SE MO REDI expands partners for regional development

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 ~ Updated 7:24 PM

Jackson mayor Dwain Hahs

During 2023, Southeast Missouri Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SE MO REDI) doubled its number of partners involved in regional development. With this network of over 30 dedicated private and public organizations, SE MO REDI is well-positioned to further the economic development of Southeast Missouri.

Management consultant Shad Burner said SE MO REDI recently completed a new strategic plan with four initiatives: Business Attraction, Growth and Innovation; Workforce Development and Talent Attraction; Branding and Marketing; Regional Resilience. Burner said each of the initiatives have objectives, target outcomes, measurements and anticipated timelines.

“A few years ago, we challenged ourselves to have higher standards in our regional economic development outcomes. While this work started with just a handful of dedicated local businesses and community leaders, I’m encouraged to see the progress we’ve made adding partners, investment and strategic focus to our work,” Dwain Hahs, Board Chair of SE MO REDI said. “While we still have a lot of work to do, SE MO REDI has the right elements in place to make an impact on the future of economic development for many years to come.”

This year, SE MO REDI is also hoping to hire a new CEO. Burner said they are actively searching for the right candidate to fulfill this role, and they retained an executive search firm to aid their efforts.

With such dedicated partners, a new strategic plan and new leadership to come, SE MO REDI is well prepared to make substantial progress this year in accomplishing their goals and brightening the future of Southeast Missouri’s economic development.