EDC and SBTDC Join Forces to Support Business Growth

An innovative partnership between The Independence Economic Development Council and the Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Center will be announced at the Friday, May 11 EDC Investor luncheon.

Tom Lesnak, President of the Independence EDC, said the new partnership opens a new chapter for the EDC.  “The new partnership with SBTDC puts a vast array of new services on the table to help grow small business in Independence,” Lesnak said.  “In joining forces with SBTDC we are now consultants with new sources of revenue through Federal stimulus funding to aid in our efforts.”

Business Incubator Puts Independence on National Stage - KC Star

By BRIAN BURNES

The Kansas City Star

Add one more destination tourism site to Independence: the new business incubator that has given new life to abandoned hospital.

Photo by KC Star - Allison Long

Last week about 40 municipal officials from all over the country rode buses to Independence for a guided tour through the Independence Regional Ennovation Center.

The visitors, among about 1,000 officials attending the Transforming Local Government convention in Kansas City, inspected the creative urban reuse of a large empty building, in this case a former hospital that had operated for about a century in older northwest Independence.

Local Coalition Join Forces for Electrify Independence

Community leaders and city officials from the City of Independence announced today the formation of a steering committee called “Electrify Independence.

Electrify Independence’s goal is to initiate a grassroots effort to begin the installation of EVSE’s (Electric Vehicle Charging Stations) at various destination locations around the City of Independence before such a time the City of Independence may be compelled to undertake a similar effort as the result of Federal, State, County or Local Municipal legislative mandate.  ‘Electrify Independence’ is acting as the catalyst for change ’now’, with the end goal in mind to have various EVSE’s installed and “in the ground” at locations around Independence within the next 6 to 18 months.  This committee has the full support of the Independence EDC and IPL, who are both actively offering their guidance and expertise in this effort.