SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced Teresa Kurtenbach as the new Opportunity Returns manager for the Northwest region. Kurtenbach will be responsible for overseeing the Governor’s economic development initiative designed to spur economic growth in Bureau, Carroll, Henry, Jo Daviess, LaSalle, Lee, Mercer, Putnam, Rock Island and Whiteside counties.
“At its most basic level, the Opportunity Returns program is about creating more opportunities for the people of this region to earn a decent living. Teresa’s professional background and her deep understanding of the region make her the right person to help create a better way of life for people in Northwest Illinois,” Governor Blagojevich said.
Prior to her appointment, Kurtenbach served as a communications manager for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services where she was responsible for internal and external communications for the agency; she also worked to help advance the state’s healthcare initiatives. Kurtenbach served for over three years as political director for U.S. Congressmen Lane Evans and Phil Hare. She has been active in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Quad Cities, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Augustana College in Rock Island.
“We are pleased to have Teresa as manager of the Northwest Illinois region,” Rick Baker, president of the Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce stated. “We have enjoyed a very strong working relationship with the NW region and they’ve served as a critical link between the communities in the region, DCEO and the other state agencies. Teresa is an incredibly talented and very knowledgeable individual. We look forward to working with her on the many projects that are important to the Illinois Quad City region.”
“Teresa’s professional background and civic roots will be beneficial in her role as regional manager. She understands the needs of these communities and will work to see that they achieve their economic potential,” Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Jack Lavin said.
Under the Governor’s Opportunity Returns program, the state has made significant strides in promoting economic development in the Northwest region. Since 2003, the area’s unemployment rate has dropped 2.1 percent, from 8 percent to 5.9 percent, and more jobs have located within the region. The state has also assisted various industries in investing or expanding in the region, including the PetSmart’s distribution center in Ottawa, the addition of the Triumph Foods processing plant in East Moline, and the expansion of Western Illinois University’s Quad Cities campus in Moline.
Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.