67 - Economic Development and Developers in the News

Welcome to the 67th weekly edition of Economic Development and Developers in the News.

If this is your first time reading: Welcome!

The Econ Dev Show is a podcast, weekday email newsletter, and blog of actionable strategies, fresh news, insights, and ideas from the economic development community and your host, Dane Carlson.

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Alabama

The Albertville City Council approved the adoption of three ordinances set to authorize the issuance of general obligation warrants for future economic development projects. (Mike Price, Director)

The Center Point Economic Development Committee announced it is officially accepting applications for two newly established grant programs, New Business Incentive Program and Capital Improvement Program, for businesses in the city.

Arizona

As the city of Maricopa and the Maricopa Economic Development Alliance take occupancy of the first office building at Estrella Gin Business Park, the building was sold to a family group in Idaho for long-term investment in Maricopa. (Christian Price, CEO; Adam Saks, Executive Director)

Colorado

The City of Denver’s Department of Economic Development and Opportunity is launching a new program designed to boost marijuana business ownership among social equity applicants. (Chelsea Rosty, Denver Department of Economic Development and Opportunity chief of staff)

Connecticut

New Milford small business owners working virtually or out of their homes are the target for an opportunity the town is offering to have their own storefront, on a trial basis. The initiative, called Pop-up NM, involves the design, promotion and launch of a temporary storefront for a rotating group of small business owners who want to try out their business concept before making the jump into a brick-and-mortar lease. Leading the project is New Milford resident Nicolas Gunkel — who led downtown small business activation projects in over 10 cities and towns across the Northeast and Midwest — with help from the New Milford Corporation of Economic Development.

Florida

The City of North Port likes the way Sarasota County's public-private partnership to promote economic development is going and agreed this week to a new deal to keep the effort going. The North Port City Commission unanimously approved a new agreement with the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County Tuesday night

Indiana

The River Ridge Development Authority has appointed Josh Staten as the new director of business development at the commerce park. Staten has previously served as the City of New Albany’s economic development and redevelopment director. (River Ridge Executive Director Jerry Acy)

Elwood is entering a new economic era, just as the Common Council approved a new comprehensive plan intended to attract business and families to the area.Among those using the new plan in their work will be Christy Clark, the new economic director for Elwood and former assistant to Mayor Todd Jones, and Stacy Blake, who becomes the Chamber of Commerce’s new director.

Iowa

You may soon notice fewer ‘help wanted’ signs around southeast Iowa. A new state law is changing Iowa’s unemployment benefits system.Among other measures, House File 2355 reduces the maximum length of time you can file for benefits from 26 weeks down to 16 weeks. Lee County Economic Development Group President Dennis Fraise said he hopes that it leads to open jobs being filled, especially in the manufacturing sector.

Perry Industries, Incorporated and Perry Economic Development, Incorporated recently announced a new speculative building project in Perry’s Industrial Park.  The speculative building is the fourth in the industrial park since it was created in 1984 and the newest structure is a 30,000-foot building which sits on more than five acres. (PEDI President, Matt McDevitt)

Kentucky

Keisha Allen is Louisville Forward new senior economic development manager for West Louisville.

Kentucky was sixth in the nation in Site Selection’s 2022 Prosperity Cup rankings, which recognizes state-level economic development successes based on capital investment project activity during the previous calendar year. Two of the most significant recent projects -- Ford Motor Co. and SK Innovation’s BlueOvalSK battery park in Hardin County, which was announced in September, and the recently opened Amazon Air Hub in Boone County -- were ranked among Site Selection’s Top Deals in North America for 2021 (coming in third and 11th, respectively), based on capital expenditures and job creation.

Louisiana

A ribbon cutting ceremony took place Thursday for the $15 million dollar economic development project at the Port of Caddo-Bossier.  (Eric England, Executive Port Director)

After nearly 25 years working in economic development, including working for the state of Mississippi as a senior project manager and Entergy Mississippi as a business development manager, Taurus Wright joined Entergy New Orleans as Director of Business and Economic Development in April of 2022.

Massachusetts

Joseph Collins is the new Economic Development Director in Norwood, Massachusetts.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Economic Assistance Coordinating Council approved seven projects for participation in the Economic Development Incentive Program.

Minnesota

A new unit at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development plans to work with populations that face more difficulty finding work or creating businesses. The Office of Public Engagement will have staff devoted to working with entrepreneurs, job seekers and groups aiming to correct workforce disparities — unifying the department’s outreach efforts in a single office. Maureen Ramirez is director of the new office.

