IU Southeast to Host Annual Futurecast: Economic Outlook 2024

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NEWS RELEASE
Indiana University Southeast
Contact:  Nancy Jo Trafton
812-941-2676
ntrafton@ius.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

IU Southeast to Host Annual Futurecast: Economic Outlook 2024

NEW ALBANY, Ind. (November 2, 2023) – IU Southeast will host this year’s Indiana Business Outlook Panel on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

This event will take place in the IU Southeast Hoosier Room. Breakfast will be served at 8 a.m. and panel presentations will begin at 9 a.m. Following the presentation, a public question-and-answer session will take place.

Esteemed IU faculty panelists, among the leading economic leaders in the state, will share their economic predictions for the upcoming year including global, national, state, city, and agricultural impacts.

The following speakers will sit on the panel in New Albany:

  • Kyle Anderson, assistant dean for academic programs—Indianapolis, clinical assistant professor of business economics, Kelley School of Business (U.S. and International outlook)
  • Kristoph Kleiner, associate professor of finance, Kelley School of Business, (financial market outlook)
  • Phil T Powell, executive director – Indiana Business Research Center, clinical associate professor of business economics and public policy, Daniel C. Smith Faculty Fellow Kelley School of Business, (Indiana market outlook)
  • Uric Dufrene, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, Sanders Chair in Business, IU Southeast (regional outlook)
  • David Eplion, dean, IU Southeast School of Business (moderator)

The tour begins each year in Bloomington, Indiana, at the Kelley School of Business, then travels across the state, sharing its predictions with multiple Indiana communities. Uniquely, in each community, an expert on the regional economy joins the panel, offering attendees the fullest perspective on economic affairs possible.

Tickets to the Indiana Business Outlook Panel cost $25 per person or $175 for a table of eight. Register for this event online by Friday, Nov. 10. For more information, contact Kris Applegate at (812) 941-2242 or kmappleg@iu.edu.

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About IU Southeast:  IU Southeast is one of seven campuses of Indiana University. Offering more than 150 degree programs and concentrations, the scenic 180-acre campus is located less than 15 minutes from downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It currently has an enrollment of more than 3,750 students and employs more than 360 faculty members. About 400 students live on campus in five fully furnished, lodge-style residence halls. Through an agreement with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Indiana University Southeast offers in-state tuition to students enrolled from eight counties in the Louisville region. IU Southeast has three nationally recognized, accredited schools including the School of Business, School of Education, and School of Nursing. For more information, visit www.ius.edu. IU Southeast is a tobacco-free campus.

 

Gov. Holcomb announces Canadian Solar building new $800M solar cell manufacturing facility in Southeast Indiana

by with No Comment 1si News1si Press ReleaseEconomic Development

Company’s investment will add 1,200 jobs, produce 5GW annually at River Ridge Commerce Center in Jeffersonville, powering solar energy across U.S.

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. October 30, 2023– Governor Eric Holcomb today announced plans for a new solar photovoltaic (PV) cell production facility in Indiana. Canadian Solar’s new plant, which will be the company’s second solar module production facility in the U.S., will create approximately 1,200 new jobs in Jeffersonville over the next several years. 

“Indiana’s strong advanced manufacturing sector positions the state to help lead the global energy transition, developing and powering new solutions in batteries, solar and hydrogen,” said Gov. Holcomb. “Canadian Solar’s new U.S. location in Jeffersonville will put our skilled Hoosier workforce at the center of cultivating solar power, making energy efficient panels more accessible to consumers across the country.”

Canadian Solar, an integrated provider of solar power products, services and system solutions, will invest a projected $800 million to construct and equip a state-of-the-art PV cell manufacturing plant at the River Ridge Commerce Center in Jeffersonville. The new plant will produce an annual output of 5GW – equivalent to approximately 20,000 high-power solar panels per day – and ship the finished cells to the company’s new module assembly facility in Texas, announced earlier this year. Production is expected to begin by the end of 2025. 

“Establishing this factory is a key milestone that will enable us to better serve our U.S. customers with the most advanced technology in the industry,” said Dr. Shawn Qu, founder and CEO of Canadian Solar, emphasizing the importance of this new facility. “This is the second of the anticipated long-term investments we expect to make in the U.S. as we think strategically about a sustainable and resilient clean energy supply chain. We thank the state of Indiana, Clark County, and the city of Jeffersonville for their critical support and we look forward to working with them as we grow.”

