WNIT's Economic Outlook

At the Women’s Business Center in Berrien County, they are helping women, people of color, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals start and grow businesses in Southwest Michigan. We’ll take a closer look at their work and share some lessons learned from their success, coming up on Economic Outlook.

He’s a Hoosier Native, and CEO of one of Indiana’s largest companies with over 12,000 employees, the Cook Medical Group, a leader in the medical device industry. We’re hearing today from Pete Yonkman, as he shares more about the responsibility companies have to improve the communities where they operate, coming up on Economic Outlook.

A new tourist attraction on South Bend’s west side at US 31 and US 20 is on the way, and is expected to be a major employer, and will attract more than 100,000 annual visitors. We’re taking a closer look at the plans for the Indiana Dinosaur Museum, Chocolate Factory, and Chocolate Museum, and a number of other amenities that you’ll soon be able to enjoy, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The $15 billion Youth Sports travel industry is impacting communities across the country and Our region is winning big on that travel, with youth sports being the fastest-growing sector of visitors coming to the region. We’ll take a closer look at the impact of those travelers, coming up on Economic Outlook.

A group of diverse public, private, and not-for-profit leaders in Southwest Michigan have come together to identify and advocate for transformational initiatives in Berrien County that will help drive community and economic growth and improve the quality of life. You’ll hear first-hand from a couple of the key leaders from that effort, and we’ll hear about the progress they’re making, coming up on Economic Outlook.

In the past, we’ve taken you downtown Mishawaka for a look at some of the exciting redevelopment that has happened on the former Uniroyal site. In December, a major new attraction opened on the site. We’ll give you a firsthand look at the improvements and talk about what’s next, coming up on Economic Outlook.

For decades, US 31 has been a vital transportation corridor for our region. In 2022, several major improvements occurred that made the trips north and south, faster, and safer! We’ll take a closer look at those improvements and talk about what’s next for the corridor, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The housing market has changed dramatically over the last few years, as rising interest rates, and the lack of available housing threatens to slow community growth. We’re taking a deep dive into the housing industry, coming up on Economic Outlook.

Annually, more than 81 million visitors come to explore Indiana, and those visitors spend over $13.2 billion in the Hoosier State. We’re taking a closer look this week at Tourism in Indiana, with a focus on the State’s new IN Indiana campaign, coming up on Economic Outlook.

2021 was a record year for the RV industry and 2022 is on pace to be the second or third best year on record for RV Shipments. We’re taking a deep dive into the RV industry and talking about why it’s such a critical driver for the local economy, coming up on Economic Outlook.

Power companies are looking to decommission dirty, less-efficient coal-fired plants. In their place, state-of-the-art natural gas-powered facilities are being built to provide more reliable, affordable and cleaner solutions to support our growing energy needs. We’ll take a look at one of those projects, the new Indeck Niles Energy Center and talk about what it means for the community, coming up on Economic Outlook.

A chip is a small piece of silicon that contains circuitry that allows it to perform a specific function. Chips are used in everything from phones and computers to cars and medical devices. But growing demand and a worldwide chip shortage in 2022 have slowed growth in many industries. We’ll take a closer look at the Chip shortage, how it impacts you, and what is being done to stop it, coming up on Economic Outlook.

After five years, four phases, numerous fund raisers and a supporting cast of, well, hundreds, the REES Theatre has reopened in downtown Plymouth to rave reviews. We’ll tell you how the community got to this important day and why it was such a critical project for the area, and we’ll give you a look inside the renovated space, coming up on Economic Outlook.

Once threatened by the wrecking ball and now the cornerstone of a vibrant arts and entertainment district, the Morris Performing Art Center in South Bend, now in its 100th year, is getting a bit of a facelift with some $30 million of improvements planned for the facility. We’ll dive deeper into what those plans look like and tell you more about what you can expect when you next go to see a show, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The South Bend – Elkhart Regional Development Authority recently awarded $40 million in READI grant funds to 19 Quality of Place projects in the region that will be leveraged to infuse $465 million of total investment. We’ll dive deeper into how that program will impact our communities, coming up on Economic Outlook.

