Speakers

Please welcome Sarah Koontz, Director of CareerWise Elkhart County. Introduced by Brian Wiebe, President/CEO, Horizon Education Alliance. Sarah will present "CareerWise Elkhart County -- Modern Youth Apprenticeships."

CareerWise Elkhart County offers a two- to three-year apprenticeship designed by businesses and offered in partnership with schools, taking students out of the classroom and putting them in the workplace in meaningful, paid positions for 16-24 hours per week while earning high school and college credit. 

For details visit: https://www.careerwiseelkhartcounty.org/

[Rescheduled from Monday, April 8]

Please welcome Chris Stager, President & CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Elkhart County, discussing landing and keeping Amazon.

Our Mission
Create an economically vibrant community by: Recruiting, retaining and strengthening our economic base, and being a catalyst for diversification, innovation and economic change.

Our Vision
The EDC will leverage our entrepreneurial spirit, expertise and regional resources to develop a more prosperous community through a diversified, resilient and knowledge-based economy.

Who We Are / What We Do
We are a not-for-profit economic organization serving the community with the cities, towns, chambers of commerce, investor partners, and businesses of Elkhart County, Indiana. We are known as the “Concierge to Elkhart County Industry”. Our primary objectives are the retention and expansion of local businesses, attraction of new businesses to Elkhart County, and local entrepreneurial development.

History of the EDC of Elkhart County
The EDC of Elkhart County (EDCEC) was organized in 2001 as a public-private partnership and lead economic development organization for Elkhart County, Indiana. With a mission to attract and retain diversified businesses both domestically and internationally, the EDCEC serves as a resource and advocate to cultivate the competitiveness and profitability of business locating or expanding to Elkhart County, Indiana.

The EDCEC delivers an integrated approach to economic development strategy combining business attraction, expansion and retention activities, workforce attraction and development as well as strategic long-term planning. The EDCEC teams with the real estate development, land use planning and design professionals to present comprehensive location solutions to new and existing companies. The EDCEC provides confidential relocation and economic development services in close collaboration with regional and national partners to assist with site selection, community networking, workforce attraction and development, and navigation through the state and local incentives and regulatory process.

The EDC of Elkhart County is a nationally recognized economic development leader in the State of Indiana. The EDCEC provides strategic vision and “whatever it takes approach” to ensure continued Elkhart County economic vitality while providing quality job opportunities, a diverse and inclusive quality of place and continued prosperity for the residents and businesses of Elkhart County.

For more details visit: https://www.elkhartcountybiz.com/

More details to come... 

Join us to show our appreciation for our Elkhart Area First Responders

Please welcome Diego Morales, Indiana Secretary of State

Diego Morales is Indiana’s 63rd Secretary of State. Secretary Morales is the first Latino elected to a statewide office and is making history as an immigrant
Secretary of State in our country. He previously worked in state government as an aide to Vice President Mike Pence during his tenure as Governor of Indiana. Secretary Morales brings extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. Prior to taking office,he was a proud small business owner. Secretary Morales grew up in Sellersburg, Indiana in Clark County. Later earning degrees from Indiana University, Purdue University and Tilburg University in the Netherlands and around the world. Secretary Morales also proudly served in the United States Army and National Guard. He’s been the recipient of numerous honors in recognition of his public service including the Kentucky Colonel and the Sagamore of Wabash.

Diego resides in Indianapolis, Indiana with his wife, Sidonia, and daughter. The Morales family are members of Northside Christian Church in New Albany, Indiana.

For more info and contact, visit: https://www.in.gov/sos/about-sos/about-the-secretary/

Please welcome Karen Cripe, President of Label Logic

Label Logic boasts over three decades of expertise in delivering top-notch product labels in various formats. Our package labels are indispensable for effectively identifying your products on store shelves. These custom labels elevate the appeal of your products while serving as powerful promotional tools. Whether consumers seek hair care essentials or preserves, their initial encounter with your brand typically transpires on the store shelf. Labels help customers comprehend the ingredients in the products they select.

In the realm of RFID technology, every project comprises three vital components: Endpoints (tags), Hardware (Readers), and Software (facilitating the connection between readers and host systems while processing tag data). At Label Logic, we possess the capability to seamlessly insert, print, and encode RFID tags and labels in-house. Moreover, we offer tailored RFID technology solutions, encompassing cutting-edge hardware like RFID reader scanners and the accompanying software for tag data interpretation. Our comprehensive approach covers every facet of the RFID integration journey, from conceptualization and construction to rigorous testing and seamless implementation, all under one roof.

LABEL LOGIC
Over the course of the past 25 years, we have consciously evolved to become the premier one-stop-shop for all of your labeling needs. This translates into reduced lead times, hassle-free ordering, and utmost confidence that will make you proud of the decision that you made in choosing Label Logic.

EXCELLENCE IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS
Whether you are a Fortune 500 company, or a small local business, you will be pleased at the level of service and quality that we offer you. We are leading the way with bleeding edge industry software that automates planning, organizes and controls resources, procedures, and protocols to ensure your projects are managed efficiently.

For more information visit: https://www.label-logic.com/

No meeting today.

Here are some facts and history on the holiday:

• The day was originally set aside to remember Union soldiers who died during the Civil War, but following World War I, its scope expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. At the end of the Civil War, many US cities held their own memorial observations for their hometown heroes.
• The idea for a specific holiday came in 1868 from Illinois Senator John Alexander Logan, a former Union general and keynote speaker at one early observation. Logan used his position as commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization of Union soldiers, to issue a proclamation for a national “Decoration Day” to be observed on May 30 of that year by decorating the tombs of Union soldiers.
• The name “Memorial Day,” started cropping up from time to time. The new name became more common after World War II, and in 1967 was declared the official name by Federal law.
• Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30 until 1968, when Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, moving 4 holidays — Columbus Day, Presidents’ Day, Veterans Day and Memorial Day—to designated Mondays in order to create the ever-popular three-day weekends. (Veterans Day eventually reverted to its traditional November 11 date, which mirrors Armistice Day and Remembrance Day celebrations in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations).

Please welcome Horizon Education Alliance's Leah Plank, Senior Director of Parent and Family Systems and Director of Triple P Elkhart County

Leah will present "Triple P -- Positive Parenting Program of Elkhart County"

Triple P is a population-level, public health approach to parenting support that has been proven to reduce rates of child abuse and neglect and improve children’s mental and behavioral health. Triple P is designed for “every parent” with multiple levels of support available in locations across the community. Triple P was launched in Elkhart County in 2015 and has provided thousands of Elkhart County parents with evidence-based parenting support.

For more information visit: https://heaindiana.org/

Meet at Wellfield!

We'll have boxed lunches and a brief meeting followed by an update on the Events and Visitors Center Expansion Project by Eric Garton, executive director. We'll take a brief tour of the space for those who'd like to do so.

For details at what's happening at Wellfield visit: https://wellfieldgardens.org/whats-happening-at-wellfield/

Today we welcome our community Not-for-Profit Grant Recipients. Each will present a brief, 3-minute overview of their awarded project (applications were due April 1, 2024) and be presented with their funding. The Elkhart Rotary Club is proud to support the wonderful missions and efforts of local not-for-profit organizations who serve our community and region. 

We will also award our 2024 Elkhart High School Scholarship.