Westchester County Association and HVEDC partner on regional initiatives

Expanding the biotech and health care industry and workforce development initiatives, as well as bringing gigabit broadband technology to the region are part of a three-pronged plan that the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. and the Westchester County Association have partnered to address.

HVEDC Westchester county Association“The WCA”™s partnership with the HVEDC provides an opportunity for both organizations to examine the best practices in economic development advocacy and augment those approaches to fit the needs of the business community in each respective region,” William Mooney Jr., president and CEO of the White Plains-based WCA, said in a statement. “At the WCA, we”™ve identified and implemented proven solutions to drive economic growth in key areas such as health care, real estate, workforce development and gigabit-speed connectivity, and we”™re excited to expand our impact into the Hudson Valley.”

“Forming a strategic partnership with the Westchester County Association creates a combined force to continue the expansion of the bio, pharma, medical device and life science sectors in Westchester and across the region,” HVEDC President and CEO Mike Oates said. “We will bring together our knowledge, research, advocacy and business support to create more extraordinary economic development initiatives that will connect highly qualified workers with well-paying jobs to create better lives for their families.”

Mooney and Oates will join each other”™s board of directors to help facilitate the partnership.

The two groups said they would identify key market trends and work together to find solutions that will help bring jobs and investments to the region.

According to a joint statement, the organizations would specifically work on:

  • Growing the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and health care industry sectors in Westchester and the Hudson Valley;
  • Developing the workforce to help prepare the region”™s population for present and future jobs; and
  • Bringing state-of-the-art high-speed technology to bridge the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology, and those that have restricted or no access.

For more information, visit westchester.org and hvedc.com.