PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 13, 2025
Press Contact:
Molly Dillon
molly.dillon@americaachieves.org
Today, coalitions of business leaders and economic organizations have come together to release two community-sign on letters that call for robust appropriations for the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) program and the recently re-authorized Economic Development Administration (EDA)’s Workforce Training Grants and State Grant Pilot Program.
Employers currently project millions of unfilled positions in sectors critical to economic and national security – including energy, healthcare, skilled trades, and emerging technologies. In response, the signatories of both letters agree that if fully funded, the strong, bipartisan-supported initiatives have the potential to not only address workforce preparedness and worker shortages, but also strengthen local economies, empower workers, and enhance America’s national security and global leadership in innovation. The dozens of signatories include corporate leaders, local, business-led regional impact groups representing small, medium, and large-sized businesses, as well as other workforce and economic development-related non-profit organizations.
- The first letter, with more than 40 signatories, requests continued support for the Tech Hubs program to ensure regions across the country can build globally competitive ecosystems in critical technology sectors. Specifically, it calls on Congress to appropriate at least $250 million in FY26 of authorized funding for this critical initiative — in addition to the Advanced Wireless Services (AWS-3) auction proceeds already dedicated to the program, as authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act for FY25. (The legislation allows the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a one-time auction for the AWS-3 spectrum band; a portion of the proceeds have been dedicated to funding Tech Hubs.) The letter also details the strong demand for more Tech Hubs across the country, as well as the program’s importance in advancing U.S. competitiveness and strengthening national security by leading in key technology sectors. The Tech Hubs program was authorized at $10 billion under the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. To date, less than 8% of the authorization has been funded so far. Nearly 400 regions applied in the first round, but only a small percentage of applicants have been awarded implementation grants due to limited appropriations. The full text of the letter can be found here.
- The second letter, with nearly 30 signatories, urges Congress to fully appropriate the EDA Workforce Training Grants and State Grant Pilot Program at $50 million for FY26, as authorized at the end of last session under the bipartisan EDA reauthorization. These investments will help support employer-driven efforts to close skill gaps and connect more Americans to good jobs in in-demand industries. They are also critical to giving states the flexibility they need to expand access to high-quality, short-term training that leads directly to good jobs, while helping employers fill the good jobs they are currently hiring for. This strengthens regional economies, national economic competitiveness, and national security by building a more resilient, skilled workforce in in-demand sectors. The full text of the letter can be found here.
The full list of signatories is below.
Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs)
- Jon Schnur – CEO, America Achieves
- Steve Case – Chairman and CEO, Revolution (Washington, DC)
- Peter Frosch – President and CEO, GREATER MSP Partnership (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN)
- GREATER MSP Partnership investor organizations include companies such as Medtronic, Mayo Clinic, Ecolab, General Mills, Delta Airlines, Xcel Energy, and U.S. Bank.
- Beth Conerty – Regional Innovation Officer, iFAB Tech Hub (Champaign-Decatur, IL)
- iFAB Tech Hub member organizations include companies such as ADM, Primient, Synonym, Kraft Heinz, Boston Bioprocess
- Kevin Stotts – President, TalentFirst, Inc. (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- TalentFirst investors include companies like Amway, Haworth, Steelcase, Gentex, Corewell Health, Trinity Health and more than 100 leading employers in West Michigan.
- Kathy Henrich – CEO, MKE Tech Hub Coalition (Milwaukee, WI)
- MKE Tech Hub Coalition has over 145 partner investors. A full list can be found on their website.
- Matt Regan – Senior Vice President, Bay Area Council (San Francisco, CA)
- John Dearie – Founder and President, Center for American Entrepreneurship
- Scott Laband – President, Colorado Succeeds (Denver, CO)
- Christine Heitz – CEO, Colorado Thrives (CO)
- Jayme D. Powell – Executive Director, Detroit Regional Workforce Partnership, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (Detroit, MI)
- Baiju R. Shah – CEO, Greater Cleveland Partnership (Cleveland, OH)
- Michael Hecht – President and CEO, Greater New Orleans, Inc. (New Orleans, LA)
- Todd Sanders – President and CEO, Greater Phoenix Chamber (Phoenix, AZ)
- Jay Ash – CEO, Massachusetts Competitive Partnership (Boston, MA)
- Tim Cairl – VP, Talent Development, Metro Atlanta Chamber (Atlanta, GA)