This week we’re kicking off our new season with a familiar face, Economic Outlook Co-Host George Lepeniotis. George and I will sit down for a look ahead at the coming season and look back at some key stories we’ve brought you before, coming up on Economic Outlook.

Pickleball is an up-and-coming sport that is on its way to becoming one of America’s favorite racquet (paddle) sports. It’s considered to be one of the fastest-growing sports in America in the last decades. We’re going to take a look at why and dive deeper into the economic impact of the sport, coming up on Economic Outlook.

Communities across the country are in a battle grow, retain, and attract new population. It’s often a key factor in assessing the health of a community or area. We’re taking a deep dive into population growth, including a historical perspective and a look at what the numbers are telling us, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The State of Michigan legalized marijuana in 2018 and in the years that have followed we have communities in our region have seen significant growth in that industry. We’re talking about the Marijuana industry and its impact on the regional economy, coming up on Economic Outlook.

We continue our conversation on Indoor Farming/Agriculture.

Indiana has long been known as an Agriculture state. But a new $178 million indoor growing facility proposed for South Bend’s south side has brought a lot of attention to a different way to farm, indoor farming. This presents a number of economic opportunities for our region. We’re talking agriculture, and in particular indoor farming, coming up on Economic Outlook.

Small Modular Reactors, or SMR’s, are the next evolution of nuclear energy. They are a type of nuclear reactor used for power generation. While they’ve existed for more than 50 years, interest in the use of the technology is now growing in the industry and around the world. We’ll dive deeper into SMR’s and look at the pros and cons of their use, coming up on Economic Outlook.

We continue our conversation on Truck Driver Shortage/Long Haul Issues.

Major supply chain issues are impacting nearly every industry, with driver shortages being largely to blame. The American Trucking Association estimates the shortage at 80,000 workers and growing to 160,000 by 2030. We’ll take a closer look at those challenges and what is being done to help solve the problem, coming up on Economic Outlook.

Workforce shortages have companies seeking to automate more of their practices to make up for the lack of labor force. But it is also creating new job opportunities in our region. We’ll take a closer look at automation and how its transforming local companies, and where workers might find the training they need to work in this new environment, coming up on Economic Outlook.

Major changes are happening in the automotive industry, with all the large automakers announcing major shifts to electric vehicles in the coming years. We’ll take a deeper dive into that trend, talk about commercial applications for that shift, and look at what’s happening locally and nationally coming up on Economic Outlook.

On this episode:

· Bernard Swiecki, Director of Automotive Communities Partnerships, Center for Automotive Research

Watch the show on PBS Michiana - WNIT Tuesday's at 7pm or anytime on our website: wnit.org

The pandemic saw a boom in new black owned businesses, the largest surge in the last quarter century. This week will sit down with some black business leaders/entrepreneurs to talk more about why that is and some of the resources available to those considering starting a business, coming up on Economic Outlook.

On this episode: 

· Brandon Campbell, Director, Women’s Business Center, Cornerstone Alliance

· Bianca Nash-Miot, the owner of Birth Queens and Milk Queens in Benton Harbor

· Laquisha Jackson, the owner of Soulful Kitchen in South Bend

Watch the show on air on PBS Michiana - WNIT Tuesday's at 7pm or anytime on our website: wnit.org

The skyline is changing in St. Joseph County as the new Fourwinds Hotel and Conference center are taking shape. We take a closer look at one of our regions largest employers and the work they are doing to grow the regional economy, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The trip to Indianapolis has gotten much quicker thanks to major improvements in the US 31 corridor over the past 20 years. But there still is work to be done, and we’ll hear more about what’s next for the corridor, coming up on Economic Outlook.

A conversation with Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch.

