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2002
News
City
of Fort Wayne Wins Two Transportation Improvement Awards
Mayor Graham
Richard announced today (12/19) that the City recently won two
transportation improvement awards. The City and Brooks
Construction Company, Inc. won the 2002 quality pavement award
from the Asphalt Pavement Association of Indiana. The City was
recognized for the resurfacing work that was done on Ardmore
Avenue from Lower Huntington to Covington roads. Also, the City,
Brooks Construction Company, Inc., Erie Haven, Inc., and
Crossroad Engineers won the 2002 outstanding concrete
achievement award from the Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete
Association. The City was recognized for the concrete
reconstruction work at the Coldwater and Washington Center roads
intersection.
The Coldwater
and Washington Center roads intersection is one of the City’s
busiest intersections. Due to the volume of traffic, the City
placed new cement concrete to insure long-term strength and
durability. In order to minimize traffic disruptions and
increase productivity, some of the work was performed at night
and on weekends. In addition, the work was completed six weeks
ahead of schedule.
"This has
been a record breaking year for construction in Fort Wayne, and
I’m proud that our efforts have been recognized, " said
Mayor Graham Richard. "By making infrastructure
improvements, we not only improve the quality of life for all of
our residents, but we also improve our ability to grow our
existing businesses and attract new businesses."
-City
of Fort Wayne news release
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Fort Wayne
Ranked as a Top Ten
Most Digital City
Once again, Fort Wayne has captured
another top national ranking. Along with titles as one of the best
cities to save and earn money and one of the greatest
places for entrepreneurship, Fort Wayne is now titled as one of the
most digital cities of its size.
Sponsored by
TekInsight, the 2001
Digital Cities Survey examined how city governments have progressed in
adopting and utilizing digital technologies to improve the delivery of
services to their citizens.
Mayors, chief information officers and city managers at over 300 of the
nation's cities were invited to participate. The survey grouped cities
into three categories based on population: More than 250,000,
125,000-250,000, and 75,000-125,000.
The City of Fort Wayne is proud to have this honor and is working everyday
to find technological innovations to improve city services to citizens.
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Facility
of the Year
The Fort Wayne
International Airport's Control Tower was awarded National Facility of the
Year by the Federal Aviation Administration. The award was based on
fiscal management, 2000 goals, community activities.
The FAA Air
Traffic Controllers at Fort Wayne International Airport are the first
group in Indiana to be awarded National Facility of the Year.
The tower crew
serve over 600 daily flights at Fort Wayne Airport.
Fort Wayne
thanks the Air Traffic Controllers for this accomplishment.
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PHD,
Inc. is given the First Annual
Northeast Indiana Exporter of the Year Mayor
Graham Richard announced at the Global Trade Expo that PHD, Inc.
is Northeast Indiana's first
recipient of the Exporter of the Year Award. PHD, Inc. is an
industrial automation components manufacturer that exports to
over 58 countries around the world. Most of their sales
growth is due to international trade. They saw an 25%
increase of exports from 2000 to 2001.
"PHD, Inc. is an excellent example of how continued growth
of exports helps to create and retain jobs even during tough
economic times," Mayor Richard said. " Many Northeast
Indiana jobs are created and sustained because of our
commitments to exporting products and services." Northeast
Indiana Exporter of the Year Award is sponsored by City of Fort
Wayne International Trade Office, the Fort Wayne/Allen County
Economic Development Alliance, and the Indiana Department of
Commerce.
Award
criterion are:
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Export
sales percentage from total sales of the company
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Number
of countries the company exports to; and
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Percentage
of export sales growth over a period of time
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Fort
Wayne Companies accepted in the EPA Performance Track Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that
two Fort Wayne companies are among 32 new members accepted into the
National Environmental Performance Track program. They are Nishikawa
Standard Company - New Haven Facility in Fort Wayne and Tetra Pak
Materials, LP in Fort Wayne.
Launched just 18 months ago, Performance Track now
has 280 members who are recognized for their achievements, as well as for
a commitment to top environmental management and to continuously improving
their environmental performance.
"Through Performance Track, EPA recognizes and
rewards businesses and public facilities that demonstrate strong
environmental performance beyond current requirements," said EPA
Administrator Christie Whitman. "While building a collaborative
relationship with EPA, Performance Track participants realize
environmental results beyond what could be achieved through regulation and
enforcement alone. Their efforts will be of significant help as we look
towards our ultimate goal: cleaner air, purer water and better protected
land."
The National Environmental Performance Track was
designed by EPA to recognize and encourage top environmental performers --
those companies and communities that voluntarily go beyond compliance with
regulatory requirements to attain levels of environmental performance that
benefit the environment, people and communities.
The newest Performance Track members have made
environmental commitments to reduce water consumption, reduce emissions of
particulate matter, increase recycling and reduce total solid waste.
Members agree to meet these commitments within the next three years.
BAE Fort Wayne Manufacturing facility is already
involved in the program.
For more information about the Performance Track click
here.
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Waterfield
finds Success with United Stars products
Fort Wayne
headquarted Waterfield Financial Corp., a division of Waterfield
Mortgage Company, Inc., the largest privately-held mortgage
company in the United States, released the first quarter success
of its Union Stars products. Union
Stars products were developed by Waterfield's wholesale lending
division, Union Federal Wholesale, and provide Alternative A and
A- products unavailable through other lenders.
