Economic Development and Developers in the News #87

Good morning and welcome to the 87th weekly edition of Economic Development and Developers in the News.  

I hope that you had a great Thanksgiving.  I enjoyed my week off, but I'm back this week.

Today's issue contains news from 318 economic development executives and organizations in 33 states and Canada.

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.

Alabama

Enterprise is looking to improve economic development downtown. Select property owners took part in a real estate revitalization program. (Mariah Montgomery, Executive Director, Main Street Enterprise)

Alaska

A report from the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development found that, for the last seven years, the state has performed “at or near the bottom” in employment growth, unemployment, net migration and GDP. (Nolan Klouda, Executive Director, University of Alaska Center for Economic Development)

Carol Rushmore is retiring as Borough economic development director.

Alan Weitzner, executive director of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority has announced his resignation.

The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development announced the release of the 2022-2027 Alaska Statewide Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy final report. (Julie Sande, Commissioner, DCCED)

Arkansas

The Pine Bluff Convention Center will once again get a hotel adjacent to the building. (Joseph McCorvey, Executive Director, Pine Bluff Convention Center; Allison Thompson, President & CEO, Economic Development Alliance of Jefferson County)

California

Scott Powell is leaving his position at the Greater Sacramento Economic Council.

Many challenges are ahead for CEO Jeffrey Ball and the Orange County Business Council.

Report: California, ‘Story of Two Economies,’ must promote growth in underserved regions. (Ethan Rarick, Executive Director, Little Hoover Commission)

Hosted by the Southern Humboldt Business and Visitor Bureau, "Let’s Talk Tourism" event will include updates on the community’s economic development, beatification, health, safety, and overall, all aspects of tourism. (Scott Adair, Director of Economic Development, Humboldt County; Julie Benbow, Executive Director, Humboldt County Visitor Bureau; Yvonne Hendrix, Executive Director, Southern Humboldt Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center; Natalynne Delapp, Executive Director, Humboldt County Growers Alliance)

Darren Holmes is the new marketing manager for Solano Economic Development Corporation. (Chris Rico, President & CEO, Solano EDC)

California’s Lithium Valley Commission has finished a comprehensive report on how to maximize development of the critical mineral and create jobs and economic opportunities, while aiming to protect public health and benefit local communities.

Canada

A new report from NAI Commercial Real Estate suggests that investment is on the decline in Strathcona County, but local economic officials said they are seeing the opposite.
(Sean McRitchie, Director of Economic Development & Tourism, Strathcona County)

Sidney councillors gave the new economic development plan thumbs-down. (Morgan Shaw, Executive Director, Sidney Business Improvement Area Society; Dallas Gislason, Director of Economic Development, South Island Prosperity Partnership)

The City of Mississauga announced the selection of Christina Kakaflikas as the new Director of the City’s Economic Development Office. She will be replacing former Director Bonnie Brown, who will be retiring.

Colorado

Eve Lieberman is the new executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

The Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado approved two new board members at its September meeting: Jason Armstrong, community and economic development coordinator, was appointed representative of the town of Mancos, and Cassie Alexander, vice president-senior loan officer with First National Bank of Cortez, is the new Montezuma County at-large position.

Connecticut

Gov. Ned Lamont announced that Alexandra Daum will serve as the next commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development . She’ll replace current DECD Commissioner David Lehman, who plans to step down from his post at the end of this year.

Florida

The Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County launched a new virtual resource center on their website geared toward supporting entrepreneurs and business owners.

The Miami-Dade Beacon Council, the county’s economic development agency, said it secured a record 57 companies over the past year to commit to expand or relocate to the county. Next year also promises to be a noteworthy year for the Beacon Council, because in January it plans to announce a new president of the organization. Since April when council President Michael Finney passed away, William Talbert has been an interim leader. Previously, Talbert led the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau for 20 years.

Steve Morey has been named Plant City Economic Development Council’s new president and chief executive officer. Morey will replace Jake Austin, PCEDC’s inaugural CEO who announced his resignation earlier this month.

Georgia

Among the dozen recent graduates of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development is Colin Martin, president and CEO of the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, headquartered in Fayetteville.

The Carl Vinson Institute of Government has been certified as the training entity for Regional Industrial Development Authority members.The Georgia Department of Community Affairs recently certified CVIOG to train new authority members through the year 2024.

Illinois

Exelon energy delivery companies ComEd and PECO have been named to Site Selection magazine's 2022 list of Top U.S. Utilities in Economic Development.

Indiana

A new economic development commission is in the works in Shelby County government after the County Council took the first step during a nearly two-hour long meeting Tuesday night.

