Mitchell, SD Named ICF Smart21 Community for Third Year
Mitchell, South Dakota Named ICF Smart21 Community for Third Year
Intelligent Community Forum Announces World’s Smart21 Communities of 2015
Mitchell, SD – October 22, 2014 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Intelligent Community Forum has once again named Mitchell as one of the world’s Smart21 Communities of 2015, marking the third consecutive year Mitchell has earned the distinction. Mitchell now joins the other 20 ‘Smart Cities’ in contention for the prestigious designation of 2015 Intelligent Community of the Year.
Mitchell’s nomination focused on how Mitchell’s world-class broadband infrastructure was fueling efforts to combat regional population decline. In particular, Mitchell’s educators were acknowledged at all levels for their contributions to the ‘knowledge economy’ – including K-12, Mitchell Career and Technical Education Academy, Mitchell Technical Institute, and Dakota Wesleyan University.
“The Mitchell telecommunications industry sector has 500 technical, engineering and software jobs in companies like Innovative Systems and Vantage Point Solutions,” said Bryan Hisel, Executive Director of the Mitchell Area Development Corporation and Chamber of Commerce. “These companies have been instrumental in bringing broadband communications to not only Mitchell but to rural areas throughout North America.”
Louis Zacharilla, co-founder of the Intelligent Community Forum, said of the top 21 communities, “Not all of them are cities, towns or regions that people immediately think of as ‘tech cities.’ But all have launched programs that are innovative, and will do something that most cities, towns and regions have been attempting since the broadband economy emerged: launch a successful and full-scale full revolt against brain drain and the creation of industries that will produce jobs.”
Evaluation of Intelligent Community Forum Awards Program nominations is based on the five Intelligent Community Indicators, which provide the conceptual framework for understanding all of the factors that determine a community's competitiveness and point to its success in the broadband economy. In addition, the Awards are guided by this year’s theme, The Revolutionary Community, which focuses on the study of urban and regional planning and how it is impacting the way people live, work and create in their cities and towns.
The Smart21 Communities of 2015 will next provide more detailed data through an extensive questionnaire, which is evaluated by an independent research firm. The seven highest-scoring cities or regions will then be named the Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year, on January 22 in Taichung City, Taiwan, the 2013 Intelligent Community of the Year.
One community will be chosen as the 2015 Intelligent Community of the Year, to be announced at an event in Toronto, Canada in June 2015. Toronto is the reigning 2014 Intelligent Community of the Year.
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NOTE – The Intelligent Community Forum produced a video about the Smart21 for 2015. It can be viewed here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZo6o5TOch8
NOTE – Full press release from ICF is attached in a separate document and is also available here - http://www.intelligentcommunity.org/index.php?src=news&srctype=detail&category=Awards&refno=1446&prid=1446
For further information, contact:
Bryan Hisel,
Executive Director, Mitchell Area Development Corporation & Chamber of Commerce
Phone: 605-996-5567
bhisel@mitchellsd.org
Intelligent Community Forum Contacts:
Paul Brent
Senior Communications Specialist
market2world communications inc.
Phone: 001-613-256-3939
Email: paul@market2world.com
Louis Zacharilla
Co-Founder, Intelligent Community Forum
Phone: (M) 001-917-715-0711 (O) 001-212-249-0624
Email: lzacharilla@intelligentcommunity.org
Attached:
- Full press release from the Intelligent Community Foundation
- 2015 ICF Smart21 Logo
