Economic Development and Developers in the News #86

Good morning and welcome to the 86th weekly edition of Economic Development and Developers in the News.  Today's issue contains news from 98 economic development executives and organizations in 27 states, Australia, and Canada.

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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.

Alabama

Six from Ozark are among the 129 municipal officials who graduated from the inaugural Alabama League of Municipalities Economic Academy at the Alabama League of Municipalities’ Municipal Leadership Institute. (Holle Smith, Executive Director, Ozark-Dale County Economic Development)

Arizona

The Regional Economic Development Center at Yavapai College received a $1.48M Department of Labor grant. (Karen Jones, Director of the Regional Economic Development Center, Yavapai College)

Gary Kellogg, economic development director for the City of Kingman, recently spoke to the Mohave Republican Forum.

Arkansas

Meredith Adkins was named to the 2022 "Ones to Watch" class by Celebrate Arkansas magazine, honoring her among the trendsetters and trailblazers in the Northwest Arkansas community.

The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Center for Economic Development will be hosting the Invest Fort Smith summit.  (Kendall Ross, Director)

Australia

The Queensland Government’s Rural Economic Development Grants program has marked its 2000 good jobs milestone after more than $12 million was invested over four rounds since 2018. (Mark Furner, Minister for Rural Communities)

California

The City of Pasadena and Visit Pasadena have announced this year’s holiday season campaign, “Authentically Yours, Pasadena,” to celebrate small and independent local businesses. (Kristin McGrath, Executive Director, Visit Pasadena; David Klug, Director of Economic Development, City of Pasadena)

Canada

The Fort McMurray Council heard updates from Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development and Tourism. (Kevin Weidlich, President & CEO, Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development and Tourism; Dianna de Sousa, Executive Director, Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce)

Jan Swanson is the new economic development manager for the City of North Battleford.

Colorado

Jessica Erickson is leaving the Longmont Economic Development Partnership.

Florida

The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast has named their new board members. (Lynda Weatherman, President & CEO, EDC of Florida's Space Coast)

The Studer Community Institute celebrated the achievements and economic impact of Pensacola area leaders and businesses during the EntreCon Awards celebration Friday evening at The Rex Theatre. (Brian Wyer, President & CEO, Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce)

Georgia

Auto parts maker Joon Georgia Inc. announced they will build a new manufacturing facility in Bulloch County, creating more than 600 jobs and investing $317 million into the county. (Trip Tollison, President & CEO, Savannah EDA;
Benjy Thompson, CEO, Bulloch County Development Authority)

Georgia Southern has been named an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University. (Chris Curtis, Vice Provost for Research; Dominique Halaby, Associate Provost for Innovation & Commercialization)

Komar Brands, a global apparel company, will create 294 new jobs and invest $87 million in a new manufacturing and distribution facility in Bryan County. (Anna Chafin, CEO, Development Authority of Bryan County; Marie Gordon, Director of Communications, Georgia Department of Economic Development)

Illinois

The Economic Alliance of Kankakee County honors locals with their IMPACT Award. (Tim Nugent, President & CEO, Economic Alliance of Kankakee County; Ashley Villarreal, President & CEO, Kankakee Chamber)

Indiana

The Tippman Group, which opened Interstate Cold Storage in 2019, is preparing for their third expansion in Anderson. Greg Winkler, executive director of the Anderson Economic Development Department, said Thursday since the company located in Anderson it has invested almost $80 million.

Iowa

Rock Island's Community and Economic Development leadership team is fully staffed for the first time in three years. (Nichole Mata, community development manager; Tarah Sipes economic development manager)

Kentucky

The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region continues to shine as Site Selection magazine recently honored the area as its top economic development metro in the Ohio River Corridor. Cincinnati shares the recognition with Louisville after the two regions traded the top spot each of the previous two years.  (Kimm Lauterbach, president and CEO of REDI Cincinnati; Tri-ED CEO Lee Crume)

The Center for Rural Development is pleased to announce the addition of three new members to its board of directors. (Lonnie Lawson, President and CEO of The Center for Rural Development)

The Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation continues to add to its team, with David McAleese joining as Research Director.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed a $3.76 billion spending plan that promotes economic development, strengthens health and human services, advances clean energy and resiliency, expands affordable housing production and invests in Massachusetts communities, businesses and workers.

The Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation recently recognized state Sen. John Cronin as Public Advocate Champion at the 7th Annual Champions for Biotechnology Education Awards Reception. (CEO Sunny Schwartz)

Michigan

The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission is seeking public input on the 2022 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The CEDS Committee has outlined six goals to work towards over the next five years. (Jerrid Burdue, Senior Planner at Southwest Michigan Planning Commission)

The Big Rapids Planning Commission will discuss the city’s economic development plan during its upcoming meeting. Community development fellow Jesse Black has been working with city staff to develop an economic development strategy for the city, as required by the Redevelopment Ready Communities program.

