GWC to host Downard for Imagine event

Wabash County, IN  – Grow Wabash County invites its investors and community partners to attend their upcoming event featuring Alex Downard, director of Imagine One 85, on Tuesday, June 27.

During this event, Downard will be providing a recap  of the Imagine One 85 planning process, highlight what the plan includes, provide an update on the plan's implementation progress, and have interactive discussions with attendees around some of the Imagine One 85 Team's initiatives. 

“The intention of the Imagine One 85 initiative has always been to grow our population while also listening to the needs and values of the people who already call Wabash County home,” Keith Gillenwater, president and CEO of Grow Wabash County, said. “They are the people that know our communities best and know what our communities need to prosper and thrive. As we near the one-year anniversary of the strategic plan’s adoption, we want to hear from our community members again to make sure we are still on the right track.”  

Downard, who is also the founder and owner of Downard Development Strategies, stepped into the role as Director of Imagine One 85 in October 2022 with the intention of executing the 85 priorities outlined in the Imagine One 85 countywide strategic plan adopted by Wabash County in July 2022. Downard is a graduate of Manchester University and has established himself as a community leader through his involvement with various organizations including Manchester Alive where he serves as board chair. 

“The Imagine One 85 Plan has been a testament to Wabash County's commitment to collaboration when working on initiatives to arrest and reverse population decline in our community and our implementation efforts are no different,” Downard said. “We hope that residents and community stakeholders are available to join us for this opportunity to learn about our work and participate in any of the initiatives that interest them.”

This event will take place on Tuesday, June 27, at 1 p.m. in the Grow Wabash County conference room, 214 South Wabash Street in Wabash. Admission to this event is free for GWC Investors, but registration is required as space is limited. Registration can be done at www.growwabashcounty.com/imagineupdate.