Wozniak seeks $10,000 for business education

6/24/2008

In an effort to bolster the region's economic future, Lucas County Commissioner Tina Wozniak is asking commissioners to support a $10,000 investment in Assets Toledo Inc., an organization that trains individuals to launch and maintain successful businesses.

"Assets Toledo has been raining dollars for the private sector," said David Mann, the county commissioners' public affairs liaison.

The organization presents classes, links aspiring entrepreneurs with community mentors, and reviews their business plans.

The program, which has previously relied on private funding from businesses such as Sauder Woodworking Co., based in Fulton County's Archbold, and The Andersons Inc., now has a backlog of almost 600 people seeking training.

With county funding, Assets Toledo hopes to train an additional 100 or 200 individuals. Ms. Wozniak consulted Olivia Holden, the program's director, to determine a financial contribution that would help it train as many people as possible within its resources.

"This is an organization that, over the last five or six years, has been able to really reach out, and to create a whole host of jobs for the community," Ms. Wozniak said. "I believe that they will take these dollars and really put people to work."