EPD Activity Report: August 17, 2013EPD Activity Report: August 17, 2013
The Evansville Regional Business Committee: River City Illuminati or Just Good Ol’ Boys?
The Evansville Regional Business Committee: River City Illuminati or Just Good Ol’ Boys?
by: Brad Linzy
There has been a lot of talk lately in CCO comments about an organization called the Evansville Regional Business Committee (ERBC). I must admit, before these comments began to proliferate I had not heard of this organization. Intrigued, I decided to do a little research. Wow! What an amazing coalition of talented, successful, and wealthy individuals! I’m sure with all these people working together under one roof, Evansville – her elections, construction projects, and long term fiscal situation – is in great hands!
So little seems to be known about this group, and since they don’t have a website or any other compiled information other than the odd business listing, I decided to compile profiles on each member and an overview of their mission statement. Where applicable, profiles have been copied from reputable business websites like Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. These are the “movers and shakers†of Evansville. Meet your ERBC (current as of 2011).
Primary Stated Purpose:
“The EBRC Inc. has been formed to improve and promote the business and commercial climate and conditions in the Evansville, Indiana Regional Area. “[1]
Program Service Accomplishments:
“The company engages business leaders in a collaborative effort to improve the economic vitality and quality of life in the regional area by advocating policy direction and encouraging appropriate projects and investment. “[1]
Ed Hafer, President
Appointed by Winnecke as President of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission. Former head of Hafer Associates, an Evansville architecture and design firm responsible for the design of, among other projects, The Ford Center, Swonder, Evansville Regional Airport, CMOE, The Victory Theatre Renovation, Vectren Building, Berry Plastics, Casino Aztar Hotel Renovation, Holly’s House, Deaconess Gateway Hospital, Welborn Clinic, and much of the USI campus. In 2011, Hafer was the only EBRC officer to receive a salary. It was $83,000.[1][2]
Andrew E. Goebel, Vice President and Treasurer
Director of South Central Communications Corp. Director of Indiana Gas Co. Inc. Director at Old National BanCorp. Member of Board of Trustees at UE. Director of SIGCORP, Inc. Director of SIGECO. [3]
Susan Albertson, Secretary
Employee of Vectren. Resident of Newburgh. Was a Community Impact Volunteer with the United Way of Southwest Indiana in 2009.
Alan Braun, Chairman
Independent Director at Old National Bancorp, VP at Tri-State Refractories Corp., President at Industrial Equipment, Inc., and President at Burch & Lamb, Inc. Director at Old National Bancorp, Koch Enterprises, Inc., Old National Bank and Industrial Contractors Skanska, Inc. [4]
Robert L. Koch II, Director
Director of SIGECO, SIGCORP. President and Chief Executive Officer of Koch Enterprises, Inc. Previously a director of Fifth Third Bancorp. Retired in 2011. [5]
John N. Daniel Jr., Director
President and CEO of Fifth Third Bank. Serves on several Boards including the Chamber of Commerce of Southwestern Indiana, University of Evansville, and Holly’s House. [6]
Frederick W. Geissinger, Director
CEO and President of American General Finance Inc., at SunAmerica Financial Group Inc., since 1995. Also Chief Executive Officer of Springleaf REIT Inc. [7]
Robert G. Jones, Director
CEO and President of Old National BanCorp.. Director at Vectren, Director at Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Former Executive VP of KeyCorp and CEO of KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. [8]
Mark L. Lemond, Director
Shoe Carnival President and Chief Executive Officer. [9]
Jack D. Pate, Director
President and Publisher at Evansville Courier & Press. [10]
John C. Schroeder, Director
President and CEO of Wabash Plastics, Inc. and Crescent Plastics, Inc. Board of Trustees at UE. [11]
Michael Walsh, Director
VP of Manufacturing & Engineering at SABIC, Innovative Plastics Business Unit. [12]
James Jeffrey Jobe, Director
Senior VP-Global Supply Chain at Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. Director at Evansville Industrial Foundation, Inc. [13]
Ronald D. Romain, Director
President, Owner, and CEO of United Companies. CEO and President at Romain Buick Inc., United Leasing, Inc. and Professional Transportation, Inc. Treasurer of St. Mary’s Medical Center, Inc. Director of American Community Bancorp, Inc., St. Mary’s Medical Center, Inc., Welborn Baptist Foundation, Signature School Foundation, and Bank of Evansville. [14]
Linda White, Director