A decade ago he purchased the South Bend Cubs and since has worked to transform the team, stadium, and minor league baseball in our region. We’re sitting down with Andrew Berlin, the owner of the South Bend Cubs, coming up on Economic Outlook.

She leads the team at IUSB’s Center for a Sustainable Future, where they work to discover and disseminate practices and strategies that are ecologically friendly, economically sound, and socially responsible. We’re sitting down with Krista Bailey, from the Center for a Sustainable Future, coming up on Economic Outlook.

Amazon recently announced a $200 million investment in Elkhart that will generate 1,000 new jobs; and the RV sector continues its post pandemic recovery; We’re focusing on economic development in Elkhart County, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The pandemic has had a major impact on the US and Global economies. But now we’re on the bumpy road to recovery, and I’ll sit down with PNC Global Economist Bill Adams for a closer look at that recovery, coming up on Economic Outlook.

As people are looking for cleaner sources of energy, solar power systems are gaining in popularity. And one South Bend company is looking to capitalize on that demand, while at the same time looking to make a difference in the life if its employees. Today we’ll introduce you to Crossroads Solar, on Economic Outlook.

Tomorrow on Economic Outlook, we talk with Patrick Regan, President of Crossroads Solar.

Watch Tuesday at 7pm on WNIT or listen on our Podcast on most major platforms.

Whether you’re on the shores of Lake Michigan or the Lakes of Kosciusko County, or anywhere in between, you’re seeing signs of economic growth that is changing and improving the community you live in. Each week we like to take a deeper dive into those projects and stories, and we bring them right into you home. My partner in crime for this effort has been George Lepeniotis, an attorney here regionally with Krieg DeVault and my Co-Host, at WNIT Economic Outlook. Please join me in welcoming George to our show today for a look ahead at the new season.

Jeff Rea and George Lepeniotis are back for another season of the show. Catch an all new episode tonight to get a preview of what you can expect on this season. 

You can also watch the show on WNIT Tuesday's at 7pm, or go to our website wnit.org to watch current and past episodes. 

In 2012, the Indiana Chamber launched its Indiana Vision 2025 plan, aimed at ensuring the State grows as it should, attracts new residents and business, and competes with other states. We’ll take a closer look at progress towards that plan with the 2021 scorecard, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The Covid Pandemic impacted every industry, but likely none as significantly as the Arts Community. Today we’ll take a closer look at how the Arts have navigated this challenging year, what actions they’ve taken to help survive, and how they plan to emerge post pandemic, coming up on Economic Outlook.

A significant investment in transit infrastructure has led to some major development in cities like Portland, Tucson, New Orleans, and Atlanta. One local group believes it could have a similar impact in South Bend and has prepared plans for a Streetcar project that could connect major attractions. We’ll take a closer look, coming up on Economic Outlook.

A booming construction industry coupled has created good career opportunities and construction Trades is an enticing job market for many. But like many industries, finding people to fill open positions is a real challenge. We’ll take a closer look at the Construction Trades, and efforts to build its future workforce, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The global health crisis caused by COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on tourism, hospitality, and attractions across the region. Major adjustments had to be made to navigate mandated shutdowns and capacity limitations. We’ll take a closer look at how some regional attractions navigated the pandemic, and what’s ahead, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The global health crisis caused by COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the regional economy and around the world. This week we’ll take a close-up look at that impact and talk about what we can expect as the pandemic comes to an end, and we’ll look at the “outlook” for southwest Michigan, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The roll-out of three COVID-19 vaccines have businesses excited about the end of the pandemic and a return to some normalcy. But it also has created a whole new list of questions as to how they should approach vaccines in the workplace. We’ll sit down for a closer look at COVID in the Workplace, and how employers should approach vaccinations, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The global pandemic and the economic crisis that followed has left a lasting impact on nearly every industry, perhaps none more impacted than the commercial and industrial real estate markets. We’ll take a closer look at those markets in a pandemic economy, and talk about how their poised to rebound, coming up on Economic Outlook.

