Contact: Betsy Lundgren | blundgren@thrivehere.org | 608.443.1961
Thrive, the economic development partnership for the eight-county Madison Region, announces Paul Jadin as its new President. Jadin’s past experience and proven track record of success in economic development make him uniquely qualified to lead Thrive and oversee implementation of the Advance Now Strategy.
Thrive recruited Jadin to participate in a nationwide search to fill the President position. He was identified as the best qualified candidate based on his direct experience at the local, regional, and state levels, as well as his proven ability to engage both the public and private sectors in economic development efforts.
“Paul’s professional background positions him well to lead a regional economic development organization like Thrive, where success is dependent on strong relationships and cooperation among municipalities, counties, and the state,” notes Mark Cullen, chairman of the Thrive board of directors. “His approach to economic development engages both the public and private sectors, another critical component to the success of regional economic growth initiatives. I have the utmost confidence in his leadership.”
In Jadin’s current role as the Secretary/CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, he has guided the organization through the creation of a four-year strategic plan and two years of operating plans. He will bring his deep understanding of the state’s economic development goals to his position at Thrive, preparing him to execute the strategies he developed at the state level in the Madison Region. Prior to his position at WEDC, Jadin served as President & CEO of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce for seven years and as Mayor of Green Bay for eight years.
Jadin has a profound understanding of the critical role that regional organizations like Thrive fill in the economic development ecosystem. He played a founding role in the creation of The New North, the regional economic development organization for 18 counties in the northeast portion of the state, and served as a member of The New North Executive Committee. He comes to Thrive with an established understanding of the organization and the goals of Advance Now based on his active involvement as a member of Strategy Committee that oversaw the plan’s development.
“The Advance Now Strategy poises the Madison Region for proactive, aggressive growth, and I look forward to joining Thrive to lead its implementation,” notes Jadin. “I am committed to achieving the goals and benchmarks outlined in the strategy so that we can move this region’s economy forward and become more competitive on the global economic development stage.”
Jadin will begin his post at Thrive in November 2012.
ABOUT PAUL JADIN
Since January 2011, Paul Jadin served as both the Secretary of Commerce and Secretary/CEO of the new Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. He was charged with transitioning from a state agency that had responsibility for economic development and regulatory activities to a public/private authority that is 100% focused on economic development. That reorganization has brought an expanded emphasis on international activities, with networks being developed in over a dozen countries; it has fostered a significant investment in entrepreneurship and innovation; and it has enabled the state to better understand and support its key industry sectors. The WEDC, under Jadin’s leadership, has also produced a new state brand to be unveiled in September 2012.
From April 2003 until his appointment, he was president and CEO of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, which has 1,400 members employing 93,000 workers. He directly oversaw economic development, government affairs, member services, and education functions. In partnership with Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, he led the development and growth of a 50,000-sq.-ft. business incubator, which has become a model for collaborative efforts involving small business activities.
From 1995-2003, Jadin served two terms as Mayor of Green Bay. He led economic development efforts that yielded a 50 percent increase in the tax base over his two terms in office. He also represented the city in all private and intergovernmental negotiations, including the Lambeau expansion agreement with the Green Bay Packers and the fee-for-service agreement with the Oneida Nation. In partnership with the Department of Commerce, he established the award-winning On Broadway Main Street Program.
Prior to his terms in office, Jadin spent 14 years in human resources management, first as personnel director for Portage County from 1981-1988 and then as director of personnel and labor relations for the City of Green Bay from 1988-1995.
Jadin was born in Green Bay and raised in Kewaunee, WI. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, and an M.S. in Public Administration from Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. He and his wife Jane have four children and have been married for 30 years.
ABOUT THRIVE
Thrive is the economic development partnership for the eight-county Madison Region with a vision to create a dynamic environment where people and businesses prosper. We are committed to providing businesses and communities with efficient access to capital; growing the industries and sectors that comprise our region’s greatest assets; informing smart decision-making by delivering valuable research and data; and collaborating across communities to share best practices and promote our region. The Madison Region includes Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock, and Sauk counties.
ABOUT ADVANCE NOW
In April 2012, Thrive launched Advance Now: Madison Region’s Strategy for Economic Growth, a comprehensive economic development strategy that will serve as a consensus blueprint for the Madison Region’s collective economic development efforts over a five year period. Centered on five goal areas, the Strategy was developed based on feedback from 2,000+ regional leaders and citizens, as well as research gathered through the Competitive Assessment and Target Cluster Analysis. Thrive will partner with public- and private-sector entities from across the region to implement Advance Now during the years 2013-2017. More information about Advance Now, including downloads of research and reports, is available at advancenow.thrivehere.org .
