The best way to figure out what you want to do might come from exploring a different environment, even for a temporary period. Greg Falkowski found his first inspiration in doing that after high school, and it continued to lead him in the right direction.
Falkowski grew up in Northwest Indiana and went to Boone Grove High School. While he participated in sports such as baseball and basketball, he wasn’t sure what direction he would go after graduation. He ultimately went on to join the U.S. Army, giving him an opportunity to explore what he wanted before starting his college education.
“We went over to South Korea a few times in my early years,” Falkowski said. “After that, I got assigned to the United States European Command to do different tasks and assignments. I was also in Army Intelligence and thought about doing government work for an agency like the CIA, FBI, or NSA. It led me back here to Northwest Indiana where I took classes geared towards that at Valparaiso University.”
These classes that aligned with Falkowski’s career drive focused on the geographic information system. Mapping and imagery are similar to the work he did in the Army with uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV), satellites, and drones. This educational experience helped him prepare for what he wanted to do in the next step of his career.
“I switched my concentration around geographic information systems with a focus on planning and building,” Falkowski said. “Once I graduated from Valparaiso University, I worked with the Carpenters Union in Indiana (Local 1005). That’s when I saw an opportunity at the city at Crown Point for a city planner. I thought it might be an opportunity to use the skills of carpentry, project management, and city planning to be a part of one of the largest growing communities in Northwest Indiana.”
Falkowski considers himself very fortunate to have landed this position. He has a great appreciation for working in a city that’s seen consistent growth in recent years.
“Crown Point is such a unique community in the Region,” Falkowski said. “It's been around for more than 150 years now, but there’s a solid core of an iconic downtown and the population has been continuing to grow since 2000. In 20 years, the residential growth has doubled, and that brings the need for commercial and industrial support. The quality of life in this community is incredible and keeps improving.”
On top of building upon a community that has been trending upward for the past few decades, there are other motivational factors that Falkowski emphasizes in his work.
“My motivation is to continue to see proper controlled growth and ensure that people's current investments are sustained,” Falkwowski said. “We want to provide simplistic things to the community and economic development. Making sure those things are projected and moving forward in the right direction is important.”
As for the near future, Falkowski appreciates the Crown Point community and loves doing what he can to make strides to assist them with each opportunity he gets. He hopes to continue spending his free time with his wife and two kids, being there for them during their sporting events and extracurricular activities.