PRUSACC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS COMMITTEE
Including economic development officers and specialists at state, county, and city levels within the Puerto Rico - USA Chamber of Commerce organization can bring several benefits:
1. Economic Growth: Collaboration with these officers and specialists can lead to coordinated efforts to stimulate economic growth. Their expertise can help identify investment opportunities, streamline regulations, and attract businesses to Puerto Rico & participating US mainland jurisdictions.
2. Business Attraction: Economic development professionals can assist in attracting new businesses to the region. By working with the Chamber of Commerce, they can market the advantages of doing business in Puerto Rico & US mainland jurisdictions, and provide valuable resources to potential investors.
3. Policy Alignment: Closer ties between economic development officers and the Chamber can ensure that policies and regulations are aligned with the needs of the business community. This can result in a more conducive business environment.
4. Resource Sharing: Collaboration can facilitate the sharing of resources and information. Economic development specialists can provide data, research, and insights that can inform the Chamber's decisions and strategies.
5. Networking: Economic development officers often have extensive networks that can be beneficial for the Chamber's members. These connections can lead to partnerships, funding opportunities, and new business relationships. We count on a former Chief Economic Advisor to the Governor, 3 former Secretaries of Economic Development, and a former President of the Government Development Bank.
6. Advocacy: A unified voice is more effective when advocating for policies and initiatives that support economic development. By including these specialists, the Chamber can have a stronger influence on government decisions.
7. Economic Diversification: Economic development officers can help diversify the economy by identifying emerging industries and sectors that have growth potential. This can reduce reliance on a single industry and enhance resilience.
8. Job Creation: Collaboration can lead to job creation initiatives, which benefit both the community and Chamber members. Economic development officers can help match the skills of the local workforce with the needs of businesses.
9. Community Development: Economic development isn't just about businesses; it's also about improving the quality of life for residents. Inclusion of specialists can help address community development needs alongside economic growth.
10. Strategic Planning: Economic development officers can contribute valuable input to the Chamber's strategic planning process. Their insights can help set priorities and goals that align with the economic development of Puerto Rico & US mainland jurisdictions.
Incorporating these professionals into the Puerto Rico - USA Chamber of Commerce can foster a more holistic and effective approach to economic development and business growth, benefiting both the business community and the broader Puerto Rican community in PR and the mainland.
Creating a platform, organization, or program for Puerto Rican economic development officers and experts to collaborate within the Puerto Rico - USA Chamber of Commerce can yield several specific benefits:
1. Synergy of Expertise: Bringing together economic development officers and experts from various regions can create a synergy of knowledge, sharing best practices and innovative strategies for economic growth.
2. Streamlined Information Sharing: A centralized platform can facilitate the exchange of information, data, and research, enabling members to stay updated on economic trends and opportunities.
3. Access to Resources: Collaboration can provide members with access to a broader pool of resources, including funding, grants, and technical assistance, which can be leveraged for local development initiatives.
4. Market Expansion: By working together, members can explore opportunities for Puerto Rican businesses to expand their markets both within the U.S. mainland and internationally, boosting economic growth.
5. Advocacy Power: A collective voice can be more influential when advocating for policies, incentives, and infrastructure improvements that benefit Puerto Rican businesses and economic development efforts.
6. Investment Promotion: Coordinated efforts can attract domestic and foreign investments to Puerto Rico & US mainland jurisdictions, fostering job creation and economic stability.
7. Entrepreneurship Support: The platform can provide support and mentorship to Puerto Rican entrepreneurs, helping them navigate the challenges of starting and growing businesses.
8. **Education and Training:** Collaboration can lead to educational and training programs tailored to the needs of Puerto Rican businesses, enhancing their competitiveness.
9. Crisis Resilience: A unified organization can better prepare for and respond to economic crises or disasters, ensuring a more coordinated and effective recovery.
10. Networking Opportunities: Members can benefit from networking events, conferences, and partnerships that can open doors to new business relationships and collaborations.
Overall, a collaborative platform within the Puerto Rico - USA Chamber of Commerce can empower economic development officers and experts to work together strategically, leveraging their collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable economic development in Puerto Rico and its diaspora in the U.S. mainland.
JOIN THE TEAM!
- No cost to join this great networking group if you are a state, county, city or municipal Economic Development Officer- just fill in the application under Memberships Tab, and write-in "Economic Development Committee" as membership.
- Please make sure you fill out all required information, including the agency or NGO you work for. Complimentary memberships only applicable to public service or NGO's.
- Why Not?! When you feel is relevant, we encourage you to ask your organization to join and to promote its goals, and concurrently support the committees's & our organizational objectives!
Collaborate! Source! Learn! Grow!
Economic Development Forums & Trade Missions
Collaborate! Source! Learn! Grow!
Economic Development Forums & Trade Missions
Collaborate! Source! Learn! Grow!
