National Award of Excellence Given To EDC Organization

By  //  February 25, 2015

'one of the top economic development commissions in the country'

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Expansion Solutions, a national site selection magazine, has named the EDC of Florida’s Space Coast a 2014 Top 5 Award of Excellence recipient in aerospace & defense/aviation recruiting and retention.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Expansion Solutions, a national site selection magazine, has named the EDC of Florida’s Space Coast a 2014 Top 5 Award of Excellence recipient in aerospace & defense/aviation recruiting and retention.

The award recognizes economic development organizations that excel in the area of development, by successfully recruiting, retaining and/or assisting growing businesses.

Winners are chosen because of the support system offered to businesses, as well as recent activity within their area.

Some of the biggest local announcements the EDC made during last year in the aerospace & defense/aviation industries are also the ones that led to national recognition.

Jeff Cornett
Jeff Cornett

“This was a very well deserved award given to one of the top economic development commissions in the country,” said Jeff Cornett, publisher of Expansion Solutions magazine.

“We keep a file of activity throughout the year and as the file grew for the EDC of Florida’s Space Coast, we felt prompted to make the submission on their behalf for award consideration.”

Successfully landing one of the largest economic development deals in the country in terms of capital investment and average wage through Northrop Grumman’s mid-year announcement, garnering $6.2 million for local companies through the G.O.

imgres-1Contracts program, and the continuation of Embraer’s Melbourne campus bringing with it new jobs and greater investment; this has been a record breaking year for the EDC.

With a pulse on nearly all of the activity in this growing cluster, the EDC’s work throughout the year led to a spot in this national Top 5 list.

 Lynda Weatherman
Lynda Weatherman

“While we were working to bring new opportunities to the workforce and companies that call the Space Coast home, we know others were taking notice,” said Lynda Weatherman, president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast.

“What we didn’t know was how far the message was spreading that the aerospace and defense/aviation cluster in Brevard was taking off. The nation is taking notice and it’s leading to even more opportunities.”

With only 30 organizations from across the country selected in seven targeted categories; and as the only economic development organization in the state of Florida to be awarded with this distinction, the EDC has put Brevard County on the map for site selectors and industry leaders.