TCED Reflections and Updates for 2020
By Kim K. Denton, CEcD, TCED Director
The Tennessee Certified Economic Developer (TCED) Program is finishing the year strong, having delivered seven courses to 235 participants across the state. New for 2020 is the TN Strategic Planning Course rolling into the TN Managing Economic Development Course in an effort to provide the most relevant course content.
Due to the importance of workforce development for all communities, the TN Workforce Development Course will become a required core course for TCED certification beginning in 2020. This course will be delivered this summer. Upcoming courses include:
Deep Dive on TIFs & PILOTs (elective) / February 13 / Jackson
TN Economic Development Basic Finance / March 18-19 / Murfreesboro
TBEDC / May 4-7 / Nashville
Congratulations to the TCED candidates (pictured below) who were awarded the TCEcD designation at a graduation ceremony held just prior to the TEDC Fall Conference in Franklin in September. A group of 22 mentors, advisory board members, and Center for Industrial Services Staff members cheered on the small but mighty fall 2019 class of Economic Developers on September 25. Candidates for graduation presented their Capstone Projects:
Julian McTizic / Mayor, City of Bolivar
Project Name: Destination Hatchie – A System of Parks on the Hatchie River
Mentor: Dennis Tumlin
Bridget Jones / CEO and Principal, Jones-Bridget Consulting Group
Project Name: Economic Development Strategies for Rural Downtowns: Building upon Tennessee’s Current Successes and Resources
Mentor: Nancy Williams
Kathy Barber / Economic Development Specialist, UT CIS
Project Name: Asset-Based Planning – Leveraging Assets for Economic Growth
Mentor: Kathy Price
After the presentations, followed by Q & A, guests celebrated the new graduates with a short ceremony awarding certificates to our new TCEcDs. The next TCED graduation will be held in April of 2020 and the application deadline is January 16.
The spring class had six graduates, bringing the total to 64 TCEcDs. To date, a total of 16 TCED graduates have recertified their TCEcD credentials, which is required every three years.
A group of 17 alumni of the Tennessee Certified Economic Developer Program gathered in Nashville on October 23, prior to the 2019 Governor’s Conference on Economic Development. The participants completed the Myers Briggs Personality Assessment Step II prior to attending the session and then used class time to focus on understanding their personality type, learning about other personality types, and then developed strategies to improve communication.
MBTI Step II brings a deeper understanding and more complete description of an individual’s MBTI type by drilling into specific facets of personality, giving a more complete picture of each person’s motivation and communication style.
Participants learned, laughed, and discovered how knowing their own preferences, as well as the style of their teammates, can improve teamwork and compatibility. Also discussed during this session was the development of a LinkedIn group page for TCED alumni and other ideas for future educational and networking events.
Future learning events will be scheduled for TCED alumni in conjunction with major Economic Development Conferences.
Watch our website for 2020 course updates, which should be finalized this month. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season. Hope to see you at TEDC Day on the Hill February 25!