Tag: choose southern 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.

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.

Choose Southern Indiana introduces new employer incentive program

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (April 5, 2023) – Choose Southern Indiana, a population attraction program, will expand its talent attraction efforts by introducing a new initiative this spring – the Employer Incentive Program.

This new incentive program will be utilized by local economic development organizations (LEDOs) in the Radius Indiana region to further assist businesses in the area with attracting new talent. Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Martin, Orange, and Washington County economic development organizations will participate in this program by providing incentive payments to new, out-of-state employees hired by local businesses.

“This investment in talent that our businesses need will help them maintain and improve their productivity and competitiveness,” said Christy Johnson, population attraction program coordinator for Radius Indiana. “This will be a limited test of the incentive program to allow our LEDOs and Radius to evaluate if this is an effective way to support our businesses and communities.”

Previously, Radius partnered with Indianapolis-based MakeMyMove, an online platform that offered opportunities to market to remote workers seeking to move to new locations. MakeMyMove’s platform and marketing services help communities pitch their wares and attract new residents, as well as provide key data and analytics.

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 program has 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.

“The initial remote worker response to Choose Southern Indiana exceeded expectations and we are excited by this opportunity to find new ways to attract talent to join our workforce,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “Attracting talent to the region is a critical part of growing the local workforce, and we are grateful to be able to help our local businesses undertake this task.”

To learn more and apply to the relocation 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.

 

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.

‘Choose Southern Indiana’ Emerges as National Competitor in Talent Attraction

Posted on by Radius Indiana

Bedford, IN (Aug 26, 2022) – The first year of Radius Indiana’s talent attraction and workforce development initiative, Choose Southern Indiana, has provided $135,000 in relocation packages to 27 new residents and their families as an incentive to move to the region. The response has exceeded initial expectations and proven that southern Indiana can compete with other areas of the country to attract talent.

The program offers a $5,000 relocation incentive to qualified out-of-state individuals or families who relocate to the region. Those who relocate to southern Indiana must maintain residency for a minimum of two years. Such incentive programs are being increasingly used by states and communities throughout the country to attract talent. Though not the first attraction program in Indiana, the Radius program is the State’s first rural regional approach.

The Radius region has a workforce of over 108,000 people, and many communities are finding that their companies have additional vacant positions that need to be filled. Attracting talent to the region is a critical part of growing the local workforce, which stimulates economic growth and prosperity in communities.

“We are excited about the level of interest in the Choose Southern Indiana program and the commitment from our new neighbors in the region,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “From our strong job market to our quality of life and low cost of living – everyone seems eager to experience all we have to offer in the region and we look forward to the opportunity to help people learn more about our communities.”

Dubois and Orange Counties joined the program in summer 2021 to recruit both remote workers and veterans to add to their workforce. Since then, Daviess and Greene Counties have also joined the initiative and are excited about the early success and potential for more. Dubois county has provided the most incentives thus far at 18, and more are expected to come. Recipients have filled jobs in fields such as healthcare, government, education and manufacturing, and have moved from many states across the country including California, Florida and Tennessee. In many cases, their spouses and partners have also become members of the local workforce.

“I am so happy I moved to Jasper and love the small town community,” said Caroline Brinster, incentive recipient and new Dubois County resident. “It boasts a vibrant economy and I am excited and fortunate enough to be working as an attorney for Dentons Bingham Greenebaum, a leading law firm that serves clients both locally and across the globe.”

Radius partnered with Indianapolis-based MakeMyMove, the first and only marketplace for move-ready talent. MakeMyMove’s platform and marketing services help communities pitch their wares and attract new residents. It also provides key data and analytics to assist in reporting. To date, the Choose Southern Indiana initiative has received over 1,000 applications, and the 27 recipients along with their families account for more than 70 new residents, who will bring over $1.2 million in annual income to the communities. Additionally, an economic impact increase of over $750,000 can be attributed to this initiative, which measures revenue from property taxes, local household spending and other socioeconomic factors.

