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Economic development changes in Lafayette County
Luis Lopez recently hired as new LDC executive director
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Luis Lopez was hired as the new economic development director in April.

The Lafayette Development Corporation (LDC) has re-established its efforts to revitalize the economy in the county. The fulltime position of executive director was filled in April 2015 with the goal of energizing economic growth.

Luis Lopez from Darlington was recently selected to lead the LDC office and work under the direction of the board. His education includes degrees in industrial engineering and a Masters in business administration plus extensive self-development in leadership and management topics.

His experience comes from business consulting, coaching and mentoring leaders in the areas of management, supervision and lean manufacturing. Luis has held positions such as plant manager and operations vice-president with extensive experience in automotive and other manufacturing industries.

Lopez has begun his new position with a running start, already having hosted an economic development meeting in conjunction with the Darlington Chamber/Main Street program that was attended by community members and organizations on Wednesday, April 15.

The LDC is the lead economic development organization in the county since its establishment in the late nineties. Its mission is to support, evaluate and promote any economic activity that potentially creates or retains jobs in the county as well as new business start-ups or business expansions that generate economic growth. The areas of involvement are primarily industrial and commercial and it also addresses retail and tourism activities.

The success of the office requires the establishment of business relationships and cooperation of various public and private entities, agencies and organizations. It is the job of the executive director to understand the economy, identify key objectives and provide leadership in mobilizing the entities and resources of the local economy.

Job creation is the traditional objective of economic development. Not only the quantity of jobs in the county, but jobs that support a desired standard of living, offer stability and decent working conditions and provide opportunity for advancement.

The LDC is an independent non-profit corporation funded by cities, towns and villages and led by a board of directors from those same entities. Additionally, there are several board positions filled by citizens at large. Other organizations participating are utility companies, private business and some state agencies.

If you are an entrepreneur, have a business idea or project in mind and want to explore its viability or how the LDC could be of assistance, feel free to contact the LDC office at 608-776-4860 or by emailing Lopez at luis.lopez@lafayettecounty.org . The LDC office is located at 627 Washington Street, Darlington.
The LDC office doesn’t charge for services it provides.