Economic Development Week — recognized this year May 9-15 — was created by the International Economic Development Council to increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities, and improve communities’ quality of life.
The Clinton County Port Authority will be participating in Economic Development Week for the third year in a row, in collaboration with our local Economic Development partners: the City of Wilmington, the Clinton County Board of Commissioners, the Clinton County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Clinton County Regional Planning Commission, the Community Improvement Corporation of Wilmington, Main Street Wilmington, the Ohio SBDC at Miami Regionals, and the Wilmington-Clinton County Chamber of Commerce.
As a part of the campaign, we will be conducting a comprehensive social media campaign, and just presented (along with our partners) at the May 6 (Virtual) Economic Network Alliance, a monthly event hosted by the Wilmington-Clinton County Chamber of Commerce and the Clinton County Regional Planning Commission.
Why do we take these steps, each year? Because economic development is a “team sport,” and we wish to draw attention to the many facets and participants that a successful economic development program requires.
The Port Authority is proud to be the county’s primary point of coordination and contact for economic development, but each of our partners plays a vital role. Working collaboratively with one another, our organizations ALL contribute to the success of facilitating investment and job opportunity – from new companies, large and small, and from existing employers.
We work together, to ensure that all the attributes of a successful economic development program – including relevant and timely information, technical assistance, utilities, quality of life, transportation, and workforce assistance – are available in a coordinated, thoughtful fashion.
Coordination of this nature is essential to the success of a community’s economic development effort. Ultimately, economic development is everyone’s job.
Our ability to represent our community effectively and positively, provide the assistance needed, and demonstrate that Clinton County is a location where businesses can succeed and thrive is fundamental to success. It requires multiple organizations and individuals working openly together – to demonstrate our shared commitment to a common cause.
We like to say that “you can do economic development with a compass, or a catcher’s mitt.” The communities that use a compass – that chart a path forward, work together, and create the destiny they envision – position themselves for the greatest success.
Those who use a catcher’s mitt get what falls to them.
We’re proud to be part of an effort that relies on a compass, and we’re proud of the many organizations and individuals who partner with us to chart that path for community prosperity.
Dan Evers is Executive Director of the Clinton County Port Authority.
