County 71: Blackford

The top priority of any community today is economic development, and when I meet with local leaders in our rural cities and towns I find this to be especially true. This is why in 2005 I created the Office of Community and Rural Affairs to help smaller communities thrive and grow. Blackford County, one of our state’s smallest counties, caught my attention with several recent economic development successes.

I met with several local leaders including Rep. Kevin Mahan, Hartford City Mayor Ben Hodgin, and Montpelier Mayor Kathy Bantz. Blackford County was one of the state’s hardest hit areas during the recession. At its peak their unemployment reached 15.5 percent, while today it sits at 9.8 percent. This number isn’t satisfactory, but it is trending in the right direction.



Lt. Governor Skillman talks with local leaders
in Blackford County about economic development



In our rural areas every investment makes a huge impact. Just in the past year, Petosky Plastics made a $1 million investment with the creation of 45 new jobs. While 3M, an industrial adhesive and tape manufacturer, made a $4 million expansion. These announcements will give a significant boost to their local economy.

When businesses look to invest and grow in a specific region of our state, quality of life issues are a major factor in their decision making. Local leaders are working hard to make sure their county is attractive to potential business investors.

Blackford County has strong schools– graduating 85 percent. They are working on funding through INDOT for a greenway project for pedestrians and bicyclists. The reconstruction of highway 26 through Hartford City from Taylor University is also good for the local businesses. Infrastructure improvements are one of the top reasons businesses decide to locate and invest in Indiana.  Montpelier received a $500,000 grant through OCRA to build a community center for their residents.

These projects are all signs of progress and will make the county more enticing to future business. Blackford County’s economic development mission is right on point and moving full steam ahead.

County 70: Warrick

The Community Focus Funds provide a much-needed boost to local development plans.  They can be used to help fund emergency response equipment, like a new fire truck, or they can contribute to other permanent assets, like community and senior centers. 

Booneville’s new senior center provides an invaluable resource for local citizens, thanks to the partnership between Warrick County Commissioners, the Warrick County Council on Aging and our state Office of Community and Rural Affairs.  I was delighted to meet with local leaders and see what they have accomplished at the senior center with their grant money. 

County 69: Vanderburgh

This summer marks the sixth year for the Advancing Women in Business Seminars.  Each year, our Office of Community and Rural Affairs partners with the Indiana Small Business Development Centers and local groups, like the Evansville YWCA, to host a unique networking and educational event for female entrepreneurs.  The first of this summer’s four seminars was in Evansville.    

Lt. Gov. Skillman honors Jeanne Amsler,
a winner of the 2012 Celebration of
Hoosier Women Artists competition.  

I look forward to meeting all the women who attend the seminar, but in Evansville, I was eager to see one in particular.  Jeanne Amsler was one of the 2012 winners of my annual Celebration of Hoosier Women Artists competition.  She was unable to attend our award ceremony in March, but I was happy to greet her at the ceremony and honor her for her winning painting, “The Ross Theater,” now hanging in my state house office.  


Jeanne’s art is her business, and it was good to know we were helping to connect her with the people and tools she needs to promote her work.  ISBDC counselors are there to make connections with women who need help managing the often overwhelming work of starting and running a business.  They are there to ask the right questions and provide valuable, first-hand business experience. 

Last year, the ISBDC helped start 266 businesses, 100 of which were owned by women.  Each of them got their start by reaching out to the SBDC and working with an experienced counselor.


Clients range from physicians and PhDs to stay-at-home moms with dreams of a start-up bakery.  It couldn’t be easier to connect with ISBDC counselors and start a conversation about your business.  Visit www.isbdc.org and fill out their Business Assessment tool to get started!

County 68: Jennings

Less than a week after recognizing Delphi and Princeton as the state’s 2012 Stellar Communities, I traveled to one of the pilot cities in the Stellar Community program – North Vernon.

As we broke ground for the US-50 Bypass, the community came much closer to realizing its Stellar Community plan. State government is working together to provide resources for the big picture projects – projects that are becoming a reality in a three year timeframe. I’m proud of the progress that has been made in North Vernon.

Over the past year or two, North Vernon has seen investments from existing and new companies. These companies are creating jobs for Hoosiers, but are also creating real infrastructure needs. The increase in traffic has made the US-50 bypass a necessity for public safety and the growth of new and existing businesses.

This bypass is an excellent tool to boost economic development in the area. Infrastructure improvements are one of the top reasons businesses choose to locate and invest in Indiana. Businesses, including those surrounding Muscatatuck, will have room to grow.

With funding from the state’s Major Moves program, road projects like the US-50 Bypass are being built.  Since 2006, more than $5 billion statewide has been invested in new and existing infrastructure. Very few states are able to move forward with improvements and major new infrastructure. 

I look forward to the continued growth of North Vernon and Jennings County as they realize their Stellar Community goals.