BEDFORD, Ind. (Oct. 23, 2017) Radius Indiana announced today its support for the Midstate Corridor, which is planned as an interstate-level route connecting U.S. Highway 231 in southern Dubois County to a point along I-69 in the north.

Also known as the I-67 Corridor, the proposed highway would increase connectivity in the eight-county Radius region, create opportunities for economic development, and add valuable new infrastructure to the region’s list of economic assets.

“A new Midstate Corridor would provide a powerful economic engine for rural southwest central Indiana. Our region would attract more businesses and existing companies would expand. We could expand the workforce due to easier commutes, and bring more tourists to our world-class attractions,” said Former Indiana Lt. Gov. and Chair of the Radius Indiana Board of Directors Becky Skillman.

The regional initiative led by OFS Brands President and CEO Hank Menke has been working to set up the groundwork for the connection since 2012; Menke leads the I-67 Development Corporation. The group is now spearheading growth of a Regional Development Authority in order move the project up on the priority list with the Indiana Department of Transportation.

The State Legislature passed a bill this year that allows municipalities participating in a regional development authority to create a fund specifically for regional infrastructure projects – such as the Midstate Corridor. The legislation also permits RDAs to apply for federal FASTLANE grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which fund road and bridge projects.

“We have taken another important step in the recent formation of the Midstate Corridor Regional Development Authority, which will allow local investment to partner with INDOT to drive the necessary planning and construction of this important four-lane limited access highway through Dubois and other area counties to eventually connect to I-69,” said Menke.

While no final route has been established, the corridor was named a Tier 2 project by the state’s Blue Ribbon Commission in 2014, a committee that determined which transportation projects needed to be done and when they should be completed. Tier 2 projects are targeted for completion in six to eight years.

“We applaud the work of the I-67 group and its tireless efforts for the Midstate Corridor. We will continue to monitor the project’s progress and its impact on our region as proposed routes are studied. Finally, we look forward to being partners with others in the region to help improve the prospects for action on this highway,” said Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle, who will join the private sector I-67 Development Corporation Advisory Board.

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.

BEDFORD, Ind. (Oct. 19, 2017) — Radius Indiana economic development leaders took information and insights about their southern Indiana region to Indianapolis for a day as hosts of an educational session for site selectors from six companies. The October session is part of Radius’s 2017 outreach program to raise awareness about the business strengths and opportunities in the eight-county region.

The leaders from Southern Indiana spoke to business advisors about available sites and buildings in the region, as well as the demographics and the quality of the workforce that powers the existing businesses in the eight counties.

Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle welcomed the group with an overview of the regional assets available to companies looking to locate in the area such as WestGate@Crane Technology Park and the I-69 Corridor. Other Radius staff members, and five local economic development leaders from Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Martin, and Washington counties joined Quyle to discuss the latest developments in the regional economy.

“This event allowed us to showcase the region and our individual communities to a group of premier site selectors in Indiana. I was able to share information about Martin County’s scenic beauty, as well as the technology and innovation that guide our community, which truly make Martin County a place where nature and tech connect,” said Tim Kinder, executive director of the Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth.

Kinder added that the Radius outreach events facilitate promotion of the entire region and help counties that have often been overlooked raise awareness for economic development initiatives.

Among those site selectors in attendance was Indianapolis-based KSM Location Advisors, which works with companies across the country to maximize state and local incentive packages and help them make fully informed location decisions.

“This lunch was simply a great event,” said Garth Brazelton, chief operating officer for KSM Location Advisors. “It was a great venue to get updates from Radius and the local economic development organizations about their sites and the bright economic future for Southern Indiana.”

Representatives from the region’s counties have taken an active role in the Radius outreach program this year, and plans are already underway to schedule more site selector events for 2018 as a regional team.

“The local leaders do a very good job of presenting information about their community assets to these business advisers, and they also expand their own network of contacts who they can work with on an ongoing basis,” Quyle added.

BEDFORD, Ind. (Oct. 10, 2017) – Radius Indiana’s economic outreach included traversing two states in three days last week to meet with site selectors and business advisers.

Radius first made a stop in Cincinnati and then traveled to Chicago to join the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s site selector trip in an effort to raise awareness about the pro-business environment in the Hoosier state and the Radius region. For Radius, the visit adds to a series of economic development trips that it has conducted for 2017, and continues on the successful outreach program the organization began in 2016.

During the three-day journey, President and CEO of Radius Indiana Jeff Quyle shared information about the region’s assets, its logistical advantages, and interstate connectivity as well as developments in the region, particularly the new partnership involving Purdue University and WestGate@Crane Technology Park.

“Our continued outreach to neighboring states has helped make site selectors more familiar with the Radius Indiana region,” said Quyle. “By meeting with site selectors we are able to learn specifically what companies are looking for in a location, and how to best position our region to be competitive in business expansion and relocation projects.”

