The partnership between electric cooperatives and local economic development organizations plays a crucial role in strengthening our communities. A prime example of this strong connection can be seen through Dave Lewallen, CEO of Marshall County REMC, and Greg Hildebrand, president of the Marshall County Economic Development Corp.
Dave and Greg’s shared dedication to their communities highlights the power of partnership in driving meaningful change. Their work serves as a reminder that when organizations come together with a common purpose, they can create lasting impacts that benefit everyone.
Below are from our conversation with Dave:
Q. How do you envision the future of our cooperative in the next 5-10 years, and what steps would you take to achieve that vision?
Marshall County REMC aims to be a key player in economic development, energy innovation, and community growth. To achieve this vision, we will expand site readiness and distribution capabilities, as well as support infrastructure development – both of which will be much more enhanced with our partnership with Greg and his team.
We also will advocate for battery energy storage solutions and data center growth and support. Our county moratorium on battery energy storage and data centers/data mining hinders progress. By working with local leadership and supporting reasonable energy storage ordinances and ordinances, we can position Marshall County as a leader in sustainable energy solutions.
Q. How do you balance the interests of different stakeholders (e.g., members, employees, customers) in the decision-making process?
Balancing stakeholder interests requires transparency, collaboration, and a member-first approach. We ensure that all stakeholders are taken into account in strategic planning and decisions. For co-op members, who own our co-op and are our key stakeholders, we prioritize reliable and affordable power. We also invest in local projects and ensure open communication about cooperative projects and efforts. We provide co-op employees training, resources, and a strong workplace culture to retain our talent and ensure excellent service to our members.
For communities and businesses, we collaborate with the Marshall County EDC (MCEDC) and local government officials to attract investment, ensure site readiness, and advocate for infrastructure improvements that benefit all. By maintaining open dialogue, leveraging roundtable discussions (such as County Development For the Future), and aligning initiatives with shared goals, we ensure decisions serve the collective good.
Q. How do you make certain that members understand the value of the cooperative and its services?
Educating members about our cooperative’s value is essential. We achieve this through clear communication; educational campaigns such as workshops; and encouraging member involvement in meetings, surveys, and discussions. We also invest in projects that improve local infrastructure and quality of life; and we leverage strategic partnerships such as with Wabash Valley Power, our wholesale power provider, to enhance service affordability and reliability.
Q. How do you see the role of our cooperative in the broader community, and how would you foster positive relationships with local organizations, governments, and other key stakeholders?
Marshall County REMC is more than an energy provider — it is a community partner. We strengthen relationships through economic development support in our partnership with the MCEDC and local leadership to ensure industrial and commercial growth. We also work with county officials to address the battery energy storage system and data center/data mining moratorium and other regulatory challenges. We participate in roundtables like CDFF to stay connected with leadership and address community needs. Marshall County REMC also provides funding for community projects and initiatives that drive long-term growth and resilience.
Below are the responses from our conversation with Greg:
Q. What is your vision for the economic development of this region.
The most important thing that Marshall County Economic Development Corp. (MCEDC) can do for the region is help our existing businesses remain competitive and grow. There are several tools that local governments and the state provide that can aid existing industry to become more efficient and to expand to new markets.
MCEDC is working with our current employers to bring more high-skilled jobs to the area. These typically come with additional wages. Currently our region lags the state and nation in per capita income. By providing additional training and upskilling the existing workforce, MCEDC can help to raise these incomes and provide a more efficient and productive labor pool for our manufacturing partners.
The workforce is one of the key items that industry and site selectors are looking at when relocating. This training increase also will help in our business attraction efforts. Many variables go into selecting the proper location to place an industrial project but having a sufficient and talented workforce is right at the top.
Q. How would you ensure that the organization works in alignment with local government, businesses, and the community to create sustainable growth?
MCEDC is in constant contact with our government officials, business partners, and utilities about what type of development they would prefer. Our organization is part of several initiatives throughout the area developing initiatives, comprehensive planning, and strategic plans. This is a two-way communicative process. There is an element of educating leaders about what types of development are possible, including the benefits and liabilities associated with any type of growth.
Oftentimes, the biggest obstacle to growth is the element of the unknown. MCEDC can bring in subject matter experts, experienced leaders from other areas, and utility partners. MCEDC is often a conduit for communication between potential development and the greater regional community. As someone who was raised and continues to live in this area, I think I bring a unique perspective to the benefit of sustainable growth over short-term gains.
Q. What strategies would you employ to attract new businesses and investments to our area?
At MCEDC, we work with communities, property owners, and utility partners to increase the number of sites available for development. A large part of this work is making sure that the utilitiesvital for developers are present or are being planned for. MCEDC cooperates with our regional partners and the state economic development organization to leverage their outreach efforts. We routinely respond to state-provided leads and make sure that anytime our communities are in front of site selectors that they are aware of what our area has to offer. Keeping the local manufacturing as diverse as possible is also something MCEDC considers. Marshall County doesn’t have a large concentration of any one industry that can magnify the effects of an economic downturn.
Q. How do you plan to support and grow local small businesses and entrepreneurs?
In the last year, the MCEDC has worked to improve and make more resources available. MCEDC works with the Indiana Small Business Development Center to bring the organization’s services to the area. The South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership has several partners and programs that MCEDC works with to best support local entrepreneurs. MCEDC works alongside several small-town downtown initiatives, including IDEA Week, Start-Up and the state’s Elevate Ventures and APEX Accelerator. Look for an announcement later this year about an exciting move by MCEDC to make all these resources easier to access for small local businesses and entrepreneurs.