News

Organization’s new name reflects countywide business development mission while eliminating brand confusion.

Seattle, WA – January 10, 2013 – King County Executive Dow Constantine announced during his remarks today at the Economic Forecast Conference that enterpriseSeattle will return to its former name, the Economic Development Council of Seattle and King County (EDC), effective immediately. The organization’s Board of Directors made this decision to more accurately reflect the EDC’s countywide focus and eliminate brand confusion.

“This new name harkens back to the roots of this 42-year-old organization, and more accurately reflects the work it does countywide to increase our long-term prosperity,” said Executive Constantine in his remarks. In 2005, the EDC changed its name to enterpriseSeattle in an effort to build enthusiasm for its work. But in recent years, it had become clear that the organization’s name caused a significant amount of brand confusion and simply did not reflect the countywide focus at the core of the EDC’s mission.

At its annual retreat in November, the organization’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to return to the EDC name. “In the last eight years, the organization has done some truly outstanding work,” said Incoming Board Chair David Allen, executive vice president of McKinstry. “But we found that our unique name was becoming an unforeseen source of confusion as to what we do and whom we serve.”

President and CEO Jeff Marcell—who joined the organization just prior to the 2005 name change—is looking forward to a new phase of organizational growth under the EDC name. “We’re at a different stage in the life of this organization now and have really come into our own in the last eight years,” said Marcell. “The staff and Board have worked hard to build a public/private economic development partnership the community can be proud of. And now we have the name to match.”

Created in 1971 during an unprecedented downturn in the local economy, the EDC has always had a clear mission: to encourage businesses to invest in King County by expanding, retaining, or relocating operations here, thereby increasing job opportunities for people around the region. The EDC provides one-on-one, confidential consulting services, free-of-charge, to individual businesses seeking to establish, expand or relocate to King County and its 39 cities. The organization is currently working with an ever-expanding portfolio of companies evaluating King County as a place to do business.

About the Economic Development Council of Seattle and King County:
The EDC is a public-private economic development partnership charged with the mission of building a competitive, world-class economy in King County and its 39 cities by retaining and expanding existing businesses and recruiting new businesses to the region. The organization is the first point of contact for site selection consultants and companies reviewing the region. For more information, visit www.EDC-SeaKing.org or call (206) 389-8650.

About the Economic Forecast Conference:
For over 40 years, the EDC’s Annual Economic Forecast Conference has helped business and community leaders translate economic trends into competitive intelligence to successfully plan for the future. The event, held on January 10, 2013, included timely forecasts from nationally recognized experts—including Dick Conway, The Puget Sound Economic Forecaster; Ken Goldstein, The Conference Board; and Michael Dueker, Russell Investments. This year’s conference also highlighted the opportunities and challenges for our region’s technology industry and featured special guest speaker Governor-Elect Jay Inslee; keynote speaker Brad Smith, Microsoft Corporation; and leaders from some of the Northwest’s most dynamic tech companies. The tech industry plays a pivotal role in our region’s continued economic success, accounting for nearly two-thirds of Washington state’s job growth in the last decade.