NWI “Innovators of the Month” highlights William E. Nangle, Executive Editor (Ret.), The Times, Society Fellow; and Dushan Nikolovski, Director, Center for Entrepreneurship Success, Purdue University Calumet, Society Member. This issue is for use by media serving Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski and Starke Counties. The Society celebrates Fellows, Chanute Prize and Accelerating Greatness co-recipients; and other Members of the 2014 – 2015 Class of Innovators. The Society shares inspiring stories of innovation in each edition. The Society is part of the Gerald I. Lamkin Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center of Ivy Tech Community College Northwest. For information, contact O’Merrial Butchee, Director, Gerald I. Lamkin Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at (219) 981-4942, or John Davies, Assistant Director, at (219) 981-1111, Ext. 2292.
Executive Editor (Ret.) Helped Transform Times into National Model
William E. Nangle, Executive Editor (Ret.), helped transform the Times Newspaper into a national model for journalism, launching the “Munster Model” renowned for providing in-depth local and neighborhood news while covering regional news.
“This was a template for providing ‘local local’ news to reach a community of interest,” Nangle said, whose career spanned 50 years and who worked for 16 publishers for 44 years.
In the height of the circulation wars with the Post-Tribune for dominance in Northwest Indiana, the Times featured up to nine different editions, each with their own editorial and advertising staff. Bill gave a speech about the concept in Washington, D.C., and a competitor labeled it the “Munster Model” later adopted by other newspapers. Nangle also helped lead the “technological revolution” of the industry as The Times embraced new technologies like pagination for electronic page design.
Additionally, he brought together Indiana’s 7 largest newspapers, producing a statewide coverage of deficiencies in access to public records in the state’s 92 counties. This resulted in sweeping changes to strengthen access laws and established the state’s office of public access counsel. The State of Secrecy Audit has been repeated in over 30 states by newspaper associations. Other innovations include the One Region initiative to encourage regional collaboration. “I was fortunate to work for great publishers and have a forward-looking team who embraced change and innovation to be competitive,” Nangle said. He was named the Gerald I. Lamkin Fellow in 2014, the Society’s highest award given to individuals.
Dushan Nikolovski Creates “Big Sell” to Promote NWI Ideas & Innovation
Recognizing the importance of small business in job creation accounting for 54% of all sales in the U.S., Dushan Nikolovski, Director, Center for Entrepreneurship Success at Purdue University Calumet, launched “Big Sell” to encourage new ideas and innovation for commercial ventures in the region. Now in its 5th year and scheduled for Saturday, April 18th at the Radisson, over 300 enthusiastic boosters of innovators and entrepreneurs are expected to cheer on new participants. Each of the 50 contestants in competing for over $100,000 in cash and prizes will have two minutes to pitch their ideas and receive immediate feedback from the audience using electronic clickers.
While contestants come from across the United States, Dushan emphasizes the opportunity for NWI innovators to share their ideas, win as well as receive a plethora of assistance to grow their businesses from office space, to marketing help, to even cash prizes of up to $3,000 for top winners. Starting his own businesses since high school when he and a friend launched a young adult night club, Dushan exhibits not only an entrepreneurial spirit, but a passion to help others avoid what he calls his startup “pain points.”
His goal: “I want my students and everyone to avoid the mistakes I made by getting immediate feedback for their ideas,” Nikolovski said. He launched “Big Sell” in 2011 so budding entrepreneurs can have a platform to pitch their ideas, get audience feedback, and receive expert advice to avoid the pitfalls of a typical startup. Click on www.thebigsell.org.