Congratulations to Matt Schickel with Rural 1st for being selected by Louisville Business First as part of the prestigious 2023 40 Under 40. The 40 honorees were selected from over 600 candidates in the region.
Discover The Root’s Private Offices
Our Private Offices offer a perfect blend of comfort, flexibility, and community. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, freelancer, or a small business owner, our thoughtfully designed offices provide a conducive environment to foster productivity and networking opportunities.
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- 24/7 secure access to your private office.
- All utilities.
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- Free admission to events at The Root.
- 50% discount to rent our event space and
- The Nest recording and post-production studio.
- High-speed Wi-Fi and access to modern amenities like printing, monthly yoga classes with Element Yoga and Āyurvedic Wellness, Legacy Pizza & Bakery on Fridays, and Starlight Coffee always.
- Engage with like-minded professionals.
Convenient locations with ample parking facilities.
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At The Root, we believe in creating a vibrant community where collaboration thrives, ideas flourish, and success is celebrated together. Join us today and take your business to new heights in our Private Offices!
Phoenix Theatres Entertainment to Operate New Albany 16 Theatre, New Albany, IN
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., July 19, 2023 — Phoenix Theatres Entertainment, LLC will be the new operator of the New Albany 16 Theatre in New Albany, IN. The former Regal Cinema will close early next week and will be closed for only a few days as the operational changes take place. The theatre’s re-opening will be on Thursday, August 3rd with such films as “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” “Mission Impossible,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” “Haunted Mansion,” and “Meg 2: The Trench.” Admission prices will be at or below the previous levels.
Most features of the theatre will remain the same with all the previous managers and employees staying with the theatre. Concession offerings will include a selection of candy, Orville Redenbacher popcorn, sodas, nachos, hot dogs, pretzels, and Icee products. The future may bring freshly cooked small-plate food items and possibly alcoholic offerings. Concession pricing will be comparable with previous levels.
Advanced reserved seating will be available for all auditoriums. With online reservations at phoenixtheatres.com, individuals, couples, families, or groups will be able to ensure great pre-assigned, reserved seating for any movie at any time. Advanced ticketing is highly recommended for this theatre. Phoenix Theatres will offer a loyalty program to reward regular customers with free movies and food items based on their purchases. Free membership will be available at the box office or concession stand.
The theatre is completely accessible for people with disabilities, and special equipment is available to assist moviegoers who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have low vision.
“Phoenix Theatres is proud to keep the New Albany 16 Theatre open for its past patrons who have been loyal customers for several decades. Too many theatres have closed in the past few years and left towns without a movie theatre for their community,” said Phil Zacheretti, President & CEO of Phoenix Theatres Entertainment. “We will re-open on Thursday, August 3rd and continue to serve the greater New Albany area for years to come.”
About Phoenix Theatres Entertainment
Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, Phoenix Theatres Entertainment is the world’s largest movie theatre management company. They focus on great customer service and the highest quality film presentation. They currently manage or own 117 screens at 11 locations in ten states. They are privately owned and were founded in 2001.
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Economic Update | On Final Approach for a Soft Landing?
submitted by
Uric Dufrene, Ph.D., Interim Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Sanders Chair in Business, Indiana University Southeast
The big data point over the past two weeks was the print on CPI (Consumer Price Index). The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the annual change in the CPI declined to 3.0% in June, down from the prior month of 4%. The 3.0% was less than expected and equity markets finished higher on the day. The core rate, which is CPI less food and energy, also declined, from 5.3% in May to 4.8% in June. The “stickiness” of inflation, sometimes described by officials and economists, refers to this core rate. The core for June came in under the consensus estimate and declined ½% from May to June. The month-over-month change was .2%, compared to .4% in the prior month. Even though the core rate had been declining since September 2022 when it peaked at 6.7%, this was the largest monthly drop since. The reason why this was a significant report is that the narrative for two additional interest rate changes this year changed almost instantaneously. Yields on 2-year and 10-year Treasuries dropped as soon as the report was released. The CME Fed Watch Tool is pricing another hike in July, but the probabilities favor this to be the last hike. Prior to the CPI release, two additional hikes were on the table. While two hikes are still possible for the rest of the year, that scenario is now unlikely.
