Chester County’s 10-year economic development strategy, VISTA 2025, is marking the approach of its halfway point with the release of a progress report on the economic health of the county.

VISTA 2025 is a unique collaboration between the County of Chester and the Chester County Economic Development Council and includes partners from Chester County’s public and private sectors.

Launched in 2014, the strategy follows the fundamental premise that progress and preservation are complementary elements necessary to support economic health while maintaining the “sense of place” that makes Chester County so attractive to residents and businesses. VISTA 2025’s five main goals are focused on developing quality of place, workforce and talent, high-priority industry clusters, an innovation culture, and expanding infrastructure.

Today, the economic health of Chester County is strong and vibrant. The county has one of the largest county-level economies in the U.S., ranking in the top five percent with a GDP of $31.4 billion. As a result of the contributions of many partners from across business, education, and workforce/economic development, the following achievements meet VISTA 2025’s five major goals while maintaining a commitment to open space and the environment:

• Convening a Workforce Summit that brought together more than 100 leaders from business, education, economic development, and workforce to address nine critical areas needed to grow and maintain an unparalleled workforce
• Establishing a $4M “Venture Chesco” Fund, a partnership between the county, through the Chester County Pension Board, and Ben Franklin Technology Partners to expand financial resources to emerging tech companies
• Conducting annual “Take the Pulse” surveys to gauge the views of industry partners and business leaders on local business climate, trends, and growth estimates
• Organizing Urban Center Forums to access critical economic development resources for Chester County’s boroughs and the City of Coatesville
• Creating the innovative communications vehicle, VISTA Today, to tell the good news of the county’s commerce, culture, and community

“We are pleased with the progress made to date and will continue our commitment to maintaining and building upon Chester County’s economic health for generations to come,” said Gary Smith, CCEDC President and CEO.

Michelle Kichline, Chair of the Chester County Commissioners who also serves as Co-Chair of VISTA 2025, said: “In late 2014, the County Commissioners endorsed VISTA 2025 as our first economic development strategy. Since that beginning, work on implementing the various goals of the VISTA strategy has steadily progressed.

“It is very fulfilling to review and celebrate VISTA 2025’s achievements thus far. In Chester County, we recognize that how we grow is critical. This 10-year economic strategy, implemented alongside our Landscapes3 comprehensive plan, lays out a vision of smart growth for Chester County and the specific activities needed to achieve that vision. It allows us to plan for the future, invest in the future, and work hard to make the future we want a reality.”

The full progress report can be accessed by clicking here.

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