Creating economic opportunities in a community is more than just opening a business. The Valparaiso Economic Development Corporation (VEDC) knows that providing more careers for a community really starts with creating a great place to live.
“Our goal has shifted over the years,” said Vanessa Lynch, executive vice president of economic development and operations for the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, said. “It is about quality of place and quality of life. The jobs follow the people. The better that we can make Valpo as a living destination, the more companies will follow.”
The VEDC has seen this to be true firsthand.
Recalling several key businesses that chose to relocate to Valparaiso, President and CEO of the Valpo Chamber and VEDC Rex Richards helps create this economic expansion to add to the vibrancy of the Valparaiso community.
“Before relocating here, these businesses had several of their key people live in Valpo, and they saw the quality of life here,” Richards said. “Once a building became available, these employees started working to convince their company to consider buying and moving the facility over here.”
For Jeffrey Williamson, district manager at City Electric, the choice to live and work in Valparaiso is directly related to the quality of life.
“Before we moved here, we came to the Popcorn Fest,” Williamson said. “I had to bring the family to see some downtown events and capture the culture and experience of Valparaiso.”
Experiencing Valparaiso is what kept Williamson here.
“There is always something going on downtown,” Williamson said. “The parks system is also absolutely incredible, and the downtown shopping and restaurant district is always well kept, energetic, and full of delicious restaurants to enjoy.”
Understanding all that Valparaiso had to offer was not only the reason that Williamson and his family moved. It was also a key reason for City Electric to open a location in town as well.
“After working in Lynwood, Illinois for 12 years, City Electric decided to split up territories and appoint me to Northern Indiana District Manager,” Williamson said. “At the time, my family and I were living in Mokena, Illinois. In 2019, we opened our Valparaiso location.”
This connection between work and daily life is what the VEDC works to cultivate.
“Like the old commercial said, the VEDC doesn't make the product, we make it better,” said Director of Development for the City of Valparaiso George Douglas. “The VEDC is the secret ingredient that sometimes is not as visible. We're driving that advocacy – working to create the perfect place and the opportunities.”
For the VEDC, this perfect place is created through community support. A quality school system, great parks, amazing housing opportunities, and plenty to do all work together to make Valparaiso a wonderful town for both living and working.
“The VEDC publicly goes to the meetings to speak on behalf of many projects,” Dale Clapp, VEDC board chair, said. “We recognize that those are the things that people don't see.”
One such example of this advocacy was the recent Valparaiso Community Schools referendums.
“We advocated on both occasions,” Richards said. “Both referendums were passed even though only one-third of our population has kids in the school system. The VEDC continues to work and support the improvement of our great schools.”
“We're all stakeholders in the community, not just in the board,” said Nick Sommer, owner of Century 21 Alliance and VEDC board member. “We always have that in the back of our minds — how do we continue to share and work for projects that propagate Valparaiso further and as the unique place that it is?”
The VEDC and other community groups are seeing tangible evidence of their hard work in the current real estate market.
“Many of the homes being sold in Valparaiso are from buyers who are not from Valparaiso or even Porter County for that matter,” Clapp said. “Why are they coming here? It’s because what is here in Valparaiso has real value.”
Building off this momentum, the VEDC has plans to continue on this path for the long term.
“The current VEDC board has been focused on doing something meaningful,” said Clapp. “We hope people understand that the perfect place didn't just come up. It’s not just a tagline. Valparaiso is the perfect place because of the VEDC, the city, and stakeholders working together.”
To learn more about the Valparaiso Economic Development Corporation, please visit its website.
