Tag: News

Radius Indiana reinstates its annual stakeholder meeting

Posted on by Radius Indiana

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Entrepreneurs and start-ups invited to enter third annual royalty-free pitch competition

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (May 9, 2022) – Entrepreneurs, inventors and start-ups can pitch innovative proposals to southwestern Indiana defense and economic development industry leaders on June 28 at Radius Indiana’s third annual virtual “Crane IP Defense Innovation Pitch Competition” with royalty-free IP. 

The competition offers unprecedented, royalty-free opportunities to commercialize the patented technologies and concepts developed 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.

“This is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to explore moving tech from the lab and into the marketplace and we’ve had a lot of success with this competition in the past,” said Jenna Dix, technology transfer director for NSWC Crane. “Initiatives such as this are demonstrative of the innovative culture and entrepreneurial ecosystem that exists within the Radius region.”

The competition is hosted by Radius Indiana, in coordination with Elevate Ventures, Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane Division, Bloomington-based Mill, Indiana Innovation Institute, 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 will be available for competitors with locations in the Radius region of southern Indiana. 

“Radius Indiana is looking forward to the third annual Crane IP Pitch Competition and we are excited to see entrepreneurs pitch us 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 conjunction with PROPELS Accelerator, a Mill program offering instruction on how to commercialize cutting-edge technology developed at NSWC Crane. The program takes place over six weeks and focuses on a full business development plan with support from experts in defense and entrepreneurship. Registrants participate in a demonstration at the end of the session and are then encouraged to pitch their idea at the Radius Indiana Crane IP Pitch Competition.

“The Mill couldn’t be happier to 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 17. 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 Innovation Institute: IN3 (Indiana Innovation Institute) works with academia, industry, and government to create a hub of national security innovation that helps solve critical defense priorities. IN3 connects regional, state, and national partners through a variety of means including convening research and business teams to solve emerging technical challenges for the Department of Defense. IN3 is focused on hypersonics, cyber-physical systems, trusted microelectronics, artificial intelligence and 5G. Learn more at www.in3indiana.com and follow us on Twitter @IN3indiana and LinkedIn.

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 on Crossroads Collegiate Pitch Competition, visit https://crossroadscollegiate.com/.

Radius Indiana’s Women in Economic Development Program flourishes in southern Indiana

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (March 11, 2022) – Radius Indiana’s Women in Economic Development Leadership Series continues to provide professional development opportunities for women in the industry. Established in 2018, the growing program continues to be the first-ever of its kind across the region and state as it enters its fifth year.

The course focuses on a broad range of topics, including business attraction, retention, and expansion, entrepreneurship, quality of life initiatives, networking, and international business etiquette. The program was designed to encourage an open dialogue among participants to share successes, challenges, and best practices.

In 2021, participation increased to include nearly 30 women across 11 southern Indiana counties, covering all eight counties in the Radius region, as well as Pike, Perry, and Spencer. The group met bi-monthly in both virtual and in-person settings.

Planned topics for 2022 include:

  • READI Grant Update
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Broadband
  • Housing TIF
  • IEDC State Incentives
  • Site Selection

“Radius Indiana’s Women in Economic Development group provides an opportunity to share best practices with professional women throughout the region. Despite the unique differences in each of our communities, we share similar experiences, and our meetings provide the critical thinking skills necessary to seek opportunities and problem solve,” said Rachel Steckler, director of community development for the city of Huntingburg. “In this group, we support and encourage each other both professionally and personally, and we discuss a wide range of topics including everything from economic development training to personal and professional development.”

Radius underwent strategic plan updates in 2018 and this course was created as an initiative for its focus on Regional Leadership and Education. It serves as one of several educational courses Radius sponsors throughout the year, including its annual Economic Development for Community Leadership Program, Economic Development Incentive Seminar, and site selector visits.

Radius Indiana partners with Chelsey Manns, president of Manns Consulting, to lead the group in bi-monthly meetings. Manns is a veteran in economic development and helps communities develop and execute project plans for business growth, quality of life initiatives and community development. 

