UPLAND - Convincing a room of men that they should buy her product wasn't enough for Amy Dobrikova; even when one of them did, her work wasn't finished.
She needed to convince them others would do the same.

Dobrikova's Spontaneity Designs, with their patented hand-warming ZMuff, was one of five Indiana small businesses that assembled for the 2012 Taylor University Business Plan Competition Thursday. Each gave a presentation to a panel of eight local businesspeople with a first prize of up to $23,000 on the line.
Dobrikova and her partner, Stefan Dobrikov, finished in third place and received a $1,000 cash prize as well as an offer to relocate to Grant County and receive $7,000 in five-year forgivable loans from the Grant County Economic Growth Council.
For Dobrikova, that prize puts her on the path to something much bigger.
"Your hands don't touch inside, which is what makes (the ZMuff) unique. When I was in college I was in a competition called Envision AU, and the $15,000 I won there got me the license and patents (for the ZMuff). This is the next step," she said. "We want to expand our manufacturing, fulfill orders and attend trade shows.
"We want to warm the hands of women of all ages."

Spontaneity Designs, of Anderson, finished behind runner-up 360° Mobile, a Muncie company that hopes to market an innovative power wheelchair. Indiana Wesleyan University graduate Santiago Jaramillo took the top spot with his company, BlueBridge Digital.
Jaramillo pitched a business based around providing mobile apps custom-designed for business clients, which has already signed contracts with university athletics programs, convention and visitor's bureaus and automobile dealers. Current clients include the Grant County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Indiana Wesleyan University.
Jaramillo, an IWU graduate and valedictorian, is already based in Marion and stands to receive $7,000 in cash and a $15,000 loan. He also won $1,000 for being the best undergraduate project.
Tim Eckerle, executive director for the Growth Council, said Jaramillo is evidence of the Growth Council's programming at work.
"He's the poster child for our entrepreneurship endeavors; he's participated in every phase. He became friends with a mentor as part of the entrepreneur speaker series and was part of the winning team in the I-69 Collegiate Challenge," he said. "(Jaramillo) was one of the top business students at IWU, and he's already off to a great start in Grant County. BlueBridge was the clear-cut winner to me."
BlueBridge Digital was the first undergraduate company to win the competition. Spontaneity Designs was the only team competing Thursday not composed of undergraduate students, an all-time high. Pals for Paws, presented by Leisha Sigler of Muncie, and Rocketman Designs from Terre Haute's Jacob Lueck finished the field.
Mick Bates, director of Taylor's Center for Research and Innovation, said he started the competition eight years ago to foster economic development and creativity in the region and Grant County.
"We want to integrate the university with the local community to inspire entrepreneurship. Our hope is, with this catalyst, these young business owners will take the next step and be successful sooner in Indiana. Those loans really sweeten the pot if the competitors relocate in Grant County," he said. "I think this crop of finalists are some of the best we've seen. It was a tough decision.
"They all have great potential."

food oriented dining experience.

The Growth Council aims to foster an environment of entrepreneurship in Grant County, and readily supports the Kays in this entrepreneurial endeavor. The Kays qualified for the Revolving Loan Fund, which gave them the financial means necessary to see their dream come to life.

In 2010, the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development presented a $75,000 USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant to the Grant County Economic Growth Council. The Grant goes towards the Growth Council's Revolving Loan Fund for local businesses, which was started in '08 through the USDA's previous RBEG grant of $100,000. The grant is designed to provide an incentive for business expansion, job retention and creation, and private investment in rural areas of Indiana.  

The Growth Council's loan committee reviews applicants for eligibility and viability. Caleb Crandall, member of the loan committee, says that K Bistro was a perfect fit for the loan. He said, "With the USDA revolving loan program, it is our goal to use the proceeds to help spur local investment, job creation, and give incentives to people looking to do business in Grant County.  K Bistro fits that mission to a "T".  They are locals who have thrived outside of Grant County in their professions and are looking to bring that expertise to Marion.  The construction work they are doing to a property that has sat empty is another tribute to American Spirit of Entrepreneurship.  I was happy to be involved with the loan committee that reviewed the project.  Not only did they put a substantial capital investment, but they are putting their own sweat equity into the project.  It is my hope that their business is a success for many years to come.  The USDA - RD Micro enterprise loan is tailor made for helping individuals like the Kays realize the dream of owning their own business and I am happy the Growth Council and our Loan Committee was able to help them take that leap of faith."

Emily Moore, Growth Council Manager of Business Development and Support, said, "We are very excited to see this business start in Grant County. I believe this restaurant will become very popular and will be a great addition to the community."

Marion, IN -Nearly 100 elected officials, business owners, college students, and other community leaders came together Friday evening, April 13th at Masque Extraordinaire. The purpose of the event was three fold: to celebrate the 2011 Growth Council successes, provide a social and networking opportunity for community leaders, and to support entrepreneurship by raising money for the Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP). The event was a great success, with excellent community support and numerous sponsors.

Tim Eckerle, Executive Director of the Growth Council, shared with the audience that a large amount of community collaboration has been key to Growth Council success in 2011. Highlights from 2011 include Grant County business expansions of Eastern Indiana Wi-Fi and American Woodmark, the announcement of the single largest investment in Grant County history by E.On Climate & Renewables with the coming Wildcat Wind Farm, and the Young Entrepreneurs Program. The Young Entrepreneurs Program is a pilot program created by the Growth Council that has empowered 15 young entrepreneurs each fall semester to develop Grant County into a better place. Participating high school students compete with a business plan that they draft in groups of three. The students have the opportunity to learn from some of the brightest local business leaders as they compete for prizes and scholarships.

The Growth Council is proud to announce that the Benefit Banquet raised a profit of over $3,300, covering nearly all the operational costs for the expansion of the Young Entrepreneurs Program into more area schools.  The Growth Council is still raising money for scholarships for the YEP award winners.

Jon Acuff, national bestselling author of Quitter, challenged the audience to three things that brilliant leaders do in times of change: amplify even the small moments, avoid playing the comparison game, and don't get lost in criticism. Tim Eckerle said, "The audience found his remarks to be timely, focused, inspirational and entertaining all in 45 minutes.  The organization is now challenged as to how to top Jon in 2013."

A special moment of the evening came from Scott Murphy, President of the Growth Council Board of Directors, with the announcement of the naming of the YEP scholarship in honor of  Bill Rea. Bill was a founding member of the Growth Council, and has vastly impacted the Grant County Community. Bill Rea passed away 2 days following the Bill Rea Scholarship Announcement, and the Growth Council hopes this honor will carry on Bill's legacy and encourage the young entrepreneurs to impact their community as Bill Rea has exemplified with his life.

Marion, IN - The Grant County Economic Growth Council honored over 70 businesses in Grant County for its thirteenth time on Monday at the Annual Appreciation Luncheon at Meshingomesia Country Club. The Luncheon's purpose was to honor the businesses in Grant County who had invested $25,000 or more in their business and community for 2011.

As a part of the Growth Council's mission to "facilitate investment and reinvestment for job creation and retention," the Appreciation Luncheon gave them an avenue to appreciate the businesses that were responsible for the growth Grant County is and has experienced economically. With over 300 million dollars invested in 2011, the Growth Council celebrates the overall investment of 2 billion dollars over the past thirteen years of Appreciation Luncheons. See the year by year investment comparison table here.

