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Record Turnout for Partnering for Progress Quarterly Meeting
Over 50 investors and guests show for economic development update
GREENVILLE- A record number of investors and guests came out recently
in the cold and snow to the first Partnering for Progress Investor’s
Meeting of 2011. The quarterly event was held on Friday, January
28th at Second National Bank on S. Broadway in Greenville.
Partnering for Progress is a countywide collaborative development
effort composed of over 50 public and private partners from around
Darke County. The initiative funds the efforts of the economic
development (ED) office and is governed by the Darke County Community
Improvement Corporation (CIC).
“We’re thrilled with the attendance numbers, “said CIC Vice-President
Jim Poeppelman, who presided over the 90 minute event. “What was
particularly gratifying about this meeting was the number of new faces
in the audience.”
At the event, attendees learned from CIC Treasurer Randy Gump that the
initiative was on solid financial footing and were able to hear both a
financial recap of 2010 and the projected budget for 2011.
Attendees also got the usual update on economic development from
Director Marc Saluk, who discussed the high level of activity already
in the business community in 2011.
“There are a large number of company projects already underway at some
stage of development this year,” explained Saluk. “Many of these will
either create or retain jobs and 5 or 6 of them may involve a
substantial capital investment.”
Though Saluk emphasized that many of these projects are only potential
ones at this point, all told they put about 500 total jobs in-play if
each project were to come to fruition.
“It speaks volumes for the level of activity in the Darke County
business community that we’re already talking about the potential for
this many jobs created or retained and we’re not even two months into
the year yet,” he stated.
According to Saluk, this momentum is just a carry-over from an activity
surge that began last summer when about half of the companies that ED
personnel visited already had plans for job creating projects at some
stage of development.
Other than the brisk pace of county business projects, meeting
attendees got a recap of 2010 ED highlights which included the
attraction, retention, and expansion of a number of county
businesses. Guests also learned about plans for 2011 which
include the development of the county’s first ever stand-alone economic
development website. However, according to Saluk, what was
preached in 2010 will still be the initiative’s 2011 focus.
“We need to remain proactive and responsive to the needs of local
business. We must continue to take advantage of opportunities to assist
and in finding new ways to assist. New companies will always be
sought and welcomed; however, assistance for the existing corporate
citizens is job one….now and always.”
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