Evansville Business April/May 2022

LOOKING FOR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE?

CALL MIKE! Mike Richardson CCIM

Mike brings more than 30 years experience in Commercial Real Estate and has been Indiana’s #1 Re/Max Commercial Broker of the Year multiple times.

EXPERIENCE. KNOWLEDGE. RESULTS. 6131 Wedeking Ave., Suite G-1 | 812 -480 -7454 | miker@remax.net | www.richardsoncommercial.net

Going Back to School Just Got Simpler Your personal advocates in higher education Whether you’ve attended college before or are new to the scene, the University of Southern Indiana’s Center for Adult Learner Success (CALS) is here to make this transition as simple as possible.

Contact us today to take the next step toward your future.

Who is an adult learner?

There are always exceptions, but an adult learner will likely identify with at least one of these situations: • 25 years or older • returning to school after 2+ years away • has dependents

What's your hesitation?

Time

Ability

With flexible course delivery options and personalized program offerings, USI makes it easy to earn your credentials at your own pace. Ask about a Prior Learning Assessment, which allows your past experience to count as course credit!

How well you performed academically in your younger days is not necessarily a predictor of how well you’ll do now.

Life circumstances change, maturity and wisdom are gained, and the investment in yourself can be more rewarding later in life.

Age

Technology

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, those over the age of 25 accounted for more than 40% of students enrolled at colleges and universities during the Fall 2019 semester.

If you’re concerned about keeping up with your classes, know that you will never be alone at USI. In addition to having your own CALS support specialist, USI has several technology resources to provide the guidance you may need.

Money

Assistance is within your reach with financial aid, employer reimbursement, scholarships and grant opportunities. For instance, the State of Indiana offers an Adult Student Grant, aimed at helping residents age 25 years and older pursue higher education.

usi.edu/adults

812-465-1045

adult.learners@usi.edu

FRESHLY PREPARED MENU ITEMS The Salsarita Food Truck’s menu items are prepared fresh daily in the restaurants and assembled in the truck so that they can be custom made for each customer.

QUESORITO CRAVINGS

FRESH FOOD, YOUR WAY At Salsarita’s, we love to share fresh, crowd-pleasing food with the community. Whether you crave a Quesorito for dinner or a Fiesta Pack for a work lunch, we have you covered.

FAMILY FIESTA Salsarita’s Food Truck and restaurants in Evansville, Newburgh, and Owensboro are locally owned and operated by Michael Corino. As the managing owner, Michael plays an active role in Salsarita’s day-to-day operations. When not in school, Michael’s children Caroline and Dominic can be seen preparing food and greeting guests.

CORPORATE AND PRIVATE EVENTS Take your corporate and private events to the next level by booking the Salsarita’s Food Truck. The food truck is a big hit at fundraisers, school functions, and private parties. Another fun idea is to book the Salsarita’s Food Truck for a surprise employee appreciation lunch.

FIND THE FOOD TRUCK Customers can keep track of the Salsarita’s Food Truck’s planned stops by liking the food truck Facebook page. Find it listed as “Salsarita’s Food Truck Evansville.”

2 APRIL/MAY | 2022

Customers love the Salsarita Food Truck’s signature item: the Quesorito. Patrons pick their choice of meat, with Spanish rice, fresh-made salsa, black beans, shredded lettuce and cheese, tomatoes and sour cream, wrapped and smothered in queso cheese sauce.

TAILOR-MADE CATERING To book the Salsarita’s Food Truck, a minimum of 40-50 people is preferred. All of the Salsarita’s stores have catering options that can be delivered to your location or picked up from one of the stores. Everyone can enjoy the fiesta!

VISIT OUR LOCATIONS: 3910 Morgan Ave. Evansville, IN

4077 IN-261 Newburgh, IN

812-43-SALSA

812-490-5050

3500 Villa Point Owensboro, KY 270-686-7505

BOOK THE SALSARITA’S FOOD TRUCK! (812)437-2572 salsaritas164@salsaritas.com

OUR SIGNS ARE EVERYWHERE.

Frito Lay Distribution Center

THINKING ABOUT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE?

CALL US TODAY!

Sales & Leasing • Build To Lease • Development • Business Brokerage

WOODWARD

Interstate Office Park • 4763 Rosebud Lane, Suite B • Newburgh, IN

812-474-1900 WOODWARDREALTY.COM •

EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 3

VOLUME 21 / NUMBER 2 MASONRY • TUCKPOINTING • CLEANING CAULKING • CHIMNEY REPAIR

A Publication of Tucker Publishing Group

PUBLISHER Todd A. Tucker EDITOR Kristen K. Tucker Troy Schreiber and Tammy Evans, Owners Third Generation Family-Owned Business

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Laura Mathis

MASONRY CONTRACTOR SINCE 1946

ADVERTISING ADMINISTRATOR AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER Morgan Dean MANAGING EDITOR Jodi Keen STAFF WRITERS Dallas Carter Riley Guerzini

Deaconess Aquatic Center

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Jessica Hoffman Jennifer Rhoades Drake’s

Tucker Publishing Group 25 N.W. Riverside Drive, Ste. 200 Evansville, IN 47708 812-426-2115

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CST Monday through Friday, or send an email to elbcs@magserv.com.

IN THE NEWS Evansville Business welcomes submissions for our business social page and corporate news. Please mail or email these items six weeks in advance of the magazine cover date to the address above or events@ evansvilleliving.com.

LETTERS TO THE PUBLISHER

SALES AND MARKETING COORDINATOR Logen Sitzman

Letters to the publisher may be sent to the address above or to ttucker@ evansvilleliving.com.

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

DISTRIBUTION AND CIRCULATION MANAGER Gregg Martin

Rapp Granary

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS Steve Geis, Audra Straw, Zach Straw Engelbrecht Carousel

nmbungeinc.com 812-424-2704 troy@nmbungeinc.com 4 APRIL/MAY | 2022

TUCKER PUBLISHING GROUP Todd A Tucker, President Kristen K. Tucker, Vice President

Take advantage of Evansville Business’ prime advertising space. Please call us at 812-426-2115 or visit evansvilleliving.com.

Evansville Business is published bimonthly by Tucker Publishing Group, 25 N.W. Riverside Drive, Ste. 200, Evansville, IN 47708, and printed at LSC Communications, Lebanon Junction, KY. Any views expressed in any advertisement, signed letter, article, or photograph are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Evansville Business.

Copyright © 2022 Tucker Publishing Group. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from Tucker Publishing Group.

Contents

Featured

26

DIVING INTO THE FUTURE

Borne out of frustration over a dilapidated Lloyd Pool, a strong public-private partnership harnessed federal dollars and local donations to bring the Deaconess Aquatic Center to fruition and fill a critical community need. As TriState residents enjoy a world-class swimming facility, Evansville can now welcome national competitions and anticipates thousands of dollars in tourism revenue in the years to come.

Regulars 6

PUBLISHER’S LETTER “You’ve Gotta Be Kidding”

8

SECOND GLANCE Another Promise Zone project, the Forge on Main seeks to revitalize Jacobsville

9

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

11 ON THE CLOCK Volunteer Carroll Hickrod keeps the old courthouse’s clock ticking

13 IN THE DETAILS The Historic District’s streetlights get a facelift

13 NICHE BUSINESS Moonbeam Trolley Co. invests in custom celebrations

15 INDUSTRY INSIDER ProRehab utilizes a preventive algorithm that got its start in Evansville

APRIL/ M AY 2 0 2 2

15 15 BY THE NUMBERS Recap Evansville’s green efforts in 2021

16 GLOBAL RELATIONS Russian sanctions introduce a different version of warfare

54 BUSINESS LIFE 56 IN THE NEWS 64 BACK TALK Mayor Lloyd Winnecke

Department 18 CAREER PATH Teachers Paul and Barb Dayton take their drive for success from the classroom to the print shop

Special Advertising Section 43 TECHNOLOGY IN BUSINESS Get to know the Tri-State businesses offering innovative, customer-friendly services and products in the field of technology

ON THE COVER North High School swimmers cheer on their teammates during a boys’ sectionals competition in February 2022. Photo by Zach Straw EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 5

PUBLISHER’S PAGE

“You’ve Gotta Be Kidding”

An old man’s favorite chair at home.

T

Sometimes, all it might take is a few sentences to undo years of hard work.

I could only come up with a few positive sentences to say — and boy, I tried — about 2022 Junior Achievement Laureate Randy Miller, founder of South Western Communications. (See page 38) Randy Miller, circa 1970 Here goes my carefully crafted reputation in one sweep: When you hear about the quality people who are the backbone of a community, think of Randy. He is the first person to volunteer, give, or “do the extra work.” I know I join everyone in wishing Randy well as he is inducted in the Junior Achievement Hall of Fame, being celebrated at breakfast on May 12.

A completely self-made and selfless man, Randy has exceled in business and volunteerism as well as being a consummate family man. He always is quick with an occasionally witty quip and what I would call a “wry grin.” He even has managed to overcome having a Purdue University graduate as a son-in-law.

I know how pleased I am with Junior Achievement for selecting Randy as a laureate. Man, writing this has not been easy! Still wondering if there is hair under the hat in the above photo? I couldn’t seem to obtain a more recent picture ... (cough).

he year was 2009, and it was my first visit to Lloyd Pool. My sons, who had been competitive swimmers since age 4, each were starting the enormous Lloyd Pool 2015 commitment of year-round Deaconess Aquatic Center 2022 swimming. As we walked Just prior to his State of the City adinto “The Lloyd,” my first dress, I sat down with third-term Mayor impression of the facility Lloyd Winnecke in our offices on March 24. was, “You’ve gotta be kidAfter exchanging “pleasantries,” we enjoyed ding.” Less than five min(or was it just me?) a long conversation in utes into their first practice, my office. It pleases me that I don’t find the Mayor Lloyd Winnecke at the DII men’s title game then-Coach Mike Chapman blew the whistle and got evmayor to be any different now than when he eryone out while they fished a dead bird out of the pool consistently gave me wise counsel and saved me from myself in the that had come in through the open window. earliest years of the magazine more than 20 years ago.

No need to exaggerate stories about The Lloyd. I In our Back Talk story on page 64, we go through his years soon was to find out a friend of mine, Dr. Andy Tharp, of being a mayor. One thing stands out to me: Lloyd Winnecke was equally passionate; in no way was this facility acloves Evansville and throws himself into making our city a betceptable to him, either. Andy wouldn’t let it go, and ter place to live at every opportunity. whether it be at a swim meet or band practice (he and I played with a few other friends in a band), he would Please indulge a moment of fatherly pride going out to bring it up to me, constantly sharing ideas and updates. my eldest son Maxwell, graduating with his MBA from the Lacy Our tiny group decided to form a grassroots task School of Business at Butler University. After four years as an force from a wide range of people who were equally pasundergrad and two years as a graduate student, I know Maxwell sionate about swimming, kids, and the community. We and I both are ready for him to be done. It’s strange, though, and encouraged people to ask the mayor about the pool, and a bit telling that while I had been suggesting graduwe wore him down about it, he later adate school when he was an undergrad, there was not A couple of good buddies mitted. We worked diligently to move the much interest. Now that he is done, he is “glad he did needle before the creation of the Mayor’s it,” as if he knew this was his pre-ordained path all Aquatic Task Force. I am not ashamed to along. Congratulations, son, life just gets “easier” as admit I used the pages of this magazine to you join the business world. And ... Go Dawgs! advocate for change, something I had not As always, I look forward to hearing from most done before or since. of you.

To all involved in any capacity of seeing this through all the way, a very heartfelt “thank you!” It was worth it.

Todd A. Tucker, Publisher

6 APRIL/MAY | 2022

P H OTO O F R A N DY M I L L E R P R OV I D E D BY J I L L L U C Y. P H OTO O F M A X W E L L A N D TO D D T U C K E R P R OV I D E D BY T H E T U C K E R FA M I LY. A L L OT H E R P H OTO S BY Z AC H S T R AW.

SECOND GLANCE

Leading the Way T

he Forge on Main, a mixed-use housing development on Evansville’s North Main Street Corridor, is nearing completion, providing much-needed support to one of the city’s struggling neighborhoods.

Named after the 19th century plow and metal works factory that stood in the same Jacobsville lot, the $28 million project consists of 180 apartments throughout four buildings and 17,000 square feet of commercial space in the building facing Main Street. Construction is scheduled to be completed in May. Matt Gadus, a principal with the project’s Carmel, Indiana-based developer House Investments, says the company is hoping to attract retailers such as a grocery, quick service restaurant, or coffee shop, though no commercial occupants have been finalized.

About 10 percent of the 39 studios,

93 one-bedrooms, and 48 two-bedroom apartments will be available to low-income renters making up to 60 percent of the area median income. The remaining units are earmarked for workforce housing renters making up to 120 percent of the median area income.

Amenities include washer and dryer hookups for each unit, a 24-hour fitness center, bicycle storage, secure package lockers, conference room, open work lounge, and valet trash service.

Once a thriving working-class neighborhood, Jacobsville was in 2016 labeled by the Obama Administration as a Promise Zone, a federal designation that incentivizes revitalization efforts in highpoverty areas to add necessary resources such as housing and food.

