Eight economic developers earn Elite Certification
October 29, 2019
The South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association (SCEDA) and S.C. Department of Commerce (S.C. Commerce) announced that eight economic development professionals have earned the accreditation of SC Certified Economic Developer (SCCED) upon graduation of the S.C. Economic Developers’ Advanced Symposium. To date, fewer than 70 people have completed the program.
The 2019 Advanced Symposium graduates are:
- Eliza Buxton, SCCED – Sumter Economic Development/The LINK
- Lindsey Culley, SCCED – Mashburn Construction
- Jamie Gilbert, SCCED – Lancaster County Department of Economic Development
- Marc Metcalf, SCCED – Upstate SC Alliance
- Brian Rauschenbach, SCCED – Sumter Economic Development/The LINK
- Lauren Branham Reeder, SCCED – Kershaw County Economic Development
- Lauren Stanton, SCCED – Francis Marion University
- Brantley Strickland, SCCED – SouthernCarolina Regional Alliance
“Creating thriving communities is key to laying the foundation for job creation and capital investment throughout our state,” said South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “The completion of the Advanced Symposium is a demonstration of commitment and dedication to implementing excellence in economic development.”
“The Advanced Symposium is a rigorous course, providing an unprecedented opportunity for economic development professionals to fine-tune their professional skills,” said SCEDA President Andrena Powell-Baker, SCCED. “Our state benefits from having a course like this accessible to our industry professionals, further bolstering South Carolina’s strong business-friendly environment.”
The Advanced Symposium is an advanced-level course for professional economic development practitioners, with four training sessions around the state to give attendees an interactive and diverse learning environment. The program requires an extensive application process, and accepts a maximum of 10 attendees each session.
“The SCCED designation is the highest professional and educational certification offered to economic development professionals in South Carolina through a long-standing cooperative endeavor of the South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association and the South Carolina Department of Commerce,” said Michael E. Kozlarek, Esq., SCCED, SCEDA Professional Development Committee Chair. “It is an honor to have been able to see so many qualified candidates successfully graduate from the program this year.”
Click here to see photos of the designees receiving their SCCED certificate and pin at SCEDA’s Midyear Meeting on October 11, 2019.
About SCEDA
Since 1965, the S.C. Economic Developers’ Association (SCEDA) has served as the Voice of Economic Development in the Palmetto State. A professional trade association of more than 800 members, with representation from all 46 counties, SCEDA includes local and regional economic developers, as well as officials from municipal, county and state government agencies, construction and engineering firms, utility companies, attorneys, consultants, financial institutions, and higher education. To learn more, visit www.SCEDA.org.