Canadian Solar plans to begin hiring for new positions in mid-2024 and will ramp up hiring in early 2025 to fully staff the Jeffersonville plant. This facility joins the global manufacturing facilities in Canada, China, Brazil, Vietnam and Thailand.

“The city of Jeffersonville is pleased that Canadian Solar has chosen River Ridge Commerce Center as home for their newest critical production facility in the United States,” said Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore. “Not only are they making a large financial investment into our community, but they will also become one of the largest single-site employers in the Greater Louisville region. When in full production, their total employment base will include over 150 engineers at this facility. We are thrilled to see a global industry leader join our community and provide a product with enormous potential.”

“This is a historic investment in River Ridge and Southern Indiana,” said Jerry Acy, executive director of the River Ridge Development Authority. “The technologies of the future are being built right here at River Ridge, I want to thank Dr. Shawn Qu and his team at Canadian Solar for their commitment to our region. We look forward to a successful partnership that will launch the next generation of solar power.”

Based on the company’s job creation plans, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation committed an investment in Canadian Solar of up to $9.7 million in the form of conditional tax credits and up to $400,000 in conditional training grants. The IEDC also committed an investment of up to $2 million in conditional redevelopment tax credits based on the company’s investment plans and up to $200,000 in Manufacturing Readiness Grants. These incentives are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim state benefits once investments are made and employees are hired and trained. The City of Jeffersonville and the River Ridge Development Authority offered additional incentives.

                                                                         – 30 –

About Canadian Solar Canadian Solar was founded in 2001 in Canada and is one of the world’s largest solar technology and renewable energy companies. It is a leading manufacturer of solar photovoltaic modules, provider of solar energy and battery storage solutions, and developer of utility-scale solar power and battery storage projects with a geographically diversified pipeline in various stages of development. Over the past 22 years, Canadian Solar has successfully delivered around 88 GW of premium-quality, solar photovoltaic modules to customers across the world. Likewise, since entering the project development business in 2010, Canadian Solar has developed, built and connected around 8.8 GWp in over 20 countries across the world. Currently, the Company has approximately 574 MWp of projects in operation, 6.7 GWp of projects under construction or in backlog (late-stage), and an additional 18 GWp of projects in advanced and early-stage pipeline. Canadian Solar is one of the most bankable companies in the solar and renewable energy industry, having been publicly listed on the NASDAQ since 2006. For additional information about the Company, follow Canadian Solar on LinkedIn or visit www.canadiansolar.com

IU Southeast, New Neighbors Education Center offer session on diversity in the workforce

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NEW ALBANY, Ind. (Oct.27, 2023) – The Indiana University Southeast School of Education through its New Neighbors Education Center is offering a workshop on Thursday, November 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. entitled Diversity in the Workforce: Fostering Inclusion. The event is open to people from all sectors of education, business, industry, healthcare and social services.

The seminar features Dr. Monica Lakhwani, a Fulbright-Hays Scholar, a certified National Diversity Council Diversity Professional (NDCCDP), and a trainer for the U.S. Department of State.

The session aims to help participants develop awareness of the need to create a welcoming work environment for all individuals, with a particular focus on inclusivity of culturally and linguistically diverse individuals. The objectives include creating a welcoming work environment, increasing participant knowledge of diversity and inclusion practices.

“Our region is changing demographically, we’re becoming more diverse,” said Dr. Donna Albrecht, Director of Graduate Studies at the IU Southeast School of Education and Director of the New Neighbors Education Center. “As the need for more employees increases, workplaces must find ways to attract and retain individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. This workshop will provide insight and tools to help employers welcome workers from many culturally diverse and linguistically diverse backgrounds and help those employees and businesses thrive.”

For more information on the event contact Donna Albrecht, Director of the New Neighbors Education Center at (812) 941-2594 or at dalbrec@iu.edu. To register, visit the registration link. The cost for the event is $75 and includes a light breakfast. The sessions will be held in room 122 of University Center North on the IU Southeast campus.

