Best of Northwest Indiana and Greater South Bend/Michiana Business – 2017

Our readers make their picks in dozens of categories.

“The best of the best.” We all think quite highly of our state, and our region within the state. It’s the best, for sure, and no one will persuade us to believe anything different. So who is the best of the best? What businesses and organizations stand out among our area’s impressive crowd?

That’s what we try to reveal each year through Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly’s reader survey … we’re measuring the high opinions of our readers, who are business leaders but also customers across the business community. To those honored businesses and organizations, we say “congratulations!” And we couldn’t have done this without the countless readers who took time to vote in our online survey. Thank you for your participation in our annual celebration!

Community & Education

Best Companies to Work For

Northwest Indiana

Winners: Centier Bank | Franciscan Health | Horizon Bank | Porter Health Care System | Peoples Bank

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: 1st Source Bank

Best University to Attain an MBA

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Purdue Northwest—Hammond, Westville

Runners-up: Indiana University Northwest—Gary | Valparaiso University—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: University of Notre Dame—South Bend

Runner-up: Indiana University—South Bend

Best University for a Technology Degree

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Purdue Northwest—Hammond, Westville

Runner-up: Ivy Tech Northwest—East Chicago, Gary, Michigan City, Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winners: University of Notre Dame—South Bend |Ivy Tech North Central—South bend, Goshen, Warsaw

Best University Online Degree Program

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Indiana University Northwest—Gary

Runners-up: Purdue Northwest—Hammond, Westville |Ivy Tech Northwest—East Chicago, Gary, Michigan City, Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Indiana University—South Bend

Best Chamber of Commerce

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce—Valparaiso

Runners-up: Crossroads Chamber of Commerce—Crown Point, Merrillville | Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce—East Chicago, Hammond

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce—South Bend

Best Location for Opening a New Business

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Valparaiso

Runners-up: Crown Point, Michigan City, Merrillville, Munster, Schererville

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Mishawaka

Best Minority or Veteran Owned Business

Northwest Indiana

Winner: JM2 Marketing—Valparaiso

Runners-up: Veteran’s Cafe—Merrillville, Fiddlehead Restaurant—Michigan City | Digital Graphics Solutions—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Indiana Whiskey—South Bend

Banking & Financial

Best Bank for Business

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Centier Bank

Runners-up: Horizon Bank | People’s Bank | 1st Source Bank

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: 1st Source Bank

Runner-up: Centier Bank | Horizon Bank

Best Bank for Obtaining a Business Loan

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Centier Bank

Runners-up: Horizon Bank | People’s Bank | 1st Source Bank

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: 1st Source Bank

Runner-up: Centier Bank

Best Bank for Customer Service

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Centier Bank

Runners-up: Horizon Bank | People’s Bank | 1st Source Bank

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: 1st Source Bank

Runner-up: Centier Bank

Best Credit Union

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Tech Credit Union

Runners-up: Teacher’s Credit Union | Regional Federal Credit Union

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Teacher’s Credit Union

Runner-up: Notre Dame Federal Credit Union

Best Accounting Firm

Northwest Indiana

Winner: McMahon and Associates CPAs—Munster

Runners-up: Swartz Retson—Merrillville | Rowley & Company LLC—Michigan City

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Crowe Horwath—South Bend

Runner-up: Kruggel Lawton CPA—South Bend, Elkhart, St. Joseph MI

Best Wealth Management Advisory Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Centier Bank

Runners-up: Horizon Bank | People’s Bank

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: 1st Source Bank

Runner-up: Centier Bank

Best Business Investment Brokerage Firm

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Edward Jones

Runners-up: Harbour Trust—Michigan City | Stifel—Crown Point | Oak Partners—Crown Point, Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Edward Jones

Legal & Insurance

Best Corporate Law Firm

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP—Merrillville, Valparaiso

Runners-up: Krieg DeVault—Merrillville | Hoeppner Wagner & Evans LLC—Merrillville, Valparaiso | Newby, Lewis, Kaminski & Jones LLP—LaPorte

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Barnes & Thornburg LLC—South Bend, Elkhart

