Will County Elected & Appointed Officials Come Together To Put Best Foot Forward

Community Economic Development Strategy Training

Thirty-three elected and appointed officials and municipal staff representing eleven Will County communities and two State of Illinois Representatives came together for a morning of learning on August 23rd at the CED’s Economic Development Training for Elected and Appointed Officials.

This annual program addresses the roles of elected officials in driving strategic and successful economic development within their communities. The topics covered included 10 Things You Should Know, Strategic Planning Principles to Achieve Success in Community Economic Development, and a Community SWOT exercise.

Our partners with the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity detailed business assistance resources & programs and we learned about utility programs for new business development and expansion from our ComEd and Nicor economic development expert partners.

ComEd was again the sponsor for the morning, and we were graciously hosted by Mayor Keith Ogle and the Village of Frankfort team. We appreciate the support and use of their excellent facility, which provided a great environment for learning and networking. A post-event survey revealed that all attendees’ personal learning goals were met, and respondents fully intended on implementing what they learned within their communities.

Delivering learning experiences such as the Elected & Appointed Officials Economic Development “Boot Camp” is based on the CED’s guiding principles:

• Defense of the Will County and Illinois Economy
• Competitiveness of Will County Businesses
• Diversification of the Economic Base
• Inclusive Economic Development
• Infrastructure Modernization
• Workforce Attraction and Development

CED Programs and services are supported by nearly 200 investors, representing more than 20 industry sectors of the region’s economy.