The focus of the winter issue of Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly is on the future.
Profiles of nine entrepreneurs who have been honored by the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center tell their stories. Each talks about how and why they went into business on their own in businesses ranging from trucking to accounting, from real estate to entertainment, from insurance to food products, and from recycling to heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
A special nod is given to long-time entrepreneur Gus Olympidis, the owner of and operator of more than 50 Family Express convenience outlets in central and northwest Indiana.
Cutting edge manufacturers like Pull-Rite in Mishawaka, SolaRover in LaPorte, Tri-State Automation in Hammond and Sensit Technologies in Valparaiso are helping change the face of manufacturing in the region. Instead of a focus on steel, these companies are involved with transportation, solar power generation, robotics and hazardous material detection.
Medical and business professionals talk about the importance of dealing with executive stress and offer tips on how to minimize the possibility of a heart attack or stroke. At the same time, Northwest Indiana also is among the leaders in the states among companies setting up their own health clinics in order to better get a handle on health care costs. Some operate clinics in-house and other has clinics across the street from their business, but the goal is the same – to help employees become more pro-active in their own health care.
There are also stories on the importance of meetings and conventions to the region’s economy, a look at the growing impact of credit unions in the region, and the importance of a strong infrastructure.
