The county’s big picture growth strategy is achieved in various ways. In its efforts to draw and retain private investment, the Wells County Economic Development Corporation (WCEDC) focuses on continuous infrastructure improvements while actively reaching out to prospective new arrivals who are handsomely incentivized to establish themselves here. The cumulative outcome of the corporation’s economic development efforts has been a significant improvement in local utility supply, transportation infrastructure, and broadband connectivity.

With shovel-ready sites, Wells County’s location, infrastructure, and access to major transportation veins all contribute to its appeal as a future-forward location with the means and business savvy needed for further development.

Where business booms
Home to around 10,000 people, its county seat, the City of Bluffton, was once a gas boom town and one of the first to have paved roads, leading it to become known as “The Parlor City” for being “as clean as a parlor” during a time when most streets were commonly either dusty or muddy. Wells County’s other fast-growing towns include Ossian and Markle, amongst others. And while its communities are expanding at an impressive rate, the county really takes care of prospective businesses looking to relocate here by providing state-based, dollar-for-dollar cashback credits and a county-based relocation cost abatement and workforce assistance, plus low equipment investment taxation.

As a result, Bluffton, Ossian, and Markle have seen impressive changes over the past few years. Poised for the significant growth of its industrial park, workforce, and wages, the town of Ossian is proud of two new housing developments that are underway as a result of a powerful regional economic upsurge.

Moreover, the state’s fastest-growing town, Markle, is known for its beauty and higher wages. Markle also happens to be divided by the borderline of the counties of Wells and Huntington. The happy outcome is that, with fabricators relocating from Illinois and Michigan, much of Allen County’s growth is positively impacting Wells County.

In response to this economic boom, Wells County’s housing sector is also expanding. In particular, its section of Markle is experiencing high housing demand. With Wells County offering low taxes, a lower cost of living, and quality schools and amenities, the town of Markle has responded to the demand with a considerable housing development, of which phase one is already fully occupied. It is now moving into phase two of the project.

If you build it, they will come
In its early days, Wells County was under the management of Allen County before establishing itself as an independent entity in the late 1830s. While the town of Zanesville now also spans both counties, the friendly neighbors regularly join forces on regional advocacy and infrastructure.

Now, following the implementation of numerous well-executed strategies to develop its many sectors and overall infrastructure, leaders in logistics, agribusiness, and advanced manufacturing find Wells County an ideal location for their facilities. To accommodate growing demand from industry, Bluffton Industrial Park is working on a new 100-megawatt electrical capacity that will be rolled out in 2028 alongside its existing 249 acres of available land.

The county has also invested $16 million in its water supply and other infrastructure, with a specific focus on improving food production capacity. Ossian’s industrial park has had significant drainage improvements to improve the quality of its shovel-ready sites within five miles of local railway access, and the town also has large-scale electricity and natural gas infrastructure in place.

Of course, it helps that the local workforce has a longstanding reputation for being particularly industrious. Public statistics show just under 20,000 resident workers, of whom just under 15,000 live and work in the county, with nearly 2,700 commuters entering the county daily from elsewhere, actively contributing to the local economy.

As a result, forward-thinking businesses choose Wells County for its capable workforce, integrated and proactive leadership models, competitive overhead costs, and quality of infrastructure. Wells County is also superbly accessible. Situated right on Interstate 69, and connected to U.S. Highways SR1 and 224, the county has direct routes to all corners of the United States, within a day’s truck drive of around half the American population.

It also has international access to important ports on the Great Lakes at Indiana-Burns Harbor; in Toledo, around two hours away; and in Detroit, roughly three hours away. Its dependable rail service offers national connectivity, and Wayne County Airport, Detroit Metropolitan, Indianapolis International Airport, and Fort Wayne International Airport are all within a three-hour drive.

Amenities for all
Committed to creating quality of place, Mayor Scott Mentzer is leading with the idea that for communities to remain healthy, they must have access to what he calls good, safe, and affordable “third places”—places beyond work environments and home—where people gather and meet. “I think we’ve become isolated. And I’m trying to create momentum about breaking down that isolation and having people gather again, connect again, and create connectivity,” Mayor Mentzer says.