More evidence of disinflation came the next day with the release of the PPI (Producer Price Index). The year-over-year change in the PPI was 2.4% in June, down from 2.6% in May. Taking the monthly change of .1% in June and stretching this out over a year would produce a year-over-year change of 1.2%.
The economy is not yet in a recession, and one is not likely in 2023. National manufacturing, however, continues to be in a slump. The last employment report saw manufacturing gain only 7,000 jobs, higher than the previous decline of 3,000. The ISM manufacturing measure declined to 46, from the previous month of 46.9; under 50 shows a contraction in manufacturing, and above 50 shows expansion. The number has been under 50 since October 2022. Both new orders and the backlog of orders have been trending down all year. Even though the overall index has been declining for almost a year now, it is not quite yet at a level that coincides with a recession. The lower 40s range is closer to recessionary territory. While national manufacturing is seeing a slowdown, we are not seeing the same in the Louisville Metro region. Preliminary payroll data show that manufacturing payrolls are growing at a rate that exceeds overall payroll growth. One possible reason is the pent-up demand that we are seeing in automobile sales and the impact on area manufacturers.
The national slowdown in manufacturing was anticipated due to the surge in goods spending experienced during the pandemic and the months following. As the economy reopened and spending transitioned from goods to services, goods spending had to normalize. The services economy continues to grow, however. The last ISM services index came in at 53.9, compared to 50.3 the prior month, and higher than the consensus estimate of 51. As inflation continues to moderate, consumer optimism will increase, providing further support to the service economy. The latest Michigan consumer sentiment survey saw a big jump in optimism, with the index coming in at 72.6 compared to 64.4 in the prior month. To be sure, consumers are still in the doldrums when we compare current levels of sentiment to historical levels. But the optimism is on the upswing. The Conference Board consumer confidence measure is more favorable and has been trending upward since July 2022.
We’ve heard a lot about soft and hard landings over the past year. With indicators over the past couple of weeks, the narrative is going to move in the direction of a soft landing. We will see no recession for the remainder of 2023. If we continue to see moderating prices, and I think that is the case, there will be no additional hikes past July. Disinflation will support consumer moods and spending, and a tight labor market will serve as a buffer from a slower economy, which is still expected. A soft landing may in fact be the best-case scenario of 2023 and into 2024.
Nonprofit Spotlight | Operation Parent
Operation Parent
209 S. First Ave.
LaGrange, KY 40031
502-265-9045
www.operationparent.org
Contact Person:
Tara Oliver, Director of Fund Development
Describe your agency and your impact on the community.
Operation Parent exists to prevent adolescent and teen addiction, suicide, violence, and more by providing parents of school-aged children ages K-12 with comprehensive, self-published prevention education. The parent handbooks address 25 of today’s toughest parenting challenges, including anxiety, bullying, social media, vaping, marijuana, and more.
The parent handbooks are easy to access, up-to-date, visually appealing, and provide practical tips and advice. Operation Parent gives parents the tools and resources to help them at each stage of child development. The resources are designed to bridge the gap between the world parents grew up in and the world their kids are growing up in today. The visually appealing content helps parents “keep up” to “speak up” and have meaningful conversations with their children.
In addition to the handbooks, parents are encouraged to register for the free monthly webinars designed to allow parents to dig deeper into a particular issue, that mirrors the topics in the handbook and connect with a community of parents for support.
Agency Mission Statement or Description: To love and support parents by providing real-world information, connection, and hope.
Year established: 2006
Counties/regions serviced: Nationwide presence. Corporate office in LaGrange, KY.
