Tag: News

Over 100 gather for Radius stakeholder update at French Lick Resort

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (March 5, 2024) – Radius Indiana hosted over 100 attendees from across the region for its annual stakeholder’s luncheon Feb. 28 at the French Lick Resort. Remarks included a review of Radius’ accomplishments over the previous year and included an unveiling of design renderings for the Monon South Trail. Additionally, Radius welcomed special guests from the Consulate and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Chicago as well as Indiana State Treasurer, Daniel Elliott.

Radius Board of Directors Chair Jeff Pipkin opened the meeting with a brief overview of the organization’s programs and thanked stakeholders for their continued support. Pipkin became the board chair at the start of 2024, stepping in for Becky Skillman who retired from the board at the end of 2023 after more than 10 years of service. 

“Radius continues to evolve in order to stay up-to-date with the world of economic development, and the growing list of programs it offers reflects that,” said Pipkin. “I look forward to serving a larger role to the organization as its Chair and being a small part of the amazing impact it brings to southern Indiana.” 

Pipkin then introduced Indiana State Treasurer Daniel Elliott, who spoke about the Indiana Bond Bank and its ability to be a resource for communities. Additionally, Elliott highlighted the importance of broadband in rural communities and its impact on education, development and growth.

Following, Radius president and CEO Jeff Quyle introduced special guests Consul-General Jun Yanagi and JETRO Chicago Executive Director Hiroyuki Nemoto. This was an opportunity for attendees to hear directly from representatives of these organizations, who are often on the front lines in facilitating new contacts with Japan for economic development opportunities. 

Consul-General Yanagi shared that there are currently 320 Japanese business facilities in Indiana, providing 70,700 jobs.

“I am optimistic about the partnership between the United States and Japan because it has been built from the ground up, supported by multiple layers of human connection, sharing basic values such as democracy, freedom, and human rights,” said Consul-General Yanagi.

Quyle then provided an overview of the organization’s accomplishments from 2023, including the 16 employers throughout the Radius region that have participated in Choose Southern Indiana’s Employer Incentive Program, and the nearly 60,000 visitors to the Southern Indiana Business Report website. 

In addition, Quyle updated attendees on the Monon South Trail progress, slated to span nearly 60 miles through Lawrence, Orange, Washington, and Clark counties. Clark Dietz, the lead civil engineering firm, and Taylor Seifker Williams Design Group, the trail’s design firm, are completing the infrastructure design, construction, and master planning efforts. Attendees had the first look at the initial design concepts for the trailheads, including structures, bike and pedestrian rest stops, restrooms, and other amenities planned along the trail.

“With the support from our partners at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the design team, we are making great progress on the trail in record time and learning more than we originally imagined,” said Quyle. “Additional design plans will be released later this spring, and we are currently on track to open the municipal segments of the trail later this fall.”

Other important events were scheduled in coordination with the stakeholder’s luncheon, including a reception and dinner to renew the relationship between the Radius region and both the Consulate and JETRO Chicago, and a breakfast networking event for the local mayors, the region’s economic development leaders, and Japanese officials. 

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.

Radius holds final board meeting of 2023, votes in new slate of officers for 2024

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Dec. 20, 2023) – Radius Indiana’s Board of Directors announced new members as well as a new set of officers at its final meeting of the year on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at the French Lick Resort.

The board also ratified its 2024 budget that outlines opportunities for the organization and the region to maximize Radius’ current programs and initiatives that it currently supports. 

These funding activities include ongoing strong support for tourism marketing through the Discover Southern Indiana brand, the development of multiple aspects of the Monon South Trail, Radius’ business retention and expansion program, the continued evolution of Choose Southern Indiana’s population attraction incentive program, and further support for Naval Support Activity Crane and the Crane Regional Defense Group.

“Radius is excited to dedicate its 2024 budget to continue to grow and support the wide array of programs we’ve developed to help expand our communities’ ecosystems throughout southern Indiana,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “We are looking forward to new opportunities in 2024, specifically in defense, tourism and workforce attraction.”

During the meeting, the board also elected a new slate of officers for 2024. The 2024 Radius Board officers includes: 

  • Chair Jeff Pipkin, Hoosier Energy
  • Vice Chair Bryant Niehoff, Uplands Science and Technology Foundation
  • Secretary Heather Setser, Lake Patoka Marina
  • Treasurer Brent Sternberg, German American Bank
  • Executive Committee members Shance Sizemore, Lawrence County Economic Growth Council; Sam Craig, Mayor of Bedford; and Paul Quick, Smithville.

