TEDC honors City of Navasota
City of Navasota received a Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) Award Oct. 20. Pictured left to right: Matt Prochaska, TEDC Board Member, Navasota City Manager Jason Weeks, Navasota Economic Development Director Rayna Teicheira, Councilmember Pattie Pederson, Champion Home Builders Inc. Human Resources Manager Brenda Meekins, Champion Home Builders, Inc., Navasota Champion Home Builders, Inc. Controller Dean Fauser, Navasota Development Services Director Lupe Diosdado, TEDC Chair Wesley Burnett. Courtesy photo
Special to The Examiner
The Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) presented the City of Navasota with a Community Economic Development Award (CEDA) at the TEDC’s Annual Conference in San Antonio Thursday, Oct. 20.
As a TEDC member city, the City of Navasota was recognized for its exceptional contributions toward economic vitality through the creativity, leadership and partnership in community improvement which focused on their comprehensive approach to workforce development through attraction and recruitment of Champion Home Builders, a 270,000 square foot two-plant campus in the Navasota Industrial Park.
Champion Home Builders will invest more than $10 million and create approximately 250 jobs. The city and EDC staff utilized a Texas Enterprise Zone designation and worked with Grimes County to secure a Chapter 381 agreement to help secure the project.
“The City of Navasota is very excited and honored to accept this award. Champion Home Builders has been an incredible asset to our community since they began operations in late 2021,” said Rayna Teicheira, Economic Development Director, City of Navasota.
Because of the local, regional, and state support, Champion Home Builders was able to successfully start up Plant 1 and hire over 100 local team members in 2021. It is anticipated by 2023 Plant 2 will open, and the company will hire an additional 150 employees.
“Champion Homes continues to be an economic stimulus for Navasota and Grimes County, adding new jobs and capital investment and we are grateful to have them as part of the community,” said Teicheira.
The Community Economic Development Award program recognizes exceptional contributions of TEDC member cities toward the economic vitality of their communities and the state of Texas through creativity, leadership, and partnership in the achievement of business retention, business recruitment and community improvement.
Among 24 submitted applications, the CEDA committee selected The City of Navasota to receive the award within the 10,000 or less population category. Nominees were judged on five criteria: innovativeness,transferability, community commitment and leverage, measured objectives, and secondary benefits.
About TEDC
The TEDC provides information, education, and legislative services to its members to foster the expansion of existing businesses, the location of new firms and the development of strategies that promote a positive business climate in Texas. With 930 members, the TEDC is the largest state economic development association in the nation.