When South Korea-based health technology company Edenlux announced early this year that it would locate its U.S. operations in McKinney, Texas, it joined a stream of businesses setting up shop in the Dallas suburb and contributing to McKinney’s status as one of the fastest-growing cities in America.
Edenlux was wooed in part by a grant from the McKinney Economic Development Corp. The work of the EDC and other local entities, as well as the region’s reputation for low taxes and business-friendly regulations, is a magnet for businesses.
Michael Kowski, president and CEO of McKinney EDC, said businesses are also attracted for reasons that might not explicitly show up on a spreadsheet but that nonetheless can contribute to their bottom-line success.
“Edenlux and other employers select McKinney for its strong innovation ecosystem, access to talent and our collaborative approach to supporting both domestic and international companies,” Kowski said. “And that includes a growing talent pool and community leaders who are all pulling in the same direction.”
He said key elements of the McKinney ecosystem include a thriving downtown known as The Square; McKinney National Airport, which begins serving commercial flights in 2026; and land available for future development, including 180 acres next to the airport that the EDC purchased to attract advanced manufacturing operations.
“In the past, we were known around the country for our unique neighborhoods, historic downtown and fantastic quality of life, and we’ll always be known for that,” Kowski said. “But now we have all these pockets of opportunity that present a very compelling story to people and businesses looking to grow in McKinney.”
A Place To Grow
Those people include entrepreneur Shane Hanes, who, in a video made after he received a McKinney Chamber of Commerce and EDC award, described himself as “just a guy that likes to run and start companies.” In McKinney, he found fertile ground to do exactly that, and today he is the owner of several businesses based there, including computer security company Netrio.
“We bought our first business down in The Square in 2008, and [since then] it's probably a good eight to 10 businesses that we've done here in the McKinney area,” Hanes said. “McKinney is a great place to do business. I mean … it's just a great environment. It fosters growth. It's very supportive.”
But it’s not all about business for Hanes, who has raised a family in town in addition to nurturing his several startups.
“All four of my kids went to elementary school through high school here,” he said. “They've all bought and built homes here in McKinney.”
Hanes said he hopes McKinney “sticks to its roots” in its support of businesses — and that businesses continue to appreciate what sets the city apart.
“Sometimes as businesses grow, you kind of forget about what got you there,” he said. “So let's just [continue to] make sure it's a great place to grow some businesses. And let's just make sure we maintain that [mindset] going forward as the city continues to grow and gets even bigger.”
A Place For Talent
Insurer Globe Life is another longtime McKinney-based business, having set up shop in the city more than 30 years ago. But in today’s competitive economic development and site selection environment, a business isn’t guaranteed to stay in one place forever.
Chief Talent Officer Rebecca Zorn said Globe Life recently looked to see whether there were greener pastures to accommodate its growth.
“We looked at a lot of different neighboring communities to see if they would have something that we would desire,” she said.
But after doing its research, the company ultimately determined that “McKinney is home.”
“We're staying in McKinney,” she said.
Globe Life last year purchased a nearly 200K SF headquarters building in McKinney to accommodate its growth. Zorn said the building’s many conference and huddle rooms provide plenty of engagement opportunities for its employees, who played an important role in the decision to stay in the city.
“We are able to draw great talent [here], whether it's [for] our claims administrators, contact center workers or accountants and actuaries,” Zorn said, “and we are so grateful to have such a wonderful partnership with McKinney EDC and the city of McKinney.”
A Place To Call Home
The community’s ecosystem also appealed to Zane Conkle, co-founder and CEO of Cytracom. The fast-growing provider of computer security services moved its headquarters to the District 121 office building in McKinney in 2024.
“This move was not just about finding new office space. It was really about creating an environment where our team can do their very best work,” Conkle said. “We believe that McKinney has a very real opportunity to become the hub for the North Texas technology community. There's already an incredible concentration of technical talent right here in Collin County.”
Conkle, a Collin County native, called downtown McKinney one of the city’s “greatest assets” and a “gift” to future generations. Cytracom’s employees are among the beneficiaries of The Square and the city’s other quality-of-life assets, he said.
“I can tell you with certainty that [locating here] has been transformational for our employees. They absolutely love being here,” he said. “We are seeing team members choose to relocate their families to the area, not just because this is where the office is but because of the strength and the vibrancy of the community. McKinney is more than just headquarters, more than just another location for us — it's home.”
Kowski said McKinney EDC and its partners will continue to get the message out that as McKinney grows, opportunity will continue to grow with it — for everyone.
“There are very few places in the country that have our type of ecosystem,” he said. “It’s taken time and patience to get here, and today we’re winning because companies are looking for this type of quality environment.”
This article was produced in collaboration between the McKinney Economic Development Corp. and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.
Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.
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