Valparaiso University has received some state help to get more teachers into the state’s classrooms.

The university was awarded a two-year, $223,770 grant as part of the Indiana Department of Education's Attract, Prepare, and Retain initiative. The initiative will support university programs to address teacher shortages throughout the state and nation.   

Douglas Wassilak, the college’s director of accreditation and field placement, said the grant came from a brainstorming session at a summer of 2022 Indiana Department of Education workshop. Attendants of the conference were asked to develop creative ways to reduce the teacher shortage problem with the knowledge that state funding would be available, the best of which were later formally presented to and accepted by the state.

“The grant is hitting two major ideas. The first is recruitment,” Wassilak said. “We already host recruiting events on campus focused on attracting individuals into the teaching profession.”

The event, called “Finding Your Calling in the Classroom,” provides high school students the opportunity to spend a full day at the college, familiarizing themselves with the campus and participating in activities that teach them about the education program. Additionally, the education department will work with more local career centers, such as the Porter County Career Center, which has a teaching professions program for interested high school students, to encourage the growth of the incoming class of future educators.

The second part deals with keeping current teachers excited and passionate about staying in their field. Valparaiso University will work with local schools to identify exemplary educators and provide them the support they need, while forging mentoring relationships between those teachers and the prospective teachers studying at the university.

“We want to identify teacher-leaders, recognize them, provide them professional development, and give them the extra support they need and recognition that they deserve,” Wassilak said.

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NIPSCO projects residential customers could pay more to heat their homes this winter compared to last season.

The Merrillville-based utility said current market price projections for natural gas and assuming normal winter weather, means residential gas customers may see their winter heating bills increase 18% this season compared to last winter’s average heating bills.

The company estimates between Nov. 1 and March 31 typical natural gas residential customers using 615 therms could pay $661 compared to $559 during the same period last year, representing an overall $102 seasonal increase or about $20.40 per month during the five-month period.

NIPSCO and other Indiana energy companies provide a forecast for home heating bills for upcoming winter heating season. Projections consider market forecasts, supply trends and storage levels, and are based on normal weather projections.

If temperatures are colder or warmer than normal, usage amounts and bills could differ, the utility said.

NIPSCO residential customers already have seen their gas prices increase this year.

The utility implemented a two-step gas rate increase Sept. 1. Residential customers were expected to see a $6 monthly increase in their gas bills with the majority of that increase coming in September and the remainder to come in March.

NIPSCO serves approximately 850,000 natural gas and 483,000 electric customers across 32 counties in northern Indiana.

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A range of entrepreneurs, a Region business news journalist and a teacher who is inspiring future business owners are among the 2022 Entrepreneurial Excellence (E-Day) Award winners.

This year’s class will be honored at an awards luncheon Oct. 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Avalon Manor, 3550 E. Lincoln Highway, in Hobart. Tickets are available online.   

This year’s honorees include:

• Small Business Person of the Year: Rani Saxena, Bionic Prosthetics & Orthotics, Merrillville
• Entrepreneurial Success: Momax Marble, Hector and Gloria Cornejo, Merrillville
• Minority-Owned Business of the Year: Joslyn RW Kelly, J’s Breakfast Club, Gary
• Women-Owned Business of the Year: Tabetha Alvarado and Sherry Langdeau, Great Lakes Communications, Crown Point
• Family-Owned Business of the Year: Kelly Tichacek and David Wilson, Monroe Pest Control, Hobart
• Young Entrepreneur: Lindsey Liesenfelt, Truly Teas, Merrillville
• Small Business Advocate: Joseph Pete, author, writer and journalist at The Times of Northwest Indiana, Munster
• Advocate for Youth Entrepreneurship: Daniel Schultz, Hobart High School, Hobart
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Linda Woloshansky, Center of Workforce Innovations, Valparaiso

Learn more about last year's E-Day honorees through Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.

