WAYNET.ORG OFFERS NEW MEMBER INTRODUCTORY DISCOUNT
For December only, WayNet.org will offer memberships at a special introductory rate to those joining for the first time.
Richmond, Indiana, December 1, 2008 –
Businesses and organizations that would like to have their website listed on WayNet.org may take advantage of the special rates being offered to first time members. Saving of up to 20% are available for those who want to become a part of this vital online community resource.
For December only, WayNet.org is offering an unprecedented opportunity for community businesses and organizations to vastly increase their Internet exposure with a New Member Introductory Discount. For one month only, Business, Sponsor, Gold and Platinum levels will be discounted by up to 20%. This offer is available to first-time members only.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to put your business or organization in front of nearly half a million unique visitors - 24/7/365 - at an incredible value. Fill out the application, located at http://www.waynet.org/waynet/application-200812.htm, before December 31, 2008 to take advantage of this bargain. Enter the code: 08TT12.
In an economic downturn, as counterintuitive as it may seem, the wisest investment is often your marketing budget. Now more than ever it is important to get your message to the right people. The key is finding the right medium and the best value.
WayNet.org offers an outstanding value to its members. Our visitors are looking for businesses and organizations located right here in Wayne County – they are looking for you! A link from WayNet to your website not only offers our 66,000 average monthly visitors easy access to the message you would like to share with them, it also makes you more “visible” to search engines.
It’s easy to become a member of WayNet.org. Just fill out the application on our website and we’ll add a link to your website from WayNet.org right away. Then we’ll send you an invoice at this special discounted rate. But don’t wait – this offer may not be repeated again!
WayNet.org is a local, not-for-profit organization that makes it easy for local citizens and visitors from around the area and around the world to locate information about the Richmond and Wayne County, Indiana area. With just one click to http://www.waynet.org, businesses, schools, government offices, and not-for-profits are brought into view.
For more information, contact Jane Holman, Executive Director of WayNet.org at (765) 939-0857 or via email at jane@waynet.org.
MEETING WILL FOCUS ON ELECTRIC RATES, REDUCING USAGE
Business managers and owners are invited to learn about commercial electric rates in Richmond and how they can reduce their electric usage during a meeting co-sponsored by Richmond Power and Light and the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, Indiana.
The meeting will be from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, in the auditorium at Johnson Hall on the campus of Ivy Tech Community College, 2357 Chester Blvd., Richmond, Ind. There is no cost for participants.
RP&L General Manager Steve Saum will discuss RP&L’s commercial rates for 2009. RP&L will also discuss how the municipal power utility can help local companies identify ways they can lower their electric bill by reducing waste. RP&L offers electrical energy audits at no cost to companies within its service area and also works with companies to adopt strategies that can reduce their bills.
Following RP&L’s presentation, a consultant will tell how his company helps businesses find ways to reduce their capital investment in energy-savings equipment and building improvements. Jim Weaver of Indianapolis, an energy services consultant, works with companies to identify state and federal funding sources that may reduce their return on investment.
To make reservations for the free meeting, call the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County at (765) 983-4769 or send e-mail to norene@edcwc.com with the company name, phone number and the names of people attending.
SUMMERSAULT DONATION ENCOURAGES PHILANTHROPY TO LOCAL NOT-FOR-PROFITS
RICHMOND, INDIANA – Summersault, LLC is pleased announce a community challenge donation of up to $4,300 through their sponsorship of the 2008 Alternative Gift Fair.
The 4th Annual Alternative Gift Fair, held this year on December 6, provides the community with the opportunity to shop for donations in lieu of physical gifts during the holidays. Shoppers can browse tables of local organizations in search of the perfect “gift” for their loved one. Gifts might include art supplies for an after school program, preservation of one acre of land, or conflict resolution training for a middle school classroom. The recipient receives a box with a beautiful bow and certificate explaining the donation.
In order to foster additional participation in this fun event that provides important financial support to multiple local organizations, Summersault will be contributing $20 each for the first 90 individual donors and $25 each for the next 100 individual donors, for a total possible contribution from Summersault of $4,300.
Bring a friend, bring a neighbor and bring a co-worker! Summersault encourages the community to attend the Alternative Gift Fair and bring as many other donors as possible to assure that these deserving local organizations receive this entire sum. With this matching grant, one person’s $20 donation automatically becomes a $40 donation that benefits a Wayne County organization. Their friend or co-worker’s $20 donation may bring the organization $45!
“ Last year’s Alternative Gift Fair was festive and brought in a record number of donations. The
organizers did a great job of making it a lively event,” said Chris Haride, Principal of Summersault, LLC. “This event also speaks to the importance of using our resources wisely and supporting our local community, values that are an integral part of Summersault’s corporate mission. We wanted to encourage more community members to participate, so we chose to deliver our gift to these organizations in a way that will propel even greater involvement this year.”
