A former utilities director for the city of Connersville will begin work Monday as president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Group of Fayette County.
Brad Colter steps into the role that Dan Parker has held for the past 11 years. Parker is retiring.
A long-time board member and president of the Fayette County Board of Commissioners, Dale Strong, said, “Brad was selected from a list of local talents and has a passion for the future success of the community, he has a rare opportunity to make a difference in our economic future and I offer my support to him as a board member in that effort.”
After a 40-year career in Connersville utilities, Colter retired in July 2024. He worked his way from the bottom up to superintendent. When that job was combined in 2019 with streets and sanitation, he became the department director.
Connersville Mayor Chad Frank said, Colter “will be both aggressive and energetic. His experience building relationships and networking will play a key role in promoting Connersville.”
Along with his utilities career, Colter owned a couple of small businesses. In 2023, he bought a downtown bar, which he still operates.
“One of the things the EDG is interested in is small business,” he said. He believes his experience as a downtown business owner will be of value in his new work. He believes in keeping the center city attractive.
“The way your downtown looks is how visitors think of your city,” he said. Before his retirement, he served on the city’s Redevelopment Commission, which has provided substantial funding for downtown renovations.
He also gained experience with business attraction while working in utilities. When companies look for locations, one of the first things they ask about is utility services, he said. He participated with the EDG in several attraction projects, including Novalex, which started operations earlier this year in the former Visteon plant.
“Being able to talk about electric service, water, sewage, off the top of my head really helps,” he said.
Before becoming utilities director, he helped lead organized labor there. He will bring knowledge of the working person’s concerns to his new job. He wants to help local businesses develop more apprenticeship programs where local people can learn skills needed in modern manufacturing.
Parker will continue to work with EDG as an advisor for Colter for about a month.
In a recap of his time at the EDG, Parker said he served longer than any of his predecessors. Hired as executive director, the EDG board changed his title to president and CEO in 2019.
He lists working to form a six-county economic development group near the top of his accomplishments. The Eastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission took two years to come to fruition. He is the current board chairman, a post in which he will continue until the end of this year.
In 2016, EDG acquired the former 650,000 square foot D&M manufacturing facility at 800 W. 18th St. At the the same time, EDG acquired the adjacent 38,000 square foot Ivy Tech campus and classrooms at 717 W. 21st St. EDG, which has its office in the Ivy Tech building, leases space to non-profits and businesses within the Ivy Tech building.
Parker said that he promised the Fayette County Board of Commissioners he would get the empty D&M building back onto the property tax rolls. He accomplished that goal in 2019 when Brian Weaver bought the building and installed his company, Gbody Parts, warehousing and selling parts for classic motor vehicles.
EDG also played a role in bringing RDI Connect to a vacant building downtown. That company, which opened here in 2020, has put more than 100 people to work doing telephone customer service.
In 2018, EDG organized the Fayette County Broadband Taskforce. It has worked to bring broadband communications to all parts of the county. Since then, the EDG has been instrumental in having the state declare Fayette County “broadband ready.”
EDG and Parker also were involved in distributing business relief money during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Strong said, “I thank Dan for his service to the community through the EDG and wish him well in his next endeavor. His contributions to Fayette county will never be fully known or recognized.”
The EDG is a semi-public company. It is organized as a private corporation with its own board of directors. Richie Ware is president. Fayette County provides funding through its local economic development income tax. The city of Connersville provided some funding in the past but has not for several years.