GCP Business Development team earns Excellence Award for retention, expansion program

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Cleveland, Ohio—The Greater Cleveland Partnership’s Business Development Team has received a Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council for its business retention and expansion (BRE) program.

The GCP team was honored as the top organization with three or more years of BRE activity for communities with populations of greater than 500,000. The honor was presented at an awards ceremony during the IEDC Annual Conference, which is being held September 30 – October 3 in Houston.

“Our community’s economic vitality is heavily dependent on those companies that call Greater Cleveland home,” says GCP President and CEO Joe Roman. “Our job is to connect them with the resources they need to expand and remain in Northeast Ohio. We appreciate the recognition that our business development team is making a significant impact to advance the growth and create new opportunities for local companies.”

"We recognize the Greater Cleveland Partnership for creating innovative and successful strategies to promote economic development in this period of global recovery,” said IEDC Chair Jay Moon. “The Greater Cleveland Partnership demonstrates that it is at the forefront of the economic development profession and is using cutting-edge, effective practices that can be replicated in other communities."

The GCP business retention and expansion program executes its mission through site visits, providing technical assistance and connecting businesses to real estate, workforce, incentive and financial resources. Through a wide network of relationships, the team identifies opportunities and challenges and works collaboratively with partners in the public and private sectors to create long-term solutions.

Since 2007, GCP Business Development Team has conducted site visits with 775 companies, including 300+ e-Synchronist in-depth company interviews with C-level executives and completed 70 projects with an estimated $919 million in capital investment, 4,139 new jobs and 5,735,000 square feet of new real estate development.

In the first half of 2012, the team conducted 222 company visits and completed 17 retention and expansion projects that resulted in 2,010 jobs created, 3,492 jobs retained, 406,600 square feet of real estate developed and $208 million of capital invested. Thirty-three projects are in the pipeline.

IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. These awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities.

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About the Greater Cleveland Partnership
The Greater Cleveland Partnership mobilizes private-sector leadership, expertise and resources to create attractive business conditions that create jobs, grow investment and improve the economic prosperity of the region. www.gcpartnership.com  

About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is the world’s largest independent nonprofit membership and research organization devoted exclusively to the field of economic development. IEDC helps economic development professionals create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. Serving more than 4,400 members, IEDC provides a diverse range of services including conferences, professional development and certification, publications, research, advisory services, and legislative tracking. www.iedconline.org.

 

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