Northwest Indiana Business Magazine June-July 2020 issue.
This edition of Northwest Indiana Business Magazine comes during a time when the world faces a challenge unlike anything in recent history. Our writers learned business and community leaders adapted to the situation, providing expertise to guide clients and customers through uncertain times.
Learn about people and companies making a difference at work and in their communities, including Dana Dumezich of Schererville who recently was appointed to the board of directors of the American Community Bank of Indiana.
The pandemic required businesses and organizations to review or consider making changes to their operations to best handle the novel coronavirus situation as well as protect employees while still trying to survive.
From 2015 to 2019, health care and social assistance was the fastest-growing sector in Northwest Indiana in terms of employment. It created 2,654 new jobs or about half of all new jobs added in the Region during that time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Experts say companies that permitted remote working were ahead of the curve and prepared to deal with the impact of stay-at-home orders during the caronavirus crisis. Firms that weren’t, however, sought expertise to quickly adapt to the situation.
As institutions of higher learning quickly set plans to operate and educate students through remote learning, efforts never wavered on a future that included new leaders, a new state-of-the art building for one school, and new academic programs and partnerships.
For every economic downturn, there’s a recovery, and experts say lulls are the best time to plan for the bounce back. Staying at home doesn’t mean standing still, experts said. Nor should it mean ending marketing efforts.
Hammond native Bob Chapek, now CEO of The Walt Disney Co., said his affinity for Disney began when he was a child during vacations to Walt Disney World in Florida with his family.
During the early weeks of the pandemic, Joshua Railton, owner of DineIn, said his company’s residential orders were up 22%. DineIn, which launched in 1993, was ready for the uptick.
With a team of more than 600 volunteers, Meals on Wheels of NWI delivers more than 1,700 meals daily. In October 2019, the organization delivered its milestone 8 millionth meal.