Radius Indiana and the region’s eight local economic development organizations will continue 2017 outreach efforts by hosting an October luncheon in Indianapolis for more than 10 area site selectors. Ensuring that decision makers know about the area’s offerings is a primary focus for the regional partnership, which represents Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington Counties.

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.
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Linton, Ind. (Sept. 25, 2017) – ProMark Building Solutions, a commercial and residential steel roofing manufacturer, celebrated the beginning of operations and the creation of 17 new jobs by 2020 with a ribbon cutting ceremony today at its new facilities located at 575 N. 1000 W. in Linton.

The company’s new headquarters in Greene County mark a $1.56 million investment in three new buildings totaling 35,280 square feet situated on 10 acres. ProMark will manufacture steel roofing, which includes the rolling sheet metal for roofing and siding. The business will also serve as a distribution center for Richland Laminated Columns, which will distribute products to southern Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri for the Ohio-based company. The new location also includes a retail center, which will give customers the opportunity to purchase lumber, roofing supplies and pole barn packages.

Greg Elliott of Linton, and Mark Graber of Montgomery partnered with Elmer Sensenig, owner of Richland Laminated Columns in Greenwich, Ohio, to create ProMark Building Solutions.

“Since selecting our site location, we have been warmly welcomed by Linton,” said Elliott. “This was a big undertaking, but with the strong collaboration between the city, county and the state partners, we are ready to start serving our customers. Most importantly, we are excited to be able to do business here and provide new jobs to our community.”

Joining ProMark for the ribbon cutting were Susan Vaughn, Director Southwest Regional Office for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation; Mayor John Wilkes from the City of Linton; Brianne Jerrels, Executive Director of the Greene County Economic Development Corporation; Cheryl Hamilton, Executive Director of the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce; Connie Neininger, Economic Development Director, Indiana State Department of Agriculture; and Jeff Quyle, President and CEO of Radius Indiana.

The IEDC provided $85,000 in conditional Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credits, which incentivize businesses to support job creation, capital investment and to improve the standard of living for Indiana Residents. The state also awarded ProMark a $15,000 grant from the Industrial Development Grant Fund. Greene County supports the project.

“We want to thank the state for providing incentives to help ProMark become a reality in Greene County,” said Jerrels. “This project is a true testament to how the community and state can work together to grow the local economy and support new jobs.”

The Regional Impact Fund, administered by Radius Indiana, also awarded funds to the City of Linton to help complete the necessary infrastructure improvements for ProMark operations at the new site.

“We welcome ProMark to the county and look forward to seeing their success,” said Quyle. “Radius and the Regional Impact Fund are committed to supporting the entrepreneurs and small businesses that are the backbone of our regional economy. We will continue to champion startups that add to the vitality and strength of the region.”

ProMark is one of nearly 9,000 small businesses in the Radius Indiana eight-county region and one of nearly 500,000 small businesses across Indiana, which employ 1.2 million Hoosiers across the state, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Small businesses employ 45 percent of the state’s private-sector workforce.

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 the region to drive attraction, retention and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region. For more information about Radius, visit www.radiusindiana.com.

BEDFORD, Ind. (Sept. 5, 2017) – Radius Indiana traveled to St. Louis last week along with representatives from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) to meet with site selectors.

The visit marks Radius Indiana’s first trip to St. Louis in an effort to raise awareness about economic opportunities in the eight-county region. For Radius, the visit adds to a series of economic development trips that it has conducted for 2017, and continues on the successful outreach program the organization began in 2016.

Jeff Quyle, Radius Indiana president and CEO, Susan Vaughn, director of the Southwest Regional Office of IEDC and Ron Arnold, executive director of DCEDC shared the advantages of doing business in the region and the state.

During the visit, Quyle highlighted the Radius region’s assets, its logistical advantages, interstate connectivity, its proximity to the Louisville metropolitan area as well as developments in the region.

“St. Louis is a relatively close and familiar market for southern Indiana, but our meetings showed us that there is always a benefit to creating a connection for the region,” said Quyle. “One of the site selectors we met with is actually exploring the Louisville market for a current project, and we were able to expand his knowledge about our Radius counties that can effectively service that particular market.”

“The State of Indiana and in particular the Radius Region has so much to offer including a work ethic of its citizens it is important we take every opportunity to tell our story”, stated Ron Arnold

Radius Indiana will continue to partner with the IEDC and Local Economic Development Organizations from the region’s respective counties for the remainder of this year’s outreach efforts in Indiana and other states across the country. Ensuring that decision makers know about the area’s offerings is a primary focus for Radius Indiana, the regional partnership representing Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington Counties.

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.

BEDFORD, Ind. (August 28, 2017) — Radius Indiana held the region’s first economic development incentive seminar for area accountants and financial managers Aug. 22 at French Lick Resort.

