2013 Annual Report
LOCATION | WORKFORCE | VALUE
YEAR IN REVIEW
The economic vitality of Huntington County is quite a
story. It’s the story of resilience—of a county that has
remained irrepressible despite the Great Recession, the
most devastating economic crisis since the Great
Depression.
Today, amid ongoing challenges, employers in Huntington
County continue to grow, prosper and diversify. They also
enjoy an excellent relationship with an aggressive and
creative economic development team.
Mark Wickersham
This report highlights the accomplishments of a
community of employers, elected officials and others committed to making Huntington County a
better place to live and work. Here are three of our many 2013 headlines:
1. Unemployment down, occupancy up
The county began the year with a 9.4% unemployment rate and, by year-end, reduced it to
6%. Twelve industrial development projects—supporting a record capital investment—
buoyed both the employment picture and tax base, as well as ushered in a feeling of
confidence.
2. Rise in region’s per capita income
Also encouraging are regional trends. According to the Northeast Indiana Regional
Partnership, our 10-county area has outpaced other parts of the country in several key areas,
including job growth, gross metro product and per capita personal income.
3. Masterful local management
The fiscal health of our local municipal governments is likewise strong. In 2013, the city of
Huntington posted a surplus of well over $1 million. Our community is clearly positioned for
continued success in 2014 and beyond.
Huntington County is by no means immune from the dynamics pressuring the national economy.
However, our aggressive and creative economic development process continues to demonstrate
its value in an already resilient community.
If you’re reading this publication, you’ve already shown your shared commitment to our mission
– to promote opportunities for job creation and new capital investment in Huntington County,
Indiana. Thank you for your support.
Mark Wickersham
Executive Director
2013 CLIENT PROJECTS
Continental Structural Plastics
employees and local leaders cut the
ribbon on the company’s $6.9
million expansion for work on the
2014 Chevy Corvette Stingray, named
Car of the Year at the North American
International Auto Show. The
company produces most of the iconic
sportscar’s exterior.
CLIENT PROJECTS
• ALH Building Systems
• Metalloid Alumicoat
• Auger Torque USA, LLC
• Metronet (Huntington)
• Dean Foods
• Metronet (Roanoke)
• DIY Group, Inc.
• Our Sunday Visitor
• Echo Lake Foods, Inc.
• Stephan DRP, Inc.
• Four Wheels LLC
• UTEC
ADDITIONAL PROJECTS
• Lt. Gov. Ellspermann business forum at
Onward Manufacturing
• IEDC President Eric Doden business forum
• NE Indiana Regional Chamber
Transportation Committee
• Huntington: Chamber EDGE meetings
Business leaders and local officials pose at the
2013 Business Appreciation Luncheon, honoring 8
companies whose 2012 projects totaled more than
$20 million.
• Warren: Assisted with grant request for
structural engineering evaluations of
downtown buildings
• Roanoke: Assisted with grant request for Cow
Creek Bridge reconstruction
ECONOMIC IMPACT
6-YEAR ECONOMIC IMPACT SUMMARY
Year
# of Projects
Private Investment
New Jobs
Retained Jobs
2008
10
$29,031,000.00
159
60
2009
9
$35,425,000.00
449
257
2010
6
$34,649,000.00
444
648
2011
13
$32,085,736.00
132
970
2012
8
$20,644,130.00
166
1,313
2013
12
$37,997,400.00
250
909
TOTALS
58
$189,832,266.00
1,600
4,157
2013 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW*
Operating Expenditures
$228,831.70
Operating Revenues
$238,481.70
*Preliminary Report
TARGET INDUSTRY CLUSTERS
• Advanced & precision manufacturing
• Metal/steel fabrication
• Food processing
• Mineral aggregates
• Higher education
• Petroleum refining and distribution
• Logistics
• Technology
• Aviation systems/airport
Gerdau Special Steel Controller Kendall
Mickley welcomes guests to the ribbon-cutting
ceremony for the $27 million Huntington plant
expansion.
