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A Signature Moment
Jul 16 2025Officials celebrated the ongoing development of the Amplify Hancock Innovation Center in Hancock County, Indiana with a beam signing on Wednesday.The facility is under construction at the northwest corner of CR 200W and CR 300N, where it will accommodate training and educational needs for employers, schools, and adult learners. Slated...
Indiana is home to 40,000 people who moved from Chin State in western Burma (also known as Myanmar) due in part to military violence and ethno-religious persecution. Sui Hnem Par came to the United States as a child, eventually settling in Indianapolis and quickly adjusting to a new culture, language...
Indiana among top states for cover crop adoption
Jul 10 2025Hoosier farmers planted about 1.6 million acres of overwinter living covers – cover crops and small grains, like wheat – this spring, elevating the state to the top in the nation in cover crop adoption, according to a survey by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.The conservation survey, conducted between...
As tariffs and their effects on the supply chain begin to take shape, Kerim Kfuri, the president and CEO of the Atlas Network, a global supply chain solutions company, has his eyes on the headlines. "We produce a more efficient and effective outcome for businesses through best practices and protocols...
How Smart Entrepreneurs Are Protecting Their Brand and Building Wealth — And How You Can Too
Jul 3 2025Every year, more professionals take the leap into entrepreneurship, and more often than not, they're forming LLCs to do it. According to the IRS, LLCs made up 72.7% of all partnerships in 2022, far surpassing other entity types for the last two decades.Why? LLCs combine the liability protection of a...
Smart Insights on Smart Cities
Jul 2 2025After the publication of IMD Smart City Index 2025, I conducted the following email Q&A with IMD World Competitiveness Center Chief Economist and Head of Operations Christos Cabolis. Before responding to questions, he offered this framing of what makes the report (SCI) unique:“The SCI is not a measure of infrastructure...
Airlines are placing orders today for the passenger aircraft of tomorrow. Prototypes of the all-wing Z4 from Long Beach, California-based JetZero and the hybrid-electric ES-30 from Heart Aerospace have left the drawing boards and are in testing.Production of the 250-seat Z4 will take place in a new facility on a...
From navigation to investing to shopping, data centers are now the backbone of nearly every transaction in the modern economy. The recent explosion in AI capabilities and the coming data needs of autonomous vehicles and other new information-driven frontiers mean that the need for more data centers will only continue...
It’s hard to doubt the power of a cool breeze.Scouting the world’s blustery breezeways has resulted in over 1,136 gigawatts (GW) of total cumulative wind energy capacity installed across every continent. Yes, Antarctica included.In 2024, five countries — China, the United States, Germany, India and Brazil — were responsible for...
While uncertain economic conditions remain top of mind for many, one certainty will continue for the near future: energy availability and costs.Area Development recently released findings from its 39th Annual Corporate Survey and 21st Annual Consultants Survey, highlighting the top factors influencing business expansion and location decisions in 2025. Unsurprisingly,...
The most effective people are those who understand their strengths and behaviors, according to many years of research conducted by The Gallup Organization.Thanks to an event hosted by the HEDC led by Ground Rules Coaching, multiple professionals who are part of Hancock County’s business community are able to boost their...
In the legendary musical “Hamilton,” the protagonist sings, “We studied and we fought and we killed for the notion of a nation we now get to build.”The new Hamilton Index of Advanced-Technology Performance, released in May by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), measures how well U.S. states are...
Indiana Awards Community Grants to Accelerate Entrepreneurship Resources, Support Statewide
Jun 23 2025Indiana’s Commerce Office awarded $925,107 in grant awards to accelerate entrepreneurial activity and resources statewide through its Community Collaboration Fund (CCF). These awards will help fuel 28 community-led projects focused on entrepreneurial education, connection and acceleration across Indiana."Under Governor Braun’s leadership, Indiana is more committed than ever to cultivating the...
The resurgence of manufacturing across North America is creating a new kind of complexity for companies evaluating sites. Reshoring and nearshoring are no longer abstract strategic concepts—they are active, time-sensitive decisions influenced by policy and resulting in wage inflation, energy demands, and a dwindling supply of viable real estate.Manufacturers are...
There's a lot of buzz around "Made in the USA" but turning that tagline into reality is more complicated. For U.S. textile manufacturers, competition from Asia and other countries has had a deep impact. More than 30 U.S. textile mills have closed in the past couple of years as businesses...
Engagement–online, in the workplace, and among professionals committed to workforce development–was an overarching theme of the Hancock Economic Development Council’s recent Human Resources Group meeting.The event drew over 20 professionals from local businesses and schools, as well as nonprofit and workforce development organizations. Hosted at Wooden Bear Brewing in Greenfield...
HEDC Executive Director Randy Sorrell has been nominated for the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Businessman of the Year.The award will be announced at the Chamber’s 2025 Community Walk of Fame on June 26th. Also among the nominees for Businessman of the Year are Fred “Fritz” Fentz of ServiceMaster...
In Focus: AI Is Changing Incentives Math
Jun 9 2025Insights from Area Development’s Consultant Forum WorkshopArtificial intelligence isn’t just transforming how companies operate — it’s also disrupting how economic development incentives should be measured.That was the message delivered by CBRE Managing Director John Lenio during a presentation at Area Development’s Consultant Forum Workshop in San Antonio.As automation and machine...
Innovation, resilience, and economic growth are hallmarks of the life sciences sector. From pioneering pharmaceutical breakthroughs to advancements in biotechnology, the industry has consistently pushed the boundaries of human health and scientific discovery. However, like all industries, it is subject to cyclical market fluctuations, regulatory shifts, and the evolving demands...
What Hancock County Businesses Need to Know About Tariffs and How it Can Impact Your Business
Jun 1 2025In a county known for its strategic location, bustling logistics network, and tight-knit business community, Hancock County, IN, is no stranger to global connections. From local manufacturers sourcing raw materials from overseas to small businesses importing specialty goods, our economy, like many others, relies on consistent global trade.On April 2,...
Indiana farmers celebrate 2025 legislative wins, but key transition tax credit falls short
May 26 2025Property tax tweaks and a new online portal were among this year’s legislative wins for Hoosier farmers. But a high-priority proposal to help retiring farmers transition land to a new generation of growers failed to cross the finish line in the final days of the session.Rural-focused portions of Gov. Mike...
Tax breaks draw questions but are the norm for many Indiana economic development projects
May 26 2025Some residents have questioned why Amazon, one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world, is benefiting from tax breaks at its new 1 million-square-foot warehouse just off Interstate 65 in Merrillville.The town did not give tax breaks directly to Amazon for building the massive new warehouse just...
President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs have wreaked economic havoc—setting off banner losses on Wall Street, spurring a growing crisis in the bond market, devaluing the dollar, and disrupting private fixed investment decisions. With all of the turmoil, you’d be forgiven for missing one of the administration’s stated rationales for tariffs: a...
Right now, the business world can feel like an unpredictable path. Uncertainty has become part of the everyday backdrop pushing businesses into unfamiliar territory. It’s important to take a step back and consider practical strategies for building lasting growth. I can say with confidence that strong business development strategies often...