Organizations participating in the 2008 Alternative Gift Fair include:
Area 9 In-Home and & Community Services Agency
Bark Park
Birth to Five
Centerville Center Township Public Library
Conflict Resolution Center
Cope Environmental Center
Girl Scouts of Central Indiana
Girls Inc. of Wayne County
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Richmond
Hand In Hand Adult Day Care
Indiana Women In Need
Mother's Bank
Richmond Art Museum
Richmond Friends School
Roscoe's Rescue, Inc.
Senior Opportunity Services
Sunrise Inc.
Whitewater Valley Land Trust
Women's Fund
The Alternative Gift Fair will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 6, 2008 on the second floor of the new Reid Hospital, 1100 Reid Parkway in Richmond, Indiana. Stop by for a break from the usual holiday commercial overload and enjoy the great atmosphere, sweet holiday treats, and even a complimentary chair massage!
Summersault is recognized as a leader in database driven website solutions. The firm offers a single point of contact for highly customized web design and application development solutions, as well as professional consulting services and support.
Levi Coffin House Association Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet
You are cordially invited to attend the annual meeting and awards banquet for all members, volunteers, and friends of the Levi Coffin House Association.
Date: Friday evening November 14, 2008
Place: Friends Fellowship – Community Room Building
2030 Chester Blvd. (On West side of U.S. 27 South of Interstate 70)
Richmond, Indiana
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $9.00
Reservations must be made no later than Monday, November 10th. The banquet will be prepared by the Friends Fellowship staff so we must ask that any reservation canceled after this date must still be paid. Please send reservations by return mail or leave a message on the office phone at 765-847-2432.
Laura Minzes, Deputy Director of Historic Site Structures, and several other Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites staff members will be making a presentation on the Interpretation Center construction project and the future vision for the Levi Coffin House State Historic Site.
Remember that the room was cool last year, so dress warmly.
Janice McGuire
President
Levi Coffin House Association
Richmond Mayor and Wayne County Commissioners to Jointly Proclaim November as Chamber of Commerce Buy Local Month at Wednesday (Nov. 5) News Conference
November and December are important months for local businesses, especially retail. The Richmond Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and its Buy Local Committee is using the month of November to encourage shopping and buying locally.
During a special news conference, Wednesday, November 5 at 5 p.m. at the Richmond Square Mall, Richmond Mayor Sally Hutton and The Wayne County Commissioners will jointly proclaim, November 2008 as Chamber of Commerce Buy Local Month.
The Chamber Buy Local Committee has been working for several years to draw attention to the importance of buying locally. The more dollars that are spent with local retail, service, construction and other types of businesses, the more likely those businesses are to be able to retain jobs and experience growth.
The Chamber is also able to encourage shopping locally with their popular Chamber of Commerce gift certificate program. Accepted at over 100 local area, Chamber-member businesses, the gift certificates are a great way to keep dollars in the local community.
The news conference will take place in the center court at the Richmond Square Mall and is open to the public.
Swim Lessons at Earlham Wellness Center
There will be a 4 week session of Swim Lessons at the Earlham Wellness Center from Nov. 10 - Dec. 10. There are no classes the week of Thanksgiving.
Classes are as follows:
~Parent and Tots (6 mo. - 5 yrs.; $17.50)
Monday or Wednesday 5:00 - 5:30 p.m.
~Preschool (3 - 5 years, $17.50)
Monday or Wednesday 3:30 - 4:00 p.m.
~Levels I, II, III (5 and older, 22.50)
Monday or Wednesday 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
For more information, contact Jayne Arnold at arnolja@earlham.edu or call 983-1732. Sign up and pay at the Athletics and Wellness Desk, Wellness Center, Earlham College, 801 National Road West, Richmond, Indiana.
http://www.earlham.edu/wellness/
Dot Foods Cambridge City Distribution Center to Increase Volume by 48% in 2009
Company to Hire 27 Additional Warehouse Workers, additional maintenance & clerical staff and 60 Additional Truck Drivers
Mt. Sterling, Illinois, October 17, 2008 – Dot Foods, Inc. announced today the company would shift selected portions of its current distribution from its distribution center in Mt. Sterling, Ill. to its Cambridge City, Ind., location beginning in late March 2009. The Cambridge City facility offers Dot Foods significant savings for the points of distribution it will serve. No employees in Mt. Sterling or any other Dot Foods location will be displaced as a result of this move. The Cambridge City distribution center plans to take over portions of northern Indiana and Michigan currently being covered by the Mt. Sterling facility.
