ATTENDING FUNCTIONS … Megan Hausch is seen here at one of the educational events which was planned and executed by WEDCO during 2022. Surrounded by community leaders and business executives, Megan spent her days planning and attending many openings, ribbon cuttings and educational events such as this one. (PHOTO PROVIDED)
By: Rebecca Miller
Megan Hausch came to the Williams County Economic Development Corporation in June of 2015, from Defiance College, starting as an intern with Executive Director Matt Davis.
She was matched with the job by Career Services at the college, when she dropped off her resume to have them check it for her.
The lady who was in charge had just been given a job posting by Matt Davis who said he was looking for an intern, and she told Megan right away that she thought she had the job for her.
“I wasn’t really sure about the job,” Megan said in an interview, but as she was half way through her Masters in Business Administration at Defiance college, as well as being a grad assistant in the Music Department, it looked like a great learning experience and she stepped into the opportunity.
Graduating from Tinora High School in 2010, this driven young woman who does nothing half way, went directly into her undergrad program at Defiance College.
Megan was raised in Defiance and loves Northwest Ohio. When she signed on as a WEDCO intern, she continued working to complete her Masters.
In September of 2019, she became Interim Director when Davis resigned, and was made full time director of WEDCO in December that year.
Working at WEDCO for the past seven years has been a great experience, Megan said.
She has been able to develop her leadership skills and accomplish a great deal in the community.
When she came on board there was no Media presence so she established that first.
She has learned the ropes about finances, how to handle “having her finger in so many pies” at the same time, and how the community and the business community work.
Matt Davis taught her much including the need to focus on community connections and business community connections.
The two of them really wanted to reinvigorate these so they “stepped back to look at the bigger picture.”
They worked on how WEDCO could function better, both in the community and internally. They got connected with all of the WEDCO members and gathered new members.
“Matt was a great mentor,” she said. “This was my first introduction into Economic Development and that first year really flew by.”
They started adding on events and programming, and Davis took Hausch along on business visits to help her learn the ropes. “I learned the art of conversation from watching him,” she said.
WEDCO is all about education and stays clear of politics, just focusing on helping the community know what is available to them in the business world.
Megan has connected with almost every area of influence in Williams County, helping villages, townships, and the Health Department, as well as small and large businesses, take advantage of their best opportunities.
She has brought the Job Fair and the Education Boot Camp to the county, trying to spread the word to everyone of what is available here in this area.
During her time with WEDCO, Megan married Conrad Hausch. Recently he has been offered an opportunity in Wisconsin and they are in the process of moving there.
Megan plans to stay on with WEDCO via electronics, while the job search committee looks for her replacement.
Except for their honeymoon to Hawaii in November, which they never got to take because of COVID, Megan will be busy with zoom meetings and phone calls to help keep WEDCO moving smoothly.
“I really want to help train the new person and help them realize all that is at their fingertips,” Megan said.
She hopes that all her hard work in the county will not be lost in the future and that the community leaders will keep connecting with WEDCO and benefitting from the connection.
Rebecca can be reached at rebecca@thevillagereporter.com