The Promise Zone designation allowed the developer to collect $1.5 million in Tax Increments Financing bonds from the City

of Evansville for the project. Additional financing included up to $4 million in redevelopment tax credits from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and a $750,000 grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation.

“From the beginning, one thing that drew us to Jacobsville was the city’s investment in the area,” says Gadus. “We really envisioned our project being the south anchor and Deaconess Aquatic Center being the north anchor.”

“We viewed this as an opportunity to provide a new type of housing in Jacobsville that would allow people to live, work, and play in that neighborhood,” he says.

— Riley Guerzini FORGEONMAIN.COM

COMMERCIAL SALES & LEASING • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

812.426.1070 • summitrealestate.us

Meet our newest team member!

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8 APRIL/MAY | 2022

P H OTO BY AU D R A S T R AW

Forge on Main to anchor Jacobsville revitalization

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CONNECTED CREW

If you have ever wondered what we do here at MetroNet, who we are, and how we started/where we are going, check out this amazing article on all this and more! (“Staying Connected,” December 2021/January 2022) April Freeman via LinkedIn SCHOOL SPIRIT

Todd, I just read your column about being a Newburgh Wildcat (“Always a Newburgh Wildcat,” February/March 2022). It put a smile on my face. You have a way of writing that it feels like you are sitting at the same table as you tell your story.

Sharon Ruder, Evansville HAPPY TRAILS

Opened the latest issue of Evansville Business and saw this really great article on Diana Holland and Greg Holland (“In A Word,” February/March 2022).

Happy well-deserved retirement, you two! Enjoy your adventures!

Brenda Wallace via Facebook WORDS OF WISDOM

Dr. Dana Clayton retired earlier this month, and we think she has some great words of wisdom on the subject! (“In A Word,” February/March 2022) University of Evansville via Facebook TRUE APPRECIATION

We truly appreciate you girls and guys for everything you do! Thank you for the privilege to be in your magazine. (“Down to the Details,” February/ March 2022) GT Detail via Facebook GRATEFUL GRUB

Thank you for the story. Amazing article, (Staff Writer) Riley Guerzini and (photographer) Zach Straw. We appreciate it! (“Fired Up for Success,” February/March 2022)

We’re on your team.

Since our founding in 1994, we have held trust, competency, integrity, and transparency as our core values. Our team has advanced degrees and deep expertise in the fields of law, business, finance and accounting. We believe our broad expertise and collaborative thinking result in better investment decisions and more meaningful solutions to a wide-range of our client’s needs.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FINANCIAL PLANNING RETIREMENT PLANS

Warren Miller, Miller’s Barbecue and Catering via Facebook PROUD FAMILY

Our nephew, John Lamb (is featured on the cover). We are so proud of you, John! (“Back Talk,” February/ March 2022) Mary Corbett Jenkins via Facebook

519 Main Street, Suite 100 • pettinga.com 812-436-4000 • info@pettinga.com EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 9

10 APRIL/MAY | 2022

GLOW IN THE DARK

P.13.

TROLLEY STOP

P.13.

ECONOMIC CROSSFIRE

P.16.

BUSINESS FRONT ON THE CLOCK

Time Keeper Old Courthouse clock ticks on with volunteer support BY RILEY GUERZINI

I

f you’re walking past the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse in the 200th block of Northwest Fourth Street and notice the giant hands of the clock faces winding abnormally, that indicates Carroll Hickrod is at work.

Hickrod, a retired mechanic from Alcoa (now Kaiser Aluminum), has volunteered the past 15 years to maintain the courthouse clock with retired Evansville Police Department Lt. Dan DeYoung.

Hickrod was introduced to the prospect of maintaining the clock

by Joe DeVoy, an Alcoa co-worker who had volunteered for 20 years to care for the clock. After about a year of prodding, Hickrod finally made the 117-step trek into the clock tower and stood in awe of the mechanism that operates a treasured piece of Evansville.

The first level of the tower is on the courthouse’s fourth floor and is enclosed by windows. The next level is open and contains the tower’s loudest feature: the original 4,000-pound bell manufactured by McShane Bell Foundry in Baltimore, Maryland.

The energy to ring the bell is triggered by a counterweight system that raises and releases a 100-pound iron hammer that strikes the bell every half hour. The bell rings about 250 times a day and, so far, has yet to develop any significant cracks.

The enclosed third level houses the clock’s pulleys and inner workings, which Hickrod says drew his fascination when he first toured the tower.

“There are lots of times I’ll sit back and watch to make sure everything is doing what it’s supposed to do,” he says. “I’ll watch every move it makes, and that’s how I learned the little things about each part of the mechanism.”

Carroll Hickrod, a retired mechanic, has volunteered for the past 15 years to maintain the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse clock. Keeping a keen eye on the clock’s pulleys and inner workings, Hickrod says he enjoys preserving a storied piece of Evansville history.

The four faces of the clock, each measuring a little more than five feet in diameter, are found on the final level, which features a suspended staircase spiraling to the top of the copper-clad central dome, itself the base of the courthouse’s cupola.

An electric motor about the size of a sewing machine in the clock rotates gears synchronously timed to one full rotation per minute. Since the machinery is more than 100 years old, most pieces that break or wear down must be machined from scratch.

“It is complex,” says Hickrod. “It takes a little finesse.”

The clock and tower are funded through Vanderburgh County and the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse Foundation, and the deterioration of the clock faces, bell hammer, and tower has necessitated repairs. Last year, the foundation started an online fundraising campaign to restore the iconic clock tower and hopes to raise about $200,000 for the restoration.

OLDVANDERBURGHCOURTHOUSE.COM

P H OTO S BY S T E V E G E I S

EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 11

12 APRIL/MAY | 2022

BUSINESS FRONT

High Lights

P H OTO S BY L AU R A M AT H I S

Historic District streetlights project illuminates success of private-public partnerships BY JODI KEEN

FACEBOOK.COM/OLDEVANSVILLE HISTORICASSOCIATION

Pedestrians stroll through the Historic District just south of Downtown Evansville to admire the brick-lined street and grand homes.

Thanks to the efforts of the neighborhood’s collaboration with city and utility officials, new streetlights are being erected that are more efficient while reflecting the neighborhood’s historic character.

“The old cobra-style streetlights are too tall to illuminate sidewalks, so the streets are dimly lit,” Old Evansville Historic Association co-president Karen Timberlake says. “These new lights would be for aesthetics but also safety and security.”

IN THE SPOTLIGHT OEHA began discussing replacing Historic District streetlights more than a decade ago, voting on a carriage-style light and working with the city engineer’s office to draw blueprints of where they should be installed. OEHA then partnered with Vectren (now CenterPoint Energy) for the removal and installation phases, a process that OEHA member Elmer Buchta says varies from $5,000$10,000 depending on underground wiring needs.

Timberlake says OEHA approached the City of Evansville, which agreed to match funds raised by OEHA. Kelley Coures, executive director of the Department of Metropolitan Development, says the city contributed $163,712 over a six-year period from a mix of federal urban development action grants and Art District TIF funding.

In that time, OEHA raised more than $250,000 through fundraisers and word-ofmouth donations.

OEHA recently signed a contract for Phase 6, which will replace lights on Southwest Second Street from Walnut Street to Haynie’s Corner Arts District beginning within the next six months.

“This is a long labor of love,” Timberlake says.

“From neighbors and friends to businesses and the city, so many people have been so generous that we’ve been able to make this happen.”

NICHE BUSINESS

On The Line

Moonbeam Trolley Co. transports passengers in style BY JODI KEEN

I

f you happen to spot a charming 1900s trolley while out on the town, its name is Moonbeam, and owner Paula Boyd would love to say hello.

Born and raised in Brazil, Boyd moved to Michigan in 2000, then Newburgh, Indiana, in 2006.

“I completely give my heart to my work,” says Boyd, a neo-natal intensive care unit nurse at The Women’s Hospital, “but I wanted a little business of my own.”

P H OTO S BY N E E L E Y P H OTO G R A P H Y

When Boyd learned about trolleys, she immediately fell in love. Last winter, she found a Chance Coach replica road trolley — so called because it runs on rubber tires rather than cables — in Pennsylvania, flew to survey it, and then drove it back to the Tri-State.

Once back home in Boonville, Indiana, Boyd debuted Moonbeam Trolley Co. at Super Bride Sunday in February. Family and friends have pitched in to help, from Boyd’s teenage

children reviewing Moonbeam’s website to friend Alli Wuertz running the company’s social media campaigns.

The trolley can be rented for photo shoots and weddings, but it also serves as photogenic transportation for groups celebrating birthdays, winery hopping, or attending prom.

Moonbeam services parties in Indiana and Kentucky, and Boyd plans to grow her business by driving her trolley to area farmers markets, fundraisers, and special events.

“Opening a little business took more courage than I thought I had,” she says. “It’s going to serve the purpose it’s built for: to shuttle people here and there, host their parties, and be part of their happiness.”

MOONBEAMTROLLEY.COM EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 13

UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWESTERN INDIANA THANKS THESE GENEROUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Strong communities are built by working together.

Thank you to those who have made an investment into creating a resilient, thriving community.

Accuride Advantix Development Corporation Alcoa American Electric Power Anchor Industries, Inc. Ascension St. Vincent Evansville Assured Partners NL AT & T Atlas World Group Aurora, Inc. Azzip Pizza Baird Banterra Bank Berry Global BKD, LLP Blankenberger Brothers, Inc. Boy Scouts Buffalo Trace Council Brake Supply Company, Inc. Breck Logistics Inc. Bristol-Myers Squibb Cargill, Inc. Caterpillar Inc. Catholic Charities Diocese of Evansville Catholic Diocese of Evansville CenterPoint Energy CH Garmong and Sons, Inc. Chemours City of Evansville Cleveland - Cliffs Steel Corporation Community Foundation of Warrick County Costco Wholesale Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc. Crescent Plastics, Inc. Cresline Plastic Pipe Co, Inc. CSL Plasma ZLB Plasma SVCS Cummins Crosspoint D Patrick, Inc. Deaconess Health System Diehl Consulting Group Donaldson Capital Management Don’s Claytons, Inc. Duke Energy Easterseals Rehabilitation Center ECHO Community Health Care, Inc. Eli Lilly Enbridge Energy Systems Group Enterprise Rent-A-Car Epic Insurance Evansville Fire Department Evansville Housing Authority Evansville Regional Airport Evansville Regional Economic Partnership

Evansville Sheet Metal Works Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corp.

ExxonMobil F.C. Tucker Emge Realtors Farmer Scott Ozete Robinson & Schmitt FedEx Fifth Third Bank First Bank First Federal Savings Bank First Financial Bank Fishawack Health Flanders Electric Motor Service Foncannon Tax and Financial Services, LLC GE Appliances George Koch Sons, LLC German American Goodwill Industries Hafer Associates, PC Harding, Shymanski & Company PSC Heritage Federal Credit Union HR Solutions, Inc. HSC Medical Billing & Consulting, LLC IBEW Local 16 Indiana United Ways Indiana-American Water Co., Inc. Iron Workers Local # 103 Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana Jerry David Enterprises, Inc. Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn Kaiser Aluminum -Warrick Keller Schroeder & Assoc., Inc. Kemper CPA Group Koch Air LLC Koch Enterprises, Inc. Kokosing, Inc. Lampion Center Leed Selling Tools Corp.

Lensing Building Specialties Lochmueller Group Louisville Gas & Electric Company LyondellBasell Advanced Polymers Macy’s Marvin Johnson & Associates, Inc. Martin IP Law Group Meijer Memorial Community Development Corp.

Midwest Equipment & Supply Co. Morgan Stanley Old National Bank OneMain Financial ONI Risk Partners O’Reilly Auto Parts

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Papa John’s Foundation Premier Electric Pro-Tex-All Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Red Spot Paint & Varnish Co. Regency Property Services, LLC Ricoh Riney, Hancock & Co., PSC Ruxer Foundation SABIC Schiff Air Conditioning/Heating Schnucks Markets, Inc. Shoe Carnival, Inc. Skanska South Western Communications, Inc. Southwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council Springfield Electric Supply St. Meinrad Archabbey St. Vincent Early Learning Center, Inc. Stoll Keenon Ogden, PLLC Subaru of Indiana Target Stores Texas Gas Transmission LLC The Arc of Evansville The Cummins Foundation The Women’s Hospital Traylor Construction Group Tri-State Bearing Company Tri-State Trophies Uniseal, Inc. United Fidelity Bank United Capital Advisors, a Goldman Sachs Company United Companies United Way Of Southwestern Indiana University Of Evansville University Of Southern Indiana UPS - United Parcel Service US Bank Vanderburgh County CASA VanStone & Kornblum VS Engineering Wabash Plastics Wal-Mart Stores Woodward Commercial Realty & Auction YMCA of Southwestern Indiana YWCA of Evansville Ziemer Funeral Home Ziemer Stayman Weitzel & Shoulders, LLP

UNITY BUILDS COMMUNITY. UNITY BEGINS WITH YOU. FOR 100 YEARS, United Way of Southwestern Indiana, along with dedicated community partners such as these, has made potential possible. United, we’ve worked to address tough community issues such as poverty, poor health outcomes, and youth development. We’re proud to have served our community for a century. Who knows what’s possible in the next 100 years?

