About Chuck Martindale: Martindale has served as the manager of economic development and key accounts at Hoosier Energy for the past 4 years. Prior to joining Hoosier Energy he worked for Indiana state government for over 20 years in a variety of capacities assisting local communities. He also serves on the Greene County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors.

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Successful economic development programs require the active involvement of individuals, existing businesses, local governments and community organizations. The absence of any one of these key players has a detrimental effect on the ability to maintain an existing employment base, help attract new business and industry, help create new employment opportunities and increase the wealth of the citizens of Greene County. The Greene County Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC) works with all the aforementioned entities to help build the foundation to create a better future for all who work and live in Greene County.

Both Hoosier Energy REC, a wholesale electric power generation and transmission cooperative, and one of its 18 member-owners, the Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC (UDWI) serve as partners working with the Greene County Economic Development Corporation. The efforts of the GCEDC to foster economic growth and secure the economic vitality of Greene County are important to me personally and professionally. From a personal standpoint, I have relatives and friends living in Greene County and a strong economic base can ensure their ability to thrive in the communities in which they choose to live and work. As manager of economic development and key accounts for Hoosier Energy, both Hoosier Energy and UDWI are interested in helping Greene County and its communities grow their business and industrial base.

In addition to generating and transmitting wholesale electric power to our member REMC's like UDWI, Hoosier Energy has invested significantly in Greene County. In 2003 Hoosier Energy purchased the 174-megawatt Worthington Generating Station for $55 million. Hoosier Energy continues to invest in the Worthington Generating Station and other related assets to maximize available electric capacity and reliability. Additionally, Hoosier Energy and UDWI also financially support the GCEDC annually and are active members of the organization's Board of Directors.

As a Board member and investor-representative in the Greene County Economic Development Corporation I know the difficulties facing the organization and the challenges Greene County has in attracting new businesses, industries, jobs and investment. In order to meet these challenges the GCEDC must have the financial resources necessary to accomplish their mission and goals. While Greene County government has been the significant investor and supporter of the GCEDC, and should be applauded for its support of economic development, the communities which stand to gain the most must also become more actively involved and should invest more in the organization. I am cognizant of the uncertainties of local government finances, but it is a fact that no community can stay the way it is today. Communities must choose to be proactive and grow their residential, commercial and industrial tax base or they will witness out-migration of jobs, population, erosion of the local tax base, and the inability to support local public services. Indiana is littered with communities that are no longer viable because they failed to recognize the continuing need to accept change and act accordingly. A loss of population resulted, particularly in younger residents who chose to relocate to areas offering more opportunities for work and for social and recreational activities. Participation in local economic development is much like voting in our democracy. If you don't actively participate, you shouldn't gripe about the situation.

By financially supporting the Greene County Economic Development Corporation and helping it achieve its mission of retention and creation of jobs and investment, local government leaders can create a positive legacy for future generations. Based upon the latest data available from the Indiana Department of Revenue, 34% of Greene County's workforce commutes outside the county daily to work (Monroe County -- 16%, Martin-4%, Vigo-3%, then Sullivan and Owen counties). It is in the county's best interest that these workers continue to live in Greene County because they pay local property and county income taxes which directly or indirectly support local schools and public services.

A priority for the Greene County Economic Development is to create an atmosphere where business and industry want locate as well as identify and make ready appropriate sites for development. In other words, Product Development. No longer can communities show prospective new industries a corn or bean field and tell them it is an industrial site. Sites must be developed with the necessary sewer, water and roads to support such development. Access to high-speed Internet services is also becoming more critical in today's economy. And then these sites must be actively marketed. Site consultants and industries now rely upon the Internet as a primary source of preliminary site searches. Lacking available pre-developed and readily-developable sites means that you'll rarely pass the first cut of a site search.

Just as necessary as product development and financially supporting the GCEDC, local elected officials must be ready to compete for each and every job created and dollar invested. Unlike a person's choice of where to live or to retire, few if any prospective companies locate their facilities in the communities of Greene County just because they "like" the area. Greene County is competing with hundreds of other counties, cities and towns for investment and jobs. So, business parks and shovel-ready industrial sites are critical and necessary. Properties like the NSWC West Gate Tech Park or industrial sites near the I-69 corridor must be developed and the political will garnered to make sure Greene County has the assets and infrastructure in place when the next opportunity arrives.

Economic development is not for the faint of heart or those who want a quick return on their investment. Economic development is a process and communities that invest the time and resources to ensure they have their economic development foundation built properly can succeed. Hoosier Energy and UDWI are committed to economic development in Greene County and will continue to invest time and financial resources. However, to be truly successful economic development really does require the active involvement and financial support of all of us as individuals, existing businesses, local governments and community organizations.