Talent attraction and workforce development are now two of the most important aspects of economic development. 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 program has 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.

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

 

 

ABOUT RADIUS INDIANA: Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana. 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 welcomes two new members to its staff

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (June 15, 2022) – Radius Indiana is proud to announce the addition of two members and positions to its staff  – Christy Johnson and Haley Leffler.

Johnson joins the Radius team as the Population Attraction Program Coordinator. She will carry out administrative activities related to the Choose Southern Indiana campaign aimed at attracting people to move to the Radius region. In this role, Johnson will head communication with interested out-of-state clients, answer questions about life in southern Indiana, and manage programs and projects that help new residents acclimate to their new community.

Previously, Johnson worked for the Kentucky Workforce Cabinet before moving to Greene County. With personal experience relocating to the Radius region, she is well versed in the transition to the area and can greatly assist those looking to do the same.

Blaine Parker, director of entrepreneurship and small business support for Radius Indiana, will help transition the population attraction program to Johnson. “In our first few months, we’ve been able to learn a great deal about this new program and the need to be attentive to the needs of our new residents. The program is evolving and Christy will have the opportunity to adjust it to the lessons we learn going forward,” said Parker.

Taking over the Southern Indiana Business Report, Leffler will serve as the Business and Community News Content Manger for Radius Indiana. The digital news site brings an in-depth level of coverage of business and economic development, including advanced manufacturing,  tourism and hospitality industry news, agribusiness updates, defense sector, business finance and incentive reporting, and insights into how local initiatives, state policies, and other factors impact the local economy in southern Indiana. 

Southern Indiana Business Report will provide a solution to the region’s loss of local business and economic reporting in recent years, which has inhibited the ability of businesses and communities to communicate their successes in economic development.

Leffler is a recent graduate of Indiana University Southeast with a communications degree. 

“We are grateful to be in a position of growth and look forward to adding to the Radius team,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “As we move past the pandemic the local leaders in our communities are partnering with us to help them capitalize on the potential that is blossoming in their private sector and civic sector constituencies.”

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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 reinstates its annual stakeholder meeting

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (May 16, 2022) – Radius Indiana hosted its annual stakeholder’s luncheon for the first time since 2020 last Wednesday at the French Lick Resort. The meeting featured a panel of local leaders who explored the topic ‘Building Capacity in Our Region’.

Radius Indiana Board of Directors’ Chair Becky Skillman opened the meeting, thanking stakeholders for their continued support throughout the pandemic, as well as recognizing Susie Vaughn as a retiring member of the Radius board.

“The Radius team has been blessed for many years to have Susie as our partner working on our behalf in the Indiana Economic Development Corporation for more than eight years,” said Skillman. “She has driven countless miles across a wide swath of rural southern Indiana, visiting all of our communities at one time or another as she has supported business growth. We will miss her as part of our team and wish her the best on her next endeavor.” 

Skillman then introduced Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. Quyle provided an update on the programs and initiatives that make up the ‘Radius family tree’ and ways in which the organization has evolved to best serve the region’s needs.

The pandemic inspired programs that didn’t exist before 2020, such as Radius’s workforce and talent attraction program, Choose Southern Indiana. The program aims to tell the region’s story and demonstrate to interested individuals what life is like in southern Indiana.

In addition, Quyle updated attendees on the region’s growing tourism initiative, Discover Southern Indiana. This year, Radius is dedicating more resources to the program to create the biggest regional initiative in the Midwest with the help of both internal staff and local leaders in the participating counties.

“For the cities, towns, and counties in our region to achieve lasting growth, the local leaders need to have the skills and assets to set priorities and to then take the steps needed to carry out those plans,” said Quyle. “Radius is here to help its communities develop capacity and self-reliance to make success possible.”

The second half of the meeting consisted of a panel of local leaders in the Radius community who have and are actively participating in programs offered by the organization. The panel included individuals involved with ongoing initiatives:

  • Kent Parisien, First Savings Bank | Crane Regional Defense Group; 
  • Cindy Barber, Purdue Extension Daviess County | Recast Cities;
  • Jill Campbell, Daviess County Economic Development Corporation | Choose Southern Indiana; and
  • Nancy Eckerle, Jasper Chamber of Commerce | Radius Indiana’s Women in Economic Development Program.

