Our Regional Development Agency Organization was created in 1991, and after a period of European growth, we decided to open our borders and explore what was going on outside Europe. Without a doubt, the United States was a great source of inspiration. In 1995 we had the opportunity to meet Jeff.
From the beginning, the collaborative spirit of Jeff, on behalf of the IEDC, enabled us to set up a structured framework that allowed for cooperation, mutual benefit, common progress, and innovative ideas. He was the first to see the value of mutual collaboration between the two continents and showed us his intellectual curiosity to work together on economic development. From the first moment he opened the doors of the IEDC to us, invitations of possible alliances were launched. Finally, during the INED initiative in Winnipeg, members of EURADA’s Executive Committee and representatives of CUED / IEDC decided to attend the annual conference of each respective organizations.
The first agreement was signed on 24 September 1995, and it was updated with a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding signed on 27 March 2019. From the nineties until today, we have been continuously working together in a formal way and we have carried out a great exchange of know-how that marked our relationships. As an example, we can mention Peer Reviews, an idea that EURADA brought from the United States to Europe in the 90s; or the first developments with crowdfunding learned during an annual IEDC event. Afterwards, EURADA had the privilege of organising some of the first events on these topics in Europe.
In his 36 years of service, Jeff has truly made the strong link between EURADA and the IEDC possible. His work has made great relevance for regional economic development practitioners in both continents. His international, comparative and solidary vision of the world has made possible the promotion and collaboration between both non-profit organizations. The organizations have many aspects in common, most notably their objective of serving economic development organizations at the local and regional level. On this basis, for EURADA, the IEDC is a privileged interlocutor and a point of reference. Jeff has linked us deeply with the issues of the localities and regions of the United States. Faced with very similar contexts, the same problems, and similar means, American economic development organisations and their European counterparts come up with very different solutions. This allows us to learn from each other.
A huge round of applause for Jeff. His retirement from the organization will be in early 2022, but he will continue as an advisor until July 2022 to help ensure a seamless transition.
This is not a goodbye, as our friendship will last over time, and the alliance with IEDC continues to be a priority for EURADA. On the 30th of June , we will have organized together with Kees Van Der Linden (Director of Benelux at Hickey and Associates) and Barry I. Matherly (President & CEO of Hickey Global and Past Chair of the IEDC), the workshop Drivers of Global Innovation for Regional Development Agencies. The workshop will identify strong aspects of economic ecosystems and their international promotion. Do not hesitate to register now: https://site.evenium.net/drivers-of-global-innovation/registration
Let´s continue collaborating closely in activities and sessions and let´s continue taking part in the major events organised by the two associations to ensure a framework for continuous cooperation. Thanks, Jeff, for being the origin, along with Christian Saublens, of this great friendship!
