The camaraderie between Portage EDC board members was in full swing during a group outing to U.S. Steel Yard, home of the Gary SouthShore Railcats on Thursday, June 23. Board members gathered on the party deck of the stadium for food, friendships, and fun.
“It's just a fun casual event, an opportunity for people to get together and get to know each other. Portage EDC is run by a volunteer board. We were looking for an opportunity for our board members to have a casual get-together and bring their spouses or significant others and celebrate together,” said Executive Director Andy Maletta.
The Portage EDC works with a myriad of developmental organizations within the city. Because of the diversity of the group, it’s not always easy to connect with everyone on the board or in the corporation. For some, an outing like this was exactly what they needed to get to know other board members they may not regularly talk to otherwise.
“We are very diverse. There’s a lot of stuff going on. There are a lot of developers, a lot of city officials, and a lot of career development. It gives these corporations the chance to just talk and get to know each other and have conversations, camaraderie, and the chance to come together outside of the actual boardroom,” said Board President Justin Mount.
MonoSol, a partner of the Portage EDC, sponsored the outing. They have been heavily involved with the EDC for years, and MonoSol Vice President of Finance and Accounting Matt Harris also serves as vice president of the board.
With plenty of food and drinks, the outing was sure to be a success. Attendees traded the boardroom for a baseball game and enjoyed the chance to engage in lively conversation with fellow board members.
“This is our outing to get to know each other in an informal setting. We’re connecting on a much more casual basis with the other members and getting to know them a little bit more,” said EDC member Ralph Mundt.
This is the EDC’s first casual outing, but members of the board are optimistic that it won’t be the last. With the addition of a subcommittee focused on events, more outings are on the horizon.
“We now have a subcommittee that handles events such as this, so hopefully, there'll be more,” said Mundt.
For attendee Carla Houch the outing was not only a way to spend more casual time with her coworkers, but also an emotionally gratifying experience. She was overjoyed to spend time at the RailCats’ stadium, a place that reminds her of her family and childhood.
“I haven’t been here in a long time. It’s just like a little hidden gem in our community,” said Houch.
Board members and guests alike were grateful for the opportunity to spend time with each other during a night full of excitement, great weather, and even better company.
“It’s a great stadium, a great board, and a great night,” said Mount.
To learn more about the Portage EDC and its mission to better the City of Portage, visit https://www.portagein.org/home.
