Award entries were accepted in two markets per category – large division (community population over 50,000) and small division (community population less than 50,000).
Recognition was presented to:
Entrepreneurial Award
Unique approaches to enhancing the Entrepreneurial culture in a city or region. Unique approaches for assisting young companies through the start-up/early stage of a business life cycle.
Large Division:
- 1st Place Winner – Lean Rocket Lab – Jackson, MI
Small Division:
- 1st Place Winner – Barron County Cheese Realizes Entrepreneurial Exporter Vision - Chippewa Falls, WI
Marketing Program
An overall comprehensive marketing program to market a community, county, state, or region to a prospect; an Annual Report or Newsletter; Online Programs, and/or a Specific Program or Event.
Large Division:
- 1st Place Winner - Digital Marketing Campaign in DSM – Des Moines, IA
- Runner Up – Expand Greater Springfield Branding Campaign – Springfield, OH
- Runner Up - Greater Dubuque Development 2018-2019 Annual Report – Dubuque, IA
Small Division:
- 1st Place Winner - The Pick Perry Campaign – Tell City, IN
- Runner Up – APLUS Algonquin Marketing Program – Algonquin, IL
Economic Impact Deal of the Year
Recognizes a project having significant and measurable impact on a City, County and Region. The project must have already broken ground and be in the initial phase of implementation between January 2018 and June 2019. The measurable impact can include capital investment, jobs, supplier network, economic impact or new partnership initiatives that positively improved the community.
Large Division:
- 1st Place Winner – St. John’s Dairy Campus Project – Jackson, MI
- Runner Up – Burke Corporation (Hormel) Expansion - Nevada, IA
- Runner Up - Facebook Data Center Expansion in DSM – Des Moines, IA
Small Division:
- 1st Place Winner (tie) - Magna Seating of America - Lancaster, OH
- 1st Place Winner (tie) - Weatherby's Relocation, A Story of Vision, Planning, and Collaboration - Sheridan, WY
- Runner Up - Scoular Announces New Manufacturing Facility in Seward, Nebraska
Workforce Development
Activities and/or innovative programs to attract new workforce to an area, strengthen the skills of your existing workforce or encourage retention of youth in an area.
Large Division:
- 1st Place Winner - Greater Dubuque Career Services Visit – Dubuque, IA
- Runner Up – Workforce Solutions Partnership with Technology Association of Iowa – Ames, IA
Mid-America EDC members are dedicated economic development professionals who share best practices to add value in their organizations and communities. Mid-America EDC is a multi-state association dedicated to being the leading resource for making contact with site selectors, advancing regional economic development programs, and accessing thought leadership.
For many years, The Mid-America Economic Development Council has sponsored the annual Economic Development Awards competition to recognize and stimulate the creative use of quality marketing by economic development organizations throughout the twelve-state Mid-America region in promoting their respective communities. The Mid-America Economic Development Council’s awards partner is Conway Inc., and all first place award winners will be highlighted in an ad in the January issue of Site Selection magazine.
For more information about The Mid-America Economic Development Council and to view more information about this year’s winning award entries, please visit www.midamericaedc.org.