“This has been such a great group to work with over the years and watch grow and develop both professionally in economic development and personally,” said Manns. “The ability to have a place where women can come and learn from other women on key topics that impact the profession has been an invaluable opportunity for the region and beyond.”

Those interested in learning more about Radius Indiana’s Women in Economic Development Leadership Series should contact the 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 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’s Entrepreneur Survey shows interest in start-ups post-pandemic

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Feb. 24, 2022) –– A new study of entrepreneurship in southern Indiana provides insights that both confirm and confound expectations about business start-ups as the economy emerges from the pandemic era. The survey of entrepreneurs, carried out by Radius Indiana, is a follow-on to a 2019 survey before COVID-19 upended numerous aspects of business activity.

The 2021 Radius Indiana Entrepreneur Survey shares information on the demand for spaces, resources, and other support to grow entrepreneurship and support remote working in southwest central Indiana. Just over 100 respondents to the online survey revealed their needs and preferences as entrepreneurs and small business owners in the eight-county region.

The survey showed an appetite for entrepreneurship among women in the region (47 percent of respondents were female), as well as diversity in the types of businesses survey-takers plan to start. These statistics reconfirm that the region’s entrepreneurs are diverse, and the services and initiatives put into place to support entrepreneurship must be flexible and customizable to the wide variety of situations.

“The diversity that our regional entrepreneur’s display was a pleasant surprise. Almost half are females, and veterans make up nine percent of respondents – perhaps a result of the influence of NSA Crane – which draws people with an interest in the defense sector,” Blaine Parker, director of entrepreneurship and small business support for Radius Indiana, said.

“We’ve all grown accustomed to hearing about serial entrepreneurs, who start or own multiple businesses. Our survey confirms that those leaders are very present in our region, with nearly half of the survey respondents owning multiple businesses, especially in the retail and professional services fields,” Parker added.

Chamberlin/Dunn, an analysis and strategy firm that works to gather, improve, and apply better information for better decisions for its clients, conducted the survey in December 2021 and January 2022.

The survey is a follow-on to the 2019 survey that was part of the Southwest Indiana Technology and Collaboration Hub Network or “SWITCH” Network Feasibility Study run by Radius Indiana and the Southern Indiana Development Commission.

“One of the biggest benefits of this survey is that it shows coworking or shared office amenities may be in higher demand than even survey takers realize,” Nicole Dunn, who helped administer both the 2019 and 2021 surveys, said. “In both surveys, the same percentage of respondents (55 percent) said they would not use a coworking space frequently or at all. But in this second survey, we asked a more detailed question about coworking space amenities, and that showed about two-thirds of respondents would indeed use those services for themselves or their employees.”

Both surveys showed the highest demand was for access to funding, grants, and capital, and mentorship from other entrepreneurs. COVID does not seem to have changed that.

The survey also reported:

  • There is a high demand for assistance with marketing and marketing research;
  • There is interest in starting businesses in both downtown and non-downtown locations;
  • And there is demand in the region for certain services, especially broadband, printing/copying, and conference room space.

Three counties in the region showed new business start-up levels above the national average in 2020, according to the US Census Bureau. While national numbers of new business growth increased by 24.3 percent in 2020, Dubois (28.14 percent), Greene (36.13 percent), and Lawrence County (25.54 percent) all saw higher rates of new business formation. The Radius survey results suggest that the strong new business formation may continue into 2022 and 2023.

“One of Radius Indiana’s goals is to focus on boosting new businesses in the downtown cores of our communities, as both an economic development initiative as well as a quality of place improvement, and we’re encouraged by the number of individuals who indicated they have a high likelihood of opening in a downtown,” Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana, said. “We are actively assisting the downtown revitalization process now with our programs, and this gives us candidates we can talk to for our next cohort.

