CoreNet Global announced The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce as a 2006 Economic Development Leadership Award Finalist for its accomplishments of the Opportunity Austin initiative to create 72,000 new jobs in the region by 2008. Now in its fourth year, the award recognizes leadership, best practices and innovations in economic development among the organizations serving communities and corporations involved in location decisions.

The Greater Austin Chamber will be one of eight finalists in the area of Leadership and Innovation that will be recognized at the Philadelphia Global Summit on Monday, April 24. Representing the Chamber at the awards presentation will be Gary Farmer, Vice Chair of Economic Development and President of Heritage Title Co.; Dave Porter, Senior Vice President of Economic Development for the Greater Austin Chamber and Courtney Ross, Director of Economic Development. Farmer, Porter and Ross will present the Chamber’s entry March 21 and March 22 at Princeton University in New Jersey.

“This award recognizes the success of Opportunity Austin in its plan to create thousands of jobs for our region,” said Porter. “We’re grateful for the focus, faith and fortitude exhibited by our employees and volunteers as we work toward this critical community goal.”

CoreNet Global is the world’s leading professional association of corporate real estate executives. Its members include senior-level corporate real estate executives involved in these strategic roles and economic development organizations, representing national, state, regional and local interests. This recognition places the Greater Austin Chamber among an elite group of organizations nationwide for its innovation developing Opportunity Austin - a five year plan to create jobs, diversify the economy, market Austin effectively and strengthen existing businesses.

Focusing on several key target industries, Opportunity Austin is working to recruit from industries such as automotive, medical products, regional offices and headquarters, and transportation and logistics. At the same time, the program is capitalizing on existing industries within the region including locally headquartered companies, computer software, digital media, wireless, semiconductors and tourism. Because 80 percent of the 72,000 jobs to be created will come from expansions, “Portfolio Austin” was started to assist businesses already established in Austin. The team made 120 visits to local CEOs in 2005.

As part of the project, the region’s brand, “Austin- The Human Capital”, was created to promote the educated, skilled and adaptable workforce available in the region.

Some of the specific successes from 2005 include:

• Freescale Semiconductor selected Austin as the site for its new global headquarters.
• AMD began building a new campus, doubling their office space.
• Forbes Magazine named Austin the third best city to do business.
• Axalto, leading supplier of Smart Cards, decided to locate their headquarters in Austin.
• US Aquaculture broke ground on a new $5 million fish-raising facility.