PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Economic Development Corp. received high marks for its business retention and expansion work in a recent state Department of Commerce review, officials said.
The aim of the private nonprofit known as the EDC is to help existing Clallam County businesses and to recruit new companies to the area.
“The EDC has exceeded their BRE (Business Retention and Expansion) work by 3 ½ times in an evaluation of the EDC’s performance,” said Maury Forman, senior manager with the Department of Commerce’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, in an EDC news release.
“In the last year, the Clallam County EDC met or exceeded seven of the eight targets set by the state, with the eighth reaching 90 percent. In addition, they have also responded to 28 businesses for assistance.”
On Monday, Clallam County commissioners and Port of Port Angeles commissioners will discuss a request to the EDC for goals and metrics for 2017.
Clallam County budgeted $150,000 for the EDC this year.
Commissioners will consider another $150,000 appropriation to the EDC as they shape the 2017 budget this fall.
Forman said the Clallam County EDC “excelled” in working with local businesses.
EDC officials met with 104 businesses in the last year and followed up with 25 percent of those businesses, he said.
“Most rural communities should put less emphasis on their recruitment activities and more time with business retention and expansion and assistance work,” Forman said.
“There are only 150 to 200 businesses that make the decision to relocate in the U.S. each year and most decide to remain in the state that they are in.”
The EDC is composed of a three-person staff led by Executive Director Bill Greenwood. It is governed by a 14-member board of directors, according to its website.
Forman said in the Tuesday news release that he was impressed with the EDC’s reporting methods.
“Frequently, other ADOs (Associate Development Organizations) do not include a narrative to the numbers that they report to Commerce,” Forman said.
“Not so Clallam. They have identified the work they have done so that it can be verified. The report is a model for other economic development organizations to follow.”
Said EDC board Chairman Randy Johnson: “We’re very pleased that the EDC has received such high praise from the state.”
Johnson added that Greenwood and his staff have “worked very hard to grow our economy by working closely with area business.”
“It is great to have that work validated by someone who knows how the best EDCs in the state perform,” Johnson said.
Greenwood praised the work of EDC Director of Operations and Finance Jennifer Linde and Director of Business Development Amy McDonald.
Linde and McDonald have been “tremendous assets” to the organization and “truly care about the economic development of our community,” Greenwood said.
“We are also guided and supported by the exceptional individuals on our board of directors who give back to this county every day of their lives,” Greenwood said.
The EDC is supported by more than 100 local businesses and individuals in addition to state, county and municipal governments, officials said.
It provides a network of contacts, tools and solutions for public- and private-sector businesses, officials said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
Terry Ward, publisher of the Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum, serves on the Economic Development Corp. board of directors.