Over 145 people, including honorees, business men and woman, and both the Marion and Gas City mayors, helped to celebrate the success of last year's investment and reinvestment in Grant County over the lunch hour on Monday, March 5th.

The program was started thirteen years ago by the suggestion of Jim Marcuccilli, president of Star Financial Bank, and executed by the Grant County Economic Growth Council. Star Financial Bank has continued to sponsor the luncheon along with the Growth Council.  The Growth Council President, Scott Murphy, gave a speech of appreciation to the businesses in Grant County at the luncheon and an award was given to each business that invested or reinvested during the year of 2011.

The Growth Council along with the support of Star Financial Bank considered it their privilege to sponsor and host the event that honors and appreciates the businesses that have facilitated investment in Grant County.

The Growth Council realizes that businesses who invest are missed every year, but it is their goal to find the most comprehensive list available; therefore they apologize if any business was left out for 2011 but they would be more than happy to include them next year. In effort to help include all businesses next year, please, contact the Grant County Economic Growth Council when your business invests $25,000 or more in Grant County.

Marion, IN

As a part of the Growth Council's mission to "facilitate investment and reinvestment for job creation and retention," the Appreciation Luncheon gives them an avenue to appreciate the businesses that are responsible for the growth Grant County is and has experienced economically. With over 300 million dollars invested in 2011, the Growth Council celebrates the overall investment of 2 billion dollars over the past thirteen years of Appreciation Luncheons.

The program was started thirteen years ago by the suggestion of Jim Marcuccilli, president of Star Financial Bank, and executed by the Grant County Economic Growth Council. Star Financial Bank has continued to sponsor the luncheon along with the Growth Council.  The Growth Council along with the support of Star Financial Bank considers it their privilege to sponsor and host the event to honor and appreciate the businesses that have facilitated investment in Grant County.

All are welcome to attend the Growth Council's 13^th Annual Appreciation Luncheon on Monday, March 5^th at 11:30 at Meshingomeshia Country Club. The cost is $22 and any attendees must RSVP to Cathryn Rohrman, Growth Council Project Manager, by calling 765.662.0650 or by email, crohrman@grantcounty.com by Monday, February 27.

The Appreciation Luncheon began in 2000.

Five students from each participating school are recognized and honored by their school to represent them at the Challenge. Each team with one student from each university has 24-hours to identify the best, for-profit solution to a current economic or domestic disaster within Indiana.

The students will be placed into teams Friday afternoon based on the Basadur Creative Profile, a problem-solving assessment, and will collaborate for less than 24-hours on a for-profit business solution to the "proposed" problem.

Saturday afternoon, the student teams will present their solution to a panel of designated judges. Following the presentations, the judges will select a winning team given specific criteria, such as: innovation, profitability, and market potential.

The Grant County Economic Growth Council developed this challenge six year ago to encourage entrepreneurship and innovative discussion among students along the I-69 corridors and create networking and collaboration opportunities for the students, judges, and personnel involved.

The Growth Council looks forward to celebrating another year of "innovative students" and plans to continue celebrating far into the future with the help of several dedicated and generous sponsors. This year's event is sponsored by: AT&T, Duke Energy, Indiana Michigan Power, Indiana Municipal Power Agency and Vectren.

"This opportunity has allowed the Growth Council to refocus efforts and resources," shares Growth Council Board President, Scott Murphy. "Over the last six months Erin Wheeler has demonstrated great skills and talent for marketing.  The Growth Council will now be in a position to receive the maximum benefit of those skills and talents."

Erin is a 2011 Marketing graduate of Cedarville University, where she earned an invitation into the Delta Mu Delta National Honor Society of Business Administration and graduated with high honors. Erin acted as Director for Cardinal Greenway of Grant County prior to accepting her new role at the Growth Council. Before  her employment at the Growth Council, she worked as a sales management intern for Enterprise Rent-a-Car and for the Fundraising Department of Camara, a non-profit organization in Dublin, Ireland.

Emily Moore is a 2011 Professional Writing graduate of Taylor University, where she spent four years as a Christian Leadership Scholar. Prior to her employment at the Growth Council, she completed her third internship in Washington, D.C., where she worked for conservative organizations such as the Leadership Institute as well as news organization Townhall.com as an editorial assistant.

"Emily brings to a flair for communication and product development," said Executive Director Tim Eckerle.  "As manager of Business Development she will be lead in a wide range of Growth Council initiatives targeted maximizing local business opportunities and better linking local college talent to local business needs"

Rejoining the team is former intern Cathryn Rohrman (née Frazier).  Cathryn is a 2011 marketing graduate from Indiana Wesleyan University. Cathryn's return will allow the Growth Council to continue a number of very high profile events such as the Investor Appreciation Luncheon and as the original designer of the YEP, Cathryn is ideal team addition as the Growth Council looks to expand YEP for the 2012 school year.

The opportunity for staffing reorganization was brought on when Angelina Lindahl, former Marketing and Communications Director, left the Growth Council in December to pursue other opportunities.

The Grant County Economic Growth Council is a non-profit organization with the mission to facilitate investment and reinvestment for job creation and retention in Grant County.

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CEO to be Honored at the White House for Aiding the Economy and Inspiring a New Generation of Entrepreneur

Marion, IN (PRWEB) November 15, 2011

Ziver Birg, CEO of ZIVELO, has been named to the Empact100 list of the country's top 100 young entrepreneurs and will be recognized at the White House in Washington, D.C. on November 17. There he will be honored for his accomplishments and positive influence on the American economy. The Empact100 list has been created by Empact, in partnership with the Kauffman Foundation, Opportunity International, Global Entrepreneurship Week, and the Startup America Partnership.

The list was announced on November 3rd and candidates were judged based solely on reported revenue. Nominations were open to U.S. based individuals or companies that fulfilled the requirements of having all founders 30 years of age or younger as of December 30, 2011 and reported revenue of over $100,000 in 2010 or 2011 to date.

Additionally, Birg is among the select individuals with over $1 million in revenue who have been invited to a Young Entrepreneur Mastermind conference from November 17-19 in order to collaborate with top players in the entrepreneurship ecosystem such as Michael Dell (Founder of Dell), Fred Smith (Founder of FedEx), Magic Johnson (Founder of Magic Johnson Enterprises), Steve Case (Founder of AOL), and Jeff Hoffman (Co-Founder of PriceLine.com) among other notable entrepreneurs on how to bring the economy back to full employment and give back to entrepreneurship education.

"We basically build large-scale iPhones and iPads for public use," said Birg when asked to summarize what ZIVELO does, "Linking these touch-enabled screens with a plethora of different electronic peripherals can translate into turnkey solutions such as self check-in terminals at your local clinic, way finding kiosks for university campuses, and modern day photo booths that can upload your pictures directly to Facebook. The number of possible configurations is in excess of 100,000, and that number increases every day as new ideas are constantly pouring in. The possibilities are truly endless."

