Community Partnership Committee Announces Plans for a Community Building Website called COMPASS
CANTON, Ohio--The Stark County Community Partnership Committee, a newly formed collaboration among the three United Ways of Stark County and business, community and government leaders, today announced plans for a comprehensive new website for community building called COMPASS.
COMPASS, developed by the United Way of America, helps communities assess needs and assets so that resources can be allocated more effectively to address critical needs.
The Community Partnership Committee selected Canton-based Innis Maggiore Group to design, build and host the website, which is expected to go live this spring. The site will be based on a state-of-the-art platform that will manage social, community and economic data needed for the COMPASS partnership committee to assess key areas for development or assistance.
"Community, economic and other types of information have been available through a variety of channels," said Chris Eagon, vice president of marketing communications for United Way of Central Stark County. "But there has never been a central repository in this county where resources and strategic planning come together.
"For the first time, we will have a dynamic model to identify emerging trends that will help us make solid assessments and take action more quickly."
Innis Maggiore will build a website with easy navigation and graphical user interfaces to serve users in education, government, business and social services, as well as county residents. The site will provide information and statistical data on jobs, economic investment, business development, schools, health and human services and more.
"We're delighted to have been selected to be the web partner in the COMPASS project," said Dick Maggiore, president and chief executive officer of Innis Maggiore Group. "In these times of uncertainty and scarce resources, COMPASS provides a much needed tool for communities to apply resources quickly and efficiently to areas where they're most needed."
The Community Partnership Committee is co-chaired by Sally Efremoff, Stark County Family County magistrate, and Bob Pattison, commissioner of the Canton City Health Department. The project's sponsors include Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton, Hoover Foundation, Herbert W. Hoover Foundation, Stark Community Foundation, Paul and Carol David Family Foundation, the Deuble Foundation and United Way of Central Stark County.
COMPASS is currently being pilot-tested in eight communities across the U.S. including Erie, Pa., and Sanoma County, Calif. Upon completion of the Stark County COMPASS website, the committee will introduce the site to the community through a series of hands-on demonstration meetings to business, community and government leaders.
Innis Maggiore Group is an advertising and public relations firm with nearly 60 associates at offices in Canton and Youngstown, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pa. The company has quadrupled in size since 1997, and reported capitalized billings of more than $26 million in 2002. Key clients include Aultman Health Foundation, Brewster Dairy, Liquid Control Corp., Louisiana-Pacific Corp., Microsoft Corp., NancyLopezGolf, NEOUCOM, Nickles Bakery, Parker Hannifin, Progressive Foam Technologies, Rainbow Rentals, Republic Engineered Products, Smithers-Oasis Co., and Square Two. Innis Maggiore is a member of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Direct Marketing Association, the National Investor Relations Institute and the Public Relations Society of America.