli, president of the Amherst-based Ciminelli Development Co. Inc. is a director, as is Greg Willmott, vice president of HSBC Bank Canada in Hamilton, Ont. Willmott has been involved in the alliance for two years and said he's pleased that the effort has recently moved beyond the conceptual stage. Willmott and others had initial concerns that the largest regions might stand to gain more from any collaborative arrangement. "With Toronto being so large, there was some early discussion that perhaps the weak sisters might not get their fair share," Willmott said. "But we all have to focus on one reality: decisions about where to invest are driven by the investors, not by localities." Willmott said that with HSBC having a strong presence in both countries, the alliance makes good business sense. Moskowitz stressed that BorderNet's mission to create new wealth across the trade corridor is compatible with the goals that are being advanced by Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, a five-year, $27 million regional marketing initiative that is being spearheaded by the private sector. Moskowitz recently met with BNE President Thomas A. Kucharski to outline the binational effort. "BorderNet is not here to interfere with any activities that are already occurring the marketplace," he said. "We want to help to foster new joint-ventures, technology transfer arrangements and import-export opportunities." Ciminelli, who is actively involved in both BNE and BorderNet, said he believes the initiatives complement one another. Ciminelli said Buffalo could reap significant benefits if officials genuinely embrace the concept of regional marketing. "When you start marketing yourself as the fourth-largest population center in North America, you suddenly realize the enormous potential you have as an economic engine," Ciminelli said. BorderNet has a $250,000 budget, funded with grants from the John R. Oishei Foundation and the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation, as well as contributions from alliance members. As the effort matures, Moskowitz said organizers will reach out to top elected officials in each of the six major population centers. "We want to create a political voice to help advance border activity. With such a cogent voice, we think we could get the ear of Washington," he said.
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