Indiana Chamber✓

Congrats to our board member Deana Haworth of @hironsandco on being selected as an IBJ CEO of the Year! Well deserved.

IBJ’s CEO of the Year & C-Suite Awards honor executives for the impact of their leadership—from company performance and innovation to employee engagement. Meet the leaders earning that recognition in 2026. Read the announcement: The celebration is December 2 at The Indiana Roof Ballroom. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.; the program begins at 5 p.m. Join us:

TOMORROW IN BLOOMINGTON!

The next #INAI Roadshow will take place in Bloomington this Thursday! Businesses and organizations across the Indiana Uplands are invited to connect with technical experts, university students and regional partners for a hands-on workshop to identify practical AI use cases and begin developing a project for their organization. Learn more and register:

We hope you'll join us next Thursday for an evening of celebration and insightful discussion at our 37th Annual Awards Dinner! This year’s program features Trey Gowdy of Fox News, host of "Sunday Night in America With Trey Gowdy," and Jessica Tarlov, Democratic co-host of "The Five," as featured speakers. Taking place just two days after the midterm election, the conversation will offer a rare, bipartisan perspective on the results, the national mood, and what comes next for business and public policy. Set against the backdrop of Indiana’s premier business awards event, the evening promises insight, perspective and meaningful connections at a pivotal moment for the state and nation. Register: Presented by SIHO.

RT @LiterateIndy: Halloween party in Terre Haute, 1945. (Martin's Photo Shop, Indiana Historical Society)

RT @IndSportsCorp: We're proud to advance as a finalist for the 2032-2036 NCAA Men's and Women's Final Fours. Thank you to our partners and to the @NCAA for the opportunity. On to the next round.

We're partnering with Governor Braun and the state to offer a series of FREE webinars to help Indiana businesses with succession planning. It's part of "Keep IN" – an initiative recently launched by the Governor to provide small business owners with resources and support as they plan their futures. Learn more from Gov. Braun's office: Register for our Nov. 2 webinar:

Our board member Dan Elsener (and namesake of our Dan Elsener Workforce Leader of the Year Award) spoke with our friend Gerry Dick on his latest Business & Beyond podcast. In over 25 years as Marian University's president, Elsener has led the school's ascendance in becoming a nationally recognized leader on many fronts. He recently announced plans to transition into the role of president emeritus and shares some of his experiences in this discussion. Listen:

The state of Indiana launched a new small business program on Oct. 1 regarding supplier/procurement processes. Our VP Adam H. Berry shares more: "Indiana’s approach to state contracting underwent a significant transformation this summer. Following an opinion from Attorney General Todd Rokita questioning the constitutionality of race- and sex-based contracting preferences, Gov. Mike Braun suspended the state’s Supplier Diversity Program and directed the creation of a new Indiana Small Business Program. That program officially launched October 1, shifting the state’s focus toward expanding procurement opportunities for qualifying Indiana businesses, regardless of ownership demographics. So, what does this mean for Hoosier employers?" 🧵

"IDOA has committed to providing technical assistance, training and programming to help businesses navigate the process. Those efforts will be important to ensuring the program creates genuine opportunities rather than simply another administrative requirement. There is also a broader economic development connection. According to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, 69 businesses announced plans to locate or expand in Indiana through September, collectively committing to more than 5,300 new jobs with average wages approximately 37% above the statewide average. Those figures reinforce the importance of attracting investment while also creating opportunities for existing Indiana businesses to participate in the state’s economic growth. For the Indiana Chamber, the next step is evaluating results."

"The Chamber has encouraged the administration to incorporate business feedback throughout implementation. That means looking beyond the number of certifications to examine how many businesses actually compete for contracts, secure awards and expand their operations. Ultimately, the program’s success should be measured not by how many businesses qualify to participate, but by whether more Hoosier businesses can compete, grow and succeed through the receipt of state procurement dollars. That’s an outcome worth pursuing."

Our president and CEO Vanessa Green Sinders shares how our popular Legislative Preview has been enhanced for 2027. Scheduled for Nov. 16, the event will feature caucus leaders and state department heads, and address the business community's most pressing topics to help prepare attendees for the upcoming Indiana General Assembly. Register: #inlegis

Great to see our member Haynes International, Inc, based in Kokomo, has broken ground on a $172 million expansion designed to bolster the company’s ability to supply products to customers in the aerospace and industrial gas turbine markets. It's building two new facilities — a vacuum induction melting facility and SMS rotary forge — and adding more than 100 new jobs as a result. COO Marty Losch told @IIB that the new facilities will allow Haynes to make high-performance alloy products that it historically hasn’t been able to do before. Learn more: @HaynesIntl

SUCCESSION PLANNING WEBINAR ON NOV. 2! We're excited to partner with Indiana's Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation to offer the second in a series of FREE education webinars for Hoosier business owners who are considering selling their businesses or beginning the process of succession planning. The second Zoom webinar, "Beyond the Traditional Sale: Three Unique Exit Strategies," will take place November 2 from 12 – 1 p.m. ET. It will feature the options of family office, employee ownership and entrepreneurship through acquisition. Register today:

Get your ticket or reserve your table for our 37th Annual Awards Dinner on Nov. 5! Connect with the state's top CEOs, business leaders and public officials as we honor Hoosier excellence in Indiana business, government and community. This year’s program also features CNN’s Scott Jennings, the network’s leading Republican voice, and Jessica Tarlov, Democratic co‑host of "The Five" on Fox News, as featured speakers for a timely presentation titled "The Political Pulse." Register: Presented by SIHO.

Our board member Larry Gigerich spoke with Gerry Dick of Inside INdiana Business on his latest Business & Beyond podcast about where Indiana’s economy is headed and what it will take for the state to remain competitive in the race for new investment and jobs. Gigerich is CEO of Fishers-based Ginovus, a globally recognized provider of location modeling, site selection and economic development incentive procurement and compliance management services. Listen:

MODEL EMPLOYEE POLICIES WORKSHOP: During a review of employee handbooks, the National Labor Relations Board found that many were out of compliance and some elements could be legally unenforceable. In many businesses, the employee handbook is the foundation for the employee/employer relationship. At our Model Employee Policies Workshop on Feb. 18, our highly experienced speakers will help you identify common weak points and how you can write your employee handbook to be a first line of defense against a costly lawsuit. Learn more and register: Presented by Bose McKinney & Evans LLP and sponsored by SIHO Insurance Services and Evolution Risk Partners LLC.