"Moving the distribution location for these areas will allow us to reduce significantly our freight costs. We will be able to reduce these costs by taking advantage of the location of the Cambridge City facility" said Tim Loyd, Dot Foods General Manager - Cambridge City. “We had originally thought Michigan and Northern Indiana would stay with Mt. Sterling for 2009. With fuel prices expected to stay high in 2009 we have moved up our timeline for moving this volume to our facility in Cambridge City. Our plans are to hire additional warehouse workers, maintenance, and clerical workers in addition to over 60 Class “A” delivery drivers to be able to handle the increased volume.”
Dot Foods is the nation’s leading food redistributors with over 2.8 billion in sales. Dot distributes foodservice, convenience, retail, vending and equipment and supplies for 500 of the nation’s top manufacturers to over 3,300 food distributors in all 50 states.
Customers are served through daily or weekly deliveries on multi-temperature tractor-trailer units operating out of distribution centers in Mt. Sterling, Ill.; Vidalia, Ga.; Modesto, Calif.; Williamsport, Md.; Liverpool, N.Y.; Ardmore, Okla.; Chicago, Ill.; Cambridge City, Ind. and Burley, Idaho.
For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.dotfoods.com.
Cope Environmental Center and Clear Creek Coop Coordinate Organic Dairy Tour October 25
Take a tour of an organic dairy farm right here in Wayne County! This is the opportunity to become acquainted with a local organic farmer and understand the value of organic farming and the impact it has on you as a consumer. Learn what it really means to be an organic farm from raising and feeding and milking the cows to transporting and packaging the milk as an organic product. You will hear about the certification requirements and what it takes to earn and retain organic certification. The dairy is a member of the Organic Valley cooperative. The milk produced on this farm is purchased by Organic Valley and processed locally at Smith Dairy.
On October 25 at 9:30 a.m. we will meet at the Clear Creek Coop on Earlham’s campus. Please park in the lot between the Wellness Center and the Coop. We will then drive to the dairy a few miles north of Richmond. The tour will take us behind the scenes to see how a working dairy operates on a daily basis, from feeding to milking, and getting the product to the grocery shelf. We will return to the coop by 12:30 p.m.
The dairy is a member of the Organic Valley cooperative. The milk produced on this farm is purchased by Organic Valley and processed locally at Smith Dairy.
The program is limited to 20 participants. Registration is required. Please call Cope Environmental Center at 765-855-3188 or email Stephanie at s.hays@copeenvironmental.org for details and to register for the tour. There is no fee for the tour.
2008 Entrepreneurial Conference "What's the Big Idea?"
Thursday, October 23, 2008 Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana
Main Street Richmond Wayne County will host “What’s the Big Idea?” an entrepreneurial conference at Earlham College in Richmond Indiana on Thursday, October 23 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The conference will be an opportunity to capitalize on the successful experiences of entrepreneurs and professionals in the areas of starting, funding, growing and managing a business. The audience will include Start up & Early Stage Entrepreneurs, Expansion & Later Stage Entrepreneurs, investors, business professionals and individuals thinking about starting a business, those who want to accelerate their sales growth and people who just want to connect with other entrepreneurs or investors.
Keynote Speaker: Fredrick Hess, Resident Scholar and Director of Education Policy Studies at American Enterprise Institute on "The Future of Educational Entrepreneurship."
Frederick M. Hess is a resident scholar and director of education policy studies at AEI and executive editor of Education Next. His many books include The Future of Educational Entrepreneurship (Harvard Education Press, 2008), No Remedy Left Behind (AEI Press, 2007), No Child Left Behind: A Primer (Peter Lang, 2006), Common Sense School Reform (Palgrave Macmillan, 2004), and Spinning Wheels (Brookings Institution Press, 1998). His work has appeared in both popular and scholarly outlets, including Harvard Educational Review, Social Science Quarterly, American Politics Quarterly, Education Week, Phi Delta Kappan, the Washington Post, and National Review. Mr. Hess serves on the review board for the Broad Prize in Urban Education, as a research associate with the Harvard University Program on Education Policy and Governance, and as a member of the advisory board for the National Association of Charter School Authorizers. He is a former high school social studies teacher and has taught at Georgetown University, Harvard University, the University of Virginia, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Just a Preview of Speakers and Topics Include:
· Taking the Buzz Out Of Start Up
· Can Small Business Thrive In These Economic Times? The Do's & Don'ts
· Building Your Ideas
· How to Build Your Entrepreneurial Team
· How To Make Work into Play: Ethics in the Workplace
· Women's Business Blueprint
· Succession Planning-What's Your Exit Strategy?"