ZIVELO has rapidly grown to become the world's largest manufacturer of self-service kiosks and digital signage, with over 250,000 square feet of manufacturing facilities and over 200 employees. The design, engineering, and manufacturing of their public terminal systems are completely contained within the United States, allowing them to offer rapid turnaround of product delivery. ZIVELO's product line is well known globally and with over 50 resellers and distributors in the US, Canada, Europe, South Africa and Australia has been utilized by customers throughout multiple industries such as Coca-Cola, Nike, Verizon, Hilton, US Steel, CIA, FBI, Siemens, Boeing, MIT, NASA and the US Army.

According to Carl Schramm, CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, "Young entrepreneurs are not just America's future. They're America's present," and "inspire others to join the movement to revitalize our economy by starting a business."

Birg attributes passion, hard work, and self-belief as key ingredients in the recipe to his success.

"Thomas Edison said it best," says Birg, "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. There are many ingredients that go into a successful business venture, but the number one thing to remember is that you have to have passion. To be passionate you have to be driven, to devote all of your energy into your work, to nurture it until it grows, to never settle and never give up until you're completely satisfied that you've given it your all."

A live broadcast of the Empact100 ceremony can be viewed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live between 2:30pm and 5:00pm EST on Thursday, November 17.

For more information about ZIVELO, please contact press(at)zivelo(dot)com or visit http://www.zivelo.com.

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Press Release

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/11/prweb8966212.htm

The awards ceremony was held at Meshingomesia Country Club and served as a culminating celebration of the students' hard work. Justin Powell, founder of Huntington Outdoor, a billboard company, served as the keynote speaker for the event. The actual competition took place on Wednesday, December 7, at Indiana Wesleyan University in the John Wesley Administration Building. A panel of five judges, all professionals from the Grant County community, evaluated four final business plans based on a rubric provided by the Grant County Economic Growth Council (GCEGC).

Two additional student teams also presented final business plans. Tyler Humbles, Mariah Powell, and Audrey Walts' business plan, "The Galaxy," put forth the vision of a family fun center, where patrons could enjoy indoor mini-golf, laser tag, and arcade games, along with other attractions. Meredith Kuczora, Jessica Snyder, and Emon Jones created the "Suit Up Shop," a business plan to provide the community with a uniform store.

Each student on the first place team was awarded $500 cash, Dr. Dre Beats Studio headphones, an iPod Touch, and up to $3000 in college scholarships. Second place received Dr. Dre Beats ear-bud headphones, an iPod Shuffle, and $100 cash.

The Young Entrepreneur's Program is executed and designed by the Grant County Economic Growth Council with the support of members of the Innovative Network. Marion High School students attended hour-long sessions after school twice a week for ten weeks, starting in September. Tuesday sessions exposed the students to Grant County professionals who shared about various aspects of the world of business and entrepreneurship, and Thursday sessions provided the students with time to work in teams on their business plans, with the help of volunteer mentors from the Indiana Wesleyan University Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team.

The program was sponsored by the Community Foundation of Grant County, the Grant County Chamber of Commerce, Old National Bank Foundation, Crandall Engineering, VIA Credit Union, the Center for Life Calling and Leadership, Indiana Wesleyan University, and Taylor University.

On November 18th the Grant County Economic Growth Council hosted its fifth Spirit of Entrepreneurship Luncheon as a part of the Global Entrepreneurship Week, which is hosted by the Kauffman Foundation. Salin Bank sponsored this year's 2011 Spirit of Entrepreneurship event and award. The luncheon was implemented as a way to focus on celebrating Grant County's rich entrepreneurial history while also presenting its Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award. The award is given each year to a local nominated entrepreneur who has displayed an entrepreneurial impact on the community.

After receiving nominations from both the community and Growth Council Board, this year's winners, announced by Growth Council Board President, Tade Powell, were Henry Olynger and Patti Edwards of Olynger Corporations. Their work with real estate development in Grant County helped the community gain Crane Pond and Ivy Tech Community College along with the renovation of Gas City's Ray House among many other projects. Previous recipients of the award have been the Collins family (CVS Systems), Ed and Rob Wiley (Wiley Metals), Mike and Sherry Bartrom (Computer Age), Steve and Phyllis Moorhead (Moorhead Communications), and David and Sandra Loer (GP Design).

The keynote speaker for the event was Mickey Maurer, an entrepreneur, Indiana Business Journal Columnist, founder of Mickeys Camp, and Chairman at IBJ Media Corp. He spoke on the, "Ten Entrepreneurial Lessons Never Taught in School."

Maurer shared, "To be a great entrepreneur, you should be one who not only makes money but does so in the right way."

Approximately 100 business leaders and entrepreneurs were in attendance at the event, which was held at Meshingomesia Country Club.

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Press Release

Contact: Angelina Lindahl

765-662-0650

alindahl@grantcounty.com

Criteria for Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award Nominees

Main Criteria:

• Company has been in existence at least five (5) years
• Displays innovation in product/service

Judges will also take the following into account:

• Creates significant impact on community (financial or otherwise)
• Reasons for remaining in Grant County
• Company has high visibility in community
• Has been able to either create or retain jobs
• An entrepreneur who shows perseverance/tenacity

Please submit* your nominations via email/mail/fax to:

Angelina Lindahl

Grant County Economic Growth Council

301 S Adams St

Marion, IN 46952

(765) 662-8340

alindahl@grantcounty.com

*In your nomination, please be sure to include your name, your nominee's name/company name, their address/phone number, plus a short paragraph on why you are nominating the individual. Nominations are due by October 21, 2011

Don't forget to Save the Date: November 18, 2011

Event: Spirit of Entrepreneurship Luncheon

Guest Speaker: Mickey Maurer - Entrepreneur, IBJ Columnist, & Chairman @ IBJ Media Corp

Location/Time: Meshingomesia Country Club @ 12pm

When looking at the innovations that have shaped the face of entrepreneurship in the past decade, the projects instigated by young entrepreneurs stand out above the rest. Facebook has revolutionized social interaction, internet use, and the field of marketing as a whole. Many additional social media platforms have used the foundational concept of Facebook as a springboard for their business model. Mark Zuckerberg was still an undergraduate at Harvard University when the site was launched, and at the tender age of 30, he has a net worth of $13.5 billion.

Mashable's Pete Cashmore is also only 30 years of age, and he serves as a barometer for the climate of technological advancement. His site offers news on anything from the latest Facebook or Foursquare software update to the latest in mobile app technology and cell phone service upgrades. His almost 2.5 million following on Twitter speaks to his influence in the world of technology.

Also among the list of 30 year old millionaire entrepreneurs is YouTube's Chad Hurley. YouTube revolutionized the world of video sharing. Because of the site's ease of use, anyone with access to a computer and a video camera can now post a file online that can instantaneously be accessed worldwide. This has led to the rise of internet-born fame, with videos going "viral" and affecting the world of pop culture. The gateway to stardom is no longer in the sole ownership of Hollywood casting directors and Nashville record labels.

The heart of untapped potential for American success lies in the hands of today's teenagers and twenty year olds. Job creation and expansion are dependent on the up and coming revolutionary entrepreneurial ventures. Countless unrealized ideas are yet to be invented by young entrepreneurs, and with the rapid advancement of technology and the internet, the business world's future is limitless. Which of today's youth will be the next face of American innovation? We hope that ours will be among that list.

