Despite the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 was a banner year for economic development in the Region, according to the Northwest Indiana Forum.
In 2020, the organization shepherded 20 projects that promised $254 million in investment and 2,443 jobs at an average wage of $24.90. That compared to 22 projects that pledged $218 million in investment and 1,336 jobs at an average wage of $23.28 the previous year.
"It's a great accomplishment that our project numbers outperformed 2019 in jobs, capital expenditures and wages numbers, which were above the average wage for each of the seven counties," President and CEO Heather Ennis said. "That's pretty exciting during a pandemic year."
The NWI Forum touted its 2020 accomplishments during its annual meeting at the Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton Thursday.
Last year, it hosted three economic development boot camps that more than 100 people participated in and scheduled 22 virtual events on Zoom that reached more than 1,100 participants.
"The forum has been tremendously impactful," said board president Tony Oss with Larson Danielson Construction. "And I'm happy to say we're well-positioned financially."
The Portage-based economic development agency, which is privately funded, added four new investors and is working on 20 leads for new or expanding businesses. It has about 88% of its five-year "Ignite the Region" plan complete or in process in the two years since it was made public.
“Amidst a year of trials and uncertainty, Northwest Indiana managed to outperform 2019 metrics,” Ennis said. “We look forward to working more closely with our regional partners, maybe even face-to-face, in 2021 to continue to build on that success."
The NWI Forum added two new board members, Justin Mount of Indiana America Water and Matt Gower of Carmeuse Lime and Stone.
"We live in a great place in Northwest Indiana," Mount said. "There's a lot of promise."
It also re-elected board members Dave Bareham of Enbridge, Brian Hittinger of Krieg DeVault, Chancellor Tom Keonn of Purdue University Northwest, Richard Leverett of AT&T, Dean Mazzoni of Franciscan Health Michigan City, Kathryn Jenkins of Horseshoe Casino, Lori Tubbs of McColly Bennett Commercial Advantage, Michael Helsdingen of First Midwest Bank, and Erica Dombey of Regional Development Company.
"I want to be part of the group that will move the Region forward," Gower said. "I'll do the best that I can do to be a willing soldier."
The NWI Forum is looking to build upon the success of economic development projects like the South Shore Line's West Lake Corridor and Double Track NWI, Ennis said.
"We're not done yet," she said. "I feel we just reached the tipping point and more effort is needed to push us over the edge. We're going to do more wonderful things but it's going to take more collaboration than we've ever done before."
At the annual meeting, Forum members also paid tribute to departing board members Linda Woloshansky of the Center of Workforce Innovations and Don Babcock of NIPSCO, both of whom are retiring from their day jobs. Babcock was hailed as "Mr. Northwest Indiana" who "brought energy to every room he entered" while Woloshansky was praised as "one of Northwest Indiana's greatest leaders" who shattered glass ceilings and blazed a path for more women leaders.
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