Category: News

Radius Indiana announces dates for 2023 economic development course

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (March 8, 2023) – Radius Indiana announced the dates for its sixth annual Economic Development for Community Leaders conference, coming to the French Lick Resort Conference Center April 25-27, 2023.

Attendees at the two-and-a-half-day course will participate in educational sessions on topics including real estate development, population attraction programs, business retention and attraction, workforce, marketing, business finance and incentives, and community development and business district revitalization. 

Speakers from state agencies, site selection companies, secondary education institutions, and financial firms will share best practices and offer perspectives on local and regional economic strategies. The course is open to local and state officials who are interested in learning more about economic development.  

“The field of economic development is changing and growing as communities seek different forms of growth,” said Jeff Quyle, Radius Indiana President and CEO. “Our program gives information about many of the classic elements of economic development as well as introduces community leaders to the new concepts that economic development now encompasses.”

The format of this year’s event will offer attendees the opportunity to choose between session topics for parts of the conference to create a more personalized experience. Communities should consider sending more than one representative to attend in order to gain information on all the relevant topics that will be covered. 

Radius plans to make several scholarships available from its own office as well as area utility partners for community members from the region who would like to participate in the program. Local Economic Development Organizations and those interested in attending are encouraged to contact the Radius Indiana office to learn more about scholarship opportunities in their area.

Registration for the Radius Indiana Economic Development for Community Leadership Program is now available at www.Radiusindiana.com or by calling 812-277-9778. Registration for leaders in the Radius eight-county region is $425, and $475 for those who live outside the region. The registration page includes a link and promotional code to book a hotel room at the French Lick Resort for the conference days.

 

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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.

Radius Indiana honors Becky Skillman at Annual Stakeholders Luncheon

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (March 2, 2023) – Radius Indiana held its annual stakeholder’s luncheon Feb. 15 at the French Lick Resort. Over 130 regional stakeholders gathered as Radius discussed ways the organization is ‘Investing in Our Own’, showcasing a few of Radius’s biggest ongoing initiatives.  

Radius Indiana Board of Directors Chair Becky Skillman opened the meeting, thanking stakeholders for their continued support of the organization and commemorating her own 10 years of involvement. 

“Our region is benefitting from a great deal of positive developments and investments, and our opportunity for growth is as strong as many of us can remember in recent years,” said Skillman. “When I joined the Radius organization in 2013, I knew that we were poised for some incredible developments, and the leaders of this community did not disappoint in delivering time and time again.” 

Skillman handed the meeting over to Jeff Quyle, Radius CEO and president. Quyle recapped the organization’s eventful 2022 and the significant investments in the Radius region: READI projects such as the microelectronics project at the WestGate Technology Park and Catapult, a four-week manufacturing training program. 

Radius had the opportunity to work with its counties and communities on these initiatives and helped spur economic development progress in new ways that will help the region flourish. 

“We look forward to this event each year because of the engagement and support we receive from our partners and stakeholders,” said Quyle. “We know that investing in our own region will have lasting effects, and we are excited to see the wheels of progress turning rapidly.”

Quyle then introduced the lineup of speakers comprised of local leaders in the Radius community who are actively participating in programs offered by the organization. The featured presentations included:

  • Blaine Parker, Radius Indiana – Spark Downtown
  • Kristal Painter, Orange County Economic Development Partnership – Business Retention and Expansion
  • Christy Johnson, Radius Indiana – Choose Southern Indiana
  • Misty Weisensteiner, Radius Indiana – Discover Southern Indiana
  • Justin Green, Mayor of Salem and Dan Bortner, Indiana Department of Natural Resources – Monon South Greenway

The presenters recapped the 2022 progress of these projects and shared the next steps expected to occur over the next few years. Johnson shared that a workforce talent attraction program is launching in conjunction with Choose Southern Indiana. The program will invest in incentive payments to new employees who are hired from out-of-state by local businesses in the participating counties: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Martin, Orange, and Washington. In addition, Parker introduced the Spark Downtown Facade Loan Program. Radius recently secured funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for businesses in participating Spark Downtown communities to help them make improvements to almost any facade project that is visible from the road. 

