Kurt Foreman, president and CEO of Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP), has been recognized by Consultant Connect as one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers. Of the 50 honorees selected from across North America, only five of the honorees were from state-focused economic development organizations.
Recruited in April of 2018, Foreman was selected to lead Delaware’s new public-private economic development partnership formalized by the General Assembly in August 2017.
The three-year old public-private partnership was created after extensive review with Delaware stakeholders statewide on developing a new economic development strategy for Delaware. DPP’s mission focus includes a focus on attracting, growing and retaining businesses and building a stronger entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem as well as supporting private employers in identifying, recruiting and developing talent.
Since its launch, the DPP team has completed 30 projects. This has resulted in 3,068 new jobs in Delaware, retention of 1,193 jobs in Delaware and generation of $733 million in capital investment from companies choosing to locate or grow in Delaware.
Foreman said he believes the forecast for Delaware’s economic development success in 2021 and beyond looks promising.
“Despite the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has presented, the Delaware Prosperity Partnership team has continued without interruption,” he said. “We’ve had the good fortune to be very busy and working on numerous promising opportunities that could result in more jobs and investment for our state.”
Though most associate economic development almost exclusively with job creation, Foreman says he was attracted to the position because of DPP’s additional emphasis on spurring the innovation ecosystem and focus on talent.
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About Delaware Prosperity Partnership
Delaware Prosperity Partnership leads Delaware’s economic development efforts to attract, grow and retain businesses; to build a stronger entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem; and to support private employers in identifying, recruiting, and developing talent. The DPP team works with site selectors, executives and developers focused on where to locate or grow a business and helps with reviewing potential sites, cost-of-living analyses and funding opportunities, including available tax credits and incentives. DPP advances a culture of innovation in Delaware, working with innovators and startups to spotlight and celebrate successes and connect them with the resources they need to succeed. DPP and its partnerships throughout Delaware support and advance the missions of companies of all sizes and sectors. For more information, visit choosedelaware.com.
About Consultant Connect
Consultant Connect is a consulting firm that bridges the gap between leading economic developers and site location consultants through exclusive networking events, educational services and leadership development. Consultant Connect not only gives economic developers an inside look into the world of site selection – it gives them the applicable information necessary to propel their careers and communities forward. For more information, please visit consultantconnect.org.
Susan Coulby
Marketing Communications Manager
Delaware Prosperity Partnership
scoulby@choosedelaware.com
office: 302.576.6582
cell: 302.983.5710
choosedelaware.com