Apparently doing a U-turn from prior proposals for paid parking downtown and other changes, the Columbus Parking Commission instead is heading in a different direction entirely. After months of discussing possible changes for downtown parking, the Columbus Parking Commission has decided to recommend that the city try enforcing a smaller area. (Jason Hester, president of the Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation)

Angola Common Council approved an agreement with the Steuben County Economic Development Corp. The SCEDC will receive $59,430. Earlier in the day the Steuben County Board of Commissioners approved its annual service agreement with the SCEDC for $150,000. (SCEDC Executive Director Isaac Lee)

Iowa

The Iowa City Area Business Partnership and Iowa City Area Development Group are formally approving a resolution to merge by July 1, 2023. (ICABP president and CEO Kim Casko, ICAD president Kate Moreland)

Tama County Economic Development’s executive director Katherine Ollendieck paid a visit to the Nov. 7 meeting of the Traer City Council to provide an update on county economic happenings.

One of the challenges Iowa long has had in luring new businesses — as well as new workers and residents — to the state from elsewhere in the nation, Debi Durham said, is that “we have not been properly introduced.” Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority as well as the Finance Authority, touted the state’s “This Is Iowa” campaign — its tagline is “A Secret Worth Sharing” — as one of a number of initiatives the state uses to promote economic development.

Louisiana

Zach Hager is the new Cleco Economic Development Project Manager for the southern and southeastern regions.

Meaghan McCormack, CEO, St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation is a New Orleans City Business "One to Watch".

Maryland

The Brunswick Business and Industry Development hired Jason Semple to serve as the its director of business development,

Massachusetts

Ali Carter is Lowell's new economic development director.

Michigan

Ian McCain is Eastpointe’s new economic development manager.

A former senior planner for the city of New York wants to see Mt. Pleasant continue to grow, and be part of the team that makes the community successful. Mt. Pleasant Director of Community Services and Economic Development William Mrdeza on Monday introduced to city commissioners Manuela Powidayko Alberici Souza, the city’s new director of planning and community development.

Hancock celebrated its status as Michigan’s newest Redevelopment Ready Community with a ceremony Friday morning. (Michigan Economic Development Corp.'s community development manager Jen Tucker; MEDC senior community planner Pablo Majano)

Oakland County executive Dave Coulter used Eminem to describe Oakland County’s location to a group of businesspeople in Sweden at a Business Sweden event.

Minnesota

Itasca Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) has received a $10,000 Community Giving Program grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation. The grant is operational, allowing IEDC to continue building upon the foundation of both economic and community development. (Tamara Lowney, IEDC President)

Mississippi

Mississippi’s governor signed legislation finalizing the largest economic development deal in the state’s history.

Missouri

The Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council announced on Wednesday morning that Executive Director of HREDC Corey Mehaffy will leave his position on Dec. 31.

The Missouri Department of Economic Development has launched a new $10 million grant for small businesses affected by COVID-19.

Montana

Big Sky Economic Development was awarded two 2022 Montana Economic Developers Association Impact Awards. (Executive Director Steve Arveschoug)

Three years have passed since the Payne family donated an entire block in downtown Missoula to the city — a gift that surfaced during the construction of the new Missoula Public Library. In recent months, the Missoula Economic Partnership has been reaching out to potential developers to test their interest and ability in redeveloping the block into something new. (Julie Lacey, the economic development director for MEP)

Economic challenges and goals are similar for sister cities Lethbridge and Great Falls, Montana. (Jolene Schalper, Senior Vice President Business Development, Great Falls Development Authority)

Nebraska

The Grand Island Area Economic Development Corp. announced Mary Berlie as the organization’s new president. She replaces Dave Taylor, who is resigning to take on a new position at another local business. Berlie has been with GIAEDC for nine years, most recently serving as its executive vice president.

The town of Waverly has formed a new economic development committee bring new businesses to the community. The CEO of the nearby Ashland Area Economic Development Corporation, Caleb Fjone, helped.

New Mexico

The Clovis city commission adopted an economic development plan on Thursday that experts say is more comprehensive than any plan to date. TIP Strategies, Inc., an Austin-based consulting firm, wrote the plan. “We’re excited to see this plan,” said Tina Dziuk, executive director of Clovis Economic Development.

