ED Now

IEDC is accepting submissions through May 30 for the 2023 Excellence and Leadership in Economic Development Awards. The Excellence and Leadership in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs, partnerships, and marketing materials, and the year’s most influential economic development leaders. These prestigious awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Receiving an award showcases your achievements and impact in the field, and winners are recognized at IEDC's Annual Conference. Please email [email protected] with any questions. mRNA Victoria’s development of an mRNA vaccine ecosystem in ...

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. JoAnn Crary, CEcD, FM, HLM, received the Jeffrey A. Finkle Organizational Leadership Award in 2022. The Organizational Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have continuously led the same public or nonprofit economic development organization with integrity, tenacity, and a philanthropic spirit for at least 15 years. Nominees should demonstrate a vast knowledge of the intricacies of the economic development profession and play a pivotal role in the continued success of their organization. They have not only exhibited exemplary leadership but have also worked ...

Aaron N. Gruen of Gruen Gruen + Associates—an urban economics, market research, housing and land use policy, and pre-development services firm—shares his annual economic and real estate outlook with ED Now.

IEDC’s recent Investment in Attraction in 2022 webinar discussed ways EDOs can strategize to attract more investment to their communities, highlighting emerging trends in our post-pandemic world. The webinar began by outlining where the economy is headed in terms of globalization. There is a corrosion of globalization happening with heightened protectionist policies. All the while much of our business is shifting to become more digital, and remote working is increasing. Combine that with workforce shortages, inflation, higher interest rates, and a possible recession, and investments can become very confusing to navigate. Nadine Jeserich, PhD, vice president of analytics for Gazelle.ai, touched on ways in which EDOs can promote ...

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: City of Dublin (Ohio) Division of Economic Development.

Michael Harris, CEcD, EDP, executive director of New Haven (Conn.) Innovation Collaborative, is part of the first 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). Harris has headed the New Haven Innovation Collaborative since 2018. NHIC catalyzes growth in technology and fosters entrepreneurship by building a collaborative work and research environment. Anchored by Yale University, Southern Connecticut State University, and the University of New Haven, the city has a strong talent pool in ...

ED Now asked IEDC board members to tell us their New Year’s resolutions. What are your resolutions for 2022? Share them with us! Ron Kitchens, CEcD, senior partner and chief executive officer, Birmingham (Ala.) Business Alliance: Our resolution is to challenge and change our best every day. Yesterday’s plans, programs, and execution belong in the past. The future of economic development is about being an agent of change, not a victim of change. David A. Leezer, CEcD, FM, vice president of business attraction, Wichita Falls (Texas) Chamber of Commerce: Be more focused on the key issues important to the success of our strategy and avoid the stuff that takes away from that strategy. Read 15 books. Make Wichita Falls ...

Montgomery County, Md., is a 500-square-mile county with 1.05 million people adjacent to Washington, D.C. The county has many strong assets, including federal labs and agencies, a thriving life science sector, and an incredibly diverse and well-educated population. One of its strongest assets is its breadth of strong, business-focused organizations that communicate effectively with one another. As in other communities, the pandemic hit industries such as hospitality, retail, restaurants, and entertainment particularly hard, and the county hit a historic unemployment high in April 2020. Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), in close collaboration with Montgomery County government, WorkSource Montgomery (WSM), Visit ...