ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY
honour to have received his family’s permission
to name the EDA Leadership award; The Peter
Chaffey Economic Development Leadership Award.
This award recognises an individual who has
demonstrated exemplary performance in the
economic development profession. Successful
nominations will have had a significant impact on
revitalising communities, and will have been at the
forefront of developing and delivering projects that
drive innovation and change. They will have played
a major role in shaping and improving the practice
of economic development.
WINNER
ANNA WYLLIE
Parkes Shire Council
FINALIST
JAY HARDISON
Jay started his career in local economic development
in 1993 in the Federal Office of Labour Market
Adjustment (OLMA) program. OLMA was designed to
direct Federal funding for bespoke projects in regions
that were considered to have suffered disproportionate
and lasting economic or employment downturn during
the recession of the late 1980s.
Whilst working for The Heritage Country
Development Agency (HCDA) as the founding
Manager, Jay brought together local training
agencies, employment services providers and
regional Chambers of Commerce for the purpose of
promoting a local economic development strategy;
securing almost a million dollars in funding for
regional tourism infrastructure; and supporting the
establishment of a local retail training facility.
During his career, Jay operated his own economic
and community development business and was
contracted for several major projects by Local or
State Government.
In more recent times, Jay was employed by the City
of Belmont as Manager of Property & Economic
Development and was Chair of the WA EDA State
Practitioner Network for many years.
Anna is a dynamic economic development
specialist, bringing strategic thinking and a global
focus to regional issues.
Anna facilitates local, national and international
investments to encourage a strong and vibrant
community that enables local businesses to
grow and prosper. Anna’s focus on economic
diversification builds a strong economic bedrock,
while helping to insulate the Shire from down- turns
that result from external drivers such as drought or
commodity price drops. She has implemented an
innovative model to ensure major developments
provide immediate flow-on benefits to the local
economy and allows local business to capacity
build.
Anna has a comprehensive understanding of the
role that government and governance plays in
regional development, and has proven results
from lobbying and advocacy, working with both
government and industry to influence development.
Anna’s visionary thinking and strategic approach is
a key driver for change, not only in Parkes Shire,
but across the wider Central West region.
FINALIST
LEANDRO LOPEZ DIGON
City of Adelaide
Since arriving in Australia in 2014, Leandro has
demonstrated exemplary leadership at the local,
state and national level to progress the role and
awareness of economic development to achieve
community wellbeing and improved standard of
living through economic growth.
Leandro is employed at City of Adelaide as
‘Research Analyst and Special Projects for
Economic Growth’ and is a key advisor to the
Economic Development and Innovation Program.
Highlight’s of Leandro’s leadership and related
activities include the creation of the City of Adelaide
Economic Insights Dashboard Project, Member of
the 2017 winning Local Government Management
Challenge Team, awarded 2017 City of Adelaide
Employee Award for Collaboration, Deputy Chair of
Economic Development Australia SA SPN and 2019
National Economic Development Conference bid
and formation.
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