Virginia’s economic development team rises to top in national site-selection ranking
Virginia’s economic development agency has risen to the top of a national site-selection ranking, just two years after the state overhauled the once-maligned organization.
Site Selection magazine awarded Virginia its Prosperity Cup as “the most competitive state-level economic development group”
The award, announced by Gov. Ralph Northam on Thursday, draws the state closer to one of the goals set by Stephen Moret when he became president and CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership at the beginning of 2017 — get the organization back into the top national rankings for competitive effectiveness.
“We don’t look at this as the finish line, but rather positive recognition for the progress we’ve made,” said Moret, former secretary of economic development in Louisiana.
He arrived in Virginia as the General Assembly and then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe prepared to reorganize the quasi-state agency to correct serious problems in its operations and governance that had been identified by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission in a devastating report at the end of 2016.
Northam called the Site Selection ranking “a powerful testament to Stephen Moret’s leadership and his team’s commitment and strong collaboration with state, local and regional allies.”
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