The Arkansas Economic Development Commission is the 2010 recipient of the “Friend of Community Development Award” given by the Community Development Institute (CDI) Central at the University of Central Arkansas.
The award is given to organizations for their support of community and economic development throughout the state. Maria Haley, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, accepted the award during a luncheon Aug. 6.
“We are proud to be honored by the Community Development Institute and appreciate the work this group does to empower local economic developers to create stronger, healthier communities,” Haley said. “CDI shares our belief that communities are the backbone of economic development. Through the education provided at CDI, Arkansas’s leaders have the tools needed to build a better economic future for our state.”
CDI trains local officials, board members, faith-based affiliates, and governmental officials on how to strengthen their local economies and build communities. UCA is the birthplace for the Community Development Institute Central, which started in 1987 in partnership with Entergy,
Southwestern Bell, and ARKLA.
“UCA’s CDI has a 23-year legacy of supporting and training community leaders, and AEDC has played a long-term role in the Institute’s success since its creation,” said Kelly Lyon, CDI’s executive director. “It was time to recognize the agency’s leadership in supporting communities, promoting regionalism, and assisting counties with strategic planning.”
Past recipients of CDI’s honor include Entergy Arkansas in 2008 and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ Little Rock branch in 2009.
The complete institute experience involves a curriculum of more than 100 hours over a three-year period, with corporate, academic and governmental professionals serving as faculty. Participants complete one-third of the total curriculum each summer for three summers. At the end of the third summer, many participants take the Professional Community and Economic Developer test, which is sanctioned by the Community Development Council (CDC), a professional certification organization which sets curriculum guidelines for Community Development Institutes throughout the country.
For more information about CDI, visit www.uca.edu/cdi. Learn more about the Arkansas Economic Development Commission at www.arkansasedc.com.