“The quality of our public places signals what we believe we deserve,” he adds. Based on this maxim, the county is continuously recreating itself in ways that make people want to stay.

One such new landmark amenity is the Wells County Community Aquatic Park in Bluffton. As a county-wide effort, the park was funded by a number of visionary stakeholders and designed to be accessible to all demographics, with a design that is modern, fun, and packed with activities. The best part is that it is unbelievably popular, with attendance in the first weeks surpassing the previous year’s visitors’ volumes of its original 51-year-old swimming pool by 40 percent. This year to date, it has gifted 3,600 tickets sponsored by generous business owners to local residents.

The generous people of Wells County also ensure that every child has access to all its wonderful amenities and extra-curricular opportunities. The Wells County Foundation assists families in covering the costs of children’s participation in sport, the arts, and school activities, while other organizations with similar missions include Women in Leadership, The Women of Light, and the Wells County Chamber of Commerce.

Furthermore, the economic development team also endeavors to provide the local workforce with quality job opportunities. These efforts include preempting investors’ workforce needs and curating and developing local talent through workforce training and related partnerships in ways that complement prevailing industries.

Diversifying the economy
In the process, the team is looking to further expand the county’s economic prospects by diversifying its industrial profile. By focusing on providing suitable sites with high-volume water and power supply and other business resources, it aims to draw more companies serving the defense, agricultural technology, and aerospace industries.

“With our collaboration with local governments and utility partners, we have improved transportation, utility, broadband, and shovel-ready sites to keep supporting our growth,” says Jessica Beste, Director of Economic Development.

As a historically agricultural region, a considerable part of Wells County’s existing gross domestic product is derived from crops like wheat and soybeans and their subsequent food processing facilities and value-added agricultural products and services.

Thanks to its expansive technical education offerings, strong logistics and storage industries, and accessibility, alongside generational fabrication expertise, advanced manufacturing, precision machining, and cleanroom facilities, medical fabrication has also found a comfortable home here. From automotive OEMs and metal and plastic fabrication to wood and food production, Wells County is known for innovation and a proud tradition of craftsmanship.

Building the future
As the region continues growing, expediting housing development and redevelopment is a priority, as is providing affordable childcare in order to maintain its workforce as a family-oriented region. To this end, two three-year aid pilot programs assist families with childcare bills from state-registered providers. On the trishare plan, one-third of the cost is settled from regional Northeast Indiana funds, while employers cover one-third and employees another. On the coshare plan, higher-income employees equally divide the cost of childcare with their employers.

In the county’s bid to provide sufficient, quality affordable housing, the WCEDC collaborates with multiple stakeholders on work that dovetails with establishing its Skilled Workforce Pipeline. As part of this initiative, students from the school districts of Bluffton-Harrison, Southern Wells Community Schools, and Norwell Community Schools all receive a K-12 education informed by local business requirements to ensure that they develop the necessary academic and technical acumen they need before choosing from a selection of post-secondary institutions where they can further their studies.

“While industries evolve and markets change, one thing that has remained constant in Wells County is our culture of people who believe in building for the next generation. That commitment to innovation, stewardship, and community is what continues to make Wells County a place where businesses don’t just locate to, but they put down roots and grow. Wells County Economic Development (WCEDC) is proud of that,” says Beste.

As part of the development of adult learners and young students alike, the corporation has built alliances with local trade schools and colleges and the towns of Southern Wells, Norwell, and Bluffton Harrison, alongside Area 18 Career & Technical Education (CTE), which has proven tremendously successful over the past half-decade. The greater education system also accommodates employer engagement through curated training, apprenticeships, internships, and other means.

As Indiana’s biggest, this local CTE cooperative provides students with current, industry-relevant training and experience. High standards are maintained by interest groups engaging directly with industry and collecting relevant information, which is then processed and applied in coursework to ensure that student education remains relevant and in stride with the times.

A separate exploratory group gathers all manufacturers in Wells County to identify areas for improvement in employee education, and the CTE cooperative responds with relevant training for students and employees. This is followed by on-site, hands-on skills training in local manufacturing facilities.

