Northeast Ohio Recognized for Excellence in Economic Development

CLEVELAND, Oct. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) awarded two Silver Excellence in Economic Development Awards in recognition of a collaborative effort that efficiently leverages support resources for the benefit of Greater Cleveland entrepreneurs.  The JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network (www.jumpstartnetwork.org)—a Third Frontier supported initiative connecting seed funds, incubators, accelerators, resource providers and entrepreneur support organizations operating across the 21 counties of Northeast Ohio—placed in the categories of Entrepreneurship and Technology-Based Economic Development for communities with populations greater than 500,000.

"These awards are meant to honor the organizations and individuals who are dedicated to making a positive change in their communities," said Paul Krutko, Chair, IEDC. "JumpStart and its partners have used creative solutions and inventive ideas, offering other regions a wonderful example to learn and benefit from."

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. In addition to the JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network, IEDC recognized several other Northeast Ohio economic development projects and collaborative initiatives:

Gold Award Winners

• The City of Akron, "Akron BioMedical Corridor Website" (Special Purpose Website, Population 25,000-200,000)
• The City of Cleveland, "Flats East Development" (Public-Private Partnerships, Population 200,000-500,000)

Silver Award Winners

• Greater Akron Chamber/City of Akron, "Goodyear Redevelopment"(Real Estate Redevelopment & Reuse)
• City of Kent, Ohio, "Downtown Kent Revitalization Project" (Public-Private Partnerships, Population 25,000-200,000)

Bronze Award Winners:

• Greater Akron Chamber, "Greater Akron Partnership Business Retention and Expansion Program" (Business Retention & Expansion—3 Years or More, Population Greater Than 500,000)
• The City of Cleveland, The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, the Northeast Areawide Coordinating Agency and Downtown Cleveland Alliance, "Expansion of the RTA Free Trolley Program" (Public-Private Partnerships, Population 200,000-500,000)
• Southwestern Pennsylvania, Northeastern Ohio and Northern West Virginia, "TechBelt Initiative" (Regionalism & Cross-Border Collaboration, Population Greater Than 500,000)

"We're thrilled that so many things being done to reimagine Northeast Ohio are being recognized internationally as economic development best practices," says Ray Leach, CEO, JumpStart. "Besides serving as good lessons for other communities looking to generate their own successes, these approaches have the kind of creativity and inventive spirit that's in line with the region's rich entrepreneurial history."

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 4,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base.  From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC's members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a variety of other institutions. When we succeed, our members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions.www.iedconline.org.

JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network The JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network is a connected group of entrepreneurial support organizations collaborating to provide the space, capital, advice, support and connections Northeast Ohio startups need to grow. Members of the Network include pre-seed and seed funds, incubators, business advisors, accelerators and an online community. Visit www.jumpstartnetwork.org for information on regional resources and upcoming entrepreneur-focused events.

SOURCE JumpStart