Wikipedia defines GDP as:   a basic measure of a country’s economic performance, is the market value of all final goods and services made within the borders of a  nation in a year.  GDP can be defined in three ways, all of which are conceptually identical.  First, it is equal to the total expenditures for all final goods and services produced within the country in a stipulated period of time (usually a 365 day year).  Second, it is equal to the sum of the value at every stage of production (the intermediate stages) by all the industries within a country, plus taxes less subsidies on products, in the period.  Third, it is equal to the sum of the income generated by production in the country in the period-that is, compensation of employees, taxes on production and impports less subsidies, and gross operating surplus (or profits).

In looking at the jobs in Douglas County, we find that the largest employer is School District 206 with 640 employees.  Second largest employer is Douglas County Hospital with 620 employees.  Third largest is Douglas Machine, a private company that makes packaging equipment for Fortune 500 companies and others.  DMC has 548 employees.  Fourth largest is Tastefully Simple, a direct selling establishment that sells food products coast to coast, with 365 employees.  Fifth in the lineup is Douglas County Government now with 365 employees.  Sixth, is Knute Nelson, a nursing home that has 330 employees.   Seventh, is Alexandria Extrusion Company that makes extruded aluminum parts that are shipped to all corners of the world.  They have 295 employees. 

It is noted that the top 22 employers in Alexandria have 5953 employees.  Of this group; the largest is manufacturing with 33%of the local employees.  #1-DMC, #2-Alex Extrusion, #3-SunOpta/Dairy Products Manufacturing with 253 employees, #4-3M with 250 employees, #5-Donnelly Custom Manufacturing with 200 employees,  #6-Brenton Engineering with 198 employees,  #7-ITW Heartland with 118 employees.

Healthcare has 27% of the employees,  Education has 14.5% and Government has 6%.  Other employers of the top 22 are  in Sales, Delivery, Transportation, Construction, etc. account for 19% of the total.   The sum of all this is that manufacturing jobs, if they can be located and had, are the “creme de la creme” of all.  When you can add value (ad valorem) to a hunk of metal and sell it worldwide, that money (dollar, peso, yen, ruble, pound, etc.) comes right back into our community.  Years ago, and still today, we did this with corn, soybeans, wheat and other ag products.  It’s just that we have less people working in the ag industry now than before.  Our unemployment figures are comparative to the nation’s.  Most industries are drawing down their inventories to reduce supply.  At some point, this will turn and the undemployment figures will go the other way.  For now, unemployment will be the by-product of this recession.

We are most thankful of the jobs that we have here here in Alexandria, however, it would be most gratifying to expand on the manufacturing base.  Anything Hi-Tech would do well here.  We have a superb job pool, excellent transportation system, fantastic school system, overwhelming recreational opportunities, abundant sports choices.  Our available work force is hard working, intelligent and diligent.   I really enjoy this town and the people here…More on GDP later.

Information provided by the Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission 2009 Annual Report.