From EDCO intern to key employee

Matt Sybrant’s senior year at OSU-Cascades was a busy one. After the business and international studies major and his family returned from a study abroad program in Santander, Spain, he embarked on a coveted year-long internship with Economic Development for Central Oregon before graduating summa cum laude in June 2015.

Those experiences gave Matt a leg up when he applied for a full-time position at EDCO. A search committee with representatives from Looking Forward, the Tech Alliance of Central Oregon, the Oregon Outdoor Alliance and Bend Bioscience Consortium, selected the recent graduate from a field of 100 applicants to serve as EDCO’s first key industry coordinator.

“I’m thrilled to be working with the EDCO team again,” said Matt, “and to help support the growth of these exciting industries.”

In his new role, Matt will work with the EDCO team to grow key industry clusters in Central Oregon, like outdoor gear and apparel, bioscience and high tech. The position was made possible by the City of Bend’s Economic Development Advisory Board and the Maybelle Clark McDonald Fund through awards made to Tech Alliance. Tech Alliance contracts with EDCO for professional services, including the hiring and oversight of the key industry coordinator. 

Matt earned an associate’s degree in computer information systems from Central Oregon Community College and B.S. in business administration and B.A. in international studies from OSU-Cascades. Outside of work, he holds volunteer positions with Bend Film, the Latino Community Association and Oregon Rally Group.