Monday, December 05, 2011
 
sponsored by


Development partnership director's first 100 days range from everyday business to extraordinary urgency

Send a link to a friend

[December 05, 2011]  Michael Maniscalco isn't quite 30 years old and he looks younger than that. But, as many in Logan County have found these past 100 days, the young man's looks can be deceiving. Mike has had the occasion to show a determination and understanding of community that has many community leaders praising the decision of his hire.

Maniscalco, who came on the job as the executive director of the Lincoln & Logan County Development Partnership on Aug. 15, found no small task to confront early in his tenure.

The first three weeks on the job, Mike made the rounds of as many businesses as possible. He wanted to get to know everyone involved in the community, and that kept his days filled into the night. Mike said he also directed his efforts to determining what in the office worked, and what didn't that needed immediate attention. He also had to work on getting a new computer system integrated, and there were some frustrating moments with that.

And then, the news came on Sept. 8 that Gov. Quinn intended to close the county's third-largest employer, Logan Correctional Center.

With less than a month on the job, Mike found his efforts being driven toward local job retention rather than job growth. "I guess I was seasoned enough," he said with a laugh.

He and the partnership board, city and county officials, as well as the chamber and union representatives, joined forces in an effort to change the governor's mind about closing Logan Correctional.

The dissemination of information to the community, a petition drive, a courthouse rally, as well as a call to fill Earl C Hargrove Chapel during a state hearing on the prison closing, all were extra tasks Maniscalco helped with that had to fit in with his other duties.

Mike's background is strong on 501(c)(3) experience but not necessarily economic development. His most recent employment was as program manager for the Autism Program of Illinois. In that position, he led statewide operational planning of support activities and initiatives. He also managed the development and maintenance of a statewide network of 27 agencies and university partners supplying training and autism services to 29,000 autistic youth. As program manager, he managed a $4 million budget.

A few of the things that showed Mike had a tenacious spirit and intelligent mind for his new job happened when a group of local leaders went down to Springfield to supposedly speak with the governor. Quinn was a no-show, but Mike told the governor's office staff to please have the governor call him to set up another appointment (something that never happened).

When chamber director Andi Hake left the huge stack of petitions carrying almost 9,000 names, Mike told her to take them out of the box and leave them loose on the desk. "They are too easy to just throw away when they are in a box," he told her.

Mike, like everyone in the community, is delighted that the prison will remain open and said he is now busy working on what would be normal tasks for a director of the development partnership.

Although there are numerous tasks that the partnership works on, Mike talked specifically about a few that he hopes to have in place soon.

One important program is the development of a new five-year master plan for the partnership to follow. In a quarterly report presented to officials, the intentions of the partnership are to "hone its operations with the plan to create an efficient organization. This will be done by moving finances in-house, the revamping of marketing and a review and amendment to partnership bylaws."

[to top of second column]

Maniscalco said the revamp of marketing is very important. "You are only as good as you look," he said. To this end, a new website with detailed information, statistics and community background, as well as hard-copy materials, are being developed that can be used by prospective businesses thinking of coming to Logan County.

Mike said the partnership also is working on a "synchronis" system that will show what existing businesses we have in the county, allowing potential businesses to see if there is a market gap that makes Logan County a good choice for them.

Mike said he has been making the rounds of area businesses, and although he hasn't been to all of them yet, he will continue to meet and hone relationships. Feeling a community working together for the common good is essential to economic growth.

Maniscalco also has been a steady presence at city of Lincoln and county meetings, as well as meetings in other towns in Logan County. It has been noted by several of these elected officials that Mike stays for their entire meeting, rather than reporting and then leaving. When asked about his staying for entire meetings, he replied, "It's a good way for me to know what's going on."

Mike said he looks for growth in Logan County from small business and not major factories. News of multimillion-dollar tax breaks to lure or keep big businesses shows that Logan County is too small a player for those major corporations. Mike believes the way to grow and maintain a strong economy is through smaller, sustainable businesses, interwoven into the community, that will have a good chance of survival.

Mike said he still has his home up for sale in Springfield and can't wait to relocate in Logan County. He and his wife, Sabohat, who is working on her doctoral dissertation, look forward to becoming everyday faces in the community.

When Mike was asked what his initial feelings about the community were, he said he felt good about his decision to accept the position. "I felt this was a community of caring people. The support I saw for Logan Correctional was just incredible. It vindicated to me that my decision to take the job was a wise choice. By the way, does anyone need a house in Springfield?"

[By MIKE FAK]

Past related articles

< Top Stories index

Back to top


 

News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching and Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries

Community | Perspectives | Law and Courts | Leisure Time | Spiritual Life | Health and Fitness | Teen Scene
Calendar | Letters to the Editor