Small business provides a sense of place Small business is the lifeblood of every city or town, regardless of size. A 2012 study by Civic Economics, a company that analyzes the impact of buying local, found that local businesses are known to have a “multiplier effect” on their communities; for every dollar spent at a […]
The Start-up Toolkit
NWI host to multiple resources designed to help entrepreneurs Cultivating communication skills, mentoring, giving sound advice and offering a collaborative environment are among the ways region organizations are fostering the young entrepreneurial community. “Starting a business isn’t easy. There’s a lot of risk associated with it,” says Lorri Feldt, regional director of the Northwest Indiana […]
Going Green
Local companies take the lead in environmental responsibility Every business, municipality and school corporation in Northwest Indiana plays a part in the tremendous use of natural resources, and each has the potential to decrease the environmental impact and dependence on products that can have a negative effect on the planet in ways both large and small. […]
Entrepreneurial Excellence
Winners of the annual Northwest Indiana E-Day Awards It’s a daunting task to select the special individuals who receive Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards. Each year, the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center (NW-ISBDC) asks a 10-member steering committee to sift through countless nominees and identify the best of the best. The process has been going on […]
Peerless Potato Chips
Times have changed, but the chips are as tasty as ever. by Kathy McKimmie It was 1928, just a year before the big stock market crash, when John Norman Hogg started Peerless Potato Chips on West 11th Avenue in Gary. From England, he became a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps in World War I […]
Code Red Safety
Helping heavy industry safely complete dangerous work. by Kathy McKimmie “We started selling hard hats and safety glasses,” says Michael J. Miller, describing the early days of Code Red Safety, headquartered in Hammond. Founded in 1995 by Miller and two of his fraternity brothers from Indiana University, Gregg Mohoi and Robert Tepperman, it’s now a […]
Salute to Business
Success isn’t just a matter of sales and profits. These standouts are committed to helping their communities succeed, too. by Bob Kronemyer Investing generous time and creative resources to help make their community a better place to work and live is a common thread among the six major winners of the “Salute to Business” competition, […]
LaPorte Savings Bank
Small-bank values and a five-star rating. by Rick A. Richards LaPorte Savings Bank’s roots run deep in LaPorte County and Northwest Indiana. As far as Chairman and CEO Lee Brady can tell, the bank’s roots are deeper than any other bank in the region still doing business under its original name. Brady, who has been […]
Healthy Demand
Northwest Indiana a hot place for a health-care career. by Bob Kronemyer With a diversity of educational programs and health-care facilities, Northwest Indiana is a vibrant environment to pursue a caregiver career. Coupled with the latest recession and an aging population, “health-care opportunities are viewed as good career choices,” says Angie Hampton, director of human […]
Focus: Small Business
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Northwest Indiana. Small business incubators dot the region’s landscape – from Valparaiso to Hammond, from Merrillville to South Bend. As the landscape for small business changes from traditional pursuits in manufacturing to high-tech ventures, new questions arise among entrepreneurs on how to ensure success. To help answer […]