Platte County Economic Development Council honored at State meeting

At a luncheon yesterday, the Platte County Economic Development Council proudly accepted an award from the Missouri Economic Development Council. The MEDC Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) Awards Program recognizes the contribution of BRE to the success of local and regional economic development initiatives. The purpose of the award is to increase the focus on BRE in economic development organizations by identifying programs, projects, or people that have a significant impact on a Missouri community or communities.

PCEDC Executive Director, Alicia Stephens, said, “This award is a credit to many. The PCEDC began a business retention program in 1994. It was during those early years that the organization could see the difference a BRE program can have. We have never lost sight of the importance of business retention and expansion”.

In 1994, the “Platte County Posse” consisted of a group of staff and volunteers who visited the local businesses. The group used an interview form during their visits to gauge the local business climate and their needs, then tracked the data in an Excel spreadsheet to follow trends.

In 2003, PCEDC was one of the first in the region to partner with KCP&L (Aquila at the time) to begin using Synchronist Business Information System to track data locally; that data could also be pulled into national reporting to see a broader range of trends. Today, PCEDC continues to use Synchronist for visits, to gather employment data, growth trends, utility usage, and workforce needs in the community. PCEDC partners in Synchronist include KCP&L, Parkville EDC, the Cities of Riverside and Platte City, and the EDC of Kansas City.

Stephens noted, “KCP&L is the leader in business retention and expansion programs. Without their leadership, there would be no consistent data in this area. Just another testament to partners working together to continually enhance Platte County as a great place to do business. We are honored to be recognized for our longstanding commitment to the success of our existing business community.”