The board of directors of Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. announced Alan Tio will join the organization next month as CEO to lead the community’s economic development efforts.

Tio comes to KEDCo. with more than a decade of experience with local, regional, and state-level economic development organizations, according to a news release from KEDCo. He has worked with a diverse portfolio of economic development projects, such as business startup, business recruitment, business expansion, industrial park development and industrial spec building development. He has worked to promote business development in the aerospace and defense, agribusiness and medical device industry sectors.

Tio recently served as economic developer at Michael Kinder and Sons Inc., a fourth-generation design-build construction company based in Fort Wayne.

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“We are thrilled to welcome Alan to our community  and look forward to his leadership moving our efforts forward,” said KEDCo. board chairman Jim Tinkey, “Alan’s track record speaks to his focus on understanding the needs of communities and companies.”

During his tenure leading the Whitley County Economic Development Corp., he led business attraction and business retention and expansion efforts, provided staff support for the Whitley County Redevelopment Commission, and oversaw the launch of initiatives related to agribusiness, community development, medical device, and small business and entrepreneurship.

Tio has professional certification from the International Economic Development Council. He served as chair of the Indiana Economic Development Association in 2013-14, and was recognized as a “40 Under 40” Rising Star in Economic Development by Development Counsellors International in 2015.

Tio served as an instructor in basic economic development courses in Illinois and Indiana.

In 2013, Tio received a direct commission to the reserve component of the United States Navy Supply Corps. He was honor grad for the 88th Company of the basic qualification course and now serves as training department head with NR DFAS-CO 209 at Defense Supply Center Columbus. He works closely with the contract-closeout team at Defense Finance and Accounting Services.

Tio graduated with university honors from Miami University with a bachelor of arts in international studies in 2002 and with a masters in public affairs from Indiana University in 2006.

In 2014, Tio was recognized by then-Governor Mike Pence as a “Distinguished Hoosier,” and early this year he was named to the “Circle of Corydon” by Governor Eric Holcomb.

He serves as chairman of the board of directors of the Northeast Indiana Defense Industry Association and serves on the executive committee of the industry advisory board for the college of engineering, technology and computer science at Purdue University Fort Wayne.

“Our community is well-positioned to succeed in the years ahead thanks to a strong legacy of business growth and community investment,” said Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer. “We are ready to take our efforts to the next level by working strategically with our partners.”

Tio will succeed KEDCo. President George Robertson, who has led the community’s economic development efforts as KEDCo.’s first full-time executive director since 2010 and is retiring later this year.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing vitality of this community and humbled  to be succeeding a nationally recognized economic developer like George  Robertson,” said Tio. “By connecting the ideas, talent and capital already found in this community, great things are indeed wanting to be done in Kosciusko County.”