BENTON HARBOR, Mich., (April 12, 2022) – Christina Frank, Vice President of External Affairs at Cornerstone Alliance, has been named one of Top 50 North America's Economic Developers of 2022 by Consultant Connect. The economic development professionals selected for this list were nominated by their colleagues in both the economic development and site location consulting industries for excellent practices, innovation and success in building the communities they serve.

“This award is recognition of the successful projects Christina has led over the last year, and the tremendous professional growth she has achieved by earning the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) certification,” said Rob Cleveland, President & CEO of Cornerstone Alliance. “Christina looks at every development as if it is achievable, and she brings a thoughtful approach to making Berrien County a place where people can find better jobs and a better place to live. In the last year alone, her execution of ideas have led to more people living in Berrien County, as well as dramatically raising the profile of Southwest Michigan with site consultants and real estate executives nationwide. Consultant Connect is the undisputed leader in its field, and to be recognized as one of the Top 50 Economic Developers in North America is a great honor for Christina and Cornerstone Alliance.”

Each Top 50 Economic Developer will be featured individually starting May 9 through the selected social media channels of Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, where each award recipient will have the opportunity to share industry knowledge, leadership insights and career wisdoms with fellow industry professionals. Consultant Connect strives to lift up the economic development industry by recognizing remarkable economic developers. Recipients will be presented their award at Consultant Connect’s ECONOMIX event in Columbus, OH this December.

“Releasing the Top 50 list is one of Consultant Connect’s favorite times of the year because we are so passionate about recognizing economic development leaders’ transformative work. This year’s group faced hurdles unlike any other Top 50 group has seen over the past year, and we are honored to provide a platform for them to be recognized for the passionate commitment they’ve made to their communities,” said Carla Sones, managing director of Consultant Connect. This annual list recognizing North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers is designed to acknowledge top leaders in this field and elevate the conversation around economic development and job creation.