Donohue Thankful For Small-Town Opportunity

PCDC will be seeking a new team member after Alli Donohue announced her resignation effective May 22.

Alli, who is originally from Pennsylvania, will be moving closer to her extended family with her husband and 1-year-old son at the end of the month.

Alli and her husband, Patrick, moved to Holdrege in 2013 right after they married. Alli began her PCDC job in November 2014 and worked to successfully renew the LB840 sales tax, expanded the Business in Motion group, started the Holdrege Young Professionals and a Steps to Start Up program for new businesses. Alli and Patrick purchased and lived in a downtown building and have been active advocates for downtown improvements.

“I am proud and inspired to have met and worked with so many amazing people who are truly dedicated to helping their community grow,” Alli said. “Living in a small town gave Patrick and I opportunities we never would have had otherwise. I will truly miss it and all the wonderful friends who have made it home for us. Our favorite souvenir is by far our son. He will forever be our little Husker.”

Alli said she enjoyed being in a position in the community where she could identify a problem and help rally a team to solve it.

“Nebraskans, especially those in Phelps County, take ownership of things that need to change in their community,” Alli said. “They don’t stop to wonder if there is someone more qualified to address the problem. They put their passion in their pocket, roll up their sleeves and fix it.”

Alli and Patrick plan to retain ownership of their downtown building so they will keep some Phelps County ties.

Alli said she will miss her short walk to work and waving to people she knows.

“I will miss having everything so close, making it a mystery how I am always late,” Alli said. “I will miss the friends and acquaintances we have who have helped us with so much personally and professionally. In a small town, who you know really does matter, and in five years we have gotten to know just about everyone.”

PCDC Executive Director Ron Tillery said Alli has a unique personality and relates well to every constituency group in the county -- young and old, blue-collar and professional.

“Upon moving here from Pennsylvania, her embrace of Holdrege and central Nebraska was warm and authentic,” Ron said. “She cares about people and her adopted community, and she’s been a passionate advocate for community improvement. However, we understand the tug of family and how important that is to Alli and Patrick. But her presence in PCDC’s offices will be missed.”

Ron said Alli helped the organization transition smoothly to new leadership when he stepped in as PCDC’s executive director a year ago, and he appreciated her willingness to take on new assignments under his leadership.

With a change in staff, PCDC has taken the opportunity to conduct an internal evaluation of organizational needs and has developed an updated job description and rebranded the position title to Director of Business Services.

“We will be looking for a person who connects with the community and can work well with every demographic,” Ron said. “The person in this position must be an energetic self-starter. Experience in economic development is secondary to a person’s ability to see the big picture and then create tactics to execute plans. Communication with the board, colleagues and the community is important as well.”

Ron said PCDC is focused on generating economic activity across the entire county. The organization’s programs include business support, workforce development, business recruitment, assistance and research.