“Continued conversations with Chrysler’s risk management group resulted in them being comfortable (enough) with receiver management to allow their purchasing to release approximately $3.5 million worth of purchase orders and to re-instate blanket purchase orders which had been canceled,” [receiver Dennis] Kebrdle said. “The work schedules on these purchase orders extend into February 2011. One Chrysler buyer commented ‘this is the most business I have ever placed with a company in receivership.’”

Employment at the factory at 720 S. Mulberry St. continues to climb back, reaching about 85 compared to 61 in February.

The company continues to receive request for qualifications from the likes of Rolls Royce, Parker Hannifin and Pratt & Whitney.

Kokomo Gas and Fuel has filed a petition to consolidate with NIPSCO.

Senior housing developments continue to surface in Fort Wayne.

The Indianapolis Sheraton will undergo a $12 million makeover starting in November.

Farm income in Indiana is likely to be 20 percent ahead of last year, which was the second-highest farm profit year in a decade. Nationally, farm profits are expected to be 24 percent above 2009.

A 20 percent increase in farm profits would add $508 million to the state’s economy.

The recession has pushed down prices in other sectors – fertilizer and energy, for instance – which means it costs less to produce an acre of crops, said Purdue’s Christopher Hurt, professor of agricultural economics.

In addition, prices for many crops, especially wheat and corn, have increased as drought or floods in other parts of the world reduced yields, he said.

U.S. agricultural exports are expected to break the $100 billion mark this year for only the second time ever.

Caterpillar Logistics Services is planning to open a distribution center in Greenwood in December, potentially creating 140 jobs.

Graycor Industrial Constructors is choosing between two Northwest Indiana sites to consolidate some operations.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce has named Terre Haute Community of the Year.

With over 200,000 area residents each year benefitting from a program, agency or initiative funded by Lake Area United Way, local leaders say Kasmark is the right person at the right time to lead this year’s community campaign.

“Ray is deeply committed to Northwest Indiana and to United Way’s mission of creating opportunities for a better life for all,” said Dan Lowery, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Calumet College of St. Joseph and President of LAUW’s Board of Trustees. “He has a long history of volunteerism which goes beyond United Way.”

Mr. Kasmark has actively volunteered on United Way’s Board of Trustees and Allocations Committee and has served as Labor Chair. In 2006-07, he was elected Board Chair.

In addition, Mr. Kasmark is currently serving as Board Chair of Parents as Teachers of Lake County, a United Way member agency, which instructs new parents how to be their child’s first and most important teacher. He is a member of the Munster Adult Booster Club.

He recently finished his second and final term on the Board of Tradewinds Services, Inc., another United Way member agency, which serves people with mental and physical disabilities as well as actively volunteering with Rebuilding Together.

Mr. Kasmark has also served as the Vice President of the Northwest Indiana Building and Construction Trades and the Indiana Plan Statewide Board. The 52-year old labor leader is also a member of the Indiana State AFL-CIO Executive Board.

A native and graduate of Griffith High School, Mr. Kasmark earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Utah. He and his wife Teri have four children: Chauncey, Chelsy, Sam and Taylor. The family resides in Munster.

“We’re fortunate to have Ray at the helm during these challenging economic times. He has the skills, vision and drive to strengthen our community. Our campaign is in very competent hands,” said Lou Martinez, LAUW’s president.

As Campaign Chair, Mr. Kasmark will work with businesses, labor unions, and organizations to get them involved in the annual fundraising campaign.

“I strongly believe in United Way’s goal to create long-lasting change by addressing the underlying causes of the social and economic problems that confront us ,” Kasmark said. “No other organization is as well equipped to advance the common good in our community.”

“I’m very excited to be chairing this year’s campaign,” said Kasmark. “I’ve been a United Way volunteer and leadership giver for many years and know firsthand how critical the annual campaign is to the community. The needs are even greater this year.”

“As the economy continues to struggle, more and more people are hurting. People who once donated are now using United Way-funded services,” Mr. Kasmark said. “We all know someone who is using some kind of service. That’s why it’s important that everyone gives.”

This spring, Lake Area United Way announced it had surpassed its2009-10 goal of
$5 million. While this year’s goal won’t be announced until later this month, Mr. Kasmark says it’s easier than ever to support United Way.

“Most donors give through payroll deduction within their employer’s workplace campaign,” he said. “For those retired, self-employed, or who just want to make a one-time gift, we also offer credit card and online giving, or by making a cash or check contribution.”

The United Ways serving Lake and Porter Counties will announce their campaign goals for their respective communities and the region as a whole during The Big Schmooze, a special event to be held on September 16th hosted by Building Indiana magazine at Avalon Manor.

At the event, attendees will have an opportunity to bid on original works of art created by local leaders who are being recognized by the publication as the ‘Who’s Who of Northwest Indiana”. Proceeds from the event will benefit both United Ways. For reservations, call (219) 226-0300.

