MANAGER, ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
COMED

Ed Sitar is responsible for the company’s economic development functions in the areas of marketing and promotion, business retention and new customer attraction with a strong emphasis on the data center industry.  Ed has also been instrumental in the formation of a new regional economic development umbrella organization called the Metro Economic Growth Alliance of Chicago (MEGA).  MEGA Chicago is comprised of 10 county-wide ecdevelopment organizations and the City of Chicago’s public-private partnership (World Business Chicago) and is focused on growing the economy of Northeastern Illinois through coordinated, effective business development.

For more than 14 years, Ed has managed ComEd’s efforts to attract new business to the Northern Illinois region by working closely with municipalities, regional economic development organizations, and the State of Illinois.   Specifically, Ed promotes ComEd’s highly publicized Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act (i.e., smart grid), Illinois’ electricity customer choice (i.e., deregulation) as well as ComEd’s energy efficiency incentive programs as critical factors to success in today’s high-tech business world.

Ed has also managed ComEd’s Business Visitation and Retention program, including a large-scale effort in the City of Chicago known as the Chicago Industrial Trend Report.   ComEd’s program provides a tool to economic development organizations and municipalities to help them keep their finger on the pulse of the local economy and ensure existing businesses in Northern Illinois remain economically viable.   Ed started with ComEd in 1994 as an analyst in the Least-Cost Planning Department.  He was involved with energy efficiency program planning including: program development, implementation, evaluation and analysis.

Ed serves on several corporate and economic development boards, including the Illinois Development Council (immediate past chair), the Utility Economic Development Association (vice chair), the Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing, the Economic Development Committee and the Energy Policy Committee for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the Chicago Economic Development Council, and the Chicago Fire Soccer Club’s Foundation Board of Directors.

Ed holds a bachelor degree in Urban Planning and Development and a bachelor of science in Environmental Design, with a minor in Energy and Mineral Resources from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.