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About IU Southeast:  IU Southeast is one of seven campuses of Indiana University. Offering more than 150 degree programs and concentrations, the scenic 180-acre campus is located less than 15 minutes from downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It currently has an enrollment of more than 3,750 students and employs more than 360 faculty members. About 400 students live on campus in five fully furnished, lodge-style residence halls. Through an agreement with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Indiana University Southeast offers in-state tuition to students enrolled from eight counties in the Louisville region. IU Southeast has three nationally recognized, accredited schools including the School of Business, School of Education, and School of Nursing. For more information, visit www.ius.edu. IU Southeast is a tobacco-free campus.

About New Neighbors Education Center: The IU Southeast School of Education, through its New Neighbors Education Center (NNEC), partners with school districts, parents/guardians, community organizations, businesses, and state entities as they respond to the educational needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students/individuals and those learning English as a new language (English Learners, ELs).

TIME Best Inventions Honors CRG Automation for Work Destroying Chemical Weapons

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Robotics system helped military finish ahead of schedule

OCTOBER 24, 2023 — LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY — TIME today honored a robotics system developed by CRG Automation among its 2023 Best Inventions. The system, developed in partnership with the Department of Defense, helped safely destroy America’s aging stockpile of chemical weapons ahead of deadlines mandated by international treaties.

In partnership with companies including Amentum and Bechtel, the engineers at CRG Automation devised a system that included more than 2,000 parts to destroy 4.2-inch mortar rounds filled with caustic mustard agent.

“The project was able to safely destroy nearly 47,000 canisters before a convention deadline in September,” noted TIME writer Tara Law in describing the project.

The mustard agent had often caked onto an immovable piece running through the center of the mortar rounds, creating numerous challenges in ensuring the weapons’ safe destruction. The team’s newly designed system, dubbed the Improved Cavity Access Machine, both extracted the liquified mustard agent while also washing the solidified mustard off the immovable piece, all the while making sure that none of it leaked.

“This was a series of complexities we had never dealt with before,” said CRG Automation President James DeSmet, a veteran of the United States Merchant Marines. “We knew this was an opportunity unlike any other, and, even staring down the aggressive deadline, we knew we could do it.”

CRG Automation’s work on the mustard agent-filled rounds followed a similar project the company worked on involving the destruction of VX and sarin rockets at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant near Richmond, Kentucky.

TIME’s recognition is the latest for CRG Automation. Fast Company magazine has honored the company’s work as part of its annual World Changing Ideas contest and also named CRG Automation among the world’s 10 most innovative robotics companies with Robotics Business Review also selecting the company as a recipient of the annual RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award.

Inc. Magazine has honored the company three years running among its Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies, and CRG Automation also has topped Louisville Business First’s Fast 50 list of rapidly growing area businesses.

The company’s 40,000-square-foot headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, features a controls and machine shop, plus the floor space required to build proofs of concept and set up and conduct performance testing for complete packaging and processing lines.

TIME Magazine: The Best Inventions of 2023

About CRG Automation
Whatever you make, CRG Automation helps you make it better. The company’s team of experienced engineers and assemblers understand each problem is unique, so they delve into what’s keeping organizations of all types — everything from beverage bottlers and distillers to the Department of Defense — from becoming more efficient and devise custom solutions. CRG Automation not only develops new systems but also re-engineers and rebuilds existing ones to meet customers’ changing needs.

 

International Restaurant Chain Announces New Bakery and Distribution Hub in Southern Indiana

by with No Comment 1si News1si Press ReleaseEconomic Development

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated will open a large-scale bakery to distribute its iconic desserts. 

Charlestown, IN. (October 25, 2023) 

Charlestown is welcoming a high-profile name to its community. The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, an industry-leading restaurant, is opening a large bakery for manufacturing and distributing its iconic cheesecake and other desserts to operators, retailers, and distributors. The bakery and operations will be housed in the River Ridge Commerce Center and will invest over $74 million into the land, construction, machinery, fixtures, and IT. By 2025, the bakery and distribution operations should have more than 200 employees, making an average wage higher than the Clark County average.  

The Cheesecake Factory, known for its extensive menu, is a leader in experiential dining. The company has more than 300 restaurants in the United States and Canada across its portfolio of concepts and operates two bakery facilities in the United States. They were named to the FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For®” list for the 10th consecutive year in 2023. The bakery’s role is to produce high-quality cheesecake and desserts for the company’s restaurants and licensees as well as third-party customers.  

