A tale of three mayors in three cities. by Jerry Davich Three innovative Northwest Indiana mayors. Three vastly different cities. Yet three similar strategies to address their unique yet ubiquitous challenges. Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas and Portage Mayor James Snyder are fast friends who share a personality trait that shines through …
Readers pick the top CEOs and community leaders. by Rick A. Richards The best leadership is that done by example. That’s what the five people selected as Northwest Indiana’s top CEOs and Community Leaders have in common, according to the people with whom they work most closely. These five provide a quiet example of doing …
MERRILLVILLE – The Legacy Foundation has announced the promotion of Barry C. Tyler to program officer. Tyler will be responsible for grass-roots administration, statistical record keeping and reporting, public relations, and providing support for the initiatives of Legacy Foundation. “Barry is a great asset to Legacy, but more importantly he is a great asset to …
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 …
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 …
Serving others as health-care organization’s board chair. by Michael Puente Sister Jane Marie Klein’s calling in life is assisting people one way or another, either through prayer or making sure they receive the best medical care possible. Her career in health care started four decades ago shortly after becoming a nun. Today, Sister Jane Marie …
NIPSCO leader builds bridges with employees and his new Northwest Indiana community. by Rick A. Richards Jimmy Staton is passionate about a lot of things in his life. His family. Sports, especially University of West Virginia sports. And the utility business. “I have two sons and we’re all sports fanatics. My wife is very tolerant,” …
Waffle-making executive earns Small Business Person of the Year honors. by Steve Kaelble What’s it take to bring about dramatic business growth? Some revolutionary new technology? Maybe. Or maybe just a new way to present a traditional ware, even an old product. And what could be more traditional than a piping hot breakfast, with delicious …
Great opportunities for freight along the South Shore tracks. by Rick A. Richards As a kid growing up in Berkeley, Calif., Andrew Fox had a unique set of babysitters – switch crews for the Southern Pacific Railroad, whose freight yard abutted his dad’s steel warehouse business. Fox would accompany his dad, Charlie, to the office …
Nothing symbolizes the steady growth of Family Express more than its new 30,000-square-foot corporate headquarters just a few miles south of Valparaiso. Even with a full-scale store mockup inside and high-tech meeting rooms that some small colleges would envy, the building is more function than flash. And that’s how president and CEO Gus Olympidis wants …
