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Archives
Category: Business
Entrepreneurial Excellence
Annual awards honor drive, perseverance and innovation.
by Rick A. Richards
It might be going too far to describe entrepreneurs as gamblers, but they are risk takers. Bill Gregory, interim director of the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center, says there is something in their nature that pushes them to take risks.
“They all have a drive and perseverance,” says Gregory. “They are creative, energetic …
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Posted in Business, Cover Story, Current Issue, Entrepreneurship, Winter 2012
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CEO Profile: Michael Pound Head of Koontz-Wagner in South Bend inherited love of engineering from his father.
by Rick A. Richards
Michael Pound has become fully Americanized since coming here on a two-year temporary
work visa 23 years ago. Not the fast-food, shopping mall kind of Americanized, but the full
embrace of freedom and opportunity kind of Americanized.
Even so, he still misses the ability to drive his car very fast whenever he wants, dark
English beer and Radio 4, the BBC’s …
Read Full ArticleBuilding Green Energy audits, sustainable building and consumer education
By Kathy Sipple
In December President Obama announced a $4 billion initiative to increase the energy efficiency of buildings over the next two years. “Upgrading the energy efficiency of America’s buildings is one of the fastest, easiest and cheapest ways to save money, cut down on harmful pollution, and create good jobs right now,” Obamasaid in a statement.
According to the USGBC (United States Green …
Read Full ArticleBanking on Change: New regulations bring higher costs, bankers claim
by Rick A. Richards
Northwest Indiana bankers say their business is different–a lot different–than a year ago.
Banking has seen a lot of change, nearly all of it driven by legislative reform as a result of the mortgage meltdown that threw the nation’s economy into a tailspin. Not one region bank was involved in sub-prime lending, but all are affected by new laws that have …
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Posted in Banking, Business, Current Issue, Finance
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Building Financial Literacy: Centier’s educational efforts target children and adults
by Kathy McKimmie
Wide-ranging education and training programs have been put in place by Merrillville based Centier Bank to help both children and adults learn how to manage money and credit and to help those who have been disenfranchised from the banking system make their way in.
The bank’s formal initiative started seven years ago when president and CEO Mike Schrage recognized the need in …
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Posted in Banking, Business, Fall 2011, Finance
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Companies to Watch: Northwest Indiana firms honored for success and promise
by Steve Kaelble
With the economy still sluggish, who isn’t in the mood for a dose of good business news? You’re in luck–this is a good-news story. It’s about companies that are doing things right, that have been reading the trends well, finding untapped markets to serve, laying the groundwork for sustained healthy growth, adding Hoosier jobs and doing their part to turn the economy …
Posted in Business, Fall 2011
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The Region’s Top Leaders
Our annual reader nominations honoring business and community leaders.
Leadership is difficult to quantify. Either it exists in an organization or it doesn’t. Successful companies and organizations have it, and in an economy that’s been as difficult as this one has been for the past two years, good leadership has proven to be a valuable commodity for several Northwest Indiana businesses.
It has helped guide …
Read Full ArticleBusy Year for the Forum
Bringing jobs and investment to Northwest Indiana.
2011 has been an exciting year for Northwest Indiana and the Northwest Indiana Forum. We continue to market and promote the region, build and foster key relationships, and work to bring quality, higher-paying jobs and capital investment to the region while protecting and respecting the environment.
In its primary economic-development role, the Forum worked with our partners to …
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Posted in Business, Economic Development, Fall 2011, Jobs, Viewpoint
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LaPorte Savings Bank
Small-bank values and a five-star rating.
by Rick A. Richards
LaPorte Savings Bank’s roots run deep in LaPorte County and Northwest Indiana. As far as Chairman and CEO Lee Brady can tell, the bank’s roots are deeper than any other bank in the region still doing business under its original name.
Brady, who has been with the bank for 37 years, says the 140-year-old LaPorte …
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Posted in Banking, Business, Business Features, Fall 2011, Finance, Milestone
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Noteworthy News Bits From Around the Region
Here is a bit of news on who’s been promoted, what company has expanded and what changes have taken place in Northwest Indiana’s business community the past three months.
BANKING/FINANCE
Daniel R. Yamtich has been named vice president and team leader for Fifth Third Bank‘s business banking line in Merrillville. Previously he was regional manager for senior commercial real estate for the bank. … …
Posted in Business, Business News Bits, Fall 2011, News, Regional News
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