Nonprofit Spotlight | Family & Children’s Place

by with No Comment 1si NewsNonprofit Spotlight

Family & Children’s Place
1 Quartermaster Ct.
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
Business Phone: 502-893-3900
Website:  www.famchildplace.org

Contact Person: Kristen Millwood, Director of Development
Contact Email:  kmillwood@famchildplace.org                                    

Agency Mission Statement or Description:
Our mission: We protect and heal children and families.  Our vision is happy, healthy children and families…freed from abuse.  Family & Children’s Place guides families through life’s challenges school-based, mental health counseling, and child advocacy services. We provide resources that build skills for children, families, and communities to use now and for generations to come.  

Year established: 1883.  We are 140 years old this September!

Counties/regions serviced: Clark, Floyd, Scott, Harrison, Washington, Jackson

Focus areas:  

  • Child Advocacy Centers: Comprehensive, child-friendly, treatment and evaluation centers for abused children providing families with compassionate, coordinated intervention and investigation of child abuse.
  • Counseling Services: individual, family, group, and school-based services using evidence-based, proven interventions for children and families who have experienced trauma.
  • School-Based Services (SBS): family-centered out-of-school-time programs designed to improve academic success and strengthen families, build character and social competency, and bolster relationships between the student, family, and school.

Impact on community:
We are the region’s leading organization serving children and families impacted by abuse, neglect, and community violence. We provide services in a 17-county region encompassing Southern Indiana and Louisville, KY. When the unthinkable occurs, Family and Children’s Place provides a refuge that allows children to heal in a supportive environment and our team is with families every step of the way.  We also promote initiatives to bring child abuse prevention to the broader cultural conversation to create healthier communities. Our School-based services promote regular engagement and participation, improved social and life skills and improved academic performance. 

Volunteer Opportunities: Family & Children’s Place offers several different types of volunteer opportunities for those looking to help us better our community.  This includes administrative volunteers, event volunteers and program volunteers.

How 1si members can help your organization: Report abuse if you suspect it.  In Indiana call 1-800-800-5556.  Refer people who may need our services: 502-893-3900. Advocate by sharing our social media – we’re at /famchildplace on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and Twitter.  Work for us!  We have several positions open.  And last but not least, give, if you can: www.famchildplace.org.

 

Charging Up: Global Technology and Engineering Provider Coming to Southern Indiana

by with No Comment 1si News1si Press ReleaseEconomic Development

MKS Global, an ISO 2013-certified company, is opening operations in Jeffersonville.

Jeffersonville, IN. (March 4, 2024)

MKS Global, Inc., is expanding! The global technology and engineering provider will move to a new location to grow its production capacity, including new production with aerospace maintenance technology and electric charging stations. The company will invest over $2.8 million into the region by leasing a building on Centennial Boulevard in Jeffersonville and purchasing new equipment. The location will also add up to 40 new jobs at an average wage of over $45.00 per hour, with the company providing training for each employee. The new facility will also serve as the company’s headquarters for the U.S.  

MKS Global, Inc., is a global technology partner with a full spectrum of IT, digital technology and engineering services with supply chain resources that support a variety of industries, including health care, information services, aerospace, automotive, and other technology manufacturing. With a focus on providing services that enable businesses to reach their goals, MKS Global has a 98% referral rating and a presence in six countries.

“Our team couldn’t be more optimistic about the future as we establish Jeffersonville, IN, as our headquarters and newest facility for MKS Global,” said CEO William Moon. “This new location affords us an abundance of growth opportunities by dramatically expanding internal prototyping capabilities. This investment will accelerate innovative product partnerships in a variety of high-impact industry sectors such as automotive, aerospace, renewable energy, and beyond.”

Based on the company’s job creation plans, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) committed an investment in MKS Vision Group, Inc. of up to $800,000 in the form of incentive-based tax credits. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once Hoosiers are hired.

