BusINess Magazine

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

HAMMOND, INPERMIT #2371

SUMMER 2011 SUPPLEMENTSUMMER 2011 SUPPLEMENT

INNOVATIONS/CONNECTIONS/JOBS ISSUE

Gary South Shore RailCats Intern NELSON PICHARDO

Entry-Level TransformersTHE POWER OF INTERNS

FAMILY BUSINESS Generations of jobs

New Graduates HOW I GOT THE JOB

> Equipment or inventory financing > Real estate purchase> Working capital lines of credit > Construction> Business acquisition > SBA Loans: 7A/504 financing

You First BankingMember FDIC

personal banking > commercial banking > wealth management

John Diederich

David Bochnowski

Todd Scheub

Joel Gorelick

…and business lending, tooWhatever the size of your business, Peoples Bank is here to help you grow. We have money to lend and a variety of lending options available to business owners with solid business plans. We’re happy to talk business with you when you’re ready to take that step.

We build our business on relationships, not just transactions. As your local community bank with local people, we work at understanding your needs in order to provide you with the experience and service you expect.

We offer a wide range of financing solutions for your business needs:

Let’s talk about how we can help you set your goals in motion. Contact any member of our Peoples Bank team today at 219-853-7500, (shown above from left to right) Executive Vice President John Diederich, Chairman and CEO David Bochnowski, Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer Todd Scheub, and President and Chief Administrative Officer Joel Gorelick. Learn about our complete range of business banking services at www.ibankpeoples.com.

We Speak Business

We speak Business Ad 7-6-2011.pdf 1 7/6/2011 4:20:37 PM

gjc_ad.indd 1 2/1/10 2:32 PMgjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1gjc_ad.indd 1 2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM2/1/10 2:32 PM

travel simplyBad travel days. If you’ve experienced them, you know what they can do to your work schedule. With a growing fleet of 10 aircraft, ranging from economic Very Light Jets to Large cabin aircraft, we are able to accommodate all of your travel needs. Chartering with the Gary Jet Center is the best way to stay productive and travel simply.

Contact our charter department at 219-944-1210 for a quote or to set up an introductory meeting.Gary Jet Center, 5401 Industrial Hwy. Gary, IN 46406 garyjetcenter.com

Ivy Tech Community College isIndiana’s workforce developmentleader, bringing new and enhancedskills to residents throughout thestate. By providing training for goodpaying jobs in the professions wherepeople are needed most, Ivy Tech ischanging lives throughout Indiana.

1.888.IVY.LINE www.ivytech.edu

Changing Lives...Making Indiana Great

Thinking about earning an MBA from a business school not accredited by AACSB International? Why?

The School of Business and Economics at Indiana University Northwest is the only public business program in Northwest Indiana accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International.

Only 15 percent of business schools worldwide have attained this undisputed benchmark for quality business education.

The MBA for Professionals program at IU Northwest offers convenient, affordable, evening and weekend options for people who want to go back to school and have a life, too. Classes are taught by Ph.D professors who have extensive real-world experience. The curriculum includes both in-class and online components.

Innovative learning tools such as the Wall St. on Broadway Trading Floor – the only simulated stock-trading program in Northwest Indiana – provide valuable, hands-on learning experiences. Earning an MBA is a big investment, and the career payoff can be huge. Choose the school in Northwest Indiana that combines excellence, convenience, affordability, innovation, and a premier accreditation into one phenomenal program.

When it comes to business education, accreditation is everything.

Chicagoland’s Affordable AACSB Business School.

iun.edu/~busmba

Innovative learning tools such as the Wall St. on Broadway Trading Floor – the only simulated stock-trading program in Northwest Indiana – provide valuable, hands-on learning experiences. Earning an MBA is a big investment, and the career payoff can be huge. Choose the school in Northwest Indiana that combines excellence, convenience, affordability, innovation, and a premier accreditation

iun.edu/~busmba

SUMMER 2011 SUPPLEMENT | 1

Contents

Generations of Jobs: They are sons and daughters who have been inspired by their parents to follow in their footsteps whether the path is in business or politics. By Diane Poulton

12FEATURES

Generations of Jobs:are sons and daughters who have been inspired by their parents to follow in their footsteps whether the path is in business or politics.

12FEATURES

FATHER & SON

AFATHER, SON, MOTHER, DAUGHTER

They are sons and daughters who have been inspired by their parents to follow in their footsteps whether the path is in business

or politics. They have been involved in the day-to-day activities of those worlds from a very early age. They have watched their

parents and learned by their example. They have inherited their family’s values. Theirs are stories of strong work ethic, passion for

what they do and service to the community.

GenerationsGenerationsOF JOBS

BY DIANE POULTON | BUSINESS CONTRIBUTORGenerationsFamily Business:

Tech High Schools: Calumet High School and Hammond Academy of Science and Technology are using technology and project-based learning to get students ready for the future. By Diane Poulton

24Academy of Science and Technology are using technology and project-based learning to get students ready for the future.

24CALUMET NEW TECH HIGH SCHOOL

P

WIRING UP:

HAMMOND ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

TECH HIGH Using technology to improve students’ motivation and performance and to prepare them for entering college and the job market are the primary goals for Calumet High School and the Hammond Academy of Science and Technology, a charter school. • Calumet High, which has 8,600 students, is the first Northwest Indiana School to implement the New Tech Program.

How I Got The Job: Graduates Annica Downing, Adam Crawford, Brittany Leslie and Megan Walsh tell the secrets of their success in a difficult job market. By Mallory Jindra

15

in business or politics. By Diane Poulton

How I Got The JobGraduates Annica Downing, Adam Crawford, Brittany Leslie and Megan Walsh tell the secrets of their success in a difficult job market. By Mallory Jindra

1515JOINING THE RANKS OF THE EMPLOYED Annica Downing

AMOTHER & DAUGHTER

L

New Graduates:

HOW I GOT THE JOB

“I would have never thought about running for office if she hadn’t been there before me. She opened the door for women in politics in Lake County.”

Summer is the growing season for state legislators as they work on study committees and issues that will impact the session coming up in 2011-12. Assignments include the Illiana Expressway, tax reform and water policy. By State Senator Ed Charbonneau

MY TURN

and issues that will impact the session coming up in 2011-12. Assignments include the Illiana Expressway, tax reform and water policy. By State Senator Ed Charbonneau

My Turn

SBY STATE SENATOR ED CHARBONNEAU

Summer is the Growing Season for State Senators30

Matching graduates with the demand in the NWI job market is a challenge. The majority of students at Ivy Tech are employed before and during their enrollment. So, graduates have very specific ideas about graduation. By Bill Thon.

29NEW FUTURES

Summer is the growing season for state legislators as they work on study committees

MY TURN

My Turn

SSummer is the Growing Season for State Senators30

Matching graduates with the demand in the NWI job market is a challenge. The majority of students at Ivy Tech are employed before and during their enrollment. So, graduates have very specific ideas about graduation. By Bill Thon. By Bill Thon.

2929NEW FUTURES

My Turn

SBY STATE SENATOR ED CHARBONNEAU

Summer is the Growing Season for State Senators

A

NWI PRODUCE SHOPPING DESTINATI N

marketing farmers markets: NWI Shopping Destination: For shoppers, the outdoor summer markets are a chance to get away from the city. For entrepreneurial farmers, it’s a revenue stream. For both groups it’s destination tourism. By Mallory Jindra

18

Tech High Schools: High School and Hammond 24 WIRING UP: WIRING UP:

TECH HIGH TECH HIGH TECH HIGH TECH HIGH TECH HIGH TECH HIGH TECH HIGH TECH HIGH TECH HIGH TECH HIGH

AAAAAA a revenue stream. For both groups it’s destination tourism. By Mallory Jindra

A

SPECIAL TIMES DIVERSITY JOB FAIR REPORT

DIFFICULT JOB MARKET

FACING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Roy Slazyk’s life changed in November 2006 after suffering a work-related injury on a job site in Harvey

five years ago. ¶ And sadly it changed again in January when the Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles plant he worked

in closed, said his wife Mary Ellen Slazyk.

BY BOWDEYA TWEH | TIMES BUSINESS REPORTER

Difficult Job Market Facing People With Disabilities: Employers are learning about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities for their businesses. By Bowdeya Tweh

20

FEATURES

Contents

24

18

24

2020

FEATURES

The Power Of Interns: A 21st Century professional career often requires blending college classroom instruction and real-world experience. Internships for college students and recent graduates have become standard for many professions. By LuAnn Franklin

26

COVER STORY

Brittany Leslie

W

Megan Walsh

M

Jon Dobrzeniecki

PAdam Crawford

A“ One person I talked with

emphasized setting yourself apart by calling people, not just emailing or sending in resumes. I tried to take that advice and run with it, and I think it helped.

Randy Zellers, intern for the Gary South Shore RailCats.

TONY V. MARTIN, THE TIMES

Publisher’s LetterSUMMER 2011 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 6

Publisher Bill Masterson Jr.

Founding editor William Nangle

Associate Publisher/Editor Pat Colander

Director of Product Development Brett Riley

Associate editors Karin Saltanovitz, Matt Saltanovitz

Design Director Ben Cunningham

Designer April Burford

Contributing writers Heather Augustyn, Cal Bellamy,

Keith Benman, Dan Carden, Lu Ann Franklin, Jeremy Gantz,

Carmen McCollum, Louisa Murzyn, Diane Poulton, Kathleen Quilligan,

Bill Thon, Bowdeya Tweh, Brian Williams

Contributing photographer Tony V. Martin

Advertising Director Lisa M. Daugherty

Advertising managers Deb Anselm, Eric Horon,

Jeffrey Precourt

Business Advisory Board Dave Bochnowski, Peoples Bank;

Wil Davis, Gary Jet Center; Nick Meyer, NIPSCO; Barb Greene, Franciscan Health Alliance; Mona Vaccarella, Majestic Star Casinos and Hotel; Stephan K. Munsey,

Family Christian Center; William J. Lowe, Indiana University Northwest;

Bill Thon, Ivy Tech State College

Copyright, Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland BusINess, 2010. All rights reserved. Reproduction

or use of editorial or graphic content without permission is prohibited.

We want to hear from you

E-mail bill.masterson @nwi.com or write to BusINess Magazine, The Times, 601 W. 45th Ave., Munster, IN 46321

Is there any other topic that so vitally affects the global economic situation besides jobs? A shrinking workforce can paralyze the market in an instant. No matter what you are selling, you know that buying power depends on consumers/employees having confidence about continued income.

But, though few industries have not been touched by downsizing, few businesses have not experienced a shortage of qualified candidates in highly-skilled and specialized areas. In our industry we have introduced no fewer than a half dozen new internal systems and processes with a degree of complexity that required training. And those processes and that training must be continually updated and will be for the foreseeable future. We launch a new e-product, web site, mobile app, social network, targeted brand or online program more than once a week.

Every business has had to become visionary and entrepreneurial; it’s the only way to get an edge. Ironically, fresh ideas and bold visions invariably bubble from the workforce. You are back to square one: You have to hire the right people.

This issue takes a hard look at education, networking and what pays off for young people just getting started in business and the experienced counterparts who are hiring them. And this jobs issue starts at the high school level, where increasingly, critical life decisions are being made sooner rather than later. Many NWI high schools have embraced technological and project-based learning. So many high schools, that this approach is no longer regarded as experimental. Computer keyboard skills have replaced cursive writing in primary school curriculum, it’s only logical that high school graduates will need a solid background in basic business software.

Trying to figure out how to get a job in this market? We asked some graduates and post-graduate graduates who recently got a job. For many of them, the answer was the same—they were interns first. Internships are the modern equivalent of entry-level employment. And even internships have evolved in the last five years as these graduates will tell you. The new market expects interns to hit the ground running. Young people are quickly absorbed into the day-to-day routine of teaching and learning in a workplace that is constantly changing.

