Pat Leitzen Fye

• Business + Marketing Manager
  • Responsibilities include Business + Accounts Management, Marketing + Communications, Project Development, Project Presentation, Facilitation + Strategic Planning
    
• Economic Development Consultant
  • Well-versed and experienced in economic development strategies and services, including business retention, financing and fund development, and incentives such as TIF and Enterprise Zone, to aid government and non-profits, property owners, developers, and communities to enhance economic growth and diversity.  Recently completed an Agricultural Impact Study and a Business Retention & Expansion Survey and Report for Jo Daviess County, IL. You can find them at www.jodaviess.org/economicdevelopment.
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Education:

• B.S. University of Illinois-Springfield
• Leadership Institute, Inaugural Class, 1992-93   
• Creating the Future Downtown, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1996
• Midwest Community Development Institute, Year One, 2006
• Real Estate Development from Beginning to End, Lorman Ed. Services, 2008
• Advanced Business Retention & Expansion Strategies, Blane-Canada, 2008
   

Community Affiliations:

• Yoga Instructor, Whole Body Studio, www.wholebodystudio.com
• Winneshiek Theatre, Treasurer, Board of Directors
• Alderwoman, 4th Ward, City of Freeport, 1993-2002
• Freeport Downtown Development Board, Past-President
• Neighborhood Housing Services:
  • Board of Directors, 1997, 2001-02
• League of Women Voters:
  • Executive Committee, Board of Directors
  • Strategic Planning Facilitator
• Vision 20/20:
  • Collaborative Government Focus Group
  • Economic Development Focus Group
• American Red Cross, Northwest Illinois Chapter/Strategic Planning Facilitator

Awards:

• YWCA "Women of Excellence," 1995
• Jaycees "Outstanding Public Servant," 2002
• Stephenson County "Quality of Life," 2002

What I'm reading these days:

• Just finished True Compass, by Edward M. "Teddy" Kennedy
• Just Finished: Not Becoming My Mother, by Ruth Reichl
• Working on: Leap of Faith, Memoirs of An Unexpected Life, by Queen Noor of Jordan
• Working on: The Oregon Experiment, by Christopher Alexander
• Always:  Yoga Journal, Newsweek and lots of online stuff

If I could invite three people to lunch:

• Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese Monk, meditation master and activist)
• Seane Corn (yoga master and activist)
• Joni Mitchell (still, after all these years, my favorite)

Nurturing a life-long interest in politics and community activism, Pat embodies the words of Jerry Rubin, "politics isn't who you vote for, it's how you live your life." Using her knowledge of community structure and demographic and sociological trends, Pat is able to advise commercial clients during their pre-design phase on how to use their space to not only enhance future growth, but also enrich connectivity between the departments and functions of their business.