By ANDY COOK
Mayor of Westfield
Some might call me a “home body.” I love being in Westfield. I love being in Central Indiana. When the thought of going to Japan on a business development trip first came up, I was a bit reluctant.
Now, after having caught up on my sleep and eaten a few hamburgers, I can look back and enthusiastically say that it was good for me and, more importantly, the City of Westfield. Why? Because, economic development is complex. It is not just about tax abatements and TIF. What I learned from the Japanese is that it is about relationships too.
Westfield opened its first Japanese-owned business this year. Bastian Solutions is a Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) company. Our first stop was in the City of Takahama at the TICO forklift assembly plant where we had the honor of visiting the Toyota leadership, welcoming them to the community, thanking them for choosing Westfield, and delivering a quilt made by a local artisan.
Creating this friendship is important as we work with TICO on potential future growth of Bastian Solutions. The friendships help as we build trust. I want the Toyota team to know that we want their business to succeed in Westfield. We want them to grow in Westfield. The jobs they bring to our community help us create the quality of life that is important to our families.
The Indiana delegation included business and government leaders from across the state. Governor Eric Holcomb led the trip and supported our effort to tell the Westfield story. The business meetings, events and receptions we hosted in Nagoya, Tochigi Prefecture (Indiana’s sister state) and Tokyo, reinforced the importance of relationships. It also allowed us to introduce Westfield and Grand Park to hundreds of business leaders.
Indiana is home to 319 Japanese businesses. I met many business leaders interested in learning more about Westfield. We did not come home with concrete instant economic development “wins.” What we did do, and what is so important to remember, is that we started the process. Building relationships is the foundation of how things are done in Japan. I am anxious to follow up with my new friends and see how we can forge long term relationships.
During my trip, I did experience a few things that were all new to me. I traveled to Japan on my first international business development trip. I rode with Governor and Mrs. Holcomb on the bullet train which travels up to 200 mph. I survived a typhoon. I ate some foods that might not appear on a traditional Indiana dinner table. And, I came to the understanding that the Japanese are among the kindest people I’ve met – similar to the folks in Westfield. They were absolutely wonderful.
The job of a mayor is managing the day-to-day of running a city. We do that quite well in Westfield. We have amazing police, fire and public works departments. We have a community that cares. We have the country’s premiere youth sports venue. We have great support of our schools and vice versa.
It is also my duty to build a healthy economy. One thing I learned in Japan is that business leaders there are looking to locate communities that can accommodate all levels of employees and have a sense of place. All of these things we are doing and creating in Westfield are critical to our ability to attract economic development. So, if it means leaving Westfield for a few days, this “home body” will do it. But, I am sure glad to be back home.