Tecumseh Economic Development Director Jessica Sattler hired by regional agency

Mary Lowe, The Daily Telegram
·4 min read

TECUMSEH — Tecumseh Economic Development Director Jessica Sattler has landed a big promotion with another regional agency — still in economic development.

Jessica Sattler
Jessica Sattler

Starting Jan. 2, Sattler will be a senior project manager for the Regional Growth Partnership, which has its headquarters in Toledo and covers 17 counties in northwestern Ohio as well as Monroe, Lenawee and Hillsdale counties in Michigan. The RGP is the lead economic development organization for the northwestern Ohio region and the local Jobs Ohio partner that focuses on site location for large foreign and domestic companies as well as working with existing businesses within the region to help with growth.

“I’m really excited about it. It allows me to utilize what I’ve learned here in my career at Tecumseh and my career before that to represent the entire region, which is excellent. Most of my role will be working with large businesses that already exist to help them with expansion, retention, any maybe pain points they might be having as well as trying to bring new businesses into the region,” Sattler said. “This was a really difficult decision to make because I love the work that I do here at the city. But this enables me to do that work on a larger scale, make even more contributions and bring even more businesses to that area.”

Sattler’s job before being hired by the city of Tecumseh was director of regional economic engagement and economic development programs for the University of Toledo. Sattler’s new boss encourages her continued work with the city of Tecumseh, and Sattler is not going away. Her office will be in her Tecumseh home.

“Having worked with Jessica in various capacities over the years, we’re thrilled to have her join the RGP team,” Dean Monske, president and CEO of the Regional Growth Partnership, said in a news release. “For more than 15 years, we have developed a close relationship with the economic development groups in Southeast Michigan, including the city of Tecumseh. Jessica’s addition to our team provides us the opportunity to strengthen ties and further enhance that collaborative partnership.”

Sattler’s accomplishments in her nearly five years working for the city of Tecumseh include:

  • Landing the first business at the Tecumseh Business and Technology Campus.

  • Creating a new, customized marketing and attraction strategy for recruiting domestic and international companies to the city.

  • Assisting with the expansion of five businesses.

  • Recruiting several small businesses to Tecumseh.

  • Acting as staff liaison for the Downtown Development Authority.

  • Overseeing more than $2.5 million invested in the downtown district.

  • Raising more than $250,000 in grants and sponsorships.

  • Helping to launch new events and programs like the Summer Beach Party, Merry & Bright, and the Martin Luther King Community Spirit scholarship.

  • Launching three new websites for the city, downtown and Adrian Tecumseh SmartZone.

  • Rebranding the Downtown Tecumseh logo.

  • Rebranding the Adrian Tecumseh SmartZone logo.

  • Helping Tecumseh achieve state of Michigan Redevelopment Ready Community status.

  • Serving on several boards like the chamber, Lenawee County Land Bank, YMCA, Lenawee County economic development committee and the Raisin Township parks and recreation committee.

  • Helping businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic with grants, marketing, reopening kits and the “I Support Tecumseh” fundraiser.

“Jessica has contributed not only a tremendous amount of knowledge, but also heart and soul to the City’s Economic Development Department over the last five years. While we are all sad she will be leaving the city, we look forward to working with her in this expanded regional role. The city has a great working relationship with others that have accepted new positions to develop their careers, and we have no doubt we will have a similar connection with Jessica,” Tecumseh City Manager Dan Swallow said in a news release. “With Jessica’s help, we have completed the recruitment profile to fill the position, and will start advertising and reaching out to economic development professionals in our area over the holidays. We anticipate welcoming a new person in early 2023, and in the interim will be communicating with our local businesses to make sure we don’t miss a beat.”

Tecumseh Mayor Jack Baker wishes Sattler well.

“Any time someone can further their career, I will always be supportive of that," Baker said in the news release. “As someone who has worked with all of the economic development directors we’ve employed since the position’s inception (1995), I’m proud to say that all four had their own unique way of making this department what I had hoped it would become. Additionally, I wish Jessica the best in her new position, and I know that she’ll excel in her new position as she did here with us.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Tecumseh Economic Development Director Jessica Sattler takes new job