Of course, the best internship you can have is a good mentor and the best mentorships start in childhood. Just ask Dean White and his son Bruce, who learned very early that giving your word, being totally honest and protecting your good name are vital to doing business. Bruce learned that from his father and his father Dean learned it from his father. Integrity is still the most important skill of all and it is something you can’t learn online.

We are currently taking nominations for our annual 20 Under 40 awards issue which comes out in September. So do us a favor and look around for the best and the brightest in our communities and companies and let us know who you think deserves encourage for commitment, dedication and determination in whatever they do.

BY BILL MASTERSON JR.Publisher, BusINess, The Times Media Co.

The Right Stuff in Northwest Indiana

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4 | IN BUSINESS

BizWorthy

ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST manufacturers of solar inverters will relocate its American headquarters to Portage and promised to create 500 jobs by 2016.

The announcement by officials from Fronius USA was met by applause from about 300 people gathered inside the 400,000-square-foot Randolph building at AmeriPlex at the Port business park. The company has purchased the building and land from Holladay Properties, signaling its commitment to the community it has chosen to call its home.

“If Fronius goes somewhere, we stay there forever,” said Wolfgang Niedrist, managing director of sales for Fronius USA.

Niedrist said the Austrian-based, family-owned company chose Indiana for its strong educational system, solid network of suppliers and access to logistical services.

“We searched for the right location, the right state and chose Indiana. We decided to go close to an international airport. They had this building available,” Niedrist said.

Thomas Herndler, head of manufacturing for Fronius USA, said the Portage facility is the “biggest investment by the company outside of Austria.”

Gov. Mitch Daniels, Mayor Olga Velazquez and others praised the partnership that brought the company to the city.

“I want to thank you for the business,” Daniels said. “This is what gets us up in the morning. They chose wisely and well when they chose Portage.

“This is the kind of company we have tried to rebuild the Indiana economy to attract. The whole state will be proud of what happens here,” said Daniels, adding the company and state and local officials began negotiating to bring the company’s U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility to Portage about nine months ago.

“This doesn’t happen in a vacuum, it doesn’t happen in a moment’s time,” Velazquez said. “We

truly are lucky you chose us. Portage and Northwest Indiana residents are ready to demonstrate that we are a loyal, hard-working work force.”

The U.S. Department of Energy approved the state of Indiana to provide Fronius USA $9.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to buy equipment for a new facility for the components in August.

“This is huge,” Portage Economic Development Corp. Director Bert Cook said. “Very few communities get to experience a development of this magnitude. It is not only for Portage, but for Northwest Indiana.”

Cook added that Fronius’ commitment will drive

additional economic development in the city and region.

Tim Healy, vice president of Holladay Properties, said it was a team effort to bring the company to Portage and that Fronius’ commitment marks the largest investment by a single company in the business park.

Herndler said the next step will be to design and construct the interior of the building to meet the company’s needs. The plan should be completed by October or November and construction would begin shortly thereafter. The building should be completed by September 2012 and the plant in operation by January 2013. BY JOYCE RUSSELL

NEW BUSINESS

SHEDDING LIGHT

JON L. HENDRICKS | THE TIMESGov. Mitch Daniels, center, is shown a solar-energy inverter by Fronius head of manufacturing in the USA Thomas Herndler, left, and Fronius Managing Director for U.S. Sales Wolfgang Niedrist, right, during a news conference for the company at its future U.S. headquarters at the Ameriplex in Portage.


BizWorthy

REGION HOSPITAL SYSTEMS were ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s best hospitals in the Chicago metro area.

According to the magazine’s website, 46 of 121 Chicago metro area hospitals received top ranking.

Ingalls Hospital, in Harvey, Ill., ranked 15th and earned high marks for six specialties: cancer; diabetes; ear, nose and throat; geriatrics; neurology and neurosurgery; and orthopaedics.

Methodist Hospitals, based in Gary, ranked 22nd with high marks for diabetes and endocrinology; gastroenterology; kidney disorders; urology; and neurology and neurosurgery.

Two hospitals of Community Healthcare System, The Community Hospital in Munster and St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, tied for 25th. Both hospitals received high rankings in geriatrics; kidney disorders; and neurology and neurosurgery.

Porter’s Valparaiso hospital ranked 34th with high rankings in ear, nose and throat.

St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart also ranked 34th with high rankings in neurology and neurosurgery.

To be ranked in a metro area, hospitals need to score in the top 25 percent among peers in at least one of 16 medical specialties.

For the full list of metro area rankings, visit www.usnews.com/hospitals.

Also announced, The Community Hospital was named to the Top 100 by Thomson Reuters for the second year in a row.

The Thompson Reuters study designates hospitals that have achieved excellence in clinical outcomes, patient safety, patient satisfaction, financial performance and operational efficiency. About 3,000 hospitals were evaluated, and the top 100 were determined using Medicare cost reports, Medicare provider analysis and review data, and core measures and patient satisfaction data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Compare. BY KATHLEEN QUILLIGAN

Region hospitals recognized among best in areaCommunity in Munster earns additional honor

ACCOLADES

Vijay Jayachandran, M.D., F.A.P.A•Diplomate,AmericanBoard ofPsychiatry&Neurology•Diplomate,Subspecialtyof AddictionPsychiatry,A.B.P.N.•Diplomate,AmericanBoard ofAdolescentPsychiatry,•Fellow,AmericanPsychiatricAssociation

Sanker Jayachandran, M.D.•Diplomate,AmericanBoard ofPsychiatry&Neurology•Diplomate,Subspecialtyof AddictionPsychiatry,A.B.P.N.•Diplomate,AmericanBoard ofAddictionMedicine,A.B.A.M.

720 45th Street • Munster, IN • 219-934-6410 www.confidentialcare.com

Confidential Care is an integrated group practice with psychiatrists, counselors and social workers.

Confidential Care offers evening and weekend schedules that are suitable for you without disrupting your work, school or family time.

We offer evening and weekend schedules that are suitable for you

without disrupting your work, school or family time.We offer evening and weekend schedules that are suitable for you

without disrupting your work, school or family time.

edItor’S ChoICe

Psychiatric & addiction care

Best OUTPATIENT TREATMENT and INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT. Confidential Care offers painless and comfortable medication-assisted detox treatment while living at home, followed up by our outpatient rehabilitation.

• Addiction • Alcoholism • depression

• Anxiety• Gambling • Mental disorders

TREATINg:

We also treat co-occuring mental disorders with addiction, such as:• Anxiety • depression

• Bipolar • PtSd

• Poor school performance from Adhd • Self-mutilation

Best Trained Professionals and Staff FREE WORKSHOPAttention Parents: Learn how to communicatewith your teen.

FreeworkShoP&oPeNhouSeAugust 10th • 7:30-8:30pmatConfidentialCare*Call to reserve your seat

219 934 6410 Limitedseatsavailable,Doctorwillbeavailableforquestions.*integratedgrouppracticewithpsychiatrists,counselorsandsocialworkers.

6 | IN BUSINESS

BizWorthy

Jason L. Harris, of Gary, has been promoted to assistant branch manager at Centier’s Gary Glen Park branch. Harris joined Centier in 2007. Michelle Miller, of Crown Point, has been promoted to assistant vice president. Miller is an Employment Officer for the Human Resources department and joined Centier in 1997.

George Dubovich, of McColly Real Estate in Valparaiso, was recognized for heading the Consolidation Committee that resulted in the merger of the Lake and Porter County building associations into the Home Builder’s Association of NWI and named Associate of the Year for 2010 by the Building Industries Association of NWI in Lake County.

Dr. Nancy Trimboli received the Munster Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award for 2011.

Reginald Dotson has been promoted to regional public relations manager for Ameristar Casino Hotel East Chicago and Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles in Missouri.

The Indiana Debate Commission has recognized board member Bob Jackson, of Michigan City, for his dedicated service to public debates in the state by naming an award in his honor. The IDC recently created the Bob Jackson Volunteer Service Award to recognize any board commissioner or volunteer. Jackson is the first recipient.

Jen Walters, of Schererville, has become an independent consultant with Tastefully Simple Inc.

Ty Gammon was honored by F.C. Tucker/1st Team Real Estate as leading sales producer for the Valparaiso office - based on highest closed volume.

Lake County attorneys named to the Indiana Super Lawyers 2011 listing include: Terrance L. Smith, of Highland, for business litigation; Douglas J. Angel, of Munster, Deborah Lynch Dubovich, of Highland, and Paul A. Leonard, of Merrillville, for family law; Gerald M. Bishop, of Merrillville, for general litigation; David C. Jensen, of Hammond, for medical malpractice defense; David S. Gladish, of Highland, and John E. Hughes, of Merrillville, for personal injury plaintiff; Barry D. Rooth, of Merrillville, for medical malpractice plaintiff; and George C. Patrick, of Crown Point, for workers compensation.

Mohammed A. Abbas, M.D., board certified in Diagnostic Radiology, has joined Franciscan St. Margaret Health’s department of Diagnostic Radiology. His office is in Crown Point. Richard Y. Zhu, M.D. has joined the department of Surgery. His office is in Oak Lawn, Ill.

John Segovia, formerly of Crown Point, has joined Edward Jones in Indianapolis as a financial adviser.

Attorney John Wiktor, of Valparaiso, has joined Reed Smith LLP’s tax, benefits and wealth planning group of its business and finance department in the firm’s Chicago office.

To submit an item for Salute, send information and a photo, if available, to 601 W. 45th Ave., Munster, IN 46321, e-mail to [email protected] or fax to (219) 933-3249. Faxed photos will not be published.

Professionals on the Move

HARRIS

MILLER

DUBOVICH

TRIMBOLI

U.S. STEEL’S INVESTMENT in Gary helped the Chicago area lead the nation in rankings for economic development projects.

In its annual Governor’s Cup awards released recently, Site Selection magazine ranked the Chicago metropolitan area as No. 1 in the U.S. in corporate facility expansion projects in 2010.

The magazine cited U.S. Steel’s investment of $220 million to modernize its Gary Works plant.

The investment involves the first large-scale commercial application in the U.S. of a continuous process for making a coke alternative.

“It allows us to replace existing coke batteries with new technology and improve the environmental performance of the facility,” U.S. Steel spokeswoman Courtney Boone said. “The first phase will involve two modules.”

The first two modules are expected to begin operating in November. When complete, the modules will produce about 500,000 tons of the coke substitute. In all, 500 construction jobs will be created during the work.

Indiana ranked ninth among states for number of new economic development projects in 2010. Indiana’s ranking is up one spot from last year.

Several larger Indiana cities are among the leaders. Indianapolis is ninth among metropolitan areas with a population larger than 1 million. Anderson is tied for eighth for cities with a metro area population of less than 200,000. Other areas in Indiana that rank among the top 100 include Marion, Huntington, Angola, Seymour and Peru.

“It’s no surprise Indiana and its communities both large and small are among the nation’s leaders in attracting new investment,” said Mitch Roob, Indiana secretary of commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. “Our low-cost business environment continues to move Indiana to the top of the list when it’s time for companies to choose where best to grow their business.”

Governor’s Cup winners are selected based on the number of new corporate location projects in each state and metropolitan area that involve a capital investment of at least $1 million, create at least 50 new jobs or add at least 20,000 square feet of new floor area.

Site Selection, a corporate real estate and economic development magazine, has conducted the Governor’s Cup annually since 1978. To view the full report, visit www.siteselection.com. BY TIMES STAFF

Galvanizing THE REGIONMagazine tips hat to Chicago area for steel firm’s $220M Gary investment

INDUSTRY


BizWorthyOPPORTUNITY

NWI firm to lead Wisconsin environmental nonprofitMERRILLVILLE | LEGACY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES INC., based at the Purdue Research Park of Northwest Indiana, has been selected to lead the nonprofit agency Wisconsin Clean Cities - Southeast Area.

