Nonprofit Spotlight | Operation Parent

by with No Comment 1si NewsNonprofit Spotlight

 

 

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

by with No Comment Member News

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

info@developnewalbany.org

Weather Forces Salvation Army to Cancel Shredding Event

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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

by with No Comment 1si News1si Press Release

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.

by with No Comment 1si News1si Press Release

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

by with No Comment Thank Your for Renewing Your Membership

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

Economic Update | The Fed is Just About Done

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

After more than a year of interest rate increases, the Federal Reserve finally issued a pause. While such a decision was not absolute, the market was mostly expecting one and had already incorporated in stock prices.  The interesting takeaway was that the Fed indicated that two more rate hikes were likely for the rest of the year. While two more rate hikes are possible, market participants doubt that such rate increases will occur. Current pricing is predicting one additional increase for the remainder of the year, followed by cuts in 2024, with the first reduction coming in January 2024.

The Fed did not have any choice but to talk tough. Even though this last meeting came with a pause, the Fed had to open the door for additional rate increases the rest of the year. Due to credibility challenges, linked to a delayed response in initially hiking rates, the Fed was not able to say that it would pause indefinitely or reduce rates this year. Two rate increases, however, are suspect. The labor market does remain tight, but signs continue to point in the direction of softening. The last report for unemployment claims came in at 264,000, the highest since October 2021. This level of unemployment claims does not signal that we are in a recession now, but claims are trending higher.  As we approach the 300,000 level, the economy will continue to soften and over 300,000 weekly claims will point closer to a recession. 

The inflation story is going to be the major factor in setting the stage for no additional hikes and an extended pause, or another hike or two for the rest of this year. The latest report on inflation showed that the headline number for inflation, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consume Price Index (CPI), continued to show deceleration.  The headline number, which includes the cost of food and energy, increased by .1% in May. The annual rate was 4%, compared to a rate that was approaching 9% just a year ago. A monthly increase of .1% is equivalent to a 1.2% inflation rate, significantly under the preferred Fed inflation target of 2%. The core rate, which excludes food and energy, is a bit stickier, coming in at 5.3% on an annual basis; last May it was 6%. This is the primary reason why the Fed has indicated that it intends to increase rates further beyond the pause of last month.  When you remove the cost of shelter and used cars and trucks, the rate declines to 4.2%. Given that shelter makes up a significant chunk of overall CPI, we will continue to see deceleration in the annual rate of inflation as the cost of shelter continues to moderate, primarily due to rentals. So, while there is still additional progress that needs to be made, the scales will tip more toward inflation deceleration, and not acceleration. That’s why the Fed’s intent on increasing rates further will erode as we go through the year. We may see one more increase, but two is going to be very doubtful. 

The unemployment rate for Indiana inched upward in May, moving to 3.1%, compared to April’s 3.0%. Last May, the state’s unemployment rate was 2.9%. The labor force saw small gains, and the number of unemployed edged upward, thus explaining the uptick in the unemployment rate. The number of payrolls increased by almost 11,000, with most of this growth coming in the government sector. Manufacturing payrolls declined by about 2,000 as the nation’s manufacturing sector experiences softening. The latest ISM (Institute for Supply Management) measure came in less than 47, which denotes contraction in national manufacturing. Industrial production, which is a measure of the economy’s industrial strength, saw additional deceleration, and the year-over-year change is approaching negative territory.  A negative change in industrial production, while not always (the period ranging from 2016 to 2017 being the exception), usually coincides with a recession. 

We’ll likely escape a recession for 2023, but softness will continue to emerge in various corners of the economy.  Inflation will continue to ease, and in the end, two additional rate hikes from the Fed are in doubt.

Kentucky Bourbon Festival Announces The Koetter Group as Presenting Sponsor for 2023 

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Key supporters for 32nd festival also include meetNKY

 

Bardstown, Ky. (June 23, 2023) – – – The Kentucky Bourbon Festival announced several key sponsors for 2023 including The Koetter Group as presenting sponsor and meetNKY as the media tent sponsor. 

“The Koetter Group has been a long-time partner of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival,” said Randy Prasse, KBF president and COO. “We are thrilled to continue that relationship and elevate their presence here just as we continue to elevate the festival.”

Founded in 1954, The Koetter Group is a third-generation owned family business specializing in construction, real estate, building services and K-Rax premium spirits barrel storage systems. 

