In 2019, the Champaign Economic Partnership is approaching its fifth year as a public/private partnership dedicated to strengthening the local economy.

Due to the CEP’s success, the Champaign County Commission and the city of Urbana have given thumbs up to continuing the partnership beyond the original five-year memorandum of understanding they signed to establish the CEP at the start of 2015.

Urbana Mayor Bill Bean, a CEP board member, said, “This was a dream (County Commissioner) Steve Hess and I had in bringing together the county, city and the villages for the sole purpose of improving the viability of the business community and improving the overall well-being and quality of life for the citizens of Urbana and Champaign County.”

Hess, also a CEP board member, added, “Our partnership has grown to include a growing number of local companies, and we have established working relationships with our villages, local schools, Ohio Hi-Point Career Center, Urbana University and Clark State Community College, as well as regional economic development programs.

“As we form new and stronger partnerships, we are better able to find the expertise, solutions and resources to achieve greater success for our community,” Hess said. “Partnerships are the key.”

In 2018, 21 businesses supported the CEP’s economic development mission as partner investors.

CEP newsletter published

The Winter 2019 edition of the CEP newsletter, available under the news tab of CEPOhio.com, leads with an article about the CEP’s major 2018 accomplishments and developments coming in 2019.