“Spark Downtown’s purpose is to help restore and revitalize our downtowns, which are the heart and soul of our communities,” said Parker. “We recognized during the past year that our communities often lack the necessary funds to take on some of the projects that they would like to complete to help revitalize those blighted areas of their downtown areas, and this loan program is intended to help move more projects forward.”

As Mayor Greene and Bortner finished comments on the Monon South Greenway and Next Level Trails, Bortner had the opportunity to introduce a surprise for Skillman to honor her 10 years of service to Radius: a congratulations video from Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb.

“Whether she was serving in elected offices or at the helm of Radius as CEO or on the board where she continues to lead, Becky’s authenticity, vision, and collaborative approach has been a constant throughout her entire accomplished career”, said Holcomb. “The next decades look bright because of the trails she’s blazed.”

Radius thanks Skillman for her 10 years of commitment, dedication, and passion to the region and the state of Indiana, and looks forward to her continuous leadership for years to come. 

In a post-event survey, stakeholder luncheon attendees noted quality-of-life as the most important investment for Radius Indiana, followed closely by downtown development and population attraction. Radius will continue to look for avenues to support these initiatives in its region.

If you would like to attend Radius Indiana’s Stakeholder Meeting next year or learn more about the Spark Downtown Facade Loan Program, please contact the Radius office at (812) 277-9778.

Radius Indiana Chairman of the Board Becky Skillman welcomes the crowd at the Feb. 15 stakeholders luncheon.

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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.

Radius Indiana Welcomes New Board Members and Presents Initiatives for 2023

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Jan 17, 2023) – Radius Indiana welcomes nine new board members, and announces a new slate of officers and key initiatives for 2023, including expanded efforts in regional tourism, talent attraction, and collaboration and development in the defense sector.

With ten board members reaching term limits and two retiring from the Radius board at the end of 2022, a host of new community leaders have joined as new board members. Those new appointees include:

  • Katy Preidt, Duke Energy
  • Paul Quick, Smithville
  • Matt Long, AT&T
  • Natalie Hedde, Centerpoint
  • Craig Buse, Springs Valley
  • Kelly Zimmerly, Greene County local government, County Council
  • Craig Menke, Crawford County local government, County Council
  • Mike Kluesner, Dubois County local government, County Council
  • Lonnie Hawkins, Martin County private sector

Retiring board members were honored with a proclamation for their service to Radius and their contributions to the region at the December 2022 meeting, including oversight of the launch of Radius’ tourism brand, Discover Southern Indiana, a significant expansion of workforce-related programs, launch of the regional business news platform Southern Indiana Business report, and increasing assistance for the region’s existing business sector. 

During the meeting, the board also re-elected former Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman to serve as chair of the board. Additional 2023 officers include: 

  • Vice Chair: Bryan Brackemyre, Indiana Municipal Power Agency
  • Secretary: Bryant Niehoff, Daviess County Economic Development Corporation;
  • Treasurer: Brent Sternberg, German American Bank
  • Executive Committee At-Large Members: Justin Green, Mayor of Salem and Jeff Pipkin, Hoosier Energy
  • LEDO Representative: Shance Sizemore, Lawrence County Economic Growth Council

“The leaders who have been on our Board for the past few years took us through the trials of the COVID era and helped us reshape our approach to economic development to meet the region’s needs as we came out of the pandemic,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “We appreciate the work they did as voices of the region giving us feedback and input.” 

The board also ratified its 2023 budget to support programs and activities for the eight Radius counties. These activities include continued significant tourism funding to market Discover Southern Indiana, a full year of the new regional business retention and expansion (BRE) program, continuation of Spark Downtown, support for the Southern Indiana Trailways rails-to-trails development, and expansion and modification of the Choose Southern Indiana population attraction incentive program.