“The Koetter Group is proud to continue our partnership with The Kentucky Bourbon Festival,” said Todd Magner, president of Koetter Construction. “We look forward to helping many of our distillery partners in the industry showcase their Kentucky distilled bourbon. The KBF team continues to raise the bar every year and we look forward to seeing what they have planned for this year. The festival is a world-class event that educates and excites bourbon enthusiasts from everywhere, while showcasing the talents of Kentuckians and the native spirit they produce.”

The Koetter Group has grown into one of the largest full service, design-build general contractors and commercial developers of Southern Indiana and the Greater Louisville Kentucky area. The K-RAX division has developed a new patented solution for rickhouses as well as a portable racking system for distilleries of all sizes. From land acquisition to a finished project and everything in between, The Koetter Group can seamlessly walk you through every step of the process. 

A new major sponsor for 2023, the meetNKY Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau provides outstanding meeting and convention services, and comprehensive travel information for business and leisure visitors to Northern Kentucky and the Cincinnati region. Home of the B-Line, visitors can begin or extend their trips to bourbon country with stops at distilleries as well as bourbon-centric bars and restaurants throughout Northern Kentucky. MeetNKY is the Presenting Sponsor of the new Media Hospitality Tent, where writers, editors, podcasters, broadcast journalists and influencers can conduct interviews, grab a bite and enjoy a pour from B-Line establishments. 

“The B-Line is celebrating its fifth anniversary and we are proud to partner with the Kentucky Bourbon Festival as this year’s Media Hospitality Tent Sponsor,” said Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau President and CEO Julie Kirkpatrick. “We look forward to showcasing Northern Kentucky’s rich bourbon culture during the three-day festival and highlighting our community as the Gateway to Bourbon Country and perfect place to start a Kentucky bourbon adventure.”

Other key sponsors of this year’s festival include: Team Kentucky Tourism, Cask X, Buzick Construction, Great Western Malting, KPFF Engineers, Joseph & Joseph Architects, and Vendome, among others.

 

About the Kentucky Bourbon Festival (Bardstown, Ky.):

The Kentucky Bourbon Festival (Sept. 15-17, 2023) is a celebration of Kentucky Bourbon and the Bourbon Capital of the World, Bardstown, Kentucky. What began as a Bourbon tasting dinner has grown into a truly authentic experience that brings together bourbon enthusiasts from all over the world. In its 32nd year, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival is one of the Commonwealth’s leading cultural festivals. For more information, For more information, visit kybourbonfestival.com.

 

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Nonprofit Spotlight | Southern Indiana Works

by with No Comment 1si NewsNonprofit Spotlight

Southern Indiana Works
2125 State St.
New Albany, IN 47150
Business Phone: 812-941-6404

Website: www.soinworks.com
Contact Person: Shi Lese Stover, Vice President of Operations
Contact Email: shilese@soinworks.com

Please use 300 words or less to describe your agency and your impact in the community.

 

Agency Mission Statement or Description: 

OUR VISION

A workforce that empowers regional businesses to be competitive in the global economy. 

OUR MISSION

To lead a robust talent development system and cultivate a skilled workforce that advances our community, economy, and quality of life.

Year established: 2006

Counties/regions serviced: Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Crawford, Scott and Washington

Focus areas: Region 10

Southern Indiana Works (SIW) provides career, training, and business services to enhance the skills of individual jobseekers to meet the current and future demand of business. We accomplish this by designing, coordinating, and implementing innovative regional workforce initiatives and programs. We are dedicated to providing programs and services that meet the needs of the community and help individuals reach their full potential. Southern Indiana Works WorkOne Career Center offers 1-on-1 career guidance and counseling services, workshops, training services, opportunities, and hiring events for jobs seekers. We provide several customized business solutions designed to help employers attract and recruit employees for their business. SIW supports businesses through HR assistance, hiring events, labor market information, and training grants. We work with employers and job seekers on developing work-based learning opportunities, registered apprenticeships, occupational skills training, tech training and Code Louisville. Last year we served over 3,400 Hoosiers and 530 local businesses.

We have specific programs and services for Youth.  We offer Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) in five local high schools.  We are always looking for volunteers to help with guest speaking, workshops, internships & more. This program focuses is on supporting students so they graduate high school and are on a path to employment, education or training, or the military. We also support older youth with career services, workshops, training, and work experiences. We have impacted over 280 k-12 students & youth.  We offer so much for the community of southern Indiana, and we are here to help businesses and job seekers.