Chamber member business leaders, their employees, and members of the Young Professionals Network (YPN) South Bend gathered at the Morris Park Country Club in South Bend on Tuesday, November 19 for the South Bend Regional Chamber’s annual State of the Economy Breakfast. Sponsored by the University of Notre Dame, the event provided an update on local economic development with insights from local business leaders.
Upon arrival, attendees enjoyed a warm breakfast buffet while networking with others from the region.
The program began with South Bend Regional Chamber President and CEO Jeff Rea and Director of Economic Development Alyson Herzig, who provided a brief overview of local trends in population, workforce, and wages.
Their presentation also highlighted some key community projects, including the new Mishawaka Fieldhouse, the Indiana Dinosaur Museum, and the renovations at Four Winds Field and the Morris Performing Arts Center.
"Some years, we only talk about what's going on at Notre Dame,” Rea said. “It’s fun this year that we’ve got a lot to talk about outside of campus. Overall, we’re optimistic about the number of projects we’re seeing, the run of investment, the construction activity, the number of existing businesses that are growing and expanding, the new neighborhoods being invested in, and the new commercial activities happening in our downtowns. The strength of our downtowns has probably never been as good as it is right now, and we’ll continue to see some great projects moving forward."
This year, instead of featuring mayors as its panelists, the South Bend Regional Chamber chose three business leaders — Indiana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Vanessa Green Sinders, AM General President and CEO Jim Cannon, and Aunalytics President Rich Carlton. Each panelist provided insights into the region’s economic development through their personal experiences and shared their excitement for continuing economic growth.
Green Sinders introduced Indiana Prosperity 2035, an initiative focusing on six key pillars — workforce, K-12 education, innovation and entrepreneurship, infrastructure and energy, quality of place, and healthy citizens and communities.
"Workforce is number one, followed closely by K-12 education, given its direct connection to workforce development,” Green Sinders said. “Then there’s innovation, economic growth, and entrepreneurship, which are significant areas of opportunity for the state. Infrastructure and energy are also crucial because none of this economic development is possible without strong infrastructure in place. We also need to think about retaining talent. What quality-of-place initiatives are we implementing to keep our communities appealing? Lastly, we focus on healthy citizens and communities. This includes public health, healthcare access and costs, and civic engagement."
Cannon shared an exciting development for AM General and the region as the company recently won a recompete contract to supply Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) for the U.S. Army.
“We hadn’t built a single one of these vehicles, didn’t have a factory, and had no supply chain in place,” Cannon said. “We worked on it for a year and a half, and I’m proud to share that we built a factory, sourced thousands of parts, hired hundreds of people, and even built the first couple of trucks. We go into production right around Christmas. It'll be great to see that come to life.”
As the discussion came to a close, Sinders encouraged attendees to stay active in their communities.
"I think being involved in your community, advocating for your business, and educating people on the importance of what you're doing within your organization will strengthen the voice of economic growth, business, and the future direction of Indiana," Sinders said.
The State of the Economy Breakfast left business leaders, employees, and members of YPN South Bend with a sense of anticipation for what’s to come.
"If you’re not excited about doing business in the South Bend, Elkhart, or Mishawaka region right now, you’re not looking closely enough — there are so many wonderful things happening here," Carlton said.
For more information about the South Bend Regional Chamber, visit sbrchamber.com.