Hoffman Estates reworks Economic Development Commission

Hoffman Estates officials have tweaked their 28-year-old Economic Development Commission to make its duties more complementary with those of the village's economic development director, a position created in 2002.

Among the commission's new responsibilities is creating an annual promotional event at the Sears Centre Arena for brokers and developers. An event of that kind was hosted successfully in 2012, when entrepreneurs were invited to an Alan Jackson concert at the arena.

The commission also will actively support small businesses by running the village's holiday shop-local event and an annual presentation of excellence awards.

The retooled commission will carry on with its current 13 members, some of whom lobbied for the changes.

"We wanted to change it to give them more of an active role than a passive role," Hoffman Estates Economic Development Director Kevin Kramer said. "We appointed a couple new members last year. They wanted something to do. They wanted to be a part of an active commission."

The members are expected to stay educated about state and federal legislative tools that could help economic development locally. Though this is something Kramer does as well, having a greater number of eyes and ears in the community can only help, he said.

The commission was first created in 1987, but many of its original responsibilities became redundant when Gary Skoog became the village's first economic development director in 2002. Kramer succeeded him two years ago.

The commission also is expected to continue its complementary relationship with the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Chamber President Tricia O'Brien said she wasn't aware of all the changes made to the commission, but that her organization has had an excellent rapport with Kramer and the village.