The Grand Island Advantage

In early 2024, the Grand Island Chamber published a summary of the city’s incentives and other financial tools for business interested in expanding, relocating, adding facilities, or improving their sites. The Chamber titled this list “The Grand Island Advantage.”

But the Grand Island Advantage is more than financial incentives, as anyone who lives here or does business here knows.

The Chamber recently asked several leaders in our community to share what they perceive as Grand Island’s top advantages — for businesses and employees. Here’s what they said:

The Right Mix: “Grand Island is the epitome of the Good Life — friendly people with a strong work ethic,” said Marcy Luth, CPA with AMGL. “We have access to a skilled workforce, great educational opportunities, excellent health care, and convenient access to transportation. Grand Island is progressive with the services you need, but still rural with the Midwestern values and lifestyle people want.”

Common Purpose: “Grand Island businesses work well with each other and support each other,” said Ken Nauert, plant manager at Standard Iron & Wire Works. “In some cases, we might be competing for customers or employees, but we still collaborate for the greater good of the community.”

Better Quality of Life: Grand Island Chief of Police Kevin Denney said, “Grand Island provides many of the amenities of a larger city without the drawbacks of major urban areas. Grand island has a resurging downtown on Third Street and a growing cultural district on Fourth Street. Our airport provides convenient flights to Dallas-Fort Worth, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. When you add the State Fair, rodeos, livestock shows, concerts, a new casino, and horse racing, it’s easy to see why Grand Island has a big advantage.”

Committed Residents in a Strategic Location: Charlie Bosselman, chair and CEO of Bosselman Enterprises, said, “People in Grand Island are committed to putting down roots in the community. The town is based on family and most people are looking to stay here for the long haul. Also, Grand Island is strategically located in the middle of the country and on I-80 with rail access and air service.”

Diverse Economy: Holly Wood, vice president/manager at Cornerstone Bank, said, “Grand Island is large enough to allow for diversity, offering area residents choices in selecting what they what to do and where they want to work.”

Industry With a Sense of Community: “We have a diverse mix of manufacturing, retail, dining, and hospitality, all vital for sustaining a high quality of life,” said Kent Kaiser, plant manager at Overhead Door. “What truly distinguishes us is our strong sense of community, where businesses collaborate and offer support, especially to our youth. This unity gives Grand Island a significant advantage.”

Focus on the Next Generation: “Grand Island’s schools — both public and private — are one of the great advantages to living, working, and doing business here,” said Matt Fisher, superintendent of Grand Island Public Schools. “For employers, the academy system at GIPS provides a unique opportunity to partner with the school to expose students to their business through apprenticeships, internships, and job shadowing … helping meet community employment needs.”

These are just some of the reasons the future of Grand Island is so bright. Few communities anywhere in the nation work together as well as we do.

Take time to compile your own list of Grand Island advantages; then share that list with friends and family, near and far. It’s time to tell our story. Grand Island's best advocates are those who live and do business here.