CITY OF TUCSON AND PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECEIVE EXCELLENCE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARD FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
The City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives and Pima Community College received a Gold Award for Excellence in Economic Development by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in recognition of their partnership revitalization project, Thrive in the 05. The award recognized outstanding projects in the category of Partnerships with Educational Institutions and was presented this week at an awards ceremony during the IEDC Annual Conference in Nashville.
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. Twenty-five award categories honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Awards are judged by a diverse panel of economic and community developers, following a nomination process held earlier this year. IEDC received more than 500 submissions from four countries.
“The winners of IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development awards represent the best of economic development and exemplify the leadership that our profession strives for every day,” said 2021 IEDC Board Chair and Invest Buffalo Niagara President and CEO Tom Kucharski. “We’re honored to recognize the more than 100 communities whose marketing submissions, projects, and partnerships have improved regional quality of life.”
“Our Thrive in the 05 partnership with Pima Community College is very unique,” said Barbra Coffee, City of Tucson director of Economic Initiatives. “It’s unusual to find this kind of formalized, strategic alignment between local government and higher education, but we realize that when we do team up, we can make a greater impact.”
Thrive in the 05 is a focused revitalization program for the Historic Miracle Mile District/Highway 80 Gateway, a 2.6-square-mile area in the 85705 ZIP code bound by Miracle Mile to the north, Speedway Boulevard to the south, Stone Avenue to the east, and Interstate-10 to the west, with Oracle Road running north-south through its heart. The collaborative partnership between the City of Tucson and Pima Community College began in 2018 and is anchored by strategic investments by Pima Community College to include the recent $53 million Center of Excellence in Applied Technology expansion and workforce and economic development efforts in the Thrive in the 05 area.
“One of Pima Community College’s primary functions is to support the communities we serve,” said David Dore, PCC’s president of campuses and executive vice chancellor for student experience & workforce development. “Our goal is to enhance the role that the Downtown Campus plays as not only an education center, but also a center for engagement and neighborhood outreach. We are excited to work with the City of Tucson to support revitalization of this important area of the community.”
About the Office of Economic Initiatives: The City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives coordinates the City’s economic development programs for the purpose of attracting jobs and investment to the City of Tucson. It also offers local small business and entrepreneurial assistance and encourages workforce development in order to foster a long term sustainable and diverse local economy. For more information or to contact the Office of Economic Initiatives, visit www.ConnectTucson.com.
About the International Economic Development Council: The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 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 engage in the full range of economic development experiences. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in various 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. Learn more at www.iedconline.org.
About Pima Community College:
Founded in 1969, Pima Community College offers degrees and certificates in more than 100 transfer and occupational programs at teaching sites throughout Pima County. To learn more, visit www.pima.edu or call (520) 206-4500.
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