IEDC leader visits Jay

Indiana Economic Development Corporation president Jim Schellinger visited with Jay County Development Corporation members and other local officials Thursday in Portland. His message: Indiana is good for business.
Schellinger, a Democratic candidate for governor in the 2008 primary and former chairman/CEO of CSO Architects, touted a variety of rankings that place Indiana among the best in the nation for business during his presentation at Community Resource Center. He also reported that IEDC has invested $2.33 billion in Indiana thus far this year, with 76 percent of that going to existing companies to help with expansion.
He noted Jay County projects, including FCC, Tyson and Carrera, that IEDC has been involved with since its formation in 2005.
“We’ll continue to work with you whenever and wherever we possibly can to be of service to you,” Schellinger said. “Our organization is a service organization. We’re here to help you.”
He noted areas of business growth that IEDC has pushed throughout the state, such as technology, life sciences, advanced manufacturing and agribusiness.
Schellinger also reiterated what has become a frequent message, that a skilled workforce is just as important to attracting business as tax rates, incentives and infrastructure. He emphasized a need for workers to have some sort of post-secondary education, whether it is in college or trade school.
He noted the You Can Go Back program, which is focused on helping those who have taken post-secondary courses but not received a degree or certificate go back to school.
“We have just the greatest people in Indiana, and there’s not one single thing we can’t accomplish in our state if we come together, if we pull together, and we accentuate the positives,” Schellinger said. “There’s so much more good things happening than bad things in our state. … It’s the people of the communities in this state that make us great.”