The products,
unique in that they are all available for borrowers with a lower
credit score including No Income and Stated Income products,
were launched in January 2002. The production, year-to-date for
the three months is more than $25 million, with application
totals exceeding $90 million. In April, Union Federal Wholesale
experienced a 70 percent increase in applications and expects
more than $80 million in applications in May alone.
About Union
Federal Wholesale
Union Federal
Wholesale, a division of the Waterfield Group, is located in
Fort Wayne, Ind. and was formed in 1996. The division was opened
to participate in the rapidly expanding wholesale market. Union
Federal specializes in Government and Conforming products. The
wholesale lending division has grown steadily and now has more
than 800 clients in 40 states. For more information, contact
David DePodesta at 260-434-8662, or visit the Web site at www.unionfedwholesale.com.
About
Waterfield Group
Founded in
1928, Waterfield Mortgage Company, Inc. is the holding company
of the Waterfield Group. The Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Waterfield
Group includes Waterfield Financial Corp., Union Federal Bank of
Indianapolis, and Waterfield Insurance Agency.
The company has
more than 30 offices and 225 loan officers located throughout
Arizona, California, Colorado, Indiana, Maine, Maryland,
Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. For
more information please contact Dave DePodesta at 260-434-8662
or visit the Web site at www.waterfield.com.
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International
Truck & Engine is Ahead of EPA Standards with
Low-emission Green Diesel
International
Truck & Engine has already developed and is now marketing the
Green Diesel Technology school bus that is compliant with 2007
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. In
a recent study, Green Diesel technology may be better for the
environment. As a result, this study could be beneficial to
International' s Green Diesel bus sales. International is currently
marketing their Green Diesel school buses in California, who has
the highest environmental standards in the country.
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Waterfield
Financial to add 200 jobs
Waterfield Financial Corp. plans to build a new Fort Wayne facility
and expand its work force by 200 employees.
The mortgage company said today it will begin filling positions in
telemarketing, mortgage processing, closing, underwriting, clerical
support, training, management and staff supervision during the first
quarter of 2002.
The division of Fort Wayne-based Waterfield Mortgage Co. will build
a 40,000-square-foot facility on a 5.3-acre parcel that will add to the
Waterfield headquarters in the Midwestern Office Park.
The park is located at the intersection of Jefferson Boulevard and
Engle Road; the company expects the new facility to be operational in
July.
The company is expanding to accommodate growth it has experienced
since 1999 in processing of mortgages for other lenders.
taken from News Sentinel, December 21, 2001
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BAE
Systems Plant Honored for Environmental Improvements
The BAE Fort Wayne manufacturing plant has received two awards for
environmental excellence.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named BAE Systems' Fort
Wayne plant a "Performance Track" operation - the agency's
highest level of recognition.
The award acknowledges companies' efforts to reduce and prevent
pollution and to demonstrate that "economic prosperity and
environmental protection can go hand in hand," EPA Administrator
Christine Todd Whitman wrote in a letter of congratulations.
The plant also received the Governor's Award for Excellence in
Pollution Prevention from Gov. Frank O'Bannon for its efforts to reduce or
eliminate use of hazardous chemicals. Seven companies in the state
received the award. The awards were announced Thursday by the company.
BAE employs more than 550 people at its Fort Wayne plant, 2000
Taylor St., where it manufactures and services electronic controls for
aircraft engines.
Both the EPA and the governor's office said they were impressed by
plant and process improvements.
Examples include a new soldering process that has cut use of lead by
25 percent and a program that reduced the amount of electricity used for
lighting by 44 percent.
"When we put together our environmental management system, it
just seemed to make good business sense," said John Dimino, the
plant's Environmental, Safety, and Health leader. "Poor environmental
performance - for example, chronically high pollution levels or excessive
electricity use - often is symptomatic of inefficient processes."
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Fort
Wayne: One of the Best Places to Earn & Save Money
In its April 2001 issue, Expansion
Management takes a look at the big picture. In recognizing the
importance of being able to see the forest for the trees, EM pulls back to
take a good overall look at the economies of all 50 states. One
ranking in particular proved extremely favorable for the Summit
City. Based on a survey of the nation's 125 largest metropolitan
areas, Fort Wayne tied with Washington, D.C. for the 9th-best place in the
nation to earn and save money. Indianapolis placed 27th in the
survey. Expansion Management's web address is
www.expansionmanagement.com.
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Fort
Wayne Picked as Example of Growth
"Fort Wayne can become a
model, a model regionally and a model nationally," said Ken Berlack,
communications director for the National Commission on Entrepreneurship. A
Washington group set up to promote public policies that foster
entrepreneurship wants the country to look at what the Fort Wayne metro
area has been doing to nurture business development.
A report released by the commission Wednesday listed Fort
Wayne among 35 of the country's best metro areas for entrepreneurship,
from a field of 394 labor market areas used by the U.S. Departments of
Agriculture and Labor. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the report
tracks the development of high-growth companies, those with 15 percent
employment growth per year for five years or 100 percent growth over five
years. Researchers established an index to compare metro areas, with
results set to a 200-point scale where 100 points represented the average
score. The Fort Wayne metro area scored 177.
Of 11,622 businesses in the Fort Wayne area, 588 had high employment
growth. "That's quite a story, a tremendous number of high-growth
companies," Berlack said. "It's a tremendously high score."