The panel, moderated by Radius Indiana’s Director of Communications Amanda Craft, discussed the ways Radius has helped build capacity in its eight counties. From creating relationships with community and regional partners to fostering the mentality of what is wanted for the region, the panel discussed the impact that Radius has had on their community and the lessons they have learned and taken to other opportunities.

“Recast Cities has been a very overwhelming but eye-opening experience, leading to many rich conversations with key players in Daviess County,” said Barber. “I have a lot of positive thoughts as we continue to move forward and the experience has been very telling about the capacity of local entrepreneurs and leaders who are all aspiring to revitalize their downtowns.”

If you are interested in attending Radius Indiana’s Stakeholder Meeting next year, please contact the Radius office at (812) 277-9778.

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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.

Four candidates move to southern Indiana via Radius population attraction program

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Dec. 8, 2021) — Four candidates and their family members have relocated to southern Indiana in the last months of 2021 through Radius Indiana’s population attraction program, Choose Southern Indiana. Since the program’s launch in July, it has received contacts from over 1,000 applicants.

The program offers a $5,000 incentive to qualified out-of-state individuals or families who relocate to Daviess, Dubois, Greene, or Orange County. The local leaders of each county’s program opted to seek candidates from fields ranging from teachers to remote workers to retired military veterans to relocate to their communities.

Orange County’s first successful application came from Adam Bennett, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps; the Orange County program promotes the idea of military veterans moving to any of the County’s communities. Bennett, a graduate of Springs Valley High School who most recently lived in Costa Rica, decided to apply for the program and move with his family back to the region to be closer to his family after living away for 20 years. 

“Orange County is a great place to raise a family and I am very excited to bring mine here,” Bennett said. “We are very outdoorsy people and love all the recreational activities for us to enjoy: camping, hunting, fishing. We are ready to experience the four seasons Indiana has to offer after living in Costa Rica.”

Just a few miles west of Orange County, two teachers relocated to Daviess County, which is focused on recruiting individuals with a bachelor’s degree. Both candidates are now teaching at Washington High School. Jeanette Socks, who relocated from a larger city, was excited about the opportunity to live somewhere with a slower-paced lifestyle. 

“I moved to southern Indiana for the opportunity to start my career in teaching,” Socks said. “I love the small-town life and I would not want to be anywhere else.”

And to the south of Washington, Huntingburg-native Justin Neal relocated back to Dubois County as he transitioned into retirement after a 20-year career in the United States Air Force. Neal is working in human resources at Jasper’s Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center through the military skill bridge program.

“My family has spent the last 15 years at least 8 hours away from the rest of our family,” Neal said. “Being able to move back to southern Indiana and getting to be close to people we really care about is awesome.”

Those who relocate to southern Indiana must maintain residency in their home county for a minimum of two years. Similar incentive programs are being used by numerous states and communities throughout the country to attract talent. The Radius program is unique in having a regional approach and in empowering different counties in the region to adopt different target populations to attract.

Radius partnered with Indianapolis-based MakeMyMove, the first and only marketplace for move-ready talent. MakeMyMove’s platform and marketing services help communities pitch their wares and attract new residents.

“Talent attraction is an emerging aspect of economic development, and we are excited to see the traction our program is getting,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “We are taking a rural regional approach to this program and our region is working together to allow each county to focus on the particular demographic groups they want to encourage. We know that the rural lifestyle, the ability to easily interact with school and community leaders and neighbors, and the safety of our communities are very attractive and can draw people to a very positive lifestyle change.”

Radius Indiana plans to continue the program in 2022. To learn more and apply to the relocation 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 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.

Indiana Senate Leader joins Radius Indiana’s September board meeting

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Sept. 23, 2021) — Indiana State Senate President Pro Tempore Rod Bray traveled to southern Indiana to be the featured speaker at Radius Indiana’s Board of Directors meeting in Jasper on Sept. 8. 

