city government and the private sector) where she executed the city's first private-public partnership for economic development. Then from 1989 to 1997, she was the founding president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC), an organization originally called Greater Phoenix Partnership. She promoted Arizona’s first statewide economic development strategy (Arizona’s Strategic Plan for Economic Development), becoming the first state to utilize Dr. Michael Porter’s cluster-based theory of economic development as the cornerstone of its strategic plan. The strategy reduced the state's dependence on housing construction and population growth, and encouraged cluster-based industry work groups. During Morfessis' tenure, GPEC-assisted locates, including Sumitomo Sitix, Microchip Technology, Hamilton Standard Aerospace, and AT&T, established more than 164,000 new direct and induced jobs in the Greater Phoenix area, representing $2.7 billion in total employee earnings, and invested more than $20 billion in new plants, buildings, and equipment. From May 1997 to December 2003, Morfessis served as the first president of the Greater Baltimore region's new private-public partnership for economic development, the Greater Baltimore Alliance. During her tenure, she was responsible for the relocation, expansion, or retention of 34 companies and $5.2 billion of new economic activity. The economic impact of these companies was projected in 2003 to create $14.5 billion in new demand and 11,000 new jobs over ten years. Successful projects included the location or expansion of Sierra Military Health Systems, World Relief international headquarters, and Coca-Cola Enterprises as well as Bank One and the Toyota Financial Corporation. and World Duty Free Americas headquarters. She raised funds to pay for the "Why Baltimore?" campaign which aimed to change the negative attitudes held by many community members. She helped to establish Space Hope, a partnership between the Alliance, NASA, and some of the area’s colleges and universities, and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance, the region’s first organization to coordinate the efforts of the disparate performing and visual arts groups and museums. In 2004, Morfessis returned to Phoenix to found IO.INC, a consulting practice that helps leaders and their organizations and communities develop and execute strategic economic development programs. IO.INC developed a start-up city — the City of Maricopa, Arizona — and served as the architect of its economic development strategy, programs, and tool kit. Morfessis created and hosted a cable television program, Business Beat, in Baltimore, Maryland, featuring interviews with the CEOs of major corporations. Awards and honors November 14, 1997: Induction into