Jake Austin Wins 40 Under 40 Award in Economic Development

February 9, 2015

TAMPA, Fla. / Jake Austin, director of Business Retention and Expansion for the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation (EDC),  has been selected as a winner in the economic development profession’s 40 Under 40 awards, the only award of its kind recognizing young talent in the economic development profession.
 
A five-member selection committee chose the winners from a pool of more than 157 candidates based on their exceptional contributions to the economic development industry. The awards program was managed by Development Counsellors International (DCI), a New York-based firm that specializes in economic development marketing.
 
“Jake’s outstanding leadership and engagement with growing businesses in Hillsborough County have resulted in the creation of hundreds of new, high wage jobs for families here,” said Rick Homans, president and CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough EDC. “He has been a valuable asset to our team from his first day on the job. We are proud of Jake and the well-deserved recognition he has received from DCI.”
 
Austin is responsible for the management and execution of the EDC’s retention and expansion efforts, the goal of which is to generate high wage jobs and capital investment in Hillsborough County, Florida. He leads a team of three project managers responsible for business intelligence gathering, lead generation, and workforce recruiting and training assistance. Prior to his current role, Austin was responsible for the EDC’s business retention and expansion initiatives in Plant City. In less than two years, he assisted companies including James Hardie, Dart Container, Toufayan Bakeries, C&S Wholesale Grocers and others to help create 755 new jobs and nearly $164 million in capital investment.
 
Austin is also a veteran of the United States Air Force and a graduate of Western Kentucky University.
 
DCI’s 40 Under 40 award was designed to discover the economic development profession’s rising stars.
 
“The people chosen by the selection committee represent a bright future for the economic development world,” said Andy Levine, president of DCI. “They are a new breed of results-driven place makers.  We’re very pleased to see Jake among the winners.”
 
DCI officially announced the winners on January 26 at an awards reception during the International Economic Development Council Leadership Summit in Palm Beach and will feature an in-depth profile of each on its website during 2015.
 
For more information on DCI’s 40 Under 40 winners, visit www.aboutdci.com/40under40.
 
 
About Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation:
Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation is the lead 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.  Working with C-level executives, site selection consultants, commercial real estate professionals, and other influential decision makers, the EDC provides customized, confidential relocation services to domestic and international companies interested in growing within Hillsborough County. Locally, the EDC helps existing businesses access the tools and resources they need to succeed, now and in the future. Visit tampabayedc.com.
 
About DCI:
Considered the leader in marketing places, Development Counsellors International (DCI) specializes in economic development and tourism marketing.  The agency has worked for more than 400 cities, regions, states and countries since it was established in New York City in 1960. www.aboutdci.com