Message From Deputy Assistant Secretary
Matt S. Erskine

September 2013 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Investing in our nation’s business infrastructure and work force is more important today than ever before. But it is something that no entity—be it a state or local government, a town, or an economic development authority—can do on its own: The resources required are large and, to be effective, any investment needs to call on a wide pool of talent and resources. The key to success is collaboration.

It is this philosophy—collaborative investment with local and regional partners—that guides our work at the Economic Development Administration. In this issue of Innovate@EDA, we highlight a variety of EDA projects that represent strong examples of our approach in action. These include helping entrepreneurs in New Orleans through The Idea Village and underwriting the groundbreaking work of Atlanta’s Global Center for Medical Innovation. And, according to a recent report published by the National Governors’ Association, it is an approach that informs the strategies many states are taking as they work to improve their economies.

The collaborative approach is being successfully applied on the international stage as well, as you will see from the Q&A with Vinai Thummalapally, the new executive director of SelectUSA, the federal government’s initiative to attract and retain business investment in the United States. On October 31 and November 1, you are invited to participate in SelectUSA’s marquee event in Washington, D.C., the SelectUSA 2013 Investment Summit. This event will bring together businesses, serious investors, state and local economic development organizations, and high-level administration and White House officials. You won’t want to miss it—not only will you hear from top leaders and experts, but you will have the opportunity to showcase the work that you have done to support business investment in the United States, as well as to solicit best practices and lessons learned from key stakeholders. In addition, the exhibition floor and matchmaking components of the Summit will serve as a platform for tangible transactions between investors and U.S. cities, states, and regions in support of job creation and economic growth. Information on how to register is in this issue. I strongly urge you to attend.

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