“This survey confirms that the steps we’re taking to develop a dedicated revolving loan fund for downtown startups will be a useful achievement this 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 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 Radius Indiana’s fifth annual economic development course

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Feb. 14, 2022) – Radius Indiana announced today that registration is now open for its fifth annual regional economic development conference for community leaders.

Attendees at the two-and-a-half-day Radius Indiana Economic Development for Community Leadership Program will participate in educational sessions on relevant topics, including quality of place, population attraction, site development, and business finance and incentives. The course will take place May 17 – 19 at the French Lick Resort and is open to local and state officials who are interested in learning more about economic development. 

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

“We have a record number of speakers set to present at our upcoming economic development course,” Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana, said. “It is an exciting opportunity to expand the relevant topics our conference addresses, and we will look forward to hosting this education opportunity in our region.”

Speakers from state agencies, site selection companies, secondary education institutions, and financial firms will share best practices and offer perspectives on local and regional economic strategies. Topics are focused on the day-to-day functions of economic development and are designed to help leaders keep the needs of economic development at the forefront of their efforts as they return to their daily responsibilities. 

Confirmed speakers and subjects for the course will include:

  • Jim Plump – Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation, Introduction to Economic Development;
  • Jeffrey Banning – Banning Engineering, Site Development;
  • Rachel Greene – Magnitude Agency, Economic Development Marketing;
  • Olga Pogoda – KRNLS, Coworking Spaces and Maker Spaces;
  • Courtney Zaugg – Plaka and Associates, Entrepreneur-led Economic Development;
  • Doug Rasmussen – Steadfast City, Site Selector Deals;
  • Matt Eckerle – Baker-Tilly, Business Finance and Incentives;
  • Lisa Abbott – Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Housing; 
  • Wendy Dant Chesser – One Southern Indiana, Strategic Planning;
  • Michael Wilcox – Purdue Center for Regional Development, Quality of Place;
  • Evan Hock – TMAP, Population Attraction;
  • Julie Rigrish – Purdue Center for Regional Development, Economic Gardening;
  • Jason Hester – Greater Columbus Indiana Economic Development, Business Retention and Expansion; and
  • Christian Blome, Vincennes University Jasper Campus, and Michi McClain, Regional Opportunity Initiatives – Workforce Development.

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

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

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

Radius Indiana announces dates for 2022 economic development conference

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Jan. 31, 2022) – Radius Indiana announced the dates for its fifth annual Economic Development for Community Leaders conference, coming to the French Lick Resort Conference Center May 17-19, 2022.

Attendees at the two-and-a-half-day course will participate in educational sessions on topics including real estate development, population attraction programs, business retention and attraction, workforce, marketing, business finance and incentives, and community development and business district revitalization. The course is open to local and state officials who are interested in learning more about economic development. 

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

“We are grateful for the continued opportunity to host this conference for community leaders in our region and throughout southern and central Indiana,” said Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle. “Each year we are striving to outdo our conference from the previous year, and we believe a change in structure will help us achieve that.”

Speakers from state agencies, site selection companies, secondary education institutions, and financial firms will share best practices and offer perspectives on local and regional economic strategies. Topics are focused on the day-to-day functions of economic development and are designed to help leaders weave an economic development perspective into their daily responsibilities.

Scholarships will be available from local partners in the program. Local Economic Development Organizations and those interested in attending are encouraged to contact the Radius Indiana office to learn more about scholarship opportunities in their area. Registration for the course will remain at $450 for Radius region officials and $500 for other local officials, covering the cost of all classes, materials and meals.

Registration for the Radius Indiana Economic Development for Community Leadership Program will open February 14. Registration information will be available on the Radius Indiana website.

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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.

Leaders from Radius region visit Indianapolis for site selector trip

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Dec. 20, 2021) — Economic development leaders from Radius Indiana shared information and insights about the southern Indiana region last week as part of an educational session in Indianapolis.

The session was part of Radius’s continued outreach program to raise awareness about business strengths and opportunities in the eight-county region. Radius President and CEO Jeff Quyle, other Radius staff members, and four economic development leaders from Dubois, Lawrence, Martin, and Orange counties joined Quyle to discuss the latest news about the regional economy.

