Economic development ranks as a marathon, not a sprint

As an economic developer for more than 17 years, I like to refer to myself as a resource manager.  The reality is that economic developers don’t create jobs; we create an environment in which jobs can be created.  And that isn’t always easy to accomplish.  Being an economic developer is a delicate balance of juggling and managing a constant, ever-changing environment.

The plain fact is that economic development simply takes time. Every community has foundational items it must build to create a strong and stable economy in which companies can locate and expand.…