Kewanee Economic Development

About KEDC

Description/Brief History:

KEDC is a not-for-profit 501 c (4) organization supported through appropriations from the City Council of Kewanee and from contributions from the private sector.  The current organization traces its roots to the1970s-era Kewanee Community Development Corporation, an offshoot of the Kewanee Chamber of Commerce, charged with improving the physical appearance of Kewanee’s downtown area. 

In 1982, Kewanee Community Development Corporation was transformed into the Kewanee Economic Development Corporation with the goal of attracting and retaining businesses within the city.  The organization was a cooperative venture initiated by the local business community with the City’s full blessing. 

Through the committed leadership of the business community and thanks to the foresight of successive city administrations, KEDC has had an impressive track record for nearly 30 years.   KEDC works to transform ideas into action and is constantly evolving to meet the changing demands of the marketplace.

Mission:

KEDC serves as the catalyst for the retention, development, and attraction of quality jobs in Kewanee, Illinois.  As a leadership organization, KEDC works to enhance community assets by stimulating capital investment, business diversification, and community improvement in order to grow and expand Kewanee’s prosperity and the quality of life of its residents.

Through a program focused on business retention, expansion, attraction, and development, KEDC is focused on four main goals:

• Expanding economic growth opportunities
• Expanding employment opportunities
• Expanding educational opportunities
• Expanding entrepreneurial opportunities

To learn more about KEDC, please contact Russell Medley, KEDC Executive Director, at rmedley@kedcorp.org or (309) 853-5000.