The Fort Wayne area was among those that caught the attention of
researchers conducting the study, he said, because the area's high-tech
businesses don't have a high profile, and it is best known for
manufacturing.
Area economic development officials and community leaders say a tradition
of innovation and a host of support programs have helped nurture budding
business here.
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Wing
Ding XXIV Rolling into Fort Wayne
The Fort Wayne/ Allen County Convention Bureau will be
hosting its' largest convention ever when the Wing Ding XXIV rolls into
Fort Wayne on July 4th weekend.
Wing Ding is an annual gathering of the
Gold Wing Road
Riders Association. The Association, made up of Honda Gold Wing
motorcycle enthusiasts, will gather from July 2-5th. It is estimated
that 10,000 to 13,000 members will be in attendance for this annual trade
show and convention.
The event will bring nearly $8 million into the local
economy. For more information contact the CVB at
www.fwcvb.org.
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Logikos
named Information Technology Service Company
of the Year in the State of Indiana
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Logikos,
Inc. was awarded the 2002 Cyberstar Award for
Information Technology Service Company by the
Indiana Information Technology Association (INITA).
The
Indiana Information Technology Association (INITA) is
the voice of the state's IT industry. INITA's nearly 350
members represent the diversity of the IT industry in
Indiana and the businesses serving them. Member needs
drive the association's initiatives, programs and
services. INITA hosts a variety of networking events and
other opportunities to learn, connect and collectively
make a difference with others in the industry.
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To be eligible
for INITA's Information Technology Service Company award,
nominees must obtain the majority of their revenue from the sale
of Information Technology services. Network optimization,
systems integration, technical writing and other related
services are critical components to the success of information
technology enterprises, MIS departments and end users. To
receive the award, a company must demonstrate financial strength
and overall success.
Logikos was
nominated by the Indiana
Health Industry Forum. Wade Lange, President and CEO,
nominated Logikos because of its contribution to the health and
life sciences industry via its grant from the 21st
Century Research and Technology Fund for the Transparent
Hospital project. The IHIF supports economic development in
the state of Indiana and the increase in
"connectedness" of industry through the development of
innovative and productive collaborations.
Logikos
software inside a company’s product will improve its market
success. Logikos uses the latest software technologies for
real-time embedded, desktop, hand-held, and Internet-based
technologies to make their customer’s products smarter. If you
have driven a car that can direct you where to go, paid at the
pump, needed medical equipment that remotely talked to your
doctor, made a cellular call from an airplane, enjoyed the
convenience of a DVD or registered your vehicle over the
Internet, your life has been enhanced by one of the
market-leading customers of Logikos.
About
Logikos
Logikos, a full-service custom software development firm founded
in 1978, is headquartered in Fort Wayne. Logikos helps companies
make their products smarter using the latest software
technologies for real-time embedded, desktop, handheld, and
Internet-based applications. Logikos brings an entire complement
of engineering and project management capabilities to generate
solutions for customers in markets such as automotive, medical,
defense, and consumer electronics. For more information, go to
www.logikos.com.
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Fort
Wayne Foundry Honored as GM Supplier of the Year
A
Record of Quality is turning into more volume with GM
Fort
Wayne Foundry was honored as the GM Supplier of the Year for top
performance in quality, service, price, and technology.
They were one of 91 selected for this honor out of 35,000 GM
suppliers.
The
recognition is not the only benefit to the award, but GM has
committed to more orders from Fort Wayne Foundry. GM's
pick up in sales could mean immediate new orders. GM is focused
on high quality and wants to translate that message to
suppliers. GM is certain that Fort Wayne Foundry is one of
the suppliers getting that message.
About
Fort Wayne Foundry
Fort
Wayne Foundry is headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana and employs
1,000 workers at 7 production centers. They produce
aluminum castings used in engines.
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Logikos
Announces Successful Sale of Handheld Military Software
Technology
Announcement demonstrates the ability
of small, inventive companies to quickly sell innovative
technology to the Department of Defense.
Logikos, Inc., a custom software development firm, today
announced the successful sale of a new technology they have
developed for the infantry soldier.
An agreement was signed with Dahlgren, LLC to continue
marketing the product. The
MBCE software technology (Mortar
Ballistic Computer – Easy) allows the soldier to quickly set
up and manage mortars with a hand held computer.
The first versions of the product have been sold to the
U.S. Marine Corps.
“We
are very proud to be making a contribution to our county’s
security and fighting capabilities”, said Ron West, President
of Logikos. “The
short time frame in which the marines purchased the technology
demonstrates that it is possible for small, inventive companies
to quickly sell innovative technology to the Department of
Defense.”
MBCE
(Mortar Ballistic Computer - Easy) is a Windows™ CE-based,
software application for hand held devices used to manage the
mortar Fire Direction Center tasks for the light infantry
soldier. The MBCE
quickly receives fire mission data and performs firing data
calculations for each entered mortar weapon.
The weight, size, and cost of the MBCE make it ideal for
combat operations where speed, pack weight, and ease of use are
critical.
Additional
information on Logikos and its services may be found at
www.logikos.com.
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Phoenix
Manor Groundbreaking
Bowser Street Rises from the Ashes
Fort
Wayne, Ind. – Groundbreaking is set for 10 a.m. Monday,
September 16 for Phoenix Manor, a 50 unit senior housing project
in the 2300 block of Bowser Avenue.