That’s an additional $90 million more than the investments made in all of 2009, said Jody Hamilton, director of economic development at Greater Lafayette Commerce.

The report shows Greater Lafayette is on the right track toward economic recovery, Hamilton said.

“There’s certainly more work that needs to be done with the recovery, but for the most part, it’s definitely a positive outlook in the direction that our community is heading,” she said.

Chrysler and Kokomo have resolved their property tax differences.

U.S. Steel has gotten the go-ahead to build a new coke substitute facility in Gary.

The Evansville CVB has officially endorsed a proposed sports complex.

A private company pays to install hundreds of electronic parking meters. Customers pay a higher rate for the first time in 35 years but now can pay with credit cards. The city collects $400 million over 50 years to repair crumbling streets and sidewalks.

Everyone wins, right?

The pitch from Mayor Greg Ballard’s administration is compelling. But a proposed deal to sell the city’s parking meters to Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services Inc. has the city giving up more in the long run than is immediately apparent in the talking points.

Delaware County is pursuing alternatives to a shovel ready site.

Justin Norman keeps trying to win over union workers in his bid for GM’s Indianapolis stamping plant.

Some Elkhart residents want a local recycling operation shut down.

Another fight over Indiana’s liquor laws is brewing for the 2011 legislative session.

National Guard training in Terre Haute injected about $1.1 million into the local economy.

The plans for the CTC site will allow Delphi to consolidate its engineering team into a locally centralized Delphi facility. To enable this consolidation, Delphi plans to construct a new lab building and a utility facility to support the operations on the CTC property southwest of the Lincoln Road and Goyer Road intersection.

Delphi is finalizing plans for the CTC site and the Morgan Street facility that will result in an investment of approximately $25 million.

“Delphi employs an extremely talented group of technical professionals at its Kokomo technical center and the planned investment underscores the value Delphi places in the work they perform,” said Jeff Owens, president of Delphi Electronics & Safety and executive leader of Delphi’s global engineering function. “In addition to the nearly $90 million investment Delphi announced in December, we plan further investment to consolidate Delphi’s Kokomo-based presence into the CTC site on Lincoln Road and its new manufacturing facility on Morgan Street.”

The additional investment follows the company’s announcement last December to invest $89.3 million as a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $89.3 million awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to advance the development of low-cost manufacturing of electric drive vehicles in the United States over the next three years. Delphi announced at that time that the award would support expansion of the company’s power electronics engineering capabilities and the establishment of a new manufacturing operation in Kokomo. In the eight months since the award was announced, Delphi has opened a manufacturing site in a formerly vacant industrial building located at 1501 E. Road 200 North (Morgan Street). Production began at the facility, known as Kokomo Morgan Street Operations, in July.

The DOE award recognizes Delphi’s expertise in the field of power electronics and the sophisticated electronics that control power distribution in hybrid and electric vehicles. Delphi’s experience in power electronics spans many years. Delphi engineers, many of whom are based at the Kokomo technical center, hold more than 100 patents in the field.

“The last few years have been challenging for the local community, Delphi and the general industry — and we continue to adjust our activities to competitively address global economic influences,” Owens said. “As a newly-acquired company committed to technology leadership, Delphi continues to apply its technical expertise to targeted product areas with a broad range of customers around the world. The activities performed in Kokomo in the areas of power electronics, active safety, advanced infotainment, connectivity solutions, and powertrain electronics are a vital part of Delphi’s future. The local investment supports our commitment to competitively operate in these important market segments.”

Need a great idea to promote your brand and build your business? Then join Diversified Marketing Strategies today at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville for the 2010 Idea Show.

There is no cost to attend. More than 30 national suppliers will be on hand to present the latest in promotional and wearable items, new and unique trade show giveaways and holiday gifts for client appreciation, and safety incentives for clubs, sports and organizations.

The 2010 Idea Show runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A new Courtyard by Marriott opens Wednesday in Fort Wayne.

IU has received $5 million to boost neutron research.

A trio of events is expected to drive hotel and restaurant business in Indianapolis this weekend.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative has awarded a grant of more than $630,000 to South Shore Clean Cities Inc. The nonprofit organization will manage a $1.2 million project in which older, diesel-powered marine vessels will be retrofitted with newer, more efficient and environmentally friendly technology. The remaining cost will be funded by a match from a private organization.

Carl Lisek, co-owner and vice president of Legacy Environmental Services based at the Purdue Research Park of Northwest Indiana in AmeriPlex at the Crossroads, is coordinator of South Shore Clean Cities.

“Lake Michigan’s air quality affects the health of millions of Americans,” he said. “My colleagues at South Shore Clean Cities and I are undertaking this project to help residents literally breathe easier and avoid aggravation of chronic health conditions. The EPA grant also will strengthen the state of Indiana’s reputation in developing environmentally friendly, sustainable power.”

