July 22, 2021 12:39pm
GLI invites business leaders to observe innovation in Southern Indiana
Louisville, Ky. (July 22, 2021) – Greater Louisville Inc. brought 40 business leaders to explore advancements in Southern Indiana’s River Ridge Commerce Center for Innovation Tour: Southern Indiana presented by Hollenbach-Oakley, LLC. The second annual tour included presentations and immersive experiences at companies in a variety of industries where participants gleaned insights on the importance of innovation in growing the regional economy.
The two-day tour included six stops and nine different businesses and organizations, each of which shared with participants how they are innovating within their field. Participating institutions included: America Place, Techshot, Samtec, Mister “P” Express, American Air Filter Flanders, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Render Capital, Hemprise, and River Ridge Development Authority.
Innovation Tour participants discuss the day’s presentations and brainstorm action items to drive further innovation in the region
“As the regional chamber of commerce, we know that Southern Indiana is an important and fast-growing part of our region. We are proud to support their tremendous growth through continued collaboration with our partners, One Southern Indiana and River Ridge Development Authority,” said Sarah Davasher-Wisdom, president and CEO of GLI. “This year’s Innovation Tour was a great opportunity to show off how businesses in Southern Indiana are breaking barriers and helping to position our entire region to be on the cutting edge of innovation in a variety of industries.”
The first day included presentations on Techshot’s work with the International Space Station, a driving simulator where participants tested Mister “P” Express’ state-of-the-art training facilities, and a peek into the air filtration research and development department at AAF Flanders which is working to develop products to meet ever-changing environmental demands.
Day two gave participants an overview of how Ivy Tech is adapting to train a highly skilled workforce that can meet the needs of forward-thinking companies, a look at Hemprise’s proprietary CBD technology, and a guided tour of the robust and growing River Ridge Commerce Center. Both days concluded with debrief sessions where participants brainstormed how to foster innovation and collaboration within their own companies and throughout the 15-county region.
James Clarke, vice president of information and technology at Mister “P” Express, assists Chad Deters, sales manager at Advance Ready Mix Concrete, Inc. with a driving simulator
Initial takeaways included:
- Workforce is our biggest pain point. We must spur increased education and business partnerships to address labor shortages.
- We are one community. We must advocate for increased reciprocity for tax incentives, education, and more.
- Innovation is happening locally, and it is imperative for our region’s growth. We must form strategic partnerships with innovative businesses within our own region to maximize our efforts.
- Transportation is key. We must continue advocating for increased investment for public transportation.
“We are thrilled to host GLI and their investors and give them a chance to explore all the ingenuity that is coming out of River Ridge and Southern Indiana,” said Devin Hillsdon-Smith, deputy director of River Ridge Development Authority. “Southern Indiana continues to experience unprecedented growth as a top destination for companies that are looking to explore and expand into new technologies, processes and best practices. We look forward to continue working with our friends at GLI and One Southern Indiana to maintain this strong momentum across the entire region into the future.”
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