The organization also gives students from eight high schools across Wells, Blackford, Jay, and Adams counties the opportunity to earn dual college credit and industry certifications toward their qualifications. There were 6,007 students enrolled in the program for the 2025-26 school year, with areas of study including Public Safety, Business, Agriculture, Health Sciences, Information Technology, Automotive Technology, Construction Trades, Precision Machining, Welding, and Advanced Manufacturing.

Beyond its school districts, Wells County benefits from Northeast Indiana’s wide choice of post-secondary institutions. These include Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana University Fort Wayne, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana Wesleyan University, Huntington University, Manchester University, Indiana Tech, Trine University, and the University of Saint Francis. Considering the vast selection of study fields these schools collectively offer, Wells County residents enjoy incredibly high standards of education, especially for a rural community.

The local Chamber of Commerce is equally proactive in the county’s career exploration and readiness mandates, providing convocation days in collaboration with the WCEDC alongside career expos, influencer tours, manufacturing day tours, career readiness preparation, internships, and more.

Northeast Indiana is not all about work, however. It also invests generously in the development of the arts, as proven recently when a combined $65 million in READI 2.0 Arts and Culture grants were awarded to nearly 50 statewide projects from Lilly Endowment funds. Sources claim that these projects are forecasted to earn the local arts economy just under $370 million. Northeast Indiana received just short of $11 million of the overall grant for six projects, one of which, the Parlor City Digital Projection, was initiated in the city of Bluffton. A permanent digital installation used as a regional arts and mapping tool is being projected onto the front of one of its oldest buildings. The project received $354,062 from the READI Award and cost around $478,000.

The WCEDC is clear regarding its vision for the future, and with so many incredible partners on board, the path ahead looks promising. As Beste says, “Wells County Economic Development Corporation believes economic development is about creating a future worth investing in. We are committed to supporting responsible growth, expanding opportunities, strengthening our workforce, and building communities where businesses succeed, families thrive, and future generations choose to stay, return, and invest.”

The post Rooted in Community, Driven by Progress<p class="company">Wells County Economic Development</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Proudly sharing “One State, Many Voices” as its motto and offering a varied and inclusive network that includes economic developers alongside industry partners within utilities, legal, construction, financial, higher education, and more, IEDA buoys Indiana’s unified voice by supporting individuals who are creating the future of the state.

Ensuring that economic development concerns remain at the top of Indiana’s agenda by building partnerships with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, state and federal agencies, and elected and appointed officials, IEDA is committed to supporting Indiana’s vital economic development strategies, boasting a straightforward, fundamental conviction: to create vibrant communities, there must first be investments in the leaders that tirelessly serve those communities.

Member benefits are plentiful, such as ongoing education to learn about industry trends; networking opportunities for the vital sharing of best practices; and direct access to state authorities and legislators. IEDA also serves as a reliable champion for issues that membership believe should be at the forefront of legislative debates.

IEDA was first formed in 1968 as the Indiana Area Development Council when 16 dedicated professional industrial developers came together with a shared vision: to provide continuity and structure to a statewide community development effort. In 1982, IEDA was incorporated as a non-profit organization and expanded into the vital network it is today. Over the years, it has broadened its mission by expanding educational initiatives, taking a more active role in group advocacy, and, since 2005, retaining a specialized lobbying firm to efficiently monitor, create, and advocate for important state legislation.

With more than 400 experts as members, IEDA continues to expand today, taking great pride in its tradition of bringing together and assisting those who drive prosperity across every part of Indiana.

“We’re soon to celebrate our 60^th anniversary, and we’re super excited about that,” says Ewing. “From 60 members in 1983 to 450 today, IEDA began as a networking association only but naturally evolved to strategically support membership in the areas of education and statewide advocacy for economic development.”

The association remains true to its networking core, and brings people together in a variety of formats, from conferences to workshops to virtual meetings, covering topics ranging from housing and utilities to data centers, marketing, and best practices for hosting site visits. “We offer three conferences a year for members to gather in person, we do around six webinars, and then we have one smaller professional development opportunity that we usually cap at about 25 people, an intimate deep dive gathering of all things dynamic development where we bring in experts for three days,” Ewing explains.

