Group devises ‘smart’ campaign
ZACHARY — A public and private alliance has pooled resources and ideas to develop a consistent marketing concept for Zachary that was unveiled to community leaders last week.
Mayor David Amrhein said the city’s government, Zachary Community School District and Zachary Chamber of Commerce produced a marketing tool that any Zachary entity can use for economic development purposes.
“If we succeed, we’ll succeed together; if we fail, we’ll fail together,” Amrhein said of the collaborative effort.
Called SmartPlus, the campaign is built on what its creators believe is the foundation of Zachary’s current and future success, “the community’s commitment to excellence in education.”
The Zachary Community School District has been the state’s top-ranked school system for seven consecutive years and was the state’s only A-rated district when the state switched to a report card system for rating school performance.
Zachary’s other “pluses” include a smarter approach to planning, the city’s growing economy, higher income levels, a low crime rate and a vibrant community spirit, according to a brochure explaining the concept.
Adonica Duggan, a spokeswoman for the school district, said SmartPlus provides a centralized source of information that can be distributed in several forms and presented in a consistent manner.
Lane Regional Medical Center also participated in the project.
The information is available in a packet of individual brochures that can be mailed, a computer flash drive, a smartphone application and a website, http://smartpluszachary.org.
The individual pages feature photographs of Zachary’s government, hospital and school facilities, scenes from community events, historical buildings and people.
The topics covered in the brochures include local industry, economic development factors, the arts, athletics, recreational opportunities, shopping and dining, community service organizations and activities, individual schools, professional services offered in Zachary, transportation and public safety.
Chamber President Jason Romain and Chamber Economic Development Chairman Randy Olson announced on Wednesday that Kate MacArthur will be joining the chamber as its economic development chief executive, replacing Chip Mills.
MacArthur is working on an economic development project in Myrtle Beach, S.C., but will begin her duties in Zachary on Aug. 14. Mills, who worked on the SmartPlus project, recently moved to Austin, Texas.
“This marketing plan is already working,” Amrhein said, explaining that the city sent the packet to Family Circle magazine, which recently chose Zachary as one of the 10 best towns and cities for families.