Boscobel Developers, Ltd., Boscobel Chamber of Commerce, and Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) of Chatfield, MN, are pleased to announce that Tim Jacobson has been hired to serve as Economic Development Director for the Boscobel community.
Jacobson, who grew up in Grant County and attended the former West Grant High School, moved to Boscobel a year ago where he launched Visjonær Consulting & Communications, with a focus on strategic planning, marketing, nonprofit fundraising planning, and organizational assessments. He has been an attorney for the past two decades, and he served as executive director of Mississippi Valley Conservancy, based in La Crosse, from 2006 to 2013. He is married to long-time local kindergarten teacher Lisa Jacobson.
“The Boscobel community has tremendous economic potential and a great quality of life,” said Mike Reynolds, President of the Boscobel Developers board of directors. “We’re thrilled to have Tim Jacobson as the point-person for the Developers and the Chamber of Commerce for fostering economic development and tourism in our beautiful city.”
The Boscobel Developers hired CEDA last year to bring its economic development expertise to the community, which has had no Chamber executive or city-funded economic development position for some time. CEDA worked with the Developers and created a strategic plan for moving the city forward. Hiring an economic development director was the next step to lead implementation of the plan.
“Tim brings a tremendous range of skills and an abundance of energy to work with community leaders and residents and to help them realize their dreams for Boscobel,” said Ron Zeigler, CEDA’s CEO. “We are fortunate to find someone with Tim’s diverse business and legal background and communication skills within Boscobel itself,” Zeigler added.
Jacobson plans to meet with city and tourism officials and other business and community leaders to gather input on the collective vision for Boscobel today and in the future. In addition, he will utilize information collected through the comprehensive planning process, the “Envision Boscobel” plan from a few years ago, and CEDA’s recent strategic plan to create and implement a work plan to enhance and support the business community and work on quality of life issues.
“Boscobel is a remarkable and beautiful city,” Jacobson said. “We are fortunate to have gorgeous scenery, abundant outdoor recreational opportunities for tourists and local citizens, a vibrant downtown with potential for so much more, a modern industrial park, a capable workforce, quality schools, ever-growing and improving hospital and clinic services in the community, and great transportation facilities, including the airport.”
The economic development director position is structured as part-time at two days per week at present. Jacobson will continue with his other organizational consulting and writing work through Visjonær Consulting.
Jacobson can be reached by phone at 608.386.2563 or by e-mail at tim.jacobson@cedausa.com. Information about the Boscobel community can be found at www.boscobelwisconsin.com.
