Opportunities

The Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium (JCEDC) serves as the lead economic development organization in Jefferson County. The Consortium was formed in June 2003 to implement Jefferson’s Overall Economic Development Program and to achieve the economic development goals of the County. Its overall goals are to foster and encourage responsible, sustainable economic development activities that result in job creation, job retention, increase the tax base and improve the quality of life for the citizens of Jefferson County.
The Consortium consists of ten voting members, which includes a representative from each of six member villages or cities in the county (this includes the cities of Watertown, Jefferson, Fort Atkinson, Whitewater, Lake Mills, Waterloo and the Village of Johnson Creek), and three county board supervisors. Serving in an ex-officio and non-voting capacity are a representative from the Department of Commerce, the UW-Extension, and the Jefferson County Administrator. In addition, the board has advisory members from the banking, agriculture and utility sectors of the business community.
Dennis Heling, JCEDC’s Executive Director, started a program called the Entrepreneur's & Inventor's Connection, which meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month. This organization is fashioned to serve entrepreneurs, businesses, inventors, and innovators located in Jefferson County and surrounding counties.
The focus of this organization is to provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs, inventors and anyone with a business idea, to participate in networking, learn from experienced entrepreneurs/inventors and develop creative ideas and support for their endeavors. This fosters and encourages the entrepreneurial spirit and is anticipated that it will help create a strong and diverse economic base within the Jefferson County region. The turnout for the organizational meetings demonstrates a strong community interest in forming an organization that will encourage entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial spirit.
In addition, the JCEDC brought the First Step Program and the Entrepreneurial Training Series to Jefferson County. UW-Whitewater produces the program through the SBDC at Whitewater. These programs are geared toward encouraging entrepreneurs to look at business and ways to develop their business including creating a business plan. The First Program looks at such thing as:
Lifestyle changes in becoming an entrepreneur
What are the personal rewards and challenges?
How much capital is needed?
What are the legal requirements?
What’s in a good business plan?
Where to get assistance?