“We are extremely honored to expand our work with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program,” said Lorrie Lisek, president of Legacy Environmental Services. “We look forward to the opportunity to engage the public and private sector in Indiana and Wisconsin to reduce their dependence on foreign oil, reduce air pollution emissions from vehicles and encourage the use of alternative-fuel vehicles.”

The environmental company also oversees Northwest Indiana’s South Shore Clean Cities. BY TIMES STAFF

HONOR

Local dental study club gets recognition from parent groupTHE SEATTLE STUDY CLUB, a national continuing education group for dental professionals, recently honored the Dental Study Club of Northwest Indiana as the best club in its network.

“We have 50 of the most committed members representing Lake, Porter and LaPorte (counties) that are passionate about the profession and helping each other, instead of competing with one another, to be the best they can be,” said Dr. Gene M. Ranieri, the club’s founder and director. “Ultimately, the information and knowledge shared by our dental professionals, in our study club, will elevate the level of dental care provided to our patients in Northwest Indiana.”

Seattle Study Club is an international network of more than 270 affiliated clubs with a combined membership of 8,000 members. The Study Club is designed to promote lifelong learning in dentistry. BY TIMES STAFF

DISTINCTION

Valpo bed and breakfast nets recognition from magazineVALPARAISO | SONGBIRD PRAIRIE Bed and Break-fast, 174 N. County Road 600 West, has been chosen as one of Midwest Living’s 30 Favorite B&Bs in its May/June issue.

“We know how important independent reviews are. We’re delighted that inngoers concurred that Songbird Prairie Bed and Breakfast is a favorite among those seeking the B&B experience,” owners Barbara and Efrain Rivera said.

“It’s clear that the Songbird Prairie Bed and Breakfast earned high marks from inngoers for their fine accommodations, breakfasts, amenities and wonderful hospitality and service.”

Songbird Prairie offers a country setting and guest rooms with themes. For more informa-tion, visit www.songbirdprairie.com or call (877) 766-4273.

Midwest Living is a magazine that describes life in the Midwest. BY TIMES STAFF

8 | IN BUSINESS

BizWorthy

MAY 2010 MAY 2011 CHANGE

Labor force 222,020 217,837 Down 4,183

Employed 198,153 198,208 Up 55

Unemployed 23,867 19,629 Down 4,238


Labor force 82,044 80,692 Down 1,352

Employed 74,901 74,922 Up 21



Labor force 2,604,681 2,583,668 Down 21,013

Employed 2,324,412 2,320,961 Down 3,451

Unemployed 280,269 262,707 Down 17,562


Labor force 51,552 50,545 Down 1,007

Employed 45,478 45,800 Up 322



Labor force 367,519 364,382 Down 3,137

Employed 328,235 327,747 Down 488


Lake County

Porter County

Cook County

LaPorte County

Will County

Sources: Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Illinois Department of Employment Security

Percent of workforce unemployed9 percent

Percent of workforce unemployed7.2 percent




JOB WATCH

Employment in the Calumet Region

A MICHIGAN CITY DESIGNER and manufacturer of custom machinery, tooling and fixtures has acquired Quality Industrial Services Inc. of LaPorte, executives from both firms said.

Terms of the deal between MCTD Inc. and Quality Industrial Services were not disclosed. Quality Industrial Services will operate as a division of TMAK Inc., which is the holding company for MCTD.

All three employees at Quality Industrial Services retained their jobs, said MCTD President Timothy Johnson and Quality Industrial Services Owner Richard Weller. The three employees will work from MCTD’s 10,600-square-foot facility in the Winski Industrial Park on Michigan City’s west side.

“This has been in the works since the summer,” Johnson said in the news release. “The two companies have had a working relationship since probably the mid-1980s, and over the last four or five years I reached out to Rick.”

Although Weller said he is officially retired, MCTD has retained him as a consultant. Johnson said Weller’s expertise in automated control systems and machine designs are important to the operation.

Weller said the timing for the deal was right because of the amount of overhead his company had with its 5,000-square-foot space.

MCTD was founded in 1983 as Michigan City Tool & Die Inc. and is a special machine builder that supplies both mechanical and electronic controls systems to customers.

Quality Industrial Services is a 26-year-old company that designs and builds process control and production line machinery for the food processing, automotive, health care, manufacturing, shipping and aeronautical industries. It also updates and repairs existing control systems. BY BOWDEYA TWEH

ACQUISITION

Michigan City custom machinery maker buys LaPorte-based firm


BizWorthy

EMPLOYMENT

Occupations with Most Projected Job Openings in NWI, 2011-2016

OCCUPATION INDUSTRY JOB OPENINGS

Truck drivers (short haul/light/delivery)

Transportation, distribution and logistics

(TDL)525

Welders Professional, etc. 300

Laborers and material movers Manufacturing 287

Scientists and engineers Manufacturing 108

CNAs and medical assistants Health Care 105

Truck drivers (long haul) TDL 104

Customer service representativesHospitality, Entertainment,

Arts, Recreation, and Tourism

102

Machine setters, operators, and tenders

Manufacturing 96

Office and administrative support TDL 86

Customer service representatives Professional, etc. 71

Source: Center for Workforce Innovations Hiring Needs Survey

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s Porter County office in Valparaiso has named Melanie Yagelski as the Top Listing Sales Associate and Nick Landers as the Top Selling and the Top Volume Sales Associate for January.

Ryan Thiele, president of Studio1, has merged his company with Merrillville-based VIA Marketing and has assumed the title of art director there.

RailCats owner and CEO Patrick A. Salvi, managing partner of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard in Chicago, was invited back as a fourth year adjunct law professor at the University of Notre Dame Law School teaching personal injury litigation.

Five board governors were re-elected to new terms for the Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana, launched by Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana Northwest: Richard Barnes, co-founder of Hokey Spokes International in Gary; Donald L. Babcock, director of economic development at NIPSCO; Gayle Faulkner-Kosalko, retired executive director of the Whiting-Robertsdale Chamber and 2006 - 2007 fellow; Maggi Spartz, president of the Unity Foundation of LaPorte County; and, Mike Worosz, assistant dean, academic affairs, workforce and economic development, East Chicago Campus, Ivy Tech NW.

Deanna Blink, of Dyer, recently reached the $1 million sales milestone with her team of consultants with Tastefully Simple and was honored

with the company’s Bronze Milestone award.

The Society of Certified Insurance Counselors recently recognized Doug Charles, of Charles & Casassa Insurance in Crown Point, with a certificate honoring his 30 years of participation in advanced education.

The Highland Chamber of Commerce has named new executive officers: John Freyek, of Citizens Financial Bank will be president; Angie Gora, of Highland Parks and Recreation Department, will be vice president; Victor Garcia, March of Dimes, will be secretary; Monica Rubio, of First Midwest Bank, will be treasurer; Michelle Anderson, of First Financial Bank, and Terry Trusgnich, of Aide Rentals & Sales II, will be directors; and past president is Doug Lewis, of Edward Jones Investment.

Aaron McDermott of Latitude Commercial Realty has received the 2010 Commercial In-Sites Co-Broker of the Year Award.

Joe Ubben has joined the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center as a business adviser working primarily with Porter County businesses.

Independent financial adviser Dan Wilburn, owner of R.B. Smith Co. in Valparaiso, IN today announced that he was recognized by LPL Financial and named to the

LPL Financial Chairman’s Club.

Lanona Semancik, of Highland, has become an independent consultant with national direct sales company Tastefully Simple Inc.

Professionals on the Move

YAGELSKI

LANDERS

THIELE

AWARD

Port of Indiana - Burns Harbor receives honor from industryTHE ST. LAWRENCE Seaway Development Corp. on Thursday announced six winners of its Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award for the 2010 navigation season, including the Port of Indiana - Burns Harbor in Portage.

This annual award is presented to U.S. Great Lakes ports that register an increase for the year in international cargo tonnage shipped through the seaway.

The other five ports that earned recognition are the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority in Cleveland; the Duluth Seaway Port Authority in Duluth, Minn.; the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority in Ogdensburg, N.Y.; the Port of Oswego Authority in Oswego, N.Y.; and the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority in Toledo, Ohio.

“This robust increase in international cargo shipments is good news for the U.S. economy and underscores the importance of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. “We are encouraged by what we are seeing and applaud the outstanding work of the Great Lakes ports.”

The Port of Indiana - Burns Harbor in Portage has received nine previous Pacesetter awards. BY TIMES STAFF

UBBEN

WILBURN

10 | IN BUSINESS

BizWorthyCONSTRUCTION

Hasse Construction Co. joins national network of buildersCALUMET CITY | American Buildings Co., a domestic and international manufacturer and marketer of metal building systems for industrial, commercial and institutional construction markets, has added Hasse Construction Co. Inc., headquartered in Calumet City, to its national network of builders.

As an authorized ABC Builder, Hasse will have access to American Buildings’ engineering and design expertise, technology and metal building products.

William A. Hasse is president of Hasse Construction Co., which has served the area with custom engineered construction for more than 45 years.

For more information, call (708) 862-2450 or visit www.hasseconstruction.com. BY TIMES STAFF

HONORWaste hauler recognized as ethical company by think tankCHICAGO | Waste Management, which provides recycling, waste collection and disposal services in Illinois and Indiana, has been recognized for the fourth year in a row as one of 2011 World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute.

Waste Management was the only environmental services company on the list, which recognizes companies for ethical business practices and initiatives, a company news release states.

“WM places a strong value on corporate responsibility and being named to Ethisphere’s 2011 World’s Most Ethical Companies list is a testament to the solid foundation we have in place,” said David Steiner, Waste Management CEO.

For more information, visit ethisphere.com/worlds-most-ethical-companies-rankings. BY TIMES STAFF

NEW BUSINESS

Business consulting firm opens in DyerA DYER-BASED BUSINESS training and consulting firm has launched its operations.

NorthStar360 Business Solutions LLC is targeting Northwest Indiana and Chicago’s south suburbs to provide services to improve employee engagement, personal effectiveness, leadership and change management.

Rick and Susan Riddering are co-owners of the firm.The company is a strategic partner of 360Solutions,

LLC, an international training and development firm based in Texas, with operations in 17 countries.

For more information, visit www.northstar360.com or call (219) 864-1576. BY TIMES STAFF

EXCELLENCE

DAVID HEURING SR. has found another way to fill his father’s shoes. Heuring, owner and president of Paul Heuring Motors Inc., in January received the

Automobile Dealers Association of Indiana’s 2010 Herman Goodin Award for public service.The company operates the Paul Heuring Ford dealership in Hobart, which his father

opened with his name in 1944. Paul Heuring, David’s father, received the award in the early 1970s.

Chicago-born and Hobart-bred, David Heuring, 69, said he was honored to receive the award, given to one of the more than 500 dealer association members in the state. He is active with the Hobart Chamber of Commerce, the nonprofit Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Indiana and American Legion Post No. 54, among other groups.

Heuring’s daughter and dealership secretary-treasurer, Valerie Heuring Leonard, said the Goodin award was the second captured by her father and grandfather. Both Heurings have been recipients of Time magazine’s Dealer of the Year Award, which is a national award for dealers whose businesses perform well and have a long record of community service.

She said she nominated her father for the award in October. Once he was named an award finalist a month later, civic leaders and local residents began writing letters to the dealers association on his behalf.

“I really didn’t want him to know I did it because he does the things he does out the goodness of his heart,” Heuring Leonard said. “He’s just that kind of a person. He’s the most thoughtful person in the world.” BY BOWDEYA TWEH

Auto dealer receives civic service award

PROVIDEDDavid Heuring Sr., left, receives his award from Automobile Dealers Association of Indiana Executive Vice President Matt Murphy. Owner of the Paul Heuring Ford dealership in Hobart, Heuring received the 2010 Herman Goodin Award for public service.


BizWorthyKUDOS

Wolf Lake pavilion developer finalist in engineering contestMUNSTER | SEH OF INDIANA LLC of Munster is a finalist in the American Council of Engineering Companies’ 45th annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition for work on the Wolf Lake Memorial Park Pavilion in Hammond.

Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s prairie architecture and designed for all types of outdoor entertainment events, the 15,000-seat pavilion includes a Bermuda-style roof and rotating panels to enhance performance quality, and protect those on stage from wind and weather.

Before the pavilion could be built, the project team crafted a site improvement strategy to remove tons of slag from the former industrial site. In keeping with the Hammond Lake Plan’s environmental goals, the project also included revitalization of long-dormant wetlands and installation of new walking/bicycle trails.

The project is among 161 engineering projects throughout the nation recognized by ACEC as preeminent engineering achievements for 2010. BY TIMES STAFF

RECOGNITION

Newton County landfill earns 2010 environmental honor BROOK, Ind. | THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program selected the Republic Services Newton County Landfill as a landfill gas-to-energy Project of the Year for 2010.

Each year, the EPA recognizes the latest accomplishments of landfill methane projects that have reduced emissions of methane and created renewable energy. The Landfill Methane Outreach Program acknowledges projects for excellence in innovation and creativity, success in promoting project development, and achieving environmental and economic benefits.

“This project is an example of true sustainability,” said Terry Zona, general manager for Republic Services. “Recycled landfill gas provides energy to INIG’s plant that uses 100 percent recycled raw material that it transforms into new useful egg cartons.”

Republic Services converted an abandoned factory in Morocco into a customer support center employing 112 county residents. For more information, visit www.republicservices.com. BY TIMES STAFF

HAMMOND | THE SOUND OF AIR HORNS, music and cheering filled a large tent Wednesday as employees celebrated Cabela’s Hammond location being named the chain’s 2010 store of the year.

Cabela’s co-founder Jim Cabela and CEO Tommy Milner joined the festivities, which included the recognition of employees and a giveaway of prizes worth more than $100,000.

Mike Hmielewski, of Dyer, was feted as employee of the year, while James Rippe, of Hammond, was recognized as “lead of the year.” Gary resident Jessica Cook was named manager of the year.

In the drawing that included the names of all 220 employees, Thomas Verhoeve, of St. John, drove away with the grand prize, a white 2011 Chevrolet 2500 truck.

Verhoeve, the department manager of power sports service, had his choice of several prizes including a Chevrolet Camaro, a power boat, a recreational vehicle and a $25,000 Cabela’s gift card.

Cabela’s paid the licensing and taxes for the truck. Other prizes including trips and equipment were part of the drawing, and each employee received a $50 Cabela’s gift card.

Brothers Jim and Dick Cabela started their company as a direct mail outlet for fishing flies 50 years ago in their home in Chappell, Neb. Next week, the 33rd Cabela’s store opens in Allen, Texas.

“We’re now a publicly traded company with $2.7 billion in sales in 95 countries,” Milner said. “We pride ourselves on being a local company with impacts in sales tax and employment. We look big and act small.”

The store of the year award is based on “a dozen different margins that include sales, customer service, inventory management and employee retention,” Milner said.

The opening of the 185,000-square-foot Hammond Cabela’s in 2007 was controversial, said Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., who spoke at the celebration.

That controversy included the selling of the Woodmar Country Club for development and the seven-month negotiations with the state of Indiana for incentives before building began. In addition, the city established the site as a tax increment financing district to help with infrastructure costs, the mayor said.

The Hammond Cabela’s struggled after opening October 2007. In 2008, it was ranked 28th of the chain’s 30 stores, said store manager Jerry Nicholsen. By 2009, the store had risen to 16th place.

“We decided we can do this, going from 28th place to first,” said Matt Burtch, who served as the Hammond store’s manager for three quarters of 2010 and is now managing the newest Cabela’s. “We set lofty goals. By July (2010) we had the first spot, and we held on to it.” BY LU ANN FRANKLIN

CELEBRATING FIRST PLACEHammond Cabela’s takes chain’s top prize after rocky beginning

JONATHAN MIANO | THE TIMES Cabela’s CEO and President Tommy Millner celebrates with employees from the Hammond store in April. The store was named the company’s store of the year for 2010.

RECOGNITION

12 | IN BUSINESS

FATHER, SON, MOTHER, DAUGHTER

WORKING TOGETHER

GenerationsGenerationsOF JOBS

GenerationsFamily Business:


FATHER & SON

A lthough it was decades ago, Bruce White, CEO of White Lodging Services, says “it seems like just ye s te rd ay ” wh e n h i s father Dean White told him there are three main lessons to learn when you

are part of the family business.“Before I went to work, dad brought me into his

Shelby office,” Bruce White explains. “You are part of our family business. One, work hard and when you get your pay check reach out for it with pride. Two, quality work is a sign of yourself and of your own values. Three, and the most important, is to always be honest in all situations. Being 100 percent honest in the short term is difficult but it pays dividends in the long term.”

Bruce White’s first job was during the summer between sixth and seventh grades at White Advertising. He worked in the sign yard putting signs in position to be worked on and distributed. His next job was painting the entire building white. At 15, he helped set up the Star Plaza Hotel before it opened. Later, he worked as a bus boy and a dishwasher.

Now, Bruce White’s business is separate from his father’s as he develops, owns and operates hotels. Both agree this works well for them. Both say Dean White is willing to help his son through advice and investment.

Dean White, chairman and CEO of Whiteco Industries Inc., described the roots of the family business.

“My father, George White, and his friend started White Advertising in 1935 while sitting underneath a large tree,” Dean White says. “We didn’t have much money as it was during the depression. In 1937 my brother and I, at age 14, came to work, working six days a week for one

dollar a day. My father wanted to train us and have us understand what it means to work.”

Dean White took over the family business after returning home to Shelby with his wife. He had served as an officer in the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II. His father was in ill health and the company was suffering from a poor economy. It was down to three employees, two broken-down trucks and a Model A Ford.

“We worked as hard as we could,” Dean White says. “It took a long time to build on it.”

Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, Bruce White learned from his father’s example.

“He is more of an old school coach who thought you should appreciate opportunity,” Bruce White says. “When we lived on south Park Avenue in Crown Point, most of our neighbors worked in the mill. My friends would tease me on weekends that my dad didn’t change his own oil. He would say ‘I’m in Shelby working. You will understand in time, I will have other people change my oil for me.’ Now I understand exactly what he was telling me.”

Bruce White says there are two qualities he most admires in his father. “He really is value driven,” Bruce says. “His word is his bond; his handshake

Bruce White and his father Dean White.

PROVIDED

They are sons and daughters who have been inspired by their parents to follow in their footsteps whether the path is in business

or politics. They have been involved in the day-to-day activities of those worlds from a very early age. They have watched their

parents and learned by their example. They have inherited their family’s values. Theirs are stories of strong work ethic, passion for

what they do and service to the community.

BY DIANE POULTON | BUSINESS CONTRIBUTOR

14 | IN BUSINESS

is better than any contract. He always makes decisions which are right with his values.”

“Two, he’s come a long way from down at my grandmother’s house in Shelby to where he is today,” Bruce adds. “But he hasn’t changed at all. He is still comfortable talking with our old neighbors and just as genuinely interested in them as he was then.”

Dean White says he proud of his son’s hard work and his paving the way for better things in the future. “He is working hard to this day and is very well known throughout the United States in the hotel business.” His children have been very important to him, he says.

“My life works out to have been for my children. They are to be honest and forward

thinking and good people. That is how my wife and I have been trying to train them and I think we did a pretty good job.”

Dean White counts his charitable donations through the Dean and Barbara White Foundation, Merrillville’s Star Plaza Theater and Hotel—where he met and became good friends with the late Bob Hope—the Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake and making the Forbes 400 Richest Americans list as among his most satisfying accomplishments.

Bruce White says his father is especially proud of Crown Point sports. “My earliest memories are of my dad taking me to Crown Point football and basketball games,” Bruce White remembers. “During my sophomore year, no matter what he was doing would fly home for my basketball games knowing it was unlikely I would play. As a father, that is remarkable.”

Bruce White describes his dad as very real and very genuine, having no pretenses. “He set a wonderful example for me, my brothers Chris and Craig and sister Cindy,” Bruce White says. “He gave many people an opportunity and I was fortunate to be one of those people who lived the dream. I hope to pass his lessons on to my children and give them the same opportunities.”

MOTHER & DAUGHTER

Lake County Auditor Peggy Holinga Katona remembers walking door to door with her late father Andrew, who was the Lake County Democratic precinct committee chairman at the time. She was 12.

“I never thought I would be the one pictured on campaign literature,” Katona says. She remembers riding in the back of a truck cheering for John F. Kennedy when he ran for president.

“It was fun and we were a part of history,” Katona says. “We saw President Lyndon Johnson in East Chicago when he was running for a second term. My parents were always involved in politics. As a little girl I used to watch all the parties at my

house hosted for notable politicians...I was just in awe of these people coming over.”

Katona was impressed seeing her mother, former Lake County Treasurer Irene Holinga, give speeches to hundreds of people and forge her way in a world dominated by men.

“I would have never thought about running for office if she hadn’t been there before me,” Katona says. “She opened the door for women in politics in Lake County.”

Katona has been auditor for six years and previously served as Lake County Treasurer for more than seven years. Katona credits her mother with instilling the values of hard work, helping others, integrity and honesty in her.

Holinga was the first woman elected to countywide office. (Sheriff Lillian Holley had been appointed when her husband died like Holinga but Holley was never elected by popular vote. Holinga went on to be elected and served as Lake County Treasurer for more than 17 years.

Katona explains that her mother insisted that she attend college which she did, earning degrees in business and finance.

Holinga says she is proud of the way her daughter handles her complicated duties as auditor —an office which includes tax sale, exemption, billing, bookkeeping and finance departments.

Holinga became interested in politics working along side her husband who was appointed Lake County Treasurer to fill a vacancy.

“He worked his whole life and when he finally found his dream to run for county office, he became sick and was only able to serve for six months,” Katona says. When Andrew died, the Lake County Commissioners appointed Holinga to fill his office. Some factions fought her appointment forcing a special general election which she won.

Katona says she feels pride in her mom’s accomplishments especially when other women describe Holinga as a role model who gave them the confidence to pursue careers in male-dominated professions. She is proud of her mother’s fight to gain acceptance by her male peers.

Lake County Auditor, Peggy Holinga Katona and her mother Irene Holinga, former Lake County Treasurer.


“I would have never thought about running for office if she hadn’t been there before me. She opened the door for women in politics in Lake County.”LAKE COUNTY AUDITOR, PEGGY HOLINGA KATONA, SPEAKING OF HER MOTHER

JOINING THE RANKS OF THE EMPLOYED Annica DowningVALPARAISO UNIVERSITY, CLASS OF 2010

Annica Downing had quite an array of college degrees when she graduated in May 2010 with a J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law. Also armed with a B.A. in Philosophy, a minor in Spanish, and a Master’s in Sports

Administration, Downing, 27, initially wanted to break into a sports law career. Her flexibility to do what works and her diverse range of skills ended up leading her into a more traditional law setting. “I began to see that those jobs were few and far between, so I decided to practice law in more conventional sense and use the sports degree as a back-up,” Downing says. Her education in law had two very different components: one in law school and one in practical internships or externships. And while she says both are critical to preparing for a career as an attorney, she feels that field experience truly sets jobs seekers on a higher plane.


New Graduates:

EMPLOYMENT

BY MALLORY JINDRA | BusINess Contributor

HOW I GOT THE JOB

VU Law graduate Annica Downing is a litigator for Swope Law Office, LLC.


16 | IN BUSINESS

“In law school, you learn how to think like an attorney, but you don’t learn how to actually be one,” Downing explains. “You learn how to be an attorney in your clerkship and apprenticeship.”

