Are you really prepared for all of the possible scenarios? I coach softball and before every game I make sure that I’m prepared for anything that may happen. I have all of the softball gear that the team should need. I have drinks and a parent bringing snacks after the game. I have a first …
As in business, it’s all about finding the right person for the role. by Rick A. Richards Getting the right people into the right position is the lifeblood of any business or organization. There are dozens of books and classes explaining how to make sure the right people are put in the right job, but …
Small businesses brace for cost increases in 2014. by Bob Kronemyer Small businesses should plan for a significant cost bump in healthcare starting next January, as the federal government continues to roll out major reforms. “Businesses with fewer than 50 employees should plan on new compliance challenges and the potential for larger than normal premium …
The region’s colleges nurture entrepreneurship and innovation, giving young businesspeople the tools they need to succeed. by Rick A. Richards Olga Pecanac doesn’t remember a lot about Pula, Croatia, her family’s home and where she was born. When she was 4 years old, her family fled the civil war there and came to Northwest Indiana, …
Despite high unemployment rates, it’s not always easy for employers to find qualified hires. Local programs are closing the gap. by Michael Puente When 2013 began, Northwest Indiana’s jobless rate stood at 9.8 percent, more than a percentage point higher than Indiana’s overall jobless rate of 8.5 percent and two points above the national rate …
Hoosier Daddy livens up barbecues across the country. by Kathy McKimmie Kim Foy remembers watching her dad make his special barbecue sauce when she was five or six years old. She grew up with the sweet concoction served at family gatherings and neighborhood picnics. When he died in late 2007 after a long struggle with …
Bring diverse communities together to build a brighter future. When NIPSCO’s Eddie Melton stepped to the podium at Strongbow’s Inn, he had no small task. He was asked along with others to answer this question: “How does a diverse region learn to work together to build a great region in a global economy? He was …
Beer sales are falling, but craft beers are bubbling up in a big way. Breweries are opening all over the region. by Rick A. Richards The oldest known beer recipe dates back 3,900 years to Samaria. For craft beer aficionados in Northwest Indiana, that’s not surprising. Beer – long a human staple – is becoming …
A summer packed with arts and entertainment across the region. South Shore Arts will present the fourth exhibit in its Outstanding Midwest Artist Series, this time featuring Chicago artist Chris Cosnowski, who paints icons of Americana in a photo-realistic style. At once lifelike in detail and humorous in concept, Cosnowski’s artwork recalls Western classical art …
Speedboat events bring thousands to LaPorte County shores. by Rick A. Richards A warm, sunny day, the roar of powerful engines and the thrill of speed is all a race fan needs. But this racing isn’t taking place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s happening just offshore from Michigan City on Lake Michigan, and this …
