1. Is Your Community Ready For “THE REAL AMERICAN DREAM”?

2. IS IT FREEDOM?

3. OWNING A HOME?

4. INDIVIDUALISM?

5. UPWARD MOBILITY?

6. OR IS IT DEAD?
Image used with permission of Lee Hernly from Red Brick Town who bought the rights from Getty

7. Ed Burghard eburghard@me.com www.StrengtheningBrandAmerica.com
BA – State University of New Potsdam in Mathematics
MBA – Syracuse University in Innovation Management and Marketing
Retired P&G Marketing Director with 33 years of successful brand building experience resulting in lifetime appointment as a Harley Procter Marketer
Retired Executive Director, Ohio Business Development Coalition – Started the 501 c(3) at the Governor’s request in and then Ohio won the Site Selection Magazine Governor’s Cup in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011.
CEO and Manager, The Burghard Group LLC – Creator of the Strengthening Brand America Project
Retired Member of the Association of Ohio Commodores
Founding Board Member, Nemacolin Energy Institute
Nonresident Fellow, Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University
Lecturer, Shawnee State University

8. Created By: Xavier University

9. American Dream Composite Index™
Research Overview
Statistically validated questionnaire
139 questions
Rolled up into 35 dimensions
>=1,000 respondents per month
Annual data is the aggregate of 12 months

10. American Dream Composite Index™
Summary Index
Measured Dimensions
Economic
Financial Security
Material Prosperity
Access to Education
Destinations in Life
Job Benefits
Health Care
Freedom of Choice
Generational Progress
Home Ownership
Job Environment
Well-Being
Family Support
Support of Friends
Happiness
Freedom of Expression
Fruits of My Labor
Entrepreneurial Spirit
Leisure Activities
Social Status
Personal Health
Satisfaction with Residence
Optimism
Societal
Trust in Government
Trust in Business
Just Society
Trust in People
Education Quality
Safety in Travel
Safety in Community
Civic Participation
Diversity
Melting Pot – Neighborhood
Melting Pot – Personal Differences
Melting Pot – Diversity
Political Freedom
Environmental
Pollution – air, food, water, land

11. American Dream Composite Index™
James Truslow Adams:
“Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” 
Ever improving Quality of Life

12. 2014 National Performance American’s Report That Only 64.61%
RATING
ADCI
64.61
Economic
63.58
Wellbeing
69.50
Societal
53.06
Diversity
74.39
Environmental
69.66
American’s Report That Only 64.61%
Of Their American Dream Is Being Achieved.
35.39% Is Left On The Table To Be Achieved.

13. Correlation coefficient = 0.178

14. 2014 Gender Comparison Men and Women Feel The Same About The
MALE VS FEMALE
ADCI
101
Economic
106
Wellbeing 98
Societal
102
Diversity 97
Environmental 99
Men and Women Feel The Same About The
Degree Of Achieving Their American Dream,
With The Exception Of Achieving Their
Economic Dream.

15. 2014 Generation Comparison
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
ADCI 98 97
101
106
Economic 93 95 96 92
102
112
Wellbeing 99
Societal
105
103
Diversity
100
Environmental 88 85 94
110
Younger Generations Are More Dissatisfied
With The Degree To Which They Are Achieving
Their Economic And Environmental Dreams.

16. 2014 American Dream States RANK STATE 1 Delaware 2 Vermont 3
New Mexico 4
South Carolina 5
Alaska
The ADCI Score In These States Indexed 105 or Greater Versus National Average

17. 2014 Virginia Performance Virginian’s Report That Only 65%
INDEX VS NATION
ADCI
101
Economic
104
Wellbeing 99
Societal
Diversity
Environmental
100
Virginian’s Report That Only 65%
Of Their American Dream Is Being Achieved

18. 2014 Virginia Performance Areas Of Opportunity Areas Of Strength
Dimension
Index Vs Nation
Entrepreneurship 96
Trust in Government
Personal Health 97
Trust in Business
Leisure
Dimension
Index Vs Nation
Financial security
108
Job Benefits
107
Home Ownership
106
Generational Progress
Health Care
105

19. 2014 Richmond MSA Performance
INDEX VS NATION
INDEX VS
VIRGINIA
ADCI
104
Economic
105
109
Wellbeing
103
Societal 98 99
Diversity
106
Environmental 97
Richmond MSA is Outperforming Virginia
And The Nation

20. 2014 Richmond MSA Performance
Areas Of Opportunity
Areas Of Strength
Dimension
Index Vs Virginia
Trust in Government 89
Safety in Community 92
Dimension
Index Vs Virginia
Job Benefits
117
Civic Participation
116
Support of Someone Special
111
Health Care
109
Support of Friends
108
Fruits of My Labor
MP-Neighborhood
107
MP-Personal Differences
Home Ownership
Financial Security
106
Family Support
Political Freedom
105

21. WHY DOES IT MATTER?

22. WHAT CEO’S SAY
ATTRACTION: Executives will use the ADCI score to differentiate between locations that are finalists in the site selection decision process (63.9% likely to highly likely).
COMPETITIVE EDGE: Executives believe there is a real business benefit to employees feeling they are achieving the American Dream (89.2% indicated there is).
RETENTION: Executives will be reluctant to relocate their business to a location with a lower ADCI score even if incentives were offered (31.3% unlikely to highly unlikely).
Results from a 2013 survey among business executives.

23. CEO of PEPSICO
“Today’s marketplace is incredibly competitive in every industry around the globe. The difference between success and failure is talent, period.”

24. YOU CAN PRETEND IT DIDN’T BUT THE GAME HAS CHANGED
More than half of projected job openings will come from the need to replace workers who retire or otherwise permanently leave an occupation (source 2012 Bureau of Labor Statistics).
For the first time in American history, the number of younger workers entering the labor market will not replace those who are leaving (source NC Office of State Personnel Presentation).

25. MOVING TO ACTION Economic Well-Being Societal Diversity Environment
1. Define +/- Points of Difference
2. Decide Which To Work On (Prioritize)
3. Identify Sentiment Drivers
4. Benchmark Best-In-Class Performers
5. Develop Strategies and Supporting Tactics
6. Execute With Excellence
Environment
Diversity
Societal
Well-Being
Economic

26. It Is Time For Us To Focus On The Right Goal
It’s NOT About Jobs.
It’s About Enabling Residents To Better Achieve The American Dream.

27. Make Virginia A Place To Achieve The American Dream
ECONOMIC
WELL-BEING
ENVIRONMENT
SOCIETAL
DIVERSITY
And You Will Attract Both
Top Talent And Top Companies