In the News

Fred Diedrichsen is retiring from the Phelps County Development Corporation Board of Directors after serving for eight years. Diedrichsen, who worked for 42 years as a local dentist, has volunteered on many local boards and appreciates opportunities to lead and serve in the community. “As with any board I’ve ever been on...Continue Reading

A Holdrege native has been elected to replace Fred Diedrichsen on the Phelps County Development Corporation Board of Directors. Jeff Moon, managing broker at AgWest Land Brokers, LLC, began his board service this month to help lead economic development activities in the county. Fred Diedrichsen has retired from the board afte...Continue Reading

A regional salary study revealed some surprising information and good news for AgWest Commodities. Paul Mussman, president of the Holdrege-based agricultural marketing firm, said he wanted to be sure the company was competitive with employee pay so he sought a salary comparison study. “We wanted more accurate and up-to-date numbers for expansion...Continue Reading

The Phelps County Development Corporation’s annual meeting will look different in 2021. The organization has created a “virtual” annual business meeting video and is planning a community awards celebration banquet for this fall. “Despite the recent relaxation of health directives by the health district and City of Holdrege, we felt our communit...Continue Reading

Tom Nutt has been selected as the Phelps County Development Corporation’s 2020 President’s Priceless Pick. The award is given annually to someone who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in economic development. Outgoing PCDC President Reed McClymont selected Nutt for his contributions on the Phelps County Board of Commissioners...Continue Reading

The Phelps County Development Corporation has announced its GO! HOME and GO! DREAM grant opportunities for 2021. The grants are intended to encourage construction and sales of local workforce housing and to restore and improve downtown buildings in all Phelps County communities. “GO! HOME and GO! DREAM address opportunities for improvement b...Continue Reading

On February 11th at 9 am CST, the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership is offering our Job Instructions (JI) remote course. Job Instruction (JI) training is designed to develop basic stability of your processes (standard work). This program teaches the method to instruct an operator how to perform a job correctly, safely an...Continue Reading

Phelps County, Nebraska businesses have welcomed news. Further relief assistance is now available because the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has reopened the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). On December 27, 2020, the Economic Aid Act became law and extended the authority to make PPP loans through March 31, 2021. Wit...Continue Reading

BD Holdrege will be adding as many as 45 new jobs as the company expands to help the world fight the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, the U.S. government announced a partnership resulting in a $70 million investment in BD with most of the dollars going to the Holdrege BD plant. Th...Continue Reading

A former Phelps County high-demand jobs scholarship recipient has started a new career as a sales agent at Ag Service Associates - Crop Insurance in Holdrege. Brennan Williams graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in December with a degree in agricultural economics and a minor in agronomy and began his ne...Continue Reading

A PCDC social media campaign promoting Phelps County housing and job opportunities reached more than 3,000 viewers and resulted in nearly 400 clicks to the PCDC website. The campaign, which took place in late December and early January, was designed to encourage commuters to purchase homes in Holdrege’s new CREW Subdivision. “Ou...Continue Reading

The Research Team at the Nebraska Department of Economic Development is pleased to invite you to explore, use and share our brand-new economic development tool, BottomliNE. BottomliNE is a convenient website that’s designed to provide users with valuable, easy-to-digest insights into the Nebraska economy. Created using trusted sources like the U.S. Bureau o...Continue Reading

Phelps County Development Corporation (PCDC) wants you to come home to Holdrege and Phelps County, Nebraska. A few years ago, PCDC set its sights on converting commuters who are employed locally but live elsewhere to full-time residents. The prospect of shortened commute times, decreased wear and tear on vehicles, an...Continue Reading

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our lives in 2020. Businesses have had to change the way they operate, and we’ve had to change the way we live. Students have dutifully worn masks to school, we have mastered Zoom meetings and learned to ration toilet paper. We use hand sanitizer religiously and kee...Continue Reading

Phelps County received national attention as a leader in rural economic development at a recent conference. The National Rural Economic Developers Association (NREDA) awarded PCDC its 2020 Organization Excellence Award for its work across many areas, including addressing housing and workforce shortages and helping businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Phelps Count...Continue Reading

Former recipients of PCDC’s High-Demand Jobs scholarships continue to return to Phelps County to make an impact. One scholarship winner has returned to Phelps County to start a career in law, and another has become a Registered Nurse and continues to care for local residents in her nursing career. Christina Ledbetter-Butler graduate...Continue Reading

Shop Small is a nationwide movement to celebrate small businesses each and every day and to help communities thrive and stay vibrant, but the Saturday after Thanksgiving is their Super Bowl: Small Business Saturday! This year’s event falls on November 28th, and Holdrege, NE is rolling out the welcome mats...Continue Reading

Ankeny, Iowa – Phelps County Development Corporation received the 2020 NREDA Organization Excellence Award for implementing a successful rural economic development program for their area. “In addition to addressing housing and workforce issues through their GO! Home and High Demand Jobs Scholarship Programs, the Phelps County Development Corporation has had ...Continue Reading

A historic downtown Holdrege building will soon help fill a shortage in local workforce housing. Colorado-based company Christopher Hayden LLC purchased the Hotel Dale in downtown Holdrege on Sept. 11 at a public auction and has already started cleaning and renovating. The building will now be called The Dale Residences and wil...Continue Reading

In an era when many rural communities are losing doctors, hospitals and health care resources, Phelps Memorial Health Center is a shining star. The local health care industry is the third-largest employer in the county and adds $103 million to the local economy each year. PMHC continues to add new services...Continue Reading

When a local child falls off a trampoline and breaks an arm, having emergency health care available close to home is a welcome amenity. When that child grows up, a local career in the booming health-care industry may also keep him or her close to home. Along with providing essential services fo...Continue Reading

Bringing a new veterans memorial to Holdrege has a special meaning for former Phelps County Sheriff Thomas Nutt. At age 19, Tom left his young bride in Western Nebraska to serve on the front lines of the Vietnam War. “Being a veteran and serving in combat, I think it’s important to remembe...Continue Reading

For companies looking to stabilize their supply chains by onshoring, Phelps County Nebraska has the desired assets and amenities that appeal to site selectors looking to relocate or expand. Why Did Onshoring Become a Key Strategy? Onshoring to strengthen supply chains has become critical for many businesses as the COVID-19 pandemic continue...Continue Reading

A Holdrege native and financial advisor has been selected as the newest member of the Phelps County Development Corporation board of directors. Grant Ericksen, an advisor with Principal Financial Group, will take the seat vacated by Tom Nutt, who retired from the board this summer. Ericksen is a 2004 graduate of Holdreg...Continue Reading