JASPER — The Southwest Indiana Development Council (SWIDC) has completed an in-depth regional business attraction readiness assessment aimed at modernizing how local communities compete for economic investments.
The comprehensive study was conducted in partnership with Ginovus, a prominent national site selection and economic development consulting firm. The assessment reviewed how regional municipalities field business inquiries and site selection requests, identifying critical paths to sharpen competitiveness and attract new employers to the area.
The findings are designed to help local governments refine their internal processes when responding to formal site selection requests and requests for proposals (RFPs). By auditing these protocols, the SWIDC aims to align member communities with industry best practices, allowing them to compete heavily with rival markets across the Midwest and the United States.
“Few communities have the foresight to complete an in-depth assessment to refine processes, which will pay dividends for SWIDC and its member communities,” said Larry Gigerich, founder of Ginovus.
The evaluation covers a 10-county region that supports a combined workforce of more than 590,000 Hoosiers. Participating jurisdictions include Daviess, Dubois, Knox, Martin, and Pike counties, alongside several surrounding areas.
Rather than letting the report sit on a shelf, SWIDC leaders confirm that member communities have already begun implementing immediate updates to their local business development practices.
Key Actions Underway:
- Updated Outreach: Modernizing how individual local economic development organizations (LEDOs) process direct inquiries from corporate scouts.
- Marketing Enhancements: Implementing industry best practices on digital portals—including the regional platform SWIDC.org—to showcase local amenities, shovel-ready acreage, and the area’s favorable business climate.
- Diversification: Building strategies to attract the next generation of business partners to expand the regional ecosystem beyond its traditional manufacturing and agricultural baselines.
“This leadership from our region in business attraction efforts and regional approach of assessing ourselves is exactly what regional economic development leadership can look like,” noted Colten Pipenger, Chairman of SWIDC. “We are, as a region, excited to see Ginovus’s hard work pay off and attract our next community businesses as we seek to grow, diversify, and further develop as one regional economy.”
The extensive assessment was made possible through a collaborative funding effort blending corporate utility support and regional philanthropic entities. Key financial backers included CenterPoint Energy, Duke Energy, Hoosier Energy (alongside its member cooperatives), and the Community Foundation Alliance in partnership with the Harrison County Community Foundation.
This collaborative audit coincides with broader, record-breaking economic momentum across the state. According to recent 2026 data from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), businesses committing to locate or expand in Indiana are pacing at an average committed wage of $45.34 per hour—a 14% increase over 2025’s record figures.
By aligning municipal response times and site marketing with global consulting standards, SWIDC leaders project that the 10-county region will be optimally positioned to capture a significant share of that incoming job creation and private investment.
