Leader of Strack & Van Til started as a stock boy and bagger. by Barbara Eastman One of Jeff Strack’s fondest childhood memories is going to visit the grocery store founded in 1959 by his German-born grandfather, Ernie Strack, and his partner, Nick Van Til. Jeff’s dad worked in the business and started bringing Jeff […]
James Muhammad helps Lakeshore Public Media cut debt, add programming. by Barbara Eastman James A. Muhammad, president and CEO of Lakeshore Public Media (LPM), grew up in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He went to Stillman College on a choral music scholarship and traveled the country performing with the college choir, but majored in communications. His parents were fans
A quarter century of growth and change, and a vision for the future. by Laurie Wink Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly is celebrating 25 years as Indiana’s leading regional business magazine. To mark this milestone, we asked five area leaders to reflect on the region’s growth over the past 25 years and share their vision for
Service and ingenuity are the keys to this pallet manufacturer’s growth. Entrepreneurs know to always be listening so they’ll hear when opportunity knocks. What about when an opportunity goes “moo”? Yes, Wade and Susan Kohler of Pioneer Packaging answered that opportunity, too, when they got into the business of livestock bedding. It’s a perfect–but not
Quality lands thousands of customers across the country. by Michael Puente On August 17, 1999, Paco Fernandez resigned from his job at the Chicago clothing company where he had worked for 28 years. At the time, the native of Tampico, Mexico was living in East Chicago. He set out to start his own clothing company
John Phair leads Holladay Properties in creating headlines and jobs across much of Indiana. by Michael Puente Hardly a week goes by when Holladay Properties isn’t in the news. Whether it’s opening new commercial complex to construction of a new hotel location, Holladay Properties is involved in many business dealings across the northern part of
Salute to Business winners have a big impact on the South Bend area. by Heidi Prescott Wieneke A South Bend native who holds a doctorate in neuroscience. A tireless champion of women. A distinguished leader in health care. A family entertainment center owner. The recipients of the 2015 Salute to Business awards in St. Joseph
Younger generation making a mark on the corporate landscape. by Jerry Davich A handful of relatively young entrepreneurs is changing the corporate landscape in Northwest Indiana with ideas, inventions and out-of-box thinking. They’re known for their innovative minds in an ever-evolving, technology-savvy business world. Here are their stories. Guy Rhodes Since the age of 5,
Griffith construction company making a name in faraway places. by Michael Puente As companies go, Cambridge Companies of Griffith isn’t exactly the most well known in Northwest Indiana. But while folks around here may not have the 26-year-old company’s name on the tip of their tongues, Cambridge is making a name for itself nationally, especially
Outstanding professionals recognized for success and leadership. by Laurie Wink The 10 winners of the 2014 Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards join a rich roster of distinguished business professionals who’ve been honored by the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for 23 years. This year’s E-Day Award winners were applauded by a packed audience at a
