If you have an opinion about critical issues and economic opportunities facing Chester County, VISTA 2025 wants to hear from you.

This nonprofit partnership of leaders in government, business and education has set up an online community questionnaire at www.vista2025.com. Vista is looking for citizen input as it develops a 10-year economic development strategy for the county. Deadline to weigh in is June 15.

“We are encouraging our residents to provide their suggestions as we work towards a strategy that will guide our economic development efforts for the next decade,’ said Ryan Costello, chairman of the Chester County Board of Commissioners and co-chairman of VISTA 2025.

“As part of the VISTA 2025 process, we are looking for ideas and insights that will help guide us in developing a strategy that will grow our economy in a manner that maintains the amazing sense of place that makes Chester County special to all of us,” he said.

VISTA 2025 is a public-private initiative recommended by Landscapes2, the county’s comprehensive plan. In addition to guiding economic development for the next 10 years, Vista aims to maintain a balance between progress and preservation of natural and historic resources.

Tom Fillippo, president and chief executive officer of Devault Foods and private sector co-chairman of the VISTA 2025 Executive Alliance, is one of the leaders working to achieve that balance.

“If we are to maintain the historically strong economy of Chester County and the high quality of life that we have come to expect, we need to have an economic development strategy that is forward looking, based on our core strengths and representative of our community’s high standards,” said Fillippo.

Devault Foods, a local business success since 1949, operates a 114,000 square foot facility in Devault where workers use ultra-modern, safe equipment to process more than two million pounds of beef products weekly.

Local chains, corporations, restaurants, hotels, and many business sectors including the military choose the company’s Philadelphia-style sandwich steaks, Mrs. DiFillipo’s meatballs, hamburgers, ground beef, a Steakwich™ and specialty items.

The VISTA 2025 process is being managed by the Chester County Economic Development Council, guided by an executive alliance of leaders in county government, businesses, educational and non-profit institutions. It is being financially supported by a group it calls Visionary Partners. TIP Strategies of Austin, Texas is consultant as VISTA 2025 develops its strategy.

As part of the process, consultants spearheading VISTA 2025 are assembling statistical data on the Chester County economy and have conducted focus groups with leaders from a variety of industries. Strategy recommendations will be developed over the summer and presented to the public in late summer or early fall.

The Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC) is a private, non-profit, economic development organization promoting smart growth in Chester County and the surrounding region. A full-service, regional economic development entity, CCEDC has provided smart growth business services to companies in Chester County and the region for more than 50 years.

CCEDC manages and administers a wide range of organizations, industry partnerships, and other initiatives, including the Chester County Industrial Development Authority (IDA), Hire One, ideas x innovation network (i2n), the Innovative Technology Action Group of Southeastern Pennsylvania (ITAG), the Southeastern Economic Development Company of Pennsylvania (Seedcopa), the Southeastern Pennsylvania Agriculture Partnership, and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Smart Energy Initiative (SEI).

Links: www.tipstrategies.com          www.devaultfoods.com          www.vista2025.com.