Tag: News

Radius Indiana graduates 2023 class from Economic Development for Community Leadership Program

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (May 3, 2023) — The sixth annual Radius Indiana economic development course at French Lick Resort concluded last Thursday, providing community leaders from six Indiana counties with insights into the evolving field of economic development. 

Participants in the Radius Indiana Economic Development for Community Leadership Program attended educational sessions on topics related to local economic development, networked with other community leaders, and built skills in strategic planning and community problem-solving.

“Radius acknowledges that the field of economic development is undergoing considerable change to reflect the evolving needs of our communities,” said Jeff Quyle, CEO and president of Radius Indiana. “This year’s course provided information on topics that are timely and relevant to the vision that today’s community leaders have, topics like housing development, downtown business vitality, and population attraction. We appreciate the participation of our speakers who shared so much information that educates southern Indiana’s local leaders on issues of importance to economic vitality.”

The program is the only course of its kind to be offered in the southern Indiana area. Since the first course in 2017, nearly 165 people representing 25 Indiana counties have gathered to learn from national and regional speakers about topics and skills including site development, business attraction, workforce, marketing, quality of place, business finance and incentives, and entrepreneurship. 

The speaker lineup for the two-and-a-half-day course included:

  • Lisa Abbott, Regional Opportunity Initiatives – Housing Development 
  • Jim Plump, Jackson County Development Corporation – Economic Development Theory and Practice
  • Chelsey Manns, Manns Consulting – Site Development
  • Matt Eckerle, Baker Tilly – Incentives
  • Tim Conrad, Stimulus Engineering – Site Selector Prospective
  • Michael Wilcox, Purdue Center for Regional Development – Quality of Place
  • Jenna Dix, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Divison – NSWC Crane Update
  • Jason Hester, Greater Columbus Indiana Economic Development Corporation – Business Retention and Expansion
  • Michael Eggleston, Federal Reserve – Rural Prosperity
  • Carol Rogers, Indiana Research Center – Community Data
  • Wendy Dant Chesser, One Southern Indiana – Strategic Planning and Community Engagement 

“The Radius Economic Development Leadership course is truly second to none. There are very few offerings for economic development training and this course fills a much-needed gap for professionals and elected officials,” said Manns. “Radius and the team are forward thinking and extend the invitation beyond the Radius region, which benefits everyone.” 

The group also heard from five panels focused on Radius-based programs including Choose Southern Indiana and population attraction, Discover Southern Indiana and tourism, Spark Downtown and downtown revitalization, support for entrepreneurship and small business support, and economic development marketing.

This year’s graduates included city, town, and county representatives, consultants, realtors, defense industry specialists, economic development professionals, utility representatives, and marketing specialists. 

“I would encourage anyone who’s interested or works in economic development to consider attending this program. The course motivated me to take a deeper look into the challenges we face and how to get better involved,” said Matt Burkett, Deputy for Small Business for Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division. “The course was very comprehensive and covered a wide range of topics around economic development. I’m not an economic development professional, but I now better understand the challenges, available resources, and points of contact for businesses I engage with.”

Corporate sponsors and scholarships helped fund the program, including generous support from Hoosier Energy, Frost, Brown & Todd, Banning Engineering, Smithville Fiber, Duke Energy, Clark Dietz, and Indiana Municipal Power Agency.

Those interested in attending a Radius Indiana course in the future should contact the Radius office at 812-277-9778.

2023 Graduates from Radius Indiana’s Economic Development for Community Leadership Program

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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.

 

Registration now open for fourth annual Crane IP Defense Innovation Pitch Competition

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (April 28, 2023) – Royalty-free opportunities to commercialize patented technologies are now available to entrepreneurs, inventors, and start-ups who can pitch innovative proposals to commercialize the technologies this Summer. Southcentral Indiana defense and economic development industry leaders will host the opportunity on June 27 at the fourth annual Radius Indiana “Crane IP Defense Innovation Pitch Competition” with royalty-free IP. 

The competition offers cash prizes and unprecedented, royalty-free opportunities to commercialize the patented technologies and concepts developed by the PhDs, engineers, and staff at Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane Division, Indiana’s only federal research laboratory. Individuals or teams are invited to develop an innovative proposal using any piece of intellectual property available from NSWC Crane’s Technology Transfer Program.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with Radius Indiana for the fourth Crane IP Defense Innovation Pitch Competition. Our hope is to continue to connect the entrepreneurial-minded with NSWC Crane’s world-class IP,” said Maria Duran, technology transfer director for NSWC Crane. “Each year, as a result, participants have gone on to establish formal collaborative relationships with NSWC Crane and/or license IP to commercialize technology from our portfolio.”

The competition is hosted by Radius Indiana, in partnership with Elevate Ventures, Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane Division, Bloomington-based Dimension Mill, and the Indiana Small Business Development Center. Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to connect with industry leaders from these organizations, and cash prizes totaling $12,000 will be available to the top three contestants. Additional prize funds and assistance will be available for competitors who currently have or agree to establish locations in the Radius region of southern Indiana. 

“Radius Indiana is looking forward to the fourth annual Crane IP Pitch Competition and we are excited to see entrepreneurs pitch their ideas for using this amazing technology coming out of NSWC Crane,” said Blaine Parker, director of entrepreneurship and small business support for Radius Indiana. “The winners from past years have gone on to do great things with their new relationship with Crane.”