Later this month, for instance, will see IEDA host its 2026 summer conference, featuring sessions such as The State of BR&E in Indiana: Foundations, Frameworks, and Forward Momentum; From Strategy to Street Level: Real‑World BR&E Practices Across Indiana; AI-Ready Communities: Building Capacity From the Inside Out; Aligning Voices for Talent: How Workforce and Economic Development Win Together; SEA 1 in Practice: What EDOs Need To Know and How To Prepare; and Building the LEDO Voice: Grassroots Messaging That Earns Public Trust. The opening day of the conference also offers a lunch and panel discussion on Women in Economic Development: Real Estate and Economic Development: Insights from Indiana Realtors, offering perspectives from experienced Indiana real estate professionals, a deeper look at how real estate trends impact local economic growth, and opportunities to engage, ask questions, and build connections with fellow professionals.

“IEDA has a recognized legacy of supporting economic developers and partners throughout the state; throughout our history, our programming and resourcing evolve, as they should, to ensure we remain relevant and impactful by intentionally meeting the needs of members across the state,” adds John T. Launius, Senior Vice President and Chief Economic Development Officer. “We’re really proud of the IEDA’s history but couldn’t be more optimistic about the future of the association. I hope the spirit and the mission of the organization never change, but how we support members and what that looks like can and should evolve alongside our members’ needs.”

When it comes to education and training, a broad range of topics are explored, including childcare becoming an urgent priority in the workplace. “We’re constantly listening to our members and those who attend the conferences, workshops, or webinars we put on,” says Ewing. “We’re always engaging and assessing where the value points and topics need to be for our members and that intentionality drives our content and ultimately our value. This member-driven dynamic is key to ensuring we keep things fresh and make sure it’s relevant.”

Changes to IEDA over the years have included a major rebrand in late 2024, complete with a new logo that reflects the association’s energy and impact, including the tagline of “One State, Many Voices,” capturing and emphasizing the statewide reach the association leverages.

The IEDA plays an invaluable role as the home for economic developers in the State of Indiana, and Launius says there is real power and value in the convening of practitioners from around the state. “As a state with a large geography and a diverse range of resources, assets, and industries, it’s critical that we regularly connect and complement regional economic development activity statewide,” Launius shares. “You can feel that connectivity and camaraderie when you go to any of our conferences; there’s an expectation that you will see old friends and partners and make new ones all while elevating the overall quality and competitiveness of the entire state.”

IEDA has a rich history of impactful advocacy work centered around educating elected officials and empowering members with the information and relationships to support their shared priorities. This work is vital, he adds, and an area in which IEDA, through its members, spends a lot of time and energy, ensuring its collective voice is unified and at the table. “This collaborative results-oriented approach requires expertise, patience, and perseverance, all attributes abundantly available through our statewide membership,” Launius says.

Strategically navigating an ever-changing and evolving landscape is one key to success, particularly in light of domestic and international dynamics, where changes are taking place at a “different kind of scale and pace. It positions our advocacy work to be much more active, responsive, and across an even larger area of impact and value to our members,” he says.

Looking ahead, he anticipates ongoing industry and ecosystem shifts around the country—and indeed the world—while IEDA remains steadfast and committed to meeting member needs. “There have been evolving dynamics at the local, state, federal, and international levels for economic developers, and we’re always trying to position Indiana communities as competitive and welcoming environments for businesses and employees,” he emphasizes.

“As economic developers, we have a duty to tell our local, regional, state story of not only our operational advantages but also the quality of people and diversity of perspectives that we embrace. Many of our members have felt a growing need to communicate that narrative externally more broadly and consistently—that we are a welcoming environment and open for business—so we have found ourselves as a professional organization responding to member needs in those areas.”

Responding to those needs has resulted in new areas of involvement such as the U.S. Department of Commerce’s SelectUSA program, a federal initiative that aims to increase awareness of the vital role economic development plays in the U.S. economy and to facilitate business investment that creates jobs in the country. SelectUSA has supported more than 270,000 jobs in the United States by facilitating more than $400 billion in investment since its founding.

“This year, the IEDA, alongside state, regional, and local economic development partners, collaboratively and successfully represented Indiana. This effort brought efficiency and energy to our presence while generating hundreds of foreign direct investment contacts and leads for our members,” Launius says of the evolution and type of event IEDA prides itself on embracing.