According to an EPA news release, diesel engines annually emit 333,000 tons of soot and 7.3 million tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides. Officials at South Shore Clean Cities estimate that retrofitting two marine vessels on Lake Michigan with more environmentally friendly technology would lower annual emissions by 26 tons of carbon dioxide, 11.9 tons of nitrogen oxide and 1,200 pounds of particulate matter.

Indiana’s Manufacturing Employment Trends, from Ball State’s Center for Business and Economic Development (CBER), finds that from 1973 to 2007, counties suffering the most job losses were clustered in east central and northwest Indiana.

The top 10 counties for job losses included Lake, Marion, Madison, Allen, Vanderburgh, Grant, Howard, Delaware, St. Joseph and LaPorte. These areas suffered heavy job losses and plant closings because of a heavy concentration of facilities focusing on machinery, electronics, computers, electrical appliances and auto components, according to the study.

Meanwhile, the state’s northeastern counties experienced expansion in both employment and number of business establishments during the same time period due to having production facilities focusing on transportation equipment and fabricated metal products. These include Elkhart, Kosciusko, Dubois, Noble, Johnson, Dekalb, Lagrange, Steuben and Hamilton counties.

Advances in technology that reduce the need for large numbers of employees combined with an increase in competition have challenged all manufacturing sectors for decades, said Srikant Devaraj, CBER senior research associate and author of the study. CBER is the research arm of the Miller College of Business (MCOB).

“The productivity of manufacturing workers in the United States grew by 104.76 percent from 1987 to 2009, while employment decreased by 32.5 percent during this period, indicating that fewer workers were needed to produce the same level of output,” he said. “Unless demand grows at roughly as the same rate as productivity, job losses within a particular industry are inevitable.”

Devaraj also pointed out that changing consumer tastes for some products and loss of customers also account for some job losses.

Additionally, the study found that from 1973-2007:

• Indiana reached a highpoint in manufacturing in the late 1970s when employee levels surpassed 750,000, but the number of jobs has fallen to slightly more than 550,000 in recent years.
• Elkhart County gained the most new jobs as 22,626 positions were added, primarily in the transportation industry.
• Lake County led the state in job losses with the elimination of 67,558 employees, mostly in the metal sector.

The size of Indiana’s manufacturing operations also has changed over the years. The percentage of establishments employing 1 to 19 employees increased from 48.9 percent to 59.1 percent. This jump in small organizations could be attributed to downsizing or an increase in the number of small startup companies every year between 1973 and 2007, the study found.

For most manufacturing sectors, large establishments with 250 or more employees have decreased in number and the proportion of small companies (less than 50 employees) have increased.

“It is evident from these trends that gains in employment in one manufacturing sector did not offset the losses in other manufacturing sectors for most Indiana counties,” Devaraj said. “The size of manufacturing establishments has a shifted from large establishments to a larger number of smaller establishments. This trend has the potential to add stability to the employment base and tax base of communities.”

Indiana received the sixth-largest allocation at $23,208,985.

The grants are provided through HUD’s Disaster Recovery Enhancement Fund (DREF) and are intended to encourage states to undertake activities and long-term strategies that focus on reducing damages from future natural disasters. The DREF was established to support the long-term recovery following dozens of natural disasters in 2008.

In the past two years, HUD allocated more than $5.6 billion in disaster recovery funding through its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to these states. As a result of having received CDBG funds for those disasters, these 13 states were eligible to receive additional allocations based on the significant investment they’ve made by targeting their CDBG funds to disaster mitigation.

“An ounce of prevention today can spare communities a world of hurt tomorrow,” said Donovan. “We’re making a serious investment in our future by making certain that when disaster strikes, the impacted communities in these states can weather the storm.”

According to an independent study by the National Institute of Building Sciences, every dollar spent on disaster mitigation activities saves taxpayers $4 in future disaster recovery expenses. The 13 states that received funding through the DREF invested nearly $876 million in disaster mitigation which translates into a total anticipated return on investment of more than $3.5 billion.

To help assist with the additional cost of mitigating future risk, DREF funds can be used toward projects meeting unmet disaster recovery needs, and those that include:

• Buyout payments for homeowners living in high-risk areas;
• Optional relocation payments to encourage residents to move to safer locations;
• Home improvement grants to reduce damage risks (property elevation, reinforced garage doors and windows, etc.);
• Improving and enforcing building codes; and
• Developing forward-thinking land-use plans that reduce development in high-risk areas.

HUD is awarding DREF grants to the following states:

• Iowa: $84,126,989
• Texas: $67,949,391
• Louisiana: $32,487,882
• Florida: $26,616,675
• Illinois: $23,517,970
• Indiana: $23,208,985
• Wisconsin: $15,276,319
• California: $15,000,000
• Puerto Rico: $12,000,000
• Mississippi: $5,438,712
• Missouri: $5,000,000
• Kentucky: $500,000
• Georgia: $480,000
• Total: $311,602,923