Early this month, the Growth Council participated in the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) Community Program. Our organization was invited to participate in this premier auto conference, which attracts over 1100 auto leaders every year. In addition, this program provided incredible marketing opportunity and a chance to reconnect with Joe Spielman, retired VP of General Motors.  During our time together, Joe commented that his best job ever was Plant Manager of Marion.  He misses his partners that helped turn the plant around (he also misses his community friends as well). At the event, there was considerable discussion about the new federal fuel efficiency standards.

Some take-aways from the week:

• There is no silver bullet for reaching fuel efficiency standards. Customers are sending mixed messages in regards to sustainability by buying larger vehicles vs. smaller ones.
• Electrical cars faced with challenges of consumer's fear over battery life.
• There are still efficiency gains to be had with the internal combustion motor.
• The most interesting presentation was by a National Environment Defense Fund's economist. He argued that regulations create jobs and do not distort capital allocation.
• Turbochargers and superchargers, which were once solely used for power and performance, are now part of the fuel efficiency push.
• Suppliers are still holding back on adding fixed cost until they are certain the market is back.

The New York Times recently reported that the current state of the global economy has brought about a new outlook on commerce and entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurs combine the idea of a nonprofit organization with that of a profit-raising business, to provide a service that seeks to make the world a better place. The mission of the business should be just as important as the profits earned. Ignia Fund, Leapfrog Investments, and MicroVest, all three of which are social-impact funds, have raised over $100 million during the last two years.

Freeset is a fair trade business that employs women in Sonagacchi, one of the most notorious sex districts in Kolkata, India. Women who would otherwise be victims of the sex-slave industry are instead employed by factories where they craft organic cotton t-shirts and jute bags. These bags have been sold at the Tree of Life Bookstore located here in Marion.

The Potter's House sells free trade goods as well. Products are made by individuals in third-world countries, who are then able to feed their families from the revenue raised. Products are sold alongside South Bend Chocolates and Pierre's ice cream. The Potter's House also contributes 10 percent of the proceeds to organizations within the Grant County community that help to feed hungry families here.

TOMS shoes is also setting out to make the world a better place. For every pair of shoes sold, another pair goes to a child who would otherwise go barefoot. Blake Mycoski, the founder of TOMS, took a trip to Argentina and discovered that many of the children there had no shoes. After the initial start of the company, Mycoski went back to Argentina and gave away 10,000 pairs.

"I get the sense that the recession actually has resulted in more people taking interest in investing in companies that are doing the right thing right from the start," said Wes Selke, who works for Good Capital in San Francisco. People flock to seek employment at nonprofit organizations, such as United Way or the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, because they want to make a difference with what they do for a living. Maybe we can boost the American economy while we also improve the overall condition of our lives.

Entrepreneurship is about living on the cutting edge, being the first to offer an innovative product or service to the public and then staying ahead of competitors to ensure your business's success.  You have to be smarter and faster than other businesses.

Life in the 21st century has rapidly become one of the most dizzying eras in history, as technology improves at a blinding rate.  I remember when I saw the iPhone for the first time.  It looked space-age and bizarre, and I was baffled by how many things it could do.

Fast forward a few years and smart phones are essentially expected.  Now Motorola's Atrix 4G has taken it a step further, allowing the simplified smart phone package to be docked to a laptop-sized screen and full keyboard, which connects users with online servers, revolutionizing the way companies can work remotely.

It might seem daunting to keep pace with today's technology, especially for small businesses.  Fancy electronic devices often come with high price tags, and troubleshooting software glitches can waste precious time and productivity. However, multiple aspects of the technological age are fighting to make business easier, even for the novice entrepreneur.

Social networking has opened the door for businesses to market to target demographics.  Facebook software allows companies to cater their advertising to clients whose profiles and statuses match up with a service or product.  Twitter has ousted news sources as the only voice for product criticism.  Foursquare allows users to research specific business locations by reading first-hand accounts straight from former customers.  LinkedIn allows professionals to stay connected to individuals who can make their business better.

Current technology has dramatically improved the way an office can function.  Filing hard copies of paperwork has become a thing of the past, as document imaging allows every piece of paper in a company's database to be searched electronically.  Connecting company content to online servers has made it incredibly easy for employees to work from home or on the road.

All of these small yet powerful tools can help a small business stay afloat in today's economy.  A business must be a chameleon, capable of changing instantly to meet the needs of the current customer.  The music industry's adoption of tools like Pandora and iTunes has curbed the negative effects of online piracy.  The ease of Netflix has all but obliterated the video rental industry.  Print media have almost completely merged to online circulation, as app software streams content to mobile devices and products such as the Kindle have practically rendered the bookstore obsolete.

Small business in Grant County can tap into this same source of innovation.  While it might seem overwhelming, technology is the key to survival in today's market, and staying ahead of the curve is only a click away. For innovative business tools to help you stay ahead of the technology, visit:  http://grant.toolsforbusiness.info/.

Session Notes:

Logistics, Altered Commercial Real Estate, Food Processing -

• The current logistics goal is 55 in 5 meaning, your trucks moving at 55 mph within 5 minutes leaving a truck dock
• There will be shift in ship traffic once the "new Panama Canal" is in service
• The railroads are taking up the new paradigm of increased investment in intermodal. I.e. NS Heartland Corridor opening late 2010 and CSX New Baltimore Ohio facility open in 2010. Both of these investments impacted Grant County
• New commercial offices are decreasing to 50 sqf per person from today's typical of 150 sqf/person
• The new marketplace is placing a higher premium on proximity to organic or near organic crops
• The quality and quantity of available water is among the top 5 location factors

Entrepreneurship:

In the entrepreneurship session, a large portion of the time was focused on defining clusters (aka, what is your niche?). They defined economic development as ESOs (Entrepreneurship Support Organizations) and gave the attending economic developers some tools to begin defining their community's niches.

Economic Developers need to:

-       Become awesome storytellers

• Pick 4-5 stories and tell them to everyone

-       Make media's jobs easier

-       Rebalance economic development strategy to focus on growth enterprises*

-       Target Industries

-       Create Incubator's with sector focus

-       Connect entrepreneurs into the ecosystem

-       Create results

-       Plan innovative ways to celebrate success

• i.e. Indiana's Companies to Watch (CTW)

Entrepreneurship creates jobs, attracts money/talent/companies, and it drives the culture of a community. Helping define those clusters will begin driving the entrepreneurship bandwagon forward.

• Growth Enterprises are second stage entrepreneurs (focus on growth issues vs. survival)

How to define a cluster? (See charts below)

Growing Talent:

One of the things they shared during this segment was that trying to teach students regarding new technology is difficult at the pace innovation is currently moving.

"Prediction is really tough, especially when its about the future"

If so, how can we prepare today's youth to be ready for tomorrow's innovation? The driver's of future change will always remain the same. Teaching kids to think:

• Conceptually
• Creatively
• Collaboratively
• Diversely
• Dynamically
• Distributively

is important. Core skills can also continue to be taught: lifelong learning, information search, problem solving, curiosity, critical thinking, scientific method, asking questions, tolerate ambiguity, build relationships, establish trust, leading, and influencing without authority.

As Mark Twain once said, "The future may not repeat itself, but it sure rhymes a lot."

Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning (going back to the basics) - remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, are elements that should be put into play.

Children should be taught to create stories. Go where no one has gone. Build simulators.