“We are very pleased to locate our new bakery production facility in Charlestown, Indiana,” said David Overton, Founder, Chairman and CEO of The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated.  “This year is the 51st anniversary of my parents opening the first Cheesecake Factory Bakery, and it also marks the 45th anniversary of opening our first restaurant in Beverly Hills.  Over the last half-century our desserts have developed a reputation around the world, and we are so pleased that we’ll have a third bakery production facility to support our domestic and international growth into the future.”   

Based on the company’s job creation plans, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) committed to an investment in The Cheesecake Factory Bakery of up to $2.6 million in the form of conditional tax credits and up to $100,000 in conditional training grants. These incentives are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once Hoosiers are hired and investments are made. River Ridge Commerce Center is also offering tax savings of approximately $6.3 million on real and personal property and will be making additional road improvements to support the project.  

“Indiana’s strengths in agbioscience and manufacturing make our state the ideal destination to help companies like The Cheesecake Factory to develop products and serve customers across the country,” said Ann Lathrop, chief strategy officer at the IEDC. “As a state, we’re committed to advancing economic and community development in all communities across Indiana. This new investment will accelerate industry growth in Charlestown and the surrounding southeast Indiana region, creating new jobs and new opportunities for Hoosier families to prosper.” 

“What an amazing opportunity for the City of Charlestown and the region,” said Mayor Treva Hodges. “We are excited to be the third production site for The Cheesecake Factory’s bakery operations, and can’t wait to see the community impact their investment will bring our growing area.   

“This commitment by The Cheesecake Factory to bring its bakery production facility to River Ridge is a major moment for the commerce center and exemplifies the investment and rapid growth we’re creating on the Charlestown side of River Ridge,” said Jerry Acy, River Ridge Development Authority Executive Director. “It is truly a pleasure working with David Overton and his team at The Cheesecake Factory, I am proud of what this partnership brings to Southern Indiana and the region.”

“This is a huge win for the City of Charlestown and the Southern Indiana region,” added John Launius, Vice President and Director of Economic Development for One Southern Indiana.  “It is exciting for us to be the newest home to a company with great name recognition and a stellar international reputation for service and quality.  The company’s growth trajectory will benefit Southern Indiana families for decades to come.” 

About The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated 

The Cheesecake Factory is a leader in experiential dining. We are culinary forward and relentlessly focused on hospitality. Delicious, memorable experiences created by passionate people – this defines who we are and where we are going. We currently own and operate 324 restaurants throughout the United States and Canada under brands including The Cheesecake Factory®, North Italia® and a collection within our Fox Restaurant Concepts business. Internationally, 31 The Cheesecake Factory® restaurants operate under licensing agreements. Our bakery division operates two facilities that produce quality cheesecakes and other baked products for our restaurants, international licensees and third-party bakery customers. In 2023, we were named to the FORTUNE Magazine “100 Best Companies to Work For®” list for the tenth consecutive year. To learn more, visit www.thecheesecakefactory.com, www.northitalia.com and www.foxrc.com. 

From Fortune ©2023 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. Fortune and Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For are registered trademarks of Fortune Media IP Limited and are used under license. Fortune and Fortune Media IP Limited are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of, The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated. 

About One Southern Indiana 
One Southern Indiana (1si) was formed in July of 2006 as the economic development organization and chamber of commerce serving Clark and Floyd counties. 1si’s mission is to help businesses innovate and thrive in the Southern Indiana / Louisville metro area via the three pillars of Business Resources, Economic Development and Advocacy. For more information on One Southern Indiana, visit www.1si.org. 

Contact: 
The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated 
Investors  
Etienne Marcus 
818-871-3000 
investorrelations@thecheesecakefactory.com  

Media
Berk Communications
Brooke Levine / Gabrielle Gaines
732-735-5982 / 917-991-8354 
cheesecake@berkcommunications.com

One Southern Indiana 
Brittany Schmidt, Content Marketing and Media Relations Manager 
BrittanyS@1si.org  
812-945-0266 

 

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One Southern Indiana Launches Search to Find New President and Chief Executive Officer

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Waverly Partners, a nationwide executive search firm, has completed the profile for interested candidates.

