Portia Bailey-Bernard Wins 40 Under 40 in Economic Development Award

Bailey-Bernard leads the city's economic development organization, Develop Indy, which in 2022 worked on over 64 projects creating and retaining over 8,500 jobs.

Ind. (Feb. 01, 2023) – Portia Bailey-Bernard, senior vice president of local economic development for the Indy Chamber, has been announced as a recipient of the Development Counsellors International 2023 Economic Development 40 Under 40 Award, the biennial award recognizing rising stars under 40 years old in the economic development industry.

The national awards program is hosted by Development Counsellors International (DCI). An independent selection committee of six economic development leaders and site selection consultants evaluated nominations based on demonstration of strong leadership, commitment, and innovation every day in the workplace.

"The purpose-driven work of economic development plays a vital role in communities around the world, and much of it is led by young professionals," said Julie Curtin, president of DCI's economic development practice. "These 40 rising stars are contributing their creativity, dedication, and leadership to make a tremendous impact in their communities and our industry as a whole, and I so look forward to what lies ahead in their careers."

Develop Indy serves as the front door to economic development for the city of Indianapolis. Bailey-Bernard advises businesses and local government entities with respect to state and local government incentives for growth and expansion projects throughout Marion County. As a community leader, Portia recognizes her role in thinking about how future generations will interact with the core of downtown, taking every opportunity to use her seat at the table and bring others along. The projects that Bailey-Bernard and her team worked on in 2022 brought in over $1.1 billion in economic development for Indianapolis.

"Portia's innovative and collaborative approach to economic development aligns stakeholders, articulates a clear vision, and realizes a larger vision in meaningful ways that strengthen Indianapolis," said Moira Carlstedt, interim President and CEO, Indy Chamber. "Both personally and professionally, she's committed to making a difference in her community in a way that creates ripples across the city and state."

DCI, a New York-based integrated marketing firm that works with economic development and travel organizations around the globe, and Jorgenson Consulting, a leading national executive search firm serving organizations in non-profit, economic, and community development industries.

For more information on the 40 Under 40 awards program and this year's winners, visit econdev40under40.com and connect with Bailey-Bernard and the Develop Indy Staff at IndyChamber.com/DevelopIndy.

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About Develop Indy

Develop Indy attracts and retains business through traditional and non-traditional economic development. We serve as the first stop to navigating the Indy business community, whether a neighborhood resource, local startup, or international firm. Our primary focus is on facilitating long-term investments in competitiveness while ensuring that more residents can connect to economic opportunities. This includes re-orienting existing incentives, introducing new incentives, and building partnerships to help advance community objectives and prioritize inclusivity. Develop Indy in the business of developing a thriving Indianapolis community.

About DCI

Development Counsellors International (DCI) is the leader in travel, economic development, and talent attraction marketing. Since 1960, DCI has worked with more than 500 cities, regions, states, and countries, helping them attract business investors, visitors, and workers. DCI has offices in New York and Denver. For more information, visit aboutdci.com or follow @aboutDCI on Twitter.

About Jorgenson Consulting

Founded in 1992, Jorgenson Consulting has worked diligently over the past 29 years to establish itself as a premier national executive search firm. With a focus on the fields of non-profit, economic, and community development, we partner with our clients to help them identify and secure the highest caliber of executive talent. Our goal is to develop a thorough understanding of our clients and leverage that knowledge with our own expertise and resources to source executive talent that can truly serve the organization by yielding economic benefits while also contributing to a community's competitive advantage. www.jci-inc.net