Forward Janesville - TheReport - Third Quarter 2021

4 • W W W . F O R W A R D J A N E S V I L L E . C O M John Beckord • Retired President, Forward Janesville IT'S TIME TO RIDE OFF INTO THE SUNRISE As I write this column, I am winding down my tenure at Forward Janesville after 20+ years. I am excited to begin my next chapter but there are some bittersweet feelings tugging at my heart. It’s tough to leave a job I have loved for so long. I made a list of people and things that were, to me, consequential in some way during my 20 years. A 500-word column is just not enough column inches to properly recognize the many people who made my tenure here so rewarding. The best I can do is send a heartfelt thanks to the 21 Board Chairs, the 200 Board members, the 21 past and current employees, the hundreds of volunteers, and the various partners who have all contributed to the successes we have celebrated over two decades. There are some projects that generated a great sense of pride for me and many others who were involved in nudging them along to completion. Some other projects are on my active wish list I will hand off to the next president of Forward Janesville. The Leadership Development Academy is one of those programs that quietly adds considerable value to the community. Early in my tenure I collaborated with former City Manager Steve Sheiffer and former Janesville Foundation President Bonnie Robinson to launch LDA. Building the leadership skills of 25 to 35 participants per year is enormously important to the many area non-profit organizations that need people to step up into leadership roles. Eighteen years after that first class, the program continues to thrive. My wish is that LDA graduates nurture and grow the program far into the future. I have learned through many conversations that members of the business community are a bit fatigued by the I90/39 expansion project. Afterall, we have been writing and talking about it for 15 years. But this $1.2 Billion infrastructure improvement will be finished in 2022 and will serve Rock County as a basic building block of economic development for decades to come. It took a lot of heavy lifting by many people to compete for the needed funds and get this project accomplished. I take great pride in Forward Janesville’s steady leadership to get it done. The Great Recession and the closure of 30 companies, including General Motors, was a serious blow to our local economy. When we needed leadership from the business community the most, the men and women at the top area businesses stepped up. Janesville, Beloit, Rock County, and Alliant Energy worked together to create the Rock County 5.0 plan and provided the financial resources to enable our team of professional economic developers to execute the plan. After 10 years, the revitalization and diversification of our area’s economy has been remarkable. By almost any measure you choose, our recovery has been stellar. Ten years ago, we were viewed by many as an economic train wreck. Now we are held up as an example of what an area can accomplish with smart execution of a plan, engaged leadership, and access to the financial resources needed to get the job done. As I walk out the door the tools and programs that have been established are endangered. My wish is that a way is found to fund the next generation of the Rock County 5.0 plan with a dominant focus on workforce development. The final big project on my short list is the Arise Plan for downtown revitalization. Again, a group of determined leaders from the business community actively embraced what the City of Janesville proposed and went about raising over $6 million in private donations to leverage the public tax dollars provided for the project’s first phase. The results are just stunning. The new riverfront spaces are often teaming with people attending events, enjoying a picnic, huddling around the fire pit, or playing in the Bubbler. Downtown Janesville is a source of civic pride again. My wish is that everyone who reads this column understands that what has been accomplished is just phase one of the Arise Plan. Much more needs to be done. It will take leadership, resources, and vision to continue what has been started. I’m going to miss the slow current of community development and the inevitable reinvention that is part of this profession. I did my best to promote and advocate for the membership. I leave behind a great team for the next leader of the organization. But as much as I enjoy this position, the time has come for new ideas, new energy, and new leadership. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me the opportunity to be part of the Forward Janesville family for over 20 years. It has been an honor to work for you. John’s last board meeting.