In the spirit of creation and innovation, here is a conference doodle for everyone to enjoy:

One of the reasons entrepreneurship is so valuable to a community is because of the tools it relies on to be a success. Education is an example of on of these tools. While some entrepreneurs are born others can be taught and inspired to think creatively when reaching towards their goals. Young entrepreneurs are the most viable individuals to take on the challenge of entrepreneurship because they are in a position to take on risk without concern of large losses (i.e. family, home, savings). In an article about entrepreneurship in higher education by Robert Cerhnow, he wrote that the skills that "embody entrepreneurship are real life skills required in today's global hypercompetitive world."Educating students about entrepreneurship gives them a stepping-stone to move upwards, whether that means going on to college, starting their own business, or joining the workforce.

Growth is spurred by entrepreneurship. Whether it's the Google or the local mom and pop shops, entrepreneurs are a large part of the growth that happens in a community. MERIC (Missouri Economic Research and Information Center) conducted a study regarding entrepreneurship as the driving force of a new economy. The study stated that, "Entrepreneurs help build communities in ways such as providing jobs, conducting business locally, creating and participating in entrepreneurial networks, investing in community projects, and giving to local charities." Many states have taken to implementing policy that support entrepreneurs and have developed tactics to help entrepreneurs grow as well. Growth is important for any community.

With the realization that entrepreneurship is a necessity, the Growth Council is ready to take part in fostering its local entrepreneurs. New and ongoing projects include high school entrepreneurship programs, enhancing the I69 Collegiate Innovation Challenge for college students, and financial assistance. As the future of Grant County entrepreneurs continues forward, focus on the entrepreneurs. Revitalize the community by bringing in new and innovative ideas. Help educate young students to think creatively and how to take risk. Become a part of the "economic gardening", either as an entrepreneur or by supporting one. Take part in the Growth Council's vision of making Grant County one of the best places to live, learn, work, and retire in Indiana.

-Its All Cool (May) Chronicle Tribune

Since 2003 the Grant County Economic Growth Council has conducted a biannual survey of the local Grant County business climate.  The 2011 survey, which ran from January to Mid-March, found that 67% of the 48 companies that responded plan to expand or modernize their facilities in the next 24 months. Of those expanding firms, 91% consider Grant County as their investment location.  The 48 firms range in size from 1 to 976 employees.

63% of responding companies are planning to increase employees in the next 24 months. The same percentage also found the Grant County labor force to be productive with low turnover.

Top expansion barriers for the surveyed firms were:

·       Market Conditions 44%

·       Availability of Capital 23%

For a full overview of the survey click below:

/media/25509/business%20climate%202011%20presentation.ppsx

Indiana listed as the best in the Midwest for Business

Chief Executive Magazine recently published their "Best/Worst States for Business Annual Survey" in a May magazine issue. The State of Indiana was listed as number one in the Midwest and sixth best in the nation. Over 500 CEOs were a part of the annual survey that included criteria such as: taxation and regulation, workforce quality, and living environment.

To read the full article, click below:

http://chiefexecutive.net/best-worst-states-for-business

As a senior at Indiana Wesleyan University, I learned about the Growth Council after Mayor Seybold came and spoke in my Strategic Marketing class taught by Dr. Keith Starcher. The Mayor spoke about the Growth Council and their involvement in the business community. From his talk in my class, I gained interest and pursued opportunities through the Growth Council and from there the journey began!

I call this internship a journey because that is what it truly was for me. I have been blessed to take part in some amazing experiences and opportunities since my employment. As the intern, I helped with several events hosted by the Growth Council this spring, organized the Growth Council's first Pre-Event to the Annual Dinner for students, wrote articles on behalf of the Growth Council and was empowered to help launch a new program for the Growth Council. The new program will help to stimulate a spirit of entrepreneurship in the youth of Grant County and help to prepare the next generation for entrepreneurial success. It will be launched in the fall of 2011 as a pilot program in Marion High School. I have dedicated time and enthusiasm into this program and look forward to seeing it succeed.

Through my involvement at the Growth Council, I have been given a new understanding of  "marketing" or what serving a business community really looks like. By my director's, Tim Eckerle, example of service to the community, I have felt empowered and motivated to pursue my own goals and serve a community much like he has for over 28 years. Tim is not the only person that has impacted my life over the past three months, Angelina Lindahl, the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Growth Council, has made quite a difference as well.  Because of her example of intentionality and class while communicating, designing or planning for the Growth Council, she has set my professional standards high and goals even higher. In my eyes, Tim and Angelina are truly "movers and shakers" in this business community and will continue to make a difference in Grant County through their involvement.

My journey with the Growth Council may have come to an end, by my agreed term of employment, but this rich and meaningful experience will continue to have an impact on my life both personally and professionally.

The day, April 8, began early for Angelina and I, as we finished last minute details and put the finishing touches on the décor for the Swanky Affair. The first event for the day was the Pre-Event to the Annual Dinner. It was the Growth Council's first time having the event for high school and college students where our keynote speaker would speak directly to them. For the first year of introducing the Pre-Event for students, it was quite a success. With roughly 150 students and teachers from local high schools and colleges, we were able to see the fruits of our labor. I was personally impressed by the high school students that attended the event. They had excellent questions for Bill Rancic and were a great audience. Bill spoke about his days on "The Apprentice," his first endeavor as an entrepreneur (when he was only 10 years old), and tips about how to be successful in life and in business. I think Bill enjoyed speaking in front of the students almost as much as the students enjoyed his motivational talk.

After the Pre-Event, the Growth Council team put all last minute details into place and then enjoyed the evening. Besides meeting Bill Rancic, one of the highlights for the guests was the photo booth. We had a photographer take pictures of the guests in front of a themed, Growth Council backdrop. The pictures turned out amazing and were another fun way for the guests to enjoy and remember the evening. Bill Rancic spoke during dinner about his entrepreneurial success and how to make that happen for each individual through simple points of advice.

We were honored to have Bill Rancic at the Annual Dinner and Pre-Event but most honored by the guests that came to enjoy an evening with us, The Grant County Economic Growth Council.

Our office celebrated its 27th Anniversary at the 2011 GCEGC Annual Dinner held at Ivy Tech Community College's conference center. The event/dinner featured special guest speaker, Bill Rancic (Season One winner of The Apprentice). The GCEGC team were particularly thrilled to have him speak this year due to his experience and passion for entrepreneurship, his three books, and background in working with possible future presidential candidate, Donald Trump…… (and perhaps his marriage to the famous Giuliana Rancic, with whom he stars in a reality TV series titled, Giuliana & Bill).

The evening's theme was "A Swanky Affair," which was enhanced by silver and black balloons (check out the photos by IWU student Marya Sherwin), silver confetti, flowers by Kelly's Flowers & Gifts, plus our local Taylor University Jazz Combo whom provided some snazzy tunes for our audience. Though not an audience favorite, the Growth Council stuck by its attire of Black Tie and hopes to continue the tradition next year…However, the GC Team was disappointed that the audience failed to note the optional White Tie, since staff was looking forward to seeing some fun top hats and tails. Also, a new item on the Annual Dinner activities was an experimental "photo booth." Check out photos to see who got a snapshot!

With over 170 local elected officials, business leaders, young professionals, and Growth Council staff, the event was a success. Dinner was provided by The Mill (a huge thanks) though we learned that conflicts do arise when steak is served during Lent! Not to worry, we will make sure to keep that noted for our 28th anniversary.

