Jim Erickson
Overland Park to Lawrence to Thailand to… Cairo during the Arab Spring? After Jim Erickson finished his undergrad at The University of Kansas, he got his masters from Pittsburg State University. Then he was off to Asia as a Lecturer at the Assumption University of Thailand.
After Thailand, Jim moved to Johannesburg, South Africa. Eventually, he landed in Cairo, Egypt, where he worked for the Egyptian National Competitiveness Council (ENCC) on a USAID/World Economic Forum project to enhance economic competitiveness.
He performed the roles of political analyst and chief editor for ENCC’s Annual Competitiveness Report, used internationally to interpret Egypt’s competitiveness ranking in the Global Competitiveness Index.
Jim also lectured at The American University in Cairo of Cairo during this time. When Jim and his wife Anné Erickson’ (a KC celebrity herself) were working in Egypt, it was politically turbulent, with a government overthrow and subsequent political violence occurring during their stay.
After returning to Kansas City in late 2014, Jim worked at the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, MO (EDCKC).
While there, he worked with existing businesses to support their growth in Kansas City, MO, and also worked alongside regional partners to attract new businesses to Kansas City.
After stops at the Kansas City Area Development Council and Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS, Jim returned to EDCKC in May 2020, where he was tasked to build a department to enhance EDC’s strategic initiatives work.
As Director of Strategic Initiatives, he focuses on government affairs, LaunchKC, and the Blue River EcoDustrial Corridor (BRECO).
In 2022 alone, his team and several partners launched Social Venture Studio, the country’s first social venture accelerator. In addition, they brought back the LaunchKC grant program, which just last week awarded six early-stage startup companies with $50,000 grants, real estate in downtown KC, and a significant mentorship program.
Jim has been recognized by the Kansas City Business Journal as a 2019 “NextGen Leader,” a Centurions Class of 2019 graduate, and was named to the Leadership Missouri Class of 2022 by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Jim has put tremendous work into Kansas City and focused on making it a better place for all. His work ethic, love of KC, and dedication to improving our city are fully displayed. I am excited to continue watching and supporting his journey.
Website: edckc.com