We published several hundred business stories to the PortageLife.com Business section this year. Stories on great local businesses to the annual huge Portage Community Business Night were fair game for good news.
Have a good story to share? It is still as easy as ever to share your business story with us! Just send an email to share@portagelife.com and we’ll be on it!
Without further ado (and in no particular order), here are your Top 10 business stories in Portage from 2015!
Get to Know a Veteran: Arnell Chevy's Ben Flohr
Click here to read more!
Military veterans are everywhere. You may know some when you see them and others are hard to spot. They could be your neighbor, a barista at your local coffee shop, your insurance agent… or your car salesman.
There is a stigma that comes with the term “car salesman”, and many don’t often associate military veterans with this term. But Ben Flohr is a veteran and he sells cars for Arnell Chevrolet as a Sales and Leasing Consultant. And he’s as far from the stigma as one can get.
Local Workers for Local Jobs Strives to Support Local Businesses and Economy
Click here to read more!
Local Workers for Local Jobs’s goal is simple. Promote the use of local workers who want local jobs to build a strong local economy and in the end provide a sustainable and thriving community for everyone who lives there.
“It really is as simple as it sounds, there’s no ulterior to it,” says International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers President Jim Clarida. “It’s simple enough that even middle school students can understand the concept, by investing in local workers, we can in turn invest in local communities.”
Businesses, Communities Connect and Have Fun at Portage Community Business Night
Click here to read more!
The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce celebrated another successful evening of Northwest Indiana communities and businesses coming together and connecting at the Portage Community Business Night tonight.
The event is in its twelfth year, and its popularity has grown every year since its came to fruition.
Dan Petreikis, Harbor Buick GMC's Renaissance Man
Click here to read more!
It’s impossible to label Dan Petreikis of Harbor Buick GMC. There’s no paradigm that the Sales and Leasing Consultant fits in. Rarely do you find a bonafide “car guy” who grew up reading Road and Track while his friends read Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; who also lists his passions and hobbies as collecting old typewriters, writing short stories, and running his own Etsy shop.
And that’s for the best; the world needs more “Renaissance Dans.”
Hanna, Noland Talk NWI RDA, NICTD, Regional Cities Initiatives
Click here to read more!
In September 2015, we were privileged to welcome the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority President & CEO Bill Hanna back to the Ideas in Motion Media studios to get an update on the RDA's major economic development projects. Joining Hanna in his fourth visit was the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District CEO & General Manager Michael Noland, who has been on the job for about a year after a long career managing the Chicago suburban Metra rail lines.
The duo talked with IIMM Publisher Chris Mahlmann about not only the RDA's West Lake Corridor, but also the proposed South Shore Rail Line double-tracking proposal designed to improve track reliability and all around travel time for commuters.
Portage Township YMCA Board Names Amber Alexander CEO
Click here to read more!
A nonprofit executive with a heart for strengthening the community has been named CEO of the Portage Township YMCA. The Board of Directors for the Portage Township YMCA officially voted Amber Alexander as the CEO of the organization. Alexander has served in the Portage Township YMCA organization in a variety of roles since 2008.
“Having started as an Americorps volunteer in the summer camp program in 2008, I have been humbled and honored to serve the community of Portage with the YMCA,” said Alexander. “I believe the Portage Y is a vital part of this community with rich history in the city since 1969. I’m looking forward leading the Y deeper into the fabric of the community and making lasting, positive impact on the children and families we serve for many years to come.”
Officials Break Ground on Lake Michigan Waterfront Portage Park
Click here to read more!
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers along with Representative Pete Visclosky (IN-1) and officials from the City of Portage broke ground Wednesday afternoon at a ceremony to mark the beginning of the construction on the Lake Michigan Waterfront Portage Park project. This Waterfront Park project will be completed through a partnership between the Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Portage.
“The Corps of Engineers always appreciates these partnerships,” said Col. Christopher Drew, Chicago District Commander of the Corps of Engineers. “Lake Michigan is one of our national treasures and we are looking forward to working with this team to help restore and reconnect the ecological diversity in the area. We’ll come in and take out all the invasive species here now and help to restore the native ecosystem and environment.”
Meet Ann Berger, New Hygenist at Keary Bewick DDS
Click here to read more!
Dr. Keary Bewick has a new hygienist under his employ. Ann Berger has been in the dental field for about 25 years, and she said she came into her career because of great memories that she had when she and her brothers and sisters went to the dentist.
“We had a great hygienist that worked on us as kids and that’s how I decided what I wanted to do when I grew up,” Berger said.
Portage Chamber Of Commerce Unveils Newly Remodeled Offices On Eleanor St.
Click here to read more!
The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of their newly-remodeled office on Eleanor Street with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday afternoon. The site was previously home to the Chamber before they moved to the University Center on Central Avenue earlier this year.
“Lou (Gagliardi), who is the executive director of the Portage Economic Development Corporation, was named executive director of the Portage Chamber on June 19,” said Nancy Simpson, Office Manager with the Chamber. “The two executive committees of the Chamber and PEDCO came together and thought it would be best to join leadership so the Chamber made the switch to the University Center on June 22nd because PEDCO was already located there.”
Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce Awards Celebrate a Community Working Together
Click here to read more!
The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce held their annual Recognition Ceremony on Saturday evening at Woodland Park in Portage with the theme of ‘New Beginnings’. The Recognition Ceremony is the Chambers way of spotlighting members of the Portage community who have had a positive impact in their field and are making a difference in the community.
“We decided to go with a little more of a casual event this year,” said Lou Gagliardi, Executive Director of the Portage Chamber. “It’s a little less formal with open seating instead of assigned. We just wanted to do something different. That’s where the ‘New Beginnings’ theme comes in. I’m coming into a new position at the Chamber and we wanted to make the event different and fresh. We’ve had a great turnout this evening and the winners we’re really appreciative so that’s been exciting.”