VIRGINIA — The Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA) is marking National Economic Development Week from May 9-15, 2021 to celebrate the positive contributions economic development makes to localities and regions across the Commonwealth.
Economic development and the role of the profession in our communities contributes to:
- Policies that government undertakes to meet broad economic objectives including inflation control, high employment, and sustainable growth.
- Policies and programs to provide services such as building highways, managing parks, and providing medical access to the disadvantaged.
- Policies and programs explicitly directed at improving the business climate through specific efforts, business finance, marketing, neighborhood development, business retention and expansion, technology transfer, real estate development and others.
Steve Harrison, VEDA President and Vice President of Business Intelligence for the Hampton Roads Alliance noted, “Virginia is well-served by a passionate, hard-working collection of economic developers across the Commonwealth. These professionals work tirelessly to ensure that businesses can locate and expand in cities and towns across Virginia, and their work was more vital than ever during the Covid-created economic crisis. Economic developers deliver opportunity and prosperity to our friends and neighbors, and VEDA salutes them on their continued efforts.”
“From Hampton Roads to the Shenandoah Valley and from Southwest Virginia to the Northern Neck, there are economic developers working to make their communities stronger and more resilient. So much of the work done in economic development doesn’t make a headline, but is critical in bringing quality opportunities to all Virginians. We celebrate our colleagues in the public and private sectors and are pleased to represent them in our professional organization,” said VEDA Vice President and Executive Director, Joint IDA of Wythe County, David Manley.
Now in its sixth year, National Economic Development Week was created by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), a professional membership organization for economic developers, in 2016 to recognize the unique role that economic development has in creating vibrant communities with strong economies. Communities throughout the United States and Canada have recognized the week through official proclamations, local community events, and informational campaigns online and through social media. The United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) has also previously issued a statement commemorating Economic Development Week.
To learn more about Economic Development Week, visit IEDC online.
VEDA is a member-based professional organization committed to providing training and development; networking opportunities; and serving as the voice of the economic development community, creating economic opportunity and prosperity for the Commonwealth of Virginia. VEDA’s membership is comprised of more than 520 economic development professionals from across the Commonwealth. For more information about VEDA, visit the website at www.GoVEDA.org.
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