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Paris Economic Development Corporation Business Plan - 2412 -2414 � t In the last 20 years the number of new industry expansion projects has steadily decreased while the competition and incentive packages offered by communities has become much more aggressive. Paris cannot compete with the resources that large cities and urban regions can put on the table. Our advantages must be based on leveraging our assets (i.e. water, workforce talent and proximity to the Dallas Metroplex) as well as creating a competitive advantage through a unique Rural Innovation Initiative. This Rural Innovation Initiative is not only unique in the State of Texas, but also nationally. PEDC can differentiate Paris and Lamar County from the competition through innovation and by striving to build coalitions and partnerships to further the Red River Region brand. Community /Civic Engagement Community leadership and cooperation among governing bodies, as well as community organizations are two of the 7 critical issues. They are natural results of implementing both the Roadmap strategies and the diversity initiative. Engaging community and civic leaders in community -wide strategic planning, as well as economic development evolves over time and occurs as a process. The PEDC staff and board continually talk to, listen to and get input from a wide range of stakeholders. We will include those who want to have a say and engage in the process to support and build our local and regional economy. Ultimately, we desire broad -based ownership, support and engagement across a broad cross - section of the community, which we believe are critical to our economic development success. We initially formed a project steering committee and four working groups to develop the manufacturing roadmap. These groups met between July and October 2011 to plan, identify and recommend strategies to grow our economy through new jobs and investment. Each group had specific tasks and functions that resulted in the Roadmap recommendations presented by Mr. Richard Seline. The five implementation strategies that make up this business plan provide numerous community and leadership engagement opportunities for a wide range of people in Paris and Lamar County, as well as the region. PEDC will communicate the activities and results publicly as we go through the process and keep our efforts on the community's front burner. The diversity initiative, which launched in December 2011, ties back to the community -wide strategic plan and addresses one of the 7 critical issues. We are working to involve many people from across the community, and will have an advisory committee as we engage with the contractor, Executive Diversity Services. We will assemble the advisory committee and manage that process to its completion in 2012. In the 2012 -14 PEDC Business Plan all of these efforts will be coordinated and dovetail together, demonstrating results tied back to our community -wide strategic planning process. i lI♦ 1 In the last 20 years the number of new industry expansion projects has steadily decreased while the competition and incentive packages offered by communities has become much more aggressive. Paris cannot compete with the resources that large cities and urban regions can put on the table. Our advantages must be based on leveraging our assets (i.e. water, workforce talent and proximity to the Dallas Metroplex) as well as creating a competitive advantage through a unique Rural Innovation Initiative. This Rural Innovation Initiative is not only unique in the State of Texas, but also nationally. PEDC can differentiate Paris and Lamar County from the competition through innovation and by striving to build coalitions and partnerships to further the Red River Region brand. Community /Civic Engagement Community leadership and cooperation among governing bodies, as well as community organizations are two of the 7 critical issues. They are natural results of implementing both the Roadmap strategies and the diversity initiative. Engaging community and civic leaders in community -wide strategic planning, as well as economic development evolves over time and occurs as a process. The PEDC staff and board continually talk to, listen to and get input from a wide range of stakeholders. We will include those who want to have a say and engage in the process to support and build our local and regional economy. Ultimately, we desire broad -based ownership, support and engagement across a broad cross - section of the community, which we believe are critical to our economic development success. We initially formed a project steering committee and four working groups to develop the manufacturing roadmap. These groups met between July and October 2011 to plan, identify and recommend strategies to grow our economy through new jobs and investment. Each group had specific tasks and functions that resulted in the Roadmap recommendations presented by Mr. Richard Seline. The five implementation strategies that make up this business plan provide numerous community and leadership engagement opportunities for a wide range of people in Paris and Lamar County, as well as the region. PEDC will communicate the activities and results publicly as we go through the process and keep our efforts on the community's front burner. The diversity initiative, which launched in December 2011, ties back to the community -wide strategic plan and addresses one of the 7 critical issues. We are working to involve many people from across the community, and will have an advisory committee as we engage with the contractor, Executive Diversity Services. We will assemble the advisory committee and manage that process to its completion in 2012. In the 2012 -14 PEDC Business Plan all of these efforts will be coordinated and dovetail together, demonstrating results tied back to our community -wide strategic planning process.