Published June 2001

EDC marketing director crucial to five-year plan

On the cusp of an emerging 21st-century economy, the leadership and staff of the Snohomish County Economic Development Council are energized and geared for action. The year 2001 represents the commencement of a five-year work plan to actualize goals for a diversified, sustainable and competitive economy.

To date, the community leadership has raised $3.5 million to begin the positive implementation of our strategic plan. This incredible investment will be brought to bear in four strategic initiatives: Marketing/Recruitment, Business Retention and Expansion, Workforce Development, and Infrastructure/Land Use Permitting.

We’re already beginning to see some real successes in each of these areas, but we’re particularly enthusiastic currently about the launch of our marketing program responsible for helping those successes along.

In March, we created a new staff position and selected Sherri Seymour to lead our marketing campaign that will place the county, cities and communities at the forefront of investment opportunities and community building.

Sherri comes to us after having contributed nearly 10 years to the marketing efforts of Microsoft, and she brings to the EDC and the county a strong and varied marketing background that will be needed to effectively leverage those opportunities.

Opportunities come in all shapes and forms. They are manifest in business retention, business expansion and business relocation.

The EDC staff has identified a new countywide, five-year employment goal of 4,000 new jobs. Already, we’re pleased to report that almost 300 jobs — attributable to the efforts of our marketing program — have been created. These jobs can be found in the following categories: biomedical device/manufacturing, 110; warehouse/distribution, 50; manufacturing, 50; telecommunications, 50; and high-tech product design and manufacturing, 35.

Sherri’s charter for the next several months is to focus on enhancing and strengthening the image and identity of the county. Through this, we will more effectively demonstrate and reinforce the numerous positive attributes the area already possesses, but that many may not readily recognize.

As a critical step toward guiding the evolution of the county’s image in this manner, over the summer months Sherri will be seeking to gather feedback and insight from those within our own communities, as well as from those in surrounding areas. The identity of the county is one that we want to ensure is compatible with — and complementary to — both local and regional visions.

Sherri also is here to help ensure that we have the right strategy in place to get the word out about why Snohomish County makes so much sense for businesses and organizations to consider for their expansion or moving plans.

In addition, she is undertaking the redesign of the EDC’s Web site so that we may provide more accessible, effective and valuable information.

With Sherri joining the rest of our highly talented staff, I am convinced we are on our way to actualizing that vision for a 21st-century economy right here in Snohomish County — an economy that is diversified and competitive, yet one that keeps the quality of life as pleasing and comfortable as it is today.

Deborah Knutson is President of the Snohomish County Economic Development Council. She can be reached at 425-743-4567 or by e-mail to dknutson@snoedc.org.

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