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Occasionally, one or more of these organizations as well as the people who work for them, are either honored by a group, earn special certifications or designations, or receive recognition for providing outstanding service or developing something unique. Here are some recent honors and recognitions received by individuals and organizations in Northwest Indiana Business Magazine’s coverage area, which includes Lake, Newton, Porter, Jasper, La Porte, Starke, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Marshall and Elkhart counties:

Economic Development

Iris Hammel, executive director and co-founder of RISE (Regional Innovation and Startup Education) was named North Central Indiana Community Champion of 2021. The honor was presented during the annual Kinetic Conference Sept. 20 in Indianapolis. Plymouth-based SIMBA Chain, a provider of accessible blockchain solutions, was also recognized for having the largest financing round of 2021 in Indiana. The Community Champion awards recognize individuals who are advocates for innovation and entrepreneur efforts in their region. The Kinetic Conference, powered by Elevate Ventures, brings together entrepreneurs, investors, educators, and ecosystem builders in Indiana with a focus on high-growth, high-potential startups.

Health care

Lauren Stearns, a registered nurse from Northwest Health – Porter, was recently presented with the DAISY Award for exceptional nursing. Stearns, a NICU nurse, was nominated by the father of newborn twins who wrote she deserved to be honored not only because of how his family’s life was changed, but for the countless other lives that she has touched, and all she does behind the scenes to love and support her patients. He went on to add his sister is a nurse in Indianapolis and recalled her desire to win a Daisy award during her career – so he understood the honor’s importance to nurses and asked Northwest Health – Porter to present Stearns with a DAISY Award.

Community Stroke & Rehabilitation Center in Crown Point, part of the Community Healthcare System, is among the best physical rehabilitation centers in the country, receiving a No.2 ranking in Indiana from Newsweek and Statista Inc., an industry ranking provider.

The Commission on Cancer, a quality program of the American College of Surgeons granted three-year accreditation to the cancer program at Northwest Health – La Porte. To earn voluntary CoC accreditation, a cancer program must meet 34 quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care. As an accredited cancer center, Northwest Health – La Porte takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases.

Media

Lakeshore PBS recently was presented a Public Media Award by the National Educational Telecommunications Association for its program Eye on the Arts. The award was in the short form content category. The award ceremony was held during the 2022 NETA Conference and CPB Public Media Thought Leader Forum Sept. 18. The NETA Public Media Awards honor members’ work in education, community engagement, marketing/communications, and content. Awards are judged by a group of expert panelists from within the public media system, as well as industry professionals working outside of public media.

Find past business and individual honors on Northwest Indiana Business Magazine’s website.

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The Crown Point Community Foundation awarded $148,369.85 in grants as part of its September grant cycle.

The grants will assist organizations in the South Lake County communities of Crown Point, Cedar Lake, Lowell (Tri-Creek Townships) and Winfield.   

Community grants are made possible by donors who create Unrestricted Endowment Funds to support South Lake County causes and entrust the CPCF to allocate those funds to a broad range of community projects and needs. Two grants also were awarded from Field of Interest Funds, also entrusted for allocation by the foundation.

Additional information on how the grant recipients will use the funds is available on the foundation’s website.

The September grant cycle recipients include:

• 1886 Church Foundation – $2,500
• Best Buddies – $2,000
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana – match up to $4,279.90
• Cancer Resource Center – $2,000
• Catholic Charities, Diocese of Gary – $12,500
• Crown Point Community Library – match up to $3,573.50 ($704.52 Unrestricted Fund + $2,868.98 Community Literacy Fund)
• CPCF Emergency Aid & Relief Fund – $10,000
• Crown Point Emergency Management Agency – $13,500
• Crown Point Fire Rescue – $10,000
• Dunes Dogs Training Club – $4,500
• G.A.P. Food Pantry – $10,331
• Girls on the Run of Northwest Indiana – $3,000
• Golden Hope Ministries – $3,240.84 ($3,000 Unrestricted Fund + $240.84 The Manis Family Fund)
• Hanover Jr Wildcat Football – match up to $1,500
• Hearts in Motion – $1,500
• Holy Spirit/St. Vincent DePaul Society – $5,000
• Humane Indiana – $5,000
• Indiana Elite F.C. – match up to $1,000
• Lake Region Christian Assembly – match up to $5,000
• Love Moves Us – match up to $2,500
• Mommy’s Haven – $7,000
• Northwest Indiana Symphony Society – $5,000
• Pathway to Adventure Council – $3,000
• Saint Mary Catholic Community School – $5,000
• Second Life Resale Shoppe – $2,692.62
• Solon Robinson Elementary School – $2,818.99
• South Lake County Agricultural Historical Society – match up to $5,000
• Tradewinds Services – $5,000
• Wheelchair Ramp Ministry (St. Michael’s Church) – $2,000
• Youth for Christ of Northwest Indiana – match up to $7,933

The Crown Point Community Foundation awards grants from the unrestricted community funds held in the CPCF Unrestricted Fund three times a year. The three application cycles close on Feb. 1, June 1 and Sept. 1.

