ED Now

Bill Sabo, EDP, CPPM, regional director of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, is part of the third 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? Fort Smith used to be a major manufacturing hub with Trane, Whirlpool, and several other large employers. In the past decade most have moved out, taking thousands of jobs with them that aren’t coming back. The EDP ...

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. 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. Below ...

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 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. Tribal Chairman John Barrett received the Leadership Award for Public Service in 2022. This award recognizes a state or local elected official who has served as a committed advocate for economic development for at least 10 years. Nominees must have demonstrated sustained and effective efforts to mobilize community groups and industry leaders in the development of programs and projects, played a key role in the planning and designing of new economic development activities, and displayed dedication and commitment to their constituency as a leader and advocate for ...

Dell Gines, CEcD, PhD, will be joining IEDC as vice president of partnerships, advisory services, and thought leadership effective March 6. Gines’ work in economic development and entrepreneurship at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City is renowned, and he brings a collaborative spirit to this important role. Gines is a national thought leader in economic development and entrepreneurial ecosystem building. At the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City his specific focus has been on communities of color and small, economically distressed rural communities. He has authored six guides and one e-book on the subject. His most notable work is a 2018 research report on Black women-owned startups which has been cited by PBS, Forbes, Black ...

Public libraries across the United States have the opportunity to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs in their communities—especially for underserved populations—according to a July report from the American Library Association (ALA). The report follows the conclusion of the two-year Libraries Build Business (LBB) initiative from ALA. The LBB program funded a cohort of 13 public libraries that established programming and resources for entrepreneurs in their communities. In the regions where it was piloted, the program was a huge success—even though it took place entirely during the pandemic. A survey of small business owners who engaged with LBB programming found that two-thirds of respondents would be “very ...

IEDC board member and former restaurant owner SeonAh Kendall has worked in public service for more than 10 years, and is currently senior economic manager for the City of Fort Collins, Colorado. Kendall recently talked to ED Now about building transformational relationships, addressing language and cultural barriers, finding your voice, asking for help, focusing on communities, fostering a sense of belonging, and resetting our goals.

IEDC is accepting submissions for the 2022 Excellence and Leadership in Economic Development Awards through May 13. The following projects won Gold in 2021 in the Innovation Programs and Initiatives category: South Island Prosperity Partnership Rising Economy Taskforce & Reboot: Greater Victoria (B.C.)'s Economic Recovery Plan Greater Victoria’s 2020–2022 Economic Recovery Plan was released in November 2020 after months of planning by the 40-member Rising Economy Taskforce (a public-private institutional collaboration) and their 10 committees (120 organizations and businesses representing 10 sectors across the entire regional economy). The project was designed to assess the impacts of the pandemic and triage an urgent and ...