Four Radius board members were recognized as retiring board members. Former Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman, Justin Green (Mayor of Salem), Bryan Brackemyre (Indiana Municipal Power Agency), and Shanni Simmons (Vincennes University) were honored with a proclamation for their service on the board. 

Special recognition was given to former Radius CEO and current board Chair, Becky Skillman, as she retires after more than 10 years of service to the organization. Quyle thanked Skillman for her passion and dedication to the region, and noted her immeasurable impact throughout her tenure.

“It’s been a true honor and my absolute pleasure to serve on the Radius Indiana board for the past decade,” said Skillman. “I have no doubt the organization is in great hands moving forward and will continue to lead the state in groundbreaking regional economic development achievements.”

The meeting also featured guest speaker Matthew W. Finn, chief economist at 1834, a division of Old National Bank. In his role, he is responsible for the company’s economic outlook, asset allocation guidance and portfolio management. Finn provided insight into the current state of the economy, future trends and areas of opportunity, emphasizing how labor markets have entered a new and persistent reality of tightness that does not appear to be headed toward loosening in the near future.. 

Radius will hold its annual stakeholder luncheon in February 2024. More details will be available early in the new year.

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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 Indiana opens registration for Elected Officials Economic Development Webinar Series

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Dec. 18, 2023) — Radius Indiana announced earlier this week that registration is now open for its economic development webinar series for elected officials. 

Hosted by Radius Indiana, the Elected Officials Economic Development Webinar Series is a virtual, free, region-wide economic development course for elected officials, both newly-elected and incumbents. Radius created this four-week seminar, which will specifically target the policy and educational needs of elected officials, as an extension of Radius’s Economic Development for Community Leadership Program. 

The weekly series 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. “Local elected officials can be extremely valuable partners in local economic development once they understand the policies and programs they can use to make their communities’ local economies stronger,” said Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle. 

The sessions include economic development experts, marketing consultants, and legal advisors. Speakers and sessions include:

  • January 10 | Use of Economic Development Incentives with Matt Eckerle, Baker Tilly;
  • January 17 | Site Development and Utility Partners in Economic Development with Chelsey Manns, Manns Consulting;
  • January 24 | Excelling at Existing Business Retention & Expansion and The Art of Business Attraction, with Jason Hester, Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation and Jim Plump, Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation;
  • January 31 | Focusing on Quality of Place, Tourism and Talent Attraction with Blaine Parker, Kristal Painter and Jeff Quyle.

“We are excited to continue our economic development course and believe that the virtual format encourages participation from all corners of the region,” explained Quyle. “Being a leader in education is a big part of who Radius is an organization, and we are grateful to our speakers who will continue to build the skills and knowledge of our local elected officials.”

This event is sponsored by Duke Energy, Indiana Municipal Power Agency, and Hoosier Energy.

Click here to register for the course, or visit www.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 the region to drive attraction, retention and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.

Radius Indiana reaches fundraising goal for Monon South Trail – Salem Trailhead Boxcar Restoration

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Dec. 8, 2023) –  Radius Indiana will receive a $25,000 matching grant to restore an original L&N 40 boxcar as part of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s (IHCDA) CreatINg Places program. Over 90 donors contributed $25,000 for the boxcar through the Patronicity online crowd-funding platform, which enabled the project to receive the grant funds that will be used for the restoration of the new Salem Monon South trailhead landmark.

Radius will repurpose the boxcar for the community’s use at the Salem trailhead on the Monon South Trail and restore it to its original appearance. The downtown Salem trailhead will be located just two blocks from the Salem Courthouse Square and will provide a welcoming location for both local residents and trail visitors to enjoy downtown Salem’s attractions.

“This boxcar will become a local landmark for trail users as they visit Salem in the coming years,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “We look forward to providing this unique, attractive memorial to mark the importance of the railroad in Salem history.”

Renovations are expected to be completed in 2024 and more information about a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be available in the future.

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

Several communities in the Radius region have used the Patronicity program for crowd-funding to participate in CreatINg place program in recent years, helping to provide invaluable assistance in investing in quality of place for rural communities. The boxcar project is the first time Radius Indiana has participated in the program.

For updates on the boxcar restoration and the Monon South Trail Project, please visit www.mononsouth.com and follow Monon South Trail on Facebook.

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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, 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.

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

Posted on by Radius Indiana

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on by Radius Indiana

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Choose Southern Indiana unveils new website, new talent attraction programs

Posted on by Radius Indiana

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on by Radius Indiana

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Community excitement builds around Monon South Trail

Posted on by Radius Indiana

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Community Workshops are scheduled for:

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

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

 

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