“Southeast Indiana is quickly growing its reputation as a premier destination for technology providers and technology-enabled firms thanks to the investment of companies like MKS Vision Group,” said Ann Lathrop, chief strategy officer at the IEDC. “As a state, we are committed to supporting this expanding ecosystem through our partnerships with regional leaders and through strategic investments in innovation, community development and talent, paving the way for continued economic growth and career opportunities for years to come.”

“The City of Jeffersonville enthusiastically welcomes MKS Global to our growing community of innovative technology-driven companies,” said Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore. “This facility will include a state-of-the-art prototyping center, supporting a number of high-growth industries and creating 40 new jobs with an average wage above $45 per hour which is nearly double the Clark County average wage.”

“MKS Global’s investment further recognizes the regional advantage we offer to industry partners,” said John Launius, Vice President and Director of Economic Development at One Southern Indiana. “We are confident MKS Global will find continued success by offering premium product design and engineering services, now leveraged with increased prototyping capabilities which make them an ideal industry partner.”

About MKS Global, Inc.

MKS Global is a solutions company, combining global network engineering, digital technology, and supply chain expertise with a focused partnership experience. They exist to provide increased efficiencies and flexibility that accelerate business performance by adapting the latest cutting-edge technologies for their customers. Their services deliver tangible benefits with efficiency and agility. For more information, visit www.mksglobal.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:

MKS Global, Inc.
Andrew Brinker, General Manager
Andrew.brinker@mksglobal.com
810-434-0820

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

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Advocacy Update | 03.07.24

by with No Comment 1si NewsAdvocacy

Advocacy-Update-Email-Header2

We’re almost to the end of this session! If you want to see our earlier Advocacy updates, please click here.

As a reminder, this year’s Call to Action continued the conversation with talent attraction and retention, focusing mainly on housing development, availability and affordability of childcare and eldercare, incumbent worker training options, employability of people with disabilities, and eliminating worker shortages.

New this Week:

Bills continue to move throughout the Senate and House this week, as both are on their third readings for bills that are still active.

Two bills that 1si has been monitoring are now labeled as “inactive”; SB-61 and SB-295.

1si continues to monitor HB-1183 as it moves through the process, as additional amendments have been added.

Bills 1si is Monitoring:

  • HB-1121 – Local Income Taxes
    • Passed third reading in the Senate on 3/4/2024 and returned to the House with amendments. The House dissented from those amendments on 3/5/2024.
  • HB-1183 – Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land
    • Passed third reading in the Senate on 3/5/2024 and returned to the House with amendments. The House dissented from those amendments on 3/6/2024.
  • HB-1199 – Repeal of Economic Enhancement District Law
    • Passed third reading in the Senate on 2/29/2024 and returned to the House with amendments on 3/1/2024.
  • SB-61 – Tourism Improvement District
    • Currently labeled as “inactive”
  • SB-295 – Indiana Economic Development Corporation
    • Currently labeled as “inactive”

Current List of Bills 1si Supports or Opposes:

Supports:

  • SB-2 – Child care
    • Passed third reading in the House on 3/4/2024 and returned to the Senate with amendments on 3/5/2024. Motion to concur was filed same day, and the Senate concurred in House amendments on 3/6/2024.

Opposes:

  • The one bill that 1si opposes, HB-1157 – Non-Disclosure Agreements in Economic Development, has been labeled as “inactive.”

We’ll keep you updated, but if you’d like more information on our 2024 Advocacy Agenda, or to download a copy of it, please visit www.1si.org/advocacy or download your PDF copy here.

Minority Business Spotlight | March 2024

by with No Comment 1si NewsMinority Business Spotlight

Each month One Southern Indiana will feature a business that identifies as a minority-owned business.  If you are interested in being featured, please email Kana Brown.

This month’s spotlight is on Dr. Janeice Wooten-Kerr and Serenity Smile Care. 

