Author: Radius Indiana

Radius Indiana, Regional Opportunity Initiatives offer new defense talent attraction program

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Nov. 3, 2023) – The expected demand for a massive influx of new specialized talent in the defense sector in southern Indiana is leading Radius Indiana to offer an innovative new talent attraction incentive program in conjunction with a new partner, Regional Opportunity Initiatives. Radius currently operates three existing talent attraction programs and thanks to this generous grant from ROI, that portfolio continues to grow.

The Defense Sector Talent Attraction Program will work to fill in-person, defense industry jobs in the Indiana Uplands region. All eight Radius counties (Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington) will participate in this program along with Brown, Monroe, and Owen from the Indiana Uplands. Interested defense sector employers may apply for the incentive for qualified newly hired individuals who are going to relocate from out-of-state to any community in the Uplands region regardless of the location of their employment in the region. If approved, new employees must earn at least $60,000 and commit to moving to the region for at least two years.

Talent attraction focuses on recruitment from the talent pipeline outside of a given community, while workforce development aims to further an individual’s ability to grow their skills and develop the tools they need for business success in their community. The existing Radius talent attraction programs have specified that it is targeting the attraction of talent from outside the state of Indiana, in order to avoid depleting talent in other Indiana communities.

“Bringing new talent to our region is a vital piece to growing our communities and companies and we are excited to partner with ROI to introduce this new program. ROI and Radius have been partners on several previous initiatives supporting our region,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “We are continuously looking for opportunities to assist our private sector defense industry.”

The Uplands region is home to Naval Support Activity Crane, the third-largest naval installation in the world, with a current civilian and support contractor workforce totaling 6,000 jobs. This number is expected to increase in the near future with the current construction and infrastructure expansion projects on base, as well as the recently announced $84 million development for a microelectronics campus, WestGate One, that will create a hub for semiconductor excellence to support the surrounding DoD needs.

To learn more and apply to the defense sector incentive program, visit www.choosesouthernindiana.com.

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ABOUT RADIUS INDIANA: Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington. Formed in 2009, Radius Indiana also serves as a point of contact in Indiana for Naval Support Activity Crane. It leads regional collaboration by leveraging the diverse assets of Southwest Central Indiana to drive attraction, retention, and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.

DoD award launches microelectronics hub, builds on southern Indiana semiconductor momentum

Posted on by Radius Indiana

By: Matt Craig, Director of Crane Community Support for Radius Indiana

The Department of Defense (DoD), through the WestGate Technology Park based National Security Technology Accelerator Other Transaction Agreement managed by Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division, has established a national network of microelectronic prototyping innovation Hubs. These newly created eight Hubs led by seven different states will provide a direct pathway to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign microelectronics and safeguard the nation from supply chain risks by accelerating domestic prototyping and growing a pipeline of U.S.-based semiconductor talent.

Last month, the DoD announced its first award of nearly $240 million under the CHIPS and Science Act to support this network of eight regional Microelectronics Commons innovation Hubs across the United States.

Governor Eric Holcomb commented on the announcement, sharing “(NSWC) plays a significant role in the DoD’s microelectronics strategy to build American dominance in microelectronics production and development.” He also added that it “builds on the Midwest’s strengths in research and development as well as workforce training at all levels, to build a domestic
semiconductor industry, a national security imperative to keep our nation ahead of our adversaries.”

The Silicon Crossroads Hub, led by Bloomington-based Applied Research Institute (ARI), is the largest consortium with 130 members and was initially awarded $32.9 million to help spur development of domestic production of microelectronics, semiconductor manufacturing and other advanced technologies.

ARI expressed in a written statement, “It is an honor for ARI to be designated as the largest member consortium in the official Microelectronics Commons Hub announcement this morning. The Silicon Crossroads Hub will continue to build upon the collaboration between our members across Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan within all six focused technology areas.”

