CLARKSDALE, MS – The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) announced today Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has been elected the 2023 DRA States’ co-chairman. DRA’s Board of Governors annually elect a States’ Co-Chairman to work directly with the Federal Co-Chairman on economic development and growth in the DRA region.
DRA Federal Co-Chairman Dr. Corey Wiggins said, “I am confident that with Governor Pritzker’s shared leadership, DRA will prioritize investments throughout the entire region. Together we will incentivize job creation, retention, and ensure sustainable impact. Together, along with all the State members, DRA will ensure equitable and inclusive access to funding opportunities that will result economic growth in the Delta region.”
Governor Pritzker was sworn in as the 43rd Governor of Illinois on January 14, 2019. During his time as governor, he has accomplished one of the most ambitious and consequential policy agendas in state history. The governor won bipartisan passage for Rebuild Illinois, the largest investment in state history to upgrade roads, bridges, rail, broadband, and schools. In response to the COVID financial crisis, he launched the nation’s largest pandemic relief grant program for small businesses and the nation’s largest housing assistance program. In 2021, the governor proposed and signed a comprehensive clean energy bill, making Illinois a national leader on climate action.
“The lower Mississippi Delta is rich in culture, history, and opportunity, and we must invest responsibly to make sure those qualities are recognized nationwide and can benefit every resident through work opportunities and sustainable growth,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m proud to be selected to lead the DRA and look forward to working alongside the Board to promote economic development and advance the interests of the millions of people living in the region.”
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About the Delta Regional Authority DRA was established in 2000 as a formal framework for joint Federal-State collaboration to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River region and Alabama Black Belt. DRA invests in projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training, and business development. DRA’s mission is to help create jobs, build communities, and improve the lives of those who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state region. |