· "Summersaulting: Adventures in Entrepreneurship"
Rick Barnett, Free Play Inc, Business Outfitters*Chris Hardie, Summersault, LLC*Joe Chamness, Sr. Vice President of First Bank Richmond*Tim Scales, Director of Entrepreneur Center at IUE*Pat Heiny and Mary Jo Clark, Contemporary Consulting*Leonard W. Clark*Ted Baker, Director of SBDC *Rob Quigg, Richmond Baking*Charles Kennedy, Vice President of Cambridge Capital*Jynell Berkshire, Vice President, Innoventum, Inc.
This conference is sponsored in part by Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Main Street Richmond Wayne County, The Innovation Center of East Central Indiana
Really Cool Foods® Celebrates Grand Opening of its National Production and Distribution Center in Indiana
Company Executives Join State and Local Officials to Announce Indiana as Home to New Corporate Headquarters
Cambridge City, IN - Really Cool Foods, a leading natural and organic prepared foods company, held a ribbon cutting ceremony today to announce the grand opening of its $24 million state-of-the-art production and distribution center located in Cambridge City, Indiana. The 78,200 square foot facility utilizes exciting new technology in both food preparation and packaging. This is the first development of a planned complex employing 250 Hoosier workers in phase one with more than 1,000 jobs planned for the future.
“This is a tremendous day for Really Cool Foods and we are thrilled to begin production of our high-quality, better-for-you menu items,” said Michael Recanati, founder and CEO of Really Cool Foods. “The people of Indiana have welcomed us and we have found a first-class Hoosier workforce that will provide Really Cool Foods the ability to move forward with our aggressive growth strategy.”
Recanati, who was joined by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and hundreds of business and community leaders, announced Really Cool Foods will move its corporate headquarters from New York City to the new Cambridge City facility effective immediately. This corporate relocation brings fifty new jobs and another national headquarters to the state of Indiana.
According to company executives, the new production and distribution center strengthens Really Cool Foods ability to deliver high-quality, natural and organic prepared foods to consumers through a growing network of retailers operating in 19 states. They include Kroger, Whole Foods, Wakefern Food Corporation and Ahold USA.
“This new facility and its strategic location in the Midwest will allow Really Cool Foods to reach new markets and introduce the finest of prepared natural and organic foods to consumers looking for healthy, cost-effective ways to feed themselves and their families,” said Beth McDonald, co-president of Really Cool Foods. “Our commitment to quality, freshness and great taste is why consumers enjoy our better-for-you meals,” said McDonald.
The Really Cool Foods National Production and Distribution Center utilizes the newest food safety technologies and is a USDA-certified organic commissary. The company’s second commissary, located in Syosset, New York, is 35,000 square feet and is also a USDA-certified production facility.
In addition to food preparation and packaging operations, the Indiana commissary will utilize a research and development test kitchen that is expected to launch two new product categories in spring 2009.
Grant Lorsung, Really Cool Foods executive vice president and COO, highlighted the facility’s commitment to quality production and authenticity. “The Really Cool Foods commissary is designed to meet and exceed all requirements and regulations for handling and processing natural and organic foods. Our operations, as well as our organic product flow and the certifications of our food products will be subject to 24/7 inspection by the USDA.”
“In addition to our attention to quality, we will triple the production capacity of Really Cool Foods by more than 67,000 pounds of freshly prepared foods per day. Our growing menu includes more than 53 delicious entrees, salads, sides and combination meals,” said Lorsung.
During the grand opening ceremony, Really Cool Foods announced an agreement with Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana to donate perishable, high-quality food which will help feed Hoosiers in 20 Indiana counties. In addition, Really Cool Foods presented a $5thousand dollar check to the Feeding America Kids Café program which is the most expansive child feeding program in the nation, with more than 90,000 children served each year.
ABOUT REALLY COOL FOODS
Established in February 2005, Really Cool Foods is one of the premier manufacturers of great-tasting, better-for-you, organic and natural fresh prepared foods in the United States. An extensive line of restaurant quality products offer nutritious, convenient meal solutions for the consumer’s busy lifestyles. Recipes are chef-developed, tested for food safety, then prepared with artisan care and packaged in the company’s two USDA-certified organic commissaries: the Really Cool Foods National Production and Distribution Center located in Cambridge City, Indiana and the Really Cool Foods Production Facility in Syosset, New York. The $24 million, more than 78,000 square foot national production and distribution center in Indiana is a state of the art facility which began production in October 2008. Really Cool Foods provides fresh meal solutions to a growing network of the finest retailers and foodservice distributors across North America. For more information visit: www.reallycoolfoods.com
LOCAL MANUFACTURERS INVITED TO TOUR ZERO-LANDFILL PLANT
A manufacturers’ tour of Indiana’s first zero-landfill plant is being planned for Nov. 7. Reservations for the tour are being taken now.
The Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, Ind., and the Richmond Wayne County Environmental Action Council are cooperating to offer a tour of Subaru of Indiana Automotive’s factory in Lafayette. The plant sends no waste into the landfill, instead finding ways to reduce, reuse and recycle materials that are not used in the manufacturing process.
“Waste reduction is a key part of lean manufacturing because it leads to significant savings for companies,” said Bob Hansen, EDC’s business retention and expansion manager. “SIA took concerted efforts beginning just a few years ago to analyze its waste stream, reduce or eliminate what it could, and then find ways to reuse the remaining materials.”
Those participating in the trip to SIA will tour the massive plant and meet with the company’s project manager for waste reduction. The idea is for local company representatives to gain ideas on what they might be able to accomplish in their own plants and how they can develop partnerships with other companies that would use their waste products, Hansen said.
“Subaru of Indiana Automotive is a fantastic example of a company that is doing the environmentally responsible thing because it contributes positively to the bottom line,” said Stephanie Hays-Mussoni, who chairs the Environmental Action Council. Hays-Mussoni, who is executive director of Cope Environmental Center, said she hopes that the Cope Center can serve as a resource center for companies that wish to reduce their environmental impact. “We can all benefit from learning what SIA is doing in Lafayette. We can use their ideas and adapt them to fit different process in different types of industries.”
Reservations for the tour are being accepted until Nov. 2 at the EDC of Wayne County office. For information, contact Hansen at (765) 983-4769 or by e-mail, bhansen@edcwc.com.
EDC ESTABLISHES SEARCH PROCESS, CRITERIA FOR NEW PRESIDENT
An aggressive full-scale national search is being conducted for a new president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County.
Board President Joe Chamness said the EDC Board’s executive committee developed search criteria and a process for approval by the full board at its Oct. 6 meeting. Advertising has begun in several newspapers and Web sites.
“We are using a search process that is very similar to what we did just over two years ago,” Chamness said. “We had several excellent applicants at that time and we believe it resulted in bringing a highly qualified and innovative leader, Jim Dinkle, to our organization.”
Chamness said the Board has adopted an aggressive schedule for filling the position, hoping to offer the position to its top choice by Dec. 8.
“We will be thorough in our search but we don’t want to spend months without a full-time leader to guide the county’s economic development organization,” Chamness said. “The value of having an experienced professional at the helm has been demonstrated by Jim Dinkle.”
The EDC is looking for a professional who has demonstrated leadership in a public or private economic development organization, Chamness said. Applications are due by Oct. 27.
The EDC will use a professional human resources firm to review all of the applications. Then the board will select several semi-finalists for telephone interviews. Following that, a few finalists will be brought to Richmond for on-site interviews by the EDC Board, staff and representatives of Wayne County and Richmond city governments and other community leaders.
Prior to its 2006 search, the EDC board had contacted economic development consultants to help develop a search procedure. They had recommended advertising the position in regional newspapers and on job-search Web sites, including those of regional and national economic development professional organizations.
Dinkle, who began work as the EDC president and CEO in December 2006, has resigned to pursue career interests in the private sector. He is assisting the EDC Board in the current selection process.
TRADE DELEGATION FROM SOUTH AFRICAN FREE STATE TO VISIT WAYNE COUNTY
A trade delegation that will include the premier of the Free State of South Africa will visit Wayne County on Sept. 25 as guests of the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, Indiana.
The trade delegation is visiting several U.S. states in the hope of forming business partnerships, according to Tracey van Niekerk, life sciences/special project coordinator for the EDC. The delegation hopes to negotiate trade agreements with Midwestern states and to promote trade between businesses here and in the Free State. The group will meet with state government officials in Indianapolis before coming to Richmond.
In addition to Free State Premier F.B. Marshoff, the group will include several other government officials and representatives from several South African companies. The group has special interests in agricultural processing, mining and jewelry making, petrochemicals and tourism.
“This trip for the South Africans is a fact-finding mission. They will be here to learn about us and some of the similarities that we have,” said van Niekerk. “They shall be visiting Smith Dairy and the delegation will be given a presentation by David Terrill, the executive director of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, at the Lingle Auditorium at Reid Hospital.”
They also will have a luncheon at Forest Hills Country Club that will feature South African recipes.
The Free State is in central South Africa. Agriculture and mining are among the largest sectors of its economy. Its capital city, Bloemfontein, has a population of about 1 million people. The province also is home to South Africa’s judicial capital.
“This is a wonderful opportunity and a great honor for Wayne County,” van Niekerk said. “I hope that we can foster and develop a great relationship with the citizens of the Free State.”
