WINTERSVILLE - Today marks the conclusion of Ed Looman's second year as executive director of the Progress Alliance public-private economic development organization for Jefferson County.

After hearing a report on the organization gaining one private trustee a month this year, at $2,000 per trustee business, Looman gave thanks during Tuesday's Community Improvement Corp. meeting to the private trustees and the governments that provide money to operate the economic development and marketing programs of Progress Alliance.

"The support we receive is nothing short of amazing, particularly given the economic times we are facing," he said. "I know it's tough to cut that check."

The CIC trustees, who oversee the work of Progress Alliance, held their May meeting at the American Red Cross Jefferson County Chapter offices on Talbott Drive.

Looman's two-year report noted work Progress Alliance has done in providing assistance that led to the expansion of Wildfire Motors and the purchase of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce building by Capital Recovery Systems, which also added more jobs at its Steubenville location.

Activities in his report included involvement by Progress Alliance with:

The Power of 32 Pittsburgh economic regional effort.

The 3-2-1 Jobs (three counties, two states, one goal - to build a better economic future for Jefferson, Brooke and Hancock counties) initiative, which is being spearheaded by assistance from the Voinovich School at Ohio University through an Economic Development Authority grant.

Work to create a Jefferson County Port Authority and folding it into Progress Alliance.

Involvement with the MCBI Muskingum business incubator and the Big Idea entrepreneur contest.

Work with EM-Media on the Be Jefferson County Proud advertising campaign.

The successful launch of the Best of Jefferson County annual awards event and banquet.

Increasing ties with state economic development officials.

Regional involvement, including Looman's service as co-chair of the Columbus-to-Pittsburgh Corridor highway committee, serving as a founding member of the Jefferson-Belmont-Monroe economic development partnership and work with the Downtown Weirton Civic and Business Association to hold annual Regional Economic Outlook forums.

Continued data gathering and development of a database of available commercial and industrial properties in the county.

There were a number of other items on Looman's report, but he spent time talking about the property listing. Looman said the state is changing its system for the listings and the next staff addition at Progress Alliance will be spending time this summer updating the listings. Interviews for the hub coordinator position, who will work on small business development and relations with the MCBI group among other duties, are being conducted now.

Looman said the listings already on hand helped Jefferson County stay in the running for a potential 300-job, $100 million project.

"We are in the hunt for a huge opportunity that the Ohio Department of Development brought to us," Looman said. "The initial site we suggested was rejected. The site selectors found two more sites on our website. If they had not been listed, we would be totally shut out. We may not win it, but we are in the game because the inventory is there."

Looman and CIC President Ken Perkins said a meeting is being held soon with representatives of the Steubenville Area Board of Realtors on better coordination between the groups. Perkins said often, there are properties for sale that Progress Alliance could market, but it's not aware of their availability.

In other developments at the CIC meeting, representatives:

Heard an update from Scott Dressel on the work to form the Steubenville Historic Landmarks Foundation as a non-profit group to raise funds and manage the project to restore the Grand Theater, the last remaining downtown theater building. Dressel said it was recently determined a repair to the roof to make the building weather-tight will be about $120,000, not $300,000 as initially believed. He said once money is raised and the roof is sealed off, the renaming interior work can progress over time because the building no longer will be exposed to the elements. Dressel said he will have details soon on where citizens will be able to cast votes in hopes of the Grand project landing a $250,000 grant from Pepsi.

Heard from Kathy Musso, Red Cross chapter director, and Kyle Brown, chapter president, about the work of the chapter. Brown noted locally raised funds are important to the chapter because without the local Red Cross, service would have to come from Canton. Musso said in addition to disasters, the local chapter responds with assistance to an average of 30 fires that impact families each year.

Heard Perkins report that the CIC is on pace to continue adding one trustee a month for the first six months of the year. The goal is to add a total of 12 trustees during 2010.

Heard Looman's update on the scheduled Aug. 6 Bridge Invitational Golf Tournament, to be held at the Steubenville Country Club as a fundraiser for Progress Alliance's marketing efforts for the county. The tournament has been changed from a marketing effort to a corporate challenge and will feature a traveling trophy to the winning business team. Apex Environmental is a title sponsor and the Herald-Star is a presenting sponsor. Two more title sponsors are needed and there is room for as many presenting sponsors as want to sign on, Looman said.

(Giannamore can be contacted at pgiannamore@heraldstaronline.com)