Dr. Janeice Wooten-Kerr has been practicing dentistry for over 15 years. With the passion to empower patients, she provides insight into the importance of good oral hygiene, proper dental care in the home, and regular dental visits. She believes that having a healthy smile impacts many aspects of a person’s life including their self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, career prospects and quality of life. She understands that many people experience dental anxiety, and they fear visits to the dentist. Therefore, the core of her practice is to create a calm and peaceful atmosphere for a positive and exceptional patient experience.

Serenity Smile Care has a spa-like atmosphere with essential oils in the waiting room, warm blankets, Netflix and warm, scented towels for patients to enjoy and to help ease dental anxiety. They are accepting new patients so call the office or go to the website to book an appointment today!

phone: 812-748-8181
www.serenitysmilecare.com

Thank You for Renewing Your Membership | February 2024

by with No Comment 1si NewsThank Your for Renewing Your Membership

One Southern Indiana would like to thank the following members for renewing their membership in February 2024.

Quarter Century Club (25 Years or More)Member Since
The Koetter Group1975
Indiana University Southeast1985
Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana1985
News and Tribune1985
Dennis Ott & Company, Inc.1990
Foam Fabricators1990
Jeffersonville Township Public Library1991
New Albany Floyd County Schools1991
Childplace1994
Indiana Land Co.1994
J. Rorrer & Company, CPA1994
Mister ”P” Express, Inc.1996
Orcutt Winslow + TEG1998
St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities1999
  
Ten to 24 Years 
Fifth Third Bank2000
Floyd Circuit Court Judge 2001
Voss Clark2001
German American Bank2003
Toby’s Lawn & Landscape2003
Wellstone Regional Hospital2005
Park Community Credit Union2006
Leadership Southern Indiana2007
YMCA of Greater Louisville, Inc.2009
Environmental Compliance Source, LLC2010
S & M Precast, Inc.2010
Alpha Energy Solutions2011
GHK Truss, LLC2012
Kelley Construction2012
ATS Integrated Solutions, Inc.2013
C. W. Erecting, LLC2013
Discount Labels, Inc.2013
Schmitt Furniture Co.2013
ERL, Inc.2014
Steel Dynamics, Inc.2014
  
Five to Nine Years 
Denton Floyd Real Estate Group2016
Center for Lay Ministries, Inc.2017
Larry J. Lynn / LegalShield Prepaid Legal Services & ID Theft Protection2017
ARC Janitorial Supply2018
Vitality Senior Services2018
Arnold Painting, LLC2019
Clark’s Snacks2019
Floyds Knobs Water Company2019
New Albany Broadcasting WMYO-TV and WKYI-TV2019
Patrick Johnson Landscaping LLC2019
  
Two to Four Years 
Russell Cellular2020
SERVPRO of Floyd, Clark, Harrison, Perry, Crawford, Orange, Washington & Scott Counties2020
Southern Hospitality2020
BelFlex Staffing Network2021
BluMine Health, LLC2021
CTDI2021
Destination Georgetown2021
ImmunoTek Bio Centers, LLC2021
Ready Set Prep’d2021
Unlimited Travel Consultants, LLC2021
BoomBozz Pizza & Watch Bar2022
Matrix Integration, LLC2022
Operation Parent Inc2022
Zach Wedding, Realtor- Six Degrees Real Estate2022
  
One Year 
American Structurepoint2023
Covered Bridge Golf Club2023
Drake’s2023
Express Employment Professionals2023
John-Kenyon Eye Center2023
M & M Office Solutions, Inc.2023
NAMI Louisville2023
O.K.I Furniture Fair2023
OHM Advisors2023
Open Door Youth Services2023
St. Mary’s Catholic Church2023
The Patch Boys of Southern Louisville2023
Wilson Education Center2023

Welcome New Members | February 2024

by with No Comment 1si NewsWelcome New Members

One Southern Indiana would like to welcome the following businesses that joined or rejoined during the month of February 2024.

