RADNOR — A new collaborative effort is underway to help the Philadelphia region grow economically, and organizers expect it could help raise wages for lower-income residents.
On Tuesday morning, leaders from the region’s businesses, education, philanthropy, government, and other sectors gathered at the Inn at Villanova to outline a new initiative to foster economic cooperation across the Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties region.
Claire Marrazzo Greenwood announced that the new initiative would be called the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership, and she will serve as its executive director.
Claire Marrazzo Greenwood is the executive director of the newly formed Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership. She said the purpose of the Partnership is “more quality jobs in a more competitive region.” (Courtesy of the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership)
“This partnership is bringing together leaders from business, economic and workforce development, philanthropy, and government across all five counties behind a shared single agenda: More quality jobs in a more competitive region,” Greenwood said as she made the announcement.
The Partnership emerged from a sustained collaborative effort by The Pew Charitable Trusts and supported by the Brookings Institution to develop a shared, data-driven approach to improve growth and mobility outcomes in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Over the past two years, local and regional economic and workforce development leaders have convened as the Southeastern Pennsylvania Economic Collaborative for an intensive planning and strategy development process.
The initiative is designed to align partners across sectors and counties around shared goals and a regional framework.
Donna Frisby-Greenwood, a senior vice president with the Pew Charitable Trusts, said beginning in 2021, Pew began looking at jobs in the Philadelphia area and found what she described as an overabundance of low-wage jobs, some high-wage jobs, and a declining number of middle-wage jobs.
They also found that people often live in one county but work in another, indicating that Philadelphia and the four suburban counties are deeply intertwined.
“We’re gathered here to celebrate the launch of a formal regional growth partnership and to unveil the data-driven strategy that will guide its work,” Frisby-Greenwood said.
Frisby-Greenwood went on to describe the initiative as “A concrete plan designed to generate jobs that pay a living wage, build pathways to opportunity, and position southeastern Pennsylvania to compete for the kinds of growth our residents deserve.”
Steve Forster, director of commerce with the Montgomery County Commerce Department, said the initiative is a new way of doing business for the region.
Steve Forster, director, Montgomery County Commerce Department, says “Even before today’s official launch, I’ve seen new levels of engagement and collaboration.” (Courtesy of the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership)
“The partnership will enhance our work in each individual county by providing the regional coordination and structure that will be a force multiplier for maximum impact,” Forster said. “Even before today’s official launch, I’ve seen new levels of engagement and collaboration across our economic and workforce development colleagues as we become, and this is the name: the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership.”
Forster said that recently a delegation from Geoje City, South Korea, a major shipbuilding area, paid a visit to Philadelphia. In the past, each county in the Philadelphia area would have competed against one another.
“Instead, we worked together to coordinate the visit and cooperate on presentations to the delegates,” Forster said. “Philadelphia already has a shipyard, but it’s up to each of us and our counties to provide the homes, the supply chain headquarters for those follow-on companies to build a U.S.-based shipbuilding juggernaut that will ensure the competitiveness and national security of the United States of America.”
The Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership (Courtesy of the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership)
Delaware County officials, in their press release following the event, said the effort is anchored by the Delaware County Economic Development Corp. and the Delaware County Workforce Development Board, which are joining regional partners to ensure that local employers, workers, and communities benefit from a stronger, more competitive southeastern Pennsylvania economy.
“This partnership recognizes that our counties are interconnected and stronger when we move forward together,” said Delaware County Council Chair Richard Womack. “By aligning resources and coordinating efforts, we’re positioning the region to support job creation, strengthen local economies, and expand opportunity in ways that meaningfully benefit families and communities in each of the five counties.”
In its press release that was issued following the announcement, Montgomery County officials said they are “already home to a strong base of employers across these opportunity industries, including enterprise digital solutions firms such as SEI, Boomi, Vertex, and Qlik; precision and advanced manufacturing companies including Teledyne Judson Technologies, C&L Rivet Co., SPS Technologies, Electro Soft, Nicomatic, and Scheerer Bearing; and biomedical and life sciences employers such as Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Globus Medical, Biocoat and Rockland Immunochemicals.”
Chris Gheysens, CEO of Wawa, spoke at the event. (Courtesy of the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership)
Chester County officials said they already have “a strong base of employers across these opportunity industries, including enterprise digital solutions firms such as Bentley Systems, Envestnet, Citco, and Savana; precision and advanced manufacturers like TE Connectivity, Ametek, Lavazza, and R-V Industries Inc.; and biomedical and life sciences leaders including Siemens Healthineers, Pression, Teva Pharmaceuticals and DePuy Synthes.”
“Workforce development is where economic strategy and people’s lives intersect,” said Chester County Workforce Development Board Director Jeannette Roman. “By working regionally through this partnership, we can better connect employers to talent and ensure residents across our communities are prepared to step into the jobs that regional growth will create.”