MERRILLVILLE – Northern Indiana Public Service Company NIPSCO has announced the recipients of the company’s fourth annual Luminary Awards – recognizing leaders and organizations for their outstanding commitment to strengthening local communities.
The Luminary awards were created in 2012 in celebration of the utility’s 100-year anniversary. Recipients have demonstrated outstanding commitment in five key areas: Education, Environmental Stewardship, Economic Development, Emergency Response and Community Leadership. The 2015 recipients are:
*Community Leadership Award – Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson
*Education Award – Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning
*Environmental Stewardship Award – Porter County Career and Technical Center
*Economic Development Award – Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
*Public Safety – Tri-Town Safety Village
NIPSCO is also making a $1,000 contribution to each award winner’s charity of choice. Winners were announced in conjunction with a community reception held Thursday evening.
Award Winner Bios
Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson – Community Leadership Award
Serving as the Mayor for the city of Gary since 2011, Mayor Karen Freeman Wilson has shown exceptional leadership and the ability to build partnerships to get things done, not only in her community but across the region and state. She has knocked down barriers, becoming the first woman to lead Gary and the first African-American female mayor in the State of Indiana. Her dedication is what separates her from the rest and has not gone unnoticed by her colleagues and members of her community.
Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning – Education Award
The Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning (SCILL) is recognized for its education programs which work to meet the needs of area industries, filling the training gap between students and careers in the fundamental fields of automotive and welding.
In 1996, Starke County Economic Development Foundation’s leadership formed SCILL from within the organization as an aggressive approach to attracting and retaining manufacturers. Long before the term “skills gap” was widely used – Starke County was developing and nurturing relationships to fill current and future needs –working together to do what was needed to get the job done.
Top Community Leaders Honored with NIPSCO's 2015 Luminary Awards
Almost 20 years after its start, SCILL remains committed to its vision of developing a well-trained workforce to which major area employers such as Braun in Winamac, Alcoa-Howmet in LaPorte, Kruz in Knox and others are assured access, and they continue to expand on their offerings to meet the needs of local and area industries.
Porter County Career and Technical Center – Environmental Stewardship Award
The Porter County Career and Tech Education Center opened in 1971 in an effort to help fill the vocational gap between the workforce and employer needs in Porter County. Nearly 45 years later, Porter County Career and Tech is still creating innovative programs to fill the needs of industry and students, especially in the arena of renewable energy.
What began with the installation of one wind generator and six solar collectors has grown into a multi-faceted, student-built and operated alternative energy program teaching students about science, technology, engineering and math through a new learning initiative.
The individuals being trained today in renewable energy technologies at the Porter County Career Center will help meet tomorrow’s need for environmentally sustainable sources of clean energy.
Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership – Economic Development Award
The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership was formed in 2006 to help build a globally competitive economy in a 10-county region in Northeast Indiana. The partnership’s tenacious mission is to build, market and sell Northeast Indiana to increase business investment.
Driven by both aggressive metrics and the desire to better the lives and livelihood of the people of Northeast Indiana, the Partnership has truly become the model for reliable and ingenious success in regional economic development.
Tri-Town Safety Village – Public Safety
Nestled in Schererville and opened in 2008, as a partnership between Dyer, Schererville and St. John, Tri-Town Safety Village has created an environment to teach children about safety in a way they can understand. The miniature community serves as a training playground for big safety lessons for thousands of children each year.
Recent additions to the village include a NIPSCO classroom to teach about natural gas and electricity safety and the importance of calling 811 before digging.
Tri-Town Safety Village has provided this crucial safety training for an estimated 30,000 of our littlest citizens since opening their doors seven years ago. Our children and communities are safer thanks to the dedication of Tri-Town’s staff and board members.