Bill shared on his experiences as a winner and participant on The Apprentice, his first venture as an entrepreneur when he was a young child (Grandmothers and their friends make excellent investors!), and how he launched his first successful business, http://www.cigar.com/, which he has now sold. As a part of the evening, a trivia contest was held, and as a part of the prize, the winning table also received a signed copy of Bill Rancic's book, "You're Hired."

Some of the feedback we received for the evening (thanks to those of you who responded to the survey for your feedback!):

• "I appreciated being able to attend the wonderful evening event through the generosity of GCEGC and the Sponsors. I understand it's costly to host such a great event, but I couldn't have gone otherwise. THANK YOU! As always, you all did a MAGNIFICENT JOB!!"

• "By the way, I loved the name."

• "The event looked like I was walking into a wedding reception. The place looked great. This was the best-catered food that I have had at any event that I can remember in years."

• "Nice affair with a good theme."

And our staff favorite:

• "I hear Tim Eckerle plays the banjo exceptionally well. Perhaps this could this be incorporated into the program in the future."

Our staff has never heard Tim play the banjo, so we are all excited to hear him play as well ;) Thanks to whoever left that fun little comment.

Well, we look forward to another "swanky" event next year!! Please make sure to follow us for other upcoming events in the Fall. Thank you to all of our participants this year (and sponsors), it wouldn't have been a great event without you all.

Sincerely,

Growth Council Team

(Tim, Angelina, Sarah, Cathryn)

All three of the highlights, reminded me of why I am a marketer at spirit! Writing the "It's All Cool" article put me at a spot where I had to reflect a specific image to the Marion community (and possible investors) that fit the desires and motives of the owners. The image and operations of Vela Gear Systems were important to clearly define because if the lingo was not exact they could give potential customers, investors and the community a false representation of their services. This was a challenge and forced me to go back to marketing principles where I was taught that communicating to the public about who you are is one area that defines the business and it success.

The second highlight was Sarah's birthday! It was not the Mexican celebration (including the whip cream finale) or the tallest cake ever, but the relationships built through the celebratory event. We were laughing and having a great time, when I found myself having a moment when I thought, "this is what it is about… relationships!" We were giggling and eating cake, but really, we were investing time in the relationships of our team. This is true in marketing too. Relationships are key and must be cultivated to properly give the customers what they want or need. Even in the fun times of life, I still can apply marketing… that is scary.

Lastly, when interviewing a potential summer intern who would take my role after I graduate, I found myself going to the famous Dr. Keith Starcher corner (mission, vision, values, SWOT, target market, etc) when describing the new program we are preparing to launch in the Fall at Marion High School. When explaining the program and its objectives, I first had to describe the vision and mission of the Growth Council and the program itself to explain the program in completeness. Marketing takes place in what seems like every piece of my life. Some would be frightened by this concept but I am encouraged because I know that I am in the right field!

I had a first this week- I was on the radio! Each month the Growth Council has a spot on WBAT with Tim George and Ed Breen (who was sick this week and I did not get the pleasure of meeting) where they chat about what is happening in Grant County and in the Growth Council. This month the topics of the talk show were the Annual Dinner and Pre-Event where we will feature Bill Rancic, the first season winner of "The Apprentice." Tim George also wanted to know what I was doing for the Growth Council. I found that I truly consider myself as a Marketer after looking back on my interview on WBAT radio. I could not help but tell everyone what amazing things the Growth Council is doing and what I was learning through Tim and Angelina's mentorship; essentially, I was promoting the Growth Council while doing so. As a marketer, every opportunity is an opportunity to build awareness and create brand recognition. I was thankful for the opportunity to be on the radio with Angelina but was even more thrilled that I could use the time to voice my personal interaction with the Growth Council and what they are doing for the community.

Marketing is everything and everywhere. Every opportunity cannot be missed and every opportunity opens a door for the next opportunity. Radio is an obvious media tool, but it must be viewed as a tool of leverage, otherwise the opportunity to promote is lost, forever.

The excitement rose in the office this week as we handed our proposal for the Young Entrepreneurs Program (our new shorter name, also known as YEP!)  to the Marion Community School Corporation for review. Key leaders in the Marion High School were on board with the program and agreed to meet with us about possible implementation. Tim gave me a complement like no other when he said he has been, "dreaming of this program for years" and applauded my efforts in developing the program and writing the proposal. I did not know when I first began developing the outline for the program that it would mean so much to my director or to me; now that I know, I have a new found enthusiasm to help make this program a reality.

For the sixth time since Site Selection Magazine began its Governor's Cup rankings in 2003, Marion Indiana has made the list of top 100 communities this year as the ninth top Micropolitan in the United States. The magazine ranking of Top Micropolitans ranks cities of 10,000 to 50,000 within at least one county. Marion, Indiana was ranked among the nation's 576 other Micropolitan areas.

This is Marion, Indiana's second top ten ranking since 2003. It is the first Indiana Micropolitan community to make a top ten ranking twice. The Site Selection's 2010 Governor's Cup was published in the March 2011 issue of Site Selection Magazine and on their award-winning website: http://www.siteselection.com. To see the full article, visit here: Top Micropolitans of 2010.

The Grant County Economic Growth Council is a non-profit organization with the mission to facilitate investment and reinvestment for job creation and retention in Grant County.

Contact: Angelina Lindahl alindahl@grantcounty.com

The Tree of Life Bookstore, originating from Marion, Indiana, has seen exceptional growth over the past three years due to their expansion in online book sales. The original bookstore in 1997, founded by Darren and Nancy Campbell and Nancy's parents, Pam and Gary Minnich, was designed to give the community a place to buy Christian books and enjoy a cup of coffee. Soon after, they expanded their business to textbook sales at Indiana Wesleyan University. They now operate twelve college and freestanding bookstores in the Midwest and serve as an online bookstore nationwide.

Recently, Tree of Life Bookstore has branched into online textbook and book sales. This newfound avenue for Tree of Life has created a bustling new growth for Darren's business. He shares, "Because we deal with college students on a daily bases, we knew that an online bookstore was a necessity." When their online services began, they built notability through major online bookstores before growing into their very own Tree of Life online textbook and bookstore, www.treeoflifebooks.com. From a closet, to a garage, to a 20,000 square foot warehouse in Marion, the online business seems to be bursting at the seams. "I would encourage any business owner and entrepreneur to investigate online options for their business," shares Darren when glowing over his growing business.

In their commitment to serve their customers, Tree of Life Bookstores have adapted their textbook sales to help save college students hundreds of dollars each year through textbook rentals. Instead of buying books, new or used, Tree of Life offers dramatically reduced rates for college students when they rent their books for the semester, which saved Indiana Wesleyan students almost half a million dollars this year on textbooks. This service Tree of Life provides is competitive with the market, but exceeds the expectation students have for their textbook providers by offering a consistently lower price by 10% than competing online bookstores.

In Marion and the Midwest, Tree of Life has seen growth and sustainability in the wavering economy and diminishing rate of book sales by focusing on what their customers want and need. Darren expressed, "we seek to have customers for life!" As an entrepreneur who received financial support and guidance from the community of Marion while forming his business years ago, Darren and the Tree of Life staff hope to help other entrepreneurs succeed in the community of Marion today.