This construction is the second phase of redevelopment of
the Bowser Street brownfield and is one of three planned for the
community. Several
homes already are under construction along Bowser Avenue and
another 25 single-family homes are in the planning stages.
Fort
Wayne’s Redevelopment Commission claimed the Bowser site four
years ago, after the 1997 Labor Day fire burned 600,000 tires
stored on the property. Since
that time, the former Bowser Pump Plant site was designated a
brownfield, allowing the City of Fort Wayne to seek federal,
state and local funds for clean up and redevelopment of the
land. “This
latest project is a
continuation
of one of the finest examples of partnering between the public
and private sector,” said former Brownfield Manager Greg
Leatherman.
Attending
the September 16th groundbreaking will be Reverend Ternae Jordan
of SOAR, “Saving Our Area Through Redevelopment” (formerly
the Greater Progressive Housing CDC) and Tom Lusk of the Wallick
Group, the company hired to build Phoenix Manor.
Also in attendance will be Fort Wayne City Councilmen
Glynn Hines and Tom Smith, Redevelopment Director Ron Fletcher
and former Brownfield Manager Greg Leatherman.
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Mayor
Richard Awards Frequent Lender
Mayor
Graham Richard presented Lake City Bank with a Frequent Lender
Award on August 21, 2002, commending them for their referrals to
the Community Development Corporation.
Eric C,
Ottinger,
vice president with Lake City Bank of Fort Wayne, referred two
clients to the CDC. The combined project amounts
totaled $485,500, of which the CDC provided financing of
$182,500. The projects referred by Mr. Ottinger are
estimated to create six full-time and two part-time jobs for our
community.
"Bringing
quality jobs to Fort Wayne is only one of the exciting things
that happens through CDC funding," Mayor Graham Richard
said. "I would like to thank Mr. Ottinger and Lake
City Bank for working to build our community through economic
development."
Ottinger
has been actively referring customers to CDC on previous years
and also supports the community through his participation as
board member of the CDC and Junior Achievement.
The
CDC is a City-supported non-profit business development
organization. Its primary purpose is to provide loans to
small businesses which are unable to qualify for conventional
commercial financing. Since its inception in 1978, the CDC
has loaned more than $27 million to more than 400 small
businesses in Fort Wayne and Allen County. These funds
have leveraged more than $70 million in private investment.
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MONEY
EXPO 2002
Fort
Wayne's first annual Money Expo was held on Oct.
24, 10 a.m. to 7
pm. at the Grand Wayne Center, 120 W Jefferson, Ft. Wayne. The goal was to provide strategic financial solutions for
local businesses. More than 140 people attended
to network with local/regional banks, investment banks, asset-based
lenders and firms specializing in debt restructuring, international
trade , equipment leasing,
accounting, mergers, and more. Guest speakers Rae Pearson (Alpha
Rae Personnel), Don Wood (80/20 Inc), Dick Conrow (C
& A Tool) and Dan Copeland (Business People
Magazine) provided informational roundtable
presentations. A networking reception from
5-7 p.m., after comments by Mayor Richard, allowed more
interaction.
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City
Announces 2003 Grant Recipients-
More than $4 million to be distributed throughout the community
The
City of Fort Wayne today announced the recipients of Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for 2003. It is expected
that more than $4 million will be available through the federal
department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support
community and economic development efforts. "All of the
services the City is funding are to provide benefits to low to
moderate income residents," said CDBG Director Heather
Presley. "We distribute these funds in a way to encourage
continued investment in eligible areas of Fort Wayne."
Included in
2003 CDBG funding is $175,000 for Community Action of Northeast
Indiana (CANI) and the Fort Wayne Urban League. Both agencies
will use their grants to build facilities in a campus-like
development on Hanna Street. "The City has already made
commitments to improve infrastructure that serves the
campus," Presley noted. "CDBG is appropriate for this
project because the innovation in clustering Head Start
classrooms, Urban League programs, a library branch and
transportation services will go a long way in attracting private
investment in south side neighborhoods."
CDBG monies
also will target programs that directly relate to Mayor Graham
Richard’s top three priorities of making Fort Wayne a safe
city, creating and maintaining quality jobs and improving
customer services. The One Church-One Offender program will
receive $10,000 to support the Positive Alternative Sentencing
Program. United Hispanic Americans will receive $21,500 to
develop a bilingual outreach program to help Fort Wayne’s
Hispanic community in job search and placement efforts. The
Mental Health Association will be awarded $30,000 to allow it to
continue working with the Fort Wayne Police Department in crisis
intervention efforts. "Each of these programs, combined
with nearly 50 others the City will fund next year shows our
commitment to building a safer, economically strong community
that puts its residents first," said Mayor Richard.
In addition to
distributing funds to community agencies, the City has earmarked
$650,000 to implement a new housing strategy, which will be
completed in early 2003. "This strategy will reflect the
creative ideas of many community partners," said Community
Development Director Mark Becker. "These funds will allow
us to begin implementing the housing strategy as soon as it is
completed rather than waiting twelve months until the next
funding cycle." HUD awards CDBG funds to communities to
carry out a wide range of activities directed toward
neighborhood revitalization, economic development and improved
community facilities and services. While the City expects to
receive more than $4 million in CDBG funds, HUD will not
finalize an exact entitlement amount until early 2003. A
complete list of recipients will be printed in local newspapers
this week and is also available by contacting Presley at
427-2158.