New York

City and State New York has announced their Economic Development Power 100. (Hope Knight, President, CEO and Commissioner, Empire State Development; Andrew Kimball, President and CEO, New York City Economic Development Corp.; Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development; Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO, Partnership for New York City; John C. Williams, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Heather Briccetti Mulligan, President and CEO, The Business Council of New York State; Janno Lieber, Chair and CEO, Metropolitan Transportation Authority; Randy Peers, President and CEO, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce; Kevin D. Kim, Commissioner, New York City Department of Small Business Services; Nydia Velázquez, Chair, House Committee on Small Business; Jamie Dimon, Chair and CEO JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Chancellor, CUNY; Fred Dixon, President and CEO, NYC & Company; Adena T. Friedman, President and CEO, Nasdaq; Anna Kaplan & Harry Bronson, Chairs State Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry; Gary LaBarbera, President, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York; Thomas Grech, President and CEO, Queens Chamber of Commerce; Matthew Cohen, President and CEO Long Island Association; Andrew Rigie, Executive Director, New York City Hospitality Alliance; Tremaine Wright, Chair, Christopher Alexander, Executive Director, NY State Office of Cannabis Management; Taryn Duffy, Vice President of Public Affairs MGM Resorts Northeast Group; Arvind Krishna, Chair and CEO IBM; Marsha Gordon, President and CEO, Business Council of Westchester; Marlene Cintron, Region II Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; Randy Wolken, President, Manufacturers Alliance of New York State; Carlo Scissura, President and CEO New York Building Congress; Louis Coletti, President and CEO, Building Trades Employers Association; Robert Duffy, President and CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce; Dottie Gallagher, President and CEO, Buffalo Niagara Partnership; Camille Joseph-Goldman, Group Vice President for Government Affairs, Charter Communications; Wellington Chen, Executive Director, Chinatown Partnership; Kevin Law, Partner and Executive Vice President Tritec Real Estate Co.; Margaret Anadu, Senior Partner, The Vistria Group; Jose Ortiz Jr., Senior Adviser for Workforce Development, New York City Mayor’s Office; _Steven _Roth, Chair and CEO, Vornado Realty Trust; Jane Fraser, CEO Citi; William Floyd, Senior Director of U.S. State and Local Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google; Jessica Lappin, President, Alliance for Downtown New York; René F. Jones, Chair and CEO, M&T Bank Corp.; Robert Benfatto, Co-Chair, New York City BID Association; Garry Douglas, President and CEO, North Country Chamber of Commerce; Jessica Walker, President and CEO Manhattan Chamber of Commerce; Cristyne Nicholas, Chair, New York State Tourism Advisory Council; Winston Fisher, Partner, Fisher Brothers; Rob Byrnes, President, East Midtown Partnership; Maria Gotsch, President and CEO, Partnership Fund for New York City; Rob Speyer, CEO, Tishman Speyer; Peter Tu, Executive Director, Flushing Chinese Business Association; Rafael Cestero, CEO, Community Preservation Corp.; Melissa O’Connor, President and CEO, Retail Council of New York State; Randy Levine, President, New York Yankees; Antonio Delgado, Lieutenant Governor; Kassandra Perez-Desir, Regional Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Verizon; Kyle Kimball, Vice President of Government Relations, Con Edison; Ryan Silva, Executive Director, New York State Economic Development Council; Shirley Aldebol, Vice President, 32BJ SEIU; Nick Lugo, President and CEO, New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Mark Jaffe, President and CEO, Greater New York Chamber of Commerce; Thomas J. Murphy, President and CEO, Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Co.; Nina Kubota, President and CEO, New York City School Construction Authority; Valerie White, Senior Executive Director, LISC NYC; Amanda Farías, Chair, New York City Council Committee on Economic Development; Terry & Kim Pegula, Owners, Pegula Sports and Entertainment; Sanjay Mehrotra, President and CEO, Micron Technology; Stacey Duncan, CEO, Leadership Alliance; Robert M. Simpson, President and CEO, CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity; Ashley Ranslow, New York State Director, National Federation of Independent Business; Elena Garuc, Executive Director, FuzeHub; Andrew Kennedy, Senior Vice President Ostroff Associates; Kara Hughes, Senior Adviser O’Donnell & Associates; John Wang, Founder and President, Asian American Business Development Center; Robert Harding, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig; Douglas L. Kennedy, President and CEO, Peapack-Gladstone Bank; Melva Miller, CEO, Association for a Better New York; Deborah F. Stanley, Interim Chancellor, SUNY; Lindsay Greene, President and CEO, Brooklyn Navy Yard; Alane Berkowitz Senior Asset Manager, Jim Somoza, Managing Director and Partner, Industry City; Lisa Sorin, President Bronx Chamber of Commerce; Lourdes Zapata, President and CEO, South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp.; Lloyd Williams, President and CEO, The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce; Thomas A. Kucharski, President and CEO, Invest Buffalo Niagara; Michael Rozen, Managing Partner, TRGP Investment Partners LP; Patrick O’Sullivan, Partner, Herrick; Steven Polivy, Chair, Economic Development and Incentives Practice Akerman; Patrick Sullivan, Special Counsel, Kramer Levin; Jason Myles Clark, Executive Director, Tech:NYC; Doug Cotter, CEO, Grant Associates; Ron Rock, Associate, Brown & Weinraub; James McKenna, CEO, Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism; Erik Lium, President, Mount Sinai Innovation Partners; Harold Varmus & Claire Pomeroy, Co-Chairs, New York City Mayor’s Life Sciences Advisory Council; Ken Stewart, President and CEO, NUAIR; Jacques Andre DeGraff, Chair Minority Business Enterprise Leadership Summit; Colleen Heidinger, President, 43North; Kristin Malek, Global Director of Business Diversity, CDW; Dan Livingston, Executive Director, Cannabis Association of New York; Sujatha Ramanujan, Managing Director, Luminate; Sarah Ludwig & Deyanira Del Río, Co-Directors New Economy Project; Gregory J. Morris, CEO, New York City Employment and Training Coalition; Raj Das Gupta, CEO, Electrovaya)

