SOUTH BEND, Ind. (July 13, 2020) — South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership President and CEO, Regina Emberton has earned the designation of Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), a national recognition that denotes a mastery of skills in economic development, professional attainment and a commitment to personal and professional growth.
With seven years of direct economic development experience and having spent over 14 years engaging in a variety of commercial real estate projects, including research, consulting, brokerage, investment and development, Emberton has been a key leader for the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership (SBERP) and the region.
Emberton was instrumental in securing the $42 million Regional Cities Initiative grant for projects which are improving quality of life and she continues to serve as administrator for the Regional Development Authority (RDA) that is responsible for deploying the grant. Emberton was also a key partner working with the University of Notre Dame to secure a $42.4 million LIFT Network grant to develop a collaborative platform connecting industry to the regional academic expertise and capacities in manufacturing, technology, and workforce development.
“We are pleased to announce that Regina has earned the nationally-recognized Certified Economic Developer designation from the International Economic Development Council,” said SBERP Board Chair and Community Foundation of Elkhart County President, Pete McCown. “In addition to recognizing Regina’s professional accomplishment, the designation brings a high level of credibility to the organization, making the region more effective at developing relationships with site consultants and prospective companies.”
The CEcD designation is the premier designation for economic development practitioners, recognizing the culmination of years of professional education, as well as practical experience, and signifies the attainment of the highest level of knowledge and practical ability in the profession. CEcDs are viewed as experts in their field by employers, peers, and professional partners in the public and private sectors.
As highly competent economic development professionals, Certified Economic Developers work with public officials, business leaders and community members to create leadership to build upon and maximize the economic development sector. Excellence in the economic development profession improves the well-being, quality of life and opportunities for individuals, businesses, and communities. There are currently over 1,100 active CEcDs in the United States.
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About South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership
The South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership (SBERP) is a collaboration of the economic development partners from 47 smart connected communities in Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan. The Regional Partnership focuses on a long-term systemic approach to advance the region’s economy by aligning the efforts of various stakeholders around five key areas: Educating a world-class WORKFORCE, Recruiting and retaining great TALENT, Attracting and growing new economy companies in complement to our remarkably strong manufacturing INDUSTRIES, Promoting INCLUSION and sparking opportunities for minorities and Helping ENTREPRENEURS thrive. The Regional Partnership seeks to unify and collaborate so that together, the communities across the region to work together to achieve what cannot be done individually. For more information about the Regional Partnership, visit SouthBendElkhart.org.
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a variety of other institutions. IEDC’s members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. For more information, visit iedcONLINE.org.
Media Contact
Regina Emberton (SBERP) 574.344.4686 or remberton@southbendelkhart.org