TCEDA NEWSLETTER
TCEDA Insights Newsletter September 2011
Welcome to the third issue of TCEDA Insights, the newsletter that provides you with highlights and updates of news and events that TCEDA is working on in the region. clenz@tcedaonline.com.
Executive Director Update � by: Cindy Lenz
I would like to begin by saying that I am very excited to be working with the people in the TCEDA region and believe there are many opportunities, both large and small, for economic development.
My first day was July 11th and since then I have been busy re-connecting with those in the economic field in the tri-state region. In this profession, relationships are "king" and I hope to continue to build and strengthen relationships both inside and outside of the TCEDA region to amplify our position in the larger tri-state region.
In my previous position as Economic and Community Development Manager for Alliant Energy, I served 16 counties in Northeast Iowa, Southwest Wisconsin, and Southeast Minnesota and was able to see first-hand which strategies worked well and which didn't. The successful projects, programs and ideas are what I hope to bring to TCEDA.
The TCEDA Executive Committee and I met on August 18th where I presented my "vision" for the organization. I am very excited to report that we all appear to want the same objectives to bring prosperity and more successes to this region. After I finished my presentation I was very happy to hear Matthias Praus, Metform, say "We need to be all in (economic development) or we might as well go home. Based on what Cindy has just presented, I am all in."
To synopsize, my short term objectives focus mainly on business retention and expansion; longer term objectives include business attraction and recruitment.
Having said that, I am currently working on a proposal for a manufacturing facility that was actually forwarded onto me by an economic development group outside of our region. The parameters of the request was not a good fit for their area and they knew that we had a piece of land in our region that might fit. Two points here: relationships are "king" and even though attraction is a longer term objective we need to be ready for these opportunities when they arise.
Another project I am working on is bringing the Buyer-Supplier Connection program to our area. As the name indicates, rather than purchasing materials, etc. from suppliers outside of our territory (and paying hefty transportation costs) it connects local buyers to local suppliers which is a win-win opportunity for all. Rather than starting at ground zero, I would like to partner with the regional Northeast Iowa economic development group, Prosperity Eastern Iowa, which has already created, refined and populated this database. Currently, I believe I may have partial funding for this program and am trying to raise the remaining funds needed to participate in this program. If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact me.
Once again, I am very excited to be working with the people in the TCEDA region and believe there are many opportunities, both large and small, for economic development.
My contact information is:
Cindy Lenz
Executive Director
TCEDA
P.O. Box 5 Savanna IL 61074
Phone: 815-858-4453
Email: clenz@tcedaonline.com
Wayne Raisbeck 
