NCDS Blog

Chamber and Economic Development Leader Doing Double Duty as Covid Czar

Chamber and Economic Development Leader Doing Double Duty as Covid Czar Main Photo

23 Jul 2020

Like so many others around the country, the South Bend Regional Chamber has stepped up in response to the pandemic to become the community’s go-to resource for business owners, elected officials, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. Jeff Rea – the Chamber’s President and CEO – has even earned the moniker of “Covid Czar.” Jeff recently shared his thoughts and experiences with the Indiana Economic Development Association on a podcast. Other chamber and economic development pros will hear some similarities between Jeff’s story and theirs, and get some valuable takeaways and encouragement from his comments and insight.

Listen to the podcast here.

Learn more about Jeff Rea here.

More Topics

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By Tom DiFiore, posted October 23, 2013 A few weeks ago, we attended the International Economic Development Council’s annual conference in Philadelphia. As it does every year, the conference provided great opportunities to network with new and old friends, and to learn about trends and best practices from economic development practitioner...

Show Me The Money! Photo

Show Me The Money!

Mar 23 2016

By Howard Benson, posted October 5, 2013 As a community leader, you’re probably asked as often as I am about the current level of difficulty in raising money due to the sluggish or uncertain economy. My standard answer is that it’s not been any easier, or, for that matter, any mor...

The Failure To Ask Photo

The Failure To Ask

Mar 23 2016

By Howard Benson, posted September 4, 2013 Recently, I had a brief conversation that reminded me of what many believe to be the biggest failure in fundraising - the failure to ask. A friend inquired if I’d seen a mutual acquaintance of many years. He said his last contact occurred a fe...

What They Say About Us

2020-Chris Schilken

Chris Schilken, Executive Director

Watertown Development Company

“The WDC’s successful $3.5 million capital campaign under the leadership of NCDS marks the beginning of a new stage of advancement for our organization. The team effort – from developing our economic development blueprint to the GROW Watertown 5-Year Strategic Plan – laid the groundwork. And now area business leaders have shown their confidence by rallying behind the WDC so it can help implement our 5-year strategic plan for growth. The WDC is already having a meaningful impact on business development efforts in our area as companies are no longer viewing their contributions as a donation, but an opportunity to be part of building a stronger and growing community.”

2020-Marc Jordan

Marc Jordan, CCE, President & CEO

North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitors Bureau

"As the smaller chamber operating in the shadow of a larger, very aggressive one nearby, the North Myrtle Beach Chamber committed to take its game to the next level. You and the NCDS team not only drove the creation of a bold new multi-year strategy, you generated buy in and a huge boost in revenue. A great side benefit of launching and funding a new initiative was NCDS’ identification and engagement of a cadre of new leaders who had never really participated, much less invested at significant levels. Your methodology works, and your experience in hundreds of other communities paid off for us in a major way. So much so, we plan to kick off the next multi-year campaign this year. In my book, NCDS remains the ‘gold standard’ for community development fundraising."

2020-James Grunke

James Grunke, President & CEO

Erie (PA) Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership

"I have worked with NCDS on 4 successful campaigns in three different communities, Boise, ID, Missoula, MT and Erie PA. Because of their tried and true methodology and expertise, we have always been able to clearly articulate goals and measures of success that investors are looking for in an economic development initiative and been successful in raising the necessary resource to implement the strategies."

Brant Beene, Executive Director

Birmingham Landmarks, Inc.

“Birmingham Landmarks, Inc. certainly made the right decision in selecting NCDS to raise the $7 million needed to fully restore our sadly dilapidated and abandoned former vaudeville theatre in downtown Birmingham. Your firm provided the wisdom and experience to position the project as worthy of support, then structured a winning campaign that was creative, energizing, and relentless in pursuit of the goal. We were especially appreciative of your flexibility relative to our early cash flow issues, and even more so in the selection of the assigned NCDS Project Executive. Because of the success and momentum of your phase of this exceptional campaign, the Lyric staff was able to continue seeking commitments utilizing tax credits, and the total raised now exceeds $11.8 million. Thanks to NCDS, Birmingham can boast of having one of the most spectacularly restored performing arts theaters in America.”

2020-Brian Ferguson

Brian Ferguson, Chairman & CEO (Retired)

Eastman Chemical Company

"On behalf of the officers and directors of the Economic Development Alliance, I want to thank you and your staff for the great job NCDS did in helping restructure the Alliance, and for successful management of the fundraising campaign that fully funded our five-year action plan. The NCDS process and format delivered exactly what you said it would do when you met with Alliance members over eighteen months ago. The NCDS process engaged top regional private and public sector leaders and attracted financial support from large and small companies and communities throughout the region."

2020-Evan Nolte

Evan Nolte, President & CEO

Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce

"NCDS has been our fundraising firm of choice since they first helped us devise the Forward Sioux Falls operating model in 1987, and raised $1.8 million to implement it. Not only is the firm exceptionally skilled at raising money, they also understand the importance of generating buy-in and sustained commitment. NCDS has helped us exceed goal in seven campaigns, the latest of which has a $15.5 million target, and when the current campaign is completed, NCDS will have helped us raise $53 million to fund our initiatives. Our top community leaders expect the best from our organization, and the exceptional team at NCDS always works hard to help us exceed those expectations."