Director Old National Bank. President and CEO for Deaconess Health System, Inc. Director at Deaconess Hospital, Deaconess Health System, Indiana Hospital Association, VHA Central, and Boys & Girls Club. Board of Trustees at UE. [15]
Timothy A. Flesch, Director
CEO and President of St. Mary’s Medical Center, Inc. CFO and Executive VP of St. Mary’s Health System. Former VP of Finance at Ascension Health and Daughters of Charity Health. Director of First Bancorp of Indiana Inc. and First Federal Savings Bank. Director of St. Mary’s Medical Center, Inc. [16]
Ed Hemmersbach, Director
VP at Alcoa. Director at Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Advisory Board at UE. [17]
Daniel S. Hermann, Director
President and CEO of Ameriqual Packaging. Director of Boys & Girls Club. Served on Vanderburgh Airport Authority Board. Formerly President and COO Black Beauty Coal. [18]
Norman Bafunno III, Director
President Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, Inc. [19]
Carl L. Chapman, Director
President, Chairman and CEO at Vectren Corporation. CEO and President of Vectren Utility Holdings, Inc. He worked for Arthur Andersen & Company and IEI Investments. Chairman of ProLiance. Since 1996, he served as Chairman of the Board Citizens Gas and Coke Utility that is the largest transporter of natural gas on the Panhandle and Texas Gas pipelines. He holds Vice Chair of Reliant Services. Director of Utilicom Networks, LLC and Vectren Energy Services Corporation. [20]
Dr. Jonathan D. Rich, Director
Chairman and CEO at Berry Plastics Corporation and Berry Plastics Group Inc. President of Eliokem SAS. Director of Berry Plastics Corporation and Berry Plastics Group Inc. Director at Members Trust Company, an investment management firm. [21]
Sources
1: http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/030/030408032/030408032_201112_990EO.pdf
2: http://www.haferassociates.com/usi-rice-library.php
3: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=411210&privcapId=3154920&previousCapId=293447&previousTitle=OLD%20NATIONAL%20BANCORP
4: http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/onb/insiders?pid=29837
5: http://www.forbes.com/profile/robert-koch/
6: http://www.zoominfo.com/p/John-Daniel/19065130
7: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=250271&privcapId=250265&previousCapId=1598673&previousTitle=Third%20Security,%20LLC
8: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=329434&ticker=ONB
9: http://www.forbes.com/profile/mark-lemond/
10: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=10544435&privcapId=1074423&previousCapId=1074423&previousTitle=Evansville%20Courier%20Company,%20Inc.
11: http://artsinstitutefund.wikispaces.com/file/view/WNIN+CCG+2012+UE+Board+of+Directors+and+Trustees+2011-12.pdf
12: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-walsh/46/b37/99
13: http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/mjn/insiders?pid=53583763
14: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=22236138&privcapId=26535296&previousCapId=11756782&previousTitle=AMERICAN%20COMMUNITY%20BANCORP
15: http://www.forbes.com/profile/linda-white/
16: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=8072324&privcapId=4079932&previousCapId=400787&previousTitle=FIRST%20BANCORP%20OF%20INDIANA%20INC
17: http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Ed-Hemmersbach/1169312004
18: http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Daniel-Hermann/1229546504
19: http://pressroom.toyota.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=2218
20: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=1096524&ticker=VVC
21: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=1147737&privcapId=44916553
Indiana State Police Win Plane Pull Competition
|
Indianapolis- Earlier today a team of Indiana State Troopers participated in a plane pull at Indianapolis Weir Cook International Airport for charity and won their division. Over 90 teams with a maximum of 20 participants per team participated in today’s competition to raise money for Special Olympics Indiana. There were six different divisions including a Public Safety Division consisting of 26 teams of police, fire, and EMS personnel. Each team was timed as it attempted to pull a Fed Ex Airbus 757 weighing approximately 164,000 pounds, 12 feet. The Indiana State Police Team (Integrity) won the Public Safety Division by pulling the plane the 12 foot distance in 5.63 seconds. Today’s event raised over 180,000 dollars for Special Olympics Indiana. |
Tri-State Genealogical Society Meeting
Tuesday September 10 2013 6:30 PM
 Willard Library – Bayard Room on the Second Floor
Monthly Meeting
A drawing for an attendance prize will be awarded at the close of the meeting… you must be present to win.
