By Mary Drier (Contact / Staff Bio)
June 7, 2008 - 12:00 a.m. EST

CARO -- Tuscola County’s effort to stimulate its economy through entrepreneurship will get some national attention next month.

“Our county has been asked to do a presentation in July at the National Association of Counties (NAOC) Conference on the Sirolli program of Enterprise Facilitation,” said Tuscola County Commission Chair Jerry Peterson. “That’s quite an honor.

“Presentations at the conference are by invitation only.”

The conference is July 11-16 in Kansas City, MO.

“Our program was one of six chosen to be presented at the conference,” said Commissioner Tom Bardwell. “Economic development is a major concern, and when it comes to that, Tuscola County is ahead of the curve.”

County Controller Mike Hoagland and Tuscola County Michigan State University Extension Director Hal Hudson will do the PowerPoint presentation at the conference.

“It will basically be the same PowerPoint presentation that we have on the Sirolli program on our county Web site, and that we’ve done around the county,” said Peterson.

Hoagland said he felt the national recognition at the conference would provide further strength to the program locally, and also that presentations would continue to be made to local governmental units in the county over the next several months.

The Tuscola County Enterprise Facilitation Project is working with the non-profit Sirolli Institute on a project designed to grow the local economy. Enterprise Facilitation works with existing economic development efforts to assist entrepreneurs.

The Enterprise Facilitation Project will support new, existing and expanding businesses in county, and serve as a catalyst for renewed community pride and civic spirit.

The program is governed by community-based Board of Management, which is comprised of business and community leaders.

More details are available at www.tuscolacounty.org, www.sirolli.com, or by calling (989) 672-3870.

Peterson and Bardwell, who is on the Michigan Association of Counties and each of whom members of NAOC, will be attend the conference.