On Wednesday, September 30, 2009, approximately 100 people, including local and regional officials and business owners, gathered at Midmark Corporation in Versailles, Ohio to attend a Regional Economic Development Forum. The meeting was sponsored by Darke County Economic Development, The Darke County Chamber of Commerce, and Midmark, who also provided a light breakfast for the group.
Darke County Commissioner Terry Haworth provided insight on the economic situation in the county and also commented on the Partnering for Progress initiative, a public/private sector program led by local business leaders working with area business investors to further the growth of economic development in Darke County. This initiative will help to step up economic development output in order to
position the county to "really make things happen" after this period of difficult economic times.
Next, Todd Durham, Chairman of the the Board for the Darke County Chamber of Commerce, explained that the goal of the Chamber is to take care of customers and that this is the basis of business. "Satisfied customers are our best marketing tools", he stated. Todd then gave a short presentation on the activities within their organization which promote networking and growth for local businesses. A new program that is being developed by the Chamber is YPOD, Young Professionals of Darke, which will bring together
anyone between the ages of 21-40 who are interested in meeting new people and furthering their careers. The first meeting will take place at the Bistro Off Broadway on October 7th from 5-7pm.
The main speaker for the event was provided by the Dayton Development Coalition, a regional economic development and advocacy organization whose mission is to support job creation and prosperity for the citizens of the Dayton region. Mr.Jim Leftwich, President and CEO of the DDC, gave an update on the region's economic development strategy. He spoke on the importance of realizing the economic benefits of keeping jobs in the region and understanding those opportunities
through avenues which include proper workforce development and by using local business for support. Mr. Leftwich also provided information on Wright Patt Air Force Base and the impact this has on our local economy. He stated that millions of dollars in contracts are awarded to Ohio companies or to companies where Ohio is the principal place of performance. After his presentation, Mr. Leftwich also addressed participants' questions and concerns.
The meeting was opened and closed by Dr. Anne Eiting Klamar, President of Midmark Corporation, and plant tours were offered to anyone interested.
A big "Thank You" to all who participated and helped to make this event a huge success!