Communiqué
Award-Winning ‘Business Remixed’ Promotes Jobs in Athens County
By: Tom Hodson
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The Athens County Economic Development Council (ACEDC) goes by the brand name “Business Remixed” and its purpose is to develop and promote jobs and economic progress in Athens County.
The non-profit public-private partnership was recently given an award for Excellence in Economic Development Marketing from the Ohio Economic Development Association for its “Start it Up Nelsonville” program – promoting businesses and community spirit in the Nelsonville area.
It also led a group of investors to Equilibrium Solar, a local Athens company. The ACEDC found the new company a place to operate and helped finance some of its early work. The company now has 30 employees and adds more than $1 million dollars per year to the local labor market.
Sara Marrs-Maxfield is the Executive Director for ACEDC, a position she has held since 2012. Prior to that time, she was marketing and communications coordinator. She began at the Council in 2009.
Under her direction, ACEDC has expanded its programming, secured grants and developed new partnerships with industry.
Marrs-Maxfield talks with WOUB about the breadth of ACEDC and some of its many successes in stimulating the local economy.
Before joining ACEDC, Marrs- Maxfield honed her skills teaching in the College of Health Sciences at Ohio University.
Beyond her undergraduate degree, Marrs-Maxfield has attended the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute, the Georgia Institute of Technology and International Economic Development Council.
As Executive Director of ACEDC, Marrs-Maxfield serves on the boards of several civic organizations such as the Board of Directors of the Eastern Ohio Developmental Alliance.