One Dearborn, Purdue University Extension Partner For Business Retention & Expansion Program

The first cycle of the program will focus on businesses in the agricultural and food and beverage processing industries within the county.

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(Dearborn County, Ind.) - Dearborn County is planning a community economic development program that will help grow local businesses. An engaged local business community is key to the success of this endeavor and the county is inviting businesses to participate.

The Dearborn County Business Retention & Expansion Program is essential to retaining and expanding a broad base of businesses and services in Dearborn County. A BR&E program will also help local businesses work together on economic development initiatives.

The first cycle of the new Dearborn County BR&E Program will focus on businesses in the agricultural and food and beverage processing industries within the county. The first stage of the program is a survey of local business owners in these sectors. This is now underway and will be completed over the next three months.

In the next few weeks, agriculture and food and beverage processing businesses in Dearborn County will receive a letter detailing how they can participate. Businesses are urged to take this opportunity to share their views and to contribute to the pool of information about the local business community. Individual information and comments will be confidential, but the aggregated information will be of great value in solving local problems, planning for the future, and general promotion of the community.

One Dearborn and Purdue Extension-Dearborn County have partnered to lead the program, utilizing the model and resources of the Purdue Center for Regional Development. A Dearborn County BRE Task Force has been formed, including Civista Bank, Dearborn County Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Small Business Development Center, Ivy Tech Community College, Lawrenceburg Main Street, Main Street Aurora, Navigate Tomorrow, REDI Cincinnati and The Wheatley Group. Local government redevelopment commissions representing Dearborn County, Aurora, Dillsboro, Greendale, and Lawrenceburg are also participating, as well as Lawrenceburg, South Dearborn and Sunman-Dearborn school corporations.

“With this important program, our goal is to make the Dearborn County community proactive in the engagement and support of our employers both large and small,” said John Hawley, Extension Educator for Purdue Extension-Dearborn County.“

According to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, more than 70 percent of new projects, investments and jobs in the state result from existing employers. That’s why we need to better understand the challenges being faced by Dearborn County’s most valuable economic and employment assets – our businesses,” added Mike Perleberg, Executive Director of One Dearborn, Inc.

Individuals or businesses with questions about the Dearborn County BR&E Program are welcomed to contact the local co-coordinators:

• Mike Perleberg, One Dearborn Inc., 812-537-4010 ext. 7233 or mperleberg@1dearborn.org
• John Hawley, Purdue Extension-Dearborn County, 812-926-1189 or hawley4@purdue.edu

Learn more about the Purdue Center for Regional Development Business Retention & Expansion model at cdext.purdue.edu.