Only one grant application per organization or agency will be eligible within a 12-month period. The CPCF Grant Committee reviews all applications.

Additional information on applying for a grant through the Crown Point Community Foundation is available online.

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Hoosier Custom Plastics in Knox is the 2022 recipient of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation’s Industry of the Year Award.

“Our board of directors chose Hoosier Custom Plastics as the 2022 Industry of the Year because they are a Starke County success story,” said Lisa Dan, SCEDF executive director. “This is a homegrown company that continues to find innovative solutions to problems.”

Hoosier Custom Plastics was founded on March 1, 2004, by former employees of plastics product manufacturer Stelrema. Its first customer was a neighboring business, MPI in the Knox Industrial Park.

HCP soon branched out into manufacturing biodegradable golf tees and added golf bag tags to its product lineup. The EcoGolf and ProTag business split from HCP in 2021.

HCP serves several industries, including the Department of Defense, automotive, trailer manufacturing, consumer product, industrial fluid power, and cannabis packaging. Owners Craig Dulworth and Mike Tetzloff’s growth plans include expanding the company’s reach into other markets to remain resilient in the event of an economic downturn.

The Wall Nanny is HCP’s most popular consumer product. It protects homeowners’ walls from damage when using safety pressure gates to keep babies and animals contained.

The Wall Nanny was developed by a chiropractor in Wichita, Kansas, who had an initial goal of selling $40,000 worth of product annually. Wall Nanny sales today average $40,000 monthly and is available at Walmart and Amazon.

HCP also helped to develop the CAT Strap Military Torniquet.

CAT, which is short for Combat Application Torniquet, is standard issue gear for the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. It was introduced by the U.S. Army in 2005.  

HCP employs 33 people who work three shifts.

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The Michigan City Chamber of Commerce seeks nominations for its annual education award.

The award honors a Michigan City educator who made a significant impact in the community the past year. The award is presented in partnership with Comcast Business.

“Comcast Business is a great partner to work with as we present this community award,” said Katie Eaton, chamber president. “We are excited to again showcase one of the best in the Michigan City area.”

Jeffrey Cobb, regional vice president of Comcast Business, said as a son and spouse of educators, the award has special meaning to him personally.

“Comcast Business is proud to sponsor the Michigan City Chamber Education Award program again and to recognize the dedicated teachers and other education professionals and programs that have had a profound impact on our children’s futures,” he said.

An award winner will be selected from nominations for teachers, program directors, counselors, administrators, or other individuals impacting education in the Michigan City area. The award is also open to nominations from programming or partnerships that have enhanced or had a significant impact on students.

Nominations will be accepted through Nov. 4. The winner will be recognized during National Education Week Nov. 14 through Nov. 18.  

For more information or to submit a nomination visit MichiganCityChamber.com.

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There’s no shortage of people and businesses willing to lend a hand to assorted causes and to those in need across the Region and North Central Indiana. Here are some recent donations made to several organizations and those in need:

Adam Lung, a Boy Scout from St. John, recently presented Community Hospital with a customized red wagon. The donation, complete with an IV pole and safety belts to help transport pediatric patients, was his Eagle Project. Lung fundraised and then designed the unique specifications for 15 wagons, which rolled into hospitals serving Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland pediatric patients.

For the past decade, 10 LaPorte County businesses and non-profits have partnered to provide local, 4-H-raised protein to more than 30 food pantries and soup kitchens through Operation Feed LaPorte County. The partnership in September gave an additional steer, raised by the Banwart family donated by Parkman Cattle Co. and LaPorte County Farm Bureau and processed by Sims Meat Processing, to 10 food pantries and soup kitchens. The steer produced about 650 pounds of meat. The donors included, LaPorte County Farm Bureau, LaPorte County Farm Bureau Insurance, the LaPorte County Agricultural Association, the LaPorte County Sheep Breeders Association, 1st Source Bank, CLH CPAs and Consultants, Shireman Vet Service, Sims Meat Processing, Parkman Cattle Co. and The Old Sheep Farm. 