Collaboration like this is key to success in economic development, he adds. “We can’t just work as IEDA alone. Relationships and trust are imperative to ensuring excellence and accomplishing these types of initiatives. We were honored and proud to meet the needs of our members and bring our marketing and logistics expertise to guide the effort.”

He also stresses the importance of the role volunteers play in the association’s ongoing success. “We are heavily supported and run by a lot of volunteers with very active committees,” he says. “Whether they’re vetting and selecting content for workshops and conferences, developing or monitoring policy priorities, or recruiting and cultivating members, we benefit from the passion and experiences of our membership.

As for accomplishments, one that Ewing is most proud of in the past year and a half is IEDA’s revamping its member engagement committee and dividing it into three subgroups of new members, current members, and prospective members.

“Our New Member Committee welcomes members as they come in with personal phone calls and emails, seeking them out at conferences and inviting them to either dinners or lunches before conferences start so that they can come in, meet people, and not just be walking into a room with no one they’ve ever met,” she says. “We’re constantly having these touch points so they don’t feel like they’ve been forgotten and are never seen or heard.”

The Prospective Member Committee reaches out to non-members who attend conferences to try to pull them in, ensure they stay engaged, and eventually become a member. Finally, the Current Member Group evaluates what to offer to members to ensure ongoing networking opportunities, adding regional networking receptions and giving updates on the association. And the initiative is working.

“We had a 98 percent member renewal rate last year, which I think was amazing,” says Ewing. “We hit our new member goal by 168 percent, and those three groups working together have also increased attendance at our conferences. Seeing those numbers grow helps the association become fiscally sustainable, but it’s also bringing so much more to everybody who’s attending. They’re getting more out of it as well.”

One of IEDA’s biggest challenges, she adds, is the ever-changing profession of economic development, such as the evolution of the need for childcare. “I’ve been with the association for almost 20 years, and childcare never came up,” she says. “It was just not something talked about, and now at every conference we’re talking about it. It’s at the state level at the legislature that we’re talking about it.” IEDA gladly takes on the challenge because it wants to help on every single level, so the more it can do to provide for its members, the better.

Additionally, the association is currently focusing on updated strategic pillars developed through membership engagement and input. These pillars position leadership to strategically evaluate and direct operations and value. This ongoing process means being proactive in different ways, including recognizing different types of member feedback and looking ahead. Ultimately, though, the goal is IEDA making Indiana stronger and more cohesive by empowering professionals through connection, education, and advocacy.

“What’s been a theme, and critical to IEDA’s past and future success, is to take an education-based approach and bring diverse thoughts together,” says Launius. “We want to continue to be the ‘go to’ resource for our members and stakeholders, particularly with some of the emerging topics the industry is facing. We garner credibility on both sides of issues when we take a thoughtful, education-based approach.”

As Indiana continues to compete for investment, talent, and long-term economic resilience, IEDA will remain an essential force in equipping the people who shape the state’s future with information and insights they can trust. By nurturing collaboration across industries, championing informed advocacy, and ensuring members are prepared to meet emerging challenges, the association continues to strengthen not only individual communities but the state of Indiana as a whole.

The post One State, Many Voices: Stronger Communities through Education, Connection, and Advocacy<p class="company">Indiana Economic Development Association</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

The council became the first contact for businesses considering moving to the area, and it found early success, drawing significant manufacturing operations to Hancock in the 1990s such as manufacturing heavyweight Avery Dennison and automotive supplier Astemo.

Mitchell Kirk, HEDC’s Communications Director for three years now, says it has been rewarding for him and everyone on the council to watch their boardroom grow. Today, the council supports 45 member organizations across public, private, and nonprofit sectors, the greatest number in its history so far.

Hancock County’s strong agricultural and rural heritage is a draw for a number of businesses that wish to grow outward from Indianapolis. Pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly and Elanco Animal Health had presences in the county for decades, along with local farms and a strong manufacturing sector. Hancock has also been one of the fastest-growing counties in Indiana for the past three years, with a 2.4 percent population gain last year to more than 90,000 residents. Development is also on the rise, with 1,268 single-family building permits issued last year, a 27 percent increase over the previous year.

