CEO Corner: A decade of economic development

Reflecting on my tenure at EDASC

By John Sternlicht, CEO

Last summer marked my 10th anniversary as CEO of EDASC. Reflecting on this decade, I see our work in three distinct phases: initial innovation, the Covid-19 pivot, and our current "new reality." Throughout, we’ve balanced internal management improvements with external programmatic shifts – though the two are inextricably linked.

Phase 1: Innovation and Strategy (2015–2019)

I joined EDASC in 2015 with a mandate for "fresh eyes.” I likened the task to renovating a beautiful but dated home; the "floor plan" needed to evolve for modern needs. A 30-member steering committee and broad community input shaped our first-ever Strategic Plan, introduced in January 2016. It focused on three classic pillars of economic development: business recruitment, business retention and expansion, and capacity building.

Another change in these early days, we traded "Association" for “Alliance” in our name, emphasizing the collaborative engagement with the community and particularly EDASC Investors, formerly known as “members.” This change also distinguished EDASC’s economic development and capacity building work from the business-support roles of local chambers of commerce.

Key milestones included:
•    Business Retention and Expansion: Initiating a program assisting existing Skagit businesses in growing here.
•    Inclusive Outreach: Reinstituting the Latino Business Retention & Expansion (LBRE) program.
•    Infrastructure & Collaboration: Convening efforts for county-wide fiber, facilitating creation of a Tourism Promotion Area, developing the Anacortes Maritime Strategy, and developing the value-added agriculture Innovation Partnership Zone.

Soon after I was hired, I discovered a second nonprofit under my care: the EDASC Foundation, which the organization originally created to direct Leadership Skagit. This meant managing two of everything – from boards to books. Moving EDASC from 501c6 status to 501c3 would consolidate the two entities and give the organization greater flexibility in funding channels with the added benefit of ensuring Leadership Skagit was fully under the EDASC umbrella.

On Jan. 1, 2020, we merged EDASC with its Foundation, which would soon prove fortuitous as the world shifted with the appearance of Covid-19.

Phase 2: The Covid Pivot (2020)

Two months after our merger, the world changed. We transitioned to remote work overnight, eventually moved to a more efficient office upon returning to in-person work in 2021, and actually increased revenue and small-business support during the shutdown. Our new 501c3 status allowed us to access PPP and EIDL loans and distribute state grants to local chambers and downtown associations. Despite the pandemic, we facilitated the new Skagit location and expansion of Silfab Solar and kept Leadership Skagit thriving virtually.

EDASC maintained communications during the shutdown, meeting regularly with Congressman Larsen and local government and business leaders. We connected the community with recovery resources and hosted well-attended virtual events.

In light of national events, the EDASC board affirmed the importance of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and redoubled efforts to reflect that in our programming. In concert with the county’s six chambers of commerce, EDASC began the online JEDI lecture series, featuring speakers bringing concepts and data to light making the business case for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As a result, EDASC received the inaugural Washington Economic Development Association DEI award, recognized as a leader in this statewide and national effort.

Phase 3: The New Reality (2021–Present)

Armed with the County’s Economic Recovery Plan that EDASC penned, we entered the post-pandemic era with renewed energy, bringing about new programs while continuously improving our core pillars. 

We hired a bilingual business advisor to assist Spanish-speaking business owners and a community relations associate to manage the Leadership Skagit program’s operations. We partnered with the state’s Labor & Industries to conduct outreach to small businesses. New grant and contract funding reaffirmed the work we do is meaningful and necessary.

Some of this work included:
•    Emphasis on workforce development: Coming out of the pandemic, employers faced challenges finding local workers with the right skills for the work they do. To aid employers, we leaned into developing a workforce pipeline from the region’s educational institutions, helping to build an apprenticeship program connecting students in technical programs to employers. Additionally, EDASC hosted regional job fairs with WorkSource and created an online job board.
•    New Consortia: EDASC acted as the fiscal agent to launch both the Skagit Tourism Bureau and the Skagit Housing Consortium.
•   Focus on entrepreneurship: A partnership with RAIN Catalysts as well as EDASC’s own Startup School program have helped to grow the ecosystem of support for entrepreneurs. Startup School, offered in both English and Spanish, has been a vital part of supporting entrepreneurs in the county’s Latino community.

In recent years, EDASC has had plenty to celebrate, including the organization’s 50th anniversary in 2022, Leadership Skagit’s 20th anniversary in 2024, and becoming the first Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) in the Pacific Northwest. This "seal of approval" from the International Economic Development Council – held by fewer than 100 organizations globally – proves our operations are world-class.

As I prepare to step down from the helm of EDASC in early 2027, I know the organization is positioned to move into EDASC 3.0. 

In my remaining months, our task remains simple but significant: keep the work fresh, the team ready, and the community united in the belief that we all have a stake in Skagit County’s future.