“We anticipate 2023 to be another great year for Radius as we continue to initiate programs and contribute to projects that shape the future of Southern Indiana,” said Skillman. “This new slate of board members adds a wide range of knowledge and expertise, and I’m looking forward to the year ahead.” 

Radius will hold its annual stakeholder luncheon Feb. 15, 2023. More details to follow.

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

Radius to Work With Community Leaders to Develop Monon South Trail

Posted on by Radius Indiana

Radius Indiana is a regional, nonprofit economic development organization in southern Indiana, and has worked for several years with a number of regional partners on the acquisition and development of more than 60 miles of CSX rail corridor into a unique regional gem that will provide a boost to public health, tourism, safety, and economic development for numerous communities across several counties.

The field of economic development has evolved in recent years to include a number of activities and initiatives that add not only new jobs and new investments but also new opportunities for communities to build up their quality of place and appeal to new residents as well as new businesses. Radius’s support for the development of the Monon South provides a regional basis for acquiring the corridor so that we can work with the community leaders along the way to develop their vision of the trail.

Southern Indiana Trailways, a dedicated, private non-profit organization established to implement and manage the project, will be given the opportunity to take over the leadership of the Monon South and ensure the trail’s development, management, and ongoing maintenance and activation. Other trails throughout Indiana also have similar advisory structures, such as the Cardinal Greenway, composed of board members that work and reside along the trail corridor. Radius will work with Southern Indiana Trailways and will provide support to the organization as it becomes established. 

The four counties along the Radius portion of the Monon South currently have 2,167 people employed in the Hospitality and Tourism industry as of the second quarter of 2022. Employment in the field is 18 percent higher than the national average, and the development of the Monon South will provide more opportunities for new businesses to grow in the communities along the corridor. Business establishments have grown in number in the field over the past several years, even maintaining stability despite the pandemic’s impact.

“Communities like Borden and Pekin and Campbellsburg and Mitchell all have the chance to turn the Monon into a business growth engine because tourists will be walking and biking through the middle of those towns in the coming years,” commented Radius CEO Jeff Quyle. “And the amenities that grow to serve the tourists will also be there to improve services for the current and future residents as well.”

Radius recognizes that the quality of place and the assets that embellish our region’s quality of place are important to economic vitality for the communities of southern Indiana. Through the Discover Southern Indiana regional tourism initiative Radius is promoting its region’s assets to the Midwestern market, inviting tourists to spend their vacation time in our beautiful scenery. 

Through the Choose Southern Indiana population attraction initiative, Radius hears many people describe the importance of charming rural communities that have attractions like long-distance trails.  And through the Spark-Downtown initiative Radius works to help rural communities build and retain new retail businesses which can serve and benefit from the tourists who will enjoy the Monon South Trail as it is constructed.

Southern Indiana Trailways will work with local leaders to identify segments of the trail to prioritize for development, as well as working with them to learn what practical improvements can be made along the corridor most quickly to improve the local community through steps such as re-grading local road crossings.

In addition to the $25+ million in funding provided by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Indiana Uplands region has pledged to provide $1 million in READI funding, and Radius has already spent and committed over $650,000 of its own funds for the project to date. A 2021 study estimated that the development of the trail in Lawrence, Orange, Washington, and a portion of Clark County would cost between $23,800,000 and $43,900,000. Construction using the current pledged funds will take place in 2024 to 2026, and further development will rely on the acquisition of additional financial resources.

In 2021, Radius worked with community leaders from along the corridor to create a sketchbook of ideas about how the trail could be developed in numerous communities. The elements of the sketchbook can be seen at Southern Indiana Trailways.

“We’re extremely grateful to the Department of Natural Resources for the amount of work and commitment they’ve invested in this project over the past few years. They and New Albany and the Cook Group have all shown that there is nothing more successful than collaboration and teamwork,” Quyle mentioned. “Everyone worked together and we all had our eye on helping reach a collective goal.”

