Indiana’s leading regional business magazine since 1991 RAIL EXPANSION | VIRTUAL MEDICINE | EMPLOYEE SAFETY | ECONOMIC MOMENTUM FEBRUARY / MARCH 2021 Northwest Indiana Business Magazine 1991-2021 Serving greater Northwest and North Central Indiana and surrounding counties Anniversary year Three decades of spreading the news about Region’s business community CHOOSE A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR YOUR GROWING BUSINESS. Purdue Technology Center and AmeriPlex at the Crossroads provide the right locale and environment for new and existing businesses to create and grow. Indiana Certified Technology Park • Right Location – an hour from the Chicago Loop • Room to Grow – 189 available acres, site ready • Superior Facility – full-service, turnkey office, lab and coworking options • First-Class Amenities – state-of-the-art work space, fiber optic connectivity • Meeting Space – three well-appointed conference rooms Purdue Technology Center 9800 Connecticut Drive, Crown Point, Ind. FOR MORE 219.644.3680 INFORMATION www.prf.org/researchpark/locations/northwest NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS MAGAZINE CONTENTS FEBRUARY / MARCH 2021 TOP STORY ON THE COVER TRANSPORTATION 12 Track pursuits pay off Start of construction on West Lake Corridor rail project catalyst for new development 17 VIEWPOINT: Also hear from Michael 40 u 30th anniversary cover Noland about the project’s progress. design by Heather Pfundstein FEATURES HEALTH CARE HR / STAFFING COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AGRIBUSINESS 18 22 26 30 Telemedicine Putting human Region’s building Boost for movement resources first boom buying local Industry finds virtual Leaders say focus on Expansion of logistics, Crisis sparked consumer visits more than just employee safety and manufacturing paints movement to seek food pandemic trend, along satisfaction essential to bright future for commercial and other products made with other new approaches coping, moving past crisis development close to home 2 FEB-MAR 2021 | NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS MAGAZINE NWINDIANABUSINESS.COM FranciscanVirtualVisit.org VIRTUAL URGENT CARE IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME Speak with a Franciscan provider via video chat for minor illnesses and injuries. SCHEDULE YOUR VIDEO CHAT TODAY Reserve your appointment time…VIRTUALLY! AVOID THE WAITING FranciscanExpressCare.org ROOM ACCESS THROUGH YOUR APP! COLUMNS LEADER PROFILE LEADER PROFILE BUSINESS PROFILE MAKING A DIFFERENCE 34 36 38 39 Workforce Ready for next Launched It takes champion challenge out of need an army Linda Woloshansky’s Mrvan says role as township National competition The Salvation Army of dedication to nonprofit trustee prepared him shines spotlight Lake County overcomes raised bar on employee to follow in Visclosky’s on Region resident’s hurdles to aid community training footsteps haircare product line during pandemic EVERY EDITION ADVERTISING INDEX Burke Costanza & Carberry ............... 21 Centier Bank .............................................. C4 Edward Jones - Crown Point ............ 29 Fifth Third Bank ....................................... 25 1st Source Bank ....................................... 32 Franciscan Health ..................................... 3 Goodwill Industries of Michiana ...... 8 BEST OF BUSINESS AWARDS Hoeppner Wagner & Evans .............. 28 Readers have until Feb. 12 to BUSINESS NEWS VIEWPOINT Indiana University Northwest ......... 20 Kruggel Lawton CPAs .......................... 34 vote in our 2021 Best of Business Larson-Danielson Construction ..... 14 Awards. Go to page 37 for details McMahon & Associates CPAs .. C3, 15 or nwindianabusiness.com/bestof 6 40 MTA / Midwest Telecom ...................... 33 Peoples Bank ................................................ 1 Around the Region Anniversary year Pulse Technology ...................................... 10 ADVERTISE WITH US Learn about people, Publisher Troy Linker Purdue Research Foundation ......... C2 Purdue University Northwest ......... 36 Find our media kit companies making Swartz Retson ............................................. 9 shares his perspective on our website at difference at work and on the magazine that has Tech Credit Union..................................... 35 U.S. Business Systems ........................ 24 nwindianabusiness. in their communities served NWI for 30 years Valparaiso University .............................. 11 com/about/partner_with_us/ ON THE WEB: Find QR codes with each of our stories. Scan the QR code using your smartphone’s camera. No app is required on most phones. Your phone will then take you to our website’s version of the story. 