The Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) is an independent, not-for-profit organization founded to provide policy-makers from around the world with the information and technical assistance they need to formulate and execute innovative, regional, job-creating economic strategies. CREC achieves this mission by: Enhancing Understanding: CREC works with clients to develop a data-driven appreciation of their region’s economy. We work with public and proprietary data sources, supplemented by "on-the-ground" surveys, focus groups, and interviews, to paint detailed pictures of an area’s driving economic forces. Planning for the Future: CREC works with clients as they strive to articulate and address the economic forces impacting their regions to develop a regional vision for the next generation of citizens. Empowering Leaders: CREC staff teaches policymakers, economic development practitioners, and researchers how to better gather and analyze data; facilitate discussions between state and regional leaders to create plans and policies that work for everyone; and show policy-makers how they can create effective workforce and economic development plans. CREC also manages three organizations whose own, individual missions support our overall, long-term goals, including the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), the Labor Market Information Training Institute (LMI), and the Association of Public Data Users (APDU).