From Big Employers to Thriving Ecosystems: How the Thurston EDC Transformed Local Economic Growth Over Two Decades

Nearly twenty years ago, the approach to economic development changed. Before 2000, the focus was mainly on building a local economy around the largest employer in a region or attracting one if none existed. That thinking shifted when organizations like ours began partnering with community colleges, workforce councils, tourism bureaus, chambers of commerce, cities, ports, and private sector employers. We started focusing not just on big employers but on emerging sectors that could reshape the region’s economy over time.

This led to a new strategy: growing local small businesses and building ecosystems that support startups. While large employers remain important, we shifted our attention to creating a supportive environment for launching and growing businesses in diverse sectors. The chart below shows how our employment landscape has changed over the last decade and the success of this strategy.

Today, our region is known for fostering business growth. Last year, two research firms, Chmura Analytics and the Milken Institute, ranked our local economy as one of the best in the nation, with #1 growth in high-tech jobs (take a look at the 50% increase in the Information sector in the included graph above). We are proud of what we’ve accomplished at the Thurston EDC and remain committed to our strategy of sustainably growing small businesses.

Onward!

Michael Cade
Executive Director