The Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) has announced the recipients of its annual Community Economic Development Awards (CEDA) for 2021.
The awards were presented at the TEDC’s 2021 Annual Conference on Thursday, October 14th, 2021.
The Community Economic Development Award program recognizes exceptional contributions of TEDC member cities toward the economic vitality of their communities and the state of Texas through creativity, leadership, and partnership in the achievement of business retention, business recruitment and community improvement.
The CEDA committee received fifty-five applications this year. Nominees were judged on five criteria: innovativeness, transferability, community commitment and leverage, measured objectives, and secondary benefits. This year the TEDC introduced a new award category to recognize achievements in resilience and recovery.
Communities nominated included: Population Less than 10,000 – Brookshire, Crockett, Giddings, Hillsboro and Navasota. Population 10,001 to 20,000 – Jacksonville, Lockhart, Stephenville, Sweetwater and Terrell. Population 20,001 to 50,000 – Balch Springs, Boerne, Brownwood, Colleyville, Lancaster, Saginaw, Southlake and Waxahachie. Population 50,001 to 100,000 – Cedar Park, Conroe, Harlingen, New Braunfels and San Marcos. Population 100,001 to 250,000 – Abilene, Amarillo, Mesquite and Odessa. Population 250,001 and Above – Borderplex Alliance/El Paso.
The 2021 CEDA recipients in population categories are:
- Population Less than 10,000: Hillsboro Economic Development Corporation
- Population 10,001 to 20,000: Terrell Economic Development Corporation
- Population 20,001 to 50,000: City of Lancaster
- Population 50,001 to 100,000: Conroe Economic Development Council
- Population 100,001 to 250,000: Odessa Chamber of Commerce
- Population 250,001 and Above: Borderplex Alliance/El Paso
The TEDC also recognize nominees who met the individual award criteria in an exceptional manner. The 2021 CEDA recipients in the criteria categories are:
- Innovativeness: Development Corporation of Abilene
- Transferability: New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation
- Community Commitment and Leverage: Conroe Economic Development Council
- Measured Objectives: Brookshire Economic Development Corporation
- Secondary Benefits: Terrell Economic Development Corporation
The following organizations were recognized with a 2021 CEDA for the special category of resilience and recovery for their outstanding achievement in pandemic recovery efforts:
- Population Less than 10,000: Bowie Economic Development Corporation
- Population 10,001 to 20,000: Terrell Economic Development Corporation
- Population 20,001 to 50,000: Denison Development Alliance
- Population 50,001 to 100,000: Greater San Marcos Partnership
- Population 100,001 to 250,000: City of Edinburg
- Population 250,001 and Above: Brazos Valley Economic Development Corporation
“Our Community Economic Development Award is one of the ways in which our organization honors the excellent work done by our communities, their leaders, and their economic development professionals,” noted Greg Sims, 2021 Chair of the Texas Economic Development Council. “Each community nominated achieved excellence in economic development and substantially improved the economic base of their respective regions. The recipient communities in each population category were recognized for extraordinary accomplishments in meeting the criteria set forth in the nomination process.”
The TEDC provides information, education and legislative services to its members to foster the expansion of existing businesses, the location of new firms and the development of strategies that promote a positive business climate in Texas. With 860 members, the TEDC is the largest state economic development association in the nation.
For more information contact:
Mr. Carlton Schwab
President/CEO
Texas Economic Development Council
(512) 480-8432
carlton@texasedc.org
