The MCDED’s mission is to promote the economic health of the county through retention, expansion and attraction of commerce and industry that is conducive to an optimal quality of life for its citizens. In other words, help our businesses grow, assist those looking to expand, attract others that will provide jobs and increase supply chain opportunities, and provide focus and support in areas of workforce and infrastructure.
Some of the initiatives used to accomplish our mission include:
- Providing customized support such as: financial assistance, workforce development, referrals, management growth opportunities, coordinated efforts with elected officials and utility interaction, just to name a few. Through July, we assisted more than 567 companies.
- Long-term foundation building projects: These often take several years to develop and complete. The Illinois Century Network project for high speed fiber connectivity, which we have spring-boarded into a larger county fiber initiative, is one example. The goal is to keep McHenry County competitive.
- Initiatives with our high schools for future workforce development: In 2012, we took 844 high school students to the International Manufacturing Technology Show, and we are already planning for the next show in 2014. We feel connecting business and education to develop a dialog is important. We work with companies to host tours and career opportunities and to identify curriculum needs.
- Infrastructure and the future of our transportation network: Through our volunteer committee members and staff, we work closely with federal, state and local entities to improve access that is vital for business growth.
- Providing strategic information: Through our economic modeling software we provide detailed information about communities, municipalities and the county that outline a company’s employment and financial impact. Through July, we provided 340 demographic, site search and business data reports.
All of our programs and initiatives are designed to help grow our economy. To learn more, give us a call.
- Pam Cumpata is president of the McHenry County Economic Development Corp. For information, call 815-893-0895, or visit www.mcedc.com.