The City of Rochester Economic Development Commission (REDC), in partnership with the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and the City Economic Development Department, is pleased to announce that they will be conducting a Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) program this summer.

The purpose of the program is to help the City understand the current business climate and support local businesses so they can grow, create jobs, and remain in our community. Staff will review the surveys to identify the competitive strengths and weaknesses of the local area and the city’s businesses.

According to Assistant Director Jenn Marsh, “Our businesses have a significant impact on our community, and we want to ensure that we are supporting them and providing them with the best resources and assistance possible.”

The last time the City conducted a BRE survey was in 2019, focusing on downtown businesses. This year’s BRE program will focus on the manufacturing and warehousing sectors. REDC and Chamber members have received training from Economic Development staff on how to conduct interviews and the importance of confidentiality. Teams will be paired up to visit assigned businesses over the coming weeks. Using a survey developed by the Economic Development Department staff, the volunteers will interview business leaders to gather information about business background, workforce and training needs, barriers to company growth, and familiarity with local resources.

Any manufacturing or warehousing business that would like to participate should contact Jenn Marsh, Assistant Director of Economic Development, at Jennifer.marsh@rochesternh.gov or 603-335-7522.