100 YEARS: MAKING POTENTIAL POSSIBLE Call (812) 421-7479 or visit unitedwayswi.org to learn how your company or organization can get involved with United Way.

14 APRIL/MAY | 2022

unitedwayswi.org

BUSINESS FRONT

I N D U S T RY I N S I D E R

On the Move P H OTO S BY AU D R A S T R AW

ProRehab champions preventive tests for local and global athletes BY DALLAS CARTER

Joni Mestas

BY THE NUMBERS

Quality Control

BY JODI KEEN

Keeping the city’s state-of-the-art amenities looking sharp plays a big part in economic development.

As we get ready for Earth Day on April 22, take a look at the impact that community clean-up efforts made in 2021.

6,567 Pat Wempe

Co-founder of ProRehab Pat Wempe has utilized the FMS and Y balance tests within the Move to Perform Algorithm in patient and athlete training since 2005.

FOR TWO DECADES, physical therapy clinic ProRehab, founded in Evansville in 1999

by Pat Wempe and Jody Kissel, has been at ground zero for an industry-leading algorithm now shaping athletes’ care across the globe.

The Move to Perform Algorithm is a combination of tools that predict future injury risk created in 2005 by retired physical therapist and professor emeritus at the University of Evansville Kyle Kiesel and Phil Pilsky, an associate professor at UE’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

A key piece of the algorithm, the Functional Movement Screen was developed by Gray Cook, Lee Burton, and Kiesel in the 1990s in Danville, Virginia.

Kiesel brought his FMS knowledge to Evansville to work at UE in 2000, also joining ProRehab in 2001.

At the same time, Pilsky was developing the Y balance test and in 2004 while working at UE and ProRehab they joined forces to create the algorithm.

The duo conducted research with the United States military and athletes throughout the early 2000s and published several papers with their findings.

“It’s crucial to understand your fundamental movements and that they’re not painful because they’re the base for

everything athletic,” says Kiesel. “So, if there is a weak link in your movement, it’s going to cause performance problems at some point.”

The algorithm quickly grew to an international tool with more than 60,000 therapists certified to perform FMS worldwide. Kiesel even operates a fellowship for health professionals to receive advanced education and training on FMS at functionalmovement.com.

Meanwhile, Wempe and Pilsky championed the algorithm locally.

ProRehab began implementing it in the treatment and discharge processes for all types of patients, including athletes and people recovering from injuries.

Through its Sports Medicine program, certified trainers also conduct the preventive screening on all athletes at Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation high schools, North and South Knox High Schools, and Mater Dei, Castle, Boonville, and Forest Park High Schools through annual physicals.

“It’s been incredibly beneficial for — not just us — but physical therapy across the country to use that testing system,” says Wempe.

Bags of litter collected in partnership with the Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District

1,800 Bags of litter collected outside of Downtown Evansville by community service workers, volunteers, and businesses participating in the Great Evansville Clean-up

200+ Trees planted in Evansville

100+ Trees given out for free on Arbor Day in conjunction with the City of Evansville’s Mayor’s Office and Urban Forestry Department

8 “Welcome to Evansville” signs maintained by Keep Evansville Beautiful DATA S O U R C E : K E E P E VA N S V I L L E B E AU T I F U L

PROREHAB.COM

P H OTO BY Z AC H S T R AW

EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 15

BUSINESS FRONT

G L O B A L R E L AT I O N S

Economic Crossfire S

anctions have become a 21st century response to attacks on democracy, but Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine changed the game. Instead of committing troops to fight on Ukrainian soil and possibly provoking a more deadly global assault, world leaders are reacting via the economy.

Russia’s Central Bank has been cut off from $300 billion — 60 percent of its reserve funds — stored in foreign banks, leaving Russia unable to support its currency and at risk of defaulting on millions of dollars in foreign debt. Some Russian banks have been cut off from the international payments system SWIFT, preventing them from carrying out foreign transactions.

Caught in the economic crossfire are ordinary citizens, who are now cut off from Western goods and grappling with a plummeting ruble. Daria Sevastianova, an associate professor of economics at the University of Southern Indiana and a native of neighboring Belarus who immigrated to the U.S. in 1997, says she and others from Russia and former Soviet Union states vividly remember the post-USSR 1990s when inflation was high, goods were scarce, and long lines of consumers hurriedly bought supplies before they ran out.

“Fifty percent of Russia’s consumer goods are imported.

Food, medicine, clothes, cars, and technologically intensive goods now will be in short supply,” she says. “It will be hard for Russia to make up the Daria Sevastianova shortfall of trade with domestic production.”

But the effects of sanctions aren’t confined to Russia. The European Union relies on Russia for about a third of its imported natural gas and is not equipped to replace that supply, causing EU leaders to proceed cautiously with trade restrictions on energy. Halting Russian grain and fertilizer exports would also negatively impact poorer countries.

This, perhaps, is the biggest drawback from using economic sanctions to wage war. As Sevastianova says, the severity of any sanctions put in place would long outlast the physical fighting.

“Any sanctions implemented are difficult to undo,” she says. “Russians are immigrating to Finland and Europe. Talent is leaving the country while they still can, because the future is bleak.”

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CAREER PATH E S P L A S H O F C O L O R S C R E E N P R I N T I N G A N D E M B R O I D E RY

A Drop of Ink

One family’s idea for extra income quietly becomes a nationally in-demand business

BY DALLAS CARTER • PHOTOS BY ZACH STRAW

Castle High School teachers Barb and Paul Dayton founded Splash of Color in 2012 as a side hustle. Now, Paul spends 50 hours a week working the screen printer and shipping shirts across the country.

F

rom Miami to California, organizations across the country are wearing custom shirts, pants, hoodies, and more printed right here in the River City by Splash of Color Screen Printing and Embroidery. Founded by Paul and Barb Dayton in 2012, the rapidly growing business operates out of an inconspicuous building that once was the site for one of Evansville’s most popular family attractions.

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Midget Links miniature golf course opened its doors in 1947 off North Highway 41 just past the Lloyd Expressway on Evansville’s East Side. The original owners lived in a modest house, which would later become Splash of Color’s workshop, until 1972.

In 1998, Barb and Paul were in the middle of their teaching careers, which they continue as the respective biology and physical science and Spanish teachers

at Castle High School in Newburgh, Indiana. But even with two teacher’s salaries, the income wasn’t sustainable for a growing family.

“We basically weren’t financially getting to where we wanted to be, so we were looking for our side hustle, and we had come (to Midget Links) to play miniature golf when the kids were little,” says Paul. “It was for sale, so we pursued it, and we ended up buying it.”

In 2000, Paul left teaching and explored several other entrepreneurial paths. He flipped houses for a few years before going to work at Herff Jones, an educational recognition and achievement products company.

The Posey County native worked at Herff Jones for five years before he quit, quickly searching for his next big project.

“I was looking for something and (a manual screen printer) came up for sale at a very good price,” he says. “We got set up, and I told my wife if we just do 50

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shirts this first month, I’ll be happy. We had three kids going to college, and it was a way to help them pay for college.”

In 2012, the same year Paul returned to teaching, Splash of Color opened its doors, with its first order for 350 shirts, but the company now takes bulk orders that can consist of thousands of items.

“The first shirt took over three hours to print because I had no idea what I was doing,” says Paul. “But once we got it set up, the other 349 only took four hours. It’s grown ever since.”

Splash of Color ran on a steady schedule, with Paul operating the manual print machine for almost 40 hours a week in addition to his full-time teaching job. In 2014, the company won the bid for the Evansville Half-Marathon and produced 3,500 shirts for the final event in one week. In order to meet the order’s demand, Paul bought a new automatic pneumatic (run by air) printer at a trade show in Indianapolis.

“We switched to (automatic), cut my hours back to about 20 hours a week, and now you fast forward and I’m putting in about 50 hours a week in addition to teaching,” says Paul. “It’s grown every year, and we’ve had good growth.”

To keep up with the high volume of orders of T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, and bags Splash of Color offers from Chicago-based textile company S&S Activewear and Cincinnati-based SanMar, Paul says the automatic machine has been crucial. It runs on an 80-gallon air compressor that creates 110 pounds of pressure. This presses the automatic arms, called platens, and brushes ink through the screens.

But first, Paul creates each screen.

Splash of Color accepts completed digital designs and images or can create custom designs and then coverts them to a transparent base with a black design.

The negative is placed on the screen, coated with a light-sensitive chemical called emulsion, and then exposed to 500 watts of light for one minute. After being hosed off, every part of the screen not covered with the black design won’t wash out, leaving holes for ink to pass through.

Then the screen is ready for printing. Paul sprays light adhesive on the platens and lays the T-shirt flat. The machine quickly rotates, and another The Daytons started Splash of Color to help fund their children’s future. Operating the automatic printer alongside Paul is their daughter Julia’s boyfriend, Matthew Huttenlocher. The couple may soon be taking the reigns as the next generation of printing experts.

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platen lowers the screen to the shirt, making several passes with ink to fill in the design.

Finally, a flash dryer glides across the shirt. At 475 degrees, it dries the ink to the touch in about seven seconds. Splash of Color uses Plastisol inks, which stay wet until they reach 320 degrees.

“It’s not dried all the way through and would wash out, so that’s why it goes through the dryer after,” says Paul. “It’s dry enough that I could do another layer of ink.”

The dryer, a large oven with a conveyor belt, is the last step in the printing process and bakes in the ink at 320 degrees, which locks it into the material.

Paul knows dozens of tips and tricks to make both machines more efficient.

Still, more advanced machinery has made a big difference.

“If we’re running a one-color shirt with a couple of us in here on the manual, we can do maybe 80 to 100 shirts an hour,” he says. “If we’re in there (on the automatic), we can do about 240.”

The Daytons also added a direct-togarment machine to their arsenal. It’s a digital printer that can take any full color picture and put it directly onto material using 16 ink jet heads and all of the official Pantone colors.

“Cost of printing on (the automatic) is a guess, but on the (digital) one it tells me to the penny what it costs so I can price the shirt,” says Paul.

Splash of Color has had to adjust throughout the years to accommodate changes in the local textile market, and it has survived, and even thrived, in the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Midget Links wasn’t so lucky.

The couple put the course up for sale in 2018, but after two years on the market, they made the decision to close and tear down the nostalgic attraction.

Looking to the future, Paul says his daughter Julia and her boyfriend Matthew Huttenlocher may take on a bigger role in the company. For now, Paul isn’t slowing down.

“If I’m not under a tight budget or a tight schedule, I find this very relaxing,” says Paul. “It’s been fun; we did it to make some extra money and we’re happy with it. This little building right here ships nationwide.”

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“Overall, the goal with every project is to design for what matters most. With this project, it was all about designing an environment for every type of person — kids, community, competitive swimmers, visitors, and everyone who experiences this facility.”

— Hafer Project Architect Jennifer Kissel

for hosting high school and collegiate competitions and tournaments that include both swimming and diving.

In a typical 50-meter pool, the bulkheads and lane lines are rearranged to

accommodate diving, but with a Stretch 50 both the lanes and diving coexist.

“Overall, the goal with every project is to design for what matters most. With this project, it was all about designing an environment for every type of person — kids, community, competitive swimmers, visitors, and everyone who experiences this facility,” says Project Architect Jennifer Kissel with design and engineering firm Hafer.

The pool features relay touch pads, a timing system, full webcasting capabilities along with two large LED scoreboards, and a large mural dedicated to King.

Overlooking the competition pool is a mezzanine that seats about 1,000 spectators, with the ability to accommodate more than 1,000 bleacher seats on the pool deck if necessary.

R I B B O N C U T T I N G A N D L I L LY K I N G P H OTO S BY AU D R A S T R AW. A L L OT H E R P H OTO S BY Z AC H S T R AW

The culmination of years of hard work, the Deaconess Aquatic Center celebrated its grand opening Oct. 1, 2021, with speeches from Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, Evansville Olympian Lilly King, and other community leaders. A mural commemorating King’s achievements was unveiled at the ceremony above the pool named in her honor, after which King performed some laps with local youth swimmers.

“A lot of thought was put into the overall experience,” says Kissel. “The size, location, width of the deck, and height of the seating was all determined from how well the spectators can see all sides of the competition pool from every seat.”

On the other side of the facility, the recreational pool has four 25-yard lanes, zero-depth entry area, splash features, basketball goals, and space for swim lessons. Each pool is ADA compliant and contains its own locker rooms, all encapEVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 27

The corridor behind the competition pool displays the Wall of Champions, celebrating the city’s swimming history and Evansville Paralympic gold medalist Mikaela Jenkins (far left). In the competition pool, a mural of Olympian Lilly King inspires young swimmers, some of whom are coached by her mother, Ginny King (left), who also serves as the president of the Greater Evansville Aquatic Team.

sulated by more than 50,000 square feet of tile installed by Fulton Tile and Stone.

Two east end meeting rooms are enclosed with full-height glass windows, providing a clear view of Bosse Field and out into Garvin Park. In the corridor behind the competition pool is the Wall of Champions, which celebrates Evansville’s Paralympic gold medalist swimmer Mikaela Jenkins and the city’s swimming history through interactive monitors.