Best Law Firm for Business Acquisitions and Mergers

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP—Merrillville, Valparaiso

Runners-up: Krieg DeVault—Merrillville | Hoeppner Wagner & Evans LLC—Merrillville, Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Barnes & Thornburg LLC—South Bend, Elkhart

Best Law Firm for Litigation

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP—Merrillville, Valparaiso

Runners-up: Eichhorn & Eichhorn, LLP—Hammond | Hoeppner Wagner & Evans LLC—Merrillville, Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Barnes & Thornburg LLC—South Bend, Elkhart

Best Law Firm Specializing in Accidents and Injury

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP—Merrillville, Valparaiso

Runners-up: Kenneth J. Allen Law Group—Merrillville, Valparaiso | Sarkisian, Sarkisian & Associates—Portage, Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Blackburn & Green—South Bend, Elkhart, Valparaiso

Best Estate-Planning Practice

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP—Merrillville, Valparaiso

Runners-up: Law offices of Gary Bonk—Schererville | Eichhorn & Eichhorn, LLP—Hammond

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Barnes & Thornburg LLC—South Bend, Elkhart

Best Insurance Agency for Business

Northwest Indiana

Winner: 1st Source Insurance—Merrillville, Michigan City, Valparaiso

Runners-up: General Insurance Services—Michigan City, La Porte, Valparaiso | MacLennan & Bain Insurance—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: 1st Source Insurance—Elkhart, Goshen, Mishawaka, Plymouth

Best Property & Casualty Insurance Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: State Farm

Runners-up: 1st Source Insurance—Merrillville, Michigan City, Valparaiso | General Insurance Services—Michigan City, La Porte, Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: 1st Source Insurance—Elkhart, Goshen, Mishawaka, Plymouth

Construction & Real Estate

Best Commercial Real-Estate Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: McColly Real Estate

Runner-up: Commercial In-Sites LLC

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Bradley Company

Runners-up: Newmark Grubb Cressy & Everett | Holiday Properties

Best Commercial Construction Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Larson Danielson—La Porte

Runners-up: Tonn & Blank—Michigan City | Chester, Inc—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Majority Builders—South Bend

Best Commercial Architectural Design Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Chester, Inc—Valparaiso

Runner-up: Design Organization / Shive-Hatterly—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Epoch Architecture + Planning—South Bend

Best Construction Company for Office remodeling and Expansion

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Larson Danielson—La Porte

Runner-up: Tonn & Blank—Michigan City

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Ziolkowski Construction—South Bend

Best Commercial Landscaping Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Lakeshore Landscaping—Valparaiso

Runner-up: Tim’s Landscaping—Griffith

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Foegley Landscape—South Bend

Best Residential Real-Estate Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: McColly Real Estate

Runner-up: Century 21

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Cressy & Everett

Best Residential Development Home Builder

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Olthof Homes—St. John

Runner-up: Schneider Builders—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Century Builders—Mishawaka

Runner-up: Place Builders—South Bend

Best Home Remodeling Construction Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Michiana Construction & Management—Michigan City

Runner-up: Schneider Builders—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Peacock & Company—South Bend

Business Services

Best Place to Purchase Office Furniture

Northwest Indiana

Winners: McShane’s Business Products & Solutions—Munster | Kramer Leonard—Chesterton

Runner-up: HDW—Merrillville

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Office Interiors—Granger

Best Place to Purchase Office Equipment and Supplies

Northwest Indiana

Winners: McShane’s Business Products & Solutions—Munster

Runner-up: Kramer Leonard—Chesterton

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: U.S. Business Systems — Elkhart

Best Information Technology Consulting Company

Northwest Indiana

Winners: Chester, Inc—Valparaiso | Impact Solutions — Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: U.S. Business Systems — Elkhart

Best Ad Agency / Marketing Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: JM2 Marketing—Valparaiso

Runner-up: Group 7even—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: J2 Marketing—South Bend

Best Commercial Printer

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Largus Graphix Solutions—Munster

Runners-up: Reprographic Arts—Michigan City | BoyConn—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Zipp Printing—Mishawaka

Best Employment Staffing Agency

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Staff Source — Hammond

Runner-up: Express Employment Professionals—Schererville, Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Peoplelink Staffing Solutions—South Bend