 

Radius Indiana Hosts Elected Officials for Economic Development Course

Posted on by Radius Indiana

FRENCH LICK, Ind. (Jan. 3, 2023) — Radius Indiana’s economic development course for newly elected officials re-occurred for the third time on Dec. 6 at the French Lick Resort Meeting and Event Center. 

Participants came from various Radius region counties including Crawford, Daviess and Lawrence, with representatives from Morgan and Perry counties, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, and the office of U.S. Senator Mike Braun also in attendance. 

Radius created the intensive, one-day seminar, which specifically targets the needs of elected officials, as an extension of its annual Economic Development for Community Leaders Program. 

Experts from across the state provided attendees with insight and strategies in areas such as: Site Development with Chelsey Manns, Manns Consulting; Workforce with Jim Plump and Jackie Hill, Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation; Business Growth Incentives with Matt Eckerle, Baker Tilly; Business Retention & Expansion/Marketing and Branding with Jason Hester, Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation; and Entrepreneurship/Small Business Development with Blaine Parker, Radius Indiana.

The course is intended to strengthen leadership and collaboration in area counties, cities and towns, and aligns with Radius Indiana’s strategic focus to serve as an educational leader for economic development.

“Participation in this new program has exceeded our expectations, and confirmed the need for this type of educational opportunity; we are thrilled to resume it in-person and look forward to continued success,” said Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle. “A strong working relationship between those in office and economic development professionals is essential, and I believe this course can help us all work toward a shared goal of building and sustaining our communities.”

Radius Indiana’s regional utility partners, Duke Energy, Indiana Municipal Power Agency, and Hoosier Energy, co-sponsored the course and hosted a panel discussion during the lunch hour. Thanks to these partners’ generous support, Radius was able to offer the program free of charge.

“The course was a wonderful opportunity to better understand the role public servants play in the development of our communities,” said Gina Sullivan, Marion Township Trustee for Lawrence County. “I most appreciated the preparedness, engaging speakers and follow-up material that was provided for future reference. The atmosphere also provided opportunities for questions and collaboration. I’m looking forward to future seminars!”

 

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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.

Radius Indiana to host region’s first Home Brew Competition

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Dec. 05, 2022) – Radius Indiana invites local homebrewers to put their skills to the test in its first-ever regional Home Brewing Competition Saturday, March 18 in Jasper, Indiana. 

As the regional economic development organization for the region, Radius works to create opportunities for entrepreneurs to further develop their products and ideas. The new homebrew competition is the latest initiative for residents to showcase their talents.

The competition is open to any home brewer who has perfected the art of brew-making, or perhaps a beer lover that wants to try for the first time. Competitors must be a resident of one of the eight Radius Indiana counties: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, or Washington. 

Competitors will be judged by a panel based on their specific brew category and cash prizes are guaranteed to raise a few cheers from the lucky winners. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each category.

Categories include: 

  • Light – Pilsners, light ales and lagers
  • Amber – Oktoberfests, nut browns and Irish reds  
  • Hoppy – Beer that showcases a strong hop profile 
  • Wheat – Beer that contains wheat or rye 
  • Dark – Stouts and porters 

There is a $5 entry fee per brew that must be paid at the time of submission. Submissions can be made beginning March 1 at any of the dedicated dropoff locations below: 

  • Daviess County Economic Development, 201 E Main St Suite 202, Washington, IN 47501
  • Dubois Strong Economic Development, 961 College Ave, Jasper, IN 47546
  • Orange County Economic Development, 505 S Maple St, French Lick, IN 47432
  • Radius Indiana, 1504 I St, Bedford, IN 47421

To register, please visit www.radiusindiana.com.

For questions or more specific information on dropoff hours and times, please email info@radiusindiana.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.

 

Southern Indiana Employers Increase Workforce and Wages with Plans to Continue

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Nov. 30, 2022) – Southern Indiana employers say a workforce pay increase is expected in the next 12 months in addition to the ones given in 2022, according to Radius Indiana’s third biennial survey of wages and benefits throughout the region. 