Whitewater Walk will start from Richmond’s Gorge
RICHMOND, Ind. – The Whitewater Gorge in Richmond will be the starting point on Sunday, Sept. 21, for the third annual Whitewater Walk. A kickoff celebration will be on Saturday evening, Sept. 20.
The walk will showcase attractions along the newly designated Whitewater Canal Scenic Byway.
Musical entertainment and food will be featured during the kickoff event on Sept. 20 at the Starr-Gennett building in the Gorge. A live band will play from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and food will be available until about 8 p.m. People interested in the Whitewater Walk may sign up to participate during this time.
The Walk will start with a sunrise service at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 20. Then, officers of the Whitewater Canal Scenic Byway Association will lead hikers through the Gorge to the Test Road trail head, head west to Abington Pike and then walk to Abington.
Those wishing to hike and receive a commemorative T-shirt may either pay $20 or secure $50 or more in pledges for the walk. The funds will go to the Whitewater Scenic Byway Association.
Those who hike may also choose to walk other segments of the Whitewater Walk during the week from Sept. 21-28. The Wayne County part of the walk continues Sept. 22 with hikers starting in Hagerstown and Cambridge City. A complete list of the days and routes for the walk is on the Scenic Byway Association Web site, www.whitewatercanalscenicbyway.org. Those interested may also contact Wayne County Walk Chair Cathy Vandivier at (765) 478-3556.
This year’s walk will celebrate a major accomplishment by the Whitewater Canal Byway Association, headquartered in Metamora. On July 22, acting on a recommendation by the Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman officially designated the route for the Whitewater Canal Scenic Byway.
The byway begins at Hagerstown, in Wayne County, and goes through small towns and countryside for 103 miles to Lawrenceburg, along the Ohio River. It is centered in the quaint village of Metamora, where the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site includes part of the 160-year-old canal and a working reproduction of a canal boat.
The public is invited to participate in any and all Whitewater Walk events. There is a registration fee of $20 per person or committed pledges of at least $50. Registration includes a souvenir t-shirt for participating.
To register, obtain a pledge form, see specific route descriptions and start times, or learn more about the walk, visit www.whitewatercanalscenicbyway.org or contact WWCBA President Candy Yurcak at (765) 647-3360 (day) or (765) 647-5879 (evening).
(Message edited by Admin on September 04, 2008)
Economic Development Corporation President Announces Resignation
The president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, Indiana, has announced his resignation.
Jim Dinkle, who has led the EDC since December 4, 2006, announced his resignation at the EDC board meeting on Sept. 2. His last day at EDC will be Nov. 7. He plans to pursue private sector interests outside of the economic development field.
Board Chair Joe Chamness said he and the board were disappointed to lose the services of a creative leader but they understand Dinkle’s desire to move on.
“We are much better off because Jim has been here than we were before he came,” Chamness said. “Jim has been an innovative leader who has taken us in directions that we would not have gone otherwise and he will be difficult to replace. He has shown us the importance of having a trained and experienced economic development professional in this position.”
At the board’s direction, Dinkle will still be leading a trip to Japan from Sept. 5-13. The purpose of that trip is to call on companies that have plants in Richmond and to meet with leaders at Isuzu in hopes that the companies might expand here or influence suppliers and other companies to invest in Wayne County.
Chamness said the EDC Board’s executive committee will meet later in September to decide on a search process for a new president.
Reid Hospital names new president, CEO
The Reid Hospital Governing board this week chose its chief financial officer, Craig C. Kinyon, to succeed President Barry MacDowell effective Oct. 13. MacDowell retires later this year after 34 years at Reid, serving as Reid President for the past twenty years.
Kinyon, a Reid administrative team member since 1995, was selected from three finalists, two external, for the position, said Jon Ford, Reid Governing Board Chairman. “We conducted a nationwide search, working with a top executive search firm. With outstanding candidates to choose from, we felt Craig was the right person to lead Reid in this new phase of Reid history,” Ford said. “Craig is a respected member of our administrative team who already plays a central daily role in Reid’s mission,” Ford said. “He also has a clear understanding and appreciation of the special Reid culture and the positive direction we are heading as we move further into our second century in our brand new hospital.”
With Kinyon at the helm as chief financial officer, Reid has obtained two AA category bond ratings, a rare feat that puts Reid in the top two percent of hospitals nationally, Ford said. “That reflects the fact that Reid continues to be well-managed and in solid financial condition, making it possible for us to be able to remain dedicated to health care as a mission -- even while maintaining the good business principles that keep it financially sound,” Ford said. “The bottom line is that a not-for-profit hospital dedicated to its patients and community health must also make wise decisions to be able to continue to provide all needed services in a cost effective manner. Craig clearly understands that.”