With this announcement, the Hubs will be supporting prototyping capabilities for six technical areas (Secure Edge/Internet-of-Things Computing, Quantum Technology, 5G/6G Technology, Electromagnetic Warfare, Artificial Intelligence Hardware, and Commercial Leap-Ahead Technologies), effectively bridging the gap from lab to fabrication.

Comprised of a diverse set of partners in the private sector, the not-for-profit sector, and academia, the Microelectronics Commons has garnered rapid nationwide support and engagement. The inauguration of these Hubs will not only spur economic growth but ensure our region and nation maintains the necessary talent pool to keep us at the forefront of innovation. This major announcement and initiative partnered with the additional microelectronics campus news earlier this year highlights our southern Indiana region’s growth, momentum and overall impact to national defense.

Lt. Gov. Crouch, IHCDA launch crowdfunding campaign for Monon South Trail – Salem Trailhead Boxcar Restoration

Posted on by Radius Indiana

$25,000 goal to receive a matching grant through IHCDA’s CreatINg Places initiative

SALEM, Ind. (Oct. 11. 2023) — Salem will soon have a new trailhead featuring a restored boxcar if this crowdfunding campaign reaches its goal of raising $25,000 by Nov. 25, 2023. If successful, the project led by Radius Indiana will receive a matching grant as part of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s (IHCDA) CreatINg Places program.

“The Monon South Trail is a wonderful addition to the Salem area, and the proposed enhancement of the trailhead will highlight access to recreation, promote healthy lifestyles and shine a spotlight on the trail,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Funds from this campaign will be used to repurpose a boxcar to serve as the trailhead for the newly developed Monon South Trail in the heart of Salem.

“CreatINg Places is helping us bring an incredible opportunity back to life, and we are very excited to carry out this project, restoring an original and very unique L&N 40 boxcar,” said Jeff Quyle, President and CEO of Radius Indiana. “This project will create a memorable tourism asset in Salem and will anchor a downtown trailhead the Salem community can cherish. Thank you to our community members who will support us during this project and throughout the rest of the development of the Monon South Trail.”

Since the CreatINg Places program began in 2016, projects have raised more than $9.4 million in public funds and an additional $7.7 million in matching IHCDA funds. The program is available to projects located in Indiana communities. Non-profit entities (with 501c3 or 501c4 status) and local units of government are eligible to apply. Eligible projects must have a minimum total development cost of $10,000, where the recipient will receive $5,000 in IHCDA matching funds should it successfully raise $5,000 through Patronicity. IHCDA will provide matching grant funds up to $50,000 per project.

Radius Indiana partners with Eppley Institute for Monon South Trail community engagement

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Oct. 9, 2023) – Radius Indiana and the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands launched a collaborative effort for community development along the new Monon South Trail. This partnership allows Eppley to assist in the planning and execution of public input meetings that will provide each community with information needed to develop park master plans.

Eppley works within Indiana University’s system of research centers to enhance the quality and accessibility of natural, cultural, and recreational experiences for all by advancing and applying current best practices in the management of parks and public lands. 

Eppley Institute Director Steve Wolter shares that parks, recreation, and the outdoors are critical factors in how a community expresses itself, how it creates a sense of place, and how it defines its quality of life. “We know from our experience at Indiana University that the vibrancy and attractiveness of every town and city includes easy access to natural areas, active spaces, trails, and holding community events,” said Wolter. “It’s the one planning process that the government undertakes voluntarily, that all residents can participate in, that addresses visitor needs and business support of visitors, considers the local environment, and plans for the gatherings of the entire community. Eppley has developed dozens of plans across the nation but none so important as the ones in these south-central communities along the Monon South Trail.”

With Eppley’s assistance, five participating communities (Borden, Mitchell, New Pekin, Orleans, and Salem) will submit park plans to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for approval. This process serves as a qualification to apply for, and receive, grant funds from Indiana DNR for park projects included in the plans. 

