LEXINGTON, Ky. — Commerce Lexington has earned recognition in the Business Facilities 2024 Economic Development Organization (EDO) Awards for its effort to foster public and private collaboration in support of Greater Lexington’s first-ever Regional Competitiveness Plan.
The Regional Competitiveness Plan is a collaborative effort aimed at making the nine-county Bluegrass Region more competitive for jobs and talent by focusing on seven action items over the next 3-5 years. This plan has been facilitated by Commerce Lexington with the support of local government officials, private partners, regional chambers, tourism partners, EDO professionals and more.
By embracing regionalism, Greater Lexington becomes better equipped to attract a skilled workforce, secure more business sites for jobs, expand housing inventory and other critical infrastructure, enhance quality of life and business attraction marketing, advocate for business climate policies, improve leadership development, and increase connections between businesses, education leaders and students.
The nine-county Greater Lexington Bluegrass Region includes Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Jessamine, Madison, Montgomery, Scott and Woodford counties. For more information about Greater Lexington and Commerce Lexington’s economic development efforts, please visit locateinlexington.com.
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Business Facilities’ EDO Awards celebrate economic developers’ efforts in fostering community growth, securing record-breaking projects, and creating new economic opportunities. This year, Business Facilities editors evaluated entries from across the nation and selected 24 winners in various categories, acknowledging the tenacity and innovative spirit of these organizations.
Bob Quick, president and CEO of Commerce Lexington, expressed pride in the CLX team’s achievement.
“This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our economic development team and the collaborative spirit of our community,” Quick said. “The Regional Competitiveness Plan is a significant milestone for us, demonstrating our commitment to creating sustainable economic growth and opportunities for everyone in Central Kentucky.”
Gina Greathouse, CLX executive vice president of economic development said collaboration highlighted by this project “started more than 30 years ago with the Bluegrass Alliance, a group of economic development professionals from the nine-county region who realized we are better when we work together. Now, the momentum we started so long ago, has taken shape and is being recognized for the exceptional work being done in our region.”
Project success, Commerce Lexington officials said, is a result of detailed economic data and research conducted by Ted Abernathy and his team at Economic Leadership LLC, talent attraction research led by Development Counselors International, and insights received from over 150 regional leaders, 1,700 individuals who participated in a talent perception survey, and 20 stakeholder meetings that Commerce Lexington organized.
These efforts, alongside Bluegrass Alliance economic development professionals, resulted in over 100 interactions with businesses, site visits, and industry event participation. Consequently, the region surpassed its 2023 goals with the announcement of 1,700 new jobs and over $1.1 billion in capital investments, positioning Commerce Lexington as a trailblazer shaping the 9-county Bluegrass Region’s economic landscape for the future.