-City
of Fort Wayne news release
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Mayor
Richard Honors Current Mechanical for Commitment to Downtown
Fort Wayne,
Ind. – Mayor Graham Richard today (Oct. 29) recognized a
longtime Fort Wayne business for its commitment to the
community. He presented Current Mechanical with a proclamation
honoring the company’s 25 years in operation and praising its
successful renovation of the former Falstaff Brewery.
"It is wonderful to see the makeover of this downtown
property," said Mayor Richard. "This type of
investment is exactly what we need to keep Fort Wayne
economically strong and competitive."
Current
Mechanical worked with local developer Jerry Henry to transform
the former brewery into business space. The $2.8 million
redevelopment effort included support from the City and the
Urban Enterprise Zone. The project was projected to create at
least 20 fulltime jobs. About ten have already joined Current
Mechanical’s staff.
"This is a
great example of what partnerships can accomplish," said
Mayor Richard. "With the right people on board, this is
something that can happen throughout Fort Wayne."
Current
Mechanical occupies 53,000 square feet of the former Falstaff
Brewery for its corporate office, a fabrication shop and a
service group. The building is located at the intersection of
Washington Boulevard and Glasgow Avenue in East Central Fort
Wayne.
-City
of Fort Wayne news release
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A $600,000 grant has been awarded to Community Action of
Northeast Indiana for construction of its proposed Head Start
facility at Hanna Street and Creighton Avenue.
Rep.
Mark Souder, R-4th District, was to present the check Sept. 21,
2002, to CANI Executive Director Joseph Conrad and other CANI
staff.
"This
is great news," Conrad said. "It solidifies the
cornerstone of our fund-raising efforts. Soon the
remaining pieces will drop into place, and we can start
construction on the state-of-the-art Community/Family
Development Center."
The grant was
awarded by the federal Department of Health and Human Services
and covers the federal government's 20 percent share of the $3
million project. CANI Head Start will raise the remaining 80
percent through additional grants, donations and a fund drive to
carry out plans to construct a new building, outdoor play areas
and gardens.
The building is
expected to open in fall of 2004, will provide a learning
environment for more than 150 families and will include
full-day, year-round preschool services. It will replace CANI
Head Start's largest site, St. Peter' Head Start, 211 E. DeWald
St., which is to be sold by its property owners, the Fort
Wayne-South Bend Roman Catholic Diocese.
Nearly 200
students at that school have been relocated temporarily.
CANI Head
Start, a preschool program for low-income or special-needs
children ages 3 to 5, has served Allen County since 1965 and now
has 14 sites in Allen, Whitley and Noble counties. The program
provides children with free developmental services. Social
services are provided for the children's families.
The Fort Wayne
Urban League and the Allen County Public Library are working to
purchase property in the same block. The library plans to
relocate the Pontiac Branch library, 3304 Warsaw St., to that
location, and the Urban League will construct two buildings, one
for its organization and one for the Pontiac Youth Center.
The area bounded by Hanna, Creighton, Buchanan and Weisser Park
Avenue will also tentatively include a Citilink Bus staging
area.
-taken
from the News Sentinel and Journal Gazette, September 21, 2002
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Commercial
Filter Service Groundbreaking-
Fort Wayne
company graduates from business incubator
Mayor Graham
Richard today, Sept. 24, joined other city and county
leaders in breaking ground on a new facility that will house
Commercial Filter Service, a local company in business in Fort
Wayne for the past 15 years. The company is moving from the Fort
Wayne Enterprise Center to a new building in Huguenard
Industrial Park.
"I’m
very proud to see Commercial Filter Service will soon operate on
its own," said Mayor Richard. "The success Bob Wearly
and his company have had is a true testament to the
success of Fort Wayne’s small business incubator."
Mayor Richard
started the Fort Wayne Enterprise Center in 1986 and Commercial
Filter Service was one of the incubator’s first tenants.
"Mayor Richard and the Enterprise Center are largely
responsible for our initial success," said Commercial
Filter Service
owner Bob Wearly. "I think our company is a nice success
story for the incubator."
Commercial
Filter Service offers heating and cooling filter change-out and
drop-off service to clients in Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. The
company expects to move into the Huguenard Industrial Park
facility next spring.
For additional
information, contact Jennifer Gibson, Public Information Office,
427-1120, or Terry McCaffrey, Administrator, Urban Enterprise
Zone, 422-2304.
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Meridian
Automotive, at 14123 Roth Road, a maker of molded composite
automotive parts, has announced that it will expand from a
260,000-square-foot plant built in 1948 to add a neighboring
14-year-old building previously used by a showcase
manufacturer. This new plant at 13811 Roth Road will be
upgraded with $2.5 million to be invested in the building and
$3.6 million for equipment, according to filings with the Allen
County Department of Planning Services. Tax abatements are
being requested for both the building and the equipment.
Twenty-six
production positions are expected to be added to the current
workforce of 342 at a salary of $18.02 per hour, and an
additional twelve positions for managers and supervisors with
higher salaries.
According to
the filing, this new facility will produce sheet-molded
composite to be used at other Meridian Automotive facilities.
Equipment will be laid out to improve work flow and efficiency.
