Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. presents annual awards - Denver Business Journal:

mcfarlainofuqub1258.blogspot.com
It was one of severakl awards presented Thursday by the Metro Denve EDC at itsannual "Report to Investors and Awardsx Luncheon" at the Hyatr Regency Denver at Colorado Convention The EDC's Deal of the Year Award recognizes a companuy that creates the largest local economic impact through new job creatiojn and capital investment. San Francisco-based Schwab (NASDAQ: SCHW) was recognized for its plannerd expansion inDouglas County, creating 500 new local jobs over the next thre years. ( .) The jobs -- primarily technology position -- will pay an average salary of The company's move eventually will creat an economic benefit to Colorado of $157.
3 milliobn a year, the Metro Denver EDC "The Charles Schwab expansion exemplifies the type of project the Metro Denverf EDC targets with its recruitment and marketing efforts-establishexd companies that need a highly skilled workforcre and a dynamic location in whicuh to expand," Don Marshall, regional president of Wellds Fargo Bank and Metro Denver EDC said in a statement. -- The Metropolitab Cooperation Award, recognizing joinf efforts to furtherthe region's economic development potential, went to six organizationzs and local governments: The city of Brighton/Brightoj Economic Development Corp.
, Weld County, Upstat e Colorado Economic Development, the Colorado Office of Economicf Development and International Trade, and the Regional Transportationh District (RTD). The six honorees helped assembl e the land it needed to build two new plantwsin Brighton. With a capitalp investment of $290 million, Vestas will eventually employh 1,350 people at the the EDC said. "The sheere impact of Vestas' investment in the Brightobn and Weld County communityhis massive," Chuck Ward, president of Qwest Colorado and Co-Chaier of the Metro Denver EDC, said in the "The community spirit in which this deal was establishe signifies to Vestas our commitmentr to put Metro Denver and Colorado on the globakl stage for wind energy.
" -- The Chairs' Awared for Outstanding Efforts in Economif Development went to two state lawmakersz -- Sen. Rollie Heath and Rep. Joe Rice -- for theit efforts to move Gov. Bill Ritter's economic developmenr package through the 2009legislative session., including House Bill 1001, a measur offering tax credits for companies that creatse job growth. "The passager of this legislation is truly a game changerfor Colorado," said Tom Clark, executive vice presidentt of the Metro Denver EDC. "It places us on par with other majorf metro areas in attracting corporate headquarters and othervalued projects.
This legislation will be key to our ongoing recovery by providintg existing and expanding companies incentive to add jobsin -- And a Special Recognition Award was presentede to Joe Blake, outgoing president and CEO of the and the Metr Denver EDC, who will soon leave to become chancellot of the Colorado State University "During his 10-year term as president and CEO, Joe has tackled the toughestt issues facing Metro Denver companies, His work on Referendum C, the Poison Pillas amendments, and the FASTER legislation certainlyt puts our business community on firmer ground," Ward Newsweek Senior Editor and author Daniel Gross keynotes the event.
"This has been a great time for Gross said. "You've made more intelligent decisions on investmentas than a lot ofother people. You're also diversifying your economtywith aerospace, bioscience, and alternative energy."