Daviess County partners with Purdue Extension to launch countywide Business and Retention Program

October 6, 2021

WASHINGTON, Indiana – As part of its continuing efforts to help local businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) has partnered with Purdue Extension to develop and engage local businesses countywide in a formal business retention and expansion program (Daviess County BR&E).

“The pandemic brought many changes to businesses and workforce over the past year and half, and many people worked tirelessly in Daviess County to help local businesses to both keep their doors open and now to start the recovery process,” said Bryant Niehoff, DCEDC executive director. “We know from data from economic development experts and the Purdue Center for Regional Development that businesses – particularly businesses in rural areas – typically benefit greatly when those businesses are engaged together.”

“As a result, the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation is now working with Purdue Extension to bring our broad base of businesses and local community organizations together in a formal Business Retention and Expansion Program,” he explained.

“Through capacity building, robust data analysis and participatory techniques, Purdue Extension works with economic development officials to move counties forward by promoting business development,” said Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development at Purdue University. “Purdue’s Business Retention & Expansion program seeks to foster collaboration among stakeholders to positively impact economies while deepening conversations about bettering communities.”

The local Daviess County Business and Retention Program plans to engage local businesses in supporting and implementing economic development initiatives that continue to advance quality of place, workforce attraction and development, new housing, and retention strategies to help existing businesses grow.

The first stage of the Daviess County Business Retention and Expansion Program includes interviews with local businesses. Site visits by community and Purdue officials is now underway and will be completed over the next three months. “We are also working with community and business leaders previously engaged in other economic development initiatives,” said Niehoff.  The data gathered from these local businesses will help in identifying areas of strength and areas of concern for our community businesses.  Results will be shared with the general public in a community forum.

“One of the great advantages we already have for this effort is the organized presence of community leaders that took part in the ROI Ready Communities program, which was successful in securing six figures in grant funding for Daviess County,” the executive director continued.

“Purdue Extension has been deeply engaged with Daviess County for many years and the local Extension office is pleased to further our work in this new opportunity with the Daviess County BR&E program,” said Cindy Barber, Community Development Educator for Daviess County.

The Daviess County community leaders now working on the Daviess County BR&E team include:

Tim Emmons – City of Washington; Steven Bryant – Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC); Greg Sapp – Artisan Electronics; Matt Meredith – Graber Post Buildings; Joe Morris – Daviess County Chamber of Commerce; Susan Vaughn – Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC): Jordan Sherman – Nasco; Jessica Potts – SIDC; Bryant Niehoff – DCEDC; Jill Campbell – DCEDC; Cindy Barber – Purdue Extension; and Heather Strohm – Purdue Extension.

Further details of the Daviess County BR&E program are forthcoming.

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About the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation

As a private/public partnership for county-wide economic development, the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) is working to build a foundation for a better tomorrow in the communities within Daviess County, Indiana.  A founding organization of the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park, DCEDC’s mission is to improve the standard of living in Daviess County by expanding and diversifying the economic base, promoting quality employment opportunities, and enhancing the overall quality of place. For more information, please visit www.developdaviess.com

About Purdue Extension, Daviess County

Purdue Extension is a service tailored to meet the needs of Indiana, needs we know firsthand. Our educators, specialists, and volunteers live and work in all 92 Indiana counties. We provide the link between Land Grant research and Indiana citizens. In doing that we provide practical solutions to local issues. For more information, please contact the local Purdue Extension contact Cindy Barber at cabarber@purdue.edu or visit: https://www.cdext.purdue.edu/