Bray, who was elected in 2012, represents Morgan County as well as parts of Johnson, Owen and Putnam counties. He shared stories and insights with the board on community development successes in his district, along with discussion about likely policies to be addressed through the READI program in the Radius region and other regions in the state. He was introduced to the Board by Radius Chair former Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman.

“I’m honored to have this opportunity to speak to the leaders who sit on the Radius Board,” Bray said. “Our State is launching innovative approaches to enhance the quality of place for our residents as well as attract new people to move to Indiana. I’m excited to see how these communities will partner to grow and improve southern Indiana.”

Radius, which is based in Bedford, traveled to Jasper to hold its quarterly board meeting at the newly constructed Thyen-Clark Cultural Center, home of Jasper Community Arts and the Jasper Public Library.

Other meeting updates included: 

  • Catapult program: Christian Blome, dean of students at Vincennes University Jasper Campus (VUJC), provided the board with an update of the Catapult program at the meeting. Catapult is a training program aimed at preparing individuals for a career in advanced manufacturing. VUJC hosted one cohort in 2021 and hopes to add several more in the coming year, Blome said. 
  • Local relocation incentive program: Radius provided an update on Choose Southern Indiana, a relocation incentive program aimed at bringing new talent to southern Indiana. Over 300 individuals have applied for the program, which offers a $5,000 relocation incentive to qualified out-of-state individuals or families who relocate. 
  • Cooperative advertising program: Earlier this year, six Radius member counties joined a brand-new cooperative advertising program with Discover Southern Indiana. The program focuses on both regional and local tourism marketing opportunities. 
  • Crane Regional Defense Group (CRDG): A sub-branch of the White River Military Coordination Alliance, CRDG expands community support and advocates for NSA Crane at the local and federal level. The has a newly completed website and is accepting member applications. Membership application and benefits are available on the website.

“Our staff has not let the pandemic slow down our progress and I am looking forward to the projects we have yet to come,” said Jeff Quyle, Radius CEO and President. “Huge thank you to our board for its continued support; we’ve got a great group and together we will continue to make a difference in southern Indiana.”

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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’ aimed at increasing talent pool in Radius region

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (July 19, 2021) — Radius Indiana, in coordination with Dubois Strong and the Orange County Economic Development Partnership, is proud to announce its latest economic development initiative for talent attraction and workforce development, Choose Southern Indiana.

The pilot program is offering a $5,000 relocation incentive to qualified out-of-state individuals or families who relocate to Dubois or Orange County. Those who relocate to southern Indiana must maintain residency for a minimum of two years. Such incentive programs are being used by numerous states and communities throughout the country to attract talent. Though not the first attraction program in Indiana, the Radius program is the first rural regional approach.

Dubois County is offering this program to recruit remote workers to relocate, while Orange County has set its focus on finding veterans to move to its county. Other counties are expected to join the regional program as well.

“We believe the rich variety of recreational opportunities and the quality of life and safety in our small cities and towns are going to appeal to any number of people when they discover this chance for an introduction to southern Indiana,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “We’re excited to help people learn more about our communities with the Choose Southern Indiana program.” 

Radius partnered with Indianapolis-based MakeMyMove, the first and only marketplace for move-ready talent. MakeMyMove’s platform and marketing services help communities pitch their wares and attract new residents.

“Southern Indiana is a hidden gem,” Evan Hock, Co-Founder of MakeMyMove, said. “Movers looking for the great outdoors, affordable cost-of-living, and a tight-knit community should look no further. We’re proud to partner with Radius to help recruit some fresh faces to the region.”

Talent attraction and workforce development are now two of the most important aspects of economic development. 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 program has 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.

The Radius region has a workforce of over 108,000 people, and many communities are finding that their companies have additional vacant positions that need to be filled. Attracting talent to the region is a critical part of growing the local workforce, which stimulates economic growth and prosperity in communities.

To learn more and apply to the relocation 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 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.