Elk Grove Village Named Exclusive Entrepreneur Community of USA Triathlon Through Unique Partnership

November 5, 2020

“Makers Wanted” brand to generate innovative business opportunities for multisport community

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.— USA Triathlon today announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with Elk Grove Village, as the Illinois municipality was named the Exclusive Entrepreneur Community and Exclusive Making Dreams Come True Partner of USA Triathlon through September 2021. The sponsorship program is the first of its kind between a municipality and a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body.

USA Triathlon was selected for the partnership through an innovative RFP process, in which the organization submitted its proposal alongside several other summer-sport U.S. Olympic and Paralympic NGBs. Elk Grove Village worked with 4FRONT, a sports marketing consultancy, to evaluate the entries and identify the strongest submissions. In addition to USA Triathlon, USA Track & Field and USA Wrestling also produced winning proposals resulting in sponsorships with Elk Grove Village.

Elk Grove Village is home to the nation’s largest contiguous industrial park, a six-square mile expanse that is home to more than 5,600 businesses that employ 56,000 men and women and over 400 manufacturers specializing in plastic, metal, food, tech and more.

The partnership with USA Triathlon will showcase Elk Grove Village’s “Makers Wanted” brand, enabling the municipality to leverage the popularity of triathlon to both increase its visibility and attract world-class manufacturers and businesses.

“Competing in a triathlon takes incredible focus, discipline and determination. These are the same qualities that allow entrepreneurs and business owners to succeed in Elk Grove Village, home to the largest industrial park in the U.S.,” said Craig B. Johnson, Mayor of Elk Grove Village. “We’re so proud to welcome USA Triathlon into the Elk Grove Village community to help push our ‘Makers Wanted’ initiative to new heights.”

“Triathlon is a complex sport, and its athletes by definition are innovative, entrepreneurial and ambitious — making this partnership with Elk Grove Village a perfect match for the USA Triathlon family,” said Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO. “We look forward to working with our new partner to create unique business opportunities for the multisport community, while showcasing Elk Grove Village and its ‘Makers Wanted’ campaign on the world stage in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

USA Triathlon will work with Elk Grove Village to create and host a Corporate Wellness Program, in which Elk Grove Village businesses and their employees will have the chance to take part in a virtual triathlon training plan and race while engaging with area triathlon clubs. In addition, a Virtual Triathlon CEO Challenge presented by Elk Grove Village will serve as a competitive opportunity for CEOs and other C-level executives in the area to compete against each other in a virtual format.

USA Triathlon and Elk Grove Village will also partner to present a new annual award for business leaders in the multisport community: the USA Triathlon Entrepreneur/Business Plan of the Year. After an initial proposal process judged by a panel of multisport industry executives, finalists will be asked to pitch their ideas live at the 2021 Virtual Endurance Exchange conference, set for Jan. 21-23. After the live presentations, one winner will have the opportunity to meet with executives at Elk Grove Village-based ENCLAVE for Entrepreneurs to network and discuss their business plan.

Finally, the partnership with Elk Grove Village will enhance USA Triathlon’s recently announced Power Within campaign by fostering a community of people working toward common goals, finding innovative ways to introduce new athletes to multisport and encouraging individuals and businesses to chase their dreams, embrace their passions and push their limits.

About Elk Grove Village

Elk Grove Village is home to the largest contiguous industrial park in the United States, featuring six square miles and 62 million square feet of inventory. Located adjacent to O’Hare International Airport and the City of Chicago, Elk Grove Village is served by all major Illinois interstates and freight rail. These location advantages are complimented by the Village’s ideal suburban setting, which affords a high quality of life for businesses and their employees.

The tagline Makers Wanted is the call-to-action for Elk Grove Village’s thriving community and the thousands of businesses based there. Over 5,614 businesses, including 300 manufacturers specializing in metal, plastic, rubber and food manufacturing, call Elk Grove Village their home. It is also a top national destination for data centers in the U.S. with over 2.5 million square feet of inventory.

For more information on Elk Grove Village, visit www.elkgrove.org. For more information on Makers Wanted, visit www.makerswanted.org.

About USA Triathlon

USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 events and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).

– usatriathlon.org –