Economic Development Forums & Trade Missions
Founding members
Jose Luis Rivera Rivera, MA, MBA: Economist | Puerto Rico CDBG-DR Economic Recovery, Economists Assn. of PR Past President, PRUSACC Economic Development Experts Committee President
My highly versatile economic and community development management experiences uniquely position me to be a “doer” and a “change maker.” I have been able to consistently employ my strategic and data-driven thinking to effectively drive success. I firmly believe I succeed by making others succeed; ultimately that is how success is achieved. My educational background and broad scope of experiences uniquely position me to effectively drive change and get things done.
Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery Experience:
Currently, I work for the CDBG-DR Program at the Puerto Rico Department of Housing. Puerto Rico has an allocation of roughly $20 Billion in CDBG-DR/MIT funds, the largest Congress has ever assigned to any US jurisdiction. I serve as staff member of the Economic Recovery Programmatic Division which is comprised of 6 Programs and has a budget of roughly $1.4 Billion. Responsible for managing the Small Business Financing (SBF), Re-grow PR Urban-Rural Agriculture (Re-Grow) and Tourism and Business Marketing (TBM) Program, and all details related to their day-to-day program delivery.
Economic Development Experience:
Worked at the Orlando Economic Partnership, economic development organization for the Orlando Metro Area. Was responsible for attracting new capital investment and jobs to the region, while fostering local growth and development across the Orlando community. Responsible for data-driven community analysis, Orlando value-proposition development, cost-benefit analysis comparisons among Metros, economic incentives ROI analysis, workforce skill-demand analysis, among others. Was actively engaged in Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E), Business Attraction Strategy, Target Sector Planning, COVID Business Recovery Efforts, Regional Incentive Program and Site Evaluation Program development, among others.My highly versatile economic and community development management experiences uniquely position me to be a “doer” and a “change maker.”
I have been able to consistently employ my strategic and data-driven thinking to effectively drive success. I firmly believe I succeed by making others succeed; ultimately that is how success is achieved. My educational background and broad scope of experiences uniquely position me to effectively drive change and get things done. Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery Experience: Currently, I work for the CDBG-DR Program at the Puerto Rico Department of Housing. Puerto Rico has an allocation of roughly $20 Billion in CDBG-DR/MIT funds, the largest Congress has ever assigned to any US jurisdiction.
I serve as staff member of the Economic Recovery Programmatic Division which is comprised of 6 Programs and has a budget of roughly $1.4 Billion. Responsible for managing the Small Business Financing (SBF), Re-grow PR Urban-Rural Agriculture (Re-Grow) and Tourism and Business Marketing (TBM) Program, and all details related to their day-to-day program delivery. Economic Development Experience: Worked at the Orlando Economic Partnership, economic development organization for the Orlando Metro Area.
Was responsible for attracting new capital investment and jobs to the region, while fostering local growth and development across the Orlando community. Responsible for data-driven community analysis, Orlando value-proposition development, cost-benefit analysis comparisons among Metros, economic incentives ROI analysis, workforce skill-demand analysis, among others.
Was actively engaged in Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E), Business Attraction Strategy, Target Sector Planning, COVID Business Recovery Efforts, Regional Incentive Program and Site Evaluation Program development, among others.
David Rodriguez: Economic Development Manager at Osceola County, FL
David Rodriguez has 30 years of experience in Economic Development and Business Financing.
He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from the University of Puerto Rico in 1990.
He started his career in business development and government guaranteed lending with the Economic Development Bank of Puerto Rico.
In 2001 relocated to Florida recruited by Banco Popular North America to lead the SBA Lending unit in Florida, helping Banco Popular rapidly become one of the top 5 SBA lenders in the US.
In 2012 David joined Enterprise Florida – the public private partnership responsible for leading Florida’s statewide economic development efforts - as Manager of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program. His experience in business development and SBA lending
was key in deploying a $97 million fund, facilitating access to capital to small and minority businesses throughout the state, as well as the Microfinance Guarantee program, assisting microenterprises access financing.
He then worked with the City of St Cloud as Manager of Economic Development, and later joined Osceola County in the same capacity, leading all phases of economic development activities directed towards growing existing businesses, creating new employment opportunities, and broadening the industrial, retail and commercial base in one of the most entrepreneurial and fastest growing counties in Florida.
David enjoys living in Kissimmee with his wife Lilliam and daughter, Natalia.
John Bozek, CEcD Strategy & Research Director at INVESTPR
John Bozek is an accomplished economic development professional, with over 15 years of experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Bozek currently serves as Director of Research & Strategy at Invest Puerto Rico, an economic development promotion organization that promotes Puerto Rico as a competitive investment jurisdiction to attract new business and capital investment to the Island.
He previously worked as an Associate at V2A Strategic Management Consultants in San Juan, where he advised multiple Puerto Rico government agencies on fiscal matters and economic development policy, and as the Senior Economic Analyst for Empire State Development, New York State’s chief economic development agency. Prior to that, he led non-profit community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in Long Island, Upper Manhattan, and Queens.
John Bozek earned his BA in History at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts and subsequently his Master of Urban Planning, with a specialization in Economic Development, from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service.
Bozek is an IEDC Certified Economic Developer (CEcD).