amarillo chamber of commerce - HPN Books

AMARILLOECONOMICDEVELOPMENTCORPORATIONSince 1989 the Amarillo EconomicDevelopment Corporation (EDC) has been“building a stronger, more diversified economyfor Amarillo.” Utilizing a dedicatedhalf-cent 4A sales tax approved by Amarillovoters, the Amarillo EDC implements programsto assist new and local primary businesses,or businesses with goods and servicesthat are exchanged outside the region. Sinceits inception, the Amarillo EDC has workedtoward the goal of attracting businessesthat offer highly-skilled positions at highwages. It has alsoworked to expand andretain existing businessesin Amarillo andthe surrounding regionand to create a businessenvironment conducivefor entrepreneurialism.The impact and successof the AmarilloEDC is measurablebecause the Amarillocommunity continuesto improve in economic-strength rankings. Thesuccess of the Amarillo EDC is also measuredby the prominent presence of new business inthe Amarillo area over the last twenty years.New industries attracted by the Amarillo EDC,bringing increased economic stability andadded employment to the region, are BellHelicopter Textron, Alstom Power, and ArdenCompany. Others are Hilmar Cheese Company,Sitel, and Rocla Concrete Tie Company.Some of the businesses the AmarilloEDC has helped expand and remain in theregion are AirUps, Golden Spread ElectricCooperative, Western National Life, CooperCrouse-Hinds, Multiple Systems, Sage OilVac, Inc., Tyson Fresh Meats, and PlainsDairy. The Amarillo EDC has worked witheducational institutions such as AmarilloCollege, Texas Tech University, Texas TechUniversity Health Sciences Center, and WestTexas A&M University to expand theirworkforce programs. Expanded educationalprograms targeted toward current industriesand technologies will provide potentialemployers with a highly-trained workforcemaking Amarillo a more attractive place tolocate businesses.The Amarillo EDC partners with communityorganizations to enhance the effectivenessof their efforts. Its collaborative partnersinclude the City of Amarillo, Amarillo Chamberof Commerce, Amarillo Independent SchoolDistrict, West Texas A&M University, andAmarillo College. It also has relationshipswith the office of the governor of Texas,Department of Economic Development andTourism, the High Ground of Texas, TeamTexas, and Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor.Another partnership is the funding of theAmarillo EnterPrize Challenge administeredby West Texas A&M University EnterpriseNetwork. The annual $500,000 grant enablesseveral start-up companies and establishedbusinesses to grow their businesses, sell moregoods and services outside the region, bringingnew revenue to the Amarillo economy.In the future, the Amarillo EDC willcontinue to focus on attraction, retention, andexpansion strategies to help improve theAmarillo economy, the standard of living for allresidents, and the climate for further growth.AMARILLO - Faces, Places & Open Spaces250