IEDA In Your Ear

Many IEDA members know Steve Eberly from his time as economic development director in Warren County and his frequent attendance at IEDA events.  Now, Steve is serving as executive director of Hoosier for Renewables and in this podcast he share his thoughts about what Indiana economic developers can do to make their communities more conducive for attracting renewable energy projects and the challenges and opportunities in doing so.

The Battery Innovation Center is a global ‘hub’ for battery research, testing, and education located near Newberry, Indiana. The ‘BIC’ leadership team discusses the impact the Center is making on international battery technology, why the Center is in Indiana, and what our ‘battery future’ may look like.

The Strategic Sites Inventory (SSI) project was launched by IEDC and the Indiana Power Partners as a way to increase the number of available sites in Indiana.  The process uses as high-level review process to target potential sites that local economic developers then review and prioritize.

All 92 Indiana counties have received the first review: now, local economic developers need to schedule a ‘site review workshop’ with Sarah Salisbury at IEDC to review and rate the sites that have been selected in their counties.  In these two podcasts the SSI program is re-introduced and explained by Victor Leotta in Part 1 and, in Part 2 Andrea Lendy (Evansville) and Darrell Voelker (Harrison County) explain how the process worked for them.  Other participants in the podcasts include Sarah Salisbury (IEDC), Jeff Pipkin (Hoosier Energy) and Brian Anderson (Wabash Valley Power Alliance).

The Strategic Sites Inventory (SSI) project was launched by IEDC and the Indiana Power Partners as a way to increase the number of available sites in Indiana.  The process uses as high-level review process to target potential sites that local economic developers then review and prioritize.

All 92 Indiana counties have received the first review: now, local economic developers need to schedule a ‘site review workshop’ with Sarah Salisbury at IEDC to review and rate the sites that have been selected in their counties.  In these two podcasts the SSI program is re-introduced and explained by Victor Leotta in Part 1 and, in Part 2 Andrea Lendy (Evansville) and Darrell Voelker (Harrison County) explain how the process worked for them.  Other participants in the podcasts include Sarah Salisbury (IEDC), Jeff Pipkin (Hoosier Energy) and Brian Anderson (Wabash Valley Power Alliance).

Peter Schubert is a licensed professional engineer with 43 US patents and 13 in the EU.  Peter is an award-winning professor in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI and talked with Lee Lewellen in this podcast about his role as director of the Richard G. Lugar Center for Renewable Energy and about some of the technologies being developed at the Center.

In 2018, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce formed the Institute for Workforce Excellence to create a clearinghouse for programs to support the needs of Indiana’s employers.  Jason Bearce is the Chamber’s VP of Education and Workforce Development and he shares with Lee Lewellen the current state of the Institute’s programming and shares details of the ‘Talent Resource Navigator’ which will be launched later this year.

The Batesville Community School Corporation has a unique partnership with local businesses and Ivy Tech Community College to provide classes and hands-on experiences for students to help them enter the workforce after graduation and stay in Batesville.  Superintendent Paul Ketcham talks about the program, the challenges with creating a work-based program in the school, and shares insights about how other communities can follow Batesville’s lead.

Dave Tucker is Vincennes University’s VP for Workforce Development and Community Service.  In this wide-ranging podcast, Dave talks about the many programs available to support Indiana businesses and communities and shares details about an innovative ‘early college’ program pioneered by VU.

‘Manufacturing 4.0’ is the emerging wave of technologies being adopted by manufacturers around the world: it is the leading edge of competitiveness for manufacturers.  Mitch Landess, Conexus Indiana’s VP of Innovation and Digital Transformation talks about the Manufacturing Readiness Grants that are available exclusively for Indiana manufacturers to help them acquire and implement 4.0 technologies.

Most Hoosiers first ‘met’ Dr. Sue Ellspermann when she became Indiana’s 50th Lt. Governor.  In 2016 she was selected to serve as President of Ivy Tech Community College. An engineer, entrepreneur and educator, Sue brings varied experience and expertise to her role at Ivy Tech.  Sue spoke with Lee Lewellen about Ivy Tech’s Strategic Plan, how they hope to partner with the economic development community, and how the institution is preparing to train for emerging jobs of the future.