Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf Named 2017 Appalachian Regional Commission States’ Co-Chair February 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 2, 2017—Today Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Federal Co-Chair Earl F. Gohl announced that Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has been selected by his fellow Appalachian governors to serve as ARC’s states’ co-chair for 2017. As states’ co-chair, Wolf will work directly with ARC’s federal co-chair to continue the agency’s commitment to economic growth and development across the Appalachian Region. Wolf succeeds Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam in this position.

“As states’ co-chair, Governor Wolf will bring energy, ideas, and a deep understanding of Appalachia’s challenges and opportunities to the Commission,” said Gohl. “His ongoing commitment to impactful economic development makes him a great choice for this leadership position.”

“It’s an honor to be selected to represent the interests of the ARC states,” said Wolf. “I look forward to working with the organization to promote and support projects that have significant impacts on the Region, including those that foster business development and job creation, spur the growth and availability of community resources and infrastructure, and improve areas that increase overall well-being, like access to health care and initiatives that address school readiness.”

Wolf is ARC’s 64th states’ co-chair and the fourth governor from Pennsylvania to hold the position. The last ARC states’ co-chair from Pennsylvania was former Governor Bob Casey, who held the position in 1990. Wolf’s term as states’ co-chair runs through the end of 2017. Fifty-two counties in Pennsylvania are included in Appalachia’s footprint. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) facilitates ARC work in the Keystone State.

“Over the years, ARC has provided funding for numerous Pennsylvania projects that have encouraged economic prosperity in those counties within the commonwealth’s Appalachian region,” said DCED Secretary Dennis Davin. “We are grateful for this support and the positive results these projects have—encouraging stronger communities and contributing to the overall well-being of the commonwealth.”

Since its formation in 1965, ARC has invested in thousands of community-based projects contributing to the economic growth of Appalachia by training workers, creating jobs, and attracting additional investment capital to the Region. In fiscal year 2016 alone, ARC approved nearly $110 million in funding for 473 area development projects in Appalachia. These investments will help create or retain more than 18,800 jobs; train more than 46,000 students, workers, and leaders in new skills; attract an additional $174.6 million in other project funding; and leverage nearly $350 million in private investment in Appalachia. These investments were made in concordance with ARC’s Five-Year Strategic Plan for Capitalizing on Appalachia’s Opportunities.

About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission (www.arc.gov) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC's mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.