Thomas Jefferson Venture

Thomas Jefferson Venture is the regional partnership formed through the state's Competitiveness program. This group of elected officials, business owners and managers, educators, agency staff and citizens has determined what gives our region an advantage over others, and works to implement programs aimed at utilizing and enhancing those advantages to create the best community for all of us.

TJ Venture arrived at a set of key issues for the region after studying the data on the region and discussing the full range of issues identified in the process. The Venture has favored a holistic approach in deciding where to focus because experience in the region has shown that targeting leaves unintended negatives in its wake.

The Venture agrees the key issues facing the Venture region are:

Capitalizing On Inherent Tourism Assets

• Keeping attractions attractive (Heritage areas, Corridor protection)
• Enhancing cooperation (using Regional Tourism Council)
• Information provision (Regional map, video, in-room TV)

Building Workforce Skills

• Workforce development (PVCC Initiative)
• Job Enhancement (Job Mentoring)
• Entrepreneurial Opportunities (MicroLoan Program) Job shadowing, mentoring, apprenticeships (School/Business Alliance)
• Technology transfer capacity not ready for the 21st Century (Distance Learning)

Concentrating Development

• Reducing economic inefficiencies of sprawl

Creating Rural/City Job Opportunities

• Intergovernmental Partnership (Zion Crossroads Development Initiative)
• Public/Private Networking (Colleen Industrial Park, Greene County Industrial Park)
• Providing affordable housing

Reducing Economic Disparities Among Localities

• Local tax bases lack diversity of revenue sources (Rural)
• Lack of available land for job creation (City)

Zion Crossroads Optimum Development Options Study - 2002 (7.92 MB)