Manatee EDC formally drops Manatee

BRADENTON — The Manatee Economic Development Corp. is officially now the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp.

The organization formally announced the name change in a release today. The EDC also says it will launch an “aggressive outreach strategy to attract businesses to the Bradenton area and to assist existing local businesses with their growth.”

The EDC initially made the move to change the name in December after research showed that Bradenton had stronger national recognition than Manatee County.

“Our goal is to communicate the benefits of locating and growing a business in the nine communities that make up the Bradenton area,” EDC President and CEO Sharon Hillstrom says in the statement. Those communities include Anna Maria, Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, Ellenton, Holmes Beach, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Palmetto and Parrish.

In addition to the new name, the EDC also has a new tagline: “Think Global. Think Bradenton Area.” The organization will have a new website later this year, according to the release.