The $30 million state-of-the-art aquatic center signals a new era for swimming in Evansville and will serve competitive and recreational swimmers while attracting sports tourism to the city.

Humble Beginnings

Lloyd Pool, the city-run indoor swimming facility in Igleheart Park on North

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First Avenue, had fallen into disrepair.

Built in 1975, the deteriorated and outdated pool was on its last legs by the early 2010s. Though it still hosted competitive swimming practices and meets for Evansville’s high school teams, it could no longer host USA swimming meets for club teams such as the Greater Evansville Aquatic Team due to its limited specifications and crumbling infrastructure.

“When Lloyd Pool had its final pool liner put on in 2012, we knew planning for a replacement had to begin immediately,” says Deputy Mayor and Interim Parks Director Steve Schaefer. “Our goal was to build a facility that met the needs of the community, whether it was competitive or recreational swimming as well as a place to have fun.”

The lack of a proper indoor public

pool throughout the last decade drove swimmers and youth tournaments and championships elsewhere, such as the Castle High School Natatorium built in 2009 in Warrick County.

“I was one of the folks who was, in the fourth grade, being shuffled to the old Lloyd Pool on a bus from the EVSC,” says Shawn McCoy, chief executive officer of Deaconess Health System, the main sponsor for the Aquatic Center. “I don’t feel like I’ve aged that much over that period of time, but the Lloyd definitely looks bad. It needed to be replaced.”

In 2006, then-Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel formed an aquatics task force to assess the demand for city swimming pools, both outdoor and indoor. Two outdoor recreational pools, Mosby Pool in Howell Park and Rochelle-Landers Pool near Lincoln School, were built in 2009 as a result.

The task force’s report also included an idea for a centrally located indoor facility, but little had been initiated from the recommendation in the years that followed.

In 2010, a group of swimming enthusiasts and parents of high school swimmers who were frustrated by the lack of progress on a city-run aquatic center and

M I K A E L A J E N K I N S P H OTO BY J O D I K E E N . A L L OT H E R P H OTO S BY Z AC H S T R AW.

the continued deterioration of Lloyd Pool began meeting to advocate for the construction of a new public pool for both competitive and recreational swimmers.

“We knew if this thing really was going to gain any traction at all, it had to be more than just about competitive swimming,” says Dr. Andrew Tharp, an ophthalmologist at Vision Care Center whose children were involved in local swimming. “It really had to be something where we had community buy-in.”

Tharp, along with others such as Tucker Publishing Group President Todd Tucker and Robert W. Baird & Co. financial advisor Eric Miller, crossed paths at local swim competitions, where discussions about the need for a new aquatic center grew.

The group — calling themselves the Grassroots Task Force and including swim coaches, health care professionals, EVSC and Catholic Diocese of Evansville school officials, and community leaders — held its first few meetings at the former Tucker Publishing Group office inside the General Cigar Company building on Court Street.

A few years later, the grassroots campaign approached the office of newly elected Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to pitch the idea of replacing Lloyd Pool.

“We had only been in office a few short months, and we didn’t really think we were in the position to jump into such a large capital effort in that time,” says Winnecke. “But Dr. Tharp and the others with him did plant a really important seed, and that was we needed to start the planning to replace a pool that had served our city since 1975.”

In 2016, after persistent campaigning by the Grass Roots Task Force, Winnecke’s administration returned to the idea of replacing Lloyd Pool, forming the Mayor’s Aquatic Center Task Force to research the needs of the city to grow swimming. The Aquatic Center Task Force was composed of leaders in the public and private sectors, including Tharp, Schaefer, Miller, Tucker, President of Deaconess Health System Dr. James Porter, and City Councilman Jonathan Weaver, among others.

The next steps were identifying the ideal site for a new aquatic center and determining the budget. The project would have to be funded through a public-private partnership. Among the multiple sites re-

viewed were land adjacent the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center on Lynch Road and even Roberts Park.

In fall 2018, the City Council approved up to $25 million in bonds for the facility, a decision influenced after Lilly King made a strong pitch for the project. Other financing included $5 million from the city’s Casino Fund, $4 million from the Jacobsville Tax Increment Financing (TIF) fund, $700,000 from the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. for construction, and a $2.5 million contribution from

The Deaconess Aquatic Center fills important community needs. Families can enjoy a fun environment for recreation, while children such as Reese Wenderoth of Wadesville, Indiana, can learn swimming basics during private lessons from instructors like Cindy Florence.

Members of the Evansville Fire Department’s rescue team also use the pool for scuba diving training.

EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 29

With features such as a 950,000-gallon “Stretch 50” competition pool that simultaneously accommodates lane swimming and diving and a 13-foot diving well at the south end of the pool, the Deaconess Aquatic Center raises Evansville’s ability to host diving practices for area swim teams and tournaments, such as the IHSAA boys swimming and diving sectionals held in February 2022.

Deaconess Hospital over the course of 15 years for naming rights, as well as other privately raised dollars.

“For me, things changed dramatically with the success of Lilly King,” says Tharp.

“I think that really opened a lot of eyes to what was possible as far as the talent in Evansville and what this city can deliver to its constituency, given the opportunity.”

The TIF money allotted to the project through Jacobsville’s designation as a Promise Zone, a federal initiative to work strategically with local governments to boost economic activity and improve quality of life, was a driving force behind

30 APRIL/MAY | 2022

P H OTO S BY Z AC H S T R AW

“There are DI powerhouse colleges that don’t have a facility like this, I’m really excited for the future of swimming in Evansville, not just in competitive swimming, but in lessons and recreational swimming and being able to introduce aquatics to a much broader audience.”

— Olympic gold medalist and Evansville native Lilly King

the Aquatic Center’s location. The Promise Zone program also offered a continuous stream of money to maintain the Deaconess Aquatic Center.

Ground broke on the Deaconess Aquatic Center in December 2019. Less than two years later, the city’s newest indoor pools were complete, marking a new chapter in Evansville swimming history.

A dedication ceremony was held Oct. 1, 2021, with the project’s many supporters, financers, and future users in attendance.

The Aquatic Center officially opened to the public on Oct. 4.

“The Deaconess Aquatic Center will unquestionably change and improve the quality of our life in this region for decades,” says Winnecke. “Like all the positive progress we’ve enjoyed in the last decade, it’s because of amazing collaboration from the government side to the corporate and private areas.”

The new facility brings Evansville schools on par with other education institutions across the state when it comes to competitive swimming.

Every EVSC swim team and the University of Evansville’s Division I swim and dive teams practice and will hold future meets at the Deaconess Aquatic Center, which is built to the necessary specifications to be able to host regional tournaments and national competitions. Eagerly awaited are the NCAA Division II men’s and women’s swimming and diving national championships in 20026, in which more than 300 collegiate athletes from approximately 70 schools are expected to visit Evansville.

Eleven high schools in Indiana have 50-meter Olympic size pools on campus: Ben Davis, Brownsburg, Carmel, Castle, Fishers, Franklin, Hamilton Southeastern, Lake Central, Munster, North Central, and Pike. Many other schools across the state compete in off-campus community aquatic centers, now including EVSC schools.

“There are DI powerhouse colleges that don’t have a facility like this,” King says.

“I’m really excited for the future of swimming in Evansville, not just in competitive swimming, but in lessons and recreational swimming and being able to introduce aquatics to a much broader audience.”

Open Lanes and New Opportunities

As the Deaconess Aquatics Center was under construction, the Mayor’s Aquatic Center Task Force had a new set of circumstances to address. Once the pools were filled and doors opened, who would oversee the facility?

From hiring staff to managing memberships, the YMCA of Southwestern Indiana is no stranger to running large community facilities in Evansville.

Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Brown was a member of the task force and immediately brought into conversations about overseeing operations. Ultimately, the YMCA was selected to manage both the aquatic center and its programs.

“I’m very honored that the city would choose the Y to manage the facility,” says Brown, a former aquatic director at the YMCA in Vincennes, Indiana, and former Purdue University swimmer. “The mayor really wanted Deaconess Aquatic Center to be a true community center, and the Y always looks for people to collaborate with.”

As a result, the YMCA offers financial assistance programs in partnership with the city for memberships and programming like swim lessons.

YMCA aquatics director Heather Polley and member and guest services specialist Jacki Murray manage the daily duties and staff including lifeguards, housekeeping, memberships, guest services, hiring, and training. Polley’s team at the Aquatic Center is made up of lifeguards and swim instructors who are trained through certified programs that have existed at the Y for years.

“The Y already has an established and reputable aquatics program, so by training the staff who work (at the Aquatic Center) and running programs similar to what we would run at the Y, we know that no matter where people go in the community for swim lessons or lifeguarding classes, they’re going to get quality lessons,” says Polley.

One of Polley’s and Brown’s main duties is scheduling. They must strategically reserve the pool’s competition pool and recreational space between the many community groups and teams that use them.

There is an increased demand for the facility, which is a good problem to have after use of Lloyd Pool slowed before its closure.

The Aquatic Center offers private and group swim lessons, water fitness classes, and a masters swim team for adults 18 years and older. Coached by Maria Heathcott, the masters swim team began training in November 2021 and already has 40 members.

Brown says the Aquatic Center also plans to offer a diving program and outreach lessons with EVSC schools, starting with Delaware Elementary school this spring.

“The interesting thing about this facility is that we are doing all levels of swim, whether it be competition, lessons, or water fitness,” she adds.

Every EVSC swim team and the University of Evansville’s Division I swim and dive teams practice and will hold future meets at the facility.

EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 31

“We certainly feel a little bit spoiled now. I think any chance we can get to provide more and better opportunities for our kids, we should certainly be doing that. It’s already paying — GREAT dividends; the kids really enjoy it.” head coach Jake Downs

Regional groups have been flocking to the Aquatic Center. The Special Olympics swim team trains at the facility every Wednesday night, and Henderson County Schools’ swim team has reached out about hosting a meet there.

One of the Aquatic Center’s most frequent patrons is the Greater Evansville Aquatic Team. As the city’s only yearround USA swim team since 2003, GREAT is run by head coach Jake Downs and club president Ginny King, herself another member of the mayor’s task force and mother of swimmer Lilly King.

Since the closure of Lloyd Pool in 2020, GREAT had swam wherever it could find water, including Hartke Pool and the Downtown YMCA. When the Aquatic Center was built, King and Downs knew they wanted it to be the team’s home base.

“Lilly has never had a meet in her hometown,” says King.

“She’s never been able to race a competition or a championship meet in Evansville, which for the size of Evansville is really kind of astonishing that there wasn’t a facility that could accommodate that. I’m just so thankful that kids who are coming up will have that ability to race in Evansville.”

“We certainly feel a little bit spoiled now,” adds Downs.

“I think any chance we can get to provide more and better opportunities for our kids, we should certainly be doing that.

It’s already paying dividends; the kids really enjoy it.”

GREAT holds morning and evening practices at the Aquat-

32 APRIL/MAY | 2022

ic Center, and the team has already hosted two meets at the facility, including a meet for the Southern Indiana Swim Conference in February. Roughly 400 swimmers from surrounding counties came to Evansville to swim at the Aquatic Center.

Besides financial benefits generated by visiting competitors, the Aquatic Center’s opportunities for meets are part of the exposure that has allowed teams like GREAT to expand their programs as a whole.

“This is by far the biggest team we’ve had,” says Downs. “I think we’re over 125 athletes right now. Over a hundred are under the age of 15, which is great in terms of growing the programs.”

But one of the greatest pluses for the community is that all area children will have the opportunity to learn and enjoy swimming and advance their skills. This goal is underscored by the Aquatic Center’s proximity to the Dream Center, a youth nonprofit in Jacobsville.

“I’m a public school teacher, so I see the need to invest in children. For me, the facility is so unbelievable that it really overrides the fact that my daughter’s face is on the wall,” King says. “I’m very proud of her, but I want to see other kids get to that level. I want that to be an experience that other people here have.”

The Deaconess Aquatic Center caters to every type of swimmer or visitor. From the outdoor splash pad to the 91,000-gallon leisure pool, recreational swimming is a highlight. The YMCA balances the schedules of group and private swim lessons, local high school swim teams, club teams, and more in the facility’s many lanes.

P H OTO BY AU D R A S T R AW

Growing Local Tourism

Evansville’s largest tourism market is amateur sports. Officials say the financial impacts brought from hosting NCAA and youth tournaments in the Aquatic Center — goals unattainable in the days of Lloyd Pool — will boost the city and region economically for years to come.

“We’re already starting to see it have kind of a huge financial impact for us because the meet’s a big revenue driver for swim clubs,” says Downs.

“We hosted our conference meet in February, (and) we’ve got a big regional meet coming in the summer, which we think will have a huge impact not only for our club, but for the city as well.”

The Deaconess Aquatic Center already has garnered attention from the national swimming community. Before the facility even had held its first meet, officials had announced the pool would host the NCAA Division II men’s and women’s swimming and diving national championships in 2026. The competition alone invites more than 300 collegiate athletes from approximately 70 schools.

“I think these types of facilities become anchors in those neighborhoods, which is tremendous,” says Visit Evansville President and CEO Alexis Berggren. “You’re going to be

driving traffic and visitors into those retailers and into those restaurants. That’s what helps drive some of these tax revenues to take the burden off our own constituents.”

