Leadership class learns at TimberTech, air park

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WILMINGTON — Devastation strengthens communities, as people tend to rally together in times of need. Events in Clinton County in recent years serve as a prime example of this phenomenon. As a result of the devastation caused by DHL’s exit, many people are working diligently to revitalize Clinton County. On Dec. 17, the current Clinton County Leadership Institute class learned about this journey during a day of economic development activities.

The day included tours of the TimberTech and the Wilmington Air Park, as well as a small business presentation and lunch provided by Tricia Heys, owner of Kava Haus.

These businesses each play a vital role in stabilizing the economy of Wilmington and Clinton County in general. I believe that Kava Haus is a gem in this community. It not only provides a comfortable atmosphere, but the food and beverages are great and the business venture serves as evidence that small businesses can succeed in our County.

We learned that TimberTech is one of our county’s top employers, providing ,employment to many Clinton County residents. The facility is quite large, and still has room for expansion. The many products they make are sold internationally. The size and complexity of the plant surprised me.

As we continued our journey, I was also surprised to learn that the Wilmington Air Park is a key employer in the area, employing 1,300+ people. There are many people working together to bring additional businesses to the air park in the near future, as well.

Our tours were broken up a bit to take in presentations by community leaders from Regional Planning, the Port Authority and the Chamber of Commerce who shared their visions for economic development in Clinton County. They provided evidence to support both the level of devastation our county faced, as well as the level of resilience we have experienced since that dreadful time.

We ended the day with a sense of hope for the sustainability of Clinton County.

About Leadership Clinton:

The Clinton County Leadership Institute was created in the fall of 1986. Over 140 companies and individuals have sponsored more than 500 graduates in the adult program and more than 400 youth have graduated from the Youth Collaborative program, which was launched in 1994. For more information, please contact CCLI at 937-282-7120 or email [email protected].

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By Rebeka Hamilton

Clinton County Leadership Institute

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