“You only have one hometown.” For anyone who grew up in Northwest Indiana, these words will ring true at some point in their lives. For Andrew Rowe, they opened his eyes to his true calling.
While working with Ideas in Motion Media, Andrew was privy to the hard work and hope that makes the Region particularly unique. He would attend events and rub elbows with movers and shakers, if only for an interview to help flesh out his new stories. It would help him realize this one of the best places in the country to live, work and raise a family.
“A man who runs a family business in Lake County once spoke about how the company had been here for 80 years. Although his kids wanted to move away after college, he spoke to them about the company as if it were a town, saying ‘You only have one hometown.’ Now, his kids have come back and are the fourth generation to lead the company,” Rowe said.
That conversation really helped things click for Rowe, who had been thinking about moving back to North Judson to see how he could help the town that raised him.
“North Judson is my hometown,” Rowe said. “When you’re a kid, you think your hometown is everything because everything in your world happens here. Then you move away and see different things, and you’re never sure where your life is going to take you.”
Now, Rowe is the Clerk Treasurer in North Judson, using the skills he built along the way to help the community that helped form who he is.
As Clerk Treasurer, Rowe works with the town council and related departments to move their town forward. He oversees finances, maintains records, and is responsible for permitting, billing and invoicing. His focus is working with the council to beautify, improve and grow the town.
“Teamwork is a big part of the job, so I’m lucky to work with great people who work hard to make their own departments better and create strong bonds,” Rowe said. “It makes my job easier to be surrounded by people who are motivated and receptive to ideas. In the end, we all benefit from it.”
When working in the office on Sunday, getting ready for the week ahead, Rowe is thankful to live only 108 steps away. As Clerk Treasurer, his hours are never a simple 9 to 5. He credits his work with Ideas in Motion Media, and specifically his mentor, Chris Mahlmann, with preparing him for this kind of work.
“You don’t have a choice. If you get a call, you’ve got to go out and do whatever needs to be done,” Rowe said. “Chris really set the example of what it means to be on all the time. His outlook of positive news really translates to working with the positives you have, and it prepared me immensely for stepping into this position. I’ll carry that mindset with me forever.”
That positive mindset drives his work toward making North Judson a better place to live, work and raise a family. He hopes you’ll check out their Mint Festival, a Father’s Day tradition, and catch some live music at Norwayne Field.