On Wednesday, Jan. 25, the Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce held its monthly luncheon that brought together community leaders, Northwest Indiana business owners, local citizens, and even Congressman Frank Mrvan.
“We always invite the Congressman, and today we have Congressman Mrvan in attendance. It’s a great way to kick off the year. People can hear what the Congressman’s plans are,” President and CEO of Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce Deann Patena said.
It was certainly a way to kick off the year. With news of Congressman Mrvan attending and speaking at the luncheon, attendance was great.
“It’s usually well-attended and today we have over 100 people in this room,” Patena said.
Other people in attendance included Vice President of Economic Development for Lake County Indiana Economic Alliance Don Koliboski and Director of Public Affairs and Economic Development for NIPSCO Rick Calinski.
“NIPSCO is a great partner of the chamber and today they’re sponsoring the luncheon,” Patena said.
Attendees gathered for the first time and for the 100th time. It was an event paired with great conversation, raffles, delicious food, and excellent company. As the chamber welcomed new partners and recognized long-time partners, the room really filled with smiles. The energy in the room was high as the networking began, but the excitement of Congressman Mrvan attending had attendees thrilled.
“The Congressman is going to instill knowledge upon us on what's happening in the federal government, especially with the incentives and the dollars that are going into infrastructure; it’s something that’s very important for us to be able to track jobs and private investment. That helps us be knowledgeable,” said Koliboski.
Koliboski wasn’t the only one in the room excited to hear what Congressman Mrvan had to say.
Calinski was proud to sponsor the luncheon, welcome everyone, introduce Congressman Mrvan, and inform attendees on the progress NIPSCO has made.
“As NIPSCO continues to transition, how we actually produce electricity to serve our customers matters. As many people know, we have many coal-fired plants that were fantastic assets through the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and today, but electric generation is changing,” Calinski said. “Currently, I'm really standing up here and I'm proud to say that we are reducing the carbon footprint by 90% within our service territory; I’m very proud of that.”
Calinski was not only proud, but honored to introduce Congressman Mrvan because he believes that he understands the importance of good paying jobs and growing the economy in a way that works for everyone.
Congressman Mrvan took the podium and had attendees nodding their heads.
“We focused on mental health. We focused on addiction. We focused on access to health care. We had a transportation system that linked our communities, and now – as a member of Congress – I have those experiences that I carry on with me. I'm proud to be your member of Congress,” Congressman Mrvan said.
Congressman Mrvan discussed his time as a trustee, solutions he focused on, and goals he has as our leader.
“I ran for office and I started this journey because I care. I care about economic opportunity. I care about people succeeding in our area, and I care about making sure that those individuals who live here have an economic chance to be able to have a job that provides for their family, good health insurance, and that they have an opportunity to provide for their kids,” Congressman Mrvan said.
For more information about the Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce, visit its website atwww.crossroadschamber.org. Learn more about NIPSCO at www.nipsco.com, or for faster updates, visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nipsco?fref=ts.
