We are pleased to announce that Tom Kucharski, President and CEO of Invest Buffalo Niagara, the region’s nonprofit economic development organization, has been elected by his peers to Chair the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
IEDC is the largest non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving over 5,000 economic developers from the U.S., North America and around the world. IEDC provides professional accreditation for economic developers and economic organizations, advisory services and in-depth, timely research, advocacy of economic development in national and international public policy and networking, and frequent knowledge sharing within the economic development community worldwide.
Kucharski will Chair IEDC for the coming year starting January 1, 2021.
“I am deeply honored to have been elected to lead IEDC, an organization so important to our profession,” said Kucharski. “I look forward to tackling the issues of our time – including racial and social justice – with the dedicated staff and my colleagues across the globe. Through my years of involvement with IEDC, I have been amazed at our capacity to create change, and I look forward to collectively continuing toward that goal.”
This recognition comes after more than 35 years in the profession in four different regions of the U.S., including the last 20 right here in his hometown, Buffalo Niagara. His election to this prestigious seat will bring renewed awareness of our region in the in the national and global economic development and business marketplace during this unprecedented and challenging time.
“I want to congratulate my longtime colleague and friend Tom Kucharski on his election to lead IEDC,” said Doug Dimitroff, Chair, Invest Buffalo Niagara. “Invest Buffalo Niagara knows well the benefits of his leadership, and soon IEDC will too.”
Tom, on the precipice of this nomination, spoke to the IEDC membership (virtually), from The Colored Musician’s Club here in Buffalo. View his comments below.