The designation of the Goose Pond and Beehunter Marsh Fish and Wildlife Areaa as federal and state supported wetlands will drive new tourism traffic to the region, adding to the already strong attractions of equine sports and hunting-related activities, she said.
To help spur and sustain strategic growth, the economic development corporation retained The MEK Group in Indianapolis to develop a multi-use brand to help site selectors and visitors quickly grasp the opportunities inherent in the county.
“Given the fact that the Goose Pond is expected to become an international migration point and bird-watching has grown into a $2 billion industry, we wanted a distinctive mark and brand to define the superb attributes of the county to a large potential market,” Bethell said.
Funding social infrastructure and workforce development represents a critical component for sustained economic growth, so the Greene County Foundation joined with GCEDC in creating a new open presence both online and in the region to create higher awareness of the county’s new forward-looking vision.
Community direction and feedback largely governed the development of an all-new Web site for the Greene County Economic Development Corporation, now live at www.gcedc.us.
The Web site, which includes a section specially developed to attract site selectors, features the new mark and positioning for Greene County.
“This distinctive look is quite different from our neighbors in the region and highlights the attributes of the county in a strategic way,” said Bethell.
The logo can be easily adapted for use by other county entities.
The Greene County economic development site, designed and built by The MEK Group, includes a visitor’s section with an interactive map that easily and quickly illustrates major points of interest for visitors.
The tourism map is sponsored by the Greene County Foundation. The site will include an updated online calendar of events which is funded collaboratively between the Foundation and the GCEDC. The map and tourism calendar is under development and will be released shortly.
“Soon after coming to Greene County, I found that there was no central point of contact or reference for many positive aspects of
Greene County,” said Bethell. “The economic development site and the new foundation Web site will help correct this.”
Both Web sites feature a comprehensive editing tool that will enable staff to quickly make changes and update information. The county statistics site is fully automated with a direct link to STATS Indiana, run by Indiana University. “The automation of that section ensures that it will never be out-of-date, and will also not require extensive and expensive time to track and make changes,” Bethell said.
A final step in the GCEDC site development process was a review by nationally-recognized former site selector, Robert Ady. Indiana Municipal Power Association sponsored the professional site review by contracting with consultants, Ady International. The outcome was an eighteen page report on recommendations. They indicated that the site was well-designed and most of the recommendations are minor and simply smooth the research process for a site selector using the site to research for potential business relocations.
The Foundation, which has grown to more than $4 million in assets, has aggressively leveraged community foundation funds and support to create new leadership and workforce training opportunities, as well as help create economic development-related grassroots operations for county residents and businesses.
Bethell, who served in a senior economic development role in Arizona before coming to Indiana in 2006, assembled a development group from Greene County leadership to set in motion community outreach.
Direction and suggestions from the group was augmented by broad
community feedback across a wide spectrum, particularly regarding the construction and deployment of an all new economic development Web site for the county.
The Greene County Foundation retained Hirons in Bloomington to design a new Web presence for the foundation, which now features an expanded capacity for donors to make planned giving decisions.
In addition, the Web site features a searchable database that has a complete listing of donations made in memory and recognition of others.
“One of the best ways to introduce the foundation is to encourage small gifts in recognition of others. The foundation provides a service for donors of all capabilities those who can make small gifts as well as those who can make large gifts,” said Kerry Conway, executive director of the Greene County Foundation.
Both sites are considered to be works in progress.
“While we’re initially pleased and satisfied with the new online presence that both sites present for Greene County, we will always be considering and implementing new functionality and features to help better promote the county,” Conway said.
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