The Tri-State Genealogical Society will have a brief business meeting followed by our program:
TSGS has announced that the program will feature Retired USI Professor Larry Goss. He will explain “How to Search Your Thumb Drive of the TSGS Archives”. Many of us have stacks of the Tri-State Packet (Our Quarterly) and will remember an article that we would like to reread but don’t want to go through the stack. The thumb drive archive will make it much easier and we will have access to all of the issues from the past 30 years.  The technological changes that have occurred in storage technology have made it much easier in this day and age.  Ask him questions… so you will understand the full impact of what this will mean to you.  Mark this date and time on your calendar!
Thumb drives will be available for purchase.
This is a program you don’t want to miss. The time has come for us to take full advantage of what this storage method has to offer. We are expecting a big crowd.  We are looking forward to seeing you at this meeting and enjoying a very interesting and informative program.
You do not have to be a member to come and participate at the society’s monthly meetings (except, no meetings in July and August).
Zoeller unveils new website aimed at fighting Rx drug abuse
BitterPill.IN.gov is one-stop-shop resource for Hoosiers and medical community
Information about prescription drug abuse – including how to recognize signs and symptoms and where to find help – is now a click away.
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller and the Indiana Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force teamed up today at the Indiana State Fair to launch www.BitterPill.IN.gov. This comprehensive website is part of an upcoming statewide public awareness campaign targeting Indiana’s prescription drug abuse epidemic.
According to the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), 718 Hoosiers died from accidental drug overdoses in 2011, compared to 654 deaths the year before. More people abuse prescription drugs in the U.S. than cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and inhalants combined, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
“Statistics show that abuse and misuse among all age groups is a serious problem in Indiana and that’s a bitter pill for our state to swallow,†Zoeller said. “Whether you are seeking ideas on how to talk to your teenager about whether they are abusing prescription drugs, searching for help for yourself or a loved one or just want to know how to properly dispose of your unwanted medications, this new website serves as a one-stop shop. I believe consumers need to be armed with information and the right resources so we can try to put an end to this epidemic.â€
Zoeller said www.Bitterpill.IN.gov served as an official State Fair sponsor on Friday in attempt to educate more Hoosiers about prescription drug abuse. Chief Medical Officer at ISDH, Dr. Joan Duwve, serves with Zoeller as co-chair of the task force and said public awareness is a critical component to tackling this statewide problem.
“We have to recognize prescription drug abuse for the serious problem that it is,†said Duwve. “According to the 2011 Indiana Youth Risk Behavior Survey, one in five Hoosier high school students has used controlled substances without a prescription. Teens have easy access to most of these drugs because they are commonly prescribed and end up in the home medicine cabinet. What is perceived as a ‘safe’ high, because a doctor prescribed it, too often ends up being deadly.â€
In addition to learning more about the efforts of Indiana Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force, Zoeller said the top five features of www.BitterPill.IN.gov include:
- Knowing the dangers:Â Learn about the consequences of misuse and abuse of prescription drugs and what impact this epidemic has had on Indiana;
- Dealing with addiction:Â Familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse in all ages. Access talking points to use when speaking with family or friends when you suspect a problem, and obtain information about treatment resources and referrals;
- Proper prescription disposal: Learn how to dispose of your unwanted or expired medications in way that protects the environment and ensures they don’t wind up in the wrong hands;
- Clinical resources:Â Access information written by Hoosier physicians which can help ensure optimal treatment with regards to commonly misused and abuse medications; and
- Reporting illegal activities:Â Learn how to report illegal activities whether it involves a physician, friend or someone else you know.
Zoeller was also joined by local health officials today for the website’s launch who shared in the state’s concern for the growing number of accidental deaths related to prescription drug overdoses.
“Adults and adolescents have the perception that prescription drugs are not as harmful as illegal drugs because they come from doctors,†said Virginia A. Caine, M.D., director of the Marion County Public Health Department. “Since 1999, more women are dying from prescription drug abuse than from cervical cancer or homicides, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also, prescription drug abuse has increased among men, with the highest rate of abuse among young adults ages 18 to 25.â€
Zoeller said his office and the task force will be announcing more details about the statewide public awareness campaign later this month. Consumers can receive updates on the efforts to fight prescription drug abuse by “liking†Zoeller’s Facebook page or by following him on Twitter @INATTYGENERAL.
