KERRVILLE, Texas, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Kerr Economic Development Corporation (KerrEDC) announced today that the organization won four national awards for economic development excellence this month. The awards were presented by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the largest nonprofit professional association for professional economic developers in the world.
"Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, we are proud that KerrEDC's 2020 economic development initiatives were recognized among the nation's best," said KerrEDC's executive director Gilberto Salinas. "We are particularly proud of our work launching the award-winning KerrEdge.org, which became a vital resource for business owners throughout the pandemic."
IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world's finest economic development programs and partnerships, their best marketing materials and their most influential leaders of the year.
Here is the list of awards won by the KerrEDC:
- Gold Award – KerrEdge.org: This website was created in 2020 to provide a centralized location for vital COVID-19 business information. KerrEdge.org provides a one-stop shop for current and prospective business owners to receive support, education and mentorship from experts in a wide variety of business sectors. Through the KerrEDGE website, entrepreneurs, leaders and business owners can access virtual classes and events, mentoring sessions, seminars and other resources.
- Bronze Award – TopForty program: The TopForty program was announced in February 2020 just prior to the global pandemic and solidified regional collaborative efforts and assisted with promoting business owners, corporations and entrepreneurs in the Hill Country region. Its impact can be seen in the new career opportunities and additional industry recognitions received by numerous of the accolade's recipients.
- Bronze Award – KerrEDC Business Retention & Expansion Program: During the pandemic, the Business Retention and Expansion Program retained 90% of manufacturing and primary jobs and created 50 new jobs. The initiative coincided with the record increase of 21% in sales-tax revenue and a moderate decrease in the unemployment rate.
- Bronze Award– Talent Development/Industry and Inclusion Roundtables: KerrEDC forged connections among local school districts, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and local businesses including Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing, Gulf Avionics, All-Plastics, and Peterson Regional Medical. These connections allow independent school districts to further develop their career-path programs and provide opportunities for industry-specific training, apprenticeships, and employee placement.
"The winners of IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards represent the best of economic development and exemplify the leadership that our profession strives for every day," said 2021 IEDC Board Chair and Invest Buffalo Niagara President and CEO Tom Kucharski. "We're honored to recognize the more than 100 communities whose marketing submissions, projects, and partnerships have improved regional quality of life."
For more information about KerrEDC, visit KerrEDC.com.
About Kerr Economic Development Corporation
The KerrEDC is an economic and business league located in the heart of the Hill Country and part of the San Antonio-Austin business corridor. The KerrEDC implements strategies for business and corporate growth in an array of sectors, which are tied to the comprehensive 2050 Your Voice-Your City Plan. The focus of the organization is to foster the community's growth through corporate recruitment, workforce development and maintenance of the cultural vibrancy of Texas Hill Country. For more information, visit http://www.kerredc.com.
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC's members engage in the full range of economic development experiences. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in various settings, including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions. When we succeed, our members create high quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. Learn more at iedconline.org.
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Media Contact
Amiee Goldy, Kerr Economic Development Corporation, 646.586.9931, [email protected]
SOURCE Kerr Economic Development Corporation
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