New Albany, IN (October 24, 2023) – The Board of Directors of One Southern Indiana (1si) has begun the search for the next President and Chief Executive Officer, retaining Waverly Partners as its executive search firm.  Waverly Partners serves chambers and economic development organizations throughout the country and is the preferred provider of executive search services for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.  Bryan Wickens, Executive Vice President/General Counsel of MAC Construction & Engineering and current 1si Board Chair, will head up the 10-member search committee working with Waverly Partners to identify qualified local, regional, and national candidates. 

“Our committee has developed a Position Profile with the experience and leadership characteristics of our preferred candidate,” said Wickens.  “We are open to executives with backgrounds in economic development, chambers of commerce, business associations, other kinds of nonprofits, private sector, or related experience with a commitment to our mission of economic growth and business advocacy in our region.”  A summary of the CEO position is available on 1si’s website.

Wendy Dant Chesser, 1si’s current CEO, who has led the organization for the past ten years, has accepted a role with the River Ridge Development Authority in Jeffersonville.  The Board is now embarking on a national search to identify a new CEO who can lead the organization to new levels of success.  

For more information about the search or to express interest in the position or make a recommendation, please contact Waverly Partners consultants Eric Peterson and Debbie Galbraith at 1si@Waverly-Partners.com;  all inquiries will be held in confidence.

About One Southern Indiana
One Southern Indiana (1si) was formed in July of 2006 as the economic development organization and chamber of commerce serving Clark and Floyd counties. 1si’s mission is to help businesses innovate and thrive in the Southern Indiana / Louisville metro area via the three pillars of Business Resources, Economic Development and Advocacy. For more information on One Southern Indiana, visit www.1si.org.

Contact:
Brittany Schmidt
Content Marketing and Media Relations Manager
BrittanyS@1si.org
812-945-0266

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CEO POSITION SUMMARY

 

Harrison County Lifelong Learning Upcoming Programs

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Harrison County Lifelong Learning is the local source for adult education, technical training and certification, and connecting employers with job seekers. 

For more information on upcoming programs or to register for a workshop, give us a call at, 812.738.7736.

Upcoming Programs

  • Financial Foundations Workshop
    November 1, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Tickets on sale now!
  • Quickbooks Online Basics
    November 2, 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM, Tickets on sale now!
  • Personal Finance & Budgeting
    November 7 & 14, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, Tickets on sale now!
  • Introduction to Mailchimp
    November 8, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM, Tickets on sale now!
  • Community Job Fair
    November 9, 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM Harrison County Fairgrounds
    Employer Booth Space Available!
  • Emotional Intelligence & Resolving Conflict Workshop
    November 16, 8:30 AM – 10:45 AM
    Offered in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College
  • Industrial Maintenance/Electricity 101
    November 28 – December 7, Tu/Th. 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
    Offered in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College

On-going Classes & Services

 

Local AISC Certified Steel Fabricator and Manufacturer Expanding Operations

by with No Comment 1si News1si Press ReleaseEconomic Development

Midwest Metal Works, Inc. is expanding operations to include new machinery and training.

New Albany, IN. (October 19, 2023)

Midwest Metal Works, Inc. is growing. The steel fabricator and manufacturer plan to invest in new machinery and training to increase production and create additional business for the Indiana-based company. The total capital investment is estimated at $1,372,873, creating 12 more jobs with an average wage of over $42.00.

Midwest Metal Works has been a local industrial, commercial, and sheet metal fabricator and manufacturer since 2006. The company includes skilled journeymen and apprentices and has created products for many industries, including power generation plants, oil refineries, food manufacturers, automotive, distilleries, and the Department of Defense. Currently, they have 11 full-time employees with an average wage of $37.00.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to expand our current operations,” said Jeff Elzy, President of Midwest Metal Works. “The increased growth we have seen over the years has led to this expansion, and with the new equipment, we can now produce more for our current clients and increase our client base to include companies that currently look out of Indiana for their products.”

Based on the company’s job creation plans, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) committed to an investment in Midwest Metal Works of up to $100,000 in the form of conditional tax credits. The IEDC also committed an investment of up to $73,140 in Manufacturing Readiness Grants, which are designed to help companies invest in smart manufacturing and new technologies. These incentives are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once Hoosiers are hired and investments are made. In addition, the City of New Albany is offering the company personal and real property tax abatement, phasing in over five and ten years, respectively.

