Northern Indiana Companies

Bob Taylor is the president and CEO of Do it Best Corp.

Northeast Indiana has taken a tremendous step forward in economic development with the formation of the Regional Marketing Partnership.  This well coordinated effort is already off to a great start, and will no doubt prove to be a significant difference-maker in attracting new businesses and jobs to our region.
 
The Indiana business climate, under Governor Daniels' leadership, has improved dramatically.  There are, however, still challenges to overcome.  As the bipartisan Kernan-Shepard Report outlines, one of the biggest challenges, and biggest opportunities, lies in the need for consolidation of local governments.  It is about efficiency to be sure, but, more importantly, it's about effectiveness.  Effectively responding to the needs of current residents and businesses as well as prospective ones.  With regard to business development, both for existing companies and new ones, you cannot overstate the importance of having local governments that are streamlined, organized and developmentally focused in constructively moving new projects ahead, as opposed to throwing up road blocks of red tape.  We still have a ways to go in that regard, both as a state and as a region, but the Kernan-Shepard Report points the way.