Compose your way to $10k IN Indiana. The Indiana Destination Development Foundation (IDDF) and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch invite musicians to capture the fun and excitement of our state in the form of a musical jingle and win $10,000. 

"Indiana is a state full of creativity, and we are thrilled to invite musicians to showcase their talents," said Lt. Gov. Crouch, chair of IDDF. "This contest is a unique way to celebrate Indiana while highlighting the excitement of all that our state has to offer."

All contestants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident or native of Indiana or a graduate of an Indiana institution of higher learning. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Deadline for submissions is Nov