Stay current with local people, news and events

BUSINESS

VinSense Technology in West Lafayette has been awarded a $500,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Science Foundation. The software company uses technology patented at Purdue University to help improve crop quality and sustainability for wine grape growers and winemakers. Chief Technology Officer David Ebert explained his plans for the software companies’ growth “The goal over the next 12 months is to expand our penetration in the wine-growing industry on the Pacific Coast”. Sonoma County viticulturist Lisa Asimont has been appointed as their Chief Executive. She bring with her experience as former president of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, and as committee chair of the United Wine and Grape Symposium.

Good Housekeeping has recognized Sue McCloskey with its Awesome Women Award, for her company’s innovations in sustainability. She is the co-founder of Fair Oaks Farm in Northwest Indiana and Chicago-based Fairlife. She’ll be featured in the September issue alongside such visionaries as Spanx Founder Sara Blakely, Tribeca Film Festival Co-Founder Jane Rosenthal and actress Whoopi Goldberg.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce has invited 26 new members to join its board of directors. All new members will serve three-year terms through the fall of 2020.

Julie Basich, co-founder and COO of Fair Oaks Farm will represent the NWI region in her role as board member, alongside other leaders in agriculture, technology, manufacturing, law and healthcare.

The Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce celebrated business leaders and members of the public service community at their annual “Celebration of Stars” event in Hammond. Strack & Van Til CEO

Jeff Strack and Ameristar Casino and Hotel Senior Vice President and General Manager

Matt Schuffert were both bestowed the title Business Person of the Year.

CONSTRUCTION & MANUFACTURING

Jocelyn McCray, regional account manager at Burns Harbor-based Steel Cities Steels, has been named a new membership co-chair with the Association of Women in the Metal Industries (AWMI). She brings more than 14 years of experience to her service as a board member for AWMI as she works to further advance the growth of women participating in the metal industries.

Robin Kendrick joins Evansville-based Accuride Corp board as an independent director. His global leadership experience in the automotive and commercial vehicle supply, metal-forming and fastening industries include his current role as vice president of BorgWarner Inc. and president and general manager of the Turbo Systems turbocharger division of BorgWarner, and prior roles with Acument Global Technologies and American Axle and Manufacturing.

Don Rapley was inducted into the Indiana Ready Mix Concrete Association (IRMCA) Hall of Fame, honoring his influence in the concrete industry. He has served as a member of their board in 2008, secretary/treasurer in 2009, vice president in 2010, and president in both 2011 and 2016, and currently serves as vice president of Ozinga’s materials and logistics operation in Indiana. He brings 27 years at Ozinga and a tenure at Levy Slag Co.

EDUCATION

Christopher Young will receive the Sylvia E. Bowman Distinguished Teaching Award, which honors exemplary faculty members in areas related to American civilization. Young is an associate professor in the departments of history, philosophy, political science and religious studies at Indiana University Northwest. He directs the campus’ Center for Innovation and Scholarship in Teaching and Learning, where he supports faculty in improving their teaching practices. Dr. Young has also served as managing editor of both the Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and the Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology.

Patrick Bankston will resign as associate dean of Indiana University’s School of Medicine, but will remain dean of Indiana University-Northwest’s College of Health and Human Services. He joined the IU faculty in 1978, and became a joint professor of anatomy and cell biology, and pathology and laboratory medicine in 1991. He was named associate dean and director of Indiana University School of Medicine Northwest in 2005, and was named as a founding dean of the new College of Health and Human Services in 2006. As an instructor, researcher and administrator he strived for innovative learning techniques, and as a result, offerings for medical students expanded to four-year programs during his tenure.

Joe Williamson dedicated much of his life to the Purdue Northwest athletics department. The Pride recently returned his commitment by inducting him into the Pride Athletics Hall of Fame. As a 1969 alumnus, he has been a leader in Purdue Northwest’s annual golf outing and a major donor for the Powers Endowed Scholarship Fund. Williamson also serves on the board of directors for the Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana, and as chairman of the Maintenance Committee for Veterans Memorial Park in Munster.

GOVERNMENT

Elkhart Regional Partnership has named Sarah Niespodziany as vice president of marketing and strategic communications, where she will oversee communications, marketing and brand strategy. She joined the partnership in February 2016, most recently serving as manager of marketing and communications where she provided internal and external communications and operational support for the Regional Development Authority.