After working in a clerk capacity for a law office in Valparaiso for almost two years, Downing realized she had grown out of the position and decided to try working as an attorney. She began sending out resumes, looking on Craigslist and answering ads on VU’s law school job posting website. After answering an ad on VU’s job posting, she got a call from Swope Law Offices in Schererville. Downing interviewed for a position and was hired on as associate attorney in March. In her first four months on the job, she’s tried to keep her footing as a new attorney. To her, the first few years of being a lawyer are learning ones, and being humble is essential to learning the craft. “It’s a balancing act,” she says. “You have to pretend like you know what you’re doing, but you still have to know that you know nothing.” Downing advises future law graduates to take advantage of every opportunity, even if it’s not the perfect position. “Find somebody to work for in law school, even if it’s just for free,” she says.

Brittany LesliePURDUE UNIVERSITY CALUMET, CLASS OF 2011

Wh e n B r i t t a n y L e s l i e graduated from Purdue Un ive rs i ty C a l u m e t’s School of Nursing in May

2011, she had already logged three years of experience as a part-time nurse fellow at St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago. Now, after just more than a month in her new position as a Labor and Delivery Nurse at St. Catherine, she’s glad she put in all those hours during her college years. “They knew my work ethic at St. Catherine’s,” Leslie says. “All those clinicals you go through in school—you’re going into the hospital and showing what you know. The managers are around, and they pay attention.” Although Leslie began her job search in February 2011, applying to other hospitals around Indiana as well as in Seattle and Texas, she kept a running dialogue with the

hiring manager at St. Catherine’s. That hiring manager talked with Leslie’s co-workers to get a feel for how she might fit in at the hospital full-time, and by March, she knew she was being considered for a job. In May, she was officially offered a position and started working the week following graduation. Leslie found that because of her long-standing relationship with the hospital, there wasn’t much of an interviewing process. Many institutions require new nurses to already have passed their NCLEX/RN, the national boards’ exam for nursing, she says, before hiring them. But more importantly, Leslie thinks garnering hospital experience during undergraduate studies is the best way to get an edge over other job candidates. “I went into it knowing how things run, how the computer systems work, everything,” Leslie says. “And I know the people. That’s so important.” A national shortage of nurses, particularly in the long-term care setting, has eased the job search for many new nursing grads. “I don’t know anyone who’s having trouble finding a job in the field,” Leslie says. But that doesn’t necessarily mean every new grad is getting exactly what they want. “I think it’s important to realize that once you have some experience, then you can go anywhere,” she says. “It might not be your dream job at first, but you can use it as a stepping stone. You have to be willing to compromise.”

Megan WalshUNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME, CLASS OF 2011

Megan Walsh’s college degree, a B.S. in Mathematics from the University Of Notre Dame, left the possibilities

for her future career endless. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do while I was in

college, so I chose to earn a degree that gave me the basic analytical critical thinking skills that would help me handle whatever I ended up doing,” Walsh explains. She began her job search in September 2010, applying for positions that interested her on Notre Dame’s career website. Along the way, she job-shadowed in asset management and kept getting more and more comfortable with the process of networking. “One person I talked with emphasized setting yourself apart by calling people, not just emailing or sending in resumes,” Walsh says. “I tried to take that advice and run with it, and I think it helped.” In mid-March, she received a call from a Zurich Insurance recruiter, who found her through Notre Dame’s career placement services, to do a phone interview for an underwriter position at the company. Walsh heard nothing for weeks after the phone interview, and it wasn’t until June that Zurich called to invite her to do an in-person interview in Chicago, where the job would be based. She said she interviewed in a one-on-one setting for a few hours. A few days later, she learned she got the job and would begin Zurich’s underwriter training program in Schaumburg, Illinois. Walsh advises new graduates to not rule anything out, even if the job title doesn’t sound that interesting. “When I first considered the job, working in insurance didn’t really stand out to me,” Walsh says. “But then when I went through the interview process, I became much more interested, and I found I really liked the people there.” Although she liked the flexibility that her major gave her, Walsh says she wishes she would have had an internship to put on her resume. “You’re so much more marketable when you have an internship,” she explains. “I really had to work to convince people that either I had something in my background like it or I had the necessary skills to be trained well.”

Jon DobrzenieckiPURDUE UNIVERSITY CALUMET, CLASS OF 2011

Pu rd u e Un ive rs i ty C a l u m e t graduate Jon Dobrzeniecki realized from an early age that he needed to start earning real world

experience in computers if he wanted to have a successful career in Information Technology (IT). He job shadowed and completed an IT internship while still in high school and earned a job at All About Computers in Dyer during his sophomore year of college. “I really started my job search during my sophomore year,” Dobrzeniecki explains. “Everything I looked at said they required two-to-five years’ experience. I recognized that need for experience and scraped it together as best I could.” While pursuing his B.S. in Computer Information Technology (CIT), Dobrzeniecki says the CIT program at Purdue Calumet acknowledges the need for professionals with knowledge of a wider range of topics. The department shifted from offering highly specialized degrees to a program that prepared students with a more far-reaching curriculum. When ArcelorMittal came to Purdue Calumet in his junior year to interview students for internships and full-time jobs, Dobrzeniecki initially got turned down for an internship. Then in March 2011, he got the chance to interview with ArcelorMittal again through the school; this time, for a full-time job. Two weeks later, Dobrzeniecki went through a grueling day-long interview process at the company’s plant in East Chicago. This second meeting was broken up into four separate interviews with people from different wings of ArcelorMittal’s IT department. “I tried to just be myself as much as I could,” Dobrzeniecki says. “I figured it wouldn’t work out if I pretended to be something I wasn’t.” Two days later he got a call saying he got the job and will start training July 11. Dobrzeniecki says he feels that the hard work he put in throughout his four years in college helped him get noticed in the end. “It’s one thing to get through, and it’s one thing to do it well,” Dobrzeniecki says. “ArcelorMittal wasn’t even looking at anyone with GPA below a 3.4.”

PROVIDED

“ One person I talked with emphasized setting yourself apart by calling people, not just emailing or sending in resumes. I tried to take that advice and run with it, and I think it helped. MEGAN WALSH

SUMMER 2011 SUPPLEMENT | 17SUMMER 2011 SUPPLEMENT | 17

IUN graduate Adam Crawford works as a chemist

for Mason Corporation.


Adam CrawfordINDIANA UNIVERSITY NORTHWEST, CLASS OF 2011

As Adam Crawford made his way through his undergrad studies at Indiana University Northwest (IUN), medical school was

always in the back of his mind. But before graduating in May with a B.S. in Chemistry, Crawford, 23, missed the matriculation dates for graduate school and knew he would have to sit a year out before being able to pursue more schooling in the medical field. He decided to use his time off to get some practical experience using his chemistry degree. Three weeks before graduation day, he received an email from one of his professors about Mason Corp., a company looking for a new chemist in their lab. Located in Schererville, the family-owned Mason Corp. recovers high purity tin from process concentrates and produces tin-based chemicals to be used in a variety of products. After putting together a strong resume and applying for the job, Crawford interviewed at the company and was hired to start the Monday after graduation weekend. Crawford says he didn’t have any relevant internships or prior field experience, so he believes his interviewing skills landed him the job. “They had already interviewed three people and were planning on interviewing three more after me,” Crawford says. “But then they came to me after I went through the whole process and said I had a great interview and that I was the type of person they were looking for.” Crawford credits IUN’s Student Alumni Association with preparing him well for the workforce. He attended career events hosted by the school, where he practiced his networking skills. “I don’t know anyone I currently work with at Mason Corp., but I networked with my professors to hear about those open positions,” he explains. He’s also relied on the toughness he got from working through all of the difficult classes at IUN. Crawford admits that his job as a chemist might be temporary—a helpful detour along the way to medical school or a higher position in the chemistry field. But he encourages new grads to keep their futures open and to get that first foot in the door. “Don’t close any door,” Crawford says. “Keep your eyes open for all kinds of possible opportunities, because you know what’s going to help you later on.”

18 | IN BUSINESS

A farmers market on a summer or fall morning in Northwest I n d i a n a i s a common sight f o r p e o p l e n a t i v e t o t h e R e g i o n . Breeze through t h e s m a l l communities of Porter, Lake, a n d L a Po r te counties on a

Saturday, and you’ll pass one in every other town.But for people outside the Region, farmers markets

and other agricultural activities have become an escape—a place to get away from a busier, urban

lifestyle. And for farmers, small-scale entrepreneurs, and whole communities across the area, farmers markets have become vital tourism ventures.

Promotions Director Ken Kosky at Indiana Dunes Tourism says that cities in this area are doing a great job of offering what people can’t find in their own backyard. “Art and agriculture are two things that are unique to each area of the country, and we’re recognizing the value of that,” he explains.

Nationally, agri-tourism projects have been on the rise—farmers markets alone have increased 13% across the country since 1994. And, according to Kosky, Indiana Dunes Tourism has identified Chicago and Indianapolis as two of the top places people are coming from. They’ve also pinpointed an unfolding change in what the word “getaway” means for vacationers.

“Travel trends in these recessionary times show more day and weekend trips rather than more

expensive weeklong trips,” he notes.Christine Maassel, a soap vendor at Chesterton’s

European Market, estimates that about 30% of her business comes from tourists to the Region.

“We get all those people traveling through from Chicago to Michigan,” Maassel explains. “I think a big part of it is the entertainment value, too. There’s music, and people get to meet and visit with each other.”

Part of the draw for people from Midwestern urban centers like Chicago and Indy is the ever-appealing “green” and “organic” lifestyle that has seeped into every angle of modern life and has its roots in concepts like a farmers market. Eating local, eating fresh, and being outside and involved in the community have motivated a diverse crowd of people to help sustain and grow these markets whether it is as a producer, consumer or often both.

Kreg Arnold and his w ife Del ow n the

FRESH MARKETS

NWI PRODUCE SHOPPING DESTINATI N

marketing farmers markets:

BY MALLORY JINDRA | BUSINESS CONTRIBUTOR


People line up for veggies at Chesterton European Market. TONY V. MARTIN, THE TIMES

LaPorte-based roasting shop Maple City Roasters and do business at Michigan City’s Mainstreet Association Farmer’s Market.

“When we started back in 2008, you saw older people, but now there’s more of a younger mix,” Arnold says. “They’re hipper, and way more into organics.”

But keeping these markets financially successful while protecting the product and message, has proven a challenging task for local cities and towns. Maassel says that the popularity of the Chesterton market has been cultivated over the years, the city has worked hard to make sure everything offered is either homegrown or handmade.

“We are a farmers market, not an arts and crafts market,” Maassel explains.

Nancy Laskarin, Director of Sc h e re rv i l l e ’s I n te r n a t i o n a l Farmers Market, has been running into similar situations.

“Attendance is growing a lot, and new vendors are calling us regularly,” she says. “But we don’t want to be a flea

market—that’s not our goal. We have people who want to have a booth with just cigarette lighters or something like that, but that’s not what we need.”

Yet the individual producers who make up a farmers market aren’t so far off from the modern start-ups that are popping up all over the country—businesses with limited personnel and land capital and a substantial Internet presence. Having a booth at a farmers market might feel like a slice of rural life, but people invested in the industry certainly haven’t shied away from using the web and new media to make products available for customers in the off-season.

“For me, as the owner of a small business, I don’t have to have a storefront,” Maassel says. “Plus, my customers know I’m on the internet.”

Driving the interest in farmers markets are the growing educational resources and other helpful tools. Trade publication Growing for Market is a monthly print magazine and online source for local food producers of any scale. And websites like OnlyatFarmersMarkets.com report on all things to do with farmers markets across the country. Not to mention the heap of magazines facilitating the organic and fair trade lifestyles and the countless local publications like Laskarin’s newsletter about Schererville market.

For their part, Indiana Dunes Tourism has partnered with six other counties under the umbrella of Northern Indiana Tourism Development Community (NITDC) to create the Art and Earth Trail, a complete print and online guide to all of the arts, markets, restaurants, attractions, and activities in northern Indiana.

