Noble County Economic Development Corp. executive director Rick Sherck and Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership CEO John Sampson addresses those gathered for the Noble County Economic Development Corp.'s annual meeting Thursday in Kendallville.

When it comes to keeping jobs in and bringing jobs to Noble County, everyone plays a part.

That was the message those attending the annual meeting of the Noble County Economic Development Corp. heard Thursday at the event in the Four County Area Vocational Cooperative in Fairview Plaza in Kendallville.

"We're a resource, and we find people to fill the gaps when people have questions," said Rick Sherck, the EDC's executive director.

Sherck compared the way economic development happens to his experiences as a high school wrestler. His coach told the team it was only as strong as its weakest link. He was determined not to be the weakest link, and by toughening up against a tough competitor and working with someone who showed him what to do, he wasn't, he said.

Many people and operations play a part in Noble County's economic development, Sherck said. And, despite tough times and high unemployment, there have been some bright spots.

For instance, while the county lost 520 jobs through plant closings in 2009, 410 new jobs were created through a new company - Precision Tank and Equipment Co. in Ligonier - and nine companies that expanded or made facility improvements, Sherck said.

The word Sherck is hearing for 2010 is promising. More than 40 industries responded to an employment survey. "We've got about 20 industries that would like to diversify in 2010," he said, in medical, green energy and defense being areas of interest.

Also, 52 percent of industries surveyed plan to increase employment in 2010, Sherck said.

Bringing new companies to the area is great when it happens, but 80 percent of job growth comes from expanding companies that are already in a community,Sherck said.

The EDC also had a hand in keeping two facilities in the county from closing by finding buyers for them, Sherck said. That translates into jobs saved at those facilities.

It takes the help of a broad variety of people to make that happen, Sherck said. As he ran through a list, asking people to stand as their area of work was named, he soon had all of the about 75 people present standing.

Volunteering makes economic development easier, Sherck said. "Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success."

John Sampson, CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, which works with EDCs in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties to bring jobs, said Noble County isn't like some communities where people sit on their hands and wait for someone to bring jobs to them.

The partnership works to make contacts and bring jobs in, potentially from global companies, Sampson said. "What's important for us to recognize is that we're in a global economy."

But it's the entrepreneurs and businesses in a county, and the work of the local EDC to help them, that are most important, Sampson said. "What we really need to celebrate is every time a business owner invests in business and adds five or 10 new jobs."

Sherck thanked the various county, city and town government agencies that have supported the effort, but said there is a need to get more private funding donated for the effort. Right now theEDC is about 85 percent funded by tax dollars and 15 percent private funds, while best practices say the split should be about 50-50, he said.

Sherck closed by quoting Helen Keller: "Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much."

Ann Linson, Melissa Carpenter and Ray Scott were elected to the EDC's board of directors Thursday.