Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant to serve as its Chair.
The Will County Center for Economic Development (CED) Board of Directors has selected Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant to serve as its Chair. As Chair, Bertino-Tarrant will lead the Board of Directors and Executive Committee in driving countywide efforts to expand economic opportunities, strengthen the local business environment, and attract
new residents.
“This is an exciting time to be leading the CED Board, as we are in a historic period of economic and population growth,” said County Executive and CED Board Chair Bertino-Tarrant. “A dynamic economic development strategy is critical to continuing to attract good-paying jobs and strengthening quality-of-life in all our communities. I look forward to
working with this team of leaders to seek innovation and try new ideas to move Will County forward.”
Bertino-Tarrant is the first Will County CED Chair from the public sector, demonstrating an increased level of engagement between the CED and local governmental partners to accomplish regional economic development goals. Since taking office as Will County Executive in 2021, Bertino-Tarrant has prioritized collaboration between local governments and the CED to increase job opportunities for residents and to foster a welcoming environment for businesses of all sizes. The selection comes as Will County continues to serve as a national and regional leader in economic development. The county’s population is the fastest-growing in the state, recently surpassing 700,000 residents, and the county ranks first in statewide job creation and single-family home building. This coincides with a historic level of federal, state, and local infrastructure investments being made in Illinois, promoting easier and safer access for both residents and commerce throughout the county and region.
“The Will County CED is excited to bring on Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant as Board Chair, after serving as our Vice Chair the past two years” said Doug Pryor, President and CEO. “She brings a strong vision, proven leadership, and a deep commitment to our mission. I look forward to working closely with her as we build on our momentum and advance
opportunities for businesses and residents across Will County.”
Bertino-Tarrant aims to work closely with local leaders to strengthen local economies throughout the county and support existing businesses. She also plans on shining a spotlight on Will County’s talent pool, which serves as one of its strongest economic assets.
This includes an increased focus on the CED’s youth development opportunities to support the local workforce pipeline, such as the Internship Program, which helped provide more than 70 summer jobs for Will County high school students in 2025, and the countywide initiative to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Will County to focus on early
childhood education.
“Preparing the next generation is a key part of Will County’s economic success strategy,” added Bertino-Tarrant. “Whether it’s our high-quality school systems or strong higher education institutions, our ability to create long-term employment pipelines is one of our strongest selling points for attracting industries.”
Local,City: Joliet,Region: Joliet,Region: South Suburbs
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July 25, 2025 at 08:08AM
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