Berggren says June’s USA Swimming Central Zone multicultural meet, which is hosted

by GREAT, is expected to generate more than 300 hotel room nights from athletes and their families coming to Evansville.

She says typical swimming and diving events each can net between $200,000 and $250,000 in economic impact based on attendance and the number of room nights generated.

Factoring into the economic boost is the Vanderburgh County Innkeeper’s Tax. A county tax on room rentals and accommodations for periods of less than 30 days, it has stood at 8 percent — the third-highest rate in the state — since it was raised from 6 percent in 2007.

Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, the county collected $5,088,898 in revenue from the innkeeper’s tax in 2019, demonstrating the scope of economic growth Evansville can anticipate from revenue generated by the Aquatic Center.

“We wanted a state-of-theart competition pool for swimming and diving; a facility that would attract new events to our region,” says Winnecke.

“We’ve done that.”

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DESIGNING WHAT MATTERS MOST The face of determination. It’s clear to see that Josie Boger has it. She swims at the Deaconess Aquatic Center multiple nights a week striving to get better every time she jumps in the pool. She knows where hard work could take her…all the way to the Olympics, just like gold medalist Lilly King.

Dream big, Josie.

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• Over 10,000 man hours in the tile scope.

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA NATATORIUM • Over 15,000 square feet of tile throughout the facility (pool deck, locker room floors and walls, shower areas, spectator areas) • Large-format tile pool deck • Slope to the drains created by hand • Over 2,500 man hours in the tile scope • Custom cut, water-jet USI Screaming Eagle logo with over 150 pieces of tile in red, white, and blue Fulton Tile and Stone is a full-service commercial flooring contractor that specializes in all types of hard tile, natural stone, large-format tile panels, as well as all types of soft flooring and accessories like carpet tile and LVT. We have some of the most highly skilled and highly trained installers in the region and can offer you the best quality and versatility in the flooring industry. Let us show you why we have set ourselves apart from everyone else.

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“ “

Working with Fulton Tile and Stone on projects of any size are always enjoyable. Seeing this monumental project go from design concept, to a newly completed Evansville landmark added even more excitement and pride knowing the uniqueness of the tile selections, design, and outstanding workmanship. Danny literally knocked this out the park!

-J.T. Wenger General Manager, Louisville Tile of Evansville

“

Fulton Tile is a respected leader in the tile industry. They make it a point to use construction methods that are above and beyond industry standards in an effort to give the end user a timeless installation. Honored to have the opportunity to be a preferred supplier with Fulton Tile and Stone!

“

Danny Fulton II

-Kevin Weinzapfel Commercial Sales Manager, Louisville Tile of Evansville

Danny Fulton II d2fulton@fulton-intsys.com 1750 W. Franklin St. Evansville, IN 47712

HUGE THANK YOU TO

812-402-2232 fultontileandstone.com

Evansville, IN

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Junior Achievement 2022 Hall of Fame Honorees The JA Evansville Regional Business Hall of Fame, presented

by Old National Bank, was established in 2005 to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to free enterprise in our community. These Laureates will be honored at this year’s breakfast on May 12, 2022.

ACTIVE LAUREATE

D

Doug Bawel

ouglas “Doug” A. Bawel’s career started in car sales. In 1972, he began working with Alvin Ruxer, founder of Jasper Engines and Transmissions, at Ruxer Ford, a car dealership. “(Ruxer) wanted me to go door-to-door selling cars,” says Bawel. “In the first month, I sold one car. I had an $80 commission bill and a $70 gasoline bill.”

What started off as a slow burn paid off, with Bawel being named the youngest member of Ford’s 500 Club for sales.

Ruxer eventually asked Bawel to join him at Jasper Engines and Transmissions. “(Ruxer) saw things in you that you couldn’t see in yourself,” says Bawel. “He had a way of convincing you to do things that you would have never attempted on your own.”

Bawel joined Jasper Engine and Transmissions as a sales trainee in 1976 after graduating from the University of Evansville with a degree in marketing and management. He rose to the position of Vice President before partnering with a group to purchase the company from its founder. Following the purchase in 1987, he was named President and CEO. Since 1989, the company has been involved with NASCAR, first as a sponsor and team engine supplier, and later as Jasper Motorsports (Penske-Jasper Engines in partnership with Roger Penske) and PenskeJasper Racing. In 2009, Jasper Engines sold Penske-Jasper Engines and Penske-Jasper Racing, preferring to focus on racing transmissions. The company also purchased Mac Motors Postal Division and formed Jasper Innovative Solutions, which was created to sell parts to the U.S. Postal Service.

“We’ve got to encourage our young people to get involved and stay in the community.

There’s so much opportunity throughout Southern Indiana and parts of Kentucky.”

— Doug Bawel “When the Car of Tomorrow came out, we saw an opportunity to build a brand-new transmission for NASCAR,” says Bawel.

“We put a brand-new, completely redesigned transmission on the racetrack in less than eight months.”

In 2010, the company’s stock was transferred to Jasper Engines and Transmission’s 100 percent Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) to reward its people for their efforts, preserve jobs in Southern Indiana, and pass along the Jasper legacy. In 2018, Jasper Engines and Transmissions was named ESOP Company of the Year by the Indiana chapter of the ESOP Association. Since 2010, the company’s ESOP stock has grown from $2.30 per share to more than $559 per share at the end of 2020.

In July of 2011, Bawel was named Chairman of the Board of Jasper Engines and remains in his role as CEO. He says today’s youth and tomorrow’s entrepreneurs should try to find something they enjoy doing and don’t look back. He says one way business leaders can help retain talent is to give back to students.

“The rearview mirror is very small,” says Bawel, “but the windshield is huge.”

Being able to apply yourself to your task, as well as developing a strong work ethic, will bring rewards. He adds it’s also important to always give back more than what you receive, wisdom that NASCAR legend Richard Petty once shared with him.

“We’ve got to encourage our young people to get involved and stay in the community,” says Bawel. “There’s so much opportunity throughout Southern Indiana and parts of Kentucky. We don’t need to let that brain drain leave our state.”

“Today we have over 3,600 AssociateOwners with over $900 million in sales,” he adds. “What I am most proud of is we have distributed over $300 Million of stock to our Associate-Owners. It truly is a game changer.

Bawel is a past recipient of the Indiana Business Leader of the Year Award, the Indiana Corporate Leadership Award and the Entrepreneur of the Year for Manufacturing. In 2019, he was inducted into the JA Dubois County Business Hall of Fame.

He is also president of the board of Patoka Valley Health Care Cooperative and a board member of OFS Brands.

EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 37

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ACTIVE LAUREATE

Randy Miller

R

andy Miller’s entrepreneurial spirit was unleashed when he launched South Western Communications in 1976. His vision for the company was to become a trusted resource for his clients, by continuously researching new opportunities and providing only the best-in-class video, sound, and business communication products.

“I started the business from Day One, just me and a technician,” says Miller. “I always wanted to own my own business.

It was strictly me with a desire and the ability. Failure was never an option that I considered.”

In those early days, Miller sold video recording equipment to studios, churches, and other business, and provided training.

He said he has always been strong when it comes to sales, which is something he leveraged to make SWC a success. Expansion for SWC happened in 1990 when the

“If you have confidence in your abilities and your knowledge and you know that there are good people out there who will support you — those are basic things that I think a student or somebody who wants to start their own business needs to succeed. I’m a perfect example of someone who didn’t let obstacles stop me.” — Randy Miller

38 APRIL/MAY | 2022

Louisville office opened, followed by offices opening in Indianapolis in 1991, Nashville in 1992, Decatur, Alabama, in 1994, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1995.

Miller is a true visionary and exemplary entrepreneur and has always been deeply committed to growing his business, a company with an ongoing reputation for quality and commitment to its clients and customers. He is an excellent leader and highly respected by colleagues and employees, setting high standards for his team — standards he strives to uphold to ensure the best client outcomes.

Looking back, Miller says his success relied on hiring great people and “being at the right place at the right time.”

“Luck in business is very important and being in the right place at the right time is critical to success,” he adds. “If you’re totally confident in your abilities, you can accomplish a lot of things.”

Throughout his career, Miller has focused on giving back to the community, whether by sharing his knowledge and networking with other like-minded business people or by serving on a variety of boards through which he has contributed his ideas to help other organizations operate more efficiently.

“With my background — coming from a poor family and very poor neighborhood — people can’t look at obstacles that might slow them down,” says Miller. “If you have confidence in your abilities and your knowledge and you know that there are good people out there who will support you — those are basic things that I think a student or somebody who wants to start their own business needs to succeed. I’m a perfect example of someone who didn’t let obstacles stop me.”

The community has benefited significantly from his selfless, ambitious leadership.

Miller participates on numerous boards and dedicates much of his time and effort to countless charities and organizations including the Catholic Charities Diocese of Evansville, the Catholic Foundation of Southwestern Indiana, Evansville Police Department Foundation, Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Foundation, Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Business Advisory Board, German American Bank, Koch Air, LLC., St. Mary’s Health Foundation, and many more.

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HISTORICAL LAUREATE A. B. Brown

A

lva B. Brown (1899-1992) was a low-key, yet tremendously effective business leader.

Brown, born in Vandalia, Illinois, earned his electrical engineering degree from Montana State College in Bozeman, Montana, in 1923 and went to work for Westinghouse and then Ohio Edison the following year.

He joined SIGECO on Aug. 16, 1926, as an electrical engineer. His first job was as boiler room foreman and test engineer at the Division Street Power Station.

Brown was a critical community leader responsible for attracting thousands of high-paying industrial jobs to our community at a time when the area was devastated by the closure of several large manufacturing plants. His role in attracting Alcoa, GE Plastics, and Babcock & Wilcox to the area highlight his visionary leadership.

SIGECO honored Brown in 1979 by naming the company’s newest power plant at the time in his honor.

In his earlier time at SIGECO, he led a courageous group of SIGECO employees and supporting contractors in keeping the city supplied with electricity from the Ohio River station during the catastrophic 1937 flood. Nearly all other power plants from Pittsburgh to the Mississippi were flooded out.

In addition to creating direct jobs, many more of our residents were — and still are — employed in local businesses that support these enterprises.

Brown preached the need for civic involvement by the business community to bring industrial expansion to Evansville. He was an active member of many business and civic organizations, including the National City Bank board of directors, Deaconess Hospital Foundation board of directors, and the local Chamber of Commerce, as well as state and regional organizations.

He was a past president of the Metropolitan Evansville Chamber of Commerce, former chairman of the chamber’s Industrial Development Committee, and a member of the board of directors of the Indiana Manufacturers Association. Brown also was on the boards of International Steel, National City Bank, and CrediThrift.

He was a life member of the Deaconess Hospital Foundation and the University of Evansville Board of Trustees. In June

1957, he received an honorary doctor of law degree from then Evansville College.

Brown was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, the Evansville Country Club, the Petroleum Club, and Reed Masonic Lodge.

News articles from The Evansville Courier, The Evansville Press, and SIGECO News were used for this story.

Alva B. Brown was a critical community leader responsible for attracting thousands of highpaying industrial jobs to our community at a time when the area was devastated by the closure of several large manufacturing plants.

EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 39

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HISTORICAL LAUREATE

Thomas Traylor

T

om Traylor led a solidly founded, family-owned business, headquartered in Evansville, to become one of our nation’s most reputable leaders in the underground, bridge, and marine construction industries. Today, Traylor Bros. is a highly successful multi-divisional organization operating in all regions of the United States and Canada and is one of the most respected general contractors in North America.

Traylor Bros. has permanent offices in California, Louisiana, Texas, and Virginia, and due to its commitment to its family’s hometown, Traylor Bros. maintains its headquarters right here in Evansville.

Tom Traylor attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and began working at Traylor Bros. after receiving his MBA from Stanford University.

“At that time, our company had already grown beyond our Midwestern roots,” says Christopher Traylor, one of Tom’s four sons. “My dad was involved in a lot of those early national jobs.

He rose to be the president of the company at a relatively young age. He took us from a Midwestern contractor to one with a national footprint.”

The company is currently managed by two of Traylor’s sons, Christopher and Michael. Under Tom Traylor’s leadership, the company positively affected the state of infrastructure in the United States. Traylor Bros. has completed more than 135 large bridge and marine projects and over 115 underground projects such as light rail and water tunnels.

“My dad built up the company over the course of more than 30 years and then handed the reigns to me and Mike in 2005,” Traylor says.

The significant technical expertise required to complete these projects resides right here in Evansville. The company has recently

“You can really grow yourself personally and professionally by pushing yourself to go places and do things that are uncomfortable.

My dad did that.” — Christopher Traylor

40 APRIL/MAY | 2022

grown to encompass the Traylor Construction Group, which has annual revenues of nearly $700 million from a diverse book of work in the heavy civil and industrial construction markets.

Traylor says his father was always an early adopter of new innovations and technologies that would allow Traylor Bros. to continue growing and succeeding.

“We have always been on the cutting edge of construction technology,” Traylor says. “[Tom Traylor] was very passionate about that.”

Tom Traylor died in 2013, and Christopher Traylor says his dad always served as a good role model for his brothers and him.