“The Midwest is typically a pretty conservative place and slow-moving with the trends,” Arnold says. “But we try to keep current on things like fair trade, because right now, customers are asking for that more and more.”

I t’s t r u e t h a t p ro d u ce rs i n Northwest Indiana today use farmers markets as just one of many ways to find a market for their merchandise. Its financial role is, more likely than not, a

supplemental one to another established revenue base. But Arnold says he doesn’t see things slowing down anytime soon, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) seems to agree.

As of June 3rd, the USDA plans to competitively award $10 million in grants for the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) during the 2011 fiscal year. The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will competitively award the grants to projects that develop producer-to-consumer market outlets (such as farmers markets and roadside stands), and an emphasis will be placed on areas of the country that the AMS deems “food deserts.”

It will be a hard sell for Midwestern towns like those in Northwest Indiana to be in contention for the grants, if only because of the region’s already flourishing agricultural industries. Local farmers markets will more likely act as a template for other areas around the country that are agriculturally deprived.

“I think about all the produce, the fruits and vegetables that we have here,” Arnold says. “We have a leg up with all of the seasons we go through. The Midwest is in the driver’s seat.”

20 | IN BUSINESS

EMPLOYMENT

SPECIAL TIMES DIVERSITY JOB FAIR REPORT

DIFFICULT JOB MARKET

FACING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIESBY BOWDEYA TWEH | TIMES BUSINESS REPORTER


After a fall from a trailer, Slazyk said her husband broke three ribs, had three pelvic fractures, and had significant damage to his left shoulder and knee. T h e o n c e a b l e -bodied electrician

suffered injuries so severe that in order to continue working, he was provided the accommodation of working a sit-down security job.

M a r y E l l e n S l a z y k , o f Hammond, said her husband is having a difficult time finding wo rk b e ca u se t h e i n j u r i e s and corresponding surgeries relegated him to not being able to spend a lot of time on his feet. She said she isn’t sure when and where her 58-year-old husband will be able to find employment.

“When you’re older like my husband with his physical limitations, there’s no jobs out there,” Mary Ellen Slazyk said.

I n a j o b m a r k e t w h e re employment is difficult to find for youth, college graduates a n d ex p e r i e n c e d wo rke rs,

employment experts say the task now is even tougher for people with disabilities. However, people who work with nonprofit agencies and federally funded groups say despite challenges, resources are available to help and are calling for more businesses to become partners to help improve the labor picture.

Signed into law in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act protects the civil rights of people with disabilities in employment, a c c e s s i n g p u b l i c s e r v i c e s i n c l u d i n g

transportation, and guarantees access to public accommodations such as restaurants, stores, hotels and other types of buildings.

Robin Jones is director of the Great Lakes region’s Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center, which provides information, guidance and training to help businesses obtain voluntary compliance under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Great Lakes center, which is part of the ADA National Network, is one of 10 region

centers funded by a division of the U.S. Department of Education.

But Jones said people with disabilities are losing their jobs at faster rates than those without them and are having a harder time regaining employment.

Not adjusted for seasonal changes in employment, the national jobless rate for people with disabilities was about 15.6 percent in May, which was up from 14.7 percent from May 2010. The unemployment rate from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics included people who did not have a job, were available for work, and

Roy Slazyk’s life changed in November 2006 after suffering a work-related injury on a job site in Harvey

five years ago. ¶ And sadly it changed again in January when the Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles plant he worked

in closed, said his wife Mary Ellen Slazyk.

actively sought employment in the four weeks preceding the survey.

The jobless rate for people without a disability was 8.5 percent in May, which is down from 9.1 percent a year earlier.

“It’s a sense of frustration,” said Jones, whose office is based in Chicago. “It’s a feeling of once again people with disabilities are at the bottom.”

CHANGING WITH THE TIMESJones, who is also an instructor at the University of Illinois-Chicago, said in the 2000s, employers started looking for ways to creatively fill positions with non-traditional workers. But with the economic downturn, she said employers may be less willing to hire a candidate that requires an accommodation when there are other candidates that may not need it.

About 27 percent of people with disabilities between ages 16 and 64 were employed in May compared with nearly 70 percent of people without disabilities, according to federal labor data.

Margo Love-Surprise, placement services director for The Arc Northwest Indiana in Gary, said the economy is making it more difficult to get people with disabilities into jobs that they have traditionally been able to work in such as janitorial and food service and retail. She said the opportunities have dried up and it has been extremely tough for people with developmental disabilities.

“There are some terrific individuals who have talent,” Love-Surprise said. “It’d be great if an employer (could) see that talent.”

However, Kathie Savich, director of community employment with Opportunity Enterprises, said if the trend of employers on a national level being shy about hiring people with disabilities, it isn’t happening in Northwest Indiana. She said the bigger problem is that the economy is keeping the job placement window open longer than when conditions have been better.

Savich said there are still employers that her organization as well as others in the area including The Arc and TradeWinds Services have worked with around Northwest Indiana

who can attest to the benefits received from employing people with disabilities.

Savich said hiring people with disabilities is a “win-win” for the employee and employer. She said employers will find that they have loyal employees who are competitive at completing job tasks and the work can benefit employees financially and for self-fulfillment.

Tax credits for hiring people with disabilities may also be available for businesses, Savich said.”The folks we serve show you they want to work hard.”

Mary Ellen Slazyk, who said she isn’t able to work for health reasons, described herself and her husband as survivors. Slazyk, 57, said they’ve been through periods of unemployment before and he had applied for 76 jobs prior to being hired in at the predecessor of Oshkosh in Chicago’s south suburbs.

“It is going to be a bumpy ride for us, but we have traveled this road before,” Slazyk said.

Jones said there are companies that know the value in employing people of diverse backgrounds including those with disabilities.

But she said a problem is there aren’t good metrics to determine how many companies are hiring people with disabilities. One difficulty businesses have is tracking people whose disabilities may not be immediately visible such as agoraphobia.

“Unless an employer is affirmatively trying to hire someone with disabilities, it’s difficult,” Jones said. “...It (often) comes down to what’s easier and what do they know.”

HELP ON THE WAYThe Conference Board convened a group to earlier this year to study how employment outcomes could be improved for people in the labor force with disabilities. A final report from the research working group of executives and outside experts could be completed in late 2011 or early 2012.

Jones said the Great Lakes ADA Center can offer resources to job seekers over whether personal disabilities should be disclosed in cover letters and job applications.

Job seekers talk to WorkOne representatives during The Times’ 4th annual Diversity Job Fair and Business Symposium at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso. KYLE TELECHAN, THE TIMES

22 | IN BUSINESS

WORK SEARCH TIPSRobin Jones, project director for the Great Lakes ADA Center, has recommendations for people with disabilities who are searching for jobs• Persevere through the job

search although it may be difficult to find work

• Maintain and grow a personal network because that is where the lion’s share of people find employment

• If a job seeker has a visible disability, he has to be prepared to talk about what he can do beyond his limitations

• It isn’t required to list a disability on a resume or cover letter, but be ready to address it in an interview, especially if an accommodation from an employer is required.

• Find local, state or federal agencies or groups to support a job search

For more information about job search assistance and resources available locally for people with disabilities, contact local offices of the Indiana division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Gary offices, east and west110 W. Ridge Rd.(219) 981-5326Valparaiso office954 Eastport Centre, Suite C(219) 462-0521(219) 462-0521

Resources can be found on the Internet through websites including the Job Accommodation Network including how to request a reasonable accommodation for a disability from a employer. The website also offers information for employers on what types of questions are permissible under the ADA during a pre-employment interview.

Jones said there are federal agencies, local nonprofits and business groups in addition to the ADA Center where job seekers and business could get resources on employment options for people with disabilities.

Love-Surprise of The Arc said local organizations can provide assistance, but offices for the Indiana division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services is a one-stop resource to help people with

disabilities prepare for or find employment.

Local employment assistance agencies for people with disabilities including those who are veterans work to ensure they are matched with work opportunities that they can complete, said Love-Surprise.

“We’re not into pushing square pegs into round holes,” she said.

Even with the amount of resources that are available for employers, Jones said there are still misconceptions about hiring people with disabilities among hiring managers. She said hiring managers may be worried about not being able to terminate a n e m p l o y e e e m p l o y m e n t relationship if the doesn’t work.

Love-Surprise of The Arc said she finds employers continue to worry about paying for expensive accommodations for employees

and liability concerns if a person with a disability suffered an injury at work.

She said most accommodations an employee may need costs less than $1,000, with many items costing less than $10.

Slazyk said her hope is that her husband will be able to find work based on his manufacturing experience, which includes reading blueprints. And she hopes he’ll have better luck this time around. The last three jobs he’s had, he lost when the plants closed.

S a v i c h o f O p p o r t u n i t y Enterprises said one of the most important things to remember on a job search is perseverance, despite the roadblocks people may face.

“And I say yes, you can,” Savich said about her advice to clients during the job search process. “We’re going to figure this out.”

Jon Gold, Executive Director of TradeWinds Services; Joe Ferrallo, Diversity Chair of NWI SHRM; Renu Juneja, Associate Provost of Valparaiso University; and Phil Tallion, Executive Director of Planning and Development for the City of Hammond, speak at the Diversity Job Fair. KYLE TELECHAN, THE TIMES


24 | IN BUSINESS

CALUMET NEW TECH HIGH SCHOOL

Program Director Cynthia Trevino explains that the schools began looking at particular students in high school who were failing their state assessments and not prepared for life in the 21st Century and that’s when school administrators began to explore options to help solve the problem. “However, we were not looking for a quick fix or a band aid to get us by. With the direction and vision of our Superintendent,

Dr. Sharon-Johnson Shirley, we began to research high school transformation models.” Trevino says it took two years of research and data analysis before deciding to adopt New Tech last year.

“It possessed not only the rigorous and relevant academic strategies for our students to be successful beyond state assessments, but also the personal, social, and professional strategies to be successful in an ever-changing 21st Century

WIRING UP:

THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION

WIRING UP:

TECH HIGH SCHOOLS

HAST Charter School Principal Sean Egan with some of the wiring that routes through the building to make the school as “paperless” as possible.


Using technology to improve students’ motivation and performance and to prepare them for entering college and the job market are the primary goals for Calumet High School and the Hammond Academy of Science and Technology, a charter school. • Calumet High, which has 8,600 students, is the first Northwest Indiana School to implement the New Tech Program.

BY DIANE POULTON | BusINess Contributor

society.” Trevino says. The New Tech program is a project-based learning approach with heavy reliance on technology. All students have access to computers and the web. The program promotes self-directed learning with an online management system.

Calumet High has a three prong transformational goal for the New Tech model, Trevino says. “The first is the transformation of students into successful contributors to the global society. We are equipping our students with the academic tools necessary to not only be self-directed learners in an ever-changing information age, but also with the soft skills necessary to be successful personally, socially, and professionally, including communication, collaboration, and creative problem solving skills.”

The second prong is community based. “Through creating a pool of highly prepared 21st Century students, we hope to bring economic development to Gary, Indiana,” Trevino says. “We know that the business sector is in desperate need of skilled 21st Century workers and we want to work together with the city of Gary and businesses to attract and create job opportunities.”

T h e t h i r d g o a l i s t o e f f e c t transformation in the education sector.

“We have long-term goals to be not only a school of research and development, but a leader in providing education with high quality professional development to bring to scale the work we need to do in education in order to become a global leader in the 21st Century,” Trevino explains. The first year of the New Tech program has been a success.

“With the combination of the eight-step process, a data driven assessment and remediation system to ensure students are mastering the standards, along with the New Tech model, the growth of our students in the first year has gone beyond our expectations,” Trevino says. “Not only were our students substantially more successful on the state assessments, the personal and social growth they achieved through project-based learning and the focus on developing 21st Century skills has been amazing.”

