Elkhart County has been hit hard by the sagging economy with double-digit unemployment, business closures and overwhelmed charitable agencies.

President-elect Barack Obama has put forth an aggressive plan to revive the national economy by helping struggling families, spurring job creation and developing new businesses.

How could such a plan impact the local economy? We asked a couple of industry leaders to share their opinions.

CLEAN ENERGY

The incoming administration's plan makes an investment in the "clean energy economy." Such activities will include weatherizing federal buildings, building solar panels and wind turbines, and constructing fuel-efficient cars.

Lucid Energy in Goshen is already prototyping equipment that will harness hydro and wind power. The stimulus package will boost the company's development and production, and create a market for its products, said Tim Braun, president.

"I think it's very exciting," Braun said. "It's actually what the country needs right now. Elkhart County has so much to gain from the stimulus package."

Namely training grants for green-collar jobs could help retrain the local work force for this budding industry.

Also, Elkhart County's many factories could be retooled and redesigned to accommodate new energy technologies.

The interest is growing, Braun said. Even within the last couple of weeks, he has heard several entrepreneurs in the recreational vehicle industry talk of expanding into other industries, especially into renewable energy.

HEALTH CARE

Seeing a way to improve quality and reduce costs in the health care industry, the Obama plan calls for computerizing all medical records. Goshen Health System is almost finished implementing a paperless electronic medical record system in the hospital and physician clinics, according to Randy Christophel, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

"We welcome the emphasis on this transition from the Obama administration," Christophel stated in an e-mail. "In response to the stimulus plan and how health care might play a role, we believe it is too early to offer any analysis until details of the President-elect's plan have been released."