HEALTH CARE

Franciscan Health Hammond has appointed Dr. Luke Miller as a cancer liaison physician, where he will join a national network of over 1,500 volunteer physicians responsible for providing leadership to establish and maintain facility cancer programs. Miller is a member of the multidisciplinary cancer committee at Franciscan Health Hammond and Dyer. He will be responsible for reporting and evaluating performance data through the National Cancer Data Base, facilitating improvement initiatives and leading collaborations with agencies, such as the American Cancer Society, on behalf of the hospital.

New board members and corporate leadership changes are underway at Franciscan Alliance. Appointments to the Northern Division Board of Directors include: Kevin Keough of Crown Point, a co-owner of Keough Mechanical Corp. in Merrillville, who previously served as a member of its Capital Campaign Committee and currently serves on the Franciscan Health Foundation of Northern Indiana. Dr. Carey Ransone of Long Beach, a urologist on the medical staff at Franciscan Health Michigan City, and president and CEO of Progressive Urology PC in La Porte and Michigan City. Dr. Ebenezer Tayui of Flossmoor, an anesthesiology specialist on staff at Franciscan Health Dyer, Hammond, and Munster. Rick Urschel of Valparaiso, is president and CEO of Urschel Laboratories, a world leader in the designing, manufacturing and selling of precision food-cutting equipment.

Leadership promotions include: Barbara Anderson, president and CEO of Franciscan Health Crown Point to senior vice president of operational transformation and Dr. Daniel McCormick, hospital vice president of medical affairs, to president and CEO. Anderson, of Schererville, will lead a group of Franciscan management team members to transform care delivery, eliminate unnecessary costs, and establish a sustainable methodology to control future costs. Dr. McCormick of Frankfort joined Franciscan Health in 2011 as president of Specialty Physicians of Illinois and Franciscan Physician Network of Illinois, and became vice president of medical affairs in Crown Point in 2014.

Joy Mercer is the 2017 recipient of Unity Hospice of Northwest Indiana’s Employee of the Year Award. She is recognized for her extraordinary devotion to her work and patients. Mercer began her work as a volunteer in 2015 and became staff one year later as a certified nursing assistant providing patients with personal care and emotional support.

Sean T. Dardeau has been named CEO of Porter Health Care System and Market CEO for Northwest Indiana where he will oversee operations and work collaboration with La Porte and Starke hospitals to synergize care and services for the region. Dardeau hails from South Carolina, where he served as Market CEO for Mary Black Health System. He was on the advisory board of directors of Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Carolinas Campus, along with boards of the South Carolina Hospital Association and Upstate Employers Network of Spartanburg.

Family medicine specialist Dr. Farah Najamuddin has the joined the Franciscan Hammond Clinic medical staff. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Practice.

Methodist Hospitals welcomes

Jim Renneker, MSN, RN, as vice president and chief nursing officer (CNO). He held CNO roles at Loretto Hospital and Highland Hospital, and served as vice president, CNO and Chief Operating Officer at Weiss Memorial Hospital and vice president and CNO at Sinai Medical Center.

Amy Grzyb joins as the director of Food and Nutrition Services, having previously held the title of director of Food Services at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in Chicago.

Kevin Parker has been named the new director of plant operations, and previously served as Sodexo Magic’s executive director of facilities for Chicago Public Schools.

Sheila Cook and

Trischa Turner have been appointed assistant vice presidents. Sheila was interim chief nursing officer to Methodist Hospitals, and is National Board Certified as an adult health clinical nurse specialist, while Trischa Turner was previously director of Peri Operative and Surgical Services.

RECREATION

La Porte County Symphony Orchestra conductor and music director Philip J. Bauman will be departing after 23 seasons. Bauman began his tenure there in 1994, and was renown for elevating the orchestra’s artistic level and audience attendance, along with the scope and variety of programs offered to the community. Among his many accomplishments, he took pride in children’s education concerts for inspiring youth to develop a new appreciation for music.

NON-PROFIT

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana named

Kris Condon as Chief Human Resources Officer. Condon brings more than a decade of experience as former director of human resources for Valparaiso-based Family Express, where her leadership was recognized with the prestigious 2016 Human Resources Leadership Award, and the Top 50 Woman Senior Leadership Award within the Convenience Store Industry. She holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Development from Villanova University, and completed her Senior Professional of Human Resources Certification.

Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana (MOW) has named Rachel Hurst as their Director of Development. Hurst brings an extensive background to MOW having served in nonprofit fundraising and leadership for the past 20 years, including as founder and executive director of Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund and as associate director of Development for National Safe Place Network. Hurst holds a Master’s degree in nonprofit administration from Murray State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in English and education from Ball State University.

