Tag: dubois strong

Radius Indiana announces winners from first home brew competition

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (March 22, 2023) – Radius Indiana hosted its inaugural Home Brew Competition Saturday, March 18 at St. Benedict’s Brew Works in Jasper. Through the light-hearted event, Radius was able to identify and meet several potential entrepreneurs who have now expressed interest in learning about opening microbreweries in the rural communities of the Radius region.

Eight participants went head-to-head in a five-category contest to earn the title of brewmaster. Nearly $3,000 in prizes were awarded for first, second and third place in each of the five brew categories: light, amber, hoppy, wheat and dark. Judges tasted and scored the 16 brew submissions based on a rubric that included aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel and overall impression. 

“We would like to thank all participants for making this first competition a success,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius. “Additionally, thank you to the judges for donating their time on a Saturday to taste local brews and especially to St. Benedict’s Brew Works for hosting at their Jasper location and providing a great atmosphere for the event.” 

Congratulations to the top three brewers in each category! 

  • Light
    • 1: Derek Wiggins
    • 2: Dan Herman
    • 3: Phil Wagner
  • Amber
    • 1: Derek Wiggins
    • 2: Phil Wagner
    • 3: Jim McFaul
  • Hoppy
    • 1: Logan Quinn
    • 2: Luke Stemle
    • 3: Derek Wiggins
  • Wheat
    • 1: Derek Wiggins
    • 2: Luke Stemle
    • 3: Ed Cole
  • Dark (this category only had two entries)
    • 1: Derek Wiggins
    • 2: Phil Wagner

The competition was open to home brewers of any skill level who are residents of the eight Radius Indiana counties: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington. Long-time home brewer and member of the Dubois County Suds Club, Jim McFaul, assisted with the event along with Ed Cole, Executive Director of Dubois Strong.

“The home brew competition is a great addition to the slate of events that Radius Indiana hosts, and Dubois Strong is proud to be a partner,” said Cole. “Economic development is constantly changing and evolving in how it supports communities and these new opportunities as a result are very exciting.”

As the regional economic development organization for the region, Radius works to create opportunities for entrepreneurs to further develop their products and ideas. The home brew competition is the latest initiative for residents to showcase their talents and spur discussion of potential business opportunities. 

“We are excited about the possible opportunities that may come from the competition and its participants,” said Blaine Parker, director of entrepreneurship and small business support for Radius Indiana. “Revitalizing our communities and their downtowns is a key initiative, and the more we engage with entrepreneurs and showcase the programs available to start a new business, the greater the opportunity for development.”

Radius plans to host future home brewing competitions and events to engage the region as well as the state of Indiana in this unique and spirited industry with a tight-knit community. Stay tuned for more information!

 

First Row: Jennifer Herman (Dubois County Suds Club), Tammi Gibson (Washington County Economic Growth Partnership), Blaine Parker (Radius Indiana), Brenda Heeke (Dubois Strong)
Back Row: Vince Luecke (St. Benedict’s Brew Works), Ed Cole (Dubois Strong), Dan Herman (Dubois County Suds Club), Jim McFaul (Dubois County Suds Club)

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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.

Radius Indiana wage and benefits study reports regional employers anticipate hiring in the next year

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Feb. 8, 2021) –– Many regional employers expect to add workers over the next 12 months, according to Radius Indiana’s second regional survey of wages and benefits in southwestern Indiana. 

“Businesses and industry in southwest Indiana are competing for workforce talent,” said Ed Cole, president of Dubois Strong, Dubois County’s economic development source. “The Radius Regional Wages and Benefits Survey provides employers the information they need to remain competitive.”

The 2020 Radius Indiana Wages and Benefits Survey gives local companies up-to-date, real-world information about the labor market in the Radius region compared to the state of Indiana and the United States. Seventy-six firms participated in the survey, contributing compensation data for 14,640 employees across 63 occupations, in addition to information about insurance and other benefits. 

“Wage and benefits surveys provide us the means to compare and analyze our compensation packages with other companies in the local market,” said Laura Kessens, Human Resources director for MasterBrand Cabinets in Jasper. “Remaining competitive in compensation allows us to attract, motivate, and retain employees.”

Whorton Marketing and Research, a consulting firm that conducts industry and membership research, conducted the survey in September and October 2020, and Dubois Strong sponsored its completion. No employee names or other personal information were reported to Radius in the production of the report.

“This survey is an important way for Radius and the local economic leaders in our counties to serve private businesses in our communities,” said Chris May, director of Manufacturing and Workforce Services for Radius Indiana. “Delivering timely and accurate information to the manufacturing sector allows those companies to be alert to changes in the labor market. We want to deliver tools like these, and in the future we want to build even better and stronger relationships with our local employers so that we can become more responsive to their needs.”

Among the survey’s findings: Average salaries for positions including office managers and material managers in the Radius region were below state and national averages, according to the report. Internal auditors and construction managers in the region earn between the state and federal levels, while sales managers/supervisors and chief information officers earn a higher mean salary in the Radius region than the state and national averages.

The survey also reported: 

  • Employers planning pay raises in the next 12 months: 77 percent; 
  • Average number of employees added in the previous six months: 30.7 employees; 
  • Average number of employees laid off in the previous six months: 27 employees; 
  • Mean salaries for engineers rose by 12.56 percent compared to the 2018 survey findings; 
  • Assembler mean salaries grew by 8.38 percent during the same period; 
  • Forklift/Equipment Operator mean salaries declined by 0.2 percent in the two-year period. 

“The local business sector and the local economic development professionals in the Radius region have worked together to develop this survey, and it is a very tangible example of the way economic development organizations can be used by their local businesses to deliver a service and a tool,” Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle said. “We look forward to finding more opportunities like this to help our businesses be successful.”

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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.