Hillsborough County, City of Tampa designate Tampa Bay Economic Development Council to lead Economic Recovery Task Force
April 14, 2020
Task Force will immediately begin to develop strategic recommendations for re-employment of dislocated workers, retention and support of local businesses, and immediate and longer-term economic recovery
Tampa, Fla. – (April 14, 2020) – Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa have asked the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council (EDC), the lead designated economic development agency for Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace, to work in tandem with the economic development staffs of the City and the County to assemble an Economic Recovery Task Force. This Task Force will work swiftly to develop an economic recovery plan and strategic recommendations for local elected leadership, with a goal of providing initial recommendations within the next 30 days.
The City-County Economic Recovery Task Force will focus on three key areas:
- Re-employment and retraining of dislocated workers,
- Retention of and support for local businesses through industry needs assessments and solutions planning, and
- Recovery strategies and tactics for both the short and longer terms.
In addition to economic development staff from the EDC, Career Source Tampa Bay, the City and the County, the Task Force will draw upon leaders from private industry, workforce, labor, and academia, as well as small business owners and advocates. The group will be fluid and rely upon subject matter experts as well as elected officials for input during the process.
The Tampa Bay EDC’s role will be to:
- Convene key industry, public sector, academic, labor and association leaders to determine industry-sector specific recovery recommendations.
- Coordinate Economic Recovery Task Force sub-team meetings and deliverables.
- Communicate Economic Recovery Task Force recommendations to county and city partners; assist in communicating updates to the public.
“The Tampa Bay EDC is the logical entity to spearhead this initiative,” said Lesley “Les” Miller, chairman of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. “The EDC staff can coordinate quickly and strategically with city and county economic development teams to identify key stakeholders across the community who can offer solutions tailored to our local economic recovery challenges.”
“With the Tampa Bay EDC tasked with convening experts, coordinating working groups and communicating their plan and recommendations to us, our city and county leaders can focus on other facets of the recovery process,” said Mayor Jane Castor, City of Tampa. “The guidance from this Economic Recovery Task Force will allow us to make more informed decisions that will help our businesses and residents get back on their feet faster.”
“The Tampa Bay EDC is honored to assume this important role and contribute to the revitalization of our local economy,” said Marie Chinnici-Everitt, managing director and chief marketing officer of DTCC and chair of the Tampa Bay EDC. “Scores of residents and local businesses are hurting, and we need to come together to devise effective solutions to the many challenges our community is facing.”
While the Tampa Bay EDC and the Economic Recovery Task Force teams will make recommendations and deliver their plan to local elected leaders, they will not be charged with creating and implementing public policy or collecting, administering, or distributing any funds, loans, or other relief programs.
“Our mission as economic developers is to support local businesses and assist them in getting the resources they need to operate in this crisis and its aftermath,” said Craig J. Richard, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council. “Together with our city and county colleagues, we look forward to bringing the best minds in our business, academic, and non-profit communities to the table to help our economy adapt to this new reality and regain its momentum.”
About the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council
The Tampa Bay Economic Development Council is the lead designated economic development agency for Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. Established in 2009 as a partnership between the public sector and private corporate investors, the EDC works to develop and sustain a thriving local economy through the attraction, retention and expansion of high-wage jobs and capital investment within targeted industry sectors, including Corporate Headquarters, Financial and Professional Services, Information Technology, Life Sciences, Defense and Security, Distribution and Logistics, and Manufacturing. The EDC exists because of the generous support of more than 100 corporations, Hillsborough County, and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. For more information, visit www.tampabayedc.com.
###
