Laura Lea Palmer of The Woodlands EDP becomes one of two Certified Economic Developers (CEcD) in Montgomery County

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership (EDP) announces the newest Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) in Montgomery County, Laura Lea Palmer the Vice President of Business Retention & Expansion.



Laura Lea is a recent graduate of University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute, a premier economic development program in the nation, and after taking the CEcD exam has become one of two in Montgomery County with this professional certification. The CEcD exam covers 10 competency areas of business retention and expansion, strategic planning, marketing/attraction, technology-led economic development, real estate development and reuse, economic development finance, credit analysis, workforce development, neighborhood development strategies, management economic development organizations and Entrepreneurial and small business development strategies.



Laura Lea joined the EDP in 2011 to serve in the role as Vice President of Business Retention and Expansion. In this position she is responsible for maintaining existing relationships with businesses in the community, as well as assisting them with their employee recruitment, and development, expansion of space as needed, and providing demographic/labor market profiles when appropriate.



“With 8 years of economic development experience with our organization, Laura Lea has been a major team player to attract companies and expand businesses and encouraging entrepreneurism. We want to congratulate Laura Lea on achieving the CEcD designation. It adds tremendously to the professional credibility that The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership demonstrates in the economic development arena,” said Gil Staley, Chief Executive Officer.