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Page 16--Business Showcase '83 ,-V Economic development commission aids businesses By Angela Burden Shaw/Free Press News Service WOODSJOCK - Woodstock's first trade fair set for next weekend at the fairgrounds is an ideal vehicle for the McHenry County Board's Economic Development Committee to showcase its past and future projects and programs. The EDC was formed to help business and industry and create additional employment within the county. Two years ago, the county board authorized a feasibility study in regard to the necessity of a permanent economic development group. The study showed a need for such a group and in January of 1962 a new permanent standing economic development committee was formed by the county board. The EDC began in the area of marketing to new firms and work­ ing to retain manufacturing and other business firms in the county One of the committee's first major pro­ jects, during the spring of 1962, with the help of the state, county municipalities and McHenry County College, was an In­ dustrial Retention Survey of all McHenry County manufacturing firms. *!• Results of that survey were extremely helpful, according to EDC staff member ° Robert Morris. That project led to the production of a McHenry County Guide to Manufacturers' ̂Products and Services. "This guide was intended to aid firms in finding convenient local suppliers and copies were provided free to about 500 manufacturers," Morris said. He indicated the committee and staff had put "a lot of work in marketing ef­ forts." In the 18 months since the forma- tion of EDC, a McHenry County brochure has been produced, in addition to the pro­ duction of a colored video tape which shows what the county and local municipalities can offer industry and the general public. "The video tape of McHenry County has now been translated into Spanish, Japanese an<Nlefman and is used by the State of Illinois at foreign trade shows," Morris said. The video tape will be shown at "Business Showcase '83 -- Window on Woodstock," Friday through Sunday, Sept. 16-18, and will also be shown next I ' jL * 10 th , j NORTHERN ILLINOIS TRAVEL IS CELEBRATING 10 YEARS IN BUSINESS! , -- p--» ,-** : -- • • ~ -- • '--: STOP AT OUR BOOTH C-24 IN BUILDING "C" DAILY DRAWINGS PLUS... GRAND PRIZE DRAWING SUNDAY FOR FREE LAS VEGAS TRIP FOR TWO Includes: Round Trip Air Transportation Via United Air Lines and Hotel Accomodations. No purchase necessary. Winner need not be present OUR WAY OF THANKING WOODSTOCK * FOR 10 GREAT YEARS! ILLINOIS TRAVEL Our Services Are At No Cost To You week at the Midcom Electronics Trade * Show at the O'Hare Exhibition Center. "The EDC and staff will be on hand at the exhibition crater to promote McHenry County as a good location for plant expan­ sion in the Chicago area," Morris said. The Economic Development Committee includes one member from each of the county board's three districts and is chaired by Bill Hubbard of Crystal Lake, with Dean Cunat of McHenry and Tbore Emricson of Woodstock. According to Morris, the group has spon­ sored advertising in industrial publica­ tions and trade journals, in addition to pro­ viding promotional packages and conduc­ ting a telephone solicitation campaign to firms with strong growth prospects. Locally, the EDC has provided assistance with grants applications and helped several county firms gain in­ dustrial revenue bonds for expansion and relocation here. "Additional areas effort have been helping municipalities with tourism grants and alerting area firms to federal govern­ mental contract opportunities," Morris said. The EDC works "very closely" with the State of Illinois in regard to plant location, and with the McHenry County Comprehen­ sive Employment Training Act officer, McHenry County College and the Johnsburg Vocational School in the areas institutions, Morris said. 18 months, the EDC has pro­ vided technical assistance to 32 business expansions in the county, leading to new capital investment of $12.5 million through Industrial Revenue Bonds, which in turn has led to 833 new jobs and 1,150 retained jobs. The committee has helped raise $635,254 in grants to firms for job training and has A of training ini In the past s given technical assistance to area businesses and communities leading to $1.25 million Conpnunity Development Assistance Program low interest loans and grants. Morris offers some examples of savings resulting from the 833 new jobs and 1,150 retained jobs in the county. The savings from 1,150 retained jobs amounts to $5.1 million in unemployment insurance coats to the state; $4.8 million foregone in combined federal, state and local tax revenues and $296,000 in other­ wise foregone revenues to the county board's general fund. Savings and added revenues from 833 new jobs amount to $2.7 million in reduced unemployment insurance costs to the state; $3.5 million tn new combined federal, state and local tax revenues and $216,000 in new revenues to the county board's general fund. Among the projects planned for 1964 by EDC is an increased number of local municipal EDCs formed in the county, staff assistance in 10 to 15 area plant ex­ pansions, assistance to four firms relocating to McHenry County from within the state, two from out-of-state and one in­ ternational company, in addition to government contract procurement assistance to area firms and preparation for a second Industrial Retention Survey to be conducted in 1965. For further information on the county board's Economic Development functions, contact the EDC office in the McHenry C o u n t y C o u r t h o u s e b y c a l l i n g (815)-338-2040 or visit its booth at the "Business Showcase '83 -- Window of Woodstock" next weekend at McHenry County Fairgrounds, Illinois 47 at Country Club Road, Woodstock. r \ • *7 PERSONAL COLOR ANALYSIS INFORMATION AND SLIDE PRESENTATION . SUNDAY, SEPT. 18 4:00 P.M. BIdg. "E •T- -,r. •> ' , • • ~ JILL NOftTHftl/P, Certified Color Specialist With v "BEAUT* ECJLAU SMSOfiS IF UNABLE TO ATTEND OR FOR iAA AQ-1 QflAf ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CALL ' ' ' 9 9 Am Sm ^ m 'ttv