Working to make your community the best it can be could be challenging for anyone. But someone with a lot of heart like Matt Harris proves that a passion for the people and strong dedication can take you a long way.
As President of the Board of the Portage Economic Development Corporation, Harris has always been looking for ways to give back to the community. The Portage Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is a private enterprise that works with the City of Portage to provide full service support for the development, growth, success, attraction and innovation of businesses in the community. He is also the Vice President of Accounting and Finance at MonoSol, a manufacturing company in Merrillville.
Born and raised in Portage, Harris has been involved in his community since he was young. For example, he was involved with Portage Junior Miss Softball for about 20 years as an umpire which started out as a summer job during his high school years. Fast forward a few years later, Harris was notified about an opportunity to join the Portage EDC Board and jumped at it, and about a year later, he became President.
“They knew I was looking to join some non-profit boards in the community, so I figured it would be a promising opportunity,” said Harris. “Then, late into my first year there, they asked me to take on a bigger role and lead the Board as President.”
While the Board’s main role is to provide oversight for the organization’s growth, it also has a strong partnership with the Portage Township School Corporation. The Board conducts both annual healthcare and manufacturing 360 programs where they take Portage High School students into local businesses and show them potential careers available in Northwest Indiana.
“MonoSol had a chance to participate on the manufacturing side last year, which was great to see first-hand,” said Harris. “It was an excellent opportunity to introduce students to some home-grown companies. The idea is to show them that there are opportunities in their own backyard, whether they want to go to college or not.”
In 2020, Harris hopes to bring in more Board members that are actively involved in the Portage community. Through the connections they make, he hopes to spur additional conversations about how to pave the way for the future of the city.
“The people I’ve met on the Board have been great,” said Harris. “Everybody is there for the right reasons, and they are trying their absolute best to help move the city and the organization forward.”
“Spend time in the community you are working in, even if you don’t live there. Make sure you get to know the people and local businesses. Most importantly, it is vital to maintain connections around your community.”
“In addition to his work with the Portage EDC Harris serves as Treasurer of the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City, a non-profit focused on ensuring all members of the community equal access to high quality cultural experiences, and attends Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Valparaiso where he sits on the Parish Council.”