Since 2019, HEDC has helped foster the development of 33 industrial buildings spanning a total of over 18 million square feet and $900 million in assessed value. The bulk of these buildings have been designed for logistics purposes, for which the western part of the county is particularly well-suited thanks to its abundant farmland and access to the interstate. One such project was a 2.3 million-square-foot fulfillment center for Wal-Mart—the largest built in the country at that time—so the council has definitely been kept on its toes in recent years.

Kirk explains that many of the aforementioned 33 industrial buildings were built on spec since 2019; with the pandemic, however, a big wrench was thrown into attracting tenants for these buildings. Thankfully, industrial vacancy rates in the area are decreasing, a spike in activity that is giving brokers further confidence in filling future buildings.

Although they may all have similar goals, Kirk says that economic development organizations are different from place to place. While some are more engaged in the minutiae of smaller operations, like restaurants or retail, HEDC concerns itself with quality of life (although recruitment into the local workforce is always important, too). “As the county grows, we are also able to grow and get more involved,” he says.

Indeed, HEDC has been able to grow in step with Hancock County, building its staff from just a full-time Executive Director and one part-time employee to four full-time employees. This staff increase has given the team the capacity to tackle bigger projects and take a more proactive approach to the county’s economic development. As well, its Community Development Manager is highly engaged with aspects such as housing, quality of life, and resident amenities. People used to follow jobs, Kirk says, but nowadays, many jobs follow people, and they often decide where to live based on these qualities, which is where the focus of HEDC has consistently remained.

A couple of long-term projects have been key to the council’s recent successes. The State Road 9 Innovation Corridor is an ongoing project that is envisioned as a lab-to-field-to-market ecosystem, one that will connect resource entrepreneurship with real-world application in a rural setting. The area for the corridor will be along the eponymous road on the north side of Greenfield and north to the county border.

Currently, the former Elanco property is owned by a partnership of local entities including Hancock Health, NineStar Connect, and Pride Investment Partners, all of which are working with HEDC on opportunities to establish the area as an anchor for the Corridor. Furthermore, a task force of local and state leaders and experts was recently created with the goal of further crafting this vision to accelerate area growth, and HEDC helped land an operation from West Pharmaceuticals near the Corridor.

The Amplify Hancock Innovation Center is another exciting development for HEDC that will soon take shape. It will be a facility containing a career center for high school students as well as workforce training for adults, opening in summer 2026. Kirk says that the Innovation Center bodes well for the local workforce and has attracted site selectors and businesses who are considering the area. Hancock County also has a mega site of over 1,550 acres, an area with a lot of potential. “We are excited for the potential of data centers, manufacturing operations, and a lot of undeveloped farmland,” says Kirk.

Opportunities like the Corridor and the Innovation Center are coming at an exciting time for Hancock County and HEDC, Kirk tells us. One recent opportunity came when the governor of Indiana, Mike Braun, announced a $1 billion state commitment to accelerate growth in the life sciences sector statewide, with the goal of creating 100,000 jobs over 10 years. There is also interest from local and state parties in considering Indiana and its counties part of the BioHeartland, a term used for Indiana’s unified bioscience ecosystem. This initiative is looking to create an identity and story based on the region’s unique strengths such as human/animal health, plant science, and bioscience innovation, one that will further attract new businesses and entrepreneurs.

With increased interest in data centers and manufacturing operations around Indiana, Kirk says that power and electricity for these massive operations will be a key consideration; of course, this is the case everywhere. Governor Braun is keeping an eye on the issue and has expressed interest in alternatives like developing small nuclear reactors as a potential energy source. And HEDC’s Community Development Manager has been working on a retail study with a consulting firm and with county leaders to identify gaps in the market and the best strategies for filling them.

HEDC isn’t afraid of a challenge, and the team is keen to educate community members who are not as favorable toward the kind of development it is seeking. Kirk says that this kind of pressure from concerned parties often pushes things toward a good compromise for all sides, but you never want the pendulum to push too far one way. “Growth is necessary for an area to flourish,” he says, and thus HEDC aims to continue representing the best aspects of growth, change, and opportunity for many years to come.

The post Embracing a Growth Mindset<p class="company">Hancock County Economic Development</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

For business leaders, workforce partners, site selectors, entrepreneurs, and even prospective residents on the lookout for an economically progressive county, Boone County’s economic vitality has established they are here for the long haul. Recognized as Indiana’s County of the Year in 2023, its location on Interstate 65 places Boone County within 30 minutes of Indianapolis International Airport and within a day’s drive of around half of the United States population.

