4/15/2024 Updates
Chamber & Economic Development Offices Make a big move, with a little help
In a move symbolizing a commitment to collaboration and economic growth, the Huron County Chamber of Commerce, Huron County Development Council, Norwalk Economic Development Corporation (NEDC) are pleased to partner, with a comprehensive plan for the future of their organizations and the community. This weekend the organizations unified, moving into a new central location at 12 Benedict Ave, Norwalk.
This strategic partnership will combine the strengths of all organizations, streamlining business support services and creating a more efficient resource center for the Huron County business community.
“By uniting under one roof, we can offer a more comprehensive and impactful service to our members and the entire community,” said Sarah Ross, Executive Director. Kevin Rasnick leader of the Huron County Chamber of Commerce, echoed this sentiment, stating, “This partnership signifies a new chapter for chamber and economic development services in Huron County. We’re excited to work together and leverage our combined resources to propel our community’s business landscape forward.”
Norwalk High School Football Team Lends a Helping Hand
Further solidifying the spirit of community collaboration, the Norwalk High School football team generously volunteered their time and muscle to assist with the relocation process. The team’s dedication and teamwork were instrumental in ensuring a smooth and efficient move.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Norwalk High School football team for their willingness to help,” said Ross. “Their commitment to the community is truly inspiring, and their assistance was invaluable during this transition.”
New Location to Foster Collaboration and Growth
The newly merged organization will operate out of a centralized location at [New Address]. This accessible and modern space will foster collaboration and provide a welcoming environment for businesses seeking support and resources.
The official opening of the new location will be celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house at a later date. In the meantime, the Chamber and NEDC can be reached at their previous phone numbers, which will be forwarded to the new location. Community members and business leaders are encouraged to attend and learn more about the exciting possibilities this partnership presents.
3/21/2024 Updates
Dear partners,
It’s been a little while since you’ve had a detailed update from us on the progress of Huron County Growth Partnership – the previously announced partnership of NEDC, HCDC, and Huron County Chamber. Last time we shared with you our vision, new name, board structure, and staffing structure. Since then, we’ve been hard at work determining how we integrate assets to reach that vision and some of the logistical steps we need to take to make this an operational reality. The boards of directors of all 3 partnering organizations have officially agreed on all these details, which leads us to today’s update.
We’re excited to share that our central office will be at 12 Benedict Ave, Norwalk. Staff are eager to be under one roof to really feel like a team and improve communications, so staff are moving in together on Saturday, April 13th. Plans are still in the works for the locations we will be vacating, but if you do have an interest in 10 W Main St, Norwalk, please contact Kevin Rasnick directly. Our offices will be closed to outside business on Monday and Tuesday April 15th-16th as we unpack and get acquainted with our new structure and team.
Speaking of new team, we have also posted two new positions. Attached you will see job listings for a fulltime Administrative Assistant and fulltime Marketing Coordinator. Please consider sharing these jobs with your networks or sending us any referrals. We’re looking for people interested in playing a direct role in supporting growth and progress in our communities!
Many of you (some pictured below) have given your input, advice, guidance, and time over the last couple months as this partnership has come together. Please continue to do so, it is what makes this effort so strong! We are always here for your phone calls, meetings, and more. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Kevin.
In addition to the exciting news & announcements about the Growth Partnership, our day-to-day work continues. Please get in touch with us if you have a project, question, or need consultation
1/24/2024 Updates
Dear partners,
We are excited to reach out to you with updates regarding the partnership of Huron County Chamber of Commerce, Huron County Development Council, and Norwalk Economic Development Corporation.
We are most pleased to share with you our guiding vision and one-year strategic framework. In the attachment you will see our “why” and guiding principles for this partnership. This is based on the work we’ve been doing together with you and plan to continue to do with improvements. You’ll also see there our NEW NAME! We will be known as the Huron County Growth Partnership. While in the future we will seek branding and marketing expertise, we are also pleased to share the logo we’ll be using in our transition year and the flexibility it will provide us to showcase the broad range of our work.
Our name and logo have got us excited, as does some of the behind the-scenes structural and planning work we’ve completed in developing the new organization. The new organization will be public-private not only in name, but in governance as well. The partnership will function under one governing board with two standing advisory committees for Chamber and economic development. The governing board will be made up of 16-22 directors, 6 representing Huron County public sector and the remaining representing the private sector. Sarah Ross will serve as Executive Director of Huron County Growth Partnership reporting to the governing board and Kevin Rasnick will serve as Chamber Director, a senior leadership role. Additional human resource capacity that has been gained through this transition will be applied to the creation of a new role to support the work laid out in the vision document and all other current staff positions will remain intact.
You are critical partners in this work and we appreciate your past, present, and future support. We welcome you feedback and input via e-mail, phone call, or in a personal meeting. Our contact information is below, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
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