“He was fully engaged and a loving parent,” Traylor says.

He adds his father also served as a good example of how to succeed in business.

“No matter how well educated you are, don’t hesitate to get your boots dirty,” says Traylor. “Get out where the work is being done and learn from those in the field.”

Traylor says it’s also important at his company to not be afraid to take risks in business.

“You can really grow yourself personally and profes-

sionally by pushing yourself to go places and do things that are uncomfortable,” he says. “My dad did that.”

Tom Traylor served as director on various community, university, and national boards, including Fifth Third Bank and the University of Evansville; supported many civic and community organizations, including the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra; contributed generously to the advancement of education and technology; and was a strong supporter of the Catholic Church. His family’s generous contribution to Reitz Memorial High School helped build the new Traylor Family Soccer Stadium. Soccer was another passion of Tom’s throughout his adult life.

presented by

CONGRATULATIONS

Junior Achievement 2022 Business Hall of Fame Honorees ACTIVE LAUREATES | Doug Bawel and Randy Miller HISTORICAL LAUREATES | A.B. Brown and Thomas Traylor On behalf of all our Old National team members, we applaud your success and we thank you for your outstanding civic and business contributions. Our community is stronger because of your leadership.

Old National is proud to be a presenting sponsor for this year’s Junior Achievement Evansville Regional Business Hall of Fame celebration.

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TECHNOLOGY IN BUSINESS

INSIDE 43

Soltek

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Lieberman Technologies

49

Mainstream Fiber Networks

50

Midwest Telecom Communications

51

Nomad Technology Group

52

Parrish Consulting Services, Inc.

53

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TECHNOLOGY IN BUSINESS

Keller Schroeder Founded in 1978, Keller Schroeder is an employee-owned information technology consulting services firm, value-added reseller, and systems integrator of hardware and software. Utilizing expertise in applications, data strategy, infrastructure, and staffing, Keller Schroeder leverages technology tools, services, and strategies to help clients improve business performance and successfully achieve their objectives.

Innovation – Simple, but not Easy

By Tom Vargo – Vice President, Data Strategy | Keller Schroeder Once while browsing in a bookstore my wife dragged me into, I saw a book titled “Losing Weight is Simple.” The first paragraph read, “Losing weight is simple. You just need to burn more calories than you consume.” I thought, “OK, that’s simple. Why do I need to read the entire book?” I put it back and didn’t lose any weight, because losing weight can be simple, but it’s not easy.

Innovation is the same. You have to open your mind, see things from a new perspective, and fill a need that exists or find a better way to do something. Simple, right? Many of us have read about successful innovation and thought, “That seems relatively simple, I could have come up with that.” So, why didn’t we? Because, again — innovation is often simple in concept, but not always easy to execute.

I believe organizations have talented resources who could come up with all sorts of innovation. So, why isn’t it happening every day? I’d submit that it is all about the organizational environment. Does your organization actively work to make it safe and rewarding to challenge the way things are done? Do you actively seek new ideas? Can executives be patient and accept typically unwelcome concepts like trial and error and failing fast?

I’d also suggest that if something is important to the executives (all the executives), it’s going to be important to the staff. If you create a culture where failure can be accepted as a likely outcome to get to a breakthrough, you’ll have the right environment.

We are not all going to invent something as revolutionary as the iPhone or mobile broadband. However, every organization is capable of micro-

innovations that can improve the business. Maybe replace a repetitive, manual, quality review check with math (Machine Learning).

Then, let that math model trigger the next business action required.

We refer to that as “narrow AI”, i.e., a new function that operates autonomously for a specific business purpose. That’s innovation!

Why not start with an Executive Innovation Workshop? Invest 2-4 hours to get aligned on concepts, terminology, and value to your organization. Then, seed the incubator with ideas you have had for a long time.

Innovation is simple, but not easy.

And this is a great place to begin.

TOM VARGO

4920 Carriage Drive • 812-474-6825 • kellerschroeder.com

EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 45

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TECHNOLOGY IN BUSINESS

Data Link Data Link believes in leveraging technology, system design, and personalized service to create a security and networking solution that will transform the way you do business. From consulting services to total project management, Data Link provides a custom, innovative approach to corporate security solutions.

You’ve worked hard to build your business; let us protect it.

How is Data Link unique?

Data Link is unique because we offer a range of solutions other tech companies do not. We use custom approaches for each company’s needs to ensure they receive the best solutions for their issues. Nothing gets our team more excited than providing our customers a technology solution that changes the way they think about their day-to-day operations.

What solutions do you offer?

We offer video surveillance, access control systems, structured cabling, multi-location rollouts, and project management and design. Our video surveillance solutions are the next generation of security, allowing operators to prevent, monitor, and respond to emergencies both remotely and in real time. We provide installation and service for commercial card access control systems dramatically improving your facility’s security. We offer a full line of products, from copper to fiber-optic cable, designating the materials that best fit your needs. Our technology allows business owners to effectively install complete systems and operate from multiple locations. We use a custom approach to design the solution best to protect it.

How does Data Link set clients up for success?

Over the years, Data Link has become the expert that TriState companies trust when dealing with IP camera surveillance, door access control systems, and data, voice, video, and fiber-optic cabling design and installation. As a new client, we will come into your facility and spend time creating a custom installation plan. With our years of experience in physical security, we will help plan and install a system that is custom tailored to your specific needs. Data Link also offers consulting services for those just interested in specification development.

Where do you currently offer solutions?

We currently offer solutions in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. We hope to continue growing so we can reach more customers to offer the best solutions for their needs.

What is the goal/mission of your company?

Our mission is to provide our clients with solutions and services required to operate on an efficient, effective information highway. This allows our clients to concentrate on what they do best — operating and managing their business. We work with companies in a consultative approach, so we can tailor the needs for each company individually. With top-of-the-line technology and custom service to match it, we believe our solutions will set our clients up for success.

4841 E. Virginia St. • 812-401-9946 • datalink.net EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 47

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Lieberman Technologies

Lieberman Technologies has helped businesses do technology better for more than 45 years. With expertise in managed services, software development, and web development, we love to solve challenging technology and business problems. We strive to become a trusted partner to help our clients’ businesses grow.

What makes Lieberman Technologies unique?

Our goal is to build long-term, strategic partnerships with our clients. We love technology, but technology is only useful if it improves an individual’s experience and achieves business goals. We leverage technology to solve problems, achieve strategic goals, and take our client’s businesses to the next level of growth.

How does Lieberman Technologies help businesses do technology better?

Technology has the amazing ability to improve productivity, streamline processes, and make once-impossible tasks achievable. However, it can also be difficult to use, implement, and maintain,

whether it be physical devices, online services, or custom software. Lieberman Technologies has the in-house expertise to help businesses improve what they have, fix what’s broken, implement new tools, or develop something completely custom.

What is C.A.R.E? C.A.R.E. is our framework for approaching projects and strategic planning. We start at the Concept phase, where we brainstorm and plan with our clients, setting project and business goals. Action is where we build, developing software or web applications, building infrastructure, or implementing other technologies.

Realization is where we review the project, ensure we’re reaching the goals, and adjust if necessary. Expansion is where we look to the next level of growth.

BRIAN BURKETT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AND HOLLY BITTNER, SOLUTIONS CONSULTANT

What has been the biggest change you have seen in the last year?

The biggest change in the last year has been the massive shift to hybrid and remote work, and the ever-increasing reliance on technology across nearly all industries. Companies unable to adapt will find it increasingly difficult to compete in several aspects of business: finding and retaining top talent and customers, improving processes, and responding to future industry shifts and changes in the economy.

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48 APRIL/MAY | 2022

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Mainstream Fiber Networks

Mainstream Fiber Networks is an Indiana-based fiber optic internet company focused on bringing fast, reliable broadband internet to communities that are underserved or may be overlooked by other internet service providers. We provide internet service that allows our users to exceed the speed of life.

What makes Mainstream Fiber Networks unique?

We are a Hoosier company that is fully staffed by people who live in the communities we serve and understand the need for reliable broadband internet. Unlike traditional internet service providers, we bring fiber optic cable directly to your home. Fiber optic cable can transmit more data than traditional copper cable, and having a 100 percent fiber optic internet connection ensures that your home or business receives the fastest internet speeds with the most reliability.

What services do you provide?

For residential services, we offer internet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second using a fully fiber optic connection to every

home. We also offer managed Wi-Fi and voice services. For business customers, we offer customized packages that include the aforementioned services, as well as security services such as cameras, electronic door locks, and video management software. For full details, please visit our website at msfiber.net.

In which areas are your services available?

We provide service throughout Warrick County and are constantly expanding our network. For the latest service map, please visit msfiber.net.

8887 High Pointe Drive, Ste. F, Newburgh, IN • 844-752-6736 • msfiber.net

exceeding the speed of life

msfiber.net (844) 752 - 6736 8887 High Pointe Dr, Suite F Newburgh, IN, 47630 EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 49

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Midwest Telecom Communications

More than 39 years ago, Midwest Telecom recognized a need for a locally based, technology driven company.

The key to their success is to go above and beyond the customers expectation, while delivering a specialized approach in areas of expertise including communication solutions, video surveillance, sound and paging, door access control, and networking.

What is something customers should keep in mind when looking for technology?

In technology it is easy to follow a trend or simply buy what appears to be the latest technology. The question is, what will benefit your company and offer the tools to best support your services? At Midwest Telecom, we take the time to meet with and educate the customer, so the best solution is implemented. Our philosophy is simple; listen to the customer, understand their needs, and provide the best solution.

The most crucial thing businesses should pay close attention to is the total cost of technology. Many times, we meet with customers that need

to make an immediate change in their technology and unfortunately, they are locked in a long-term contract or a contract that has auto-renewed. Unless these service costs are reviewed annually, you are probably paying too much. Midwest Telecom will review your technology related cost and contracts to see how we can save you money.

What are the current trends in your industry that business owners should be aware of?

One of the current trends is a cloud based communication system with NEC Univerge Blue Connect no matter where your employees are. A cloud communications and collaboration platform

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makes telecommuting efficient, reliable, and productive, allowing your employees to connect at any time, from anywhere, to each other and customers.

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Parrish Consulting Services, Inc.

Parrish Consulting Services, Inc. (PCS) is a veteran-owned small business and has been in operation for more than thirty-five years. We take pride in, and bear responsibility for, providing professional technology services that result in superior performance, reliability, and peace of mind. Located in Princeton, we service both public and private customers throughout the eastern half of the United States.

How does PCS help businesses do technology better?

We have a broad array of talent across many regional, economic, and cultural divisions. By focusing specifically within the small-to-medium business market as a partner in technology, we can help evaluate operations and work as a team to apply functional and affordable technical solutions.

What makes you unique?

Our IT staff can safely and securely assist an organization both onsite and remotely to provide support and solutions meeting our customers technology requirements. What makes us

unique is the diversity of knowledge our staff brings to the table. Why settle for one professional when you can benefit from an entire team of professionals?

We can augment your IT staff or become your IT staff.

We evaluate every situation from five key perspectives: • What happened?

• What is the operational impact?

• What is the resolution?

• Can the issue be replicated?

• What preventative measures are being or have been taken?

We approach every situation as an opportunity to learn as well as to educate our customer. An informed customer is a better partner from every perspective.

What services does PCS provide?

PCS provides managed technology services, applications design and development, network design and implementation, facilities and systems security, and technical training across a wide range of environments. Our team is committed to ensuring the technical aspect of day-to-day operations run smoothly, freeing management staff to focus on core business objectives.

100 N. Gibson St., Princeton, IN • 812-724-3334 • parrishconsulting.com

Providing expertly managed IT solutions for over 35 years At Parrish Consulting, we strive to provide dependable and consistent information technology services to our customers. We take the stress of managing technology, which is always evolving, off your shoulders by being your partner and providing secure, confidential, and cost-effective solutions to your business.

100 N Gibson St. Princeton, IN 47670 (812) 724-3334 parrishconsulting.com 52 APRIL/MAY | 2022

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TECHNOLOGY IN BUSINESS

Southern Business Machines What is something you wish more people knew about your business?

How does Southern Business Machines set clients up for success?

SBM, Inc. offers more than just your “traditional” office equipment. We can provide your organization with a full scope of products and solutions to ensure that your customer communications are sent in the most timely, efficient way possible — not only that, but sent simultaneously through a variety of distribution methods based on customer preference. Communication distribution and shipping efficiency have become vitally important with today’s economic climate. Being able to help our customers not only in the mailroom, but also in the warehouse with outbound shipments/receiving packages, and in the back office where invoices and statements are created and generated, is important.

The way our customers want to communicate and conduct business is evolving.

While most of our customers have initiatives regarding digital transformation in regards to their customer communications, they may not be ready to make a complete shift. SBM, Inc. has partnered with Quadient to offer a platform called Inspire, rated #1 by Forrester, Gartners & Aspire and used by eight of the 10 largest financial services companies globally. Inspire enables organizations to centrally manage and customize communications across the enterprise as part of their CCM/CXM objectives and strategies. Inspire’s seamless integration with core systems extends their capability to empower the business and customize every interaction, giving them the ability to deliver their communications through any channel, based on customer preferences, at any time.