According to
Tim Hopke, with the company's Grand Rapids, Mich., headquarters,
the work is scheduled to be completed no later than June.
The Grabill
plant, built originally by Eagle-Picher Plastics and sold in
1997 to Cambridge, was acquired by Meridian in 2000 as part of
its purchase of Cambridge Industries. Meridian also has a
Huntington plant.
-taken
from the News Sentinel, September 22, 2002
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FedEx Ground
Package System, an overnight delivery business at 4750
Industrial Road in Centennial Industrial Park, wants to build a
bigger facility and hire more people to accommodate an increase
in business it expects to see here in the coming years.
The current work force of 58 will increase by 22 employees and
independent contractors during a four-year period.
The plans call
for building a $2.2 million facility at the Wayne Haven
Industrial Park in New Haven. Other locations in the
industrial park have been designated Economic Revitalization
Areas in order to gain tax abatements for construction projects
and Fedex will seek similar incentives.
The New Haven
facility will be much larger than the one FedEx operates in Fort
Wayne, said Doug Snyder, who handles FedEx real estate
development for Scannell Properties, an Indianapolis commercial
real estate firm. The future facility is described in the
county planning department as a 56,000-square-foot distribution
center/warehouse that could be expanded to 67,088 square feet.
Construction
could start next month and be completed by August 2003, the
filing said. The business plans to install about $1.2 million in
new material handling equipment in the new facility.
The filing
showed steady revenue growth for the business here, increasing
to $6.1 million for its 2002 fiscal year, from $5 million in
2001 and $4.7 million in 2000.
"FedEx has
had good growth nationally, and Fort Wayne is like a lot of
(its) other locations, nationally," Snyder said.
For its first
quarter ended Aug. 31, Memphis, Tenn.-based FedEx Corp. reported
earnings rose 45 percent to $158 million, or 52 cents a share,
compared with the same period last year. The company's revenue
for the quarter rose 8 percent to $5.5 billion.
The filing
projected that a dozen of the workers added at the new facility
would be independent contractors, who currently average $55,000
at FedEx.
-taken
from the News Sentinel, September 22, 2002
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eXcellon
Technologies Expands to a new location and adds jobs
eXcellon
Technologies, a young and rapidly growing technology company, is
keeping its home in Fort Wayne and expanding to a new location
and adding jobs. The company, which specializes in
contract manufacturing of electro-mechanical assemblies as well
as sensor application engineering and manufacturing, began
operations in 2001 at a shared location in New Haven.
“We have
experienced a tremendous increase in business since beginning
operations 15 months ago,” said John Taller, President of
eXcellon Technologies. “Space became a real issue for us, and
we considered a number of possibilities within and outside of
Allen County. We’re happy to announce that we’ve chosen to
stay home and grow in Fort Wayne.” eXcellon Technologies will
occupy 11,700 square feet of space within a 27,000 square foot
facility at 1105 Sherman Boulevard.
“This project
is yet another example of our community’s serious approach to
retaining and growing jobs,” said Mayor Graham Richard. “We
recognize that when companies need to expand, they have several
choices as to when, how and where they carry out that expansion.
Fort Wayne needs companies like eXcellon Technologies and we are
pleased we were able to help facilitate this project in our
central city area.” The company currently employs 15 workers.
That number is expected to increase to 50 employees within four
years. Sales are also expected to triple during that time, from
the current $1.5 Million to a projected $5 Million by June 2006.
The Fort
Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance coordinated the
community’s interaction with eXcellon Technologies. Details of
the an incentive package tied to the employment projections
include:
• A $50,000
loan for needed equipment;
• The
possibility of tax abatement related to the expansion; and,
• Future
worker recruitment, screening and training through JobWorks and
the Indiana Department of Workforce Development Also supporting
this project are Tower Bank, CB Richard Ellis Sturges and
Schenkel & Sons Inc. Individuals interested in applying for
future positions with eXcellon Technologies may submit a resume
at the offices of the Indiana Department of Workforce
Development (DWD) and JobWorks. The joint DWD/JobWorks office is
located at 201 East Rudisill Boulevard (inside the Rudisill
Plaza, at the intersection of Rudisill Boulevard and Clinton
Street). Interested individuals can also e-mail resumes to msmith@jobworksinc.org.
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Shuttle
America Lands in Fort Wayne
Fort
Wayne International Airport will soon become home to Shuttle
America Corporation, bringing the potential for up to 174 jobs
over the next three years. The Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport
Authority approved terms of a four-year lease agreement at the
Authority Board Meeting this afternoon. Shuttle America, which
began operations in 1998, provides customers with seamless
connections to destinations around the world on US Airways.
“We
are excited about our move to Fort Wayne and the good things
that will result for our corporation and the community,” said
Shuttle America CEO Scott L. Durgin. “Shuttle America is a
growing regional airline, and we’re delighted that our team
will continue implementing the growth plan from our new home in
Allen County, Indiana.”
An
existing facility at 11102 West Perimeter Road will be
significantly improved to house the new Shuttle America
operations. A small portion of the building currently hosts
maintenance operations for Chautauqua Airlines. Shuttle America
is among the holdings of Greenwich, Connecticut-based Wexford
Capital LLC. Shuttle America is currently based in Windsor
Locks, Connecticut, but will move its headquarters to Fort Wayne
by September 1.