Radius organized the event to raise awareness about incentives that are available in the region, and from the state of Indiana, that can help local businesses looking to grow their company or expand operations.

“Supporting growth for our existing businesses is one of the most important focus areas for Radius Indiana; it’s an important partnership with local economic development leaders,” said Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle. “I believe this education session for local CPAs provided great information for our attendees and will help existing and new businesses better utilize some of the great incentives we have available.”

Presenters provided information on a variety of topics to 20 attendees from regional firms and economic development organizations, which will add to the financial tools businesses and their advisers can use for planning. The session included:

• Susan Vaughn from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation covered state incentives such as the Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) Tax Credit and the Hoosier Business Investment (HBI) Tax Credit, which support job creation and capital investment.

• David Umbleby, from Krieg Devault, shared information on New Market Tax Credits, which offer tax incentives on private investments in many Radius communities to fuel community development and economic growth.

• Misty McCammack from Duke Energy and Harold Gutzwiller from Hoosier Energy offered a utility perspective for the group and explained Economic Development Riders, which can provide discounts and savings for relocating or expanding businesses.

• Jeff Quyle rounded out the program with an overview of the Regional Impact Fund (RIF). The RIF is a fund dedicated solely to economic development projects in the Radius eight-county region, and is the only deal-closing fund in Indiana.

Debra S. Deckard, certified public accountant and partner at Bedford-based Turpen & Deckard, who participated in the session added, “The Radius session at French Lick was a great opportunity for local CPAs to connect with their peers while gaining valuable information about regional programs, tax incentives, new market credits, and energy programs to better serve their clients.”

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 the region to drive attraction, retention and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.

BEDFORD, Ind. (August 21, 2017) – Radius Indiana served as the host sponsor for the 2017 Indiana Economic Development Association’s Site Consultant Event at the French Lick Resort, Aug. 16-18.

IEDA created the site consultant event in 2012 as a way for its statewide membership to connect with site selectors. This year’s conference in the Radius region marks the first time the annual event has been held outside of Indianapolis.

“Traditionally our members have to travel around the country to different conferences to meet with site selectors, said Lee Lewellen, CEO of IEDA. “This event gives us an opportunity to provide an unvarnished view of Indiana as well as learn from site selectors what they are looking for. We can then translate what we learn into actionable items for communities, business leaders and legislators.”

More than 100 business leaders, elected officials and economic development professionals from across Indiana gathered to hear from 10 national site selectors about how businesses choose locations for relocation and expansion, and what cities and counties can do to best position themselves for growth.

The two-day conference included multiple sessions from the visiting site selectors on topics from workforce to technology and manufacturing investment to site preparedness as well as presentations from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Indiana Office of Defense Development, and the Indiana Department of Transportation.

“This conference was very beneficial by giving perspective on new trends and data related to advanced manufacturing and location requirements. The diverse group of presenters made for a very informative session, and I look forward to taking this information back to my community to help us as we plan approaches to attract new business, said Justin Green, Salem City Council and Radius Indiana Board member.

As the eight-county economic development partnership for the region, Radius Indiana advocated to bring the conference to the area, and applauds the IEDA for its willingness to move to a new location this year.

“Radius, along with our local economic development organizations, travel to cities around the country to educate site selectors and business advisers on the advantages of doing business in our region. Bringing this event to southern Indiana was a tremendous opportunity for everyone to see for themselves what our area has to offer,” said Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle.

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 IEDA: The Indiana Economic Development Association was formed in 1968 by industrial developers to provide continuity to statewide community development efforts. Today the nonprofit, 400-member association serves as the voice of economic development for Indiana. Made up of economic developers, utilities, attorneys, consultants, financial institutions, higher education professionals, engineers, architects and construction professions, the organization works to attract and retain jobs for Indiana. IEDA works to promote state and federal policies that support a positive business climate and ensures that the important economic development issues are on the agenda for state administrators and elected officials.

BEDFORD, Ind. (August 02, 2017) — Radius Indiana released today its first findings from the Radius Tourism Index (RTI). The index shows that the Radius region is outpacing other areas of the state in the overall vitality of the tourism industry sector.

Radius Indiana developed the RTI as part of a series of three indices, which also include manufacturing and small business, to provide the organization with analytic tools that monitor the strength of the regional economy in southern Indiana.

Radius used data from a previously published report from Rockport Analytics, a study commissioned by the Indiana Office of Tourism Development and Radius, along with other economic factors to create a baseline for the region’s tourism industry. The index tracks changes to key economic indicators including tourism jobs, wages, spending, tax receipts and overall economic impact, and compares them to the same data for the state of Indiana as a whole.

The RTI gives the region an initial score of 61.3 for the positive changes to the key economic indicators over a two-year period. The most significant change noted was a 13 percent increase in tourism spending for Radius, and the score was bolstered by double digit increases in tourism jobs and tax receipts. The state of Indiana as a whole also showed increases in all the key indicators, but less so than the Radius region, resulting in a score of 38.1.

