The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (Amarillo EDC) announced details for the organization’s Second Annual State of the Economy event to be held on January 22, 2020 at 7:30 a.m. in the Heritage Room of the Amarillo Civic Center, 401 S Buchanan St. The event will provide a brief update of Amarillo’s economic outlook and feature a keynote speech discussing macroeconomic issues and how they impact our community.

The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (Amarillo EDC) today announced the launch of a job and internship board on TakeRootInAmarillo.com, the new community website that gives businesses, job seekers, students, and individuals looking to learn more about city life a special look into the rich cultural, economic, and social benefits of living and working in the city of Amarillo. As an employment resource, the website now has a live job board section, where employers can post local job opportunities that offer a salary of over $45,000 a year. In addition to jobs, internship positions for students and community members will be posted by local companies.

Approval ushers in 150 new jobs to the area economy

Today the Amarillo City Council approved a Location Incentive Agreement presented by the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (Amarillo EDC) to support the attraction of SSI Foods, LLC to the Amarillo. This ratification comes after approval by the Amarillo EDC Board of Directors on September 23, 2019. This final step in the approval process allows the Amarillo EDC to provide a 17.10-acre parcel in the CenterPort Business Park for the construction of the 75,000 sq. ft facility which will employ up to 150 full-time employees.

Amarillo EDC has pledged up to $69M toward completion of the project

On June 15th, Texas Governor Greg Abbott authorized a budget approved by the Texas Legislature that will allocate $17.35 million in operational funding for the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine (TTUSVM) in Amarillo, a move that will strengthen the school’s existing educational investment in the High Plains while providing additional incentives for students and animal health professionals who live and work in the community.

The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (Amarillo EDC) today announced its re-commitment to the organization’s Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) program which will drive economic growth in the community through the focused support of established and growing Amarillo businesses as well as the advancement of ongoing workforce development initiatives in Amarillo. To fill this position, the Amarillo EDC has appointed Michael Kitten, who most recently served as Dean of Technical Education at Amarillo College.

The latest episode of Amarillo Economic Development Corporation’s Build Your Talent Toolbox was focused on Hiring the Right People. Margaret Graziano, a leading talent management expert from Keen Alignment, spoke about creating purpose-driven roles and setting the right expectations for employees. Sabrina Meck Perez, AEDC’s Director of Workforce Attraction & Retention, sat down with local employer Joshua Raef, owner/operator of Chick-fil-A Georgia Street, to get a local perspective of how to hire the right people in the Amarillo area.

The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (Amarillo EDC) Board of Directors is pleased to announce Kevin Carter as President and CEO, effective April 1. Mr. Carter’s selection was confirmed today during a meeting of the Board of Directors. His appointment follows an extensive search for the city’s new economic development leader.

Scott Bentley, the Amarillo market President and current Board of Directors members of First United Bank, is the newest member of the Amarillo EDC's Board of Directors. Scott is very active in the community having served on numerous civic boards including Golden Spread Council of Boy Scouts, Amarillo/Canyon United Way, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Community Advisory Board, and the Amarillo Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone.

Following a successful State of the Economy event, the Amarillo EDC is happy to provide the event materials to the public. As the event was designed with the intention to educate and provide critical information for business owners, consumers and students to make informed materials, the Amarillo EDC is pleased to make these valuable materials available to the greater community. 

During the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation’s latest episode of Build Your Talent Toolbox, Sam Silverstein, national keynote speaker, helped employers see the value in building a culture to retain the right employees. Sam teamed up with Cal Zant, President of Betenbough Homes, a local employer in Amarillo, Lubbock, and Midland.  After they shared their experience and expertise on work culture, Sabrina Meck Perez, AEDC Director of Workforce Attraction & Retention, sat down with both Sam and Cal to share their thoughts with you on the importance of being purposeful with work culture.