“This
announcement is the culmination of several weeks of discussion
with Shuttle America, and we’re excited to announce successful
completion of those negotiations,” stated Fort Wayne Mayor
Graham Richard. “Not only does the community have the
opportunity to retain the 40 Chautauqua employees, but we have
the opportunity to add as many as 134 new jobs over the next few
years. We’re extremely pleased to welcome Shuttle America to
Fort Wayne.”
Shuttle
America will employ at least 104 workers by the end of 2002. The
average annual salary for those jobs will exceed $35,000.
Positions will range from pilots and flight attendants to
aircraft maintenance and administrative workers.
The
Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance, under a
new marketing contract with the Airport Authority, coordinated
the community’s interaction with Shuttle America. Details of
the project include:
·
An investment of $250,000 into the Perimeter Road
facility by the Airport Authority
·
An investment of $100,000 into the building by Shuttle
America
·
Up to $236,000 for infrastructure improvements split
between the Indiana Department of Commerce and Allen County
·
Lease assistance to the Airport Authority of $180,000
over three years by the City of Fort Wayne
·
An $85,000 Indiana Skills Enhancement Fund grant from the
Indiana Department of Commerce for employee training
·
Worker recruitment, screening and training help through
JobWorks and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
·
The provision of
classroom space by Indiana Institute of Technology for
specialized training needs
The
Indiana Department of Commerce awards Skills Enhancement Fund
grants to Indiana companies that undertake capital investment
projects. The grants help defray the costs of training new and
current employees in transferable and company-specific skills
necessary to support these projects. The Industrial Development
Grant Fund provides assistance to local units of government for
off-site infrastructure projects in support of new business
development.
Shuttle
America will continue to maintain and fly SAAB 340A Turboprop
aircraft. In March, Saab Aircraft Leasing announced plans to
lease eighteen 340As to Shuttle America by the end of 2002. Also
in March, Shuttle America announced new service for a number of
Midwest and Eastern United States cities including Cleveland,
OH; Hagerstown, MD; Indianapolis; Lexington, KY; Nashville, TN;
Toledo, OH; Lynchburg, VA; Roanoke, VA; Williamsport, PA and
Washington, DC/Dulles. Airports near Boston, Philadelphia,
Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, MA and Trenton, New Jersey
are among the other points of departure and destination served
by Shuttle America.
“Fort
Wayne International Airport continues to grow, and Shuttle
America fits nicely into that growth strategy,” said C.T.
“Skip” Miller, Director of Airports for the Fort Wayne-Allen
County Airport Authority. “Scott Durgin is a proven regional
airline executive. Shuttle America Corporation and this
community will benefit greatly from the presence of Scott and
his team in Fort Wayne.” Durgin was named CEO of Shuttle
America in December. He was part of a dynamic management team
that was largely credited with the significant growth of another
regional carrier—Mesaba Airlines—in the 1990s.
Individuals
interested in applying for positions with Shuttle America may
submit a resume at the offices of the Indiana Department of
Workforce Development (DWD) and JobWorks. The joint DWD/JobWorks
office is located at 201 East Rudisill Boulevard (inside the
Rudisill Plaza, at the intersection of Rudisill Boulevard and
Clinton Street). Interested individuals can also e-mail resumes
to msmith@jobworksinc.org.
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PINNACLE
AIRLINES EXPANDS PRESENCE IN FORT WAYNE
-
Regional
Jet Maintenance Operation Comes to FWA... Fort
Wayne International Airport will soon become home to a
new Regional Jet (RJ) Line Maintenance Hub for a
Memphis, Tennessee-based regional airline.
Pinnacle Airlines, Inc., which operates as Northwest
Airlink to approximately 60 cities in 24 states,
finalized plans for the new maintenance facility Monday
afternoon, Oct. 21. The project brings with it at
least 18 new jobs.
MORE
INFO..
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Nishikawa Standard Company Adding Jobs and Equipment
- 31
New Jobs and $2.6 Million Investment Project...Over
the next fourteen months, automotive component supplier
Nishikawa Standard Company will be reinvesting in its
New Haven facility and hiring additional workers.
The installation of $2.6 million in new equipment, and
the addition of 31 new workers will be completed by the
end of 2003. Click MORE
for additional information.
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Lt. Governor Kernan Names Dan Yamanaka as Director of
the Indiana Department of Commerce Region Three...As
part of the ongoing modernization of the Indiana
Department of Commerce, Lt. Governor Joe Kernan
announced Nov. 8 that Dan Yamanaka will serve as
director of Region Three, which included Adams, Allen,
DeKalb, Huntington, Noble, Steuben, Wells and Whitley
counties.
Additional information...
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Lincoln Printing Expanding in Fort Wayne: Relocation
and Reinvestment Boosts Capacity...Lincoln
Printing Corporation has announced plans to relocate to
a larger facility in Fort Wayne's Congressional
Industrial Park. The move will help retain and
grow the company, which currently employs 43.
Lincoln Printing, in operation locally since 1959 and a
subsidiary of Houston-based Consolidated Graphics Inc.
since 1998, is currently located at 1514 St. Joseph
Boulevard in Fort Wayne. Click here
for more.
