Krista Hakes Earns Economic Gardening Certification

June 13, 2012

Krista Hakes is one of six people in Florida who have completed the Economic Gardening Certification through the Florida Economic Gardening Institute (GrowFL).

Hakes, Economic Development Manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc., is now a certified “Economic Gardening Program Director” and working to implement the job creation program within the community.

“The courses took a significant amount of training, reading, and online web classes,” said Hakes. “I learned Economic Gardening concepts, history and how the program can greatly benefit our businesses and community.” Economic gardening is a program started in Littleton, Colorado, which emphasizes helping local growth companies with 10-50 employees.  These companies have been shown to be the best prospects in general for job creation.  The Economic Gardening certification serves to encourage the Economic Gardening movement-- an entrepreneurial approach to economic development. It also was created to encourage communities to use Economic Gardening tools, concepts, and practices proven to produce jobs and wealth. Pasco EDC has already begun to implement Economic Gardening initiatives through its CEO Roundtables, technical assistance programs through GrowFL and Pasco Enterprise Network (PEN), and recent microloan funding program. “We are working hard to foster an environment of entrepreneurship and innovation here in Pasco County,” said John Hagen, President/CEO of Pasco EDC. “Economic Gardening gives us even more tools to support local businesses and entrepreneurs.  This will lead to more jobs in the near future.”