The Texas Economic Development Council announced the recipients of its annual Community Economic Development Awards for 2017. The awards were presented at a special awards luncheon at the TEDC’s Annual Conference in Houston. Sulphur Springs/Hopkins County EDC received the CEDA award for communities with a population of 10,001 to 20,000.
Sulphur Springs was in competition with Anna, Athens, Bay City, Brenham, Brownwood, Converse, Forney, Hildalgo, Katy, and Waller County. Nominees were judged on five criteria: innovativeness, transferability, community commitment and leverage, measured objectives, and secondary benefits. The CEDA 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.
Fred Welch, 2017 Chair of the Texas Economic Development Council, said, “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.”
Other award recipients in their categories include: Population less than 10,000-Cisco; Population 20,001 to 50,000-Greenville; Population 50,001 to 100,000-Conroe; Population 100,001 to 250,000-Wichita Falls/City of Burkburnett; and Population 250,001 and above-San Antonio.
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 more than 830 members, the TEDC is the largest state economic development association in the nation.