Trevino said the program has received tremendous support from the business community. “For the first time, we

have broken down the walls of silence between industry and education and we are developing partnerships that we know will not only benefit our students, but benefit the business industry as well,” she says. As the program grows, Calumet High School is establishing a Parent/Community Voice organization to create even stronger partnerships between the school and community. She thinks the greatest satisfaction of the program is seeing the transformation of students into highly skilled 21st Century young adults.

HAMMOND ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYThe Hammond Academy of Science and Technology (HAST) will be in a new completely wireless at facility on Muenich Court when the fall school term begins.

The multi-story facility features four room honey comb like clusters or pods which can be opened electronically so classrooms can work together. Outside on the second floor there is a rooftop

garden to be used for biology classes and for growing produce and herbs, a lesson in self sufficiency, according to Principal Sean Egan.

Egan says the main focus of the school is science and technology through project based learning using state of the art technology and research based instruction. The small size of the school and classes, with a ratio of 20 students per instructor, is highly conducive to learning.

All students and staff have integrated wireless laptops resulting in a paper free environment. The only actual text book is for math, Egan says. Students use special computer programs with shared files and websites and to make online video portfolios for all their work. He explains that they use Movie Maker for video and oral presentations to summarize their projects.

“Tech has them rocking.”Egan says that there are no paper report

cards; instead students learn power point which they use to prepare 20-to-30 minute media presentations to showcase what they have learned to their parents.

Egan compares the presentations to those of a corporate executive giving a quarterly report on the company’s progress. Students are expected to dress professionally for the presentations.

Students still have literature, art and music classes but the school leans heavily towards an engineering and science curriculum, Egan says. For instance, digital composing is part of the music classes. In art, students use computer technology to make comic books and advertising for local businesses. Egan describes it as “more of a graphics art program.” HAST students represent a wide range of abilities and blending of ethnic and social groups. More students apply for HAST than the school can accommodate, he explains that names are literally picked out of a hat. The only criteria are for students to be Indiana residents and to pass a technology proficiency test.

HAST enrollment is expected to be close to 400 this year with students in grades six through nine. HAST is expanding to include grades six through 12 by 2014.

New Tech director Cynthia Trevino acknowledges superintendent Sharon Johnson-Shirley at opening event for Calumet High School’s New Tech program. TIM HUNT, THE TIMES


26 | IN BUSINESS

THE POWER OF INTERNS

// They’re Everywhere

Entry-Level Transformers:

COVER STORY

BY LU ANN FRANKLINBusINess Contributor


// They’re Everywhere

A 21st Century professional career often requires blending college classroom instruction and real-world experience. Internships for college students and recent graduates have become standard for many professions. And while most are unpaid, the experience students gain as interns encourages them to apply anyway. // Area colleges and universities have formed partnerships with businesses and industries in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan to provide internships for students and graduates. Not-for-profits also offer on-the-job training programs. And not all internships are designed for college students: Future of Chesterton, a Porter County civic organization, sponsors internships for graduating high school seniors enrolled in college.

Griffith resident Randy Zellers, Nelson Pichardo of Valparaiso and Hammond’s Tim Polka say they hope their internships will help them find employment.

A 2011 graduate of Valparaiso University, 22-year old Zellers earned a bachelor’s degree in business management. In mid-March, he applied online for one of five internships available through the Gary South Shore RailCats and was selected following an interview in early April.

The rotation internship, which ends Aug. 30 unless the RailCats are in the playoffs, provides experience in five areas of sports marketing: marketing and promotion; media relations; box office; ticket sales and community relations, including answering letters and accompanying the RailCats mascots, Rusty and Rascal.

“Now I’m looking to work in baseball as a career,” says Zellers. “Ideally, I’d love to work in the front office of the Chicago Cubs.”

Pichardo, 23, recently completed his first year at Valparaiso University School of Law and says he sees his internship with the RailCats as a stepping stone to his chosen career in sports law.

“I’ve done internships before in legal offices, but this internship with the RailCats will help me build my resume and learn how to handle what goes on in the front office of a professional sports team,” says the 23-year old graduate of Southern Adventist University in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Sports law is a different field to break into, Pichardo says, and any venue or team he aspires to work for will require that he have that experience.

Polka, 23, holds a newly-minted bachelor’s degree in engineering physics from Purdue University Calumet in Hammond. Associate Professor of Physics Neeti Parashar was instrumental in guiding Polka through major internships, he says. She helped him receive a U.S. Department of Energy research internship

VU grad Randy Zellers is interning for the Gary South Shore RailCats.


28 | IN BUSINESS

at Fermilab in Batavia, Ill. from January of 2010 to May 2011.

“Tim was very enthusiastic as he began his work at Fermilab,” Parashar says. “It was fantastic to see him so passionate and engaged, learning and leading at the same time.”

Impressed by Polka’s accuracy and ability to meet deadlines, she also helped Polka spend his 2010 spring break week learning and researching specific experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland.

“Getting out of the classroom and working in a real-life experience not only has given me more confidence, but it also has improved my resume,” he says.

Polka has applied to graduate school and says that ultimately he would like to work within the field of high energy physics, preferably at a national laboratory such as Fermilab.

Ivy Tech Community College requires in-field experience as part of specific programs, while Indiana University Northwest in Gary helps students connect with companies offering internships. The two-year mortuary science program at Ivy Tech’s East Chicago campus requires two practicums each lasting one semester,

says Rick Soria, dean for the school of public & social services. To become dual-licensed funeral directors and embalmers, graduates must also serve a 12-month internship with a licensed funeral home before taking state boards and the national board exam.

“There are prerequisite courses s t u d e n ts m u s t ta ke b e fo re t h e i r practicums so they will be able to step into the hands-on experience in a funeral home,” Soria says. “We have a total of 50 funeral homes in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan that we work with.”

The 12-month internship following graduation has very strict requirements, such as taking part in embalming 12 deceased people, creating obituaries and providing paperwork, Soria says.

IUN’s Director of Career Services Sharese Dudley says co n n e c t i n g w i t h area companies offering i n t e r n s h i p s i n v o l v e s building relationships.

“We post the internships free of charge through the Business Alliance in the school of business and

economics which brings students and businesses together,” Dudley says. “We

work closely with each academic unit and keep connected with faculty members and deans on program requirements.”

Not-for-profit South Shore Clean C i t i e s a t C row n Po i n t’s P u rd u e Technology Center also provides career-related internships associated with the U.S. Department of Energy in partnership with Argonne National Laboratories in Illinois, says Carl Lisek, executive director.

“There are 100 Clean Cities coalitions, and we put in requests for internships. If we are awarded an internship, it will last between six and eight months. Internships include marketing positions such as web site development in social media, environmental and alternative fuels and in project management,” Lisek says. “We work with local schools such as Purdue, Notre Dame, IU and Ivy Tech.” Clean Cities internships also encourage college students to return and work in Northwest Indiana, Lisek says.

Reversing the “brain drain” is the centerpiece of Future of Chesterton, the six-year old civic-based program, says Eric Kroeger of Chesterton-based Virtual Innovation, who co-founded the program with Jared Pannekoek.

About 70 students enrolled in honors economics courses at Chesterton High School competed for scholarships and summer internship opportunities this year. “This program gives the best students the opportunity to bond with key organizations that might one day employ them,” Kroeger says.

The project-based internships are economic development oriented. This year students helped evaluate the Town of Chesterton’s technology infrastructure and presented a report to town officials.

“They compared the competitiveness of Chesterton with other towns in Northwest Indiana, and recommended upgrades,” Kroeger says.

Above: VU Law student Nelson Pichardo shoots T-shirts into the stands between innings at the RailCats game. Right: Times intern Kira Geairn of Chesterton is a student at IU and part of the Future of Chesterton internship project. TONY V. MARTIN, THE TIMES


BY BILL THONExecutive Director Workforce and Economic Development, Ivy Tech Community College Northwest

New Futures

Unlike traditional four-year residential universities and colleges where most students come primarily from high school with little or no work experience, many Ivy Tech students are already employed when they enroll. According to the 2008-2009 Ivy Tech Graduate Statewide Survey, approximately 86.3% are currently employed. Most are seeking to improve their chances of moving up within their current companies or starting their own business.

Michael Spears is a good example of students who come to Ivy Tech: Michael graduated from Ivy Tech Northwest in 2003. Prior to that he worked in factory jobs and later in law enforcement and became a police officer. Having an entrepreneurial spirit, he started his own private investigator business.

“In the fall of 2000, I decided to return to school and earn a degree in computer information systems. I started that spring and with a lot of hard work, encouragement and support from family as well as the Ivy Tech faculty, I graduated in 2003 with an associate degree. After graduation, Spears launched his own business in Valparaiso, Indiana Net Tech, Inc.

Almost half of our employed graduates (45%) have either become full-time employees, moved up in their department or have received other promotions with their current employer since graduating. However, we do have a small percentage of students, about 8.74%, that are unemployed and seeking work when they come to the college. We are constantly looking for industries and sectors to offer training and skills where students will get the most opportunity to find jobs upon graduation.

We have of course, the traditional

career counseling services which provides assistance to students and graduates in career development and offers a full range of services for our students and employers. JobZone is our online repository of job resources. Once registered, students will be able to post a resume, search open positions, apply for jobs and register for upcoming career events.

Ivy Tech has also developed some very strong partnerships with employers in our region. The partnerships are with companies where the employment demand is strong

and is expected to remain that way for many years. We have partnerships with NIPSCO, ArcelorMittal, US Steel and BP. Ivy Tech is assisting these industries in helping to meet their current and future employment needs by adding programs and class curriculum that speak directly to those job openings.

For example, through our work with NIPSCO, we created a Power Plant Technology curriculum. The courses apply to mechanical, electrical, instrument and controls, and plant operations of a power plant. Successfully completing the Power

Plant Technology Career Development Certificate will prepare students for jobs such as plant mechanic, electrician, or power plant operator. Those workers will also be eligible to earn $52,000 to $60,000, plus overtime.

Within the last year, we have created the Health Industry Institute for Education and Training Services. The health industry is the largest employer in Northwest Indiana with more than 60,000 jobs and growing. Working with the industry, we have been able to demonstrate how our students can

benefit health organizations across the spectrum of different healthcare services operations and not just in direct patient care. Graduates from all seven of our schools have the skills to be integral in the day-to-day operations of hospitals, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, and clinics.

Our goal is for our students to be work ready. We want to be sure that the students who graduate from Ivy Tech have an education background that will put them in the pipeline for the jobs that are available right now.

Matching graduates with the demand in the NWI job market

“Ivy Tech has also developed some very strong partnerships with employers in our region. The partnerships are with companies where the employment demand is strong and is expected to remain that way for many years.”

30 | IN BUSINESS

My Turn

Summer in Indiana is the growing season for state senators. Throughout the long summer months when the legislature is not in session full time, lawmakers are gathering seeds in the form of new legislative ideas and working to cultivate those seeds into effective policies benefitting Hoosiers.

Ideas that eventually result in new public policies often come from findings of bipartisan interim study committees and recommendations by citizens. Policymakers throughout summer and fall months use interim study committees and commissions to conduct in-depth research into complex issues facing Hoosiers. Often their work results in solutions and legislation that might otherwise go unaccomplished during the fast pace of winter- and springtime legislative sessions.

Committees convene as many as three or four times before the Indiana General Assembly’s Organization Day in November. During hearings, testimony is given by a number of experts and citizens on a variety of topics. Legislative recommendations can then be made based on findings and crafted into proposals for new laws considered in legislative sessions.

Interim committees are now underway and senators are discussing a variety of noteworthy topics ranging from health care, to veterans affairs and education. A Senate subcommittee is also exploring a recent high court ruling on a case, Barnes v. State of Indiana, concerning a Hoosier’s right to resist unlawful police entry into their home. I was one of 71 legislators to sign a legal brief encouraging the Indiana Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling “that there is no right to reasonably resist unlawful entry by police officers.”

