South Central Indiana Partners with Radius Indiana for Economic Outreach in Louisville
A networking session for site selectors and business advisers to highlight southern Indiana was cohosted in downtown Louisville by the South Central Indiana Economic Development Group (SCIEDG), an economic development alliance between 10 Indiana counties including the River Ridge Commerce Center and Radius Indiana, a partnership representing eight counties in Southwest Central Indiana.
This was a social get-together and it was our first “live event” in Louisville since early 2020 due to the pandemic. A very interesting presentation was made with 4 Kentucky and 4 Indiana Bourbons as the subject, and we had the opportunity for sampling and discussion about the growing bourbon industry in this area.
Our regions regularly visit here to raise awareness about the business strengths and opportunities in Southern Indiana. The leaders from both organizations, SCIEDG President Darrell Voelker and Radius President Jeff Quyle introduced the regions to their Kentucky neighbors, showcasing the benefits of doing business in the regions, which represent a total of 17 southern Indiana counties. They also presented their Kentuckiana guests with locally produced gifts.
“Our regions have worked together on many marketing events,” said Voelker. “We know when a new business locates in either of our areas, it will have a positive impact on the neighboring counties. South Central Indiana shares resources, workforce, and infrastructure with many of the Radius communities, and any opportunity we have to work together only strengthens our ability to attract and grow business.”
Quyle also commented on the effectiveness of convening as a region, saying, “Bringing together multiple business development professionals and counties in one room allows us to make many contacts in a short amount of time. It is an efficient use of our time and resources and places our region in the minds of the site selectors.”
The Louisville event is one project in a series of marketing activities for South Central Indiana in 2022. The group plans to visit Chicago multiple times, Atlanta, Greenville, S.C., Columbus, OH, and likely a trip to Europe this year, to connect South Central Indiana communities with business advisers, real estate brokers, site selectors, and representatives of prospective companies.