Entrepreneurial veteran Bruce Stach to lead EDC's small business, start up initiatives
The Whitley County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) announced today that aerospace and defense industry veteran Bruce Stach is now overseeing the organization’s small business and entrepreneurship initiatives.
"Over the past two years, we have established a strong foundation to support entrepreneurs in Whitley County," said EDC president Alan Tio, "With Bruce’s guidance we aim to further enhance our capabilities to work with startup and growth oriented companies.”
Stach joins the EDC’s small businesses team that also includes business incubation program managers Sharon Sallot, owner of Sallot Ventures, and Scot Goskowicz, business advisor with the Indiana Small Business Development Center. Sallot and Goskowicz now manage a business incubation program that serves twelve client companies from throughout Whitley County and will soon launch their second FastTrac New Ventures business planning workshop.
"The EDC’s business incubation program provides resources for new and emerging businesses to find success in Whitley County," said Stach. "We are exceeding our initial goals for the incubation program and are now looking toward serving additional clients at different stages of their entrepreneurial development.”
Stach has been involved in Whitley County’s business incubation program since its inception, most recently serving on the advisory board. He is the owner of Columbia City-based Sigma Systems Development LLC and was previously Director of Business Development at ITT Aerospace/Communications division in Fort Wayne.
The EDC will continue to sponsor the business incubation program and in 2011 will launch pre-startup “discovery” and second-stage “acceleration” programs. The business incubation program is supported by a Rural Capacity Grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, matching funds from the Whitley County Community Foundation and the Northeast Indiana Fund, and in-kind contributions from the EDC. The Whitley County EDC is partnering with the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Small Business Development Center to sponsor this countywide program.
"Over the past two years, we have established a strong foundation to support entrepreneurs in Whitley County," said EDC president Alan Tio, "With Bruce’s guidance we aim to further enhance our capabilities to work with startup and growth oriented companies.”
Stach joins the EDC’s small businesses team that also includes business incubation program managers Sharon Sallot, owner of Sallot Ventures, and Scot Goskowicz, business advisor with the Indiana Small Business Development Center. Sallot and Goskowicz now manage a business incubation program that serves twelve client companies from throughout Whitley County and will soon launch their second FastTrac New Ventures business planning workshop.
"The EDC’s business incubation program provides resources for new and emerging businesses to find success in Whitley County," said Stach. "We are exceeding our initial goals for the incubation program and are now looking toward serving additional clients at different stages of their entrepreneurial development.”
Stach has been involved in Whitley County’s business incubation program since its inception, most recently serving on the advisory board. He is the owner of Columbia City-based Sigma Systems Development LLC and was previously Director of Business Development at ITT Aerospace/Communications division in Fort Wayne.
The EDC will continue to sponsor the business incubation program and in 2011 will launch pre-startup “discovery” and second-stage “acceleration” programs. The business incubation program is supported by a Rural Capacity Grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, matching funds from the Whitley County Community Foundation and the Northeast Indiana Fund, and in-kind contributions from the EDC. The Whitley County EDC is partnering with the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Small Business Development Center to sponsor this countywide program.