Guiding Business Forward in 2020
Recently, REDI (Redmond Economic Development, Inc.) featured an article in the Redmond Chamber Newsletter on the non-profit’s last decade of achievements. While it is great to celebrate a long look back at the trials and triumphs that REDI has overcome, as the saying goes “there is no rest for the wicked.” The REDI Board of Directors recently approved a new strategic plan covering July 1, 2019, through June 30th, 2022. This strategy provides a solid narration of what REDI aims to accomplish over a three-year timeframe giving specific objectives and responsibilities for the organization to carry out its main goal: creating economic prosperity for Redmond through job creation and capital investment. Below is a look ahead into the plan to accomplish great things for both Redmond and the Central Oregon region in the years to come.
Three key objectives provide focus and direction for the work REDI does to grow Redmond’s economy: Business Development, Business Environment, and Sustainable Operations.
Strategy 1: The Business Development strategy works to retain current businesses and help them expand. REDI helps local businesses sustain and grow their operations through problem solving, resource identification & delivery, and technical assistance. Also, REDI strives to recruit and identify new business opportunities by pursuing outside leads that help to diversify Redmond’s industry by attending trade shows as well as collaborating with other local and statewide Economic Development agencies for recruitment missions.
Strategy 2: The second focus point is to foster a healthy Business Environment in Redmond, Central Oregon and the State by advocating for traded sector industry interests and supporting business-friendly public policies; collaborating with workforce development and training programs connecting business and education with skilled and talented workers; as well as tracking available building space and locations. To stay on target, REDI regularly reports these results.
Strategy 3: Lastly, REDI knows that the importance of succeeding in the first two objectives cannot happen without the third element: growing Sustainable Operations. The foundation of the work we do through fostering financial stewardship, elevating community events, and marketing efforts is to promote Redmond as a preferred location to do business. REDI couldn’t accomplish what we do without the generosity of both private and public sector financial support. The three objectives to sustain operations are maintaining existing funding sources, pursuing new sources, and quantifying the impact of project results that reflect the returns on investments. Much of our success is owed to the City of Redmond, Deschutes County and the more than 100 private investors who have underwritten our operations, most are listed here:
REDI continues to track and evaluate our progress on these three metrics: business development, business environment, and sustainable operations. REDI stakeholders would agree that without progress on other key issues impacting our outcomes, we would not be able to deliver the high standards of Redmond’s growth and prosperity. An infographic depicting the key elements of the Strategic Plan can be found here. To learn more about REDI’s strategy and mission to create prosperity in Redmond, contact us at redi@rediinfo.com or call 541.923.5223.
