The Lake County IN Economic Alliance (LCEA) celebrated another year of success during its eighth annual investors' meeting at Innsbrook Country Club. The venue was full of camaraderie as old and new friends were able to reconnect with each other.
Each year, LCEA invites investors and friends to an annual meeting in which attendees learn about the overall impact the alliance has had since its last meeting. The gathering also acts as a networking event for local businesses and investors to get to know each other.
‘It's a regroup and a chance to come together to say, ‘here's where we're at, and here's where we intend to be,” said Vice President of Economic Development Don Koliboski.
The event began and ended with a social hour, and investors were grateful for the opportunity to network with people from all walks of life and different types of businesses.
“It's always good to stay up to date with what's going on. It's really good to meet new people and catch up with old friends,” said Eric Cender, an attendee.
Dave Ryan, Executive Director of the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Lake County Economic Alliance Board of Directors, began the meeting with an encouraging message to investors. Ryan highlighted the impact the alliance has had on Lake County, and applauded investors for being a part of something of that magnitude.
“I can't tell you how proud I am of this room,” said Ryan. “And of all the people that are on the board here and all of you as investors and so forth. It's a big deal for Lake County. You should be proud of being a part of this. You can see it grow and see it fly.”
It’s no exaggeration to say that the organization is a big deal for Lake County. Since President and CEO Karen Lauerman and VP of Economic Development Don Koliboski’s start in 2014, the team has created $6 billion of investment and 10,000 full-time jobs. This impressive statistic is only the beginning for the team.
“If you total all of our current projects together, we're working on half a billion dollars of investment and over 2,500 new jobs. We're so excited about bringing these new opportunities to all of you and to all of our residents,” said Lauerman.
The team behind the empire at LCEA is comprised of Karen Lauerman, Don Koliboski, and Anna Mihajlovic. Together, they work to retrieve information about new developments in the area, and alert investors about possible opportunities. It’s hard work, but the constant support of investors makes the job worthwhile.
“This is what Don, Anna, and I do 24/7 for Lake County, but we couldn't do it without all of you in this room. Everyone has a role in economic development -– from our private sector investors to our Lake County commissioners who have upped their contribution over the last several years to ensure the sustainability of this great organization. This is our opportunity to shine a light on all we have done in Lake County,” said Lauerman. “We’re the best-kept secret in the Midwest. Lake County is truly positioned for prosperity. Over the years we've built that $6 billion number and 10,000 full-time jobs, but that's just the start. Currently, we have 149 projects in the pipeline. I think that's pretty good for a couple of people from Lake County trying to find our way in the world.”
Though the past few years through the pandemic have been tough, the future is bright for not only Lake County, but the region as a whole. In addition to the exciting economic news Lauerman presented, she also announced that she received a test result that declared there was no active cancer in her body.
“It is still inside of me and will aggressively keep trying to fight against me again. I will just fight back. I am not leaving. Elvis has not left the building,” Lauerman joked.
The event was uplifting on all accounts, and the future is certainly bright for the alliance.
“This is what it's about: increasing our assessed value, increasing the number of jobs, and making a future and a quality of life for residents of Lake County so that you're proud of what this organization does on a daily basis,” said Lauerman.
She also mentioned she was extremely thankful for the event's sponsor and for all their help furthering the LCEA mission and serving the community.
”We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor for tonight’s event, Purdue Federal Credit Union. Your time and energy given to invest in our vision and event is integral to our ability to serve our community and improve the quality of life for all,” stated Lauerman.
For more information about LCEA, visit https://lcea.us/
