IEDA In Your Ear

It’s easy to think about historic preservation or rehab as preserving the ‘past,’ but as communities increasingly focus on creating a competitive ‘quality of place,’ preserving a community’s architectural personality is a strategy for the future that many communities are adopting.

Indiana Landmarks has many resources to assist communities in assessing and understanding their unique architecture, and assistance in helping to create action plans for preservation and rehab. In this podcast, Indiana Landmarks President Marsh Davis explains it all to Lee Lewellen.

Terra Hoskins, Marketing Manager with INzone, explains to Lee Lewellen how Indiana’s Foreign Trade Zones provide a unique advantage to companies within Indiana. Hint: Indiana is one of only two states that has this competitive advantage.

As a non-profit lender, Bankable has carved out a unique lending niche to provide loan products and assistance to small businesses that may not quite meet bank criteria, but are viable. Kyle Fawcett, Marketing Director with Bankable explains the program to Lee Lewellen.

Two years ago, Ivy Tech received $2.6million to provide free tech certification to Indiana young people. The program expires in June and the program has been underutilized. Stephanie Wells, consultant to Ivy Tech, talks in this podcast about the need to recruit 17 – 29 year old Hoosiers before March 2020 to receive this training. People going through the training will receive free tech certification and assistance with job placement. Listen NOW and help get the word out.

Nicky James, Vice President for HR and Talent Development at Cook Group in Bloomington explains the dramatic results they have seen once they listened to current and future employees. ‘My Cook Pathway’ turned traditional training programs upside down to meet employees needs and ended up meeting both company and employee needs.

‘Economic Gardening’ is an intensive program that helps stage two companies grow strategically and add more customers through targeted market research and intensive coaching. Staff from the Purdue Center for Regional Development talk through the details and explain how economic developers can access the program for Indiana companies.

Scott Rudd, Director of Broadband Opportunities for the State of Indiana talks in this podcast about the 7 things communities can do to attract and implement broadband.

As economic developers know, Indiana is facing a critical workforce shortage. Indiana is training transitioning ex-offenders for critical jobs in Indiana saving employers money and reducing recidivism. Sherm Johnson with the Indiana Department of Corrections share the details.

When you are engaging with international visitors or visiting internationally, how do you avoid making mistakes and becoming the ‘ugly American?’ Ashley Eason with the International Center explains what questions you should ask yourself to minimize assumptions and increase your international preparedness.

The US Small Business Administration can help local companies expand into new markets by providing critical, up-to-date research on world-wide opportunities. Lindsay Maliqi with the Indiana SBA office gives LEDO directors a new tool for helping local companies.