10/20/2026
Welcome to Blue Rapids. Stop by the Blue Rapids museum. Give us a call at 785-713-9733
Hi, Marshall County! I’m Courtney Brummer, the new Executive Director of Marshall County Partnership 4 Growth (P4G). 👋
As I transition into this role, I want to help our communities understand what economic developers do, why this work matters, and how P4G serves Marshall County as a whole.
And what better backdrop for this introduction than the Blue Rapids mural!
P4G’s work reaches across our county: Axtell, Beattie, Blue Rapids, Frankfort, Marysville, Oketo, Summerfield, Vermillion, Waterville, and the rural areas and unincorporated communities that connect us. Each has its own strengths, needs, and possibilities.
I’m committed to being present throughout the county. I will be doing this by visiting businesses, meeting community leaders, listening to residents, and following up. Understanding what matters to each community starts with showing up and building relationships.
So, what does economic growth actually look like? ☕🏘️
It can look like a new coffee shop, more housing developments, a renovated downtown building, or more childcare openings, and each can open the door to something more. These are not separate, but connected in so many ways.
A coffee shop can create jobs, purchase from local suppliers, and give people another reason to stop downtown. Renovating an empty building can create space for a business or housing while bringing activity back to a block. More childcare openings can help parents enter the workforce and employers fill positions.
Growth also happens when a longtime business expands, an entrepreneur turns an idea into a storefront, or a family finds a home that allows them to live and work here. Supporting the businesses and people already here is essential to building our future.
Where does P4G fit in?
P4G is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) membership organization. Our mission is to link, leverage, educate, and encourage our partners to promote economic growth throughout Marshall County.
Our role is to help connect the pieces. For me, that means intentionally listening, identifying barriers, researching opportunities, and bringing people and resources together. For example, that could mean:
• Connecting a business owner with financing or technical assistance.
• Helping a prospective business explore available properties and local resources.
• Bringing employers and community leaders together around housing or childcare needs.
• Building relationships that position Marshall County for future investment.
Economic developers help sustain these efforts over time. Just a window into the work that happens before a ribbon cutting includes, researching, preparing, coordinating, solving problems, and following through so an opportunity has a better chance of becoming reality.
How does this happen? One way is through both corporate and private memberships. What does a P4G membership mean?
Membership is an investment in this ongoing development work. Dues help support the coordination, research, outreach, and relationship-building needed to pursue opportunities. Members also contribute local knowledge, ideas, and connections that help inform our priorities.
Our communities have distinct identities, and our futures are connected. A new opportunity in one community can benefit workers, families, and businesses across the county.
I look forward to getting to know you, learning what is already working, and exploring what we can accomplish together.
Have an idea, a business need, or an interest in membership? Let’s connect!
Courtney Brummer | Executive Director
📧 [email protected]
📞 785-713-1931
🌐 https://mcp4g.com
Growing opportunities. Strengthening Marshall County.