Ford noted that Reid’s bond ratings help reduce overall costs to the community. “The good financing terms we were able to obtain for this project are directly related to Reid’s quality indicators, past leadership and our financial condition.”
Kinyon joined the Reid team in July 1995 as vice president and chief financial officer, having served in a similar position at Fayette Regional Hospital in Connersville, where he was interim CEO for a period of time, Ford said. “Craig has a keen understanding of health care and the issues we all face. He is known for his level head, his professionalism and his ability to work and motivate in a team environment.”
As CFO, departments reporting directly to him have included Information Services, Radiology, Accounting, Patient Financial Services, Patient Access Services, Audit Services and others. He brings 26 years of hospital management experience. In addition to his service in Connersville, he served as director of accounting at Lafayette Home Hospital in Lafayette, Ind., accounting manager at Montefiore Hospital in Pittsburgh, and cost accountant at Babcock & Wilcox in Beaver Falls, Penn. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1987.
As President and CEO, Kinyon will direct a team of approximately 1700 employees – the largest employer in Eastern Indiana. He will be accountable to the hospital’s Governing Board and reflect the leadership philosophy of service that is central to Reid’s organizational personality.
MacDowell expressed a positive reaction to the Board’s decision. “It has been both a personal and professional privilege to work with Craig these past thirteen years. I applaud the Board’s insight and vision. Craig is an ideal choice to lead a very special team of committed people.”
Howard Deitsch, M.D., Governing Board member who served on the executive search committee, said it is a tribute to Kinyon that he was chosen from a pool of excellent candidates. “Craig knows the community, he knows the organization and understands physicians’ needs and their relationship with the hospital,” Deitsch said. “He will work well with our physicians as we move forward.”
Another member of the Governing Board and Search Committee, Paul Rider M.D., said “I find Craig to be approachable, a good strategic thinker and he knows our markets well. That’s a very good combination.”
Kinyon said he shares MacDowell’s established philosophy as a “servant leader.”
“I am honored by this opportunity and excited about Reid’s past successes and where Reid is headed,” Kinyon said. “We are in a historic time, about to christen into service the region’s most technologically advanced health care center. Yet, our success has always, fundamentally, been because of the quality and commitment of Reid’s people. Personally, it’s humbling to know I will serve this team as CEO.”
Ford said MacDowell’s 20-year tenure as CEO at Reid is just one illustration of the stability found throughout the community’s hospital. “Our people don’t just provide this caring spirit to patients and families - they also have this same respect and spirit toward one other. That’s why Reid is also an employer of choice in the region and recognized as one of the Midwest’s leading hospitals.”
“By any measure, Reid is an incredibly successful organization headed in the right direction,” Kinyon said. “As CFO and now as CEO, I see myself along with the rest of our team as truly being directed by the people who receive our care. We must continue to make wise decisions and always keep in mind our mission of caring for people, body, mind and spirit.”
Cope Environmental Center and Purdue Extension Offer Master Naturalist Program
Cope Environmental Center and the Purdue Extension office are working together to present the Master Naturalist Course. This course is designed to provide hands on opportunities to learn about Indiana’s natural re-sources for beginning naturalists or those who are looking for a refresher course. It also provides a way for you to share the knowledge you gain through volunteer service. Course topics include: Birds of Indiana, Bats and Mammals of Indiana, Water Quality, insects, Reptiles and Amphibians, Trees of Indiana, Wildflowers of Indi-ana, Fossils of Indiana, Soils and Composting, and Environmental Stewardship.
Registration is open to the public through August 22. The course runs Wednesdays beginning September 3 through November 5 from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Space is limited. The course will be held at Cope Environ-mental Center and the program fee is $150 for all ten 3-hour sessions. To register, please contact the Purdue Extension Office at 765-973-9281 or sherr@purdue.edu.
“Going Out in Style" Concert Wraps Up Model T Centennial / Well-known Regional Jazz Band Plays Under New Lights
The Starr-Gennett Foundation is collaborating with Ford’s Model T Centennial Party with a July 26th concert in the Starr Logo Building in the Whitewater Gorge. “Going Out in Style” will be held on the last night of the week-long event, in honor of our national and international visitors. Model Ts will be on display with owners decked out in vintage clothing and food will be available. In addition, new architectural lighting will be displayed on the building and smokestack.
There are 876 Model Ts registered for this event—representing 9 countries and 47 states. Owners are caravanning across the country and shipping cars from as far away as Australia, Japan, the Netherlands and England.