Tim and Angelina have empowered me to do more than what I had in mind for this internship and have let me apply so much of what I have learned in the business division of IWU over the past 3 years. I am blessed to have the unique experiences the Growth Council provides.

I also designed a flyer for the Pre-Annual Dinner event for students. The students who attend the event will get the unique opportunity to hear and meet the entrepreneur Bill Rancic, the original winner of The Apprentice. I enjoyed employing several of the concepts I have learned in my Ads and Promotion class this semester. The design was a challenge because I am not a master with technology, especially the Adobe suite. With a few tutorial lessons from Angelina, I created my first complete design using InDesign by Adobe. This is just one of many ways that the Growth Council is expanding my horizons. I can't wait to see what I learn next week.

• Angelina Lindahl
• 765-662-0650
• alindahl@grantcounty.com

Marion, IN - The Grant County Economic Growth Council celebrated its fifth annual I-69 Collegiate Innovation Challenge this past weekend with five new student winners: Chris Bourgea, Anderson University, Katie Brummett, Indiana Wesleyan University, Katrina Helmer, Huntington University, Rachel Jonker, Taylor University, and Aaron Sall, Ball State University. Students were awarded the $500 gold coin prize for their business idea, Alere. Alere's presented mission was to provide an international relocation service for corporate client's top immigrant employees and their families ease the transition to their new culture.

This year's winning team was one of the five teams that competed at the I-69 Collegiate Innovation Challenge this past weekend at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana. Each team was made up of one student representative from each of the participating universities. The students were placed into teams Friday afternoon based on the Basadur Creative Profile, a problem-solving assessment and collaborated for less than 24-hours on a for-profit business solution to a provided social problem that dealt with the challenges of immigration in the United States.

"Participating in the I-69 Collegiate Innovation Challenge was a wonderful experience." shared student winner Katie Brummett, "The event provided me with a great opportunity to work collectively with students from differing universities in order to produce an innovative and creative solution to a current social problem. It was truly an unforgettable and greatly rewarding experience."

Saturday afternoon, student teams presented their solution to a panel of designated judges from companies Young at Heart, Ginovus, Cambridge Capital Management, Duke Energy, and Pro Prints Gear. Following the presentations, judges selected a winning team following specific criteria that measured items such as: innovation, profitability, and market potential.

The I-69 Collegiate Innovation Challenge's purpose is designed to encourage entrepreneurship among students along the I-69 corridor, provide networking opportunities for students and judges, generate creative ideas, and allow for collaboration between the five universities. This year's event was sponsored by: AT&T, Duke Energy, Vectren, IEDC, IMPA, Indiana Michigan Power, Taylor University, Ball State University, Anderson University, Huntington University, and Indiana Wesleyan University.

The first I-69 Collegiate Innovation Challenge began in 2006.

1. Outlining and designing the structure of the program;
2. Defining why and what the Innovative Network would need to do to make the program happen.

The program is purely a draft and needs further development, but I am looking forward to hearing the responses of the Innovative Network when I present the Young Entrepreneurs of Grant County Program (which is what I named the program until we decide otherwise) at our meeting next week.

I also helped Angelina in preparing for the I-69 Challenge that is happening this weekend. Angelina is very organized and well prepared as the event planner. I thoroughly enjoyed working with her and learning about her planning, preparing and execution style. I know I will be learning more than I anticipated from Angelina - because I already have from just observing and working along side her this week. As a marketing major, I have been taught that learning by observing and doing is where the best learning happens. From experiences this week, I have learned through observing and doing!

I kept myself busy by working on existing projects, nailing down the details for the Local Elected Officials' dinners, researching entrepreneurship programs and recycling efforts in the East Central County of Indiana. I was once again reminded how useful research and collecting secondary data is to making decisions. In preparing to write a proposal to the Innovative Network, I have been doing research on entrepreneurship programs for high school students through the Internet and other like-program coordinators. I am gathering this information to mimic or use as a reference point when developing a program in Grant County. In researching businesses that recycle, I also found that utilizing secondary data resources could help us (primarily Tim) make decisions for the future.

Marketers do their research. I proudly did my research this week and look forward to putting my thoughts into written form next week.

A Mayor from America's State of Indiana, together with the heads of Indiana chambers of commerce, met with the businessmen of Konya Chamber of Commerce.

The Mayor of Muncie in the U.S. state of Indiana, Sharon McShurley, the President of Muncie Chamber of Commerce, Jay Julian, the Director of Grant County Chamber of Commerce, Tim Eckerle, the President of East Indiana Regional Chamber of Commerce, Bryan Daniel Zuerner and consultant for Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Prof. Dr. Necati Sozuoz, met with Konya businessmen after beginning their visit to Turkey in Istanbul, with a goal of increasing the foreign trade of their region. President of the Board of Trustees of the Konya Chamber of Commerce and Treasurer of the TOBB Board Huseyin Uzulmez received the visiting delegation. Providing information about Konya, President Uzulmez said that the Konya Chamber of Commerce, which was founded in 1882, served the region in economic, social, cultural and educational matters. Explaining that as well as being Turkey's largest county, Konya was also a regional leader in terms of agriculture and farming as well as industry, Uzulmez stated that it was continuing to increase its food industry and machinery manufacturing. Noting that they had points in common with Indiana and that cooperating with this state was of importance to him, President Uzulmez said that he hoped to be the means to form the foundations for cooperation important for both Indiana and for Konya and Turkey. Uzulmez stated that the more trade that was carried out, the greater the opportunities for both countries to come to know and understand one another.

During the afternoon session of their visit to the Konya Chamber of Commerce, the delegation from Indiana met with Konya businessmen. Providing these businessmen with information about the job opportunities and advantages in their country, the delegation thanked President Uzulmez for the warm reception they were given in Konya. The Mayor of Muncie, Indiana, Sharon McShurley, said "When we return to our country, we will tell our people about the positive things we have seen in Konya. In particular, we will make efforts toward solving the visa problems faced by Turkish businessmen when they enter America. We will tell people about the problem faced by the Turkish people when they try to acquire a permit."

Speaker for the Konya Chamber of Commerce Dr. Seyit Karaca and members of the board were also present at the meetings.

Original Turkish Article Here: Konyada Haber

President of the Board of Trustees at SANKO Holding Abdulkadir Konukoglu said it was an honor as much for SANKO as it was for Gaziantep industry and industrial workers that US administrators, seeking investors in Turkey in order to find a solution to post-crisis unemployment, met with him and examined the SANKO facilities.

The Mayor of Muncie (Indiana), Sharon Kay McShurley, Head of the Muncie Chamber of Commerce, Jay Julian, Mayor of Marion (Indiana), Wayne Seybold, Head of Grant County (Indiana) Chamber of Commerce, Tim Eckerle, President of East Indiana Regional Chamber of Commerce, Bryan Daniel Zuerner, and Sherry Marie Roberts from the Indiana Fayette County Chamber of Commerce met with SANKO Holding Chairman of the Board of Directors Abdulkadir Konukoglu within the scope of their Istanbul schedule.

Stating that he had invited the delegation they met in Istanbul to visit Gaziantep, Konukoglu said: "We went by private jet to the Gaziantep Organized Industrial Zone with the delegation and had a meeting with Chairman of the Board, Cahit Nakiboglu."