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Buffalo
Wire Works and Ottenweller Company Announce Joint
Venture-$750,000 Investment,
New Jobs Coming to Fort Wayne...Buffalo,
New York-based Buffalo Wire Works and Fort Wayne-based
Ottenweller Company today (11/27) announced a new joint
venture, Buffalo Wire Works - Fort Wayne, that will
bring an investment of approximately $750,000 to Fort Wayne and create an additional 18 jobs within the new
company. The new joint venture will produce and
distribute screening media to the aggregate and
industrial markets for the Midwest.
MORE
info...
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Manco Products Acquired by Local Investment Firm - Company
-125 jobs to Stay in Fort Wayne...Manco
Products, Inc., since 1867 a local manufacturer of
go-karts and off-road recreational vehicles, was
acquired through bankruptcy proceedings by local
investment firm Arlington Capital, LLC. The
proceedings concluded late Tuesday afternoon
(11/26). New York-based Cortec Group Fund, L.P.,
purchased Manco Products in September 1996. The
company filed voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March
of this year.
Additional
information...
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Mayor
Presents Innovation Award to MIE
Mayor Graham
Richard today (11/14) presented the Mayor’s Innovation Award
to Medical Informatics Engineering (MIE) for its development of
a secure medical intranet and medical record management
software.
"MIE is a
great example of a small business succeeding in the new, high
tech economy," said Mayor Richard. "By leveraging our
community’s strengths in information technology and health
care, MIE is defining what it means to be innovative."
MIE created the
MedWeb, a private telecommunications network dedicated to the
secure transmission of health information. The intranet connects
80% of Northeast Indiana’s physicians and hospitals, allowing
users real-time communication and data transfer. The Fort
Wayne-based company also developed WebChart, a suite of
browser-based software solutions for medical record management.
The program allows for remote access of patient information over
the MedWeb, enabling doctors to retrieve patient medical records
remotely and securely.
"MIE is on
the cutting-edge of information management for medical
providers. The company’s products are a huge benefit to
hospitals, doctors and patients and will result in improved
medical care for all of us," said Mayor Richard.
Founded in Fort
Wayne in 1995, MIE employs 28 at its West Jefferson Boulevard
headquarters. The company recently was named a Growth 100
company by Indiana University for its rapid growth and high
potential.
Sponsored by
the City of Fort Wayne and the Northeast Indiana Innovation
Center, Mayor Richard’s Innovation Awards recognize businesses
that create or improve products using innovative research,
development or engineering. To qualify for the award, companies
must conduct the majority of their product development in
Northeast Indiana.
Mayor Richard
and the Department of Economic Development choose Innovation
Award recipients through a nomination process. Nominations
should describe the company and product, what makes the product
innovative, the role Northeast Indiana business and technology
played in the product’s development and how the product will
positively impact individuals or businesses.
-City
of Fort Wayne news release
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Fort
Wayne Route Recommended by High Speed Passenger Rail Study
Representatives
of the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)
today released the results of a year-long study examining
alternative high-speed passenger routes
across Northern Indiana as part of
the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative. The goal of the study
was to identify the passenger rail
alternative that would serve the largest
number of Hoosiers at the lowest cost.
INDOT
identified a plan that would allow high-speed rail service
from Chicago to Fort Wayne (proceeding to
Toledo and Cleveland) while also
enhancing passenger rail service between South Bend and
Chicago. Also included on the Fort Wayne route is Warsaw,
Indiana, home to numerous medical device
manufacturers.
Mayor
Graham Richard greeted the announcement by saying, "This
is an important first step. Our State needs a balanced transportation
system that includes high-speed passenger rail along
with air and road transportation. Providing service to Fort
Wayne and Warsaw while improving service to
the South Bend/Elkhart region will
ensure that our region is connected to the rest
of the midwest system. We applaud INDOT's creativity and leadership
in developing a plan that serves all of Northern Indiana."
Subject
to federal and state funding, the route is anticipated to be
operational in approximately 2010.
-City
of Fort Wayne Economic Development news release
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Fort
Wayne Receives Digital Cities Honor
The City
of Fort Wayne tied for third in the nation
in its population category of 125,000-250,000 in the Center
for Digital Government’s annual Digital
Cities Survey. The rankings
recognize the City’s progress in adopting and utilizing
digital technologies to improve the
delivery of services to its citizens.
Last year, Fort Wayne tied for tenth in the survey.
"It
has been a top goal of my administration to improve services
the City provides its citizens," said
Mayor Graham Richard. "Technology
is an efficient and effective way to do that and I am pleased
our efforts have been recognized." "I’m
also glad to see the City’s ranking has improved,"
continued Mayor Richard. "This
shows Fort Wayne is on its way to becoming
an e-government, connecting its citizens to City services
in every possible way."
The City
of Fort Wayne was recognized for providing its citizens with
on-line services, including feedback forms, job applications,
vending applications, pothole reports,
program registration and much more.
The Police Department also was singled out for giving
citizens electronic access to most-wanted lists, crime stopper
programs, neighborhood watch efforts and community policing
programs.
"The
City has pulled together dozens of resources to utilize technology
in so many aspects of government," said Webmaster Dan
Bush. "Next year citizens will see even more opportunities
to access Fort Wayne services from their
computer."
For more
information on how the City of Fort Wayne uses digital technology
to deliver its services visit the City’s web site at http://www.cityoffortwayne.org
or contact Webmaster Dan Bush.
-City
of Fort Wayne news release
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Last
updated:
07/28/2003
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