Lenawee Economic Development Begins with Lenawee Now
Building Lenawee County’s reputation as an important piece of Michigan’s economy is an important job. Lenawee Now does this by helping create jobs, assisting in job retention, and promoting the excellent quality of life we have grown to appreciate within our county. Lenawee Now is a non-profit organization focused on retaining business already in Lenawee, helping them expand, and attracting new businesses to the area. It is also a separate entity from the Economic Development Corporation of Lenawee (EDC of L), which is a county-managed group formed under a legislative act as an arm of county government working in an entirely different capacity.Looking back at the last year, Lenawee Now is proud to have nurtured a strong working relationship between itself, local companies and communities. Each understands that its success can positively affect everyone in the community, not just its own bottom-line. Efforts are no longer fragmented, but collectively agreed upon between Lenawee Now through semi-annual meetings with all local partners in economic development and semi-annual meetings with stakeholders, key community leaders and businesses. The purpose of these meetings is to collect feedback from the community on what we are doing or should be doing.
Additionally, our organization is working closer than ever with other with other economic development leaders in the region, specifically Hillsdale, Jackson, Livingston, Monroe, and Washtenaw counties (Michigan Economic Development Corporation Region 9). By working as a region, there is more to offer to businesses including talent, manufacturing, infrastructure, countless resources and wonderful places to raise families. Within county lines, Lenawee Now has re-energized its partnership with county commissioners to jointly manage the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the Economic Development Corporation of Lenawee, the Business Revolving Loan Fund, the Hospital Finance Authority and a recently established County Land Bank.
Interest in Lenawee County is starting to grow. Lenawee Now has had an increase in requests for information (a statewide trend) and was short-listed for three major projects. While not all inquiries come to realization, Lenawee Now is seizing each opportunity to get the word out about what Lenawee has to offer. Simultaneously, we are cultivating a local entrepreneurial culture so that homegrown businesses have the same advantages as those new to town. Retail and commercial businesses are starting up more frequently as well.
By carefully reorganizing in 2012, Lenawee Now was able to reduce its staff to three people whose objectives are very specific. Rather than planning numerous community workshops, we now support the local educational institutions and chambers in providing those types of workshops and our concentration is solely business retention, business attraction, and JOBS! Directly contacting businesses to promote Lenawee County’s qualifications has moved to a regional approach in working with prospective companies’ site selection representatives. In all, no services have been lost with the reorganization. They have been reassigned and redefined, improving efficiency and yielding better outcomes. This approach is being carried into 2013 with enthusiasm and assurance to continue providing coordinated economic development service to Lenawee County.
“The City of Tecumseh has a long partnership history with Lenawee Now,” said Kevin Welch, Tecumseh City Manager. “In the recent year, this partnership has become more strategically important due to the relationship that Lenawee Now has with the MEDC and our regional partners outside of Lenawee County.”
With the assistance of all our county partners and the support of our citizens we look forward to continuing as Lenawee County’s non-profit organization focused on business retention, expansion, and attraction to build the Lenawee community. For more information and to get involved, visit www.TheLEDC.org.