Konukoglu noted that they later took the American delegation on a tour of some SANKO Holding companies, Sanko Textiles, Sanko Towelling and Super Film Packaging Industry, and continued:

"We at SANKO and industrialists from Gaziantep are pleased that American regional administrators and heads of chambers of commerce came to Gaziantep. Looking at it from SANKO's perspective, we are proud. This shows that news of the initiative, quick decision-making and successful projects of Gaziantep industrialists has reached as far as the USA. The fact that the Americans are interested in us is an expression and result of what we determined, that 'Gaziantep is the city least affected by the crisis.' Members of the American delegation stated that Gaziantep and SANKO far surpassed their expectations and expressed their admiration."

Mentioning that they had also hosted a dinner for the American delegation where Governor Suleyman Kamci, authorities from central administration and local management and members of GSO Administrative Board were also present, Konukoglu added that they were evaluating the proposals brought to them by the delegation.

Origial Turkish Article Here: GAP OLAY

I will be updating you (followers) each week as I take you on my journey as the interning Growth Council staff member. Each week I will report on my experiences, tasks, mentorship, responsibilities, progress, and more. I will begin with reporting on last week, which was my first week, as a team member.

Last week began my adventures with the Grant County Economic Growth Council. I have been given a sense of direction and objectives for the Council's internship but have yet to dive full force into the mission ahead. On Thursday last week, I attended the Innovative Network Council where business owners, council members and interested citizens work to build a community with an entrepreneurial spirit. I will be taking a major role in developing and outlining programs for the Innovative Network, such as a high school business incubator, on behalf of the Growth Council. I also attended the Investor's Appreciation Luncheon hosted by Star Bank and the Growth Council. The luncheon was for business owners in Grant County and businesses and investors were awarded for investment of more than $25,000 in the community.  I was privileged to meet several elected official, including the mayor Wayne Seybold, and noteworthy business owners. The luncheon was a beautiful way for men and woman of Grant County to be appreciated for their investment in the community.

As I left work last week, I couldn't wait to go back. The Growth Council is making a difference in the community and I am privileged to take part in that difference!

This concludes my reporting for last week, but I will continue to update my experiences as a part of the Growth Council staff.

Cathryn Frazier

Tim was out of the office on a business trip, so Angelina  kept me busy and on task while Tim was away. On Tuesday, I prepared for February's "It's All Cool" article, published by the Chronicle.  The "It's All Cool" article highlights businesses that are new to Grant County or making "big waves!" The article I will be writing for February will be on Vela Gear Systems, who has announced their arrival to Marion. I am looking forward to digging deeper into their company and how it will positively affect the community.

Another development I made this week was nailing down the logistics of the Pre-Annual Dinner event for high school and college students in Grant County on April 8.  The students will get the privilege to listen to and greet, Bill Rancic, the original Apprentice winner and true American entrepreneur.

Today, I wrote a press release to send to the Chronicle Tribune about our newly launched website. The former website received a major facelift through a variety of updated and new features. We hope that people find our new website - www.grantcounty.com- to be convenient and beneficial to accessing information about Grant County.

In completing another week at the Growth Council, I have seen how press, media, websites, and events play a major role in marketing. The primary goal of the Growth Council is to market the greater Grant County area. By releasing press, media, and designing events, they are essentially watering the seed within Grant County. I am excited to see Grant County grow!

The STAR Bank Investor's Appreciation Luncheon, sponsored by STAR Bank, celebrated its eleventh year this January. Since 2000, it has recognized over $1,691,836,000 in local investment, by celebrating companies whom have invested a minimum of $25,000 of new capital within Grant County. This New Year's investment of over $150 million has hinted at economic growth despite the poor national forecasts, as the Growth Council handed out 65 awards to these investors, its fifth highest year since the event began. Even in 2009 when the economic crises hit hard, Grant County proved it could weather the storm by announcing over $405 million in investment, a large portion coming from a General Motors expansion.

Grant County's success has continued to come from the honored individuals who have believed in the strength that comes from working hard. With a group of strong local elected officials who have made it their mantra to collaborate with each other and a community of business leaders that make an effort to recognize those who have continued to inspire growth,  it is no wonder Grant County has reason to celebrate.

Communities who are looking to foster growth and retain their companies should follow the example of this county in Indiana. A company's knowledge that those around them appreciate their labor and investment dollars can influence and strengthen relationships with their community. As John F. Kennedy once shared, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." So express your gratitude with actions for the companies that have continued to succeed and push forward, even when there seems to be but a dim light at the end of our nation's economic downturn.

© 2011 Grant County Economic Growth Council

For more information on the opening, check out the following articles:

• Indiana Economic Digest: Kohl's to build in Marion
• Globe St: Kohl's Adds New Power Center

For information regarding University Marketplace Development, view the flier

In a positive redevelopment, rural communities are learning to be more aggressive. Some are finding that, while they can't compensate for the glamour, location, or size of a city, there are other ways of standing out in the crowd. One county in Indiana learned that listening to needs, developing relationships, and above all, working together as a community, can go a long way for companies looking for a place to call home.

Consider the New Jersey company, Munirè Furniture's, recent experience in Gas City/Grant County, Indiana.  Munirè Furniture was established in 1995 and has received "best" ratings for its furniture from parent book, Baby Bargains, in recent years. They have become one of the largest manufacturers of baby furniture in the USA and a major supplier for Burlington Coat Factory, Babies 'R' Us, and specialty stores across the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Canada.

Over a year ago, Munirè Furniture, began looking to expand its business from New Jersey and Indonesia to open a new line of furniture entirely manufactured within the United States. The Grant County Economic Growth Council in Grant County, Indiana, located approximately an hour north east of Indianapolis, received a phone call from business owner, Munir Hussein, after he came across their website while researching the state.

In a collaborative effort not commonly seen within a county, both Grant County, Indiana's City of Gas City Mayor, Larry Leach, and City of Marion Mayor, Wayne Seybold, joined Growth Council Executive Director, Tim Eckerle on a day trip to New Jersey to speak with CEO Munir Hussein. Of all the communities contacted for the project, Grant County was the only one to make such a united effort in visiting the company at their location. Despite the promise of 350 plus jobs by 2013 for whichever community was selected, both mayors worked together to be as adaptable as possible for the company instead of competing against each other. These jobs would also be an important gain for the state of Indiana.

After considering communities in three states, on October 1, 2010, Munirè announced the opening of its Gas City headquarters for its new furniture manufacturing plant, Echelon. They plan to invest a total of $5 million in the city for the purchase and equipping of its renovated 200,000 sq. ft. building. Gas City will be providing up to $2.5 Million in economic revenue bonds as an incentive package. Once manufacturing begins, all products from the new plant will proudly display "Made in America."

Seeing communities within Grant County, and counties like it, working together to attract and retain companies is an inspiration and example to not just the State of Indiana, but to the entire Nation. Growth is not about individual success, but the successes that can be achieved together. That is what will make this Nation, and the generations to follow, stronger and able to compete on a global level.  As 2011 approaches, an important resolution would be to begin focusing on a community, a county, a region, a state, and a nation as one whole piece, not individual parts separate from each other.

Leslie Wagner, Ginovus

Director of Project Management & Development