Economic development at its very core is about driving commerce opportunities for communities. Economic Developers from every corner of the world know that community growth can be met with opposition and policy disagreement – at the local, state, and federal levels of government. However, the best economic development organizations across the globe rise above politics and discord and focus on one key variable above all else – attracting jobs to strengthen the economy. At the Orange County Partnership, we remain steadfast in our commitment to securing new investment, creating jobs, and stimulating the local economy.

Each week we’re seeing new leads in manufacturing, clean energy, and of late, semi-conductor production and microelectronics. In late April, we hosted a microelectronic company from Tiawian at the Partnership office to discuss a pathway to locate a manufacturing facility in Orange County. That same week, our Vice President of Business Attraction, Conor Eckert, traveled to Albany to meet a Japanese delegation of semiconductor supply chain companies seeking to do business in the United States and New York. Our economic development opportunity is clear – microelectronics, foreign direct investment, and light manufacturing can be our future. In order to seize these opportunities, we must continue to support the economic development fundamentals: shovel ready site development and sound state and local economic policies that stimulate growth – not hinder it.

With exciting growth and opportunities on the horizon, we acknowledge that Orange County faces challenges that must be overcome. The projects and sectors that we’re actively recruiting are high-end – these companies work with sophisticated brokers and consultants. To maintain our momentum, it’s crucial that we, the economic development and construction community, remain aligned in our strategic goals to grow the county.