Resource Center News

Praxis Strategy Group and Sertich Consulting are pleased to announce a strategic alliance of the two organizations, both of which have extensive experience and expertise in fostering public/private partnerships aimed at promoting rural economic development.

Since 1994, Praxis has collaborated with entrepreneurial leaders in business, government and education to create high impact enterprise opportunities in their regional economies. Sertich Consulting is a consortium of partners and affiliates, headed by Dr. Joseph Sertich, a well-known leader in higher education and rural economic development.

Each organization works with clients who seek to turn ideas into opportunities, and by joining forces, those clients now have access to an even greater depth and breadth of expertise and experience.

“Dr. Sertich is ahead of the curve in making higher education institutions a more integral player in their local and regional economies,” said Dr. Delore Zimmerman, president of Praxis Strategy Group. “His vast experience in creating and mobilizing public/private partnerships to better align programs and services for learning and employment is a real plus for helping communities and people thrive in the global economy. We are so pleased and excited that we will be working with Joe to help engage universities and colleges to meet the challenges of the future.”

Sertich retired in July after 36 years in education, including 29 years in higher education with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, where he held three different presidencies over the past 13 years, all at rural institutions. He also serves as a board member and past chair of the Rural Community College Alliance (RCCA), a network of community colleges from across the country working to leverage the interdependence of colleges and their communities through community development strategies.

“Whenever you grow the capacity of an organization through affiliations such as this,” said Sertich, “you create a synergy that enhances the quality of the service each of us provides. By combining our collective knowledge of local, state and national economic development, business and industry, workforce development, higher education, research, marketing and public relations, we are able to bring together the best minds to meet the specific needs of each of our clients.

“We’re especially excited about this affiliation with Praxis because it gives us the opportunity to work with an established premier organization under Dr. Zimmerman’s leadership, and will allow us to serve more national and international clients.”

Praxis Strategy Group works with communities and regions throughout the United States and has been at the forefront in creating innovative processes that move citizens to community-oriented action. With 25 years of domestic and international experience working with local and regional economic development groups, Zimmerman co-developed the High Performance Community Initiative while a Senior Fellow at the Denver-based Center for the New West—a strategy that has been deployed across the nation to create innovation and technology-based economies.

About Sertich Consulting:

Headquartered in Chisholm, Minn., Sertich Consulting assists nonprofits, businesses and other organizations in community development, strategic planning, leadership development, government relations and meeting facilitation

http://www.sertichconsulting.com/