The pitch competition is being held in partnership with PROPELS Accelerator, a Dimension Mill program offering instruction on commercializing cutting-edge technology developed at NSWC Crane. The program takes place during a one-week boot camp. It focuses on developing a business and/or product idea with follow-on support over the following six weeks from experts in defense and entrepreneurship. Registrants participate in a demo night at the end of June and are then encouraged to pitch their idea at the Radius Indiana Crane IP Pitch Competition

“The Mill couldn’t be happier to once again support the Radius/Crane IP Pitch Competition as a sponsor with a commitment to expanding our entrepreneurial ecosystem. We’re currently helping folks in our PROPELS Accelerator develop commercialization plans around Crane IP, and the Radius competition is their best next step. This event really unleashes the potential of cross-sector collaboration and innovation around top-notch IP,” said Andy Lehman, head of accelerator programming at the Mill. 

The competition is free for participants. Entrants will receive a template to create a slide presentation for the competition. 

The registration deadline is June 16. Visit www.radiusindiana.com to learn more and register for the competition. 

 

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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/.

Discover Southern Indiana launches new branding

Posted on by Radius Indiana

Discover Southern Indiana begins a new era with visual branding reveal, new website, and more

BEDFORD, Ind. (April 5, 2023) — You don’t visit Southern Indiana–you Discover it.

That’s the premise behind the new look and feel for Discover Southern Indiana (DSI), a regional tourism organization aimed at fostering a welcoming visitor experience within an eight-county region of south-central Indiana. First established in 2018, the organization sought a visual identity that would fully represent the broad range of outdoor recreation, food and drink experiences, and cultural significance that are present in the region that includes Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington counties.

“Our goal was to develop a look and feel that could be as resonant to the rolling hills of Spring Mill State Park in Lawrence County as it is to the wineries and culinary experiences around Patoka Lake in Crawford County or the world-class resorts of French Lick West Baden in Orange County,” said Misty Weisensteiner, chief operating officer of Discover Southern Indiana. “We exist to ‘break down’ county lines and help visitors understand just how much there is to do in this area.”

The main logo is reminiscent of an Indiana license plate, encouraging explorers to take a road trip and see what they discover, while other elements of the brand highlight outdoor recreation, food and wine experiences, and more. The elements are tied together with a cohesive, earthy color scheme that evokes the region’s natural landscape and gently curving lines that nod to Southern Indiana’s rolling hills.

These new elements made their debut on DSI’s new and improved website, which launched in March. The website has been reorganized to improve the user experience and make it simpler for viewers to plan a visit uniquely tailored to their specific interests.

Discover Southern Indiana is the tourism arm of Radius Indiana, which supports economic development in Southern Indiana by enhancing awareness of the unique assets in the region and positioning the region competitively for the retention, expansion, and attraction of jobs and investment. DSI’s founding was the result of a collaborative development process that brought together 10 stakeholders from around the region to share their vision for the future of tourism and hospitality for this unique part of the state. Discover Southern Indiana is the only regional tourism brand in the Hoosier state that is overseen by a regional economic development organization–a nod to the importance of quality of life as it relates to the importance of growing the local economy. In 2021, visitors to the region contributed more than $175 million to the local economy, and tourism is now the fifth-largest employer in the Radius region.

“Discover Southern Indiana was born from the conviction and passion of many people who believe that a rising tide lifts all ships. We are confident that when a traveler experiences a taste of what Southern Indiana has to offer, they’ll want to come back again and again, and explore further” said Jeff Quyle, Radius president and CEO. “This new branding conveys both the breadth of experience available here, and the seamless way in which visitors can travel among the counties, painting a true picture of who we are.”

The brand was created by Indianapolis-based marketing agency The Basement, which serves as Discover Southern Indiana’s agency of record for marketing and strategic communications. These brand elements can be seen on Discover Southern Indiana’s newly updated website, its social media platforms, and monthly newsletters.

To sign up for Discover Southern Indiana’s newsletter, visit the website here.

To stay up-to-date on Discover Southern Indiana, follow the brand on Instagram and Facebook.

View Discover Southern Indiana’s new brand here.

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About Discover Southern Indiana: Headquartered in Bedford, IN, Discover Southern Indiana is a regional tourism initiative serving eight counties in south-central Indiana. The initiative invites visitors and prospective residents to discover all the bustling region has to offer, from outdoor adventures, cultural and historical destinations, and world-class experiences. Build your own itinerary to include family-friendly excursions, five-star accommodations, Indiana’s finest State Parks, prestigious golf courses, and much more. You don’t visit Southern Indiana–you Discover it.

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 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.

Radius Indiana introduces Spark Downtown Facade Loan Program

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (March 13, 2023) — Cities and towns in the Radius Indiana region are developing new economic opportunities through Spark Downtown, an educational program that helps community leaders take steps to create new businesses and address vacancy in downtowns.

Spark Downtown was created by Radius after several communities spent a year participating in ReCast Cities, a national economic development program aimed at building strong local economies and creating new opportunities for community members. Elected officials, local economic development professionals, and community leaders came together each month to hear from experts that helped them learn how to transform spaces, change the use of existing spaces and create collaboration between entrepreneurs and building owners. 

Participating cities from the first year with ReCast and now Spark Downtown include: The Town of Orleans, Town of Odon, City of Washington, City of Salem, City of Loogootee, City of Bedford and City of Jasper.

“With the participation in ReCast we knew we wanted to continue to offer a resource for our region to help strengthen downtowns. Spark Downtown builds on the success of ReCast, but is allowing us to customize our curriculum for our region,” said Blaine Parker, director of entrepreneurship and small business support for Radius Indiana. “We know that to attract new residents to our region and to keep our existing residents we must make sure that our cities and towns have a high quality of life.”

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. The organization realized during the last year that its communities often lack the necessary funding to take on projects they would like to complete to help revitalize blighted areas of their downtowns.

Building owners in participating Spark Downtown communities are eligible to apply and must receive committee approval and be able to secure 50 percent matching funds.

To learn more about the Spark Downtown Facade Loan or apply, please contact the Radius Indiana 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. 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.

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.