We posted several hundred positive stories and informational articles to the PortageLife Business pages this year, our most ever! With GOOD stories across all areas of business LIFE, we covered business development, staff development and motivation, real estate, automotive, legal and job openings!
It’s easy as ever to share your business story with us too! Just send us an email at share@portagelife.com and we can get started today.
Without further ado (and in no particular order), here are the Top 10 PortageLife Business Stories of 2013!
2014 Legislative Preview Shows Promise for the Coming Year
The Duneland Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Indiana Forum partnered together to present this year’s legislative preview. The event took place at the Forum Auditorium at 9am with networking and followed with a recap of the enacted legislation of 2012 and 2013 by Kevin Brinegar, President of the Indiana State Chamber.
Brinegar presented on key topics such as taxes, local government reform, and environmental policy. 2014 will see the kickoff of a water resource plan.
Students Learn Financial Responsibility with REGIONAL Federal Credit Union Student Branches
REGIONAL Federal Credit Union knows how important it is to get high school students, even at an age as young as 14, to learn how to manage their money. The credit union has been helping students learn about financial responsibility, partnering with Portage High School for 23 years.
Every Thursday, the credit union sets up a booth in both the East and West Cafeterias during the three lunch periods to allow students to manage their money.
Manufacturing Jobs Subject of Discussion at Annual Economic Meeting
On Wednesday, December 4th, the Portage Economic Development Corporation held their annual meeting at Woodland Park. Aside from discussing the many advancements the city of Portage has made over the past year, the meeting centered on a very important topic.
The topic discussed focused on providing new and interesting employment opportunities for youths who would otherwise seek employment outside of Portage. Jim Fitzer, the Executive Director of the Portage Economic Development Corporation, introduced the topic of manufacturing career opportunities.
Live Blog: 2013 SSCVA-NWIndianaLife.com Tech Summit
Speros Batistatos gives us at Ideas in Motion Media a very warm welcome along with today’s other participants. He also thanks Luke Weinman, CTO of the SSCVA and one of the coordinators of today’s event, for putting everything together and gives him kudos on a job well done on their recent growth in the online real estate market.
One nice line of Speros’ introduction was about the South Shore CVA’s expansion in their target market. To paraphrase: “We don't see county lines because our customers don’t see county lines. No one cares whether you’re on one side of the line between Newton County and Jasper County.” This dovetails nicely into the Summit’s first presentation, Fair Oaks Farms.
Deep Portage Roots Define Culture of Reeder's Auto Service Center
When Portage residents drop by Reeder’s Auto Service Center on Central Avenue in Portage, they are serviced by a hard-working team that reflects the culture that the family owned and operated business has established over the last 50 years.
The company is a family affair, operated by Jeff Reeder and his two sons, Jeremy and Jake Reeder. Jeff’s father established the businesses in 1962. It moved to its current location in 1993.
Take Your Business Further with a Social Media Manager
As technology continues to be the main source of communication for many, there are those who are still getting the hang of the tools at their disposal. It wasn’t long ago that advertising and news came in the form of ink and paper that landed on our front stoop every morning. Coupons, special events, sales, and other promotions were to be found within the confines of our local newspaper. Now that still happens, but most of us just look to our computer screens or cell phone apps to find out what the world has to say.
How has this affected businesses? Some have embraced the change, taking to social media and electronic communication like a fish takes to water. Others… not so much. Whether it’s lack of technological knowhow, resources, motivation or time; some businesses have yet to utilize social media and its modern brethren to their fullest potential.
Rhame & Elwood Employee Spotlight: Patrick McEuen
Although Patrick McEuen is still a relatively new face at Rhame & Elwood in Portage, he is a seasoned veteran when it comes to the practice of law. McEuen, who joined the Rhame & Elwood team a year ago, is in his 20th year of law.
“It’s gone by very quickly,” he said. “I just woke up one day and I said, ‘Wow, this is my 20-year anniversary of the practice of law.'”
Portage Businesses Love Connecting with the Community at PCBN Event
On Thursday, April 18th, Portage's Woodland Park was packed with businesses and community members alike as the 10th Annual Portage Community Business Night event gave attendees the chance to connect with many of the businesses and organizations serving Northwest Indiana.
We visited with many of the businesses that had booths set up to relay some information about wht they do, and we asked them to share a bit about their organization and why they love the annual PCBN event!
Ideas in Motion Media Announces Upgraded Photo Section through Smugmug
Ideas in Motion Media announce an upgraded photo section starting December 4th, 2013 on their ValpoLife.com, PortageLife.com, LaPorteCountyLife.com and NWIndianaLife.com online communities.
The upgrade will give the web pages a cleaner, more polished look and feel in its’ design, built on a more responsive framework that will be more compatible on devices of all kinds.
What It's Like to Work at the Portage 16 IMAX Theater
At age 16, most teenagers find themselves in the position to look for a job to enter the workforce. I found that in the Portage 16 IMAX. Having been my first and only job for the last six and half years, until Ideas in Motion Media recently, I have experienced anything and everything you could imagine from working at a movie theater.
The atmosphere is great. You are surrounded by movies and people who love movies everyday. I have a strong passion for movies, so being able to talk to customers and co-workers about that everyday is definitely a perk. The film industry is extremely fast-paced because movies come and go on a weekly basis. This can create a stressful environment, but when customers and the staff are having a good time it makes the job all the more fun.