Cindy Leis, left, president and CEO of the Allen Economic Development Group, and Dave Stratton, the president and CEO of Greater Lima Region Inc., spoke at the Lima Rotary Club meeting Monday at Veterans Memorial Civic Center in downtown Lima.
LIMA — Lima Rotary Club members learned that advancing Lima and Allen County is the primary mission for the Allen Economic Development Group and Greater Lima Region Inc.
Dave Stratton, the president and CEO of Greater Lima Region, provided insight behind this mission during the session at Veterans Memorial Civic Center in downtown Lima.
“We have to advance our businesses and organizations. To do this, we need to better understand the need for community development,” he said.
Stratton, along with Cindy Leis, president and CEO of the Allen Economic Development Group, discussed goals, statistics and future projects that can be expected around Lima and the region.
They discussed the the expressed interest by Microsoft in Perry Township, the expansion of Charles River Laboratories in Spencerville and new facilities for Perry proTECH and Randall Bearings.
Working together since 2015, the two have had conversations with businesses to better understand the needs and how to advance the organization, according to Stratton.
A topic of discussion has been downtown.
Stratton discussed how a vibrant downtown is key to future progress in business development.
“That vibrancy would then help with attracting business employees,” he said.
With the population of Lima and Allen County declining in recent decades, a vibrant downtown can create more jobs and turn around the current trend with the population.
Population may be a concern within Lima, but with a population of over 1 million people within a 60-mile radius, this is attractive to big-name businesses, Stratton said.
Leis discussed how the AEDG refocused on being business-oriented. She specifically emphasized the importance of retaining and creating current businesses and attracting new businesses into the area.
“Every day we’re getting looked at. We’re getting calls about how companies can locate in Allen County,” she said.
Site preparedness is something else Leis and the team worked on over the last three to five years. Leis said this is important in terms of job creation.
Collaboration was a key theme throughout the discussion. Stratton discussed the significance of Allen County collaborating with nearby villages and surrounding eight counties.
“We need to, as the eight counties come together, think how advancement, marketing and housing could advance the whole region to make the whole region attractive,” he said.
The collaborative efforts of the Greater Lima Region and the Allen Economic Development Group are pivotal for the future growth and sustainability of Lima and Allen County. By focusing on community development, fostering vibrant downtown spaces and prioritizing business retention and attraction, these organizations aim to reverse the population decline and create a thriving economic environment.
Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351
