Grenada EDD named 2009 CEDA Award Winner

Grenada, Miss. (July 23, 2010) – The Grenada County Economic Development District was revealed as winner of a Community Economic Development Award (CEDA) in recognition of the development and implementation of their economic development strategic plan at the Mississippi Economic Development Council 2010 Summer Conference in Biloxi. The CEDA honors communities throughout Mississippi for their efforts to advance their economic viability through economic and community development programs during the 2008 calendar year.

 

Pablo Diaz, Executive Director of the EDD accepted the award. John Wesley, economic development project manager, Entergy Mississippi, nominated the project.

The Grenada County EDD is the official economic development arm of the county and city of Grenada. They brought together all constituencies in Grenada County to develop an asset-based economic development strategic plan. The goal was to effectively market Grenada’s many industrial assets for economic development projects in the southeastern United States.

The strategic plan called for the hiring of a professional economic developer and the immediate development of a new identity for Grenada County that could be embraced by locals and compelling to prospects.  Three months before formal completion of the strategic plan, the Grenada EDD hired Pablo Diaz as Grenada’s first professional economic developer. 

 

In November of 2009, the Grenada business community came together to receive a final report. In less than 3 months, EDD staff had developed a new image for the community and a professional economic development website that integrates the latest technologies available to facilitate prospect interaction and project management. The website is translated into Japanese, German and Spanish, offers a data center in accordance with the IEDC guidelines, and is compatible with iphone and other handheld devices.

“MEDC is proud to honor this outstanding community and the people who have been involved in the planning and implementation of this worthwhile project,” said Carol Hardwick, Executive Director. “We applaud their commitment to excellence in moving their communities forward.”  

         

Pablo Diaz, Executive Director of the EDD, received the award on behalf of the EDD and stated, “This award is an affirmation of the success that comes when a community responds to the call for unity. The EDD board was instrumental in getting all constituencies in the county involved in the planning process, and the results could not been better. Our staff will continue to work relentlessly to implement the strategic plan and create more jobs and investment for our citizens. I am confident that if we continue to work in unity, in a few years we will be counting this award as the first of many,” Diaz said.