North Carolina

Two companies had their incentives packages terminated Tuesday by the North Carolina Economic Investment Committee (part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina) for failure to follow through on job commitments.

Each year, before Thanksgiving, the High Point Economic Development Corp. likes to look back and take count of the successes it’s had in the previous 12 months. This year, the news was good and the new job count was high, as the city continues a trend in 2022 of getting a lot of good new business and seeing the expansion of businesses already located in High Point. (Director Sandy Dunbeck)

Ashley Bolick has been named as as director of Caldwell county's reorganized Economic Development Commission.

Pennsylvania

Janet Anderson named executive director for Cumberland Area Economic Development Corp. Anderson joined CAEDC in May as the director of economic development and has 36 years of experience in business development, grant administration, account management, and strategic planning.

South Dakota

The Aberdeen City Council agreed to move forward with the hiring of an economic development manager Monday but also set aside some funds to support the Aberdeen Development Corp. (CEO Mike Bockorny)

Yankton Thrive CEO Nancy Wenande discussed helping start the Economic Development Professionals Association of South Dakota.

Tennessee

Higher inflation and interest rates are likely to curb America's economic growth next year, but business investment in the Tennessee Valley remains robust, at least for now, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority. "We're staying busy and not seeing any slowdown yet," John Bradley, TVA's senior vice president of economic development, said.

Texas

Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC and QatarEnergy announced today they are proceeding with the construction of an $8.5 billion integrated polymers facility in Orange, Texas, expected to create more than 500 full-time jobs and about 4,500 construction jobs and generate an estimated $50 billion for the community in residual economic impacts. (Megan Layne, executive director of the Orange County Economic Development Corporation)

Looking at the Austin-area economy for the next 12 months, local experts see that a series of “once-in-a-lifetime” events both good and bad are about to run into the realities of rising interest rates and the increasing likelihood of at least a minor recession to cool off inflation worries. (Charisse Bodisch, Austin Chamber of Commerce's senior vice president of economic development)

As it pushes to increase the area’s presence in aerospace manufacturing, the Kerr Economic Development Corp. has created a new position to focus on developing the Kerr County workforce. The organization hired Katie Milton Jordan as its manager of business development, workforce development and talent.

The Round Rock City Council approved an economic incentive agreement with KoMiCo Technology that will result in a minimum of $30 million in new investment and at least 70 new jobs created. The Round Rock Transportation and Economic Development Corporation and the City Council approved a Chapter 380 agreement with the company. (Jordan Robinson, president and CEO of the Round Rock Chamber)

Roscoe State Bank is giving $150,000 to support Bastrop's economic growth and to the county's disaster relief team. (Bastrop Economic Development Corporation CEO Bret Gardella)

The City of Palestine welcomed Christophe Trahan as its new economic development corporation director. Trahan was previously employed as the Executive Director of the Wood County Economic Development Commission. He went to Wood County from his hometown of Linden, where he was the Executive Director of the Linden Economic Development Corporation.

Utah

Cedar City Council approved multiple projects to be included in a grant application for more than $200,000 in funds that are expected to be “very positive” for the local economy. The Rural Community Opportunity Grant is administered by the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity through the Center for Rural Development. (Economic development director Danny Stewart)

Vermont

The opening of a community of emergency housing “pods” in Burlington have been delayed to early January. Samantha Dunn, from the city’s Community and Economic Development Office, said the delay of the community buildings is due to a number of factors, including supply chain problems and staffing shortages.

Virginia

Roanoke County has added another new face to its office of economic development. County Administrator Richard Caywood announced last week that Danielle Poe has been hired as assistant director of economic development. Poe will work with Megan Baker, who took the lead economic development job last month after coming to Roanoke County from Georgia.

Wisconsin

A potential $16-20 million development project to enhance the area around the Rock River in downtown Beloit is one step closer to becoming a reality. (Economic Development Director Drew Pennington)

The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority announced that Robert Stafslien is the new leader of the Single Family Lending team. (Elmer Moore, Jr., WHEDA CEO and Executive Director)

Watertown has hired Mason Becker to be its next strategic initiatives and economic development director.

Wyoming

The South Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation has announced Stephen P. Allen as having been selected to serve as the SLCEDC liaison.