Lauren Davis
Wabash Valley Power economic development experts Lauren Davis and Brook Steed earned the prestigious Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) certification from the National Development Council (NDC).
Davis, regional economic development representative for Northwestern Indiana, and Steed, senior regional economic development representative for Northeast Indiana, completed four courses featuring intensive instruction in business credit analysis, real estate financing, loan packaging, deal structuring, negotiation and the creation and implementation of development programs. NDC has worked for 46 years to increase capital flow for investment in low-income communities, and provide products and services to partners in urban and rural communities across the U.S.
The lessons will help Davis and Steed collaborate with electric cooperatives and business owners in their local communities explore potential opportunities for expansion, and to attract organizations seeking relocation.
Brook Steed
“Since the certification is nationally known,” Davis said, “it will help us in outreach to site selectors and others across the country.”
Davis and Steed analyzed financial information and data from real-life case studies in their coursework, which added context when learning about those projects’ results and impact, Davis said. The program provided analytical lessons in project feasibility and underscored the tenets of a good investment.
“It was really educational to review real examples of past decision-making in funding,” Steed said. “By knowing the outcome, we could analyze the growth and impact of the results. This will be instrumental in collaborating with member co-ops and their members to determine the feasibility of future projects.”