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Message From Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt S. Erskine

February 2014 Newsletter

Matt S. Erskine

Dear Friends,

A crucial facet of economic development involves fostering mutually beneficial partnerships comprising leaders from the private, public, and higher education sectors. Effective and sustainable collaboration results in thriving communities with increased business activity and more and better paying jobs. We see this time and time again in our work across our great country.

Partnerships depend on connections. Our Q&A with Dennis Alvord, Executive Director, BusinessUSA, explores how BusinessUSA is supporting entrepreneurship and economic growth by connecting small businesses with the resources they need to thrive in the global marketplace.

Our success story this month highlights how a relatively modest EDA investment in critical infrastructure is supporting an alternative energy cluster in Colorado and driving regional economic growth. Our investment is helping to power more foreign direct investment in the region as well as new high-paying manufacturing jobs – making the front range region a leader in the field of green energy.

Be sure to check out the spotlight section  to read a blog post on U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew’s visit to Virginia’s Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM).  I was pleased to join Secretary Lew as he saw first-hand how CCAM is changing the game for how we can grow manufacturing in the U.S.

Finally, the highlight section explores how the Administration’s cross-cutting, multi-agency Make it in America Challenge investments are helping to generate foreign direct investment (FDI) in Pennsylvania through a partnership with the SEDA-Council of Governments.

All of these stories show how EDA is promoting the business and job growth objectives of communities across the country.  Developing linkages within regions helps businesses and communities better align their assets with the needs of the marketplace and more effectively generate better paying jobs.

EDA is proud to support this mission and to serve as a partner in the exciting innovations taking place in both the public and private sectors.

Thank you for interest in our work at the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and thank you for your partnership.