When a community is looking for future success in sustaining and growing positive economic conditions, creating an Economic Development Strategy is a critical step in this path. A well-developed strategy will review existing policies and programs and make recommendations for revising and or creating new policies and programs that integrates the communities vision for economic development.

 

Cedar Corporation recently worked with Pierce County in creating a three-year Economic Development Strategy. Helping the community to answer questions like "What are the economic development needs for Pierce County?" and "Which strategies and projects will have the necessary public support?". These questions assisted in guiding the process to create a plan and strategy for success over the next three years. Stakeholders and community members from across the county were invited to be a part of a community input sessions led by Cedar Corporation.  This was followed up by a strategic Planning Session by the Pierce County Economic Development Board. Seth Hudson, Senior Manager of Economic and Community Development Services at Cedar Corporation, led both sessions and drafted the final 25-page Economic Development Strategy report that encompassed bench mark data, summaries from the community input sessions, and a matrix of action items with recommended steps and due dates that will help lead the county's efforts over the next three years.

 

" This was a very good and beneficial experience for our county officials, town boards, communities and business leaders. There was great discussion during the initial planning stage which lead to what I consider a very valuable and workable plan. The document gives our EDC direction and a path of how to get the results we need to promote the type of economic development desired in Pierce County." Paul Schwebach, Pierce County EDC