The 2022 ‘Chip In’ Golf Outing to benefit the Salvation Army of Northwest Indiana raised $58,000. The outing drew 113 golfers and additional attendees to White Hawk Country Club in Crown Point.   

Three $2,000 grants were awarded at the annual Women’s Giving Circle Collective Grantmaking Event on Sept. 13. Grants were awarded to the Community Help Network, Northwest Indiana Cancer Kids Foundation, and Open Hearts Therapeutic Riding Center.

Valparaiso University hosted a benefit choral concert for Ukraine on Oct. 6. The concert featured Cappella Romana. Audience donations were accepted to benefit the nonprofit humanitarian organization, Rebuild Ukraine which has raised more than $370,000 in donations since March.

The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation in September awarded a $4.4 million Connecting Older Hoosiers with Healthful Foods grant to the Indiana Association of Area Agencies on Aging Education Institute Inc. and CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions. CICOA is the largest of the Indiana’s 15 area agencies on aging. The organizations provide services to help low-income seniors live as healthy and independently as possible.

The Teachers Credit Union Foundation awarded Opportunity Enterprises $5,000 to support the service organization’s Camp Lakeside, an inclusive summer day camp for school-aged children of all ability levels.

Lakeshore PBS’ Be My Neighbor Day event on Sept. 14 drew families to Harvest Tyme in Lowell. Along with materials to help children create emergency preparedness kits, the station also provided materials for families to make cards thanking first responders along with other efforts to help familiarize children with their local helpers. First responders from the Lowell Fire Department, Tri-Creek Ambulance Service, and Lake Dalecarlia Volunteer Fire Department joined Lakeshore PBS. The MAAC Foundation also partnered with Lakeshore to provide educational programming, while volunteers from area PNC Bank branches were available to assist. About 250 emergency preparedness kits were donated to families.

Old National Bank celebrated its first Better Together Volunteer Days on Sept. 28 and Sept. 29. The two-day event provided team members across Old National’s seven-state footprint the opportunity to volunteer together in the communities where they live and work. A total of 1,572 volunteers assisted 110 organizations, donating 5,311 hours across seven states. In Michigan and Northern Indiana, 141 Old National volunteers worked with 13 organizations and provided 494 hours. Michigan organizations included: Food Gatherers, Ann Arbor; Goodwill Industries, Adrian; Saline Area Social Services, Saline; Bountiful Harvest, Brighton; Home Repair Services, Grand Rapids; Kids’ Food Basket, Grand Rapids; First Day She Fund, Kalamazoo. Indiana organizations included: Associated Churches Food Pantry, Fort Wayne; Fellowship Missions &Heartline Pregnancy, Warsaw; Pe Refuge and Boys and Girls Club, South Bend; and Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, Merrillville. A total of 494 volunteer hours were provided in Michigan and Indiana. 

About 700 Teachers Credit Union employees donated time Oct. 10 to about 45 non-profit groups throughout its service area in Indiana and southwest Michigan during TCU’s Day of Giving. TCU previously hosted its Day of Giving single-day, corporate-wide days of service in 2018 and 2019. The pandemic prevented the credit union from hosting its day of giving event the past two years.

Dr. Sheela Konda, breast imaging radiologist and medical director for the Munster Breast Center at Franciscan Health Munster, was presented with a quilt donated and made by Joellen Mihalov, a cancer patient of Franciscan Health. The quilt she donated will hang in the center’s consultation room.

The Downtown Dining Association of South Bend presented a donation of $12,456.29 to support Beacon Children’s Hospital. The funds were raised during the 2022 Summer Restaurant Weeks between July 25 and Aug. 7.  Since the partnership started eight years ago, a total $210,037.77 has been raised by the Downtown Dining Association.

Other recent donations and philanthropic efforts in Northwest Indiana and the Michiana area reported by Northwest Indiana Business Magazine can be found on the magazine’s website.

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The Northwest Indiana Influential Women Association has named its honorees for 2022.

