The City of Hudson is honored to be named a Top7 Intelligent Community of 2020 by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) for the second year in a row.
“This is a significant achievement, and we are very proud to be recognized by ICF,” said Jim Stifler, Hudson’s Chief Economic Officer. “It solidifies the efforts that we have made as a City to embrace innovation and technology while we strive to create a distinct competitive advantage for Hudson, the business community and our citizens.”
The global Top7 list recognizes communities that have showcased economic and social transformation in the 21st Century and that demonstrate best practices in broadband deployment and use, workforce development, innovation, digital inclusion and advocacy. The list includes communities from Australia, Canada, Estonia and the United States. Hudson is one of only two US cities to make ICF’s list, with the other being Westerville, Ohio.
“The community’s attributes speak for itself,” said Hudson City Manager Jane Howington. “The innovation, the digital equality, the sustainability, the advocacy – all of these things were already here and being implemented to solve problems, and we are very proud to have our efforts be recognized by such an influential organization like ICF.”
The ICF Top7 Intelligent Communities of the Year list was narrowed down from the Smart21 list, which was announced in October 2019 from more than 500 submissions that spanned six continents. As part of Hudson’s Top7 submission to ICF, the City highlighted strong community projects likes the Hudson City School District’s Portrait of an Explorer and its extensive training of students for 21st century jobs as well as the Hudson Library & Historical Society’s new creativity lab, internet hot spots for checkout and lifelong learning opportunities that promote digital inclusion for all. Other efforts highlighted included the community collaboration in the preservation and restoration of historic buildings, such as the 1912 Hudson Middle School and the Baldwin-Buss House, and more.
As part of the Top7 Intelligent Communities, Hudson is now in the running to be named ICF’s Intelligent Community of the Year, which will be announced in June. The winner will be based on a second round of analysis, the votes of an international jury and on in-person visits to all of the Top7 cities. Hudson will be visited by members of ICF so they can see first-hand the innovative programs that have been implemented. ICF’s visit to Hudson has not yet been scheduled.
For more information about the Intelligent Community Forum and its awards process, visit https://www.intelligentcommunity.org/awards_process.
Read the ICF’s press release detailing all Top7 winners here.
Watch the announcement video from the ICF below.
