HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett announced today the creation of the Governor's ImPAct Awards, developed to recognize companies and entrepreneurs throughout Pennsylvania that are creating jobs and making positive contributions to the state's economy.

"When I was elected governor, I made a commitment to create a pro-growth environment that enabled businesses to grow and create jobs," Corbett said.  "The ImPAct Awards will give us the opportunity to celebrate and recognize the Pennsylvania companies and individuals that are investing in our workers and helping to move our economy forward."

The Governor's ImPAct Awards will recognize companies from throughout the state in five categories: Jobs First, Community Impact, Small Business Impact, Entrepreneurial Impact and Export Impact.

Nominations for each award will be provided by the state's regional economic development partners – the Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance (PREP) network. Each of the 10 PREP regions will be eligible to submit up to five nominations per category.

The Corbett administration developed the PREP network, to regionalize and coordinate local economic development services to businesses and entrepreneurs.

The Department of Community and Economic Development provides grants through PREP to local economic development service providers that provide assistance and other resources to support local business expansion and growth. 

"The past two years we have added more than 100,000 private sector jobs in Pennsylvania and manufacturing jobs have grown by the highest number in a decade," Corbett said. "This growth is due in large part to the regional economic development partners that are working every day to bring new economic growth and jobs to their communities."

The inaugural Governor's ImPAct Awards ceremony will be held in the Harrisburg region on May 23, 2013. Each PREP region is invited to submit up to 25 nominations in five categories to DCED by Friday, March 8, 2013. 

The awards are being sponsored at no cost to the taxpayers by the state's private sector partner, Team Pennsylvania Foundation, and are being coordinated by DCED, Team PA and Journal Multimedia.

Representatives from the Team PA Foundation and Journal Multimedia will evaluate the nominations and select the award recipients. 

For more information, visit www.newPA.com/impact-awards.

Media contact: 
Kelli Roberts, Governor's Office; 717-783-1116
Steve Kratz, DCED; 717-783-1132

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor