Our approach

Forest Lakes Partners, LLC (FLP) is a professional consulting practice specializing in community and economic development, business-to-business (B2B) networking, government relations, and real estate consulting within the Northeast Ohio and Upstate New York regions. FLP's goal is to strengthen, support and augment the competencies of its partner organizations in a collaborative and meaningful way.

Experience you can rely on

With nearly 40 years of experience in economic development and business growth, Rick Rebadow has been a trusted leader in attracting high impact public/private investment which has led to the creation and retention of thousands of jobs. His proven track record of strategic partnerships and industry expertise makes him a reliable force in driving economic success.

Our services

  • Economic and Community Development

  • Government Relations and Advocacy

  • Project Management

  • Business to Business Networking

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Acknowledgements

  • "I have known Rick Rebadow for many years. As Director of Business Services for the Empire State Development Corporation, I have collaborated successfully with him on many economic development projects throughout the western region of upstate New York. He possesses a very unique skill set, having worked with him within a variety of roles as a local, state and utility economic development practitioner. His knowledge and experience are extensive.”

    Gregg Simon
    Senior Vice President
    Project and Partner Development
    Economic Development
    Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce

  • “I knew that when I recruited Rick to the Greater Akron Chamber, he was the right person for leading our economic development efforts. His leadership and foresight played a prominent role in the success of our organization. His impact grew as he began to take on additional responsibilities related to our on-going fundraising and strategic planning efforts. We both took great pride in these collaborative accomplishments.”

    Daniel C. Colantone
    President
    NEO Leadership Foundation
    Former President/CEO
    Greater Akron Chamber

  • “Rick has a tremendous range of experience across the development spectrum. My time working with him in Western New York resulted in a number of high-profile projects representing New York State and the Town of Amherst that totaled millions of dollars in investment and thousands of jobs. This level of success carried over into the utility world providing the necessary infrastructure for numerous manufacturing and innovative companies.”

    David S. Mingoia, CEcD
    Executive Director/CEO
    Town of Amherst Industrial Development Agency

  • “I've known Rick Rebadow professionally for over 20 years. Rick has vast experience with local, state and federal and private finance and incentive offerings. I always found Rick to be diligent and well prepared when we interacted with elected and other public officials and business interests.”

    Christopher J. Burnham
    President Retired
    Development Finance Authority of Summit County

  • “I have known Rick for many years and consider him a valued colleague and partner. We have worked together on many economic development initiatives which includes regional economic development, strategic planning efforts; business outreach initiatives; site development projects; and assembling financial incentives for expanding companies. Rick has a way of connecting with people and intuitively understanding their needs. His unique skill set and experience in both public/private sector roles make him a valuable asset for any company, trade, or government organizations looking to utilize his services.”

    Bethany Dentler, CEcD
    Executive Director
    Medina County Economic Development Corporation

  • “I first got to know Rick while I was Managing Director of Site Strategies at Team NEO. We partnered on securing JobsOhio grant funding for site prep work tied to two speculative buildings in Green, Ohio. Rick was a total pro throughout the process, sharp, focused and easy to work with. His project management and grant writing chops stood out right away. You could tell he brought a ton of experience to the table, and it showed in the results.”

    Bryce Sylvester
    Managing Director
    Cushman & Wakefield | Cresco Real Estate

  • “As a member of the recent Green Comprehensive plan committee, Rick’s expertise in economic development and leadership made him a trusted voice and offered a forward-thinking approach to help shape Green as a strong, thriving community.”

    Mayor Rocco P. Yeargin

    City of Green

  • “Rick is a veteran economic development professional whom I worked with when he was in New York. He’s very knowledgeable, his work was always solid and service to our mutual prospects always prompt.

    Jeff Janiszewski, CEcD
    Senior Vice President, Strategic Business Development Global/NY
    Empire State Development Corporation

  • “I have known Rick Rebadow for many years and enjoyed working with him in upstate New York. He is an experienced and highly respected economic development professional who makes a difference everywhere he has worked. Rick’s dedication to fostering economic growth made a significant impact on western New York. He takes a results-oriented approach and applies analytical thinking to the challenges he faces to achieve success for his customers and other stakeholders. I highly recommend Rick and the services he provides.”

    Joseph D. Russo
    Lead Economic Development Representative
    National Grid

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