Missouri

Windows and doors manufacturer Peerless Products, Inc., recently announced it will expand in the city of Nevada, investing $3.5 million and creating 111 new jobs. Peerless’ expansion will increase the company’s production capacity at its existing Nevada facility used for warehousing, manufacturing, and research and development. (Maggie Kost, Acting Director of the Department of Economic Development)

Nevada

Jared Smith, Chief Operating Officer at the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, is moving on to new opportunities.

New Mexico

The Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance recently transformed its organizational structure to allow it to become a true public private partnership made up of key business leaders as well as representatives of local government entities within the greater Albuquerque region. The new structure invites local government entities to engage in the organization under an inclusive, transparent model where all may receive a similar menu of economic development services such as regional marketing support, new lead generation, efforts to attract needed commercial space development, and data and research analysis for economic development purposes. (Sandoval Economic Alliance led by CEO and President Fred Shepherd; Sandoval County Economic Development Director Dora Dominguez; Danielle Casey, President & CEO for AREA)

New Mexico Economic Development Department Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said today that the agency’s latest round of quarterly economic reports shows 30 of 33 counties seeing gains in Matched Taxable Gross Receipts.  The oil and gas related sectors are seeing the largest one-year growth in MTGR by industry, an increase of 92 percent, followed by arts and entertainment (77 percent), and manufacturing (42 percent).

Mary Tieman has been hired as director of operations at Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance.

New York

Operation Oswego County held its 70th annual meeting on Thursday, June 16 at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center in Oswego, NY. (Executive Director L. Michael Treadwell; Deputy Director & Property Manager Austin Wheelock)

North Carolina

Granville County has expanded its economic development staff, adding a recruiter from Texas who among other things will focus on finding prospects for the Triangle North industrial park between Oxford and Henderson. Audrey Boone comes to Granville after heading up the economic development corporation in Gainesville, Texas, from 2020 to 2022 and serving in marketing positions for similar groups in Bryan, Texas, and Abilene, Texas. She’s now an “economic development specialist” working for longtime Granville Economic Development Director Harry Mills.

Pilot Mountain is one of 19 communities across North Carolina selected to participate in a new program aimed at increasing “Their capacity to plan, implement, and manage economic development programs and opportunities,” according to a release from the North Carolina Department of Commerce. “It equips our staff with additional training and resources from the state, that will allow us to be better situated for applying for and managing grants,” said Jenny Kindy, Pilot Mountain Main Street Coordinator.

Ohio

Nikki Posterli, Youngstown director of community planning and economic development says she is carefully evaluating the position of economic development director before determining how she will fill the job after T. Sharon Woodberry resigned in April. (Guy Coviello, President & CEO, Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber; Anthony Trevena, Executive Director, Western Reserve Port Authority)

Aaron Montz is the new President & CEO of the Tiffin Seneca Economic Partnership.

South Carolina

Orangeburg economic development leader reflects on 17 years. (Gregg Robinson, Executive Director, Orangeburg County Development Commission)

Tennessee

The Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council is pleased to announce Paul Turner as the Chairman of the Board for the 2022-2023 term. (Buck Dellinger,
CEO/President, Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council)

Courtney Pogue has resigned as Nashvilles economic development chief.

Texas

The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, Brownsville’s Type B economic development organization, announced the selection of Cori Peña as the new President/CEO. (Michelle Lopez, Director of Development and Communications, BCIC)

Kilgore Economic Development Corporation announced that Eric Wiggins has joined KEDC as Business Development and Marketing Director. Wiggins most recently served more than two years as Project Manager for the Washington County Economic Alliance in Greenville, Mississippi. (Lisa Denton, Executive Director KEDC; Will Coppage, Executive Director, Washington County Economic Alliance)

Sherman is making itself into an epicenter of the U.S. semiconductor universe. The historic North Texas city landed two multibillion-dollar projects in less than a year. (Kent Sharp, President, Sherman Economic Development Corp.)

