Newberry County Economic Development Receives IEDC Award
September 21, 2011
Newberry County Economic Development received an Honorable Mention for Excellence in Economic Development for their Aerospace Brochure in the category of Special Purpose Brochure for communities with populations of 25,000 - 200,000 from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
The honor was presented at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, September 20 during the IEDC Annual Conference, September 18-21 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
"We recognize Newberry County Economic Development for providing successful strategies to promote new standards in economic development in this period of global recovery," said Dennis Coleman, IEDC chair. "Our awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in communities. They are showing that they are at the forefront of the economic development profession and are using innovative and effective practices that can be replicated in other communities."
"We are pleased that Newberry County's economic development efforts are being acknowledged in this national competition," commented Leslie Hipp, chairman of County Council's economic development committee. "Newberry County is an advantageous business location and we will continue to share that message nationally and internationally as we work to attract jobs and investment."
Newberry County, South Carolina is strategically located on Interstate 26 between the metropolitan areas of Greenville-Spartanburg and Columbia. A community of 38,000 people, Newberry County is a manufacturing powerhouse with corporate citizens including Kraft Foods, Caterpillar, Georgia-Pacific, International Paper, and Komatsu.
The winning project by Newberry County Economic Development is a special purpose marketing brochure targeting the aerospace industry. In 2009, Boeing announced that they would build a second final assembly site for the 787 Dreamliner program in North Charleston, South Carolina. Given the magnitude of this project, suppliers and other aerospace spinoffs are considering the state and region. This brochure is targeted to those companies, positioning Newberry County as a preferred site location.
In addition to highlighting the County's pro-business attributes including a low cost of operation, a skilled workforce, and market accessibility, the brochure features Newberry's new county-owned industrial park. The Mid-Carolina Commerce Park offers companies 463 acres of class-A industrial property. A South Carolina certified site, the park provides a great location and great visibility with more than 4,000 feet of interstate frontage.
The Excellence in Economic Awards Program annually recognizes the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year's most influential leaders. The program honors organizations and individuals in 28 categories for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities.
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is the premier membership organization dedicated to helping economic development professionals create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. Serving more than 4,500 members, IEDC represents the largest network of economic development professionals in the world. IEDC provides a diverse range of services, including conferences, certification, professional development, publications, research, advisory services and legislative tracking.
