ED Now

IEDC is now accepting submissions for the 2023 Excellence and Leadership in Economic Development Awards. Take advantage of early-bird pricing and submit your entry by April 14. Arnold Williams, CPA, received the Citizen Leadership Award in 2022. The award recognizes a community or business leader, or an individual who is not an economic development practitioner, who plays a key leadership role and has endeavored to further the economic development profession. Williams has been a key supporter of Baltimore’s business community for 40 years. His work has been integral to a more inclusive Baltimore, and his accomplishments include supporting a range of nonprofit, religious, and economic development organizations. In 1983, Williams ...

Does your organization have what it takes to be EDO of the Year? IEDC is now accepting submissions for the 2023 Excellence in Economic Development Awards. The following EDOs received the highest honor in 2022: Greater New Orleans, Inc., Investissement Québec, the Tulsa (Okla.) Regional Chamber, the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County (Fla.), Invest Newark (N.J.), and the Greater Sacramento (Calif.) Economic Council.

IEDC's Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) program recognizes organizational excellence in the areas of internal and external operations, structures, and procedures. This series profiles newly accredited AEDOs, putting some of economic development's highest-performing organizations in the spotlight. This edition: Charles City (Iowa) Area Development Corporation.

Jessica Walden, EDP, business and leadership advisor for the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center and J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, is part of the second cohort of certified Entrepreneurship Development Professionals. IEDC’s EDP credential is designed to build capacity for those supporting entrepreneurship in their communities, and demonstrates the skills and expertise to lead communities through entrepreneurship-led economic development (ELED). Why did you decide to pursue the EDP credential? I decided to pursue the EDP credential as an outreach opportunity for the University of Georgia’s SBDC. As a business and leadership advisor, this includes working with rural communities in the ...

Small companies play a critical role in rural communities where there are fewer economic development opportunities than in urban areas. This is particularly true of second-stage companies, powerful job creators that have moved beyond the startup phase and are striving to scale larger. To accelerate growth for rural second-stagers, the Edward Lowe Foundation has developed a new program model that blends customized research, leadership development, and peer learning.

IEDC's Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) program recognizes organizational excellence in the areas of internal and external operations, structures, and procedures. This series profiles newly accredited AEDOs, putting some of economic development's highest-performing organizations in the spotlight. This edition: Pasadena (Texas) Economic Development Corporation.

IEDC offers a robust paid internship program for undergraduate and graduate students during the spring, summer, and fall semesters. Interns are valuable members of the IEDC team and make significant contributions to the work we do. ED Now recently asked past interns to share a little about their experience working at IEDC and how it influenced their career.

Ohio University’s Innovation Center has focused its efforts over the past year on helping local entrepreneurs navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and response. The business incubator has remained open to support its on-site essential businesses and is maintaining safe operations by closely monitoring and following CDC guidelines to ensure it provides a working environment that limits clients’ risk. The center’s staff has rearranged offices, worked in a hybrid/remote capacity when possible, and implemented stringent cleaning protocols. The center is also providing virtual business development support to current clients, as well as additive manufacturing design and product development assistance. “The Innovation ...