The 2022 Radius Indiana Wages and Benefits Survey gives local companies up-to-date, real-world information about the labor market in the eight-county region and how it compares to the state of Indiana and the United States. Ninety-two firms participated in the survey, contributing compensation data for 13,257 employees. 

The survey included 63 job classifications, and with the region’s diverse economy, the jobs covered everything from service and support positions like receptionist and customer service to production and logistics positions such as machinists, front-line manufacturing supervisors, general laborers, and forklift operators. Results also showed growth in tech and IT positions such as electronic technicians, system analysts, and network administrators. 

“The Radius Indiana wages and benefits survey is a great tool we use to ensure that we are offering competitive pay and benefits compared to other employers in the Radius region,” said Alex Barnes, president of W.F. Meyers, a Bedford-based manufacturer of cutting tools and equipment for the stone-cutting industry.

Whorton Marketing and Research, a consulting firm that performs industry and membership research, conducted the survey in August and September 2022, and Dubois Strong sponsored its completion. To protect privacy, Radius did not receive employee names or other personal information in the production of the report. Martin County had the highest level of participation with 23 companies providing data for the survey, a substantial increase from the four companies that participated in 2020.

“As the new executive director at the Martin County Alliance, I’m thrilled to see our local businesses take advantage of the survey as we seek to learn more about their current workforce and how we can continue to help them succeed,” said Jessica Potts. “These results will be a vital tool as we launch a new business retention and expansion program in Martin County aimed at supporting our local businesses. This is one tool to help build individual connections that strengthen relationships and provide assistance our local companies may need.”

Among the survey’s findings: A sample of seventeen positions, spread across three important sectors in the region, experienced a four-year growth in wages of 7.43 percent from 2018 to 2022. The Technology/Growth sector led with an average increase of 19.4 percent, followed by the Production/Logistics sector with a 4.9 percent increase, and the Services/Support sector dropped by 0.9 percent.

The survey also reported: 

  • Employers adding workers over the next 12 months: 74 percent;
  • Employers offering multiple insurance plans: 53 percent;
  • Employers contributing to a 401(k) plan: 89 percent;

“This data provided by employers in the region reveals that wage growth is diverging among different sectors of the economy, offering clues to employers and employees about future opportunities to maximize their resources,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “We are grateful for the participation we received for this survey; together we created a great tool to help our local businesses grow and learn.”

Other findings from the survey include:

  • Respondents reported an employee turnover rate of 24%;
  • 74% of firms expect to add workers in the next 12 months;
  • 30% now have some employees who split their schedule between the workplace and remote locations; 37 % allowed remote work during the pandemic but have since returned to working in the office. 19% have some employees who work remotely full time.

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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.

Dubois Strong launches new Business Retention and Expansion Program to support local businesses 

Posted on by Radius Indiana

Dubois Strong launches new Business Retention and Expansion Program to support local businesses 

JASPER, Ind. (Nov. 9, 2022) – Dubois Strong announces a unique new business retention and expansion (BR&E) program to learn more about conditions at businesses throughout the county and how the local economic development office can help support them. 

Dubois Strong hired a consultant specializing in BR&E to serve as an extension of its team over the next year. Local businesses can expect to receive a phone call and/or email in the coming weeks from the organization and will have an opportunity to share more about their business, projected future growth, challenges or concerns, and more. 

One of the primary roles of a local economic development organization is to assist existing local businesses and help them navigate common challenges associated with growth including workforce, employee training and education, and expansion planning. As part of those efforts, this new program is provided at no cost to the local businesses and the results will be used to inform future economic development strategies for Dubois County. 

“Our local economy depends on the success of our existing businesses, and we want to do everything we can to support them and help them thrive,” said Ed Cole, Executive Director. “We ask that our businesses please participate in this program and provide honest, thorough feedback to help us achieve that goal.” 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 66% of all jobs created come from growth at existing businesses, and 62% of all net new jobs come from small businesses. 

