ALEAP Partners with Local Financial Experts for Financial Panel Event
This quarter’s ALEAP panel event features local financial experts willing to share their expertise on banking, accounting and retirement planning with our local entrepreneurs and small business owners. The panelist will be Daniel Otten of Farmers State Bank, Heather Benda of Hill, Larson, Walth, and Benda, P.A. and Alex Johnston of Edward Jones. The event will be held Thursday, November 17th at the Freeborn Bank Building from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
The ALEAP program is an initiative to promote and assist Albert Lea and Freeborn County entrepreneurs through a multi-faceted approach. Features of the program are monthly networking gatherings on the third Thursday of the month, educational and training opportunities, available incubator and co-working space shared with other entrepreneurs, and micro lending/gap financing options. The program is housed under the Albert Lea Economic Development Agency (ALEDA) umbrella and is a partnership between ALEDA, the local Blandin Community Leadership cohort, Riverland Community College and the Riverland Foundation. The two-year goals for the ALEAP program are to create 5 new businesses and 15 new jobs. Since the program started in June of 2015, ALEAP participants have started 5 new businesses and created 18 new jobs.
ALEDA is the local economic development organization made up of two separate entities – the City of Albert Lea Port Authority and Greater Jobs, Inc. If you are a new or expanding business looking for assistance, or are interested in more information about the ALEAP program, please contact ALEDA at 507-373-3930