As I begin my term as President of the North East Texas Economic Developers' Roundtable and set goals for the organization, I am pleased that professional economic developers in East Texas have chosen to work together. While other groups are dedicated to regional marketing, NETEDR remains special because its mission is to equip regional economic developers with the skills necessary to grow our regional economy.
Recently, I spent my first week at at the Texas Community Development Institute in The Woodlands, near Houston. The total program consists of three one-week long training seminars that are endorsed by the Community Development Council, a professional certification organization. Texas CDI offers sessions Year One, Two, Three and Advanced CDI.
What does the Texas Two Step have to do with economic development? Or the Boys and Girls Club? Or any other philanthropic organization, for that matter? It has to do with the business climate in Kilgore, what others may call quality of life. And it's important to economic development.
One of the strategic goals of KEDC is to foster a business climate and quality of life that is conducive to business and employee retention. To that end, I am a volunteer for the Kilgore unit of the Boys & Girls Club. Four Star Cinema is hosting the Kilgore unit for a viewing of G-Force with popcorn and a drink.
I recently returned from sharing information resources with a struggling democracy that is Kilgore's sister city in the Ukraine, Rzhyshchiv, otherwise known as RZ. Although I donated my time there it was professional as well as personal development. The people there are eager to learn and implement best practices and willing to share their own development and culture.
KEDC has hosted a number of events for various constituents in the past few weeks, including a CEO Roundtable, a Human Resources Luncheon, the Grand Opening of Synergy II, Open House at KEDC's new offices in Synergy Center and a Synergy Park property owners meeting.
Kilgore Economic Development Corporation accepted the 2009 Community Project/Program Impact Award May 14 from Business Retention and Expansion International at its annual conference in Des Moines, Iowa. KEDC was in competition for the award with communities of all sizes from across the country. The 2009 honor is the first time the organization has rewarded a community program for its impact and was awarded to KEDC based on the success of the Freeport Tax Exemption in Kilgore.
Business Retention & Expansion International has awarded KEDC with the 2009 Community Project/Program Impact Award. This is the first time BREI has rewarded a program for its community impact and was awarded to KEDC based on the success of the Freeport Tax Exemption in Kilgore.
Emphasis was placed on the project's ability to influence economic development partners to make a significant change in their own programs or in resource allocation. The ability to influence the involvement of multiple organizations and impact companies or communites was also considered.
KEDC sponsored two meetings on February 3rd to provide information on the Shared Work Program offered through Texas Workforce Commission. The first, sponsored by KEDC, was a lunch presentation offered to Kilgore industries. The second, sponsored in partnership with KEDC and Workforce Solutuions East Texas, was open to the public with invitations sent to Economic Development agencies throughout 23 counties of Northeast Texas.
