June 9, 2010
06/09/10 Marshall County Economic Development Corporation has announced that Jennifer Laurent has been named Interim Executive Director of the organization.
Tom Turner, Executive Director of Marshall County Economic Development Corporation, stepped down from the position Friday, June 4th.
“The Board appreciates Tom’s efforts in getting the organization off the ground. He brought a lot of knowledge to the position and has served the community with integrity,” said Roger Umbaugh, President of the MCEDC Board of Directors. “We are fortunate to have Jennifer Laurent to step in to lead the organization and continue the forward momentum in accomplishing our mission.”
MCEDC has launched several successful new initiatives this year, including small business development support services and grant writing for municipalities within Marshall County. Implementation of a robust business retention, expansion and attraction program is a primary goal of MCEDC, and the Board expects to see more progress made that will benefit existing businesses in Marshall County and competitively position the area for new investment.
Jennifer Laurent, Assistant Director of Development Finance for MCEDC, will lead the organization as Interim Director until an Executive Director is selected by the Board.
Laurent joined MCEDC in February, 2010. Prior to this, she was Senior Project Manager for the Division of Economic Development for the City of South Bend. She holds a Masters degree in Urban Planning with a specialization in Economic Development Finance from New York University.
“MCEDC was formed with ambitious goals for economic growth in mind, and great progress has been made,” said Laurent. “We want to build on that, increasing our access to regional networks to bring exposure for Marshall County to a widened audience of business site selectors and investors. A priority is to reach existing businesses and offer support wherever possible. We have many initiatives planned that will encourage citizens to get more involved in charting this future as well.”
“The County Commissioners fully supports MCEDC and their efforts,” said Kevin Overmyer, President of the Marshall County Commissioners, who help to fund the 501(c)6 organization. “We believe MCEDC will continue to have a strong voice, and we have confidence that Jennifer will be able to move forward quickly with the organization’s important work in job creation for Marshall County residents.”
The mission of MCEDC is to expand and diversify the economy of the county by fostering investment in new and existing facilities and creating entrepreneurial capacity.