Ed is the Senior Manager of Automobility and Innovation, leading the Simulation Team at Invest WindsorEssex.  He completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Windsor, specializing in Political Science and Economics.  Upon graduating, Ed worked for TD Bank Financial Group in a variety of roles, including management and as a licensed investment advisor.  Following a 12-year career in finance, Ed shifted gears and joined Sylectus, a Transportation Management Software company that was created in Windsor by 2 local entrepreneurs and was sold to tech giant Qualcomm.  He spent 4 years in a variety of roles that allowed him to gain an in-depth knowledge of the transportation and logistics sector, specifically through the software and technology side.  With his passion for local government and supporting the Windsor-Essex region, Ed joined WindsorEssex Economic Development (now Invest WindsorEssex) as a Business Attraction Specialist.  During his short time in this role, Ed helped to attract a variety of new companies to the region and supported investment growth and job creation on many levels.  When Windsor-Essex was designated a Regional Technology Development Site as part of the Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN), Ed internally pivoted to become the region’s first Mobility Analyst.  As a self-proclaimed car aficionado, the movement of people and goods have always been areas of great interest to him.  Today, Ed leads a dynamic team supporting the newly established Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) program which includes providing access to Canada’s largest publicly accessible VR CAVE that was designed for the testing of C/AV technologies.  Having accurate simulation testing capabilities and high-fidelity test tracks supports companies and academics pursuing automobility technologies that will shape the future of what the next generation of infrastructure and vehicles will look like, especially as they relate to crossing international borders.  The Invest WindsorEssex VR CAVE Team welcomes anyone interested in learning more and collaborating.  Please reach out to Ed at edawson@investwindsoressex.com.