4 FEB-MAR 2021 | NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS MAGAZINE NWINDIANABUSINESS.COM GOOD BIT The amount of the Full Funding Grant Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration for rail $945M expansion projects in Northwest Indiana. PAGE 17 FEB-MAR 2021 IN THIS ISSUE LEADER PROFILE lobal pandemic aside, observers of business activity in Publisher/Executive Editor Northwest Indiana may say the Region was void of any Troy Linker crisis the past year. After years of planning and discus- Managing Editor sions, the West Lake Corridor project, the first of two Larry Avila Gmajor rail expansion efforts in Northwest Indiana broke ground Design/Production Manager in late fall. Health care professionals used technology to improve Heather Pfundstein care delivery and reduce costs. The necessity to work remotely Contributing Writers saw employers adapt operations to adhere to social distancing Christopher Adam ▪ Larry Avila rules and innovate to keep employees engaged and productive. ANTHONY B. Lauren Caggiano ▪ Troy Linker SINDONE Catherine McCoy ▪ Carrie Napoleon Business growth continued as numerous company expansion Michael Noland ▪ Philip Potempa plans were announced across Northwest Indiana. Proponents Who he is: Clinical Hannah Reed ▪ Doug Ross of growing Indiana’s agribusiness sector developed strategies to associate professor of Editorial Advisory Committee push the buy-local movement. As one trailblazing leader who finance and economic Jessica Cantarelli ▪ Erika Dahl ▪ Lorri Feldt announced intentions to step aside, in another arena, a local development, Purdue Barbara Grimsgard ▪ Keith Kirkpatrick University Northwest Leigh Morris ▪ Raeann Trakas entrepreneur gained attention that could catapult her business Anthony Sindone ▪ Linda Woloshansky to the national stage, while another Region native prepared to Where he calls home: La Porte (New Photography make his mark as a first-term congressman. The pandemic won’t Jersey native) Michelle Hamstra be forgotten nor will the efforts of The Salvation Army of Lake email: [email protected] County, which provided aid to those in need. We hope you enjoy Education: California web: nwindianabusiness.com this edition of the magazine, the first in our 30th year of opera- State University, San visit: facebook.com/nwindiananbiz Bernardino, and The visit: twitter.com/nwindianabiz tion. Thank you for reading! — Larry Avila, managing editor visit: linkedin.com/company/ University of Notre Dame nwindianabiz What’s best about Northwest Indiana Business Magazine PICTURE PERFECT NWI: The people, friends 905 Joliet St #237, Dyer IN 46311 and colleagues 219-230-3777 is owned and published by What he’s reading: Linker Media Group, Inc., “The Deficit Myth,” by Troy Linker, President and CEO. Stephanie Kelton; “Rage,” by Bob Woodward Favorite music: Many contributing writers are experts from various fields and provide advice to Eclectic tastes, jazz/ our readers on their individual specialties. blues and Billy Joel Experts provide general information, for Favorite movie: educational purposes, regarding legal, accounting, insurance and other professional NICTD by provided Photo “The Godfather” issues. This information is not a substitute for (From left) Michael Noland, South Shore Line and NICTD; Favorite food: Italian specific professional advice given by qualified U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana; Elaine Chao, former trans- professionals who are aware of an individual’s portation secretary; and Bill Hanna, NWI RDA, attend the Favorite saying: “It’s all particular circumstances. West Lake Corridor groundbreaking in October. PAGE 12 part of the experience.” © Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. QUOTE TO REMEMBER Reproduction without permission is prohibited. If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic is helping to make us even Visit NWIndianaBusiness.com/subscribe stronger and capable of meeting human needs.” Two-year subscription rate is $19.95. — Capt. Brian Clark, coordinator for The Salvation Army of Lake County. PAGE 39 One-year subscription rate is $14.95. “ NWINDIANABUSINESS.COM NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS MAGAZINE | FEB-MAR 2021 5 BUSINESS NEWS AROUND THE REGION SCAN WITH YOUR PHONE Learn about people, companies making difference at work and in their communities LARRY AVILA Sarah Ferrara-Hartnett was Indiana University Northwest promoted to sales manager of the Chancellor Ken Iwama recently Banking furniture division of Office Interiors was named to the executive commit- South Bend-based Teachers Credit in Granger. tee of the Coalition of Urban and Union recently appointed Jacquelyn Linda Brooks recently was named Metropolitan Universities. Rucker, director of diversity, equity, CEO of Baptist Children’s Home Inc. Michael Chikeleze joined and inclusion; and announced Jennifer in Valparaiso. Valparaiso University’s faculty as the Wagnerowski of TCU Investment Richard C. and Francelia A. Gozon Services, recently became a Certified Economic development University Chair in Values-Based