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Chief Executive Magazine Ranks Texas Top State
for Business for 6th Year in a Row

AUSTIN – Texas has been ranked the top state for job growth and business development for the sixth year in a row in a survey of CEOs by Chief Executive Magazine.

“As CEOs have noted for the sixth year in a row, Texas continues to be a model for the nation as the best state to live and do business,” Gov. Perry said. “This top ranking by Chief Executive Magazine proves that our low taxes, reasonable and predictable regulatory climate and skilled workforce have not gone unnoticed.”

The survey asked 651 CEOs to rank each state based on three general categories: taxation and regulation, quality of workforce and living environment. States were then evaluated based on five subcategories and ranked by importance to the respondent.

The study noted that Texas scored high in all areas valued most by the CEOs, who mentioned Texas’ tax credits and business incentives as reason to relocate or expand a business in Texas, highlighting the Texas Enterprise Fund as the largest deal-closing fund of any state.

“Texas is pro-business with reasonable regulations,” said one CEO. Another CEO noted, “You feel like state government understands the value of business and industry to create jobs and growth.”

The Lone Star State is the 12th largest economy in the world and has created more private sector jobs in the last 10 years than any other state in the nation. No state has more Fortune 500 company headquarters than Texas. Additionally, Texas is the top exporting state in the nation for the eighth year in a row, and has the second lowest tax burden in the country.

To view the survey results, please visit http://www.chiefexecutive.net/ME2/Audiences/

To view the survey’s historical rankings, please visit http://www.chiefexecutive.net/Media/BestAndWorstStates/2010/CEStateRanks.aspx