She was the Team Captain of the First American Women's Everest Expedition Team; she’s a faculty member at the Thayer Leader Development Group at West Point, and she’s a New York Times bestselling author of On the Edge. We’re sitting down with Alison Levine for a talk about surviving, and thriving, in unsettling times, coming up on Economic Outlook.

This winter, Major League Baseball announced the most sweeping changes in history to minor league baseball. Those changes could have big impacts on communities that have teams. We’ll take a closer look at those changes and give you a sneak peek at what’s ahead for the South Bend Cubs and minor league baseball here in our region, coming up on Economic Outlook.

On a typical day, they run more than 20 trains carrying some 12,000 passengers in and out of Chicago and Northern Indiana. They have big plans to improve that service and reduce travel times. We’ll take a closer look at the South Shore Railroad and what improvement you can expect in the coming years, coming up on Economic Outlook.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has devastated the travel, tourism, leisure and hospitality industries, with restaurants being amongst the hardest hit as a result of mandated closures and capacity limits. We’ll take a closer look at the Pandemic’s toll on the restaurant industry with Kurt Janowski, Founder and Owner of Navarre Hospitality Group, on this episode of Economic Outlook.

Airline travel is at its lowest level since 1984, as the travel industry virtually ground to a halt at the height of the pandemic. But recent signals suggest the industry is beginning to re-emerge, which has a big impact here locally on the South Bend International Airport. To talk COVID and the airlines, and what lies ahead for the airline industry and the Airport, we’re joined today by Mike Daigle, Executive Director of the South Bend International Airport.

They’ve zeroed in on the 2021 session of the Indiana General Assembly, working to cultivate a world class business environment and catalyze Indiana’s economic recovery. We’re sitting down with Kevin Brinegar from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce for a closer look at this legislative session and the key issues the business community is focused on, coming up on Economic Outlook.

We asked our guests to stick around for a few more minutes for an extension on our conversation of strengthening our tech workforce.

The pandemic has changed the way people work in our region and accelerated the need and demand for technology improvements in our businesses and our homes. Those demands have a big impact on our workforce. Today, we are going to take a closer look at the IT sector and efforts underway in the region to strengthen our tech workforce. Joining me for that conversation are Lex Dennis, Director of Lifelong Learning, Drucker Institute; Shabbir Qutbuddin, Director of IT Sector Partnership, Ivy Tech Community College; and Patrick Jones, Program Director of Operations, enFocus.

Visitor spending brings cash into our communities, creating jobs, enhancing the local economy and improving the quality of life for residents. At the same time, travel and tourism heighten cultural awareness, help create a sense of place for a community and can provide shared experiences to connect friends and families across generations. Tourism matters in Indiana and joining me today to talk more about why it does is Elaine Bedel, the Secretary and CEO of the Indiana Destination Development Corporation.

They represent the business interests of thousands of businesses across the region, and they are hearing firsthand about how those businesses are pivoting because of the global pandemic. We’ll take a closer look at COVID’s impact on small business and what the future looks like for our communities, coming up on this episode of Economic Outlook.

We sit down with Rob Cleveland who is the President of the Cornerstone Alliance in Benton Harbor, to discuss the economic activity there.

We introduced you to their plans to transform Downtown Elkhart several years ago. We’ve watched as project after project has moved forward and we’ve seen a major transformation happen in the City with a Heart happen right before our eyes. But that transformation remains a work in progress. Today we’ll take a closer look at the progress and look ahead at what’s next, with Dave Weaver, Chair of River District Implementation Team and President & Founder of We Impact Group; Shelley Moore, Project Lead River District Implementation Team and President, Founder Insight Strategic Concepts; and Rod Roberson, Mayor, City of Elkhart.