“The town of New Pekin is so thankful to Radius for coordinating the partnership with the Eppley Institute,” said Jaden Stone, New Pekin Town Manager. “A park master plan opens the door to many opportunities for the future of our town and its community park by identifying areas of need while allowing residents to be involved in the process.” 

This partnership with Eppley is just one element of the comprehensive development approach Radius has applied to the Monon South Trail. Park improvements are expected to not only lead to an enhanced quality of life for southern Indiana residents, but may also allow the communities to invest in their own Monon South trailhead facilities, providing additional opportunities to the towns and cities, their residents, and all who visit. 

“This partnership represents the opportunity our communities have to make the most out of this new recreational asset,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “The Monon South Trail is expected to further enhance strong connections between our southern Indiana communities, and improved parks are a great way to showcase all they have to offer.”

Additional components of Radius’s comprehensive development include freshly regraded surfaces at all road crossings along the corridor’s route to improve driving conditions, and a demonstration on how to use crowdfunding to build trailhead amenities in communities. Further development programs will be announced as they are established in the coming months. 

To learn more about the new Monon South Trail, please visit www.mononsouth.com. Progress, updates and trail development can also be found on the organization’s Facebook page. 

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ABOUT RADIUS INDIANA: Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington. Formed in 2009, Radius Indiana also serves as a point of contact in Indiana for Naval Support Activity Crane and leads regional collaboration by leveraging the diverse assets of Southwest Central Indiana to drive attraction, retention, and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.

Choose Southern Indiana unveils new website, new talent attraction programs

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Sep. 29, 2023) – Choose Southern Indiana announced a new logo and website last week to accompany the official launch of its four workforce and talent attraction programs. In addition to its established Remote Worker Program and Employer Incentive Program, Choose now offers a relocation incentive to two new groups of qualified individuals – those with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and those employed by the defense sector.

In response to the recent program expansion, the new website features enhanced capabilities and has been reorganized with the user experience in mind. Prospective movers can navigate by program of interest, view qualification requirements, and click a link to apply. Participating counties are also featured to provide applicants with information about their future home in southern Indiana.

Local economic development organizations (LEDOs) throughout the Radius Indiana region will utilize the new incentive programs to further assist businesses in their area with attracting new talent. All eight Radius region counties (Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington) are now participating in Choose.

“We are very pleased that we have the regional collaboration enabling us to expand our programs to reach a wider audience and bring more workers to southern Indiana,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “Our new website allows interested workers to search by program and learn about each incentive and the communities they can move to.”

Choose Southern Indiana completed its second year of recruitment this past August and has welcomed 44 movers from 15 states and four countries to date. This success paired with data gathered from MakeMyMove, an online platform that offers opportunities to market to remote workers seeking to move to new locations, influenced the recent decision to extend the programming to recruit CDL drivers. Choose Southern Indiana is the first program under MakeMyMove to offer this uniquely targeted incentive program.

“Attracting talent to our region is essential to growing our workforce and supporting our existing businesses and our new website is going to help us highlight our region as a great place to live and work which will help us get more workers into our communities,” said Kristal Painter, population attraction program coordinator for Choose Southern Indiana. “We will continue to evaluate these programs and look for additional opportunities to expand our offerings to reach more potential residents.”

Talent attraction focuses on recruitment from the talent pipeline outside of a given community, while workforce development aims to further an individual’s ability to grow their skills and develop the tools they need for business success in their community. The Radius programs specify that they are targeting the attraction of talent from outside the state of Indiana, in order to avoid depleting talent in other Indiana communities.

To learn more and apply to Choose Southern Indiana’s programs, visit www.choosesouthernindiana.com.

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ABOUT RADIUS INDIANA: Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington. Formed in 2009, Radius Indiana also serves as a point of contact in Indiana for Naval Support Activity Crane and leads regional collaboration by leveraging the diverse assets of Southwest Central Indiana to drive attraction, retention, and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.

