International Economic Development Group Selects Leadership Award Recipient

07 Nov, 2017

Dr. David G. Bronner, CEO Retirement Systems of Alabama and long-time champion for economic development throughout the state, was honored Monday by the International Economic Development Council’s (IEDC) Institutional Leadership Award in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

“On behalf of the IEDC board of directors and Honorary Awards Committee, congratulations to Dr. David Bronner. His outstanding achievements, hard work and dedicated service to the profession goes above and beyond to improve the quality of life for others,” according to Michael Langley, 2017 IEDC Board Chair and founding CEO of GREATER MSP, the Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership.

The award recognizes a leader of a community institution who has made significant contributions in support of economic development through their leadership, financial support, local investments, hiring/training or related activities, along with the demonstration of a sustained effort in the promotion and support of local economic development programs.

“When you think of sustained leadership and vision in economic development that has moved our state forward unlike anyone else, you think of Dr. David Bronner,” said Randy George, President of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.

“Other communities around the country know of the impact Dr. Bronner has had in economic development. They only wish they had a champion like him in their home states,” said George.  IEDC member, the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, nominated Bronner for consideration with support from partners the City of Montgomery and Montgomery County.

Dr. Bronner is an advocate of economic development in the state of Alabama. For more than 40 years, he has served as CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama public pension fund, providing decades of successful leadership and ensuring economic security for the state’s public workforce.

With Dr. Bronner at the helm, the fund has grown from $500 million to more than $37 billion today. The company administers pensions for more than 339,000 public employees and retirees. Through investments in the state, Retirement Systems of Alabama has created more than 250,000 full-time-equivalent jobs, $5.6 billion in total investments, and $1.1 billion in tax revenue.

Understanding the importance of attracting investment, Dr. Bronner has played a major role in the development of communities in Alabama. Dr. Bronner has led real estate development projects in Montgomery and Mobile, Alabama, and he has developed eight upscale hotels and conference centers that have garnered recognition from Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, and Successful Meetings.

He also led in the creation of the celebrated 11-site, 468-hole Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, which helped to increase Alabama’s tourism industry from $1.8 billion to $13 billion a year. Along with the increase in visitors and investors to Alabama, these developments have resulted in the creation of nearly 2,000 jobs and a capital investment of more than $6 million.

Dr. Bronner’s reach is not limited to business and real estate dealings; he also understands the importance of access to education and cutting-edge resources. He has shown leadership in Mobile, Alabama, calling upon local leaders to invest in the future of the city by rebuilding its ailing education system. More recently, Dr. Bronner joined the City of Montgomery, Montgomery County, and local business and military leaders to form the Montgomery Cyber Connection. The project will promote economic development, research, and innovation for the entire state and connect Alabama’s universities through research collaboration, support the Air University Cyber College mission to strengthen national defense, and stimulate business development and tech startups.

Dr. Bronner has been featured in BusinessWeek, Forbes Magazine, The Institutional Investor, Time, and the Wall Street Journal in recognition of his successful investment strategies, and led Retirement Systems of Alabama to be named PLANSPONSOR Magazine’s Retirement Plan Sponsor of the Year.

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