Rollercoaster year GYEDC sees ups and downs in FY 2020

The second half of the year introduced “never before seen” catastrophic events.

This year has been a rollercoaster ride full of firsts, noted Julie Engel. The president and CEO of the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corp. summed up the fiscal year 2019-2020 in her year-end report released after the organization’s Stay At Home Annual Dinner on Oct. 28.

Engel pointed out that the first half of the fiscal year saw Yuma County on “an amazing trajectory.” The second half of the year introduced “never before seen” catastrophic events.

In January, Engel gave a midyear update to the Yuma County Board of Supervisors. “Momentum was on our side and we were planning several trips to meet with companies and site selectors along with trade show meetings,” she recalled.

GYEDC had eight projects that remained active but slowed due to travel restrictions. The organization had meetings scheduled for the

Expo West Natural Food Products Trade Show in March.

“The day before we were to leave, the Expo was canceled,” Engel said.

They were able to conduct a few scheduled meetings due to the fact they had already made the trip to

the U.S. and were in Los Angeles. Those were the last face-to-face meetings they held in this fiscal year, she added.

From then on, Zoom video conferencing became the new normal. GYEDC used this tool to maintain a level of service to investors, industry sectors and retention and

attraction efforts.

“We were extraordinarily successful in utilizing this tool,” Engel said.

GYEDC stayed busy checking off a long list of activities. “Once things were shut down, we withdrew into a Covid Data Bunker,” she noted.

The organization made biweekly calls to lead industry sectors and investors, learning what barriers they were experiencing and how best GYEDC could assist them. Several Paycheck Protection Program workshops were held in partnership with the Yuma County Chamber

of Commerce.

GYEDC presented “best practices” workshops for “essential” manufacturers and food production industries to help them cope with employee exposure and outbreaks.

To battle information overload, GYEDC created the Greater Yuma

SEE GYEDC/B2

LOANED PHOTO JULIE ENGEL, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER YUMA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP., noted that in the first half of fiscal year 2019-2020 Yuma County was on “an amazing trajectory.”

SCREENSHOT OF GYERP.ORG TO BATTLE INFORMATION OVERLOAD, GYEDC created the Greater Yuma Economic Resource Portal to identify resources and assistance in dealing with a pandemic. In less than 24 hours, the page with links to resources and applications was ready.

LOANED PHOTO JULIE ENGEL, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER YUMA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP. pointed out in her fiscal year 2019-2020 year-end report (below) that the first half of the fiscal year saw Yuma County on “an amazing trajectory.”