NSA Crane Welcomes Three New Leaders in Change of Command Ceremonies

Posted on by Radius Indiana

By: Matt Craig, Director of Crane Community Support for Radius Indiana

 

Earlier this summer, Naval Support Activity Crane (NSA Crane) and Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA) welcomed two new commanding officers to southern Indiana.

The new leaders were welcomed through a change of command ceremony, a tradition that symbolizes a peaceful military transition of power and recognizes the outgoing commander’s accomplishments while welcoming the incoming commander to the organization.

Commander Luis Martinez was sworn into the position for NSA Crane this past June. Martinez graduated from the Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and was designated a naval flight officer in July 2010. Martinez has logged over 1,300 E-2 aircraft flight hours and his personal awards include the Strike Flight Air Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and multiple unit and service awards.

Colonel Franyate D. Taylor became the 21st commander of CAAA in July. Taylor began her Army career as an enlisted soldier in 1991 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Ordnance Corps from Officers Candidate School in 1999. Taylor’s most recent assignment was in Battle Creek, Michigan, where she served as the Deputy Director for Defense Logistics Agency, Disposition.

Like the leaders before them, Martinez and Taylor are learning to balance the future for their organizations while acquainting themselves with the work that was completed before them. While they are adjusting to the new role, both commanders are also tasked with gaining the trust and support of those around them. The leadership teams, stakeholders and communities involved with Crane will also be adapting to the new leadership styles and expectations.

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) will also undergo a change in command August 16 as Capt. Duncan McKay will exit the leadership role after spending the last three years in southern Indiana. His replacement, Capt. Rex Boonyobhas is currently serving at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

Today, Team Crane’s civilian and contractor workforce stands 6,000 strong. NSA Crane continues to grow as the base’s missions evolve. NSA Crane has shared its intent to expand its community partnerships under a Future Base Design initiative that is designed to bring increased optimization, mission support efficiencies, and stronger ties to the community and services available outside the gate. More than $150 million in construction projects and infrastructure improvements are currently underway on the installation including the CAAA rail holding yard and NSWC Crane’s strategic radiation testing modernization facility. We at Radius are looking forward to the completion of these plans and will continue to look for new ways to grow our community relationships.

Tourniquet Technology Takes Top Spot at 2023 Crane IP Defense Innovation Pitch Competition

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (July 3, 2023) — A Bloomington-based company, MSP Manufacturing, won first place in the fourth-annual Crane IP Defense Innovation Pitch Competition on Tuesday, June 27.   

Radius Indiana sponsored the virtual competition in coordination with Elevate Ventures, Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane Division (NSWC Crane), the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC), and The Mill. Judges included southwestern Indiana defense and economic development leaders who had previous experience with pitch competitions and knowledge of NSWC Crane. 

The top three contestants shared cash prizes totaling $12,000. 

  1. Junctional Tourniquet ($6,000 prize): MSP Manufacturing, led by Johnny Goode, looks to simplify the current tourniquet market and aims to decrease the number of preventable deaths caused by blood loss. Goode’s plan involves creating smaller, more compact tourniquets that can more easily be carried and used in an emergency for civilian or law enforcement use.   
  2. EdgeDeploy™: ($4,000 prize): C3I Tech, LLC, led by David Charlot, offers collaborative directed energy enabling autonomous drones to become acoustic hailing devices in support of DoD/industrial/maritime security and surveillance. This non-lethal defense focused product helps rapidly determine the intent of an adversary (or non-adversary) using collective intelligence (ML).
  3. Hummingbird ($2,000 prize): OneO[Q], presented by Dr. Hossein Alisafaee, is creating a drone system for churches, schools, malls, and similar environments to be the first defense against threats until authorities arrive on the scene. 

“I was very interested in the technology for my product the second I read about it. The Mill and NSWC Crane Tech Transfer officer were extremely helpful as I prepared for the competition,” said Goode. “Our goal is to provide valuable technology to our warfighter, law enforcement personnel, and fire responders. I am personally excited about introducing new technology to former teammates and friends of mine.”