- Douglas Wilson – Chair and CEO, National Talent Collaborative
- Jeff Neubauer – President and CEO, New Wisconsin Org, Inc. (Racine, WI)
- Nuwan Samaraweera – COO and EVP, Talent Solutions, P33 (Chicago, IL)
- Bemetra Simmons – President and CEO, Tampa Bay Partnership (Tampa, FL)
- Joy M. Polefrone, PhD – Regional Innovation Officer, APM Tech Hub, Alliance for Building Better Medicine (Richmond-Petersburg, VA)
- Anthony Green, Ph.D. – Chief Scientific Officer, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern PA; Lead, PROPEL – The National Center for Precision Medicine, an EDA-Designated Tech Hub (Philadelphia, PA)
- Dennis Ridenour – President and CEO, BioNexus KC (Kansas City, MO)
- Sanjay Singh – Chair, Birmingham Bio Innovation Corp (Birmingham, AL)
- Bruce A Knight – Planning and Development Director, City of Champaign, Illinois (Champaign, IL)
- John Milton-Benoit – President and CEO, Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) (Disputanta, VA)
- Nicole Bateman – President, Economic Development Corporation of Decatur - Macon County (Decatur, IL)
- Mark Denzler – President and CEO, Illinois Manufacturers' Association (Springfield, IL)
- Melissa Roberts Chapman – President and Regional Innovation Officer, KC BioHub (Kansas City Region, KS and MO)
- Joseph Stefko – Regional Innovation Officer, NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub (Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse, NY)
- Bill Ruch – Chair, Tech-Based Economic Development Practice, Lewis-Burke Associates LLC (Washington, DC)
- Linda Moore – President & CEO, TechNET
- Dan Berglund – President, SSTI (OH)
- Zakiyyah Ali – Executive Director, Tech Council of Delaware (Wilmington, DE)
- Keri Randolph – Executive Director, Chattanooga 2.0 (Chattanooga, TN)
- Gregory M. Wesley – President and CEO, Greater Milwaukee Foundation (Milwaukee, WI)
- Caroline Treschitta – Senior Government Affairs Manager, National Skills Coalition (Washington, DC)
- Shalin Jyotishi – Founder and Director, Future of Work and Innovation Economy Initiative, New America (Washington, DC)
- Lisandra Gonzales – CEO, Rocky Mountain Partnership Cradle to Career™ (North Metro Denver Region, CO)
- Josh Davis – VP Policy and Partnerships, Strive Together (Cincinnati, OH)
- David W. James, Ed.D. – Executive Director, Summit Education Initiative (Akron, OH)
EDA Workforce Training Grants & State Grant Pilot Program
- Jon Schnur – CEO, America Achieves
- Kevin Stotts – President, TalentFirst, Inc. (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- TalentFirst investors include companies like Amway, Haworth, Steelcase, Gentex, Corewell Health, Trinity Health and more than 100 leading employers in West Michigan.
- Kathy Henrich – CEO, MKE Tech Hub Coalition (Milwaukee, WI)
- MKE Tech Hub Coalition has over 145 partner investors. A full list can be found on their website.
- Matt Regan – Senior Vice President, Bay Area Council (San Francisco, CA)
- John Dearie – Founder and President, Center for American Entrepreneurship
- Scott Laband – President, Colorado Succeeds (Denver, CO)
- Christine Heitz – CEO, Colorado Thrives (CO)
- Baiju R. Shah – CEO, Greater Cleveland Partnership (Cleveland, OH)
- Michael Hecht – President and CEO, Greater New Orleans, Inc. (New Orleans, LA)
- Todd Sanders – President and CEO, Greater Phoenix Chamber (Phoenix, AZ)
- Jay Ash – CEO, Massachusetts Competitive Partnership (Boston, MA)
- Tim Cairl – VP, Talent Development, Metro Atlanta Chamber (Atlanta, GA)
- Richard Gochnauer – Board Member and Co-Founder, National Talent Collaborative
- Jeff Neubauer – President and CEO, New Wisconsin Org, Inc. (Racine, WI)
- Nuwan Samaraweera – COO and EVP, Talent Solutions, P33 (Chicago, IL)
- Bemetra Simmons – President and CEO, Tampa Bay Partnership (Tampa, FL)
- Majestic Lane – Chief Opportunity Officer, Allegheny Conference on Community Development (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
- Keri Randolph – Executive Director, Chattanooga 2.0 (Chattanooga, TN)
- Gregory M. Wesley – President and CEO, Greater Milwaukee Foundation (Milwaukee, WI)
- Caroline Treschitta – Senior Government Affairs Manager, National Skills Coalition (Washington, DC)
- Nathan Hora – Senior Advisor, Federal Policy, National Youth Employment Coalition (Washington, DC)
- Shalin Jyotishi – Founder and Director, Future of Work and Innovation Economy Initiative, New America (Washington, DC)
- Dreama Gentry – President and CEO, Partners for Rural Impact
- Lisandra Gonzales – CEO, Rocky Mountain Partnership Cradle to Career™ (North Metro Denver Region, CO)
- Josh Davis – VP Policy and Partnerships, Strive Together (Cincinnati, OH)
- David W. James, Ed.D. – Executive Director, Summit Education Initiative (Akron, OH)
- Zakiyyah Ali – Executive Director, Tech Council of Delaware (Wilmington, DE)
- Quinetha Frasier – Director of Institutional Advancement, Tricounty Cradle to Career Collaborative, Inc. (Charleston, SC)
- Isabel Almeida – President and CEO, United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut (Bridgeport, Danbury, Stamford, and New Milford, CT)
America Achieves is a leading nonprofit organization that supports a national network of communities and states that are working to ensure every American has a clear path to a good job with upward mobility.
