MCEDA Minutes: The regional work continues

This will be my last column as executive director of the Lincoln and Minnehaha County Economic Development Associations, as I have accepted a position with the American Coalition for Ethanol. After seven years of working with the communities and businesses of Lincoln and Minnehaha counties, I will miss the excitement of helping to shape economic and community development in our region. I will also miss working with so many of you, because individuals like you in every community are the foundation of our economic development success. 

Throughout the past two decades, as our region was establishing a reputation for economic growth and pro-business development, it has been the positive attitudes of local residents and elected officials that have made the difference. Volunteers, business leaders, city councils and county commissions have banded together to make tough decisions, to commit budget dollars to vital infrastructure projects and to work hard to make their communities better places to live. 

That partnership for economic success has extended to the two organizations that have energized growth in our region. Together LCEDA and MCEDA have established a pattern for regional economic progress that has been recognized by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and other economic development groups in our state as a model of cooperative, sustained community development. Our greatest strength is the ability to share ideas that work and our biggest triumph is the willingness to celebrate the successes of our neighboring communities. 

To be part of growing our economy and providing jobs for our friends and neighbors is vitally important and satisfying work—thank you for being a part of that effort. It has been an honor and privilege to serve you for the past seven years and I look forward to the continued success of LCEDA and MCEDA.