FEATURE

Jeff Edwards Named Non-Profit CEO
of the Year by Utah Business Magazine

A respected leader in the economic development community, EDCUtah CEO Jeff Edwards has endeared himself to his staff and we?re all proud he is being honored as Non-Profit CEO of the Year by Utah Business Magazine. Indeed, he is loved by all who have experienced his knowledge, wisdom and good nature.

Utah Business Magazine is the source of the following text:

 Though his real passion is chemistry, Jeff Edwards, CEO of EDCUtah, has found his niche in bringing business to Utah. Since joining EDCUtah in 2001, Edwards has helped Utah welcome many notable businesses, including KraftMaid, Fusion Technologies and Conestoga Wood Specialties. Working with government and private sector leaders, Edwards has also helped establish Utah as one of the hottest places for businesses relocation.

One of Edwards? most successful accomplishments was securing Procter & Gamble?s move to the state finalized last year. ?That was a wonderful project and a classic example of what excellent partnership can do,? he says. ?Many didn?t think that we could do it, but my job was to say, ?We can do this. We can make it happen.? Once everybody got on board, we did what had to be done and it worked.? As Procter & Gamble readies to move into Box Elder County in 2010, the area is looking forward to the creation of at least 300 new jobs, with wages expected to be more than 200 percent of the Box Elder County median.

Long before joining EDCUtah, Edwards worked as a high school teacher in Utah, teaching chemistry, a job that he says has helped him in his current position as CEO. ?Teaching was very rewarding, but as I started my family, I realized that I couldn?t make it on a teacher?s salary. But, perhaps being a teacher is part of what has helped me in my position as I had to take principles and change them into something that others can understand, which is fundamental to my job now,? he says.

As EDCUtah CEO, Edwards says building and maintaining partnerships is central to his success in recruiting new companies. ?Everybody?s got to work together,? he says. ?We have to have a remarkable level of cooperation. We are really built on partnerships. We?ve enjoyed support from local businesses, rural and urban cities and all different kinds of companies. Almost all operations have seen the value in helping Utah?s economy.?

Beyond establishing partnerships, Edwards says that one of his strategies is building strong employees. ?I believe in having teams and empowering them. We have some very high quality people here, and I?ve found that the best way to manage is to give them autonomy and things will move forward,? he says. ?I also think that diversity is important. We?ve got bankers, real estate experts, mechanics ? all different flavors of people. It?s served us well. Different businesses from outside the state will look at us and see how different we are, but that we can all work together.

?We all have the same goal,? he continues. ?We want to create quality jobs. We work together to send the message that Utah is a good place to do business.?

CALENDAR

Mar. 19: Executive Committee (EDCUtah)
Mar. 20: Governor's Economic Summit (Grand America)
Mar. 26: Quarterly Update

April 1-3: JEC (Paris)

April 14-16: SME (Salt Lake City)
April 16: Executive Committee (EDCUtah)

May 4-7: CoreNet (San Diego)
May 18-21: ICSC (Las Vegas)
May 18-22: SAMPE (Long Beach)
May 21: Board

June 4: Golf Tournament (Wasatch Mountain)
June 9-12: AUVSI (San Diego)
June 17-20: BIO (San Diego)
June 18: Executive Committee (EDCUtah)
June 25: Quarterly Update (Thanksgiving Pointe)

Aug. 6: OIA Thought Leader

Sept. 13-17: IAMC (Oklahoma)
Sept. 25: What's Goin' Down Up North - Northern Utah Economic Summit Thursday, September 25, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Utah State University Innovation Campus, North Logan. Registration form.

Oct. 9-12: CoreNet (Orlando)
Oct. 22: Quarterly Update

Dec. 17: Holiday Open House (EDCUtah)

EDCUTAH INVESTORS