Economic Update: Latest County Jobs Show Speed Bump; Challenges in Transportation and Warehousing

by with No Comment 1si NewsEconomic Development

submitted by
Uric Dufrene, Ph.D.,  Sanders Chair in Business, Indiana University Southeast

Coming out of Covid, the Southern Indiana economy has been seeing some of the strongest job growth in the past 20 years. Not counting the outsize numbers that occurred during 2020 and 2021, the past several quarters have generated some of the most impressive job gains. There was only one other period in the past 20 years where job gains were higher,  2015 and early 2016. Manufacturing, retail trade, and administrative and support, waste management, and remediation industries were the largest contributors to job growth during that period.     

New data are out at the county level, and it showed a noticeable deceleration in job growth for the five Southern Indiana counties of Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington. This is a rear view of the economy since county payroll data have about a 6-month lag but can contain some useful information about the current state and trajectory of the economy. For the 3rd quarter of 2023, the Southern Indiana region gained 544 jobs compared to the previous year. Throwing out the Covid-related job losses, this would be the weakest since the 3rd quarter of 2019.   

When we break job activity down by industries, we see that the greatest losses occurred with industries that had the strongest gains during the high job growth year of 2015. Both manufacturing and administrative and support, waste management, and remediation (temporary labor services falls in this industry) suffered the largest job losses, losing 745 and 1,159 jobs respectively. Health care and social services added the most, boosting payrolls by 1,185.  For the four quarters leading up to 2023:Q3, health care was the dominant job creator across Southern Indiana.   

Transportation and warehousing saw another drop in payrolls. Back in 2021 and 2022, transportation and warehousing led all industries in job growth across the region. The nation’s economy saw a goods spending bonanza, driving demand for transportation services to carry goods from manufacturers to the consumer’s doorstep. The latest data show that the strong gains in transportation and warehousing had vanished, with the industry seeing negative changes for three consecutive quarters. 

Strong growth in transportation and warehousing was not just a Covid effect.  Back in 2018, transportation and warehousing saw job gains that exceeded 2,000 for four consecutive quarters. For 10 quarters up to 2023:Q3,  the average job change in transportation and warehousing was just 125 jobs. This almost standstill in transportation and warehousing is linked to both challenges and opportunities coming out of Covid. Record-breaking goods spending by consumers, along with all-time highs in freight rates, invited more trucking capacity and this necessitated the hiring of workers. This explains the large increase in transportation and warehousing jobs back in 2022. 

Since then, consumers have shifted more spending back to services, while freight rates have declined to levels that existed back in 2021, after hitting a record peak in 2022. Declining freight rates, along with current excess capacity in the industry have contributed to what some referred to as a “freight recession”. Local numbers in transportation and warehousing reflect part of this slowdown.     

Despite these challenges, truck driver occupations are still among the highest in job postings. A closer look, however, shows that job posting intensity, a measure of how hard employers work to fill positions, is the highest across all job postings and higher than the regional average. It was difficult to fill truck driver positions prior to Covid, and this difficulty has only intensified since.

Other areas of weakness in the 2023 3rd Quarter release dealt with wages.  Average weekly wages declined by $20, but more concerning was the decline in total wages for the region, the first decline since the 2nd quarter of 2020, the start of the Covid recession. Three industries contributed to the overall decline in wages:  manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, administrative and support, waste management, and remediation services.   

The 3rd quarter of 2023 turned out to be a slower period for Southern Indiana, consistent with the subdued growth expected in our 2023 economic outlook. There is a macroeconomy explanation to this 3rd quarter story. National manufacturing was in contraction all of 2023, and transportation and warehousing are still feeling the effects of a Covid boom and subsequent bust.    

We move to the national jobs report this Friday, the Super Bowl of economic indicators.  Watch for the size of the monthly job gains, changes in average hourly wages, and labor force growth. All will provide additional clues about inflation pressures, and subsequent actions, including delayed rate reductions, by The Fed. 

