Marshall County Making ‘Stellar’ Plans
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowMarshall County is taking a hard look at workforce development as it seeks to become a Stellar Communities designee. Jerry Chavez, president and chief executive officer of the Marshall County Economic Development Corp., says their proposal will have a specific focus on helping military veterans find employment. He tells Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick the group is working with Indiana’s congressional delegation to learn from the Pentagon how to be successful in the endeavor.
"These retired veterans are very highly employable," said Chavez. "(They have) a lot of skills, a lot of training that the government has put into these folks and they’re used to showing up on a regular basis, which is very, very key for us. We’re in the throws of making the connection between private sector job skills and turning that into the military vernacular. Once we figure that out, then we’re actually going to market ourselves to two bases."
The county is part of the Marshall County Crossroads region, which was named one of four finalists in the 2019 Stellar Communities program and also includes the towns of Argos, Bourbon, Bremen, Culver, and Plymouth. Two regions will be named Stellar Communities designees in December and earn millions in state funding, plus potential matching funds to implement their growth plans.
Chavez says another major focus for Marshall County is housing. He says the group’s proposal features a housing development project that is geared for the biggest needs of each community involved in the program.
Marshall County is a finalist for the designation for the second consecutive year. You can view the full interview with Chavez in the video above.