Thursday evening, members of the Lake County Indiana Economic Alliance gathered alongside investors and community members to celebrate their 5th year of success and inspiration.
The Lake County Indiana Economic Alliance (LCEA) works to strengthen the economic base and quality of life in its communities. LCEA supports the growth of business and attracts new quality investment which increase employment opportunities in Northwest Indiana.
Brian Hittinger, Chairman of LCEA, opened the evening’s presentation by thanking everyone for coming out in support, and reflecting back on the organization’s origin just a few years ago.
“When I first joined this group, many people said that Lake county economic development and cooperation could never happen,” Hittinger noted. “Well it has, and here we are celebrating the 5th meeting and economic update!”
Hittinger made sure to acknowledge the depth of the success that the LCEA has built up during its five-year run, recognizing the crucial contributions of all who attended the event as well.
“Everyone in this room should be proud that the LCEA is staying the course in pursuing jobs, retaining existing business, and creating new investment in Lake County.”
Hittinger extended a heartfelt thank you to all investors and sponsors who make what the LCEA does possible before handing the stage over to LCEA President and CEO Karen Lauerman.
“We exist because of the support offered by both private business and public investors like you,” Hittinger said. “I thank all of you for support!”
Many of those sponsors were in attendance, including Kim Hasse O’halloran and Patty Stovall of Hasse Construction Company (HCC).
“Tonight is a great opportunity to get everyone together throughout the region to talk about new developments and economic opportunities coming to the area,” Said Hasse O’halloran, Director of Business Development for HCC. “It’s exciting to see the new businesses and prospects that show the continued growth of Northwest Indiana.”
“I go to work each day with a smile, excited to do what I do: making a difference in Lake County,” Lauerman said. “Sometimes you don’t see results immediately, but it’s the long-term impact that’s truly important.”
Lauerman went on to highlight some of the accomplishments the LCEA has had in the past year.
“In 2018, we experienced just over 100 outreach opportunities, and attended 42 conventions, trade shows or conferences,” Lauerman said. “These are the kind of marketing promotional opportunities and outreach opportunities that individual communities could not do on their own; that’s why we have a collective unified effort at LCEA.”
Coming off of a successful year in 2018, the LCEA’s future is looking more promising than ever.
“Looking forward for 2019, we have several things in the pipeline,” Lauerman said, “by the end of the second quarter, a total of $150 million of investments will be announced for various local projects in multiple sectors of the community.”
These future projects are driven by Lake County’s new brand theme: Position for Prosperity. This catchy phrase is much more than just a slogan. It symbolizes the quality of place and other factors that set Lake County apart from its competitors, and represents the LCEA’s mission to position Lake County for long-term economic stability.
“We are excited about this campaign,” Lauerman said. “It is our pleasure to serve the 485,000 residents of Lake County. We want to leave behind a legacy we can be proud of, and continue make a difference the way we have been, when five years ago they said it couldn’t be done.”
The LCEA is a catalyst for development and innovation within Lake County, and plans to continue to foster local ingenuity for future economic success.
“We were here five years ago, we are still here now, and we will be here in the future to take care of the people of Lake County Indiana,” Lauerman said in closing. “It’s time to step forward again, to take advantage of our collective success stories and build forward momentum.”
To learn more about the LCEA and how they are driving Lake County forward, visit http://lcea.us/.