What distinguishes SBM, Inc. from other companies in your industry?

Relationships and great customer service.

Building relationships with our customers and providing excellent customer service was, and still is, our backbone. We are active members of this community. We sincerely value our customers.

2040 E Division St. • 812-475-8895 • southernbusinessmachines.com

• Postage Meters/ Mailing Machines

• Multifunction Printers Copiers

• Hybrid Outsourcing

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• Folder/Inserters • Mail Management Software

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• Remote Mailing Solutions

812-475-8895 southernbusinessmachines.com EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 53

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P H OTO P R OV I D E D BY M E D I A M I X

BUSINESS LIFE

D-PATRICK HONDA CHECK DONATION TO BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF EVANSVILLE FEB. 1, D-PATRICK HONDA Wolfi Roehrborn, Aaron Coulter, and Shanna Groeninger

P H OTO P R OV I D E D BY B I G B R OT H E R S B I G S I S T E R S

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTHWESTERN INDIANA 2022 BUSINESS HALL OF FAME LAUREATES ANNOUNCEMENT FEB. 1, UNIVERSITY OF EVANSVILLE Glen Muehlbauer, Daniela Vidal, Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, and Marcia Forston

P H OTO BY J O D I K E E N

P H OTO S BY DA L L A S C A R T E R

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BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF SOUTHWESTERN INDIANA BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE KICKOFF FEB. 17, FRANKLIN LANES Taylor Merriss, Holly Bittner, Anna Gray, Micah Konkler, Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, Jason Long, Andrew Backes, Khrista York, Gene Backes, Grace Walker, Amanda Redenbaugh, and Barb Abell

2.

TWYMON ART GALLERY OPENING MARCH 25, 1015 LINCOLN AVE. 1. Billy Twymon 2. Lesley Nelson

54 APRIL/MAY | 2022

MEIJER CHECK PRESENTATION TO FOSTER CARE IN THE U.S. INC. MARCH 26, 23 E. COLUMBIA ST. Chris Vinson, Jessica Angelique, and Enjoli Skinner

P H OTO S P R OV I D E D BY E- R E P

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LUNCH WITH LT. GOV. SUZANNE CROUCH MARCH 11, BALLY’S EVANSVILLE 1. Jerome Stewart, Dr. Clifford Dotson, and Dr. Steven Becker 2. Abby Murphy, Kendall Hurt, and Cameron Halcomb 3. Chris Johnson and Delisa Payne

2.

WHAT OUR ADVERTISERS SAY H.G. McCullough Designers has enjoyed partnering with Tucker Publishing Group for 17 years. It has allowed us to showcase our home designs in an elegant way to our clientele in the Tri-State. The increased visibility we have gained from the circulation of Evansville Living magazine has been essential to growing our customer base. Tucker Publishing Group’s advertising team listens and always offers creative solutions. They are committed to the success of their advertisers.

GERALYN RUMINER, President/Owner H.G. McCullough Designers, Inc.

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812-426-2115 | 25 N.W. Riverside Dr., Ste. 200, Evansville, IN 47708 | evansvilleliving.com EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 55

IN THE NEWS

E W H O ’ S M A K I N G T H I N G S H A P P E N I N L O C A L B U S I N E S S A N D I N D U S T RY

NEW HIRES/PROMOTIONS

United Leasing & Finance has promoted two sales team members, Mike Stoddart and Ashley Marts.

Stoddart, who has been Mike Stoddart with the company for more than 20 years, has been promoted to sales manager, specializing in fleet, from corporate account executive. Marts, promoted from corporate Ashley Marts account executive to sales manager and specializing in fitness, has been with United since 2012.

Hafer has hired two new employees and promoted two on its team. Kirsten Wilson is a new graduate architect in the Evansville office. An Evansville Kirsten Wilson native, she was an intern for Hafer and graduated with honors in a bachelor of science in architectural engineering technology from Murray State University, Zac Shoulders Murray, Kentucky, in December 2021. Zac Shoulders has joined as an electrical engineer.

With a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the University of Southern Indiana, John Mann he was previously an electrical engineer at Project Associates in Evansville. John Mann, project manager for the last six years, and Jarus Jones, who was hired Jarus Jones in 2021, have both been promoted to associates of the firm.

Evansville Otters have added Nolan Vandergriff as an account executive in the front office starting for the 2022 season.

An Evansville native, he graduated from North High School in 2016 and received a bachelor’s degree in business marketing from 56 APRIL/MAY | 2022

B BUSINESS SUCCESS

Money Men

BY DALLAS CARTER

S

ince 2016, the Men’s Fund of Vanderburgh County has created a community of male philanthropists who attend quarterly events and make annual donations to local nonprofits. From its inception, the group has donated a total of $192,300, with its largest single grant reaching $32,000.

“Most people have a desire to give money to charities, and what’s nice about this is all the money stays right here in Vanderburgh County,” says Kevin Pass, owner of Pass Pest Control and the Fund’s president.

The group — which is organized similarly to the Women’s Fund of Vanderburgh County formed in 2011 — has four meetings this year, starting with a networking event at D-Patrick Porsche on June 2. After collecting about 30 grant applications annually and visiting each applicant, the group attends its final meeting, where the top three applicants receive grants. Past recipients include the

Boys & Girls Club of Evansville, Easterseals Rehabilitation Center, the Dream Center, and Cancer Pathways Midwest.

Individuals can gain full membership for $1,200 or join a group membership of up to 10 members for the same price. Individuals and groups of all sizes each have one vote toward each year’s final grant recipients, and 100 percent of all dues go to charities.

“There’s a great need out there and it’s nice to be part of fulfilling that need,” says Pass.

COMMUNITYFOUNDATIONALLIANCE.ORG/VANDERBURGH/MENS-FUND/

Kentucky Wesleyan College, Owensboro, Kentucky, in 2020. He previously worked as a branch manager for Hertz Rental Cars in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Stone Center has named its first execu-

tive director. Dr. Stephen M. Strakowski will be the inaugural executive director of the Mary O’Daniel Stone and Bill Stone Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at IU School of Medicine – Evansville as of April 1. He previously served as the vice dean of research and associate president for regional mental health at the University of Texas’ Dell Medical School in Austin, Texas. Strakowski will also serve as interim vice chair for research with the department of psychiatry and have a faculty appointment in the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Continuing to serve the University of TexasAustin in a part-time role, he received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee.

Lasting Order Professional Organizing Services has hired a new

organizer, Corene Cunningham.

Corene Cunningham Before joining the Newburgh, Indiana-based company, Cunningham received her bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration from the University of Southern Indiana in 2019.

Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union Financial Group has promoted Joe Kiefer II from financial advisor to program manager.

Joe Kiefer II Kiefer, who graduated from Louisville, Kentucky’s Bellarmine University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and business and a master’s degree

in business administration, will continue his duties as financial advisor to the clients he has served the last seven years. Board President of the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Memorial High School Booster Club, Kiefer was honored by the Evansville Rotary Club in 2020 as a member of its 20 Under 40 class.

University of Southern Indiana has welcomed

alumna Kaylee Johnson as media relations specialKaylee Johnson ist in University Communications. While receiving her bachelor’s degree in public relations and advertising from USI, Johnson was a student worker for University Communications, transitioning to a graduate assistantship role in May 2020 while working towards her master’s degree in communication, which she will complete in May 2022.

BUSINESSES ARE STARTED. SUCCESS IS CRAFTED.

Evansville Business Team (l-r): Carl Powers, Travis Genet, Geoff Gentil, Danny Garness, Kyle Fuller

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Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn, LLP has hired a new partner.

Seth B. Zirkle has joined the firm as an Evansville naSeth B. Zirkle tive returning from practicing law in Nashville, Tennessee, and the greater Washington, D.C. area. A member of the Evansville Bar Association and its Board of Directors, Zirkle also is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association and the Maryland State Bar Association. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, in 2004 and completed his doctorate in health law from Indiana University’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2008.

Melmar has the experience and connections necessary to successfully navigate all economic conditions, and help your firm expand its competitive edge.

Atlas World Group, Inc. has hired

Julio Yumpe as senior director of Data Management. Yumpe previously served as the manager of IT Architecture for the cloud-based loan solution company, LenderDoor. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Universidad Nacional De Ingenieria in Lima, Peru in 2005, and received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2013.

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Schultheis Insurance has announced two employee changes.

First is the promotion of personal lines claim representative Stephen Stephen Feistel Feistel to commercial lines producer/agent in the commercial insurance department. Before joining Schultheis in January 2018, Feistel graduated from USI with a degree Daniel Marlow in business management and worked for Verizon Wireless. He is currently an active volunteer for United Way of Southwestern Indiana. Also in the commercial insurance department, Daniel Marlow has been hired as a commercial lines producer/agent. Marlow previously worked with K&K Insurance Group, Inc. in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and earned his bachelor’s degree in insurance and risk management from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Farmers Insurance Hanft Agency has expanded with U.S. Air Force veteran Matt

Laine joining the team as a licensed property and casualty agent. This will designate him as an insurance producer on Renee Hanft’s team.

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IN THE NEWS

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Ascension St. Vincent Evansville Foundation has announced Robert Henson has joined the team as director of Foundation Robert Henson Development. Henson previously served on the philanthropy services team at Old National Wealth Management. He is a certified fundraising executive and has a master’s degree in theological studies from St. Meinrad School of Theology.

RETIREMENTS/RESIGNATIONS

University of Evansville has announced director of athletics Mark D. Spencer is stepping down after eight years. Spencer was involved in UE athletics during many program accomplishments, including the women’s golf team’s first Missouri Valley Conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance, and the University and athletics marketing rebrand. UE has begun a national search for Spencer’s replacement.

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EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 59

IN THE NEWS

Ziemer, Stayman, Weitzel & Shoulders has announced Allyson Breeden is now a registered domestic relations Allyson Breeden mediator with the Indiana Supreme Court. Breedman, a partner with ZSWS for 15 years, completed 40 hours of domestic relations mediation training and will assist families and individuals in resolving complicated family law matters. She has experience in contested family law matters such as child custody, child support, division of assets, guardianships, and adoptions in Vanderburgh County and surrounding counties.

Breedman is also an adoption fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys and represents Vanderburgh County Court appointed special advocates.

University of Evansville Dunigan Family School of Nursing has donated $1,400 for

Dream Center Evansville with funds raised by students during the fall semester. The donation was made possible through a scrub jacket sale offered to senior-level nursing students as well as the support of Kim’s Scrub Connection. Owner Kim Tenhumberg and her husband Keith donated several jackets to the sale in honor of her mother-in-law Delores Tenhumberg. In addition to the monetary donation, the students provided healthy snacks and educational materials for Dream Center’s after-school program.

Students also volunteered with the organization for a few days by leading activities, teaching children the importance of a healthy diet and exercise.

B BUSINESS SUCCESS

Community Service

BY DALLAS CARTER

W

hen the National Volunteer Fire Council announced its 2022 fire service achievement award winners in February, one well-known local name was on the list.

Retired chief John Buckman III received the Chief James P. Seavey Sr. Health and Wellness Leadership Award for his 35 years of service as a fire chief at Vanderburgh County’s German Township Volunteer Fire Department.

Along with managing volunteers within his department, Buckman was a founding member and past president and is the current education coordinator of the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Volunteer and Combination Officers Section. He also has served as Indiana Fire Academy Director for 15 years and is the director of government and regional outreach for the emergency notification and response system IamResponding.

“These exceptional individuals represent the dedication and commitment that make our nation’s volunteer fire service so special. As we honor the outstanding accomplishments of our 2022

warehouse locations in countries including Canada, Australia, and Indonesia. The company is entering another period of growth and expansion as facilities have evolved with improved efficiency and shop capacity as new market opportunities have come into view.

Brake Supply will be celebrating its history throughout the year with events and festivities.

University of Evansville has received two Brake Supply Heavy Equipment Parts and Components is celebrating its 75th year in business. Founded by Jack Ashby in a rented building at 615 Sycamore St. in Downtown Evansville, Brake Supply has grown to 365 team members who manage and operate six heavy equipment powertrain and hydraulic component rebuild centers throughout North America along with several worldwide

60 APRIL/MAY | 2022

significant financial gifts. A $1.9 million gift from the Nancy Shepard Estate is designated for three separate areas within the UE Music Conservatory: the Nancy L. Shepard Endowed Scholarship for Wind and Percussion Students, the O. Wesley Shepard Memorial Scholarship, and the Nancy L. and O. Wesley Shepard Endowed Guest Artist Series. Nancy, a native of Southern Illinois, graduated from the then-called Evansville

recipients, we also highlight the work of all those who serve their communities in this incredible way,” NVFC chair Steve Hirsch said in a press release.

In addition to his local work, Buckman has authored more than 150 articles; published nine books; presented training programs in all 50 states, each province in Canada, and in China; and in 2013 facilitated a meeting that resulted in the development of the Firefighter Cancer Support Network’s white paper report, “Taking Action Against Firefighter Cancer.”

No stranger to recognition — he is an Indiana Governor’s Meritorious Service Award winner, has received the International Society of Fire Service Instructors’ President’s Award, and was Fire Chief Magazine’s Fire Chief of the Year in 1996 — Buckman was honored at a presentation dinner on April 8 in Arlington, Virginia.

