The Will County Center for Economic Development (CED) Board of Directors has selected Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant to serve as its Chair. As Chair, Bertino-Tarrant will lead the Board of Directors and Executive Committee in driving countywide efforts to expand economic opportunities, strengthen the local business environment, and attract new residents.

“This is an exciting time to be leading the CED Board, as we are in a historic period of economic and population growth,” said County Executive and CED Board Chair Bertino-Tarrant. “A dynamic economic development strategy is critical to continuing to attract good-paying jobs and strengthening quality-of-life in all our communities. I look forward to working with this team of leaders to seek innovation and try new ideas to move Will County forward.”

Bertino-Tarrant is the first Will County CED Chair from the public sector, demonstrating an increased level of engagement between the CED and local governmental partners to accomplish regional economic development goals. Since taking office as Will County Executive in 2021, Bertino-Tarrant has prioritized collaboration between local governments and the CED to increase job opportunities for residents and to foster a welcoming environment for businesses of all sizes.

The selection comes as Will County continues to serve as a national and regional leader in economic development. The county’s population is the fastest-growing in the state, recently surpassing 700,000 residents, and the county ranks first in statewide job creation and single-family home building. This coincides with a historic level of federal, state, and local infrastructure investments being made in Illinois, promoting easier and safer access for both residents and commerce throughout the county and region.

“The Will County CED is excited to bring on Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant as Board Chair, after serving as our Vice Chair the past two years” said Doug Pryor, President and CEO. “She brings a strong vision, proven leadership, and a deep commitment to our mission. I look forward to working closely with her as we build on our momentum and advance opportunities for businesses and residents across Will County.”

Bertino-Tarrant aims to work closely with local leaders to strengthen local economies throughout the county and support existing businesses. She also plans on shining a spotlight on Will County’s talent pool, which serves as one of its strongest economic assets.

This includes an increased focus on the CED’s youth development opportunities to support the local workforce pipeline, such as the Internship Program, which helped provide more than 70 summer jobs for Will County high school students in 2025, and the countywide initiative to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Will County to focus on early childhood education.

“Preparing the next generation is a key part of Will County’s economic success strategy,” added Bertino-Tarrant. “Whether it’s our high-quality school systems or strong higher education institutions, our ability to create long-term employment pipelines is one of our strongest selling points for attracting industries.”

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and the Will County Center for Economic Development (CED) announced a partnership with The Dollywood Foundation to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Will County. The partnership kicks off a county-wide fundraising campaign to fully launch the book-gifting program, which mails free, high-quality, and age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five.

Thanks to the support of State of Illinois matching funds, every $16 raised locally will sponsor one child to receive a full year of high-quality, age-appropriate books. On Dec. 10, members of the Lockport Woman’s Club presented the first donation of $5,000 to help launch Imagination Library of Will County.

A kick-off fundraising event will be held on Jan. 30 at the Rialto Square Theatre. The “Imagination Celebration – A Dolly Parton Birthday Book Bash” will feature a celebratory reception and a showing of the 1980 classic 9 to 5, starring Dolly Parton. The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. on January 30 at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, with the movie starting at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $20 and available for purchase starting on Dec. 26 at the Rialto Box Office (102 N. Chicago Street, Joliet, IL – Mon.-Fri. – 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.). Stay tuned for more information on ticket purchase locations!

Young readers of today are innovators, business leaders, and changemakers of the future. This investment in early childhood education builds a better foundation for students when they enter school and encourages a cycle of success benefitting students and communities. The Will County CED is proud to partner with Will County Executive Bertino-Tarrant on this important program.

Read the announcement for more information about the event and how to donate here.

On December 6, Arvid Johnson, the 2024/2025 Chair of the Will County CED, welcomed over 350 guests to the CED’s Annual Report to Investors breakfast at the Bolingbrook Golf Club.

He expressed his gratitude to the Board of Directors in attendance, inviting them to stand and be recognized for their time, guidance, and leadership in helping make Will County a premier destination for business and growth.

Dr. Johnson also thanked all CED Investors, both those present and those unable to attend, saying, “You make the successes of Will County possible. Thank you for your generous support, and we look forward to 2025 and beyond.”

Doug Pryor, CED President & CEO, addressed the audience, recognizing the extraordinary group of leaders in the room. He acknowledged the event’s sponsors and highlighted the support of elected officials throughout the county, individually identifying those present.

Christy George, President & CEO of Intersect Illinois, was a special guest and shared the “Why Illinois” story. She discussed Illinois’ leadership in new business creation, its status as a top metro for new and expanding companies, and its ranking among the top states for infrastructure and education. Intersect Illinois is the state’s business attraction organization, promoting its assets and collaborating with partners to help companies find a site to call home. The Will County CED is proud to work alongside Intersect Illinois in promoting the state’s economic strengths and supporting business growth in the region.

Doug provided an economic update, highlighting significant wins for Will County:

• Leading the state in job creation, outpacing Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky, Michigan, and all but one county in Iowa and Indiana.
• Leading the state in residential home building.
• The county’s population has surpassed 700,000.
• The median household income has exceeded $100,000.

Additionally, Doug shared notable examples of companies investing and reinvesting in Will County, including NLX Beverage Solutions in New Lenox, Up At Dawn in Mokena, PQ Corporation in Joliet, Voortman Steel in Monee, and the Invenergy Center of Excellence in Bolingbrook. He also highlighted major infrastructure projects—both planned and underway—that are driving Will County’s development.

Some key ongoing projects include the highly anticipated Hollywood Casino entertainment complex at Rock Run Collection, Cullinan Property Group’s multi-use development in Joliet, and significant investments by manufacturers like PQ Corporation and Voortman Steel Group, which is establishing a new U.S.-based headquarters.

Pryor also focused on Will County’s 2024 infrastructure projects, such as the rebuild of Interstate 80, Olympic Boulevard connecting I-55 to the west and Houbolt Road to the east, and Will County’s third diverging diamond interchange at Illinois Route 59 and Interstate 55. These upgrades will provide full access, including auxiliary lanes, to enhance safety and traffic flow.

To conclude the morning’s presentation, Pryor highlighted the launch of the Will County Summer Internship Program, in partnership with Joliet Township High School. This year, 38 students were placed in paid internships with local organizations. Thanks to strong community support, the program will expand in 2025 to include seven additional Will County high schools, offering 147 paid internships. These opportunities are listed on the CED website’s Internship Page, with applications open until February 21.

Doug once again thanked all the leaders in the room, whose dedication and efforts help make Will County one of the most desirable places to work, invest, learn, live, and play.