Greenville Chamber, with University Center & Clemson, Chosen to Present Regional Economic Scorecard Usage at Federal Reserve Conference
Greenville Chamber Vice President of Economic Development Hank Hyatt has been asked to give a case study presentation on the use of the Chamber’s Regional Economic Scorecard at the Unleashing the Power of Local Data Conference hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia on Thursday, October 13, 2011.
Hyatt, together with President and CEO of the University Center of Greenville Fred Baus and David Hughes, Ph.D., with the Clemson Institute for Economic and Community Development, will present one of three case studies at the regional conference, entitled “How the Upstate South Carolina Community is Utilizing Data from the Regional Economic Scorecard to Drive Change and Improve Community Prosperity.”
“The Federal Reserve is highlighting innovative uses of local data to drive community change. The Regional Economic Scorecard is a prime example of how we can use data to focus broad community attention on improving regional prosperity,” said Hyatt. “The research work done by Clemson University has been invaluable in promoting a holistic framework for economic development that will certainly lead to a stronger competitive position for our region.”
According to Baus, “The University Center of Greenville understands the importance of the Economic Scorecard findings as they underscore our efforts to fully develop human capital in our region. By providing higher education opportunities that are aligned with the long-term, strategic needs of area businesses, we can play a key role in improving per capita income in the region. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to share our use of the scorecard with other communities.”
About the Unleashing the Power of Local Data Conference
This one-day conference, hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, showcases the best uses of data in local decision-making. Participants will learn from case studies that exhibit communities' innovative use of data to address local problems, and they will engage in hands-on sessions using their own laptops to better understand how to apply data to their communities. This dynamic conference will demonstrate the power of data to inform decision-making and effect policy. Learn more at http://www.richmondfed.org/conferences_and_events/community_development
/2011/unleashing_data_20111013.cfm
About the Economic Scorecard
The Greenville Chamber launched the Regional Economic Scorecard project in 2007 after having noticed a long-term downward trend in per capita income relative to that of the United States. The Chamber contracted with economic researchers at Clemson University to help the region better understand what contributes to strong income growth. The authors of the report identified four major drivers of per capita income and 11 peer communities with whom Greenville should compare to in these areas. The intent of the Scorecard is to report objectively on the region’s economic performance and to identify economic development strategies for leveraging community strengths and addressing community weaknesses.
To view the complete 2011 Scorecard, go to http://www.greenvillechamber.org/scorecard.php.
The Regional Economic Scorecard is funded through the Chamber’s ACCELERATE! initiative, a five-year effort dedicated to reversing the community’s declining income competitiveness through an expanded and results-driven approach to economic development. Over 100 companies, organizations, and individuals pledged five-year investments in ACCELERATE! to support focused efforts designed to measure and improve the decline of local per capita income relative to the rest of the U.S.