“The Rockport report gave us a complete snapshot of regional tourism and now the Radius Tourism Index gives us a good tool to begin tracking its growth,” said Kevin Manley, executive director of the Dubois County Visitors Center and Tourism Commission and chairman of the Radius Indiana Tourism Development Advisory Council.

As the 7th largest industry in the region, tourism accounts for nearly 5,000 jobs Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange and Washington counties. Radius will continue to track tourism data to keep area stakeholders informed on how the industry changes over time.

“From Rockport we learned that annual visitor spending totals $271 million for our region and has an economic impact of $198 million for our eight counties—monitoring this industry from year to year is vital to our understanding of the area’s economic health and this very important economic sector,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana.

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 the region to drive attraction, retention and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.

BEDFORD, Ind. (July 17, 2017) – Radius Indiana traveled to Seattle last week with an Indiana delegation led by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to meet with site selectors and business advisers.

This was the first trip for the IEDC and Radius Indiana to Seattle in an effort to raise awareness about the Hoosier state. For Radius, the visit adds to a series of economic development trips that it has conducted for 2017, and continues on the successful outreach program the organization began in 2016.

Jeff Quyle, Radius Indiana president and CEO joined Elaine Bedel, IEDC president, along with IEDC staffers, utility representatives, and other Indiana Regional Economic Development Organizations to share the advantages of doing business in the state.

During the two-day visit, Quyle shared information about the Radius region’s assets, its logistical advantages, and interstate connectivity as well as developments in the region, particularly the new partnership involving Purdue University and WestGate@Crane Technology Park.

“This trip gave us exposure to the high-tech industry sector that Seattle is known for, which is not as common in our region. I also met with a company that has an interest in possibly expanding in the Radius region,” said Quyle. “I applaud IEDC for leading the trip and inviting regional economic development groups to participate. Our partnership with IEDC is invaluable as we work to move the region forward.”

Radius Indiana will partner with the IEDC and Local Economic Development Organizations from the region’s respective counties for future visits in Indiana and other states across the country. Ensuring that decision makers know about the area’s offerings is a primary focus for Radius Indiana, the regional partnership representing Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington Counties.

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.

BEDFORD, Ind. (June 28, 2017) — Radius Indiana partnered with South Central Indiana Economic Development to share insights about their respective southern Indiana regions as co-hosts of an educational session for 10 site selectors and business advisers in downtown Louisville this week.

The event marks the first joint economic outreach effort by the two organizations, representing a total of 17 southern Indiana counties.

The session is part of Radius Indiana’s 2017 outreach program to raise awareness about the business strengths and opportunities in the region. The leaders from Radius Indiana and SCIED introduced the regions to their southern neighbors, showcasing the benefits of doing business in the regions, as well as the available sites, demographics and the quality of the workforce that powers existing businesses.

Rollie Helmling, senior vice president of Business Development for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation served as the guest speaker for the session and shared the factors that give Indiana the ranking as the No. 1 state in the Midwest for business.

Representatives from 12 of the regions’ Local Economic Development Organizations joined Radius President Jeff Quyle and SCIED President Darrell Voelker for the event. Utility partners to both regional groups, Duke Energy, Hoosier Energy and IMPA, helped sponsor the event.

“This was a great endeavor on behalf of both of our regions,” said Voelker. “We know that a new development in either of our areas can have a significant effect on our neighboring counties. We share resources, workforce and infrastructure with many of the Radius counties and any opportunity we have to work together only strengthens our ability to attract and grow business.”

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Ron Arnold, Executive Director of Daviess County Economic Development Corporation attended the session and commented on the effectiveness of convening as a region, “Bringing together multiple site selectors and counties in one room allows us to make multiple contacts in a very short amount of time. It is an efficient use of our time and resources and puts Daviess County top of mind for the site selectors.”

The Louisville event is the latest in a series of visits for Radius Indiana. The outreach
efforts this year have connected Radius communities with business advisers and site
consultants in Cleveland, Greenville, S.C. and Chicago, with six more trips planned to target cities during the remainder of 2017.

“We are continually looking for opportunities to share our region with business leaders who help national and global companies make decisions about where to locate or expand their businesses,” said Quyle. “It is in the true spirit of regionalism that Radius and SCIED Group came together for this effort. We have diverse assets, but a common mission—to grow the economy in southern Indiana.

Representing Crawford County, County Council Member Steve Bartels added, ”Crawford County has made important pro-business moves recently and we are poised to grow. Our county has developed a public-private partnership corporation, streamlined our abatement process to a single page of paperwork, and engaged in the Duke Energy site readiness program, all in the past couple of weeks, and I am excited to be able to get the word out.”