“The site selector luncheon hosted by Radius was so beneficial,” said Angie Risacher, executive director for Martin County Alliance. “This last year, other LEDOs and I were only able to hold an online presence with these tremendously important points of contact. With Radius organizing this for our region, we were able to have those direct conversations across the table from a site selector who can match up the right opportunities to our counties.”

The leaders from southern Indiana had the opportunity to showcase their county accomplishments as well as highlight the main industries in their area. Radius showcased a number of new workforce training, upskilling, and attraction initiatives underway in the region.

Site selectors in attendance offered useful insights regarding the resumption of activity in recent months as companies are urgently seeking to add production capacity The Radius team heard a confirmation that the availability of labor is a key element of business site searches today, as well as reports that workforce recruitment initiatives are incentives that are catching the eye of companies conducting site searches.

“It is essential in our economic development profession to discuss best practices and policy updates at events such as the annual Radius Indiana luncheon,” said Eric Levenhagen, senior manager for RSM, who was one of the guests who participated in the luncheon conversations.

This is the fifth annual Indianapolis site selector event and is the latest in a series of regional and national visits Radius Indiana has facilitated on behalf of the eight-county region since starting this program in 2016. The outreach efforts will continue into 2022, with sessions scheduled in Columbus, Chicago, Cleveland, and Louisville.

“We appreciated the opportunity to hear the site selectors’ insights on the robust growth they are seeing among their business clientele,” Quyle said. “The opportunities the Radius region communities have to offer a variety of recruitment tools and incentives seem to have made an impression on our guests.”

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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 board recommits to regional success with strategic budget increases, officer elections

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Dec. 13, 2021) – At its final meeting of the year, Radius Indiana’s Board of Directors announced a substantial budget increase that will support a number of strategic initiatives in 2022, including a large commitment to its region-wide tourism campaign. 

The board ratified its 2022 budget during its meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 8. The budget outlines opportunities for the organization and the region to maximize new initiatives that have been identified in the Indiana Uplands READI grant plan. 

These activities include increased tourism funding to market Discover Southern Indiana, support for WestGate@Crane’s microelectronics-related growth, a second cohort of Recast Cities, the Monon South rails-to-trails development, and expansion of the Choose Southern Indiana population attraction incentive program.

“We seek to support our region’s communities in as many READI project opportunities as possible,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “We are excited about the programs and projects that the Indiana Uplands READI plan has proposed and are ready to help bring those ideas to fruition in our region.”

The adopted budget would establish a multi-year initiative to support the implementation of the READI plan in the region. It would allow Radius to become a leader or partner in a handful of initiatives which align with the board’s strategic plan for Radius.

The budget also dramatically bolsters the Discover Southern Indiana regional tourism marketing budget, establishing the strongest regional tourism marketing initiative in the state. Misty Weisensteiner, former Executive Director of the Office of Tourism Development for the State of Indiana, is the chief operating officer of Discover Southern Indiana.

During the meeting, the board also re-elected former Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman to serve as chair of the board and approved the election of a new board member. Adam Gross, executive director for Career Coaching and Employer Connections for Ivy Tech – Bloomington, was elected to a four-year term. 

Additional 2022 Radius Board officers include: 

  • Vice Chair Misty McCammack, Duke Energy; 
  • Secretary Bryant Niehoff, Daviess County Economic Development Corporation;
  • Treasurer Jamie Shinabarger, Springs Valley Bank & Trust;
  • Executive Committee members Bryan Brackemyre, Indiana Municipal Power Agency; and John Wilkes, mayor of Linton.

“The year-end meeting is a great way to bring together community stakeholders and reflect on the economic successes of the eight-county region,” said McCammack. “Radius is in a good position to leverage additional resources in the year ahead. I’m excited to see how these programs will continue to drive business growth and investment in the communities and improve the overall quality of life within the region.”

