Tom Dakich spent 30 years building a thriving career around the world. Today, he is bringing all his knowledge, connections, and talent back home to create opportunities right here in Northwest Indiana (NWI).
As a managing member and General Counsel for Digital Crossroad, Dakich specializes in the development of telecommunications. However, after a brief conversation with a long-time friend, Dakich realized that all the success he has had in the broader world needed to be put to good use at home.
“My friend said to me, ‘What are you doing in your hometown?’ said Dakich. “It changed my whole perspective. “
A Region resident at his roots, Dakich rose to the challenge.
“That conversation really changed my life,” said Dakich. “It made me realize that being here was a lot more important being anywhere else.”
Even though his background is not in development, Dakich took this mission and created connections.
“I introduced my friends to their friends, and we ended up with this group,” said Dakich. “Together we have created a really strong $240 million project in Michigan City.“
The $240 million SoLa project includes two hotels, a new condominium complex, and duplex homes close to Lake Michigan and downtown shopping.
Dakich believes this investment will not only bring in additional revenue for the community but will also create hundreds of full-time and seasonal jobs.
“I’m not a hotel developer,” said Dakich. “I'm in tech, but what I do understand is that my friends, who are locals, look at the SoLa project and say, ‘I want to learn more.’”
It’s this all-for-one mentality that Dakich sees as the key takeaway from this work.
“We are doing something world-class in Michigan City,” said Dakich. “What’s even better is that, when all parts of the Region come together, we can do some amazing things here.”
Creating first-of-its-kind developments through close collaboration and partnership is not new for Dakich.
Recently, Dakich was a key player in the $300 million Digital Crossroads of America Data Center and Technology Campus in Hammond.
“I built a data center in Hammond years ago,” Dakich said. “Representative Ed Soliday made this work a lot easier because everybody looks at Ed and says, ‘Okay, if Ed's comfortable with it, then I can get behind it.’”
In addition to supporting the SoLa project in Michigan City, Dakich has his eyes set on another large NWI goal.
“We're going to do some more projects and bring fiber networks to Gary,” said Dakich. “My goal is to take Gary from one of least connected cities in Indiana to the best.”
Dakich is a man who knows where he comes from and knows the value of this community.
A Region man to his core, Dakich is doing all that it takes to have a big impact on NWI for decades to come.
To learn more about SoLa in Michigan City, please visit solamichigancity.com.