EDC welcomed 10 new directors to its board, with Janice Brown, founder of Brown Law Group, continuing to serve as chair through May 2020. The board will help guide the programs and initiatives for the privately-funded, nonprofit organization with more than 180 investors.
“I’m thrilled to continue serving as board chair of EDC,” said Janice Brown, founder of Brown Law Group and chair of EDC. “EDC’s board is now stronger than ever. With our pool of dedicated board members, we will be able to set an impactful agenda for all of San Diego’s economy, lifting every community in our region. I truly believe there’s no mountain high enough for us to overcome, San Diego!”
EDC’s board is comprised of elected directors and trustees representing partner organizations in the business community. Directors are vetted by EDC’s governance committee and elected annually by its membership to serve two-year terms. For 2019, 25 directors were re-elected alongside 10 new directors. Two new trustees were also appointed by the organization’s executive committee. The board represents executives from companies, organizations, institutions and the military along with elected officials, who are all working cohesively to advance San Diego’s economy.
“Thanks to the support from our investors, board and the entire San Diego business community, EDC is working to positively shape the region’s future.” said Mark Cafferty, president and CEO, San Diego Regional EDC. “Together, we can make San Diego a better place to live and work for all residents and businesses.”
2019 Officers:
- Chair – Janice Brown, Founder at The Brown Law Group
- Vice Chair – Rob Douglas, President and COO at ResMed, Inc.
- Vice Chair – Julian Parra, Business Banking Executive at Bank of America Merrill Lynch
- Treasurer – June Komar, Executive Vice President at Scripps Health
- Secretary – Phil Blair, President and CEO at Manpower San Diego
- Mark Cafferty, President and CEO at San Diego Regional EDC
Newly elected Directors:
- Dennis Doucette, Partner at Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP
- Cheryl Goodman, Head of Corporate Communications at Sony Electronics
- Dan Harrington, EVP and Chief Services Officer at Teradata
- Don Kearns, President Emeritus at Rady Children’s Hospital
- Mark Navarra, Managing Partner at Jerome’s Furniture
- Mike Neal, President and CEO at HG Fenton
- Tom Pellette, President at Solar Turbines
- Greg Richardson, Lead Advisor at Dowling & Yahnke
- Manuel Rodriguez, Market President at US Bank
- Matt Thoene, CEO at AIS
Newly appointed Trustees:
- Hasan Ikhrata, Executive Director at San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)
- Jim Madaffer, Board Chair at San Diego County Water Authority
On the horizon for 2019
With and through its investors, EDC will remain focused on sustaining and growing existing initiatives and programs including San Diego: Life. Changing, the Defense Innovation Voucher Program, regional research and Innovate78. World Trade Center San Diego, an affiliate of EDC, will continue to drive an international agenda for San Diego through programs including MetroConnect as well as an upcoming trade mission to Germany in late 2019.
Additionally, EDC will continue to support companies of all sizes with their growth efforts by assisting with regulatory/permitting support, economic incentive consulting, strategic partnerships and more. EDC services are underwritten by its investors that believe in creating a more prosperous San Diego, and are free-of-charge to companies looking to expand, stay or locate in the San Diego region. In 2018 alone, EDC directly assisted more than 170 companies, which represented approximately 7,000 jobs in San Diego.
Announced in April, EDC will be launching Advancing San Diego, which is made possible through a $3 million grant provided by the JPMorgan Chase AdvancingCities initiative. This grant will complement EDC’s ongoing inclusive growth strategy. In collaboration with City of San Diego, San Diego and Imperial Counties Community College Association (SDICCCA), San Diego Workforce Partnership and United Way of San Diego County, the program seeks to strengthen the region’s local workforce by enhancing relationships between employers and education systems.