(MENAFN- EIN Presswire) Lawrence McKinney, NEDC President & CEO
Award recognizes Norman Economic Development Coalition's contribution to local growth and development
This award might have my name on it, but it is a reflection of the outstanding talents and commitment of a wide range of leaders and citizens who care deeply about Norman's future.” - Lawrence McKinney, NEDC President and CEONORMAN, OK, USA, June 13, 2023/einpresswire.com / -- The norman Economic Development Coalition (NEDC) announced that lawrence mckinney has been named One of North America's Top 50 Economic Developers of 2023. Mr. McKinney is NEDC's President and CEO.
The economic development professionals selected for this list were nominated by their colleagues in both the economic development and site location consulting industries for excellent practices, innovation and success in building the communities they serve. Recipients will be presented their award at Consultant Connect's ECONOMIX event in Atlanta, GA on November 30, 2023.
During the less than 30 months of Mr. McKinney's leadership to date, NEDC milestones have included:
.A complete company reorganization, operationally and strategically.
.Building a modern headquarters that also houses the Norman Chamber of Commerce, the Visit Norman Visitor's Center, and the business incubator Startup 405.
.Announcing a corporate relocation to Norman from California and the addition of 770 new jobs by a new Pennsylvania-based company.
.Procuring a $1 million investment each from the City of Norman and Cleveland County to purchase the Copelin Building downtown and expand the services of business incubator Start-up 405.
.Secured a $20 million investment from the State of Oklahoma to build Oklahoma's first Aviation High School in Norman.
.Initiated the creation of a committee comprising local government, university, and business leaders to develop a comprehensive plan to ensure that all stakeholders optimize the impact of the University of Oklahoma's 2024 entry into the Southeastern Conference, a move that is expected to significantly boost the Norman economy.
.Launched ONE NORMAN, a city-wide community visioning process to reimagine Norman's future by engaging residents, community stakeholders, elected and appointed officials, non-profit organizations, business owners, and local property owners to build consensus and coalitions to shape how, when, and where Norman develops for the next 20 years.
“This award might have my name on it, but it is a reflection of the outstanding talents and commitment of a wide range of leaders and citizens who care deeply about Norman's future,” said Mr. McKinney.“I would particularly like to cite the efforts of NEDC staff, the Sooner Centurions, the Moore Norman Technology Center, University of Oklahoma President Joseph Harroz Jr., Norman Mayor Terry Heikkila, Cleveland County commissioners, and the Norman City Council.”
Mr. McKinney holds an M.B.A. in International Business, Marketing, and eCommerce from the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University in Atlanta, and a B.B.A. in Economics and Finance from Augusta University. He has been designated a Certified Economic Developer by the International Economic Development Council and a Certified Chamber Executive by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Association and holds the IOM designation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management and the Master Economic Development Practitioner designation from Texas Christian University (TCU).
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About the norman economic development coalition
The Norman Economic Development Coalition is dedicated to improving the quality of life of Norman residents by creating and retaining jobs. Established in 1996, the Norman Economic Development Coalition (NEDC) is a joint effort of the University of Oklahoma, the City of Norman, the Moore Norman Technology Center, and the Sooner Centurions.
About Consultant Connect
Consultant Connect works to bridge the gap between leading economic developers and site location consultants through exclusive networking events, educational services, and leadership development. Consultant Connect not only gives economic developers an inside look into the world of site selection – it gives them the applicable information necessary to propel their careers and communities forward.
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