Our Mission: “To encourage the expansion and retention of existing industry and commerce within the Hartford Area and to foster additional Industrial, Commercial, and Residential development.”

The Hartford Area Development Corporation (HADC), a nonprofit 501© (4) organization, has a long-standing commitment to economic development. The organization was formed in 1977 through the initiative of the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce and with the cooperation of City Government. At the time, the Common Council was looking for a nonpolitical body to spur industrial and economic growth, and Chamber of Commerce members felt that, since they already had several other missions, a new, single purpose group would be most effective. While the organization was chartered as a nonprofit body, initially $50 “Stock Certificates” were sold, one per person and/or business/industry. $10,000 was raised in this way, showing the extent of initial community participation.

The activities of the HADC in cooperation with City government can be credited for the creation of thousands of jobs. Through business retention and recruitment efforts over the past thirty years, new manufacturing floor space in excess of 5,600,000 sq. ft. has been added to the industrial base of Hartford.

Executive Director
Patrice Hoeschele, LinkedIn

Board of Directors
Kenneth Braun - Hartford Savings Bank
King Coles II - PolyFirst Packaging
Tom Hostad - Broan-NuTone LLC
Matt Schwechel - 1st Bank Financial Centre
Ray Jaroch – Kensington Enterprises, LLC
Al Laufer – Laufer Trucking Co., Inc./ Wacker Drive Logistics & Warehouse
Tony Priesgen – Triton Corporation
Brian J. Priestaf – CDM Tool & Mfg. Co. Inc.
Gary Wendorff – Hartford Finishing

Liaisons to the City of Hartford
Joe Dautermann - Mayor, City of Hartford
Gary Koppelberger - Administrator, City of Hartford

The HADC lives its mission through two main activity sets:

i) recruitment of industrial, commercial, and residential bases through

• land development
• financial assistance
• new business ventures development
• providing access to information and information resources needed by businesses to survive and thrive
• creating a human support infrastructure that embraces access to intellectual resources, talent, growth and change
• connecting businesses, people and organizations via formal and informal networks to achieve new levels of growth

ii) retention of existing industry through

• economic development services, including strategic business planning, workforce development, talent acquisition, executive coaching, process improvement and market intelligence
• representation and advocacy for Hartford Businesses via collaboration with key organizations and local, state, and federal government

Taking an entrepreneurial approach to economic development, we focus on helping companies achieve sales growth; drawing new money into the Hartford area and keeping money from leaking out to increase economic circulation within our local community.