International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Presents Award at 2018 FED Forum
WASHINGTON, DC – March 30, 2018 – Carroll A. Thomas, Director, Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership for the National Institutes of Technology at the U.S. Department of Commerce was awarded with IEDC’s Federal Leadership in Economic Development on March 26 during the 2018 FED Forum, a conference which focuses on federal economic development policies and programs. The award was given by the 2018 IEDC Board Chair, Craig Richard, President and CEO, Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation. The award is only given to individuals within the federal government who succeed at supporting economic development on a national scale, positively impacting the profession and bringing economic growth and job creation as a result.
“Carroll is a long-time champion for the manufacturing industry who continues to recognize the importance and need to support manufacturers in times of crisis. In 2017, she worked quickly to create a new emergency funding vehicle to support MEP Centers’ assessment of manufacturers in severely hurricane-damaged areas, which was unprecedented. It is our honor to formally acknowledge her contribution to the profession” –Craig Richard, CEcD FM, President and CEO, Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation –Tampa, FL and IEDC 2018 Board Chair.
A highly successful initiative, the emergency program awarded $6.2 million to five MEP Centers, allowing them to help manufacturers that suffered from physical damage to their facilities, labor shortages, and other disruptions following Hurricane Harvey. The funding provided support for disaster assessment and recovery efforts for the more than 40,000 affected manufacturers in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Puerto Rico and Georgia in less than 30 days after the hurricanes occurred.
“As a former small business owner who has suffered in a disaster, I know how hard it is to get back up on your feet. I feel personal responsibility for making sure the trusted experts in our MEP Centers are able to reach out to small manufacturers with the right resources when they need it most.” Carroll Thomas, Director, Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, NIST
“I have seen Carroll take on a number of high profile projects and she handles them all with the utmost competence and grace. The newest challenges America is facing as a result of the 2017 hurricanes, and the work Carroll is doing to restore manufacturers in those regions is another testament to her level of expertise and her passion to serve. There is no other economic developer in her area of expertise who does it better than she, and that’s why she received this award.” Jeffrey A. Finkle, CEcD, President and CEO, IEDC
Carroll’s career spans more than 30 years. Her avid support of small businesses and manufacturing across the country has not gone unnoticed. She was awarded gold and silver medals for her innovative approach to customer service, collaboration, and communication by the United States Department of Commerce. She also received three NIST George A. Uriano awards for outstanding achievement in building and strengthening NIST programs.
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,200 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a variety of other institutions. IEDC’s members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. www.iedcONLINE.org.