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Los Angeles, CA— The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) today (Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009), announced that its President and Chief Executive, William C. “Bill” Allen, has been selected as one of Los Angeles County’s most innovative and influential non-profit leaders. For more than a decade, Allen has been active in economic development playing a key role in the economic health of the region as well as improving the quality of life for Angelenos throughout the County. For his efforts, Allen will be honored on by the Center for Nonprofit Management, one of the nation's leading management support organizations , for his exemplary leadership.
“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized alongside some of the region’s most respected and inspiring leaders, said President & CEO Bill Allen, LAEDC. “I applaud the Center for Nonprofit Management for providing the much-needed support to advance the missions of non-profits throughout the greater Los Angeles area and as they celebrate 30 years of building better leaders in Southern California.”
Allen was selected for his leadership in developing Los Angeles County’s first-ever consensus plan for economic development. Under his leadership, the LAEDC assembled and mobilized a diverse group of public, private, business, education, labor, environmental and other community-based participants to shape, build support around and help implement the first-ever comprehensive, collaborative plan for economic development to strengthen the economy, improve the environment and invigorate communities throughout the County.
As a result of a year-long process of research that began with a survey of more than 5,000 businesses operating in Los Angeles County to determine the health and concerns of industry, and then led to 26 public outreach meetings, each moderated by Allen, the LAEDC identified five key components central to
economic development success: Educated Workforce, Business-Friendly Environment, Attractive Quality of Life, Smart Land Use and 21st Century Infrastructure. Once adopted by the County Board of Supervisors, this five-year strategic plan for economic development will begin implementation in 2010.
Allen serves as the chief executive of all of the subsidiary corporations of the LAEDC including the World Trade Center Association Los Angeles – Long Beach. He is also a Vice Chair of the Valley Economic Alliance, and a member of the Board of Directors of the California Association of Local Economic Development, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, Film L.A. and Unite LA. In 2007, Allen was appointed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to serve on the Los Angeles Economy and Jobs Committee and in 2008 he was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Weingart Foundation.
Allen was the first CEO of the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley from 1997-2000, and in 2000 was named California’s Civic Entrepreneur of the Year by the California Center for Regional Leadership. As president and CEO of the non-profit Economic Alliance, Allen raised more than five million dollars and assembled an unprecedented public-private partnership involving all of the leading cities, colleges, and business organizations in the San Fernando Valley.
Under his guidance, the Alliance launched programs to expand international trade, improve local education and work force development, and develop viable solutions to regional transportation challenges (including three regional transit planning summits in 1997 and 1998 which led to the creation of the highly successful Orange Line in the Valley).
The Center for Nonprofit Management awards luncheon will be held on Wednesday, December 9, 2009, in Los Angeles. For Allen’s complete bio, visit http://www.laedc.org/
About LAEDC (www.LAEDC.org)
The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), the region’s premier business leadership organization, is a private, non-profit organization established in 1981. Its mission is to attract, retain, and grow businesses and jobs for the regions of Los Angeles County. Since 1996, the LAEDC has helped retain or create more than 157,000 jobs, providing $7.5 billion dollars in annual economic impact and more than $128 million dollars in annual tax revenue to support local government and schools.
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