GROUP TOUTS INVESTMENTS

Fast-growing companies share their stories at Chester County Economic Development Council’s breakfast

EAST WHITELAND » Steve Voudouris told the story of how his Turn5 company has experienced annual double-digit growth.

Joe Mirable noted his company, USSC, plans to double its number of Chester County employees in the near future.

West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. Senior Vice President Annette Favorite recalled her transition from IBM to the Uwchlan-based drug component manufacturer two years ago as a decision she has “no regrets at all” about making.

The three were representatives of companies highlighted Wednesday at the Chester County Economic Development Council’s annual stakeholders breakfast meeting attended by almost 200 people at the Desmond Hotel.

The development council also shared new data from a study tracking its economic impact on the region from 2007 to 2017 that found:

• $496 million in construction project earnings in Pennsylvania were enabled by loans and grants facilitated by CCEDC;

• 317 Small Business Administration loans in 26 counties worth $637 million were given out;

• 121 Next Generation Farmer Loans totaling $45 million were approved;

• With the help of $11.8 million in grant funds, more than 1,500 employees per year were trained over the past 10 years through Workforce Development Employee Trainings in healthcare, agriculture, technology, energy and manufacturing.

The data was compiled, analyzed and presented by Econsult Solutions, which provides economic analysis for local businesses and public policy makers.

Steve Wray, vice president and director of Econsult, said the economic impact of the development council’s construction projects over the last 10 years was $1.7 billion.

Total project funding in the

SUBMITTED PHOTOS — CHESTER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Chester County Economic Development Council President and CEO Gary Smith thanks the organization’s supporters for their continued efforts to help grow the region’s economy.