“Indiana’s robust manufacturing sector continues to accelerate and create new, high-wage jobs thanks to the commitment of companies like Midwest Metal Works,” said Ann Lathrop, chief strategy officer at the IEDC. “As a state, we’re working hand-in-hand with manufacturers to make critical investments in smart technologies and processes to future-proof our businesses, upskill jobs and push Hoosier manufacturing forward, ensuring Indiana is at the forefront of developing and producing the products that power tomorrow’s global economy.”

“The City of New Albany was pleased to be able to assist Midwest Metal Works with their expansion,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “It’s wonderful to see companies like Midwest Metal Works recognize the value of being located here in our River City, and we are so proud that they have chosen to expand in New Albany.”

 “We are very excited to see Midwest Metal Works continue to grow,” said John Launius, Vice President and Director of Economic Development at One Southern Indiana. “Not only are they expanding current operations, but they are also contributing to our region’s sustained economic growth by creating more opportunities for our local community.”

 

About Midwest Metal Works

Midwest Metal Works specializes in industrial metal fabrication, installation, and maintenance. With skilled journeymen and apprentices, we are able to complete the work on time and on budget. Decades of experience have allowed our reputation to grow, along with our capabilities and our client list. We supply a variety of industries, including Power Generation Plants, Oil Refineries, Food Manufacturers, Distilleries & the Automotive industry. We offer the highest level of customer service to meet the demanding expectations of our customers. For more information on Midwest Metal Works, visit www.midwestmetalworksinc.com.

About One Southern Indiana
One Southern Indiana (1si) was formed in July of 2006 as the economic development organization and chamber of commerce serving Clark and Floyd counties. 1si’s mission is to help businesses innovate and thrive in the Southern Indiana / Louisville metro area via the three pillars of Business Resources, Economic Development and Advocacy. For more information on One Southern Indiana, visit www.1si.org.

Contact:

Midwest Metal Works
Jeff Elzy, President
jeffelzy@midwestmetalworksinc.com
812-981-0810

One Southern Indiana
Brittany Schmidt, Content Marketing and Media Relations Manager
BrittanyS@1si.org
812-945-0266

Matrix Integration Announces Security Operations Partnership with Arctic Wolf

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Arctic Wolf Security Operations Cloud Will Provide Matrix Integration Customers Industry-Leading Capabilities to Tackle the Increasing Dangers of Advanced Cyberattacks

JASPER, Ind. & LOUISVILLE, Ky. – (Oct. 17, 2023) – Matrix Integration has teamed with Arctic Wolf®, a leader in security operations, to help proactively protect organizations against today’s cyber cyberattacks. The Arctic Wolf Security Operations Cloud pairs the power, speed, and scale of a cloud-native platform with world-class security operations expertise that provides organizations with comprehensive coverage across the entire security operations framework.

Matrix Integration is a strategic IT solutions and managed services provider that has been in business for more than 40 years. With clients regionally and offices in Indiana and Kentucky, Matrix Integration works closely with businesses and institutions to provide personalized consulting and managed services along with networking, data center, security, collaboration, telephony, and computing solutions.

“We are excited to have Matrix Integration as part of our award-winning Partner Program. Arctic Wolf’s security operations expertise complements their suite of existing offerings to create a unified approach that will protect customers and advance their security journey,” said Will Briggs, senior vice president of global channels, Arctic Wolf. “With organizations facing the challenge of an ever-evolving threat landscape and global security talent shortage, the Arctic Wolf Security Operations Cloud allows customers to achieve not only world-class security operations, but also the protection and peace-of-mind that comes along with it.”

“Our partnership with Arctic Wolf helps us take a major leap forward to harden our surfaces against cybercriminals. It’s a new combination of cutting-edge, cloud-based security operations and real humans whose only job is to prevent and defend these attacks,” said Tim Pritchett, security expert and engineer operations manager at Matrix Integration.

The Arctic Wolf Security Operations Cloud is built on open XDR architecture that seamlessly ingests data from endpoint, network, identity, and cloud sources to deliver automated threat detection and response at scale. Leveraging machine learning, artificial intelligence, and Arctic Wolf’s revolutionary Concierge Delivery Model, the Arctic Wolf Security Operations Cloud ensures only verified security incidents are escalated to customers, effectively eliminating alert fatigue, and providing internal security resources with the time needed to focus on improving their overall security posture.

