Focus: INvision Southeast: cooperative marketing effort for Southeast Indiana's economic development.

• Author: Cone-Ertel, Jennifer
• Position: Southeast Indiana

A growing number of Indiana communities are realizing that neighborly cooperation is the key to economic success. Seven Southeast Indiana counties have joined forces to market themselves to prospective industrial and commercial employers under the name INvision Southeast.

Dearborn, Jefferson, Jennings, Ripley, Scott, Switzerland and Ohio counties began working together three years ago. Since then, each county has been able to increase its visibility for only a small annual fee.

According to members, the pooling of resources through INvision Southeast was the smartest way to market the area for the least amount of money. Says Dave Koenig, economic-development director for Jennings County, "Each county would need to spend 10 times the amount of money to reach the same market if going it alone."

Koenig was involved in a similar effort in Northern Indiana some years ago. "Dave really gave us the idea to begin working together to save money on advertising expenses," says Susan Craig, executive director of Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission in Versailles, in Ripley County.

Three years ago, the seven counties formed a committee while working with the Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission with the intent of hosting an Industrial Showcase. Such an event was deemed too costly and ambitious for any one of the counties to produce alone.

The event was held at the Ogle Haus in Vevay in Switzerland County. Businesses, government officials, state officials and planning personnel were brought together with economic-development prospects to discuss what it means to live and do business in Southeast Indiana.

"We accomplished what we set out to do with the Industrial Showcase: namely, create greater awareness and produce more leads to visit the region - not competition among the counties," Koenig says.

This year, the group is planning its third showcase. Says Troy Whittington of PSI Energy, the 1995 chairman, "We are working creatively so we can encourage the business community to join us again in our economic-development efforts. We hope to hold a classy, high-profile event that is upbeat and effective in selling the region to new business."

Last year INvision Southeast participated in the state's advertising and trade-show co-ops. It also attended additional trade shows and placed its own regional advertisements in trade publications.

"The Planning Commission has stepped back and economic-development personnel from each county meet...