2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MEMBER
REPRESENTING
Rex Baxter
Huntington County Community School Corp.
Jay Buzzard (Treasurer)
At Large
Larry Buzzard
Huntington County Commissioners
Perry Collins
Town of Roanoke
Greg Davis
Huntington City Council
Brooks Fetters
Mayor, City of Huntington
Kyle Hamilton
At Large
Jodi Heath
At Large
Kevin Killen (President)
At Large
Steve Kimmel
Huntington County Chamber of Commerce
Kendall Mickley
Huntington County Council
Mike Rohler
Town of Andrews
Randy Sizemore (Secretary)
At Large
Jeff Souder
Town of Warren
Jeff Stockman
Town of Markle
Ryan Warner (Vice President)
At Large
Michael Zahn
Lime City Development Committee
LIME CITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
By Joe Blomeke, 2013 President
Lime City Development Committee
Re/Max Professional Group and Huntington City Council
The Lime City Development Committee serves as a standing committee of HCED, raising
awareness of economic development activity in the city. In 2013, the committee held luncheon
meetings at the former PACE Ford Building, HCED boardroom, Innovative Packaging Corp.,
Metalloid Alumicoat and Riverside Storage.
Onward Manufacturing was one of the companies
featured in the Lime City Development
Committee’s billboard campaign, highlighting
amazing products made in Huntington.
THANKS
TO OUR PRIVATE INVESTMENT PARTNERS
AT&T of Indiana
M & S Powder Coating, LLC
Bippus State Bank
Midwest Pipe & Steel, LLC
Building Contractors Association of NE IN
Novae Corporation
Citizens Telephone Corporation
Parkview Health (Huntington)
Duke Energy Indiana
Randy Sizemore
East of Chicago Pizza, Warren, Indiana
Smekens Education Solutions, Inc.
First Farmers Bank & Trust Company
Teachers Credit Union
First Federal Savings Bank
United REMC
Herald-Press
Vectren Utility Holdings
iAB Financial Bank
Zacher Company
Indiana & Michigan Power
Roanoke’s new Two-EE’s Winery, owned by Eric
Harris (pictured) and Emily Hart, has captured
multiple awards since its May opening, including
Harris’ “Rising Star Winemaker” award at the
International Wine Channel TV Awards.
Alister Rayner (left), Auger Torque LTD managing
director, shakes Mayor Brooks Fetters’ hand at the
incentive presentation for the international drill
manufacturer’s Huntington facility, the first in the
U.S.
WHY HUNTINGTON?
LOCATION
Huntington County is ideally
located in the heart of the Great
Lakes region with easy access to
Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit,
Cincinnati and Louisville, thanks
to our many transportation assets:
•
Norfolk Southern Rail
•
I-69 NAFTA Corridor
•
U.S. 24 Hoosier Heartland
Industrial Corridor
•
U.S. 24 Fort to Port Corridor
•
Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA)
•
Huntington Municipal Airport (HHG)
WORKFORCE
Our highly skilled workforce and pro-business environment have convinced several international
giants to locate multimillion-dollar facilities here. They include:
•
Waterloo, Ontario-based Onward Manufacturing
•
Brazilian-based Gerdau Steel
•
Helena Chemical, a division of Tokyo-based Marubeni Corporation
•
Australian-owned Auger Torque
•
French-owned Schneider Electric
•
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, a member of Germany’s Knorr-Bremse Group
VALUE
Compared to major metropolitan markets,
the cost to acquire and renovate a building
in Huntington County is much less—as is the
cost of a greenfield site or a skilled workforce.
The bottom line? Your dollar goes further
here.
www.hcued.com
Huntington County Economic
Development is your ally in site
selection and development.
Mission
To maintain a unified economic
development effort throughout
Huntington County in order to
promote opportunities for new
job creation and capital
investment in Huntington County
Vision
To make Huntington County a
better place to live and work
8 West Market St.
Huntington, IN
(260) 356-5688
[email protected]