Boone County has strong corridor access to Interstates I-65 and I-74 as well as the ability to connect rail systems from business parks. This positioning makes transportation to and from the county just one of its many pluses for existing and prospective business partners. With significant investment in internal roads and utilities, the county’s infrastructure is becoming more modern, efficient, and able to handle the growth. Such investments further secure prospects for its well-established advanced manufacturing industry. Internationally recognized names in life sciences, such as Eli Lilly and Company, have found a home in Boone County. Eli Lilly’s investment totals nearly 18 billion dollars, one of the largest capital investments in Indiana’s history.

The area is also known for large distribution facilities, including those of international equipment giant Caterpillar and NewCold, a well-known cold storage provider. Having firmly established their presence through initial investments, both companies have now chosen to expand their footprint. In the process, Caterpillar recently established a new advanced manufacturing facility in Lebanon. Business retention and expansion is an area Boone EDC understands is of great importance when it comes to creating long lasting growth for the county.

Strategically located at the center of the state, more than half of this 108,500-hectare county remains agricultural land. Recent decades have brought strong growth and a long-term vision to create prosperity for all its communities, and as a result, the population of Boone County grew by over 70 percent to around 80,000 residents over the past 27 years, making it the second-fastest-growing county in the state of Indiana. Awash with young professionals, more than half of their over-25s hold bachelor’s degrees, rating their education status amongst Indiana’s top two counties.

One of the county’s most successful economic drivers at present is the Limitless Exploration Advanced Pace District, commonly referred to as LEAP. This powerful development is considered the United States’ largest innovation district to date. “LEAP is also a reflection of the strong partnerships that we have with our municipal partners, with the city of Lebanon and Boone County government, as well as the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC),” says Andrea Kern, CEO of Boone EDC.

LEAP investments have brought a significant boost to Boone County’s local infrastructure, in addition to each organization’s own campus. This includes the installation of a new interstate 65 interchange, internal roads, and additions to walking and biking trails. Moreover, Meta is supplying most of the water infrastructure, complete with a closed-loop water consumption system to serve its data center demands, and has taken ownership of the costs of the needed growth for electricity infrastructure. “[Electricity infrastructure] is not a cost that’s being taken on by ratepayers within the city of Lebanon or Boone County,” Kern tells us. “META has demonstrated that they are committed to being a great community partner by investing in a number of nonprofits.”

These are all large commitments, and so is Meta’s efforts to fund a workforce training program that will partner with Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC). This training promises to provide candidates with national certification and guaranteed work. META’s initial investment of 115 million dollars will power the program, called America’s Workforce Academy (AWA).

META also extended a $100,000 subsidy to Boone Power to support those unable to pay their electricity bills, while another $100,000 grant went to the Boone County Career Collaborative, allowing the county to further support its three local school districts, Lebanon, Zionsville, and Western Boone Schools, in navigating and implementing recently amended statewide graduation requirements—changes already impacting current freshmen and sophomores.

New diploma guidelines require between 75 and 650 hours of work-based learning for students. “What we’re really trying to do is help support the schools however we can and make sure that these are quality workforce learning hours. Connecting them with our businesses even comes into play with our business retention and expansion plans,” says Denise Niblick, Director of Business Engagement and Partnerships.

Niblick further highlights that making these programs optimally valuable for end users and learners is a priority. To this end, the Boone County Career Collaborative aims to provide extensive support to learners, counselors, businesses, and other stakeholders through coordinating candidates with internship opportunities and other workforce training. Its contribution also extends to resources such as funding curriculum development, work-based learning facilitation, and materials such as personal protective equipment or technology needed for students’ workforce learning experiences.

“I think you would be hard-pressed to find a county that is as willing and able and has a desire to support youth in their community as Boone County,” she continues, noting how beautiful she finds it that business owners have been proactive in reaching out to the EDC, offering their support of their own volition. It is also exciting to see a growing number of parents agreeing that many trade opportunities offer undeniably good remuneration packages—even compared with professions requiring formal tertiary education—all while accruing zero debt. It is now accepted that the sky is the limit for young people who first train in trades and choose to further their education and careers at a later stage.

