Top 10 business articles on LaPorteCounty.Life in 2021

Top 10 business articles on LaPorteCounty.Life in 2021
By: Allison Tunstall, Anekah Fish, Aubrey Thomson, Becca Wireman, Curtis Hankins, Rachel Calderone Last Updated: December 20, 2021

As businesses across the Region continue to make their mark, we are continuously given more and more great news to share with all of you. 2021 saw tons of growth and development across our communities, with countless businesses expanding and creating positive change on those around them. 

Whether it was welcoming new staff, bringing exciting new services to customers, hosting ribbon-cuttings, or opening new offices, there was a lot of good to go around in the business world.

In no particular order, here are the top 10 business articles from LaPorteCounty.Life in 2021:

Linda Simmons champions Michigan City a EDCMC board chair and CVB marketing director

It is hard to find a bigger advocate for Michigan City and La Porte County than Linda Simmons, CDME. Her support is such that it is her actual job – two times over.

Simmons is a resident of the Michigan City area and serves as the director of marketing for Visit Michigan City La Porte CVB (the county’s convention and visitors bureau) and chair for Economic Development Corporation Michigan City’s Board of Directors. Her goal in those two roles is very similar: foster an interest in visiting, or in the case of EDCMC – investing, in Michigan City and La Porte County.

Center for Hospice Care celebrates new location on Johnson Road in La Porte

Center for Hospice Care (CHC) celebrated the opening of their newest location in La Porte on September 30. The new office is located at 309 W. Johnson Road, La Porte, IN 46350. 

The La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony with a welcoming speech from Mark Murray, President and CEO of Center for Hospice Care.

Surf Broadband Solutions works with La Porte Mayor, LEAP, and other partners to make La Porte a gig city

If technology is how mankind reinvents itself, then ensuring communities have the latest technological improvements at their disposal is essential for growth. This is why La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody has been pleased to partner with Surf Broadband solutions to build fiber infrastructure throughout La Porte. 

La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody, LEAP, and Patrick Industries partner for industrial development, creating 35 new jobs

The City of La Porte, Mayor Tom Dermody, and the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) partnered to bring big news to residents at the city council meeting on July 6.

Tom Dermody and the La Porte City Council joined representatives from Patrick Industries to announce plans to open a new facility in La Porte. This development is predicted to create up to 35 new jobs in the community by 2025.

Healthcare Foundation of La Porte hosts ribbon-cutting ceremony for new office and Conference & Learning Center developments

On Wednesday, the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) invited community leaders, partners, nonprofits, and staff to the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the foundation’s new office building and Conference & Learning Center. After speeches from HFL President and CEO Maria Fruth, Former Chairman of the Board Jeff Bernel, and Chairwoman of the Board Kathleen Lang and a blessing by Board Member Father Nate Edquist, foundation leaders and members cut the ribbon, effectively celebrating a new chapter.

Northwest Health – La Porte names Rhonda Willis as non-clinical manager of the year

Rhonda Willis wears numerous hats at Northwest Health – La Porte, serving as Facility Compliance Officer, Facility Privacy Officer, and Health Information Management Director. She’s been with the hospital for 27 years, since back when it was La Porte Hospital. Her family had relocated to Northwest Indiana in 1994, and when she began working at Northwest Health, she started as a coder before working her way up to management. 

What does the EDCMC do? Create jobs, stimulate the local economy, and promote community development

Economic Development Corporation Michigan City (EDCMC) is a public-private nonprofit organization with a simple mission: promote economic and community growth, stability, and wellness by developing businesses and the workforce.

To accomplish that mission, EDCMC serves as a resource designed to attract new businesses to the area, connect local businesses with resources and assistance they need to thrive, provide assistance to jobseekers and community members at large, and support programs and initiatives that strengthen the community.

Horizon Bank cultivates relationships with customers and community through service

As proven by their recent presence at Tour De La Porte where they set up water stations, Horizon Bank’s leaders and advisors work to leave more than a financial footprint in their communities. Since it was established in 1873, Horizon Bank has hired staff members from local communities and empowered them to act to benefit both customers and communities. 

Indiana American Water —committed to clean water for life

Wood-framed buildings dominated fast-growing cities in the 1800s. Homes, businesses, and even roads and sidewalks were constructed with wood, resulting in an explosion of infrastructure that became hubs for culture, economies, and an ever-growing post-civil war population. So, when the first water systems in the U.S. were introduced, it is not surprising that they were constructed with fire protection in mind. 

PNC Bank is built to encourage education and enrichment in La Porte

PNC Bank is not simply in the community to just assist with deposits and withdrawals. It has taken the time to make contributions to the city’s education as well as perform other outreach. The work of PNC and its employees contribute to the education of adults and children.