news-record.com

Greensboro’s business and college communities don’t have a good history of joining together.

But that is changing now that Action Greensboro is working with the city’s seven colleges and universities to promote jobs and business growth.

Action Greensboro reports today that a working group from Opportunity Greensboro: A Business and Collegiate Partnership is releasing a plan it hopes will make “sure potential newcomers – and potential new employers – know the city ‘s unique benefits as a place to live, work and do business.”

Using the slogan “Opportunity thrives here; so can you,” the group will open a website at OpportunityGreensboro.com, post ads at Piedmont Triad International Airport and buy billboards on interstate highways around Greensboro.

It has also invited 200 business leaders to a briefing on Feb. 24 to explain the need for the plan and the marketing strategy behind it.

“To continue the development of our local knowledge-based economy, it’s crucial that we further the connections between area companies and our colleges and universities,” said Ed Kitchen in a news release. Kitchen is vice president of the Bryan Foundation and is co-chair of Opportunity Greensboro along with Eric Wiseman, CEO of VF Corp.