Jennie Vaughan, chancellor of Ivy Tech’s Bloomington campus, was recognized as a retiring board member and was honored with a proclamation for her service on the board.

Vaughan contributed years of leadership to the Radius Indiana region, offering advice to bolster economic development efforts that was specifically related to education and workforce development topics. 

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve on the Radius Board of Directors,” said Vaughan. “As my service comes to an end, Ivy Tech-Bloomington will continue to be represented on the board. The Radius leadership and board members are working every day for the betterment of the region and I wish them nothing but success for their communities.”

Radius will hold its annual stakeholder luncheon in May 2022. More details will be available in the coming months.

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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.

Four candidates move to southern Indiana via Radius population attraction program

Posted on by Radius Indiana

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Radius Indiana plans to continue the program in 2022. To learn more and apply to the relocation incentive program, visit www.choosesouthernindiana.com.

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

Radius Indiana renews relationship with Japanese trade organization

Posted on by Radius Indiana

BEDFORD, Ind. (Oct. 27, 2021) — Local community leaders met the newest Consul-General of Japan and members of his staff at Radius Indiana’s “An Evening with Japan” event to renew the relationship between the Radius region and both the Consulate and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Chicago. 

Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana, Becky Skillman, chairwoman of the Radius Board of Directors, and nearly 60 guests welcomed Consul-General Hiroshi Tajima and JETRO Chief Executive Director Ralph Inforzato to the Radius region at the French Lick Resort Oct. 18. Guests included local economic development professionals, business leaders and a sizable number of local, state, and federally elected officials and representatives. 

The event was Consul-General Tajima’s first official speaking engagement in Indiana since he was appointed to the position last month. It was designed for Radius stakeholders to learn more about the Indiana-Japan relationship as well as explore opportunities for collaboration.

“The Radius region, the state of Indiana, and Japan understand that one of the best ways to create more opportunities and prosperity for our people is to look outside our borders,” Skillman said. “The grand evening and enthusiastic information exchange should propel the partnership forward.”

During the event, Consul-General Tajima spoke about the current relationship between Japan and Indiana and the Japanese economy. Inforzato discussed the importance of building relationships with Japanese firms and thanked Radius for its continued efforts to strengthen its relationship with JETRO.

This was the first opportunity for many Radius members to hear directly from the Consul-General of Japan and JETRO, which are often on the front lines in facilitating new contacts with Japan for economic development opportunities.

“I am happy to see how close Radius and their community leaders have worked with and received Japanese companies operating in their region,” Consul-General Tajima said. “Our Consulate and I will continue to work with Radius and offer any support and assistance we can.”

Over the last 10 years, the number of Japanese business facilities in the United States increased by 45 percent, accounting for 957,000 jobs in 2018. In the Midwest, 1,637 Japanese business facilities provided more than 150,000 jobs in 2020, with 344 Japanese business facilities providing more than 70,000 jobs in Indiana. Indiana has the largest amount of Japanese investment per capita in the nation, and Radius hopes to use that momentum to bring Japanese firms into the Radius region.

Inforzato and members of the JETRO team also visited Linton and its mayor, John Wilkes, for lunch and a tour of the community. Wilkes began his relationship with JETRO in 2018. He has continued it over the last three years, traveling to both the JETRO Chicago office and Japan through the Japan Foundation “Grassroots Exchange Network-Japan (Gen-J)” in 2019.

The Radius visit concluded with a trip to meet with M&C Tech’s president Masato Adachi and a tour of the company’s facility in Washington, which was the first investment by a Japanese company in the Radius region. M&C Tech invested $4.6 million into a 40,000 square foot building, which opened in 2018. The company added 35 new jobs to the Radius region, with more to come.

“The leadership of Radius Indiana understands the deep value of and supports manufacturing investment from Japan,” Inforzato said. “Their leadership, particularly the mayors we met from southern Indiana, are truly focused on relationship building with JETRO to better understand how to approach and to make relationships with Japanese companies considering investment expansion in the midwest.”

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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.