If its happening in Indiana, he knows about it. For the past twenty years he’s brought you business news stories from every corner of the Hoosier State. Indiana’s enjoyed some great success during that time, with the top business climate in the Midwest and one of the tops in the Country. We’re sitting down today with Gerry Dick, the host of Inside Indiana Business and the co-founder of Grow Indiana Media Ventures for an inside look at business in Indiana.

Manufacturing remains a critical part of the US, State, and Regional economies. Our location in the heart of the crossroads of America makes our region prime for new manufacturing opportunities. Top of mind for existing companies and new prospects are workforce and whether they can attract the people they need. Efforts are underway to inform the next generation of workers about opportunities in those fields. Joining me today to talk about those efforts are Matt Davis, Manager of Training & Organizational Development, ITAMCO; Breanna Allen, Director of Student Pathways, Horizon Education Alliance; and Kate Lee, Executive Director, Education & Workforce, South Bend Regional Chamber.

Tonight on Economic Outlook...

Today we take a look at Marshall County with our guest Jerry Chavez who is the President and CEO of the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation. We’ll talk about new projects, updates on current things happening, and how this all effects the economic growth of Marshall County.

On tomorrow's episode, we talk with Jerry Chavez about Marshall County.

We sit down with Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb for a closer look at the State of Indiana and a variety of topics ranging from the State’s response to COVID-19 to the Indiana Economy and the economic recovery that will follow.

A look ahead at our new episode airing tomorrow as we sit down with Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. Tuesday at 7pm on WNIT and listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts. 

COVID-19 has taken a major toll on the US Economy, with far ranging implications including business closures and unemployment. The effects of COVID are being felt around the globe and it could be a little while before the economy recovers. The questions of when and what that recovery is going to look like is on everyone’s mind. We too are searching for that answer and will spend our show today looking at the State of the Economy and what lies ahead, with Gus Faucher, Chief Economist at PNC Financial Services.

COVID-19 has struck a major blow to the economy and interrupted some of the success our region, state, and country had been experiencing. The question on everyone’s mind is when will it recover and what will that recovery look like. We’ll take a closer look at those questions with nationally known economist, coming up on the next Economic Outlook.

They are Indiana’s only independent statewide source of continuing research into the impact of state taxing and spending policies. Their work may be more important than ever as State and local governments seek to navigate the troubled waters brought on by the global pandemic that is COVID-19. We’re taking a closer look at State and Local governments and what the future looks like from a revenue and spending perspective with Chris Watts, the President of the Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute.

The State of Indiana was in a strong financial position, and was the envy of most other states, prior to the pandemic. We’ll take a closer look at the fiscal condition of State and Local governments, and how they’ll have to adjust as the economy continues to recover, coming up on the next Economic Outlook.

We continue our conversation with Bethany Hartley, the Chief Strategy Officer of the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership; Arear Minor, the Owner of Blessed Images, a Hair Salon in Granger; and Crystal Lax, the owner of Crystal Clear Recruiting, a staffing agency from South Bend.

Hustle SBE is an effort of the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership aimed at helping grow the number of minority and women owned businesses in the region. They have recently graduated their second cohort of the business bootcamp aimed toward providing support and assistance to minority and women entrepreneurs across the five-county region. In this episode, we’re going to take a closer look at that program and hear from a couple of participants about the important lessons they’ve learned along the way as they’ve developed their business.

We'll be talking Hustle SBE on the next Economic Outlook.

We’ll take a closer look at elections, but not politics or specific candidates on this week’s show! Indiana has been in the bottom 10 states for voter turnout in four of the last five elections and ranks in the bottom 10 states for civic literacy. Find out how the One More Voice campaign aims to change that, coming up on Economic Outlook.

A look ahead at next week's show.

We're back in the studio and ready to start an exciting new season of the show. On this episode, we'll invite co-host George Lepeniotis on the show to talk about where we've been and a look ahead of what to expect for this season. If you want to watch the show, catch each episode on our website at wnit.org.