In 2012, Zoeller launched the task force made up of state legislators, law enforcement, members of the medical community, health officials, pharmacists, state and local agencies and education providers. The goal of the task force is to significantly reduce the abuse of controlled prescription drugs and to decrease the number of deaths associated with these drugs in Indiana.
The task force made recommendations to the state Legislature for new rules, regulations and state statutes. Stemming from its recommendations is a new law which requires an owner of a clinic that prescribes, dispenses or administers controlled substances to obtain an Indiana Controlled Substance Registration (CSR) for each facility they own, if they don’t otherwise hold a CSR.
The new law also calls on the Medical Licensing Board, through new rule making procedures, to allow the Attorney General’s office to move more quickly in taking enforcement action against practitioners who overprescribe and obtain records for its investigation. Zoeller said his office and other stakeholders are being careful to make recommendations that include appropriate due process protections that balance consideration of physicians’ right and business operation needs, while still providing effective tools that will enhance the ability to protect the public.
Since January 2012, Zoeller’s office has taken action against more than 15 doctors for prescribing addictive painkillers outside of what is considered medically appropriate.
Hunden Study Projects only 41 Full Time Jobs at Hotel: Mayor Claims 250, How Can this Be?
This is from table 25 on page 31 of the Hunden Study that the Winnecke Administration paid over $100,000 for.
Net New FTE Jobs Actual
From Direct 41 (at the hotel)
From Indirect 14 (contractors working for hotel)
From Induced 15 (at other businesses in the downtown)
Total 70
The obvious question is given that the 41 direct jobs projected that the hotel will create at stabilization which is defined as 3 years after opening where did Mayor Winnecke come up with his claim of 250 jobs at the hotel? After all his claim is a mere 510% higher than the study he paid over $100,000 for projected.
Hunden also estimated the jobs that will be created by the construction project and once again Mayor Winnecke’s claim of 800 is not based on this expensive study, it is from la-la land. Assuming an 18 month construction time the 414 job years projected by Hunden would translate into 276 full time equivalent jobs for a period of 18 months. Mayor Winnecke’s claims are 189% higher with no corroborating study to back them.
From the Hunden Study.
“For the 240-room limited service plus model, the total impact from materials spending is projected to be $23.2 million. Earnings are projected to be more than $32 million, leading to 414 job-years, or one job for one year.”
Protecting Indiana’s abused and neglected childrenâ€
| Our journey to protect Indiana’s abused and neglected children has resumed again this summer.
At the end of July, I took part in the first meeting of the Child Services Oversight Committee, the group created by the Indiana General Assembly last session as part of the reforms designed to correct the mess at the state’s Department of Child Services (DCS). I have had several opportunities to meet with Mary Beth Bonaventura, the new DCS director, and I must tell you that I can say things are changing in the way that the agency operates these days. Rather than be an adversary to our efforts to protect Hoosier children, they are working with state and local officials to get things done the right way. In the July meeting, Mary Beth and other DCS officials identified three areas of improvement in the coming months:
What is heartening is that these goals are shared by many of us who have seen this system stagnate through the years. I truly feel that we are on the right path. But even though the signs of improvement are there, we were also reminded that our task is not a simple one. As the oversight committee began to meet, a report was issued that shows Indiana ranks third in the nation in infant mortality. This article demonstrates that dramatic changes still are needed to our child protection systems. We need greater diligence to investigate the causes of these tragedies and come up with the solutions that will end them. This is why we spent so much time last summer and this past session on the state’s new child fatality review committee. This new process ensures local reviews of reports of death, abuse and neglect, which means local officials with the best knowledge of the situations will have the chance to take a look at what happened. It takes advantage of the expertise of people like county prosecutors, and enables those folks to have greater input on decisions that can save lives. We are not done with our task, but I feel the signs are encouraging that we actually can have a state where children are never abused or neglected. |
VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, August 15, 2013.
