History of EDC

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fter new residents and new businesses begin pouring into St. Charles County by the thousands starting in the 1980s, local leaders decided to establish a community-wide, public-private organization to foster balanced growth and an ever-increasing quality of life.

 

In 1990, the Crossroads Development Corporation and the
St. Charles County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) merged and formed the Economic Development Council of St. Charles County (EDC). Two key civic leaders behind this effort were Henry Elmendorf and Harlan Pals.

 

In 1993, the EDC opened a 30,000-square-foot small business incubator in St. Peters at 5988 Mid Rivers Mall Drive near St. Charles Community College to serve as its base of operations. The facility doubled in size to 60,000-square-feet in 1995.

 

In 2000, the EDC was instrumental in establishing the Partner for Progress of Greater St. Charles (PfP), a membership organization of major employers, civic and community leaders. PfP is respected throughout metro St. Louis for its focus on public policy initiatives in the areas of economy, education, healthcare, and quality of life.

 

Currently the EDC Board and Members includes 30 local leaders including government administrators, IDA and PfP members, local business leaders from diverse fields, and other influential residents.

 

As the “business growth experts,” the EDC is renowned for providing attractive business financing to companies or all size, operating an award-winning small business incubator facility, assisting with business recruitment and retention, offering business resources such as counseling and training, and helping to promote the local community and region.

 

The EDC’s small business incubator center has helped graduate more than 100 companies with nearly 400 jobs since 2000 into the general market place.

 

In 2009, the EDC was named America’s 504 Lender of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration with a territory that includes all of Missouri and the Metro East in Illinois. Since 2000, EDC Small Business Finance has disbursed $114 million in 504 loans and $170 million in Industrial Revenue Bonds resulting in the creation or retention of more than 6,200 jobs.

 

All of the EDC’s efforts are done in close cooperation with our local governmental partners along with the
St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA), the Missouri Partnership, and the Missouri Department of Economic Development (MoDED).

 

For more information about the EDC, call 636-441-6880 or click here.