Focus areas: Prevention Education
Impact in community: Helping parents navigate their parenting journey in a challenging and changing environment. We help prevent alcohol and drug abuse by educating and empowering parents with tools and resources to converse with their children about tough topics that can become precursors to addiction, suicide, and abuse.
Volunteer Opportunities: Work on special event projects, particularly the annual golf tournament and ball drop.
How 1si members can help your organization: By helping us market our business by sharing our mission. Introductions to Southern Indiana school administration to help open doors for us to educate them about our resources.
Additional information: We offer free webinars from experts in their respective fields on topics such as bullying, social media, body image, drug and alcohol abuse and more. These can be found by visiting our website at: https://www.operationparent.org/parent-webinars
Develop New Albany Hosts Annual Meeting at The Grand
New Albany, Ind. (July 11, 2023) – Develop New Albany, a Main Street Organization celebrated its Annual Meeting on Thursday June 22, 2023 at The Grand in Historic Downtown New Albany. The program included a welcome from Mayor Jeff Gahan, presentation of the annual Pillar Awards, Volunteer Appreciation and induction of the Board of Directors Officers.
Pillar Award winners include: Board and You Bistro brand for Pillar Horizon; Legacy Pizza and Bakery for Pillar Horizon; Mickey’s Bookstore and Coffee Shop for Pillar Horizon; The Grand for Pillar Foundation; Schmitt Furniture and Ronaldo Jewelry for Pillar Renaissance and Michelle Wells for Pillar Achievement.
“Congratulations to all of the Pillar Award winners for 2023. Their investment of time, talent and treasure into our community is appreciated and a large part of what makes our community unique”. Heather Trueblood, Program Coordinator for Develop New Albany.
Lifetime Membership designation was awarded to Debbie Farmer and Larry Ricke for their many years of service to our organization and community.
The Board of Directors Officer Slate for the remainder of 2023 is as follows: Teresa Baxter, President; Britni Knable, Vice President; Cameron Borne, Treasurer; Evan Harder, Secretary, and Derrick Wilson, Past President.
“As President of Develop New Albany, for the last year, I continue to watch exciting changes in our city. I see new businesses, new city improvements, and a sense of excitement about our town which is contagious. Over the last year, I can easily say that my favorite part of this job was not attending board meetings and committee meetings, but it was the stories that each of you tell about your businesses. I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many new entrepreneurs and I love the passion they have for their business. Part of our job is to spread that enthusiasm and show people what an exciting place this is to work, shop, and play.” Derrick Wilson, DNA Outgoing Board President.
Invitees enjoyed a catered lunch by the Grand and heard about some of Develop New Albany’s achievements in the past year as well as some insight into the future goals of the organization.
If you are interested in getting involved with Develop New Albany as a volunteer, please reach out to developnainfo@gmail.com or complete a form at https://forms.gle/ZdvSuLQB2jGMd8t76
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Develop New Albany is a 501 (C) (3) non-profit, Main Street Organization, founded in 1990 with a mission to serve our local businesses, facilitate community partnerships, and promote historic Downtown, Midtown and Uptown as vibrant destinations.
Media Contact:
Heather Trueblood (812) 941-0018
Weather Forces Salvation Army to Cancel Shredding Event
Erring on the side of caution and safety, the shredding event slated for this Thursday at the Salvation Army of Southern Indiana in New Albany must be cancelled because of predicted rains and storms throughout the day.
Youth in the summer camp had worked hard to organize and publicize the event, according to Shelby Rayls, program director, yet their safety, as well as that of A Plus Paper Shredding employees operating the massive shredding machine and people coming to have their items pulverized, drove the decision.
Proceeds from free-will donations were to support the Salvation Army’s youth programming. That benefit will still exist once a new date can be determined and publicized. The new date will be next summer since the teens’ activities already have been scheduled for the remainder of this year’s camp. Their involvement in the planning and management of the event is part of the camp’s youth leadership development focus.