WHAT: Starr-Gennett Foundation presents “Going Out in Style”
WHO: Ragtime Rick and the Chefs of Dixieland of Toledo, OH
WHEN: July 26, 2008
TIME: 5-9 pm
WHERE: Gorge Park, 201 South 1st Street, Richmond, IN
COST: $10 per person
“Hagerstown Or Bust” Model T, Vintage Aircraft Gathering Promises Once-in-A-Lifetime Event in Hagerstown, IN
Hagerstown, IN – The July 22 “Hagerstown Or Bust” Centennial Ford Model T-Party and vintage aircraft fly-in celebration will be the “greatest Tuesday” all year for anyone with a passion -- or even a curiosity -- about vintage aviation, automobiles, or American history.
This Eastern Indiana community with a rich heritage of both aviation and automotive innovation will be the scene of a unique combination of vintage aircraft and more than 500 Ford Model T’s, as the two wonders of the early 20th Century stage a once-in-a-lifetime show.
“Hagerstown is excited to be hosting this event. It speaks to our roots in automotive ‘firsts’ and will introduce our warm hospitality to both Model T and vintage aviation lovers alike,” promises Peggy Cenova, president of the Hagerstown Town Council.
The “Hagerstown Or Bust” event on Tuesday, July 22 is part of the 2008 Centennial Ford Model T-Party celebration July 21-26, near Richmond, Indiana at the Wayne County Fairgrounds, 861 Salisbury Road North.
Model T owners from at least 44 states and nine countries will drive their cars from the fairgrounds to Hagerstown that Tuesday morning as World War II era -- and older--aircraft are flying into the town’s 4,000-foot grass airfield for the celebration.
“Andrew King, the stunt pilot from the movie ‘Fly Boys,’ will be here with many of his pilot friends. They will be flying pre-1947 aircraft and landing on the longest, smoothest, flattest grass airstrip in the USA,” according to Denny Burns, chairman of the event.
“The Wright Model B Flyer will be flown from Wright Patterson Air Force Base, will do a fly over Wilbur Wright’s Birthplace at about 11 a.m. and land in Hagerstown a few minutes later. It will be placed on display along with a Ford Tri-Motor and a Pitcairn Auto-Gyro,” he continues. There will be favorite old-fashioned food and ice cream, ample restrooms, cooling stations provided by Best Buys RV Sales and staffed by Reid Memorial Hospital personnel, buggy parking in the shade, and wine served from the Easley Winery’s Model T wine-barrel truck.
At least 40 vintage aircraft from the early 20th Century are expected to join in the celebration and will stage an aerial parade along with flying demonstrations throughout the day, weather permitting.
The event is free and open to the public, but parking at the airport will be $5, except for Model Ts, that will park for free. Shuttle buses will be running continuously from Downtown Hagerstown to the southside airport throughout the day and evening. The Model T’s are expected to leave the airport by 8 p.m., and travel through nearby towns along U.S. 40 and Ind. 38 on their return to the fairgrounds.
All of the restaurants and shops in this home to “2,000 Happy People,” as the sign on the edge of town proclaims, will welcome visitors with open arms July 22, including Welliver’s Smorgasbord, winner of many awards for its quality and wide variety of culinary choices.
Hagerstown was the home of the Teetor family, that founded the Perfect Circle Piston Ring Corporation. Ralph Teetor, a blind inventor, was the creator of today’s cruise control.
Wilbur Wright was born about seven miles northwest of Hagerstown and lived there with his brother, Orville, while their father was a bishop in the Church of the Brethren.
The town also is home to the oldest vehicle nameplate in continuous production in the United States, Autocar. The Autocar LLC truck company, headquartered in the former Perfect Circle/Dana manufacturing complex, has been in continuous production of cars and/or trucks since 1897.
Reid names Critical Care Unit Director
Jamie Baldwin, RN, a Richmond-area resident of long standing, has been named Unit Director of Critical Care at Reid Hospital & Health Care Services.
A six-year veteran of Reid, Baldwin earned his BSN degree at IU East in 2001 and completed an IUPUI Master’s in Nursing Administration in 2007. A graduate of Richmond High School, he’ll be leading the critical care unit through its transition to the New Reid Hospital later this year.
“We’re excited about the move, of course,” Baldwin says. “We’ll be getting a wonderful new unit to meld with Reid’s traditional and central dedication to providing the best possible care.”
The critical care unit crew is as good as any, and its members will deal with the groundbreaking challenges with their usual efficiency and can-do attitude, Baldwin said.
“One of the obvious differences in the new layout, and one change enabled by Reid’s state-of-the-art medical technology, is that we’ll be putting nursing expertise back at the patient’s bedside,” Baldwin said. “Everything will be right there in the room.”
While the move, its preparation and its aftermath will be demanding, Baldwin said, the unit is confident it will soon be better able to serve its patients and their families.