Douglas Killian Assisting a Criminal –Class D Felony
John Scales Operating a Vehicle as an Habitual Traffic Violator-Class D Felony
Darrell Wall Jr Possession of Marijuana-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to D Felony Due to Prior Convictions)
Driving While Suspended-Class A Misdemeanor
Andrew Olson Theft-Class D Felony
Jonas Olson Theft-Class D Felony
For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Kyle Phernetton at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at KPhernetton@vanderburghgov.org
Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
A Summer Country Night with Charlie Worsham
It was another “up-and-comers†night to shine Thursday at the Victory Theatre when Charlie Worsham, Chris Stapleton and Eric Burgett continued the Victory’s inaugural Summer Country Nights concert series. With Charlie Worsham getting ready to debut his first album next week, his devoted fans already were singing with him during all of his songs. Chris Stapleton, who has had four number one songs recorded by Darius Rucker, Kenny Chesney and George Straight, got the audience rocking and ready for Charlie Worsham to bring down the house.
“We are pleased to see the support of Evansville for our inaugural Summer Country Nights concert series,†said Victory Theatre General Manager Ben Bolander. “It is an honor to have hosted Charlie Worsham’s first headlining venue, as his up and coming career will bring many more headlining tours to come.â€
The Summer Country Nights at the Victory series, presented by VenuWorks and 93.5 The Wolf, concludes with No Justice on September 13. Tickets for No Justice can be purchased from the Ford Center ticket office or Ticketmaster.com.
The Victory Theatre continues an active summer and fall schedule with upcoming shows that include Philip Lawrence September 14, Tommy Emmanuel September 20, Creed Bratton September 21, Bob and Tom Comedy Tour October 5 and Don Williams October 17.
Preparing Hoosiers for success
As many of you know, this year was a “long session†because it was a budget year. The state’s 2014-2015 budget dominated much of the conversation and received the most attention – appropriately so as the dollars and cents divided between different state agencies and government responsibilities is critical to their functionality. We have a great Ways and Means team, the committee that puts forth the budget for the entire General Assembly to confer on. The committee works incredibly hard to ensure Indiana lives within its means and focuses on the everyday Hoosier.
The budget supported one of our biggest accomplishments this session, the Indiana Career Council (ICC). With unanimous support from both chambers, this 16 member council is tasked with aligning the various participants in the state’s educational, job skills and career training system in a way which best serves Hoosiers.
Indiana is experiencing growth at such a rapid rate that Hoosier companies who are ready to hire are having trouble finding enough qualified applicants to fill available jobs. With unemployment still hovering around 8 percent, this council aims to do more to address this so-called “skills gap†facing Hoosiers, so they can get the skills they need and get back to work. To highlight the shortfall, sixty-seven percent of manufacturing companies in Indiana are reporting shortages of qualified workers. Of those, over half of them anticipate that percentage to increase over the next three years.
The Legislature, and those who are on the council, are working to reverse this trend. A trained and educated workforce is critical for remaining competitive with neighboring states and attracting businesses to Indiana. Recognizing this, the council was formed to provide greater consistency between what is being provided by the education and skills training programs in Indiana and the state job market’s existing and future needs.
With nearly one-third of the state’s workforce lacking the necessary skills to succeed in our economy, one of the ICC’s most important tasks will be in addressing the shortage of qualified workers for current employment opportunities. A large part of this is simply ensuring that people know what training opportunities are available to them. To make this as straightforward as possible, the ICC will create a system that makes it easy for people seeking job training to go to a central location that details all of the training opportunities available to them.
Currently, there are numerous entities that all play a role in training Indiana’s workforce. These include the Department of Work Force Development (DWD), Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and colleges like Ivy Tech. The ICC includes members from these entities in
addition to representatives of the manufacturing and business sectors and members of the Legislature, allowing them to all come to the same table and coordinate the best practices for producing a successful workforce.
In May, Chief Executive magazine released their annual “Best & Worst States†survey. Indiana ranks 1st in the Midwest and 5th in the nation. As our pro-business environment continues to encourage businesses to locate and expand here, I anticipate that the ICC will prove to be an invaluable resource in our attempts to bridge the skills gap and tackle underemployment. It is imperative that people coming out of Indiana’s education and workforce development programs have the necessary skills to find employment in Indiana’s job market.
Job opportunities are essential to our state’s continued success and so is a highly educated workforce ready to meet those opportunities. By bringing together the principal stakeholders in today’s market, we are helping to ensure that Hoosier workers have the tools they need to succeed in today’s globally dynamic marketplace. In doing so, I believe that we are securing a strong state for many years to come.