TOURISM

Six Purdue Northwest graduate students won the 2017 Smith Travel Research Market Study Competition in New York City, which gives hospitality and tourism schools the opportunity to analyze actual market research and data and interpret the story of a specific market. Winning team members include David Arredondo of Munster; Hammond residents Yeonju Bae and Richard Chambers; Paul Money of Porter; Dyer resident Carolyn Sandrick and Madison Carpenter-Walker of Crown Point. All 6 are pursuing their MBA degrees.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana present Youth of the Year nominations, including outstanding teens from the following clubs: Merrillville, Lake Station, Cedar Lake, Hammond, JWA Gary, Duneland, South Haven, Portage, and Valparaiso. Each teen nominee is a living example of the Clubs mission which include academic success, good character and citizenship, and leading a healthy lifestyle.

NEWS

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce appointed Chuck Baldwin as the 2018 chairman of the Board of Directors. He hails from the law firm Ogletree Deakins, where he is one of two managing directors. New board members include Julie Basich, co-founder and COO of Fair Oaks Farms; Jo Biggers, vice president of finance and administration, Countrymark Cooperative Holding Corp.; Anne Hayes, chief legal counsel and CFO, Indiana Oxygen Co.; Rich Carlton, president and COO, Data Realty; Lee Carmichael, president and CEO, Weddle Bros. Construction Co.; Wendell Carter, vice president and general manager, ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor; Melissa Davis, president, BSA LifeStructures;

Christopher Day, co-founder and CEO of DemandJump; Mercedes Enrique, president and board treasurer, CMS Corp.; Dennis Faulkenberg, president, APPIAN; David Funke, managing director, CBRE Group; Larry Gigerich, founder and executive managing director, Ginovus; Matt Godbout, senior vice president of Business Development, Indianapolis Colts; Susan Jones, statewide president, Royal Title Services; Ryan Kitchell, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, Indiana University Health; Shelley Klingerman, executive director, Launch Terre Haute; Jeffrey Knight, executive vice president, chief legal counsel, corporate secretary and head of government relations, Old National Bank; Karl LaPan, president and CEO, Northeast Indiana Innovation Park; Jack Mansfield, vice president of Digital Workplace Strategy, Bell Techlogix; Christian Maslowski, president and CEO, Greater Greenwood Chamber of Commerce; John Millspaugh, partner, Bose McKinney & Evans; John Qualls, president, Eleven Fifty Academy; Jennifer Rider, president and CEO, Lafayette Instrument Co.; Janet South, president and partner, DECO Coatings; Bob Stutz, CEO Marketing Cloud and chief analytics officer, Salesforce; and Toby Thomas, president and COO, Indiana Michigan Power Co.

The Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville appointed 12 community leaders to its board of directors. New members of leadership team include: Dan Arens, chairman and co-founder, Keller Schroeder; Brad Begle, director corporate development, Berry Global Inc.; Shawn Collins, founder and CEO, Extend Group; Neta Etziony, operations manager, Polyram Industries; Emily Fiedler, Center for Adult Learning, University of Evansville; Kyle Fields, vice president & general manager of Evansville Operations, SS&C Technologies; Nathaniel Hahn, operations manager, Evansville Regional Airport; Kevin Hammett, president & CEO, Regency Properties, Stacey McNeill, executive director of marketing, Tropicana Evansville; Lisa Barclay Sebree, co-owner, vice president operations, Barclay Sebree Solutions; Ben Shoulders, executive committee member, Vanderburgh county commissioner, corporate relationship manager, Old National Bank; and Jonathan Weaver, executive committee member, Evansville city council representative, F.C. Tucker Emge Realtors.

Goshen Health Foundation has named James Caskey as its vice president and capital campaign director, after holding various positions in development for the institution since 1997. Caskey will spearhead fundraising and development for the foundation, and serve as an ambassador for their mission and culture throughout the community. He is an active board member and volunteer with the Goshen Chamber of Commerce, the Horizon Education Alliance, the Community Foundation of Elkhart County and Rotary Club of Goshen. Mark Lindemood, who served as chief philanthropy officer for almost eight years, is retiring in June.
Conexus Indiana appointed James Connor, chairman and CEO of Duke Realty Corp, to its board of directors. Connor joined Duke Realty in 1998 and served in several leadership positions prior to being named CEO, including as the chief operating officer and as senior regional executive vice president for the company’s Midwest region.

Click to read more from the Apr-May 2018 issue of Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.