Andrea Hutchins was named the new CEO of the El Paso Chamber. She replaces former CEO David Jerome who left in April to run the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

El Paso County officials are studying $78.4M worth of ideas to upgrade the 80-year-old El Paso County Coliseum,  and the possibility of adding an amphitheater. (Michael Hernandez, Economic Development Director, El Paso County)

The Texas Economic Development Council has announced the recipients of the 2022 Workforce Excellence Awards. (Carlton Schwab, President & CEO, TEDC; Christian Fletcher, Executive Director, Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation; Gilberto Salinas, Executive Director, Kerr Economic Development Corporation; Amy Madison, Executive Director, Pflugerville Community Development Corporation; Kevin Carter, President & CEO, Amarillo Economic Development Corporation; John Osborne, President & CEO, Lubbock Economic Development Alliance; Leila H. Melendez, CEO, Workforce Solutions Borderplex; Patt Hobbs, Executive Director, Workforce Solutions Cameron)

Killeen officials are expected to consider revisions to how the city’s economic development corporation is structured, but that doesn’t mean changes are imminent. (John Crutchfield III, President & CEO, Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce; Phyllis Gogue, Vice President of Economic Development, GKCC)

The Plano mayor touted economic development and infrastructure during the state of the city address. (Kelle Marsalis, President & CEO, Plano Area Chamber of Commerce)

Vermont

The Vermont Economic Progress Council has approved Killington's application for a Tax Increment Financing District. The TIF will allow the town to install new water infrastructure, resolve water contamination, mitigate road hazards, and enhance transportation capacity and accessibility. In the Killington TIF District, the improvements are anticipated to add over $285 million of new taxable value to Killington’s Grand List, yielding over $115 million in new property tax revenues over the 20-year retention period for the TIF District. (Joan Goldstein, Commissioner of the Department of Economic Development; Lyle Jepson, Executive Director, Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region; Fred Kenney, Executive Director, Addison County Development Corporation; William Colvin, Acting Director, Bennington County Industrial Corporation; Jim Sullivan, Executive Director, Bennington County Regional Commission; James Stewart, Executive Director, Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation; Bonnie Waninger, Executive Director, Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission; Frank Cioffi, President, Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation; Charlie Baker, Executive Director, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission; Tim Smith, Executive Director, Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation; Pat Ripley, Executive Director, Lamoille Economic Development Corporation; Dave Snedeker, Executive Director, Northeastern Vermont Development Association; Tyler Richardson, Operations Director, Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region; Ed Bove, Executive Director, Rutland Regional Planning Commission; Bob Flint, Executive Director, Springfield Regional Development Corporation; James Rasmussen, Executive Director, Mount Ascutney Regional Commission; Adam Grinold, Executive Director, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation; Chris Campany, Executive Director, Windham Regional Commission; Erika Hoffman-Kiess, Executive Director, Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation; Peter Gregory, Executive Director, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission)

Virginia

Economic Development Director Jill Loope will retire next year following a successful and rewarding 22-year career with Roanoke County.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced about $10.2 million in Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) grant awards for 13 projects around the state that focus on expanding talent pipelines in key industries, strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems, and developing business-ready sites while supporting regional economic growth through localities, public entities and private businesses.

A proposed upscale campsite in Greene County could bring in millions of tourism dollars. The project would include more than 140 luxury camping tents and other amenities, including a restaurant and pool. (Alan Yost, Director of Economic Development and Tourism, Greene County)

Audrey Polk, Vice President of Business Development at Greater Richmond Partnership is moving on.

Washington

Chelsea Farms owner and farm director Shina Wysocki finds fulfillment in the community as a board member of the Thurston Economic Development Council. (Michael Cade,
Executive Director, Thurston Economic Development Council)

Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Economic Development Association recently presented three Chippewa Valley area state lawmakers with the organization’s 2022 Champion of Economic Development legislative award for their leadership on initiatives to drive economic growth and prosperity in Wisconsin. The awards were presented at the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation’s inaugural Economic Development Feedback Social held in Bloomer.(Michael Welsh, Vice President of Legislative Affairs)

Australia

The Executive Director of Business Sydney, Paul Nicolaou, has been appointed on the City of Sydney Council Business, Economic Development and Covid Recovery Advisory Panel.

Canada

The Regina city council has approved a motion that will shift tourism responsibilities to Regina Exhibition Association Limited. Tourism Regina used to fall under Economic Development Regina. (EDC CEO Chris Lane)

The Labrador provincial government has announced $141,000 in support for a number of economic development projects. (Nadine Emberley, Director of Regional Economic Development)

Puerto Rico

Later this year, EDA will officially certify and recognize the Southern Puerto Rico Economic Development District. It will focus on helping small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs develop a favorable business climate for the island’s southern region, an area of roughly 15 towns, with an emphasis on health, tourism, and agriculture.

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