“We know that local stores sell us goods, local factories bring us jobs, and local companies invest here and serve here. These are our friends and neighbors and the people who meet our community needs, so it’s important that they have a helping hand when we can lend one,” Cole explained.

Dubois Strong hopes that in addition to gathering information, this intentional effort to connect will build strong relationships with the businesses that already have a footprint in the local community and provide further opportunities for growth and retention. Any local company that has questions about the program should call the office at 812-482-9650 to learn more.

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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.

GCEDC launches new Business Retention and Expansion Program to support local businesses 

Posted on by Radius Indiana

Greene County Economic Development Corporation launches new Business Retention and Expansion Program to support local businesses 

BLOOMFIELD, Ind. (Nov. 9, 2022) – Greene County Economic Development Corporation announces a unique new business retention and expansion (BR&E) program to learn more about conditions at businesses throughout the county and how the local economic development office can help support them. 

GCEDC hired a consultant specializing in BR&E to serve as an extension of its team over the next year. Local businesses can expect to receive a phone call and/or email in the coming weeks from the organization and will have an opportunity to share more about their business, projected future growth, challenges or concerns, and more. 

One of the primary roles of a local economic development organization is to assist existing local businesses and help them navigate common challenges associated with growth including workforce, employee training and education, and expansion planning. As part of those efforts, this new program is provided at no cost to the local businesses and the results will be used to inform future economic development strategies for Greene County. 

“Our local economy depends on the success of our existing businesses, and we want to do everything we can to support them and help them thrive,” said Brianne Jerrels, Executive Director. “We ask that our businesses please participate in this program and provide honest, thorough feedback to help us achieve that goal.” 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 66% of all jobs created come from growth at existing businesses, and 62% of all net new jobs come from small businesses. 

“We know that local stores sell us goods, local factories bring us jobs, and local companies invest here and serve here. These are our friends and neighbors and the people who meet our community needs, so it’s important that they have a helping hand when we can lend one,” Jerrels explained.

GCEDC hopes that in addition to gathering information, this intentional effort to connect will build strong relationships with the businesses that already have a footprint in the local community and provide further opportunities for growth and retention. Any local company that has questions about the program should call the office at 812-659-2109 to learn more.

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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.

OCEDP launches new Business Retention and Expansion Program to support local businesses 

Posted on by Radius Indiana

Orange County Economic Development Partnership launches new Business Retention and Expansion Program to support local businesses 

(FRENCH LICK), Ind. (Nov. 09, 2022) – Orange County Economic Development Partnership announces a unique new business retention and expansion (BR&E) program to learn more about conditions at businesses throughout the county and how the local economic development office can help support them. 

OCEDP hired a consultant specializing in BR&E to serve as an extension of its team over the next year. Local businesses can expect to receive a phone call and/or email in the coming weeks from the organization and will have an opportunity to share more about their business, projected future growth, challenges or concerns, and more. 

One of the primary roles of a local economic development organization is to assist existing local businesses and help them navigate common challenges associated with growth including workforce, employee training and education, and expansion planning. As part of those efforts, this new program is provided at no cost to the local businesses and the results will be used to inform future economic development strategies for Orange County. 

“Our local economy depends on the success of our existing businesses, and we want to do everything we can to support them and help them thrive,” said Kristal Painter, Executive Director. “We ask that our businesses please participate in this program and provide honest, thorough feedback to help us achieve that goal.” 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 66% of all jobs created come from growth at existing businesses, and 62% of all net new jobs come from small businesses. 

“We know that local stores sell us goods, local factories bring us jobs, and local companies invest here and serve here. These are our friends and neighbors and the people who meet our community needs, so it’s important that they have a helping hand when we can lend one,” Painter explained.

OCEDP hopes that in addition to gathering information, this intentional effort to connect will build strong relationships with the businesses that already have a footprint in the local community and provide further opportunities for growth and retention. Any local company that has questions about the program should call the office at 812-936-3388 to learn more.

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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.