The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber's Economic Development Division was recognized at the Ohio Economic Development Association's (OEDA) Annual Excellence Awards Ceremony, held virtually today, for their efforts in economic development marketing.
The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber's Economic Development Division was recognized at the Ohio Economic Development Association's (OEDA) Annual Excellence Awards Ceremony, held virtually today, for their efforts in economic development marketing.
The Regional Chamber team received the 2020 Excellence in Marketing & Communications Award for their coordination of two supplier events on behalf of Lordstown Motors Corp. (LMC) in January and February 2020. These events attracted over 800 individuals representing nearly 600 companies across Ohio, 19 other states and three other countries as they explored opportunities to be part of LMC's supply chain for the retooling of its facility and production of the Endurance electric truck.
At the events, the LMC staff provided attendees with an overview of their processes, vehicle design and future needs, and attendees had a chance to connect directly with members of the LMC executive, facilities, purchasing and engineering staff. Following the event, the Chamber team compiled a procurement guide containing information for each company that attended, including capabilities statements, past experience supplying to the Lordstown facility and other pertinent information as requested by the LMC leadership for use throughout each stage of the retooling and production processes.
Regional Chamber COO Sarah Boyarko said, "It is always nice to be recognized by your peers for a job well done. Our procurement events have been a great way for our members to connect with the local companies we're assisting with expanding and those we attract to the market. The LMC event was especially successful for service providers to connect with the LMC executive team and one another. We received a great deal of positive feedback from the participants."
OEDA is a professional association for economic developers that provides a broad range of services, including peer networking, continuing education, and exposure to best practices. The Annual Excellence Awards Ceremony takes place as part of the OEDA Annual Summit, the association's largest conference and celebration of economic development in Ohio each year, which is being held virtually in 2020 due to continuing COVID gathering restrictions.