The organization’s 11th annual Influential Women of Northwest Indiana Awards recognizes women making an impact on the Region.

The finalists and winners were individuals that overcame challenges while elevating themselves and others along the way.  

Winners were chosen from a group of 120 finalists who were selected from a pool of more than 250 nominees. Nominations were submitted by peers and the public and evaluated by past honorees.

The 2022 honorees include:

Influential Women of the Year – Audra Peterson, executive director of career and technical education, Porter County Education Services

Up and Coming Women of the Year – Claudia Jones, director of food and beverages, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana

Supporter of the Year – Kylee Fraze Norman, tax director, CLH, CPAs & Consultants

Community Leader of the Year – Kelly Vates, co-founder, executive director, Fair Haven Rape Crisis Center

Arts

• Influential Woman: Robin Arvanitis, dance department leader, Patti’s All-American Gymnastics
• Up & Coming: Alicia Hodges, owner, Alicia Hodges Portraiture

Business

• Influential Woman: Stephanie Keller, manager, CliftonLarsonAllen
• Up & Coming: Trish Geyer, agency owner, Allstate Insurance

Construction

• Influential Woman: Norma Williams, owner, Excellence by Design
• Up & Coming: Julianne Tattersall, internal operations manager, Korellis

Economic Development/Government

• Influential Woman: Alexius Barber, public affairs and economic development manager, NIPSCO
• Up & Coming: Mary Perren, executive assistant, Starke County Economic Development Foundation

Education

• Influential Woman: Audrey Faith Randle, instructor of criminal justice education, Hammond Area Career Center
• Up & Coming: Kristin Burton, professor of entrepreneurship, Purdue University Northwest

Finance

• Influential Woman: Helen Pennington, senior vice president of risk review, Citibank
• Up & Coming: Lisa Kuehl, commercial loan portfolio manager, Horizon Bank in Merrillville

Healthcare

• Influential Woman: Dr. Erica Kaufman West, medical director of infectious diseases, Franciscan Alliance
• Up & Coming: Tiffany Conover, charge nurse, St. Catherine Hospital

Law

• Influential Woman: Heather McCarthy, attorney, city of Hobart; Law Office of Heather A. McCarthy
• Up & Coming: Allison Pulliam, associate attorney, Eichhorn & Eichhorn LLP

Marketing

• Influential Woman: Angela Spencer, owner, White Iris Dress; account executive, Auburn Supply Co.
• Up & Coming: Samantha Bean, marketing manager, Lubeznik Center for the Arts

Nonprofit

• Influential Woman: Erika Miller, district manager, Goodwill Industries of Michiana
• Up & Coming: Juanita Boland, crisis contact quality assurance manager, Crisis Center Inc.

Service

• Influential Woman: Stacey Beal, wholesale fuel sales support, Luke Oil
• Up & Coming: Miranda O’Block, owner, Tavern on Main

STEM

• Influential Woman: Nasim Azimi, R&D scientist, staff engineer, MonoSol LLC
• Up & Coming: Brianna Styck, executive director, educator, Newton County Soil and Water Conservation District

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Indiana University Northwest is looking into expanding course offerings in Michigan City.

Chancellor Ken Iwanna discussed the proposal during a recent reception for IU President Pamela Whitten at the Northwest Indiana Education Foundation, organized by the Economic Development Corp. Michigan City.

“We want to bring more programs here,” Iwanna said. “We’re starting to test it.”

Clarence Hulse, EDCMC executive director, said his organization is working with IUN.

“We are excited about IU’s leadership visiting our community and we are looking forward to putting future collaborative opportunities into place,” Hulse said. “Education is a key factor in attracting and retaining employees to any community.”

Iwanna said IUN has been discussing a potential partnership with Ivy Tech Community College, which has campuses in Michigan City and Valparaiso.

Michigan City Council President Angie Nelson Deuitch supports IUN expanding in Michigan City.

“Eventually we want to see bricks and mortar, and we want to see you in Michigan City,” she said.

Whitten enjoys visiting the Region.

“Every time I come to Northwest Indiana, people show up,” she said.

She discussed the three pillars of IU’s 2030 strategic plan: student success, research and scholarship, and public service and outreach.

“We are Indiana’s university,” she said.

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