A Message from the President
Though illness prevented me from participating in our PEDA fall conference this year, the event went on, bigger and better than ever. While I missed out on the opportunity to be with you in State College, it’s a reminder that we, as a group, are always bigger and better than any one part. Together, we make a difference; working to ensure Pennsylvania’s economic development programs are relevant and impactful.
So, as 2022 draws to a close, let's take a few moments to celebrate our successes and to look ahead at opportunities in the year to come.
Conferences
We can safely say we turned a corner on our conference recovery in 2022. They happened at full speed with record attendance. While online webinars are a great complementary option, in-person connections are critical. We are looking forward to doing more of both in 2023.
Education
This year marks the relaunch of the IEDC-accredited Basic Economic Development Course in Pennsylvania, under PEDA’s leadership and with the support of DCED. This course targets economic development professionals of all levels of experience, providing a primary foundation in the industry. This year's course quickly reached capacity and a growing stand-by list was put in place for next year's course. All good news.
Advocacy
With a new Administration settling into place, we are shifting focus from campaign outreach to governance. We will be working hard to get to know the right folks, to share our priorities and to ensure new economic development policies and programs serve all of Pennsylvania. There’s a lot of work to do here so we will need your participation.
Membership
This is where you come in. Our efforts are most effective when we work together to raise our collective voice. So, whether you hail from an economic development organization or from a business that supports and benefits from economic development programs, please consider joining our ranks - and lending your voice to our efforts - as we head into the new year.
Thank you all for making 2022 one of PEDA’s best yet. Undoubtedly, there is much more work to do and, as we aim to expand our regional and industry sector diversity in 2023, we again invite you to join us. Enjoy your holiday season and get ready to make a difference again in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the value of membership.
Sincerely,
