Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development Kaba topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
KABA updates board on revolving loan funds, hiring events and housing task force
Summary
Nicole Riff, president of the Kenosha Area Business Alliance, briefed the board on KABA activities including revolving loan fund investments (noting Pleasant Prairie's $1 million RLF in 2014 and about $11 million invested countywide), a recent Smurfit WestRock hiring event, and a new housing task force targeting employer housing needs.
Nicole Riff, president of the Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA), told the Village Board KABA works across Kenosha County to attract, retain and expand businesses and to coordinate workforce efforts. She highlighted recent local activity: a hiring event for Smurfit WestRock that drew more than 100 applicants, a Pleasant Prairie‑focused video funded by a WEDC grant, and a business park roundtable hosted at Haribo that gathered roughly 30 attendees.
Riff outlined KABA’s revolving loan activity: the Pleasant Prairie revolving loan fund was seeded with $1,000,000 in 2014 and KABA has deployed about $11,000,000 across loan funds to support companies in Pleasant Prairie, including targeted assistance and aftercare. She also described a new housing task force convened to address employer concerns about workforce housing and said revolving loan funds might be used to support infrastructure or interest rate buy‑downs for housing projects. "We really are grateful for the opportunity to work with your staff and with your elected officials," Riff said, noting close coordination with village staff and the goal of keeping businesses and workers in the community.
Trustees thanked Riff; no motion was required or taken on the presentation.