Rayls appreciates the public’s understanding of this difficult decision and urges people to help spread the word about the cancellation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: One Southern Indiana’s President to Resign in the Fall
After 10+ years, Wendy Dant Chesser is leaving 1si for a position at River Ridge.
NEW ALBANY, IN – One Southern Indiana (1si) officially announced today that Wendy Dant Chesser, President and CEO, will resign from her position in October 2023. Chesser has worked with 1si since 2012, coming in as the organization’s third President and the first female to hold this position.
Laurie Kemp, Immediate Past Chair of the 1si Board of Directors, stated, “Wendy has led the organization through many economic development successes, including securing a $50 million READI grant. She helped 1si and many businesses weather the COVID storm and helped expand services and resources to our business members. 1si and this community are the better for her service, and while we will miss her leadership within 1si, we are thrilled that she will continue to use her talents to the benefit of Southern Indiana.”
She added that the 1si Board of Directors has met and will outline a transition plan in the coming weeks, which will include a search for a new President.
“For the last decade, I have thoroughly enjoyed serving the businesses, organizations, and residents of our communities in my role at One Southern Indiana,” Chesser said. “The team of professionals that I have been able to work for and with is truly second-to-none in serving our businesses and communities with passion and foresight. These business professionals are dedicated, eager, and smart – the future of 1si and those we serve is certainly bright and shiny!”
In late October, Chesser will start her new position with the River Ridge Development Authority (RRDA) as the Chief Director of Corporate Strategy and External Affairs. Jerry Acy, Executive Director of the RRDA, said, “Wendy will bring her passion for development as well as her extensive contact list to this new position. She will help us plan and implement the next decade of growth by continuing to serve Southern Indiana.”
“River Ridge has been a great partner of 1si for many years, and this new challenge will allow me to delve deeper into the economic development strategies which will grow and sustain this regional asset,” said Chesser.
“While I am excited about my new position, I remain committed to the mission of 1si and I am extremely grateful to those who have allowed me the opportunity to lead this organization,” Chesser added. “I am so very proud of the work we have accomplished, and I look forward to supporting 1si as a committed partner.”
About One Southern Indiana:
One Southern Indiana 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 provide the connections, resources and services that help businesses innovate and thrive in the Southern Indiana/Louisville metro area. For more, visit 1si.org.
About River Ridge Development Authority:
The River Ridge Development Authority manages the River Ridge Commerce Center, a 6,000-acre business and office park established in 1998 to replace lost economic activity from the closure of a former government installation at the site. The Authority has invested more than $150 million to redevelop about 35 percent of the Center. River Ridge is home to more than 70 companies and investments and growth at River Ridge recently earned the RRDA the International Economic Development Council’s Gold Award for Real Estate Redevelopment and Reuse. For more information, visit RiverRidgecc.com.
For Additional Media Inquiries:
Brittany Schmidt, Content Marketing and Media Relations Manager
One Southern Indiana
8122.945.0266
Jerry Acy, Executive Director
River Ridge Development Authority
812.285.8979
One Southern Indiana and Ivy Tech Sellersburg Recipients of Childcare Grant.
The grant will focus on enhancing childcare in the Southern Indiana region.
[NEW ALBANY, IN.] – June 29, 2023 – One Southern Indiana (1si) and Ivy Tech Community College in Sellersburg (Ivy Tech Sellersburg) have been awarded a grant from the Indiana Economic Development Association (IEDA) Foundation and Duke Energy Foundation aimed at addressing childcare challenges in Southern Indiana. This grant will fuel an initiative to identify innovative solutions and develop a comprehensive plan to enhance childcare availability in the region.“Duke Energy is proud to support this initiative,” says Lisa Huber, Duke Energy’s government and community relations manager. “A lack of affordable childcare can have a big impact on the region’s workforce, and the grant awarded to 1si and Ivy Tech Sellersburg will allow them to work on confronting these challenges and supporting working parents.”
