The lessons teaching Jonathan Faris his most useful tools for strengthening communities had little to do with a classroom.
Rather, it was where his education took him.
Jonathan Faris with the group of interns during his experience on Capitol Hill. He has incorporated lessons from his experience into his role supporting economic and workforce development.
He interned in Washington, D.C., as a college junior in 2002, where he worked with Indiana’s bipartisan congressional delegation on Capitol Hill. The Indiana University political science and history double major learned from firsthand experience how to work with staff members of political leaders across the spectrum. Despite differences, they collaborated to provide training resources and funding for Hoosiers in communities across the state.
“It showed me the ability of how to get things done to benefit families in our state,” Faris said of his Capitol Hill internship. “I realized that we could overcome differences to focus on job growth and spur economic innovation.”
As Wabash Valley Power Alliance’s new economic development manager, Faris oversees a team that works with policymakers, business owners, and civic leaders in communities across WVPA’s 21 electric distribution cooperative members in Indiana and Illinois. They collectively serve more than 710,000 people and businesses.
Jonathan Faris, economic development manager at Wabash Valley Power
“I saw economic development and workforce development as a space where uniting to work together could happen,” said Faris, who also earned a master’s degree in public affairs from Indiana University in Indianapolis. “I was intrigued by the effort to improve our state’s graduate rates, how we could connect people with the right training, and then link them to employment opportunities.”
He developed several projects that connected military veterans with regional employers, as well as help transition those in the armed forces to full-time jobs once they completed their enlistment.
Faris also worked for an economic development consulting agency where he led projects that created more than 1,000 jobs and $100 million in local investment. He also helped secure more than $39 million in contracts and $10 million in grant funding.
“Jonathan’s success in workforce and economic development will be a tremendous asset to our member co-ops and the communities they serve,” Wabash Valley Power CEO Jeff Conrad said. “Jonathan brings a unique perspective and a strong commitment to community partnerships that will help drive investment, create jobs, and support long-term prosperity across our members’ communities.”
Since joining Wabash Valley Power in July, Faris has met with policymakers and economic developers across the Midwest. He is excited about communities’ efforts to attract and retain businesses as they grow and diversify their economies.
“Rural communities have a moment right now to take advantage of some unprecedented opportunities,” Faris said. “People are working hard to help their communities thrive, and that’s what excited me about my role with Wabash Valley Power. I can impact those efforts.”