Radius Indiana created the royalty-free IP pitch competition as an opportunity for interested businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs to take advantage of NSWC Crane’s Rapid Response Licensing Program, which launched in Spring 2020 in response to COVID-19. The competition offered royalty-free access for those who seek to commercialize patented technologies and concepts developed at NSWC Crane. 

“I greatly enjoyed listening to the pitches of each of the entrepreneurial teams, and I look forward to seeing the progress they will make as they continue to develop the technology. It is always exciting to see technologies available from Crane transition to industry,” said Amanda McCullough, acting intellectual property portfolio manager for NSWC Crane.

This event was the sixth pitch competition hosted by Radius since 2019. These competitions have included pitch opportunities for high school students, adults, startups and established businesses or products and ideas. 

“We are so grateful for the opportunity each year to host this competition and on behalf of Radius we would like to congratulate this year’s winners,” said Blaine Parker, director of entrepreneurship and small business support for Radius Indiana. “Radius is dedicated to the defense ecosystem in southern Indiana and we look forward to seeing what’s next for our pitchers and NSWC Crane.”

To view NSWC Crane’s entire IP portfolio, please visit www.techlinkcenter.org.

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About Radius Indiana: Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange and Washington. Formed in 2009, Radius Indiana also serves as a point of contact in Indiana for Naval Support Activity Crane and leads regional collaboration by leveraging the diverse assets of Southwest Central Indiana to drive attraction, retention and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.

About NSWC Crane: NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electronic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today’s Warfighter.

About Elevate Ventures: Elevate Ventures is a private venture development organization that nurtures and develops emerging and existing high-growth businesses into high-performing, Indiana-based companies. Elevate Ventures accomplishes this by providing access to capital, rigorous business analysis and robust advisory services that connect companies with the right mix of resources businesses need to succeed long term. To learn more about Elevate Ventures, visit elevateventures.com.

About Indiana Small Business Development Center: The Indiana SBDC creates a positive and measurable impact on the formation, growth, and sustainability of Indiana’s small businesses by providing entrepreneurs expert guidance and a comprehensive network of resources. To learn more about you can access free resources through the ISBDC network, visit us at www.isbdc.org. 

About The Mill: The Mill’s mission is to spark Bloomington’s innovation economy by launching and accelerating startups, and its vision is to become Indiana’s center of gravity for entrepreneurship. For more information about The Mill, visit https://dimensionmill.org/.

Community excitement builds around Monon South Trail

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (June 13, 2023) – Large crowds totaling nearly 150 people attended Southern Indiana Trailways’s (SIT) public kick-off meetings in Orleans and Salem in late May and early June. The trail support organization and its partners invited community members to attend sessions to introduce them to the Monon South Trail project and involve them in the trail development process.

SIT, a nonprofit organization established by Radius Indiana to implement and manage the Monon South project, co-hosted the events along with its design partner Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group (TSW), and lead engineering firm Clark Dietz. These meetings allowed community members to learn about the development of the trail and provide feedback to the design team for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build the longest recreational trail in Indiana. 

“It was great to see so many regional residents attend these meetings and provide thoughtful insight about the design and planning of the trail,” said Jeff Quyle, president of Radius. “This is a community-focused project to improve the quality of life and economy of our regional communities and we care about their questions and opinions.”

Andrea Ireland, project specialist for the National Park Service (NPS), presented to attendees in Orleans to provide insight into how she and NPS will be involved throughout the process and shared her excitement for the project. In March 2022, SIT applied to the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program of the NPS and received funding approval in May of that year. The grant is a non-cash grant that provides technical assistance and personnel to assist SIT as it develops the organizational capacity to lead community engagement with the Monon South Trail project.