Runner-up: Specialized Staffing Solutions—South Bend

Best Local Telecommunication Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Midwest Telecom of America—Merrillville

Runners-up: Nitco—Hebron | Comcast

Best Local Internet Provider

Northwest Indiana

Winners: Comcast

Runners-up: Midwest Telecom of America—Merrillville | Nitco—Hebron

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Comcast

Best Commercial Interior Design Company

Northwest Indiana

Winner: HDW — Merrillville

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Office Interiors—South bend

Health & Wellness

Best Hospital

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Franciscan Health

Runners-up: Porter Health Care System | Community Healthcare System

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Memorial Hospital

Runner-up: St. Joseph Medical Center

Best Health Care Facility for Cardiology

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Porter Health Care System

Runners-up: Franciscan Health | Community Healthcare System

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Memorial Hospital

Best Health Care Facility for treating Cancer

Northwest Indiana

Winners: Franciscan Health | Porter Health Care System

Runners-up: Cancer Health Treatment Centers | Community Healthcare System

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Michiana Hematology Oncology

Best Urgent / Immediate Care Clinic

Northwest Indiana

Winners: Franciscan Express Care | Porter Care Express

Runner-up: Community Hospital Outpatient Centers

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: MedPoint

Best Occupational Health Care Practice

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Franciscan Working Well

Runner-up: Workforce Health

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: South Bend Clinic

Best Fitness and Wellness Facility

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Franciscan Omni Health & Fitness—Chesterton, Schererville

Runner-up: Community Hospital Fitness Pointe—Munster

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Beacon Health & Fitness—Mishawaka, South Bend

Meeting & Entertainment

Best Restaurant for Business Entertaining

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Gamba Ristorante—Merrillville

Runners-up: Gino’s Steakhouse—Dyer, Merrillville | Patrick’s Grille—Michigan City | Teibel’s—Schererville

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Café Navarre—South Bend

Runner-up: La Salle Grill—South Bend

Best Caterer for Business

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Comfort’s Catering—St. John

Runners-up: Great Lakes Catering—Michigan City | Suzie’s Café—Valparaiso

Best Meeting Site for Large Groups

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Avalon Manor—Merrillville

Runners-up: Blue Chip Hotel & Casino—Michigan City | Horseshoe Casino—Hammond

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Century Center—South Bend

Best Meeting Site for Small Groups

Northwest Indiana

Winners: Inn at Aberdeen—Valparaiso | Gamba Ristorante—Merrillville

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Inn at St. Mary’s—South Bend

Best Casino for Business Meetings and Events

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Blue Chip Hotel & Casino—Michigan City

Runner-up: Horseshoe Casino—Hammond

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Four Winds—New Buffalo, MI

Best Hotel for Business Travelers

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Blue Chip Hotel & Casino—Michigan City

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Inn at St. Mary’s—South Bend

Best Bed and Breakfast for Business Traveler

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Inn at Aberdeen—Valparaiso

Runner-up: Arbor Hill—La Porte

Best Site for a Corporate Retreat

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Blue Chip Hotel & Casino—Michigan City

Runner-up: Inn at Aberdeen—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Oaks at SouthPaw Farm—Mishawaka

Lifestyle

Best Golf Course

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Sand Creek Country Club—Chesterton

Runners-up: White Hawk—Crown Point | Sandy Pines—De Motte

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Blackthorn Golf Club—South Bend

Best Golf Course for Charitable / Business Outings

Northwest Indiana

Winner: White Hawk—Crown Point

Runner-up: Innsbrook Country Club—Merrillville

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Blackthorn Golf Club—South Bend

Best Automobile Dealer for Business Executives

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Schepel Buick GMC Cadillac–Merrillville

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: Gurley Leep Automotive Group—Mishawaka

Best Place for Corporate Gifts

Northwest Indiana

Winner: Simply Amazing Market / Opportunity Enterprises—Valparaiso

Greater South Bend/Michiana

Winner: South Bend Chocolate Factory—Mishawaka, Michigan City, South Bend, Valparaiso

Congratulations to all of the Companies Selected