Advocacy-Update-Email-Header2

Advocacy Update | 02.29.24

by with No Comment 1si NewsAdvocacy

Advocacy-Update-Email-Header2

The 2024 Legislative Session has been moving! Here are some upcoming deadlines to keep in mind as the session moves forward. This year’s session seems set to conclude by the March 14, 2024, deadline.

  • Monday, March 4th – Last Day for 3rd reading of Senate bills in House
  • Tuesday, March 5th – Last day for Senate adoption of conference committee reports without Rules Committee approval
  • Tuesday, March 5th – Last day for 3rd reading of House bills in the Senate
  • Thursday, March 14th – Last day for adjournment of both houses

If you want to see our earlier Advocacy updates, please click here!

As a reminder, this year’s Call to Action continues the conversation with talent attraction and retention, focusing mainly on housing development, availability and affordability of childcare and eldercare, incumbent worker training options, employability of people with disabilities, and eliminating worker shortages.

New this Week:

Significant movement on HB-1183 (Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land) has caused concern. The amendments made are not favorable to economic development projects. The final version of the bill would prohibit individuals or a company that is majority owned by foreign individuals from purchasing land that has been used as farm, timber or pasture land in the last five years and also prohibits the purchase of any land that is within 50 miles of a military base or 10 miles of a national guard armory or maintenance facility.

With the second reading scheduled for today, we anticipate having some major updates to discuss at our next leadership meeting and will continue to keep you updated on this bill’s progress.

Bills 1si is Monitoring:

  • HB-1121 – Local Income Taxes
    • Passed the Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee on 2/27/2024.
    • Scheduled for second reading on 2/29/2024.
  • HB-1183 – Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land
    • Passed the Agriculture Committee on 2/27/2024.
    • Scheduled for second reading on 2/29/2024.
  • HB-1199 – Repeal of Economic Enhancement District Law
    • Amendment #1 and the second reading occurred on 2/27/2024.
    • Third reading scheduled for 2/29/2204.
  • SB-61 – Tourism Improvement District
    • No movement since 2/21/2024
  • SB-295 – Indiana Economic Development Corporation
    • No major updates.

Current List of Bills 1si Supports or Opposes:

Supports:

  • SB-2 – Child care
    • Bill is on second reading, scheduled for 2/29/2024.

Opposes:

  • The one bill that 1si opposes, HB-1157 – Non-Disclosure Agreements in Economic Development, has been labeled as “inactive.”

We’ll keep you updated, but if you’d like more information on our 2024 Advocacy Agenda, or to download a copy of it, please visit www.1si.org/advocacy or download your PDF copy here.

Advocacy-Update-Email-Header2

Advocacy Update | 02.21.24

by with No Comment 1si NewsAdvocacy

Advocacy-Update-Email-Header2

The 2024 Legislative Session has been moving! Here are some upcoming deadlines to keep in mind as the session moves forward. This year’s session seems set to conclude by the March 14, 2024, deadline.

  • Tuesday, February 27 – Last day for House adoption of conference committee reports without Rules Committee approval.

If you want to see our earlier Advocacy updates, please click here!

As a reminder, this year’s Call to Action continues the conversation with talent attraction and retention, focusing mainly on housing development, availability and affordability of childcare and eldercare, incumbent worker training options, employability of people with disabilities, and eliminating worker shortages.

New this Week:

SB-61 has had significant amendments made to the original document and is now a bill that 1si does not fully support; it has been moved to the bills that 1si is monitoring. The 1si Advocacy Leadership team has also fielded questions on HB-1121, Local Income Taxes, and added that to the monitoring list.

Bills 1si is Monitoring:

  • HB-1121 – Local Income Taxes
    • The first reading was on 2/7/2024 and referred to the Senate Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy.
  • HB-1183 – Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land
    • No updates since last week, 2/14/2024
  • HB-1199 – Repeal of Economic Enhancement District Law
    • Recommends passage as amended, Yeas: 14; Nays:0 on 2/20/2024
  • SB-61 – Tourism Improvement District
    • Bill is scheduled for a hearing on 2/21/2024 through the House Committee on Ways and Means.
  • SB-295 – Indiana Economic Development Corporation
    • No updates since last week, 2/14/2024

Current List of Bills 1si Supports or Opposes:

Supports:

  • SB-2 – Child care
    • Bill is scheduled for a hearing on 2/22/2024 through the House Committee on Family, Children, and Human Affairs.

