Magazine
Love at First Site Selection
Getting married in the Big Not-So-Easy
This issue, we begin a new occasional feature called SiteLines. In the first installment, we cover some of the principles of the Site Selection process. In future, we’ll explore particular regions and what criteria you need to develop to benefit particular aspects of the Pharma & Biopharma outsourcing process. In the article, one consultant reminds us, “If you pick the wrong site, you’ll never turn a dime on it.” I try not to counter the opinions of experts, but I’m happy to report, even when a Site Selection goes incredibly awry, things can still turn out alright. I can say that because I just got married . . . in New Orleans.
No, it’s not a Contract Pharma April Fool’s joke, like last year’s report that I was leaving the magazine to take the CEO role at Merck. Your humble editor did indeed tie the knot in March, and he did it in The Big Easy!
My bride and I began the Site Selection process in May 2005. We quickly ruled out Baton Rouge, Metairie, Houma and her hometown of Des Allemands, mainly because we felt that none of our non-Louisiana friends would enjoy visiting those places. That left us with New Orleans, so we had to judge a number of locations against our rigorous selection criteria. When we narrowed down the choices, we sent our consultants (okay, her parents) to examine the incentive package (okay, the dinner menu) and then began the build-out (okay, the booking process). We were comfortable and confident in our site choice. The bases were all covered. The Riverview Room in the French Quarter of New Orleans would be the site of our dream wedding.
Then reality intruded in late August in the form of Hurricane Katrina.
Our plans went on hold, as her family’s immediate safety became our top concern. By late October, the situation stabilized and we forged ahead. We reasoned that the city (at least, the areas that we would be in) would have to be functioning by Mardi Gras (a few weeks before our wedding date) and if it could handle an influx of thousands of drunken tourists, it could easily handle our wedding party. There were a few glitches along the way: the court offices didn’t reopen till January, which made the (regulatory) process of getting a wedding license a little uncertain. Also, I didn’t consider that people who shine shoes for a living likely wouldn’t return to the city until much later in the recovery process. But all in all, the event came off beautifully, and we selected a perfect site to celebrate our union.
So what’s the key Site Selection criterion that we developed from this experience? Make sure the location is on high ground.
Gil Roth
Editor • gil@rodpub.com
