Carey Italiano, Executive Director, South Jersey Economic Development District (SJEDD)

Empowering local municipalities and fostering regional connections have been key priorities for the South Jersey Economic Development District, according to Carey Italiano, the SJEDD’s executive director. “We were in severe debt from prior administrations over the past 20 years. This is the first year that we’re out of debt, and we have ample opportunity to help neighboring municipalities, local municipalities, governments, and all of our counties,” she told Invest:.

What have been some of the main highlights and key achievements for the South Jersey Economic Development District in the last 12 months?

We are one of two certified economic development districts. Our district encompasses Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem counties. We provide grant application assistance, technical assistance, and connecting and networking resources.

It has been a unique year. I stepped into my role as executive director in April 2024, and I’ve been changing everything, redirecting everything. One example is our Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), which I’ve been revamping. We’ve integrated a new, fully developed CEDS that I hope will be completed by June for public viewing. Unfortunately, because of executive orders from the president that are halting a lot of funding opportunities, right now, as a district, my hands are tied. I can’t provide technical or monetary support, so my focus is doing a lot of connecting, from business to business or other opportunities for people to get money that is available. And of course, I’m still working with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, my biggest supporter, but right now we’re in wait-and-see mode regarding what President Donald Trump will do.

I’ve also been revamping our website, which is still in the works. Our revamped CEDS will also be on the website, with lots of graphs, lots of quick facts, and lots of things that are more engaging to investors who want to come to our region. 

For SJEDD, it’s also a new beginning. We were in severe debt from prior administrations over the past 20 years or so. This was the first year that we’ve been completely out of debt, and we have ample opportunity to help neighboring municipalities, local municipalities, governments, and all our counties. It has been a unique and positive year.

What are the primary challenges facing South Jersey currently?

We have a number of challenges right now that are related to infrastructure needs. We are in dire need of infrastructure upgrades, especially as it relates to broadband, which is a huge issue, as well as roadways in terms of the lack of workforce and public transportation, which is another huge issue. I have that as a regionalized concept on my to-do list because we don’t have any type of direct networking when it comes to New Jersey transit. There is a lot of New Jersey tax revenue created through the gas tax and we need to bring some of that down to the South Jersey area so we can provide a bigger network for transit within the county. As an example, every single county has its own industrial park. How are you supposed to connect all these workers who want to work, but they can’t afford cars because they can barely afford their rent, because rents are higher than a mortgage right now? The housing industry is so inflated that people are not living the American Dream. A regionalized transportation network would provide significant workforce development opportunities. 

So, the biggest issue right now is public transportation, without a doubt. 

What industries are having a significant impact on growth in the region?

The aviation and aeronautics sector in Atlanta County is huge. That sector is doing some awesome things, including partnerships with Woodbine Airport and Cape May Airport. There are also some cool concepts to start looking at, like using drones for deliveries. Instead of an Amazon truck pulling up in front of your house, for example, it’s going to be a drone. 

Another industry that is coming to South Jersey is the film industry. It’s not here yet, but I’m working on it, and I’m focusing on it. The New Jersey film industry is trying to plant some more roots here in South Jersey. We’re working on trying to get some more film-ready workshops. There’s a five-step process to becoming film-ready, and I’m trying to figure out how to work with the municipalities and the counties to make it more of a shared service.

What makes South Jersey attractive for economic development?

It’s the affordability. We have lower taxes. We like to compare ourselves to the corridors of Pennsylvania and Delaware, maybe parts of Maryland, too. We are also a centralized hub. Atlantic City Airport now has some cargo capacity, which makes the region more attractive for investment purposes, such as for bigger manufacturing companies. 

What are your key goals or vision for the near term?

My vision for South Jersey is to be sustainable. I want people to live here. I want people to be born here, raise their families here, and I want them to stay and retire here. That is my goal. It’s a huge tourist destination. It’s a huge industry for wineries, breweries, and distilleries. We have prime vacation spots. We are also a prime location for destination spots such as the Poconos, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

I feel like there is a change in climate, and when I say climate, I don’t mean sunshine and rain. I mean in terms of generations. The new generations want to get outside, get moving. Our region offers a lot of different dynamics, from getting outside to going down the shore. All our needs can be met here. I don’t want anybody to have to travel outside of New Jersey because they can’t fill their needs here.