Donald Plusquellic - IEDC Leadership Award for Public Service

The 2008 IEDC Leadership Award for Public Service, which recognizes an elected official who has served as a committee advocate in the public sector on economic development for at least ten years is awared to the honorable Donald Plusquellic, mayor of the city of Akron, Ohio.

Mayor Don Plusquellic has been serving Akron, Ohio, for 35 years both as a city councilman and mayor. The longest-serving mayor in Akron, he has been in office since 1987. During that time, his vision has helped his city thrive and survive even in challenging economic times.

Mayor Plusquellic consistently combines innovative ideas with a determination to make Akron a city with a global reach. He admits that his most important mission is securing and fortifying his hometowns economic future. Nationally-recognized for successfully attracting European investment to Akron, the mayor has traveled around the world, working to bring international business home. Equally important are his efforts to retain current jobs. Within the last two years, mayor Plusquellic has retained and created 10,000 new jobs.

His dedication to the future of Akron is present in all he does. Mayor Plusquellic is developing a biomedical corridor in the central city. It is geographically framed within a strong medical and science community bolstered by the University of Akrons powerful polymer science and research programs, and anchored by three hospitals and a business accelerator.

For his leadership in the decade-long effort to create and develop joint economic development districts in Ohio, mayor Plusquellic received the highest honor bestowed on city leaders by the U.S. conference of mayors in 1999, the prestigious city livability award. These special districts are revenue-sharing plans negotiated with Akron suburbs that help fuel the citys economic development engine.

To sustain economic development, mayor Plusquellic has been a faithful partner with the Akron public schools in providing leadership and the assurance of community-wide support for the challenges the school system faces in the coming years. Under his leadership, voters resoundingly approved ballot issues to support operating and capital needs for Akron public schools well into the future. Additionally, the mayor has been instrumental in developing nationally-recognized after-school programs that now serve children from Akrons most impoverished neighborhoods.

Such success has been widely recognized: Mayor Plusquellic has been named:

•Municipal leader of the year by American City & County magazine
•Vice President of the International Mayors for Peace
•President of the United States Conference of Mayors.

Because he has made a positive impact on the lives of the citizens in and around Akron, the International Economic Development Council is proud to present the 2008 Leadership Award for Public Service to Mayor Plusquellic.

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Nonprofits & Activism

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