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EngenuitySC Receives Excellence In Economic Development Award ForIgnite! Event

Submitted by: Emily Brady on Oct 04, 2010 at 7:52 pm Tagged with: EngenuitySC, Entrepreneurship, knolwedge economy Source: EngenuitySC

The International Economic Development Council Honored EngenuitySC for Positive Community Impact

Columbia, S.C. –EngenuitySC, an active public/private partnership that is extremely passionate about developing and growing the Columbia region’s knowledge economy, recently received an Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for its EngenuitySC Ignite! event in the category of “special events for communities with populations of greater than 500,000.”

Representatives of EngenuitySC were recognized at an awards ceremony during the IEDC Annual Conference, September 26-29, in Columbus, Ohio.

“We recognize EngenuitySC for providing successful strategies to promote new paradigms in economic development in this period of global recovery,” said William Best, IEDC chair. “Our awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in communities. EngenuitySC are showing that they are at the forefront of the economic development profession and are using innovative and effective practices that can be replicated in other communities," he added.

For its sixth annual knowledge economy leadership conference in 2009, EngenuitySC adopted an innovative and energizing event format modeled after a global phenomenon called “Pecha Kucha” to bring together creative people to share their ideas, works and thoughts. The evening event, EngenuitySC Ignite!, featured ten speakers who each had six minutes to talk about their roles in the knowledge economy and inspire others to get involved. Each speaker was chosen based on how their activities related to one of the four building blocks of the knowledge economy recognized by EngenuitySC: knowledge creation, entrepreneurship, talent, and competitive advantage.

“The goal for EngenuitySC Ignite! is to present a dynamic program built around innovation and ideas and get people talking about the growing knowledge economy in Columbia,” said Neil McLean, executive director of EngneuitySC. “While we are very pleased with the outcome of last year’s event and proud to receive this honor from IEDC we are also energized for Ignite! 2010,” he added.

Comprised of business and industry leaders, along with representatives from local government and academia, EngenuitySC strives to create a fertile business climate by encouraging entrepreneurship and facilitating the commercialization of ideas and technology.

The Excellence in Economic Awards Program annually recognizes the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. The program honors organizations and individuals in 28 categories for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities.

EngenuitySC is now gearing up for Ignite! 2010, which is planned for Wednesday, November 17, from 5:30-8pm at the new Columbia Innovation Center. This year’s theme is “Inside the Mind of the Entrepreneur,” and the goal of the event is to celebrate entrepreneurs of every age and highlight the pathway an entrepreneur travels to build innovative, sustainable enterprises. For more information and to purchase your ticket visit: http://www.engenuitysc.com/ignite .

About IEDC
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is the premier membership organization dedicated to helping economic development professionals create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. Serving more than 4,500 members, IEDC represents the largest network of economic development professionals in the world. IEDC provides a diverse range of services, including conferences, certification, professional development, publications, research, advisory services and legislative tracking.

About EngenuitySC
EngenuitySC is an active public/private partnership that is extremely passionate about developing and growing the Columbia region’s knowledge economy. Comprised of business and industry leaders, along with representatives from local government and academia, EngenuitySC strives to create a fertile business climate. EngenuitySC encourages entrepreneurship and facilitates the commercialization of ideas and technology. Further information is available online at www.Engenuitysc.com.