The Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County was on the ground in Washington D.C. in late June at the 2024 SelectUSA Summit.

EDB Vice President for Business Recruitment Sarah Bonds was part of the Washington State Department of Commerce delegation along with other state Associate Economic Development (ADO) partners, including Greater Seattle Partners, Greater Spokane Inc., Port of Pasco and Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

This year’s gathering was a record breaker. More than 5,000 attendees from 96 international markets and 56 U.S. states and territories took part in the Summit, which offered in-personal networking opportunities and informative programming on key industry topics that affect the foreign direct investment (FDI) community.

The EDB engaged with companies from Japan, India, Poland, Korea, Australia and other countries to share the benefits of doing business in Pierce County. The companies represented a range of industries, from aerospace and clean tech to maritime and manufacturing.

Spinoff event brings the world to Pierce County

On June 20 just ahead of the Summit, the EDB and other South Sound organizing partners hosted a full-day event in Pierce County as part of the SelectUSA Seattle Spinoff. The visit was a unique opportunity to introduce 28 international companies to the multitude of benefits and opportunities that make the South Sound one of the best places for business.

Additional partners that participated in the SelectUSA Spinoff included:

• City of Tacoma
• Clover Park Technical College (CPTC)
• City of Lakewood
• Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU)
• Port of Tacoma
• Tacoma-Pierce County Tourism Authority
• University of Washington Tacoma
• World Trade Center Tacoma
• Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce

A jam-packed agenda

Attendees were treated to a full day of events, including:

• A welcome reception at CPTC’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing
• A visit to the Center for Urban Waters.
• Entrepreneurial and CEO panel discussions.
• Port of Tacoma and Tacoma waterfront tours aboard a Sea Scouts tall ship.
• A walking tour and redevelopment discussion at Point Ruston.
• A UW Tacoma tour and panel discussion on how to set up an office in Tacoma.
• A reception with community and business leaders at the Tacoma Art Museum.

“The SelectUSA Summit and our spinoff event in Pierce County were truly rewarding,” EDB VP for Business Recruitment Sarah Bonds said. “We were thrilled to be part of a record-breaking event in Washington D.C. and also give international companies a taste of Pierce County.”

The EDB will continue to cultivate relationships and engage with the international companies with the intent to grow family-wage jobs in Pierce County.