The newly formed Rochelle Brand Leadership Team met for the 1st time yesterday at RTHS. The formation of the group is the next step in reaching the goals of the 13-step branding process put together by Roger Brooks International.
Brooks was hired to help Rochelle have a new "Branding" image in the future. The proposal announced last May included a downtown plaza and a public market. There would also be over 250 days a year in which events and activities would take place.
The Chairperson for the Brand Leadership Team is Tricia Wagner. There are 12 other members to the group.
The primary goals for the Rochelle branding effort includes the increase of population between the age group of 25 and 45 years old, have Rochelle different from other communities in Illinois, and to slow the leakage of locally earned money being spent elsewhere.
The group also wants to make downtown Rochelle a vibrant and active gathering place in the Midwest along with improving the image or brand for Rochelle.
The Brand Leadership Team wants more jobs for the city along with improved real estate values, a wider distribution of taxation, and bring the community back to prosperity.
Brooks said last spring that he does not see any reasons the dowtown project can not happen in Rochelle over a 3 year period.