#  #  #

About Matrix Integration

Matrix Integration is a strategic IT solutions and managed services provider that has been in business for more than 40 years. With clients regionally and offices in Indiana and Kentucky, Matrix Integration works closely with businesses and institutions to provide personalized consulting and managed services along with networking, data center, security, collaboration, telephony, and computing solutions. Strategic partners include Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Aruba, Cisco Systems, Meraki, VMware, Microsoft, Veeam, and Arctic Wolf. Matrix Integration is a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) that has consistently been recognized on industry lists including CRN Solution Provider 500, CRN Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500, CRN Women of the Channel, and CRN Tech Elite 250.

Media Contact

Beth Strautz

(773) 895-5387

beth@vaguspr.com

Economic Update | Indiana and Kentucky’s Labor Force Challenges

by with No Comment 1si NewsEconomic Development

submitted by
Uric Dufrene, Ph.D., Interim Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Sanders Chair in Business, Indiana University Southeast

The latest statewide employment data show that Kentucky has one of the hottest economies nationwide.  August BLS data puts Kentucky payroll growth at about 2.6% from the same time last year. Over the year, the Bluegrass state has added about 52,000 jobs.  The Lexington and Bowling Green metropolitan areas saw the highest percentage change in jobs, at 3.4% each. The largest metropolitan area, Louisville, added about 7,000 jobs over the year, for a growth of about 1.0%. 

In contrast, Indiana added 59,000 jobs, a change of 1.7% from the previous year. The two metro areas of Indianapolis and Ft. Wayne show the highest percentage growth in jobs at 2.5% and 2.2% respectively. Three metro areas, Muncie, Elkhart-Goshen and Lafayette-West Lafayette, saw a negative change in payrolls from the year before.   Elkhart-Goshen, home to the RV manufacturing industry, saw the largest decline of 5,000 payrolls year-over-year. 

While the short-term progress in payroll growth is impressive, especially for Kentucky, the longer-term growth in the labor force for both states is troubling. Labor force growth is critical because of the impact on gross domestic product.  Limited labor force growth will ultimately show up in a state’s GDP-generating capacity unless this is counterbalanced by capital investments that result in higher productivity. 

We can compare the labor force growth of both states to neighbors as well as other states that have notched economic wins.  Since states vary by size, we need to make statistical adjustments to place states on a level playing field, or to compare apples to apples. We can do this by indexing the labor force of each comparison state to 100.  The magnitude of growth in the labor force will then show up as the difference from the starting point of 100.  

Over the past 20 years, the labor force of Indiana grew to an index of 107.85.  Kentucky is slightly under this at 103.94. You can interpret this as a 7.85% change in the labor force for Indiana since 2003, and a 3.94% change for Kentucky.  How does this compare to neighboring states?   Well, both Indiana and Kentucky fare better than Ohio (99.75%) and Illinois (102.02).  For Ohio, the state’s labor force is smaller today than 20 years ago. 

The comparisons are quite stark when you compare to states that are seeing strong economic gains, driven by labor force growth and capital investments. Kentucky’s neighbor to the South, Tennessee, has an index value of 116.7, which means its labor force has grown by almost 17%.   Georgia’s index value is 120.35, or a 20% growth in labor force.  Much has been written and documented about the population growth of states like Florida and Texas.  Both states are seeing labor force growth of 36% and 38% respectively.   Other notable observations for comparative purposes:  Idaho (139.69), Nevada (137.7), South Carolina (122.25), California (112.36), Wyoming (109.39), and the U.S. (114.46).   Indiana and Kentucky’s labor force growth has been below the U.S. for the past 20 years.

In the last state employment report, there were five states that produced job growth higher than Kentucky:  Florida (2.8%), Idaho (2.7%), Nevada (3.9%), Texas (3%), and Wyoming (2.7%).   All saw labor force growth that exceeded both Indiana and Kentucky in the past 20 years.    

For both Indiana and Kentucky, growth in the labor force is critical to their respective economic futures.  We must continue to make the quality of place investments that help boost the attractiveness of both states and help retain and attract workers.  The decline in the college-going rates of both states is alarming, and if not reversed, will make talent in-migration even more critical.  Investments in education and technology must help drive productivity gains, all being crucial for long term economic growth.