Opposes:

  • The one bill that 1si opposes, HB-1157 – Non-Disclosure Agreements in Economic Development, has been labeled as “inactive.”

We’ll keep you updated, but if you’d like more information on our 2024 Advocacy Agenda, or to download a copy of it, please visit www.1si.org/advocacy or download your PDF copy here.

Economic Update | Will the Consumer Continue Spending?

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 combination of 4-decade high inflation and the subsequent acceleration of interest rates almost assured a recession in 2023. Some economists had even forecast a 100% chance of a recession.  Bloomberg Economics, for example, in October 2022 predicted that the probability of a recession was 100% within 12 months. One often-cited indicator was the difference in interest rates on 10-year and 2-year Treasury securities. The rate on 2-year Treasuries had moved higher than the rate on 10-year Treasuries, a consistent predictor of recessions in the past. In fact, for the past six recessions, a recession followed when the difference between the 10-year and 2-year moved negative.     

We now know that the recession that was almost guaranteed never occurred. Growth was quite robust, with the 3rd quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the market value of goods and services, hitting 4.9%, and the 4th quarter topping 3%. A closer look at GDP shows that the consumer was the primary driver of last year’s strong growth. Consumers were supposed to break over inflation and high-interest rates, but we saw the opposite.  In three of the four quarters, consumers made the greatest contribution to the growth in GDP. Because the consumer makes up more than two-thirds of the U.S. economy, what happens to the consumer will have a lot to say about the overall state of the economy, including this coming year.   

One of the drivers of consumer spending last year was the labor market. While job growth did decelerate from the previous year, the labor market remained quite strong. Average monthly job gains continued to exceed numbers observed prior to the pandemic, and the unemployment rate remained at historical lows.   Job openings, one measure of the demand for workers, declined from the start of the year but remained higher than the number of unemployed. The growth in average hourly wages has declined from the recent peak of March 2022 but now exceeds the inflation rate. In fact, from April 2021 to April 2023, inflation exceeds the growth in average hourly wages, putting consumers in a foul mood. Consumer sentiment plummeted to the lowest level on record by June 2022, where similar levels had always been associated with a recession.   

Since April 2023 however, the change in average hourly earnings surpassed the growth in prices, placing consumers in a stronger position. This is one of the reasons why consumer spending continued through 2023, thereby escaping a recession. Consumers have noticed, and both consumer sentiment and confidence have increased from the start of 2023. Continued low initial claims for unemployment, available job openings relative to the number of unemployed, strong wage gains relative to inflation, and monthly job creation, should continue to fuel a steady level of consumer spending. Households are also beginning to tap into home equity, reversing a decline in home equity loan activity since the Great Recession. This is fueled by the record high levels of household net worth, serving as a buffer to any downturn and support for consumer buying.

Risks to this consumer outlook are beginning to surface, however. The household debt service ratio saw a large decline coming out of the pandemic, as households were able to use government stimulus and pandemic-driven behavior to pay down debt. All those gains have been erased, and household debt is just under the level that existed prior to February 2020. Higher borrowing rates have impacted consumer payments, with delinquencies on credit cards and consumer loans now higher than the level that existed just prior to the pandemic.     

We should expect interest rates to continue their decline through 2024. Declining mortgage and consumer borrowing rates will further boost consumer sentiment and confidence, helping sustain consumer spending. This depends on the continued decline in inflation through the year, and interest rate cuts anticipated by the Fed. 2024 is not off to a good start however, as inflation came in higher than expected, and there was an undershoot in retail sales, except for food and drinking places. One data point does not set a trend, and the next few months will provide key data for the remainder of the 2024 outlook.