The joint proposal, a collaboration between 1si and Ivy Tech Sellersburg, received funds to conduct research on understanding the gaps in the current childcare system and formulating a plan to overcome these challenges.
“We are thrilled about this grant, which enables us to explore our community’s childcare needs deeply,” said Dr. Travis Haire, chancellor at Ivy Tech Sellersburg. “Through this project, we will be able to analyze data, identify gaps, and propose recommendations to enhance accessibility and quality of childcare in Southern Indiana.”
This project aims to transform the childcare landscape in Southern Indiana by addressing the pressing need for childcare options and how it affects not only families but the local workforce and economy.
“A lack of affordable, high-quality childcare options can limit parents’ ability to work and participate in the workforce, which can negatively impact the economic development of our region, “said Wendy Dant Chesser, president, and CEO of One Southern Indiana. “One Southern Indiana and Ivy Tech Sellersburg believe this project will help us better understand our region’s childcare gaps and develop a plan to address them.”
1si, Ivy Tech Sellersburg, and experienced consultants will oversee the project through three phases: planning and strategy development, stakeholder engagement and innovation assessment, and reporting findings and community engagement. Regular updates and progress reports will ensure transparency and collaboration.
About One Southern Indiana
One Southern Indiana was formed in July 2006 as the economic development organization and chamber of commerce serving Clark and Floyd counties. 1si’s mission is to provide the connections, resources, and services that help businesses innovate and thrive in the Southern Indiana / Louisville metro area. For more information, visit 1si.org.
About Ivy Tech Community College in Sellersburg
Ivy Tech is the largest, singly-accredited community college in the country. Our two-year college has over 70 academic programs and classes in over 75 communities in Indiana and online. Ivy Tech offers students a better way to reach their goals— whether that goal is to get a good-paying career fast, or to get a better, more affordable start to a bachelor’s degree by transferring credits on to a four-year school. For more information, go to https://www.ivytech.edu.
For Additional Information:
Brittany Schmidt
Content Marketing and Media Relations Manager
Phone: (812) 206-9024
Email: brittanys@1si.org
Andrea Bush
Education Department Chair
Phone: (812) 246-3301, ext. 4587
Email: Abush22@ivytech.edu
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Thank You for Renewing Your Membership | June 2023
One Southern Indiana would like to thank the following members for renewing their membership during the month of June 2023.
| Quarter Century Club (25 Years or More) | Member Since |
| Baptist Health Floyd | 1968 |
| AT&T Indiana | 1976 |
| MAC Construction & Excavating, Inc. | 1992 |
| Pro Laminators | 1995 |
| Ten to 24 Years | |
| Baker Commercial Real Estate | 2004 |
| Old National Bank | 2004 |
| Davis Financial Services | 2005 |
| Alpha Energy Solutions | 2011 |
| Kentuckiana Wood Products, Inc. | 2011 |
| New Albany Housing Authority | 2012 |
| Transformation Network | 2013 |
| University of Louisville – College of Business | 2013 |
| Five to Nine Years | |
| Marcus Paint Company | 2016 |
| Borden-Henryville School Corporation | 2017 |
| Signature Countertops, Inc. | 2017 |
| Excel Services Inc. | 2018 |
| Two to Four Years | |
| CoreLife Eatery | 2019 |
| Patrick Johnson Landscaping LLC | 2019 |
| The Sporting Club at the Farm | 2020 |
| Welbilt | 2020 |
| Avant-Garde Turnstiles | 2021 |
| Guardian Owl Digital | 2021 |
| Guerin Woods | 2021 |
| One Year | |
| BAYA – Beautiful as You Are | 2022 |
| Brookstone Financial LLC | 2022 |
| Everwise Credit Union | 2022 |
| Joash, Inc. | 2022 |
| Resident Home, Inc. | 2022 |
| Riverbend Financial Group LLC | 2022 |
| SIHO Insurance Services | 2022 |
| St. Croix Hospice | 2022 |
| Weatherall Co., Inc. | 2022 |