$3.1 million pledged for economic board | The Olympian

Pierce County private business and public agencies have pledged $3.1 million so far to a five-year fundraising campaign for the area’s economic development board.

“There needs to be a certain amount of energy and belief in the business community,” said Sean O’Brien, president of BiNW, a company headquartered in Tacoma that renewed its investment in the Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board.

BiNW, which designs workplace layouts, pledged in the community division, which is a commitment of $5,000 to $24,999. O’Brien, an EDB board member, wouldn’t say Friday exactly how much BiNW chipped in. A news release from the EDB indicates the company increased its investment by 10 percent or more from the last five-year campaign.

The economic development board is a private, nonprofit corporation that promotes Pierce County for business recruitment, retention and expansion. It does fundraising campaigns every five years.

The goal for the 2011-15 campaign and work plan, called Future Focus, is $6 million. According to an EDB brochure, $3 million will go toward recruitment, $2 million toward retention and expansion, and $1 million to marketing.