Regional economic development group resets itself

By JIM LEUTE

The economic development organization promoting an eight-county region that includes Rock County has a new name and a new strategy that officials think could do something the previous didn’t: Attract significant businesses to south-central Wisconsin.

Madison Region Economic Partnership is the new name for Thrive, which launched in late 2007 to promote the region as one “of intellectual curiosity and innovative, creative energy.”

The region still includes Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock and Sauk counties.

The reason for the name change was straightforward, said Paul Jadin, who was named president of the organization last fall after stints as secretary of the state Department of Commerce and its replacement, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

While the title “Thrive” captured the potential of doing business in this region, it lacked a focus, he said.
“Thrive was a great verb, but it didn’t do much to identify what we are or where we are,” Jadin said. “Thrive could have just as easily applied to Paducah, Ky., or Saskatchewan.” More here.