Good education is, of course, just one aspect that families looking to move here consider. Making her way from downtown Lexington, Kentucky to Lebanon, Indiana in Boone County, Niblick, for one, could not be happier. As a married young professional with two children, there is a lot keeping her here, from the extensive infrastructure investments the county has made since COVID to glorious natural beauty, trails, and parks. One of Boone County’s most recent redevelopments is Carpenter Nature Preserve, a 215-acre former 18-hole golf course turned conservation destination located in Zionsville. There is also the 110-acre former Lebanon city landfill that was redeveloped into Stone Eater Bike Park, complete with five miles of all-weather and mountain biking trails for all levels of riders. With both Chicago and Indianapolis just a stone’s throw away, locals even have access to every possible big-box store and other modern resources virtually on their doorsteps.

Owning a home here also remains affordable, despite relative scarcity. For this reason, affordable housing is one of the EDC’s priorities. The median annual wage is $56,000; the standard household income is around $104,000.

More rural options for those seeking short commutes but the benefits of a small-town feeling are coming to Thorntown, and Jamestown has an estimated 300 new homes available soon. “This is not just happening in our large communities; we are trying to work with those municipalities to make sure that they are positively impacted by the growth as well,” says Kern.

Public transportation is another priority, and getting around is made easier with the Big Four Rail Trail running through the LEAP district, connecting people from Thorntown to Zionsville and with stops in Whitestown and Lebanon.

Boone County also has connections to IndyCar racing with its Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team’s headquarters in Zionsville, which saw significant investments in 2022. Another well-known sports facility, alongside the Farmers Bank Fieldhouse, is a national attraction and home to the Little League Central Region Complex in Whitestown, where visitors flock from across the Midwest to attend sports events. Of course, all event visitors bring their spending power to the area’s restaurants, hotels, and other guest establishments, dollars that have a far-reaching ripple effect throughout the county.

True to its mandate, Boone EDC continues to focus on growing and maintaining the county’s economic landscape. As part of this mission, Niblick has completed three business retention and expansion visits since starting in March. “Boone EDC has decided to really focus on and foster this. Being able to retain and help businesses with a proven track record that are already in our community, who have invested in their infrastructure here, is a huge win when you’re talking about economic development,” she says. Ensuring that such businesses have everything they need to thrive and feel supported is, therefore, at the core of much of the EDC’s work.

Whether that means helping businesses negotiate their utility costs or supporting workforce transportation issues with the help of the Central Indiana Regional Transportation System, the EDC team leverages every partnership it has to fulfill its role. In the process, the EDC considers its partnerships with key contributors such as the various Boone County and Zionsville Chambers, Community Foundation of Boone County, and others as crucial to its long-term viability. “The leadership in Boone County is in alignment with the goals that we have for the future that we see here. And that means that we’re all supportive of one another,” Kern adds.

The EDC also collaborates with Main Street organizations like the Heart of Lebanon, Jamestown Partnership, and Main Street Zionsville to build and maintain healthy small businesses that uphold lively downtown areas. Bustling with markets, public events, and other fun activities, the county is described by Niblick as a place that sticks to you, but where one is never stuck—a county full of lively activity, promise, and outstanding service provision.

And while residents have had to be patient with a high volume of construction, the sacrifice is paying off as the county grows its assets and infrastructure in ways that provide an ever-improving standard of living for all. Additionally, these expansion works have fueled the local economy and added increased demand for dining, housing, and everyday goods.

With its LEAP District still under construction and bursting at the seams with recognized names in pharma, technology, and other key sectors, this phenomenal new local resource holds tremendous promise for Boone County. While forecasts suggest it will take around three decades to develop this property to its full capacity, Kern estimates that the first real returns will provide benefits over the next five years.

Taking the county forward, the EDC is clear that this is no one-man show. “Economic development really is a team sport in Boone County. The success that we’ve seen is really driven by those strong relationships that we have with a number of organizations, such as the Boone County Chamber of Commerce and the Community Foundation of Boone County,” Kern observes. As a result, through full life-cycle support and all the networking needed to keep them running at full speed, businesses continue to boom in Boone County.

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