Mission Statement
The Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation works to retain, expand, create and recruit job opportunities for Morgan and Scott Counties.
Goals
The EDC's Building Tomorrow five-year plan reflects the best thinking of many business leaders and area citizens who have participated in crafting this multi-year strategy. The $1.5 million plan has targeted five major goals and is compromised of three strategic initiatives - each intended to build upon the other.
The projected impact of Building Tomorrow is dramatic and demonstrable. By the end of 2007 the program is expected to:
- Create/retain 800 primary jobs
- Realize new capital investment of $121 million
- Result in 925,000 square feet of industrial/commercial construction
- Generate $48 million in additional annual payroll
- Produce $27 million in additional annual net personal consumption
expenditures
Strategies
To achieve these goals three proactive strategies will be implemented:
1) Business Development/Attraction
- Systematically market the JREDC area and benefits for light
manufacturing and other businesses, specifically targeting industrial
prospects in Plastics, Machinery, Metal Products and Services, and
Electric and Basic Electronic Components.
- Provide firms interested in locating or expanding with one-stop shopping
economic development services.
- Promote all available buildings sites in Morgan and Scott counties.
- Develop strong working relationships with international and national site
selectors and prospective businesses.
- Complete and implement a marketing strategy to better target intended
audiences.
- Improve the effectiveness of JREDC's website and technology support
services for prospective businesses.
2) Business Retention/Expansion
- Implement an existing industry assessment program to identify company and business issues to be addressed by proactive JREDC action to resolve company concerns and capitalize on company opportunities.
- Provide existing businesses with targeted technical assistance to expedite industrial expansion.
- Identify employer workforce readiness needs and, in partnership with other resources, design and implement workforce readiness programs toachieve desired outcomes.
- Promote a recognition program to publicly celebrate the value of industry to the local economy.
3) Communications and Investor Relations
- Involve all Building Tomorrow investors in program reviews and prepare
detailed quarterly return on investment reports.
- Perform annual benchmarking to measure Building Tomorrow programs'
productivity and effectiveness.
- Develop and promote a marketing program targeting community groups,
government and the public highlighting JREDC's activities, successes and
volunteers.
- Sponsor and conduct quarterly mayors roundtable meetings to explore
common economic development concerns and to share JREDC results.