Illustrating the economic potential that the Trail is expected to unleash, a Salem meeting attendee discussed becoming an entrepreneur while he shared his interest in starting a new business to cater to the needs of trail travelers. The meeting also introduced many attendees to Salem’s Depot Railroad Museum, whose presentation of Monon rail historical items and memorabilia evokes the glory of the railroad era in southern Indiana.

“The project team was delighted by the turnout and excitement at the Monon South Trail public kickoff meetings. Engaging with the communities and future users of the trail will be a priority during the life of the project,” said Ryan Hughes, project engineer at Clark Dietz. “We were able to share more details about the design process and begin collecting ideas for how to build a trail that benefits all users.”

Community members will have a second opportunity to engage with the project later this month at the Monon South Community Workshops. These meetings will allow attendees to hear directly from TSW and discuss how each community connects to the trail, community desires for access and/or trailhead amenities, and a discussion on the preliminary design standards for the project.

Community Workshops are scheduled for:

  • Wednesday, June 21 (Orleans)
    • Orleans Jr. and Sr. High School Cafeteria
    • 200 W. Wilson St. Orleans, IN 47452
    • 1 – 4 p.m.
  • Thursday, June 22 (Borden and New Pekin)
    • Borden Museum
    • 101 E. Main St. Borden, IN 47106
    • 1 – 4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, June 28 (Mitchell)
    • Monon on Main Event Center
    • 515 W. Main St. Mitchell, IN 47446
    • 1 – 4 p.m.
  • Thursday, June 22 (Borden and New Pekin)
    • The Depot Railroad Museum (206 S. College Ave. Salem, IN 46167
    • 1 – 4 p.m.

For more information on the trail meetings or to view previous meeting presentations and digital design materials, visit www.southernindianatrailways.org. 

 

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New State Legislation Benefits Military Spouses and Defense Communities

Posted on by Radius Indiana

By: Matt Craig, Director of Crane Community Support for Radius Indiana

 

Indiana lawmakers wrapped up the 2023 legislative session in late April, approving 252 bills. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s Next Level Agenda focused on several major funding increases in the state budget, including education, public health and safety, and community development.

In addition, under Gov. Holcomb’s leadership, Indiana is advancing a more collaborative, strategic approach to growing and enhancing its defense industry. Indiana is strengthening its efforts to increase the state’s competitiveness in the defense economy. Two Senate Bills and two House Bills affecting the military bases and military families were passed this spring and will improve Indiana’s defense environment.

Senate Bill 332 deals with planning and zoning that affects military bases. This bill allows a unit to establish a military impact zoning district for an area adversely impacted by the effects of military operations, and will make planning, zoning, and development activity in these areas subject to the military installation commander’s determination regarding the activity’s impact on military operations. This bill covers the majority of the state’s action items identified in the 2017 NSA Crane Joint Land Use study. In essence, the local communities have been doing this, and now it’s codified by state law. 

Senate Bill 477 limits threats to critical infrastructure. Starting June 30, 2023, a prohibited person may not purchase, lease, or acquire a parcel of real property that is directly adjacent to a military installation. This helps protect NSA Crane from a foreign company spying on activities on base. This concept of foreign direct investment adjacent to military bases is a significant national security issue and this Senate bill will help prevent such threats.

On the House side, House Bill 1555 focuses on occupational licenses for those in military families. This bill provides that a military service applicant who has held an occupational license, certification, registration, or permit in another jurisdiction for at least one year may qualify for an Indiana license, removing the requirement that an applicant must have had a license for at least two of the five years preceding the date of the application. This eases the burden on military families as they move across the country every two to three years. This is an issue the military tracks across all states, and allows Indiana to become more welcoming to those individuals by eliminating barriers. 

House Bill 1034 exempts Hoosier military members from paying state income taxes starting July 1, 2023. The final draft of the measure signed by Gov. Holcomb increases the active duty military income tax deduction from its current $5,000 cap to a full exemption, which follows a 2019 law allowing all retired military income to be tax-exempt.

