Sure the obvious benefits of locating a company in metropolitan areas normally include a large available workforce, various amenities at your fingertips and enticing tax incentives. These are also the among unobvious benefits of the up-and-coming micropolitan areas gaining economic ground throughout the country.
Micropolitans tend to offer lower costs of living, cluster-related industrial benefits, a high quality of life and room for expansion. As more industries discover these benefits, many companies are taking advantage of these small urban areas. When the micropolitan structure benefits the needs of a company, the partnership can be explosive.
Northeast Indiana is fortunate to be home to a flourishing metropolitan area surrounding Fort Wayne and Allen County. Outside of this urban center, several micropolitans can be found that are growing in success. In fact, four northeast Indiana micropolitans were ranked on Site Selection Magazine's Top Micropolitans of 2008. Angola, Huntington and Marion micropolitans were among several areas that tied for 65th place, with Kendallville pulling ahead and placing 26th.
Visit ChooseNEIndiana.com to find out more ways that northeast Indiana can meet your individual needs.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The 'New' Northeast Indiana by John Sampson
John Sampson
President/CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
As Published April 10, 2009 in the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly
Abbreviated Edition
Anytime one can announce a $20-million grant, that’s a good day. The recent Lilly Endowment grant to northeast Indiana’s Talent Opportunity Success 2015 (TOpS) initiative rightly captured considerable media attention. Now that we are buckling down to the even more intense work of implementation, one might ask: Is there more to this than what meets the casual eye?
The successful funding of the TOpS initiative required a degree of widespread regional collaboration perhaps never before seen throughout northeast Indiana. TOpS is the product of a two-year regional collaboration of numerous stakeholders. The words “regional collaboration” don’t do justice to the intense discussions, reviews, planning, endless meetings and more reviews that made up that collaboration.
As a positive consequence, leaders from business, education and communities across the region hold a renewed commitment to the success of critical work-force and educational efforts. Our collective ability to produce and retain qualified workers, technicians and engineers will be the single most influential factor driving the economic future of this region. The Lilly funding and a new paradigm for proactive, regional collaboration will help us achieve that.
This type of regional, collaborative leadership is necessary to not simply survive, but thrive in the future economy. Collaborative leadership appreciates that we are dependent on each other for a vibrant regional economy. If we fail to leverage our talented work force and other regional assets then we are choosing only to survive in place of thriving.
We owe a debt of gratitude to the Lilly Endowment for its investment in our region. Through the TOpS initiative, Lilly will positively impact the lives of many individuals both directly and indirectly. More importantly, this process has already produced a “new” northeast Indiana. We have discovered the power of collaboration. We will never be the same again.
Read John's Full Article "The 'New' Northeast Indiana"
President/CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
As Published April 10, 2009 in the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly
Abbreviated Edition
Anytime one can announce a $20-million grant, that’s a good day. The recent Lilly Endowment grant to northeast Indiana’s Talent Opportunity Success 2015 (TOpS) initiative rightly captured considerable media attention. Now that we are buckling down to the even more intense work of implementation, one might ask: Is there more to this than what meets the casual eye?
The successful funding of the TOpS initiative required a degree of widespread regional collaboration perhaps never before seen throughout northeast Indiana. TOpS is the product of a two-year regional collaboration of numerous stakeholders. The words “regional collaboration” don’t do justice to the intense discussions, reviews, planning, endless meetings and more reviews that made up that collaboration.
As a positive consequence, leaders from business, education and communities across the region hold a renewed commitment to the success of critical work-force and educational efforts. Our collective ability to produce and retain qualified workers, technicians and engineers will be the single most influential factor driving the economic future of this region. The Lilly funding and a new paradigm for proactive, regional collaboration will help us achieve that.
This type of regional, collaborative leadership is necessary to not simply survive, but thrive in the future economy. Collaborative leadership appreciates that we are dependent on each other for a vibrant regional economy. If we fail to leverage our talented work force and other regional assets then we are choosing only to survive in place of thriving.
We owe a debt of gratitude to the Lilly Endowment for its investment in our region. Through the TOpS initiative, Lilly will positively impact the lives of many individuals both directly and indirectly. More importantly, this process has already produced a “new” northeast Indiana. We have discovered the power of collaboration. We will never be the same again.
Read John's Full Article "The 'New' Northeast Indiana"
Monday, April 13, 2009
TOpS 2015 in the News
The announcement of TOpS 2015 (see previous post below) has garnered the attention of various news sources. Follow the links below to learn more about the TOpS 2015 program, the support that the program is receiving throughout northeast Indiana and various perspectives on the benefits of this program.
Official Press Release
Philanthropy News Digest
Yahoo! News
WANE 15 Fort Wayne: Video Clip
Indiana's News Center Fort Wayne: Video Clip
Midwest Business.com by Michael Snyder
Inside Indiana Business
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Grant Announcement
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Interview with David Bennett
News-Sentinel Grant Announcement
News-Sentinel 4-Part Series: Part 1
Indiana Economic Digest
Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly: IPFW Receives Grant Monies
Official Press Release
Philanthropy News Digest
Yahoo! News
WANE 15 Fort Wayne: Video Clip
Indiana's News Center Fort Wayne: Video Clip
Midwest Business.com by Michael Snyder
Inside Indiana Business
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Grant Announcement
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Interview with David Bennett
News-Sentinel Grant Announcement
News-Sentinel 4-Part Series: Part 1
Indiana Economic Digest
Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly: IPFW Receives Grant Monies
Friday, April 3, 2009
High-Tech Industry Shows Promise
Looking for an industry to ride out of this recession with? According to TechAmerica's recently released Cyberstates report, Indiana's high-tech industry may be your answer. In 2007, the high-tech industry added 1,100 jobs in Indiana alone. With no 2008 data available yet, experts are still confident in the resiliency of the industry.
According to Dr. Donald E. Brown, President and CEO of Interactive Intelligence, Inc, "The high-tech industry here in Indiana may be uniquely positioned to mount a comeback and lead the state out of recession."
With 71,300 employees in the high-tech industry, jobs were not lost until the 4th quarter, showcasing the industry's ability to withstand economical pressures. And high-tech jobs are here to stay. Northeast Indiana's top 3 hot jobs for 2009 include 2 high-tech career options: Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts, and Computer Systems Analysts. Various other high-tech industry jobs can also be found throughout the region's Top 50 Hot Jobs list, compiled by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
View the Release of TechAmerica's Cyberstates Report
Access Northeast Indiana's 2009 Hoosier Hot Jobs List
See how northeast Indiana is already contributing to the high-tech industry
According to Dr. Donald E. Brown, President and CEO of Interactive Intelligence, Inc, "The high-tech industry here in Indiana may be uniquely positioned to mount a comeback and lead the state out of recession."
With 71,300 employees in the high-tech industry, jobs were not lost until the 4th quarter, showcasing the industry's ability to withstand economical pressures. And high-tech jobs are here to stay. Northeast Indiana's top 3 hot jobs for 2009 include 2 high-tech career options: Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts, and Computer Systems Analysts. Various other high-tech industry jobs can also be found throughout the region's Top 50 Hot Jobs list, compiled by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
View the Release of TechAmerica's Cyberstates Report
Access Northeast Indiana's 2009 Hoosier Hot Jobs List
See how northeast Indiana is already contributing to the high-tech industry
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