College in 1968 with a Bachelor of Music Education. After marrying her husband, Wesley, she earned a Master of Arts in 1971.

She would spend the next three decades of her career as a band director for schools.

Lilly Endowment has also presented UE with a $1 million grant for youth programs, establishing a new Office of Youth Programs.

Some initial programs developed by the department will include STEM, Wesley Shepard Music, UE Dance Company, and more.

Deaconess Hospital has been named to

Healthgrades’ 2022 America’s 250 Best Hospitals for the third consecutive year, placing it among the top five percent of U.S. hospitals. The distinction is based on an objective review of clinical outcomes across multiple conditions and procedures, analyzing nearly 4,500 hospitals

P H OTO P R OV I D E D BY N AT I O N A L VO L U N T E E R F I R E CO U N C I L

AWARDS/RECOGNITION

nationwide. Deaconess Hospital has also been recognized as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care for a third straight year and one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Vascular Surgery, 100 Best Hospitals for Pulmonary Care, 100 Best Hospitals for Gastrointestinal Care, and 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care for the second year in a row. Additionally, Deaconess has been named among the top 15 percent in the nation for Outstanding Patient Experience for the past three years.

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Farmer Scott Ozete Robinson & Schmitt LLP has announced six of its attorneys have been selected as 2022 Indiana Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. Attorneys Terry Farmer, Laura Scott, Andrew Ozete, and Beth Burger were named Super Lawyers, while Daniel Robinson Jr. and Lindsay Schmitt were selected as Rising Stars. Super Lawyers are reserved for lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 5 percent of attorneys in Indiana receive this distinction, and only 2.5 percent of attorneys in Indiana are awarded the Rising Star Distinction.

Terry Farmer

Laura Scott

Andrew Ozete

Beth Burger

Daniel Robinson Jr.

Lindsay Schmitt

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Vehicle Graphics & Wraps, Monument & Construction Signs, Project Management, Interior Sign Systems, Lobby Signs, Wall & Window Graphics, Tradeshow & Banner Displays, Commercial Lighting Retrofits, Service, and Maintenance

The Captain Henry Vanderburgh Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has honored the youth community winners of its 2021-2022 Good Citizens Program Awards. Chapter Good Citizen winners include Santosharupa Ponna of Signature School, Katherine Coe of North High School, Brennan Wilkerson EVANSVILLE BUSINESS | 61

IN THE NEWS

FOUNDED IN EVANSVILLE IN 1985 We are a full-service engineering company focused on providing effective solutions for our clients in industry, natural gas transmission and power generation locally and across the country.

We seek long-term business relationships based on mutual respect among our employees and clients. After 36 years, Project Associates still provides services to our original three clients.

This speaks to our track record of quality, commitment, safety and innovation.

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Wednesday, July 27 Thursday, July 28 Friday, July 29 Saturday, July 30 Sunday, July 31 Friday, Aug. 5 Saturday, Aug. 6 Sunday, Aug. 7 Tuesday, Aug. 16 Wednesday, Aug. 17 Thursday, Aug. 18 Tuesday, Aug. 23 Wednesday, Aug. 24 Thursday, Aug. 25 Friday, Aug. 26 Saturday, Aug. 27 Sunday, Aug. 28

Historic New Harmony has been awarded nearly $100,000 from the Lilly

Endowment Inc. through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative. The planning grant helps Historic New Harmony explore how to strengthen efforts to depict religions in its exhibits, educational outreach, and other programs. The Lilly Endowment initiative seeks to assist museums and cultural organizations in the U.S. in displaying exhibitions, providing education programs, and engaging in other activities to strengthen their capacities to provide accurate portrayals of the role religion has played and continues to play in the country and across the globe.

Historic New Harmony will work with the University of Southern Indiana faculty, staff, and students and area faith leaders to develop a proposal for a second grant that would help fund implementation of new exhibitions and programs.

USI ROTC Cadet leadership has been awarded the 2021 MacArthur Award as the

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of William Henry Harrison High School, Alayna Rogers of Evansville Day School, Kinzie Carr of Central High School, Alliyah Dillon of Benjamin Bosse High School, Olivia Polk of New Tech Institute, Emily Roe of Reitz Memorial High School, and Helena Donaldson of F.J. Reitz High School. Each local winner of the Good Citizen Award is chosen by their respective high schools on the basis of outstanding qualities of a good citizen: dependability, leadership, service, and patriotism. The DAR’s national winner will be invited to Washington, D.C., in June to attend the DAR’s 131st Continental Congress and awarded a $5,000 scholarship, a siler bowl, and a certificate.

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top program in the military’s 7th Brigade, a region covering 38 universities and colleges in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, and Tennessee, including the University of Southern Indiana. Cadets from USI, who make up one third of the Wabash Battalion, were honored in a ceremony on March 24 at the Griffin Center on USI’s campus.

Among student leadership this year are cadets Wilson Henderson, Evan McCarthy, Nathan O’Connor, Adam Schmitt, and Austin Tobin. Additionally, the program was selected to compete for the overall 2021 Department of Defense ROTC and Partner Institution Excellence Award among Army, Air Force, and Navy units.

Advertiser Index Company................................... # Nomad Technology Group..................51

Jagoe Homes has opened its latest hous-

D-Patrick Boonville Ford has been selected

ing community on Evansville’s West Side.

Westridge Commons, located off the Lloyd Expressway and Strueh Hendricks Road, is a luxury family home community with energy-smart houses and a 2-10 homebuyer’s warranty.

for the Ford Motor Company’s President’s Award for the fifth time in six years. The award recognizes Ford and Lincoln dealerships that have made a commitment to consistently deliver exceptional sales, service, and vehicle ownership experiences to their customers.

Only a few hundred out of more than 3,000 Ford dealerships across the country receive the award annually. In addition to the honor, DPatrick Boonville Ford was ranked first overall among all Ford dealers in its regional grouping.

Banterra Bank............................................19 Parrish Consulting Services, Inc..........................................52 Biaggi’s..............................................................19 Pass Pest Control....................................59 Business Communications Solutions..................................................23 Pettinga Financial Advisors.................9 CenterPoint Energy.............................BC1 Popham Construction...........................16 D-Patrick Motorplex................................7 Project Associates.................................62 Data Link................................................46, 47 RE/MAX/Richardson, Mike..............C2 Evansville Otters Baseball.................62 Robinson Painting & Acoustical..........................................25 Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-Rep).......................58 Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill.........2

Evansville Rescue Mission..................58 Shepherd Insurance, LLC....................22 Evansville Teachers Federal Signarama.....................................................61 Credit Union....................................... BC2 Slade Print.....................................................24 Field & Main Bank....................................57 Soltek................................................................43 First Bank......................................................42 Southern Business Machines, Inc........................................53 Frank’s Catering.......................................63

Old National Bank has announced more than

Fulton Tile & Stone.........................34, 35 Straub Mower Service, LLC.............59 German American Bank......................10 Summit Real Estate Services............8

$6.1 million in charitable giving in 2021.

Donations included foundation grants and corporate sponsorships to approximately 1,100 organizations through its five-state footprint of Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In the Evansville market, Old National Bank donated more than $1.1 million to 182 community organizations. Additionally, ONB team members recorded nearly 40,000 hours of volunteer time supporting 1,500 community organizations last year.

Hafer..................................................................33 Superior Concrete..................................24 Three I Design..............................................21 Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana...........36-41 Tucker Publishing Group................................20, 25, 55, 63 Keller Schroeder.............................44, 45

USI Board of Trustees has approved a new degree program and three certificates. A Bachelor of Science in diagnostic medical sonography under the College of Nursing and Health Professions will become its own major after being previously housed within the radiologic and imaging science major. The college will offer a new undergraduate activity professional certificate and post-baccalaureate certificate in health informatics. The Romain College of Business will also start a new supply chain management certificate for undergraduates. All certificate programs were approved by the board on March 3 after approval from USI’s Academic Planning Council and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.

GROWTH/DEVELOPMENTS

First Bank has partnered with Shawn

Collins, a GiANT Worldwide certified consultant and founder of Extend Group, for an exclusive training series on workforce attraction. The six-part Lunch n’ Learn workshop throughout 2022 is available to First Bank Academy and First Bank customers at no cost.

BUSINESS CLOSING

eRAMxTM has announced an exclusive part-

nership with Cynergy Wellness, Inc. Locally owned by ABK Remote Drug Testing, Inc., eRAMxTM’s patented drug testing technology will combine with Cynergy’s nationwide physician network for a more streamlined live virtual drug test administration experience.

The Diamond Galleria has announced its permanent closure after nine years of service in Evansville. The owners are holding a goingout-of-business sale, with inventory marked up to 70 percent off.

United Way of Southwestern Landscapes by Dallas Foster, Inc.................................................17 Indiana........................................................14 Lieberman Technologies.................... 48 University of Evansville: Center for Advancement of Learning..........12 Mainstream Fiber Networks......... 49

Melmar Properties................................57 University of Southern Indiana Center for Adult Learner Midwest Telecom Success........................................................1 Communications................................50 Vowells & Schaaf, LLP............................61 N.M. Bunge, Inc...............................................4 Woodward Commercial Newburgh Dermatology......................21 Realty, Inc...................................................3 Nix Metals......................................................25 Ziegler Window Cleaning.....................62

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BACK TALK E

BY T O D D T U C K E R A N D J O D I K E E N

Mayor Lloyd Winnecke

Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and his wife Carol McClintock at the DII men’s title game at the Ford Center

EDUCATION: Graduate of Central High School; Bachelor of Science in Communication, University of Evansville RESUME: News Director, WEHT-TV, Henderson, Kentucky; Senior Vice President and Marketing Director, Fifth Third Bank; Vanderburgh County Council; Vanderburgh County Commission; Mayor of Evansville (2012-present) HOMETOWN: Evansville FAMILY: Wife Carol McClintock; daughter Danielle, son-in-law Steve, and grandsons Holden and Oliver

L

loyd Winnecke quietly hit a milestone on Jan. 1, 2022, becoming Evansville’s third-longest serving mayor. His 10 years in the city’s top office are second only to Frank F. McDonald Sr., who was mayor from 1960-1972, and Frank F. McDonald Jr., who served from 1987-2000.

Winnecke’s road to mayor wasn’t pre-ordained, but rather came about from a growing love of public service.

“I always loved covering politics and government, but because I was in the media, I couldn’t participate,” he says. “When I got to the bank, I had an opportunity to get on the county council and then run for county commissioner. I never had any designs to be mayor. None — not growing up, not when I first joined the county council. It wasn’t until Mayor (Jonathan) Weinzapfel decided he was not going to seek a third term that I decided to run.”

The Winnecke Administration has overseen several major projects, such as a water and sewer infrastructure overhaul, improvements to the Walnut Street corridor, and the creation

64 APRIL/MAY | 2022

of the Indiana University School of Medicine’s Evansville campus. While rewarding, these efforts take a lot of work on the energy level required to be mayor.

“I jokingly say I had blonde hair when I started this (job),” he says. “It’s every bit of 65 or 70 hours a week. It does take a lot of energy, but I still have the energy for it after all these years.

It’s a really fulfilling job.”

Winnecke’s governing style is to lead by example. To encourage collaboration and ideation, he has served as the president of Indiana’s Association of Cities and Towns, allowing him to view problem-solving strategies on different scales.

To champion investment in Downtown Evansville, he helped spearhead efforts to locate the medical school campus Downtown. In 2012, he and wife Carol McClintock became Downtown residents themselves when they moved to a loft condo at the Meridian Plaza at Main and Third streets, where they have had a front-row seat to Downtown’s resurgence as a center of activity for work and play.

“I couldn’t do this job without Carol’s love and support,” he says. “If you’re married in this job, hopefully your spouse is 100 percent supportive because they’re either going to be with you a lot or you’re going be gone a lot. Carol has a lot of good ideas, too. She says, ‘Hey, have you thought about this? Why can’t you do that?’ She keeps me really grounded.”

In consistent contact with other officials throughout Indiana, Winnecke says he has learned Evansville’s true power, a point that was driven home early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was on a Zoom call with mayors from around the state.

They were complaining about the lack of communication between their local units of government and health care. I was texting our association director and said, ‘I can relate to none of this,’” he says. “The level of collaboration here, I think, is much greater than it is elsewhere in the state. People around the state, I tell them all the time, ‘That’s our secret sauce,’ and that’s the phrase I use. I’d like our citizens to know that it’s not just their mayor throwing accolades out. I am, but they’re sincere, because it really is happening.”

At 61 years old, Winnecke says retirement is not in his immediate future, nor is a guaranteed run for re-election. Pointing out Evansville’s “uncharted waters” in not yet having a fourth-term mayor, he says it’s a decision he is getting closer to making.

One question he says is easy to answer?

“I frequently say that mayor is the best job I’ve ever had, but a grandfather’s the best job — being a father, being a grandfather, and then being mayor,” he says. “When we ran (for mayor) the first time in 2011, Steve and Danielle came home, and I pulled Holden in a wagon on Franklin Street, passing out apples. He went door to door with us on the East Side. They bring me great joy.”

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