Wayne County Joins Energize-ECI
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowWayne County has joined a regional economic development partnership. Energize-ECI Chief Executive Officer Mindy Kenworthy says the move gives the organization access to fully-developed industrial sites and additional colleges and universities.
June 18, 2014
News Release
Wayne County, Ind. — The Board of Directors of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Wayne County has voted to become an integral part of the Energize-ECI, Inc. regional economic development private/public partnership.
Valerie Shaffer, President of EDC of Wayne County commented, “Wayne County is looking forward to joining the Energize-ECI region and working more closely with our neighboring counties. This comes at an exciting time for the organization as Mindy Kenworthy has stepped into the Energize-ECI leadership role to assist the member counties in promoting our region and helping provide us with opportunities for economic success. I am very eager to work with everyone involved.”
The EDC of Wayne County was organized in 1993 as a replacement to earlier efforts by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and City of Richmond. The organization is under contract for economic development services with the Wayne County Commissioners and most of the county’s towns. The EDC has a volunteer Board of Directors to provide policy governance, visions and organizational focus. 2014 EDC officers include: Jim Cohen, Chair; Nancy Green, Vice-Chair; Lee Elzemeyer, Treasurer; and Paul Witte, Secretary.
“With the addition of Wayne County to the Energize-ECI, Inc. partnership, the organization gains additional assets to market the region for new jobs and investment,” advised Mindy Kenworthy, President/CEO of Energize-ECI, Inc. “Wayne County can provide fully developed industrial sites with rail and interstate access along with available workforce and training opportunities through its colleges and universities that include Earlham College, Indiana University East, Purdue College of Technology and Ivy Tech Community College. Energize-ECI looks forward to working with local economic development and elected officials to promote East Central Indiana.”
The population for the 10 counties served by Energize-ECI, Inc. is approximately 535,540. Since its founding in 2005, Energize-ECI, Inc. has participated in 23 Indiana Economic Development Corporation trade missions; 37 regionally coordinated trade missions to key U.S. cities; 26 professional site consultant roundtables; 12 trade shows; more than 16 association Conventions and seminars, plus foreign trips to China (3), Japan (3), South Korea (2), Turkey (2), India, England, and Brazil. In 2013, the economic development foundation established by Energize-ECI, Inc, helped bring more than 2,000 new jobs and over $500 million of new capital investment to the area. The mission of the regional economic development partnership is to create new jobs, bring new capital investments to the region and to improve the quality of place for all East Central Indiana residents and workers.
The ten largest employers in the 10-county Energize-ECI, Inc. partnership include:
1. Ball State University 3,741 Delaware County
2. IU Health / Ball Memorial Hospital 2,819 Delaware County
3. Reid Hospital & Health Care 2,200 Wayne County
4. St. Vincent Hospital Anderson 1,719 Madison County
5. General Motors 1,571 Grant County
6. Pendleton Correctional Facility 1,436 Madison County
7. Anderson Community Schools 1,432 Madison County
8. Community Hospital 1,223 Madison County
9. Marion General Hospital 1,161 Grant County
10. Hoosier Park Racing & Casino 996 Madison County
The ten largest manufacturers (by employment) in the region include:
1. General Motors 1,571 Grant County
2. Red Gold 900 Madison County
3. American Woodmark 790 Grant County
4. FCC (Indiana) 757 Jay County
5. Belden Wire & Cable 693 Wayne County
6. Nestle 605 Madison County
7. Draper Inc. 524 Henry County
8. ELSA Corp. 475 Madison County
9. Indiana Marujun 460 Randolph County
10. Tyson Foods 455 Jay County
About Energize-ECI, Inc.
Founded in 2005, Energize-ECI, Inc. is a public/private partnership providing pro-active services and programs to encourage new business investment and job creation in East Central Indiana. Energize-ECI, Inc. acts as the initial point of contact for promoting the many advantages of operating a business in the region – researches, collects and cultivates leads and assists individuals, site consultants and companies researching the area. Energize-ECI, Inc. manages inquiries regarding sites, buildings and regional information, directing leads to the appropriate local economic development groups within the region. Energize-ECI, Inc. leverages the resources of the member counties to regionally, nationally and globally market the many assets of East Central Indiana to business decision-makers with plans for expansion and new job creation. Energize-ECI, Inc. benefits Blackford, Delaware, Fayette, Grant, Henry, Jay, Madison, Randolph, Rush and Wayne counties. Energize-ECI, Inc. has established a subsidiary, Energize-ECI EB-5 Visa Regional Center, to specialize in building area businesses and local jobs through low-cost foreign investments in the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) EB-5 Visa program.
Source: Energize ECI Inc.