Nebraska

According to early unofficial results from the Hall County Election Commission, the Grand Island Economic Development Program was passing with 68% of the vote. The ballot initiative asks residents to renew LB840, the Grand Island Area Economic Development Corporation's primary incentive to attract new industry to the city and help local industry expand. (GIAEDC President Dave Taylor)

New Mexico

New Mexico has far too few nurses, and leaders say it’s an economic problem.  These are the sentiments of local nursing experts who spoke at the Economic Forum of Albuquerque on Wednesday morning at the Embassy Suites.

Shawn Perry-Turner has joined Sandoval County as director of marketing and communications.

New York

Congressman Brian Higgins recently announced Westminster Economic Development Initiative  received two federal grants totaling $375,000. (Executive Director Carolynn Welch)

Ulster County will hold two public workshops on November 14th and 16th to provide information and seek input on the development of a Natural Resources Inventory and Municipal Toolkit for the county. “In mapping out a Green New Deal for Ulster County, we felt it essential to ensure that where and how we position our environment for economic development, tourism and recreation, energy production and housing is compatible with ongoing resource and ecosystem health,” said Acting Ulster County Executive Johanna Contreras.

North Carolina

Moore County Partners in Progress recently released their Quarterly Progress Report highlighting their activities and initiatives in the areas of economic development, community development, and workforce development for the quarter. (Natalie Hawkins, Executive Director)

Microsoft officials said Wednesday it is investing at least $1 billion for the phased development of four data centers in Catawba County over the next 10 years.

Ohio

With a continued focus on economic development, the city of New Albany has announced the addition of an economic-development manager to help build on its growing commercial base. Sara Zeigler has been hired for the role.

The Paulding County Economic Development office recently hosted their annual Business and Industry Appreciation Banquet.  (Economic Development Director Tim Copsey)

The Allen County Economic Development Group held their annual Community Update Meeting on November 10. (Dave Stratton, CEO and President of AEDG)

Oklahoma

Tulsa Remote, which started out as an ambitious pitch to draw new workers to Tulsa four years ago, has shown itself to be an economic success story for the city. The organization has recruited more than 2,000 people to the city, a milestone measured in new jobs and economic vibrancy. Tulsa Remote offered $10,000 and 12 months of programming that would help these workers become more connected to the city. In return, these workers would commit to stay in Tulsa for at least a year.

Pennsylvania

Development in the Humboldt Industrial Park continues to move ahead, but the number of new prospects has slowed. (Greater Hazleton CAN DO president Joseph Lettiere, and economic development director Jocelyn Sterenchock)

South Dakota

The Aberdeen City Council tabled discussion on deciding between an economic development proposal from the Aberdeen Development Corp. and moving forward with hiring an economic development manager.

Texas

Ron Kitchens is the new President & CEO of the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce.

Garin Giacomarro has been named acting director of economic development by the city of Grapevine, replacing Larry Holt who has left to take an economic development position in Los Angeles.

It might seem strange to see the executive director of San Benito Economic Development Corporation celebrate a freight forwarding company move into an industrial park in Brownsville. However, when that person is Ramiro Aleman it is not strange at all. Aleman worked on the project to bring the AMFCO Group to the North Brownsville Industrial Park when he was director of business recruitment, retention and expansion for the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation.

The City of El Paso approved a memorandum of understanding with the City of Juarez and Freight Shuttle Express earlier this week to build a cargo shuttle at the Port of El Paso. (David Coronado, Managing Director of International Bridges and Economic Development)

The Executive Director of the Wood County Economic Development Commission, Christophe Trahan, has resigned.

Virginia

Prince William County, Virginia, has long been on the fringe of a region enjoying more than a decade of consistent growth. But as its neighbors become increasingly built out, the county is poaching talent to embark on a growth path of its own. Two new leaders were announced in the county: The Prince William Chamber of Commerce selected Bob Sweeney as its new president and CEO, and the Prince William Board of County Supervisors selected Chris Shorter as the new county executive. (Christina Winn, executive director of the Prince William County Department of Economic Development)

The Tanglewood Mall is basically going through a transformation, said Jill Loope, Roanoke County’s retiring economic development. “It’s a metamorphosis, so to speak.”

Marshall Stanley is the new Economic Development Specialist at the Town of Vinton.

Christy Morton, senior vice president of policy and strategic partnerships at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership recently spoke at rvatech’s Drive conference about labor scarcity, large project opportunities, speed to market, prioritizing energy and the decline of large office projects.  She said that economic development has changed a lot in recent years, and the state's business community has had to adjust.

West Virginia

The City of Shinnston has hired an executive assistant position to replace the economic development director position after city officials opted to contract out economic development services to Black and Teal Concepts.

The Huntington-Ashland metro area was ranked in the top 10 in Site Selection magazine’s annual analysis of Ohio River metro area economic development in 2020 and 2021. (David Lieving, president and CEO of the Huntington Area Development Council)

Wisconsin

Eric Printz, the Director of Economic Development in Florence County, was recently on Wisconsin Public Radio to discuss economic development planning.

Wyoming

The Uinta County Economic Development Commission is working on design plan for the county’s 1,000 acres. (Director of UCEDC Gary Welling)

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