In mid-2019, I contacted Lucas Witt from MWM Consulting to assist me with securing funding for a large manufacturer who was expanding in our city. As a new Mayor, I wanted to help this individual manufacturer, but also wanted to develop our industrial park, which had seen little activity over the past two decades. Likewise, I wanted to establish working relationships with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and our local industry executives. In short, I knew where I wanted to go with our economic development efforts, but was not sure how to get there. Lucas came highly recommended by a friend who is an Economic Development Specialist, and he did not disappoint.
Fast forward 18 months and the expanding manufacturer was successful in securing financial incentives and completed a 171,000 square foot expansion. In October 2020, our city landed a new AppHarvest greenhouse and construction is underway for their flagship facility for growing leafy greens. We also landed a joint venture involving Hitachi and Honda where an existing building in our industrial park will be renovated to produce a state of the art electric motor for Honda Motors. Lucas was instrumental in working with the cabinet to secure significant incentives for this project and his personal efforts were key to seeing this project come to fruition. In addition, we are creating a master plan for developing additional uncleared industrial property and are working with existing industry on expansion plans.
In summary, Lucas’s knowledge, contacts, and sheer determination to get things done has helped the City of Berea and me reach our goals for economic development. We would not have done this without him. What is even more incredible is that all of this progress has taken place in 18 months. The future looks bright for our city and we look forward to the next phases of economic expansion with the help of MWM Consulting.
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Mayor Bruce Fraley, City of Berea
