ROC Commits to 2013 Priorities, Invests $95,000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 10, 2012
ROC Commits to 2013 Priorities, Invests $95,000
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Northeast Indiana is a region on the move. On December 5, the Regional Opportunities Council (ROC) met to finalize the regions 2013 top priorities as well as commit $95,000 in seed funding.
The ROC was formed to oversee the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership's visioning process, Vision 2020. The group is composed of over 100 regional leaders representing businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions and the public sector, all working together to move the priorities of Vision 2020 forward.
Each year, the ROC affirms the top priorities for the region based on their transformative effect on the region's economy. All of the priorities align with the five pillars of Vision 2020: 21st Century Talent, Competitive Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure, and Quality of Life. Many of the priorities will likely take multiple years to complete. This means that several of the priorities from 2012 have been modified based on progress made during the past year and reaffirmed as the 2013 priorities.
"Leaders on the ROC have made significant progress this past year despite the uncertain conditions in the economy," said John Sampson, president and CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. "Their actions to affirm regional priorities and target funding to leverage action in several specific priorities is inspiring."
2013 Vision 2020 Priorities:
21st Century Talent Pillar: 2013 Priority - The Big Goal Collaborative
Strategy: Develop talent by increasing educational attainment and creating quality of opportunity.
Competitive Business Climate Pillar: 2013 Priority - Regional Permitting Standards AND Competitive Air Service Options at Fort Wayne International Airport
Strategy: Create a business-friendly environment that will attract and retain top industry leaders.
Entrepreneurship Pillar: 2013 Priority - Elevate Ventures: Development of an Investor Network
Strategy: Develop and attract innovative talent by connecting them to the right resources and increasing the region's deal flow.
Infrastructure Pillar: 2013 Priority - Regional Broadband Access AND Regional Interstate Access
Strategy: The right infrastructure creates access and connectivity needed to support and retain our talent.
Quality of Life Pillar: 2013 Priority - Downtown Riverfront Development
Strategy: Create a vibrant and dynamic metro center to attract and retain individuals to the region.
All priorities identified above will be advanced in 2013. Some of the priorities have identified funding opportunities for 2013, and those opportunities were ranked by ROC members to determine how the ROC's $95,000 in seed money would be distributed. The following is the result of those rankings and the money committed for 2013.
2013 Funding Targets:
Funding target: 21st Century Talent- Made Here Campaign
Funding amount: $30,000
Purpose: This campaign is the voice of the region's mission to develop, attract and retain talent. To succeed, we must sustain consistent messaging over time.
Funding target: Competitive Business Climate- Regional Permitting Standards
Funding amount: $25,000
Purpose: This ROC match would cover 50% of the cost for implementation of the new permitting standards for any jurisdiction that is ready and capable of integrating these standards.
Funding target: Entrepreneurship- Elevate Ventures: Regional Entrepreneurship Action Plan
Funding amount: $20,000
Purpose: This investment assures a successful launch of the regional operations for Elevate Ventures.
Funding target: Infrastructure (Internet)- Broadband Asset Mapping
Funding amount: $20,000
Purpose: These funds will be used to undergo a highly confidential study to assess the broadband, wireless, and fiber availability in the region.
To find out more about the ROC and 2013 priorities visit www.neindiana.com/vision/2013.
The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership was formed in 2006 to help build a globally competitive economy in Northeast Indiana. It is a public-private partnership focused on generating business leads and building regional capacity through product development and effective regional collaboration. In 2010, the Partnership launched Vision 2020 to bring the region together around five key areas (the five pillars) for economic growth: 21st Century Talent, Competitive Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure and Quality of Life. Through its combined efforts in business development and capacity building, the Partnership supports its 10 member counties: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley. For more information, visit www.NEIndiana.com.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Courtney Tritch
Director of Marketing
Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
260.469.3460
courtney@NEIndiana.com
