After slightly less than two years on the job, Matt Tapp has stepped down as executive director of the Platte County Economic Development Council (EDC).
In a message to membership last week, the Platte County EDC announced that Tapp’s last day was Sept. 23.
“We wish him well in his new endeavor,” the message said, without detailing what Tapp’s new endeavor is.
The Platte County Economic Development Council is a non-profit corporation with a mission to promote, enhance and grow economic development in Platte County. The organization works to improve the business environment, workforce and the quality of life in local communities.
Through work with economic development partners, Platte County EDC works on business retention, attraction and expansion.
To fill in for Tapp, the Platte County EDC Executive Committee has entered into a contract with Alicia Stephens, its previous executive director.
Tapp had begun at Platte County EDC on Oct. 1, 2019.
Prior to coming to Platte County EDC, Tapp was the economic development director for the City of Raymore. He had also previously served as the director of planning and zoning for Clay County.
In the EDC newsletter, Tapp posted the following “message of appreciation.”
“As my time as executive director has recently ended, I would like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your unwavering support and commitment to PCEDC. Your hard work and commitment have helped build and grow PCEDC into what it is today. Over the last two years, our collective stewardship has been characterized by resilience, strategic thinking, and most importantly tireless efforts to increase the impact of PCEDC across the region and beyond. The resulting effects will be felt by this organization for years to come.
“The future looks incredibly bright for Platte County, as the recent 2020 Decennial Census reaffirmed our designation as the fastest growing county in either Kansas or Missouri (and it wasn’t close). However, now is not the time to rest as we’re just getting warmed up. There are abundant amounts of well-positioned acres perfectly suited for event more growth and development across all our communities.
“I have gotten to know each of you in delightful detail these past few years. Courtesy of COVID, we all know each other’s pets by name and when they’re hungry. I joke, but truly it’s been an absolute pleasure having worked in the trenches side-by-side with some amazing community leaders. Rest assured, I am not going anywhere. My family and I will continue to call Platte County home and look forward to always advocating for the Northland along with our friends and neighbors. It’s time the Northland stepped out and thoroughly asserted itself as THE place to be in KC.”
In June of 2019, the EDC announced that Stephens, then the executive director, had announced that she will retire by the end of this year. Stephens was completing her second stint with the PCEDC, this one for seven years as its director. She was initially retained as special projects coordinator and focused on completion of the Northland Sports Complex.
At the time, PCEDC chairman Dale Brouk said, “We have known for two years that this announcement day would be here before we knew it. For the last several years we have been planning and working toward critical items such as our new strategic plan, a financial reserve, taskforce work plans, the Northland Sports Complex and a better KCI. All of these accomplishments put us in an excellent position as we announce that Alicia will retire before the end of the year. Through two stints with the PCEDC she has dedicated almost 20 years of her 26-year economic development career with us. To many, she is the Platte County EDC. We can’t thank her enough for her passion and professionalism about Platte County. She has always said she does this work so that people have jobs and financial security for their families in a community known for its quality of life. We can confidently say . . . mission accomplished, Alicia.”
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