13 - PEDC Plan of Work FY 2022-2023

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STRATEGIC INITIATIVE I: FOSTER THE RETENTION AND GROWTH OF JOBS STRATEGIC CHALLENGES: • More than 80% of all new net jobs are created by existing businesses and startups, prioritizing the need for robust programming in Business Retention and Expansion. • The PEDC does not have a formal business survey program in place for existing industry. • The PEDC does not have a CRM or formally track data pertaining to existing employers. STRATEGIC ACTIONS: 1. Determine the needs, opportunity areas, and challenges of existing employers through a formal business site visitation program. 2. Implement a formal survey in Lamar County in partnership with Paris Junior College to understand overall business climate, challenges in the local workforce, supply chain, opportunity areas for expansion and recruitment and general business intelligence for our region that will inform our strategies and programming. 3. Establish board member liaisons for existing industry and host dinners with corporate executives/plant managers in partnership with the executive director to communicate appreciation and strengthen relations. 5. Coordinate with local leadership of major industry to organize calling on corporate headquarters. 6. Establish roundtable with plant managers to encourage existing industry collaboration, foster opportunities, and identify solutions to shared challenges. 7. Coordinate with the Chamber to establish a host team to assist with recruitment and hosting of executive personnel moving to Lamar County. 8. Seek opportunities to connect existing industry to business opportunities, target relocation of suppliers and foster opportunities for vertical integration. 4. Develop an internal incentive guideline that aligns with current revenue and fund balance to assist staff and board in making financial decisions on retention and expansion projects. 9. Champion and support pro-business legislation and policy through participation in and outreach to TEDC legislative affairs, Texas Association of Business (Texas State Chamber) and elected officials. 10. Record and track all confidential business intelligence in a CRM database to maintain data and determine trends that will inform leadership and programming. STRATEGIC INITIATIVE II: ATTRACT NEW EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRY STRATEGIC CHALLENGES: Site Selectors and corporate executives looking to relocate or expand generally visit a community's ED website first, before reaching out to the community, to view demographics, existing industry, incentives and available sites and buildings. • The PEDC website has not been updated in over five years and does not feature a buildings and sites widget. • The PEDC has minimal marketing materials, most of which are severely outdated. 4