Radius Indiana, the White River Military Coordination Alliance and Crane Regional Defense Group worked closely with Indiana Representatives and community partners on the creation of these bills and we commend our leaders for recognizing the importance of the defense industry in our state.

Radius Indiana graduates 2023 class from Economic Development for Community Leadership Program

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (May 3, 2023) — The sixth annual Radius Indiana economic development course at French Lick Resort concluded last Thursday, providing community leaders from six Indiana counties with insights into the evolving field of economic development. 

Participants in the Radius Indiana Economic Development for Community Leadership Program attended educational sessions on topics related to local economic development, networked with other community leaders, and built skills in strategic planning and community problem-solving.

“Radius acknowledges that the field of economic development is undergoing considerable change to reflect the evolving needs of our communities,” said Jeff Quyle, CEO and president of Radius Indiana. “This year’s course provided information on topics that are timely and relevant to the vision that today’s community leaders have, topics like housing development, downtown business vitality, and population attraction. We appreciate the participation of our speakers who shared so much information that educates southern Indiana’s local leaders on issues of importance to economic vitality.”

The program is the only course of its kind to be offered in the southern Indiana area. Since the first course in 2017, nearly 165 people representing 25 Indiana counties have gathered to learn from national and regional speakers about topics and skills including site development, business attraction, workforce, marketing, quality of place, business finance and incentives, and entrepreneurship. 

The speaker lineup for the two-and-a-half-day course included:

  • Lisa Abbott, Regional Opportunity Initiatives – Housing Development 
  • Jim Plump, Jackson County Development Corporation – Economic Development Theory and Practice
  • Chelsey Manns, Manns Consulting – Site Development
  • Matt Eckerle, Baker Tilly – Incentives
  • Tim Conrad, Stimulus Engineering – Site Selector Prospective
  • Michael Wilcox, Purdue Center for Regional Development – Quality of Place
  • Jenna Dix, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Divison – NSWC Crane Update
  • Jason Hester, Greater Columbus Indiana Economic Development Corporation – Business Retention and Expansion
  • Michael Eggleston, Federal Reserve – Rural Prosperity
  • Carol Rogers, Indiana Research Center – Community Data
  • Wendy Dant Chesser, One Southern Indiana – Strategic Planning and Community Engagement 

“The Radius Economic Development Leadership course is truly second to none. There are very few offerings for economic development training and this course fills a much-needed gap for professionals and elected officials,” said Manns. “Radius and the team are forward thinking and extend the invitation beyond the Radius region, which benefits everyone.” 

The group also heard from five panels focused on Radius-based programs including Choose Southern Indiana and population attraction, Discover Southern Indiana and tourism, Spark Downtown and downtown revitalization, support for entrepreneurship and small business support, and economic development marketing.

This year’s graduates included city, town, and county representatives, consultants, realtors, defense industry specialists, economic development professionals, utility representatives, and marketing specialists. 

“I would encourage anyone who’s interested or works in economic development to consider attending this program. The course motivated me to take a deeper look into the challenges we face and how to get better involved,” said Matt Burkett, Deputy for Small Business for Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division. “The course was very comprehensive and covered a wide range of topics around economic development. I’m not an economic development professional, but I now better understand the challenges, available resources, and points of contact for businesses I engage with.”

Corporate sponsors and scholarships helped fund the program, including generous support from Hoosier Energy, Frost, Brown & Todd, Banning Engineering, Smithville Fiber, Duke Energy, Clark Dietz, and Indiana Municipal Power Agency.

Those interested in attending a Radius Indiana course in the future should contact the Radius office at 812-277-9778.

2023 Graduates from Radius Indiana’s Economic Development for Community Leadership Program

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ABOUT RADIUS INDIANA: Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington. Formed in 2009, Radius Indiana also serves as a point of contact in Indiana for Naval Support Activity Crane and leads regional collaboration by leveraging the diverse assets of Southwest Central Indiana to drive attraction, retention, and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.