We (heart) Westchester

Bigger isn”™t always better, especially when it comes to the size of the companies that are reporting growth.

Companies with 50 to 200 employees grew by 5 percent from 2002 to 2005, nearly double the rate of growth for all companies in Westchester, according to numbers crunched by the county Planning Department. At the same time, companies with 500 or more employees went down by 7 percent.

With that in mind, The Business Council of Westchester recently surveyed its midsize members ”“ coincidentally companies with 50 to 200 employees ”“ to check the pulse of the business climate in the county.

“We were interested in learning more about these companies, why they are doing business here and about their plans for the future,” said Marsha Gordon, president and chief executive officer of The Business Council of Westchester.

“After all, when a large company comes to Westchester it”™s big news, often marked with a ribbon-cutting and speeches,” Gordon continued. “However, when you take a look at the business growth numbers in Westchester you may be surprised to find that the growth is being driven by the companies with 50 to 200 employees rather than the big guys.”

The survey, conducted by Westchester-based DataKey Consulting, found that all of the companies surveyed love the county and want to continue to grow here. The survey also found that while most agree that high housing costs and taxes make the county an expensive place to do business, they have no plans to move.

That”™s heartening to hear. Perhaps once the rail line from Suffern to Stamford is in place along with the auxiliary shuttle buses from the new train stops, even more of this business demographic will put down stakes in the county.

We can dream can”™t we?