I will continue to monitor the findings of the committee exploring this important issue and work to clarify state self-defense

laws in the 2012 legislative session.Throughout the next few months, I will

also be chairing the Illiana Expressway Proposal Review Committee. We are evaluating the 55-mile superhighway that will connect northwest Indiana with northeast Illinois. I am also on the Water Resources Study Committee; Health Finance Commission; Northwest Indiana Advisory Board; and Lake Michigan Marine and Shoreline Development Commission.

In addition to our own assignments, it’s important for policymakers to watch developments of other key study commissions, like the Interim Study Committee on Economic Development. This panel is examining issues improving Indiana’s economic climate and tax system as well as the use and effectiveness of tax credits and deductions. They are also discussing specific sectors of the economy for which Indiana might have comparative advantages over other states and possible improvements to state tax laws that might encourage business investment.

Another panel—the Commission on State Tax and Financing Policy—is considering how Indiana’s income tax structure may influence a senior citizen’s decision on residency in Indiana after retirement as well as the advantages and disadvantages of phasing out the state inheritance tax. The committee is also exploring how local option income taxes affect a facility that employs a significant number of out-of-county residents.

Many legislative meetings can be viewed online at www.in.gov/legislative/interim. This site also provides information about committee topics, schedules and agendas. As the state senator representing District 5, it’s important to seek public input on these tough issues before the Indiana General Assembly reconvenes. Many state laws begin as simple, but great ideas shared by citizens with elected officials at grocery

stores, gas stations and county fairs. I am also just a phone call or mouse click away.

Please contact me about the pressing issues facing Indiana. I may be reached at [email protected], by toll-free call at 800-382-9467 or by U.S. Mail at Sen. Ed Charbonneau, Indiana State Senate, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204.

In addition to attending committee hearings and reviewing their recommendations, I am already busy working on other summer homework assignments:

• Communicating with citizens about recently enacted policies through mailings, e-newsletters, my website and the media;

• Reaching out to new neighborhoods now included in Senate District 5 due to reapportionment of legislative maps, so that I can effectively represent the wants and needs of those areas at the Statehouse;

• Participating in the 66th annual meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference. This event took place in Indianapolis and provided a golden opportunity to meet with legislators from other states and learn how they address significant issues that also face Indiana. As the Vice Chair of the Midwest-Canada Relations Committee, I gained valuable experience by attending professional development sessions and interactive roundtable events;

• Studying important topics that may arise next session and reviewing legislation that did not pass this year to see if proposals can be strengthened for reconsideration in 2012; and

• Staying abreast of legal challenges and proceedings regarding some new laws passed in the 2011 legislative session.

Just because it is summer doesn’t mean important issues facing Hoosiers—like jobs, taxes, government efficiency and education—go on vacation.

BY STATE SENATOR ED CHARBONNEAU(R-Valparaiso)

Summer is the Growing Season for State Senators


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ACURA

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chRisTenson chevRoleT • 2

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2440 45th Street, Highland, IN

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4613 East Rt. 30, Merrillville, IN

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1000 W. U.S. Hwy. 30, Merrillville, IN

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I-94 AutoMall, Hey. 20 & I-94, Burns Harbor, IN

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Rt. 30, 1 Mile E. of I-65, Merrillville, IN

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5020 U.S. Highway 6, Portage, IN

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TeaM ToyoTa • 44


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ToyoTa on 30 • 46


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TeaM volkswagen • 50


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32 | IN BUSINESS

CalendarMondaysMERRILLVILLE | The Referral Organization of Indiana (ROI) Business Networking Group meets Mondays at A.J. Specialties, 1308 E. 85th Ave. Networking starts at 7:15 a.m.; meetings start at 7:30 a.m. For more information, contact Tony Schifino at (219) 736-0367.

MERRILLVILLE | Toastmasters of Southlake Club meets from 7 to 8 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at the University of Phoenix, 8401 Ohio Street. For more information, call Kim Kosmas at (219) 218-3877.

VALPARAISO | The Northwest Indiana Professional Network meets from 8 to 10 a.m. Mondays in the Alumni Room of the Harre Student Union, 1509 Chapel Drive, Valparaiso. For more information, contact Sandra Alvarez at the Center of Workforce Innovations at (219) 462-2940 or [email protected].

TuesdaysGARY | The Indiana Business Professionals Chapter of the Networking Club meets from 7:30 to 8 a.m. Tuesdays at The Baker’s House upstairs meeting room, 6004 Miller Ave. For information, call Tammie Galloway at (888) 263-6926, ext 1.

MERRILLVILLE | Southshore Business Networking, will meet from 8 to 9 a.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month Cafe Divine, 9000 Taft St. Call Rick Gosser at (219) 808-9888 or visit www.southshorebusinessnetworking.com

WednesdaysMERRILLVILLE | The Merrillville Chapter of BNI (Business Network International) will meet from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays at T.J. Maloney’s within the Radisson complex near the intersection of Interstate 65 and U.S. 30.

Contact Michael Pelz at (219) 977-2090 or (815) 370-2940.

MERRILLVILLE | Referral Organization of Crown Point meets from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Café Divine, 9000 Taft St. For more information, contact Lisa Gapen at (219) 433-8544 or [email protected]. The website is roinetworkinc.com.

MERRILLVILLE | Toastmasters meets from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at the Lake County Public Library, 1919 W. 81st Ave. For more information, call Dale Brooks at (219) 775-7788.

VALPARAISO | Small-business operators are invited to Valparaiso Chapter of Business Network International from 7 to 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Suzie’s Cafe, 1050 Southpoint Circle. For information, call Beckie Guffin at (219) 462-2771.

ThursdaysMERRILLVILLE | The Merrillville Noon Kiwanis Club meets from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays at the Old Country Buffet off U.S. 30 (1634 E 80th Avenue). For more information call Aaron Yakovetz at (219) 707-5023, email [email protected], or visit www.kiwanis.org.

SCHERERVILLE | A BNI (Business Networking International) business development group meets from 7 to 8:30 a.m. Thursdays at the Holiday Inn Express, 1773 Fountain Park Drive in the Fortis A Room. Call Michael Pelz at (219) 977-2090 or (815) 370-2940 for more information.

VALPARAISO | The Porter County Business League meets at 7 a.m. Thursdays at the Round-the-Clock restaurant, 217 E. Lincolnway. For more information, visit www.portercounty.com.

FridaysHAMMOND | Free business counseling

services are available through the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) from 9 and 10 a.m. Fridays at the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, 5246 Hohman Ave. If you are starting a business, or having problems in business, call (219) 931-1000 for an appointment.

MERRILLVILLE | Northwest Indiana Networking Professionals meets at 7:15 a.m. Fridays at either Cafe Divine (Inside Living Hope Church, 9000 Taft St.) or AJ Specialties (1308 East 85th Ave.) Check the website for location, nwinetworking.org/events.php. Contact Carl Watroba at [email protected] or (219) 776-7423 for more information.

Aug. 8-12HAMMOND | The NWI Small Business Development Center and the Hammond INnovation Center are offering the NxLevel Entrepreneurial Bootcamp from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 8 through 12 at the INnovation Center, 5209 Hohman Ave. The cost is $350. Registration and payment are required. Call (219) 750-1200 or email [email protected]. For more information, visit www.hammondinnovates.com

Aug. 16VALPARAISO | Disney Institute is bringing its professional development program, Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence, to the Harre Union at Valparaiso University. The full-day event, hosted by the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, will allow local professionals to learn how to drive business results, retain employees and satisfy customers through proven and adaptable Disney business philosophies. Registration is $400 per person and includes all course materials plus breakfast and lunch. For more information and to register, call (219) 462-1105 or visit www.valparaisochamber.org.

We want to hear from you

To include an item in the local business calendar, send event information, time, date, cost and location to [email protected], or fax to (219) 933-3249.

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Life and Disability products underwritten by Anthem Life Insurance Company. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of: In Colorado and Nevada: Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. In Connecticut: Anthem Health Plans, Inc. In Indiana: Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. In Kentucky: Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, Inc. In Maine: Anthem Health Plans of Maine, Inc. In Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area): RightCHOICE® Managed Care, Inc. (RIT), Healthy Alliance® Life Insurance Company (HALIC), and HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affi liates administer non-HMO benefi ts underwritten by HALIC and HMO benefi ts underwritten by HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affi liates only provide administrative services for self-funded plans and do not underwrite benefi ts. In New Hampshire: Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. In Ohio: Community Insurance Company. In Virginia (excluding the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna and the area east of State Route 123.): Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. In Wisconsin: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin (“BCBSWi”), which underwrites or administers the PPO and indemnity policies; Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation (“Compcare”), which underwrites or administers the HMO policies; and Compcare and BCBSWi collectively, which underwrite or administer the POS policies. Independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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2011

REGIONAL AWARDS

Accredited by the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program Franciscan St. Anthony Health • Crown PointFranciscan St. Anthony Health • Michigan CityFranciscan St. Margaret Health • Dyer and HammondFranciscan Physicians Hospital • Munster

BKD Indiana Excellence Award For improved health outcomes using best practices and teamwork.

Global Six Sigma and Business Improvement AwardFor improvement in care through using best practices and teamwork.

FRANCISCAN ST. ANTHONY HEALTH • Crown Point

HealthGrades • National Health Care Ratings Organization Orthopedic Services• Ranked among the Top 5 in Indiana for Overall Orthopedic Services in 2010.Critical Care• Ranked Among the Top 10 in Indiana for Critical Care in 2011. Gastrointestinal• Ranked among the Top 10 in Indiana for GI Services three straight years (2009-2011).• Ranked among the Top 10 in Indiana for GI Surgery three consecutive years (2009-2011).

Post-Tribune Neighbors Choice Awards 2011Franciscan St. Anthony was voted Best Hospital.

Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly 2011 Best of Northwest Indiana Business awards• Franciscan St. Anthony was voted Best Hospital in the Region.• Franciscan St. Anthony was voted Best Place to Work.

Other Honors• Franciscan St. Anthony’s Emergency Department ranks in the top 10th percentile in the nation for

patient service and satisfaction, according to surveys done by the industry’s recognized leader in health care performance improvement.

FRANCISCAN ST. ANTHONY HEALTH • Michigan City

National Patient Safety Foundation • Stand Up for Patient Safety Management Award

HealthGrades Critical Care Excellence Award 2011

Commission on Cancer Outstanding Achievement Award

The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer Approval

2010 Anthem Successful Practice Award

FRANCISCAN ST. MARGARET HEALTH • Dyer and Hammond

The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer ApprovalDyer and Hammond

Accredited by the Society of Chest Pain CentersDyer and Hammond – The region’s first accredited centers and the only with Cycle III accreditation (Hammond)

HFAP Primary Stroke Center CertificationDyer

HealthGrades • Cardiac Surgery Excellence AwardsHammond – The region’s* only recipients, 2010 and 2011

HealthGrades • Women’s Health Excellence AwardsHammond – Three years in a row, 2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011

HealthGrades • Pulmonary Care Excellence AwardsDyer 2009/2010; Hammond 2009-2011

COLA Lab Excellence AwardDyer and Hammond

American Cancer Society’s Bronze Level Five Star Investor Award Dyer and Hammond – for participation on Workplace Solutions Program

HealthGrades • Cardiac Care Excellence AwardHammond – the region’s* only award recipient, 2011

FRANCISCAN PHYSICIANS HOSPITAL • Munster

HealthGrades • National Health Care Ratings OrganizationFive-Star rated for the Treatment of Heart Failure three consecutive years (2009-2011).Five-Star rated for Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (2011).

* Gary, IN region as defined by the federal government’s Office of Management and Budget.

Franciscan Alliance northern Indiana hospitals continue to receive accolades from health care ratings organizations and readers of local newspapers and business magazines. The honors reflect the hospitals’ ongoing commitment to providing the best patient service, using the most modern technology, and most of all, compassionate care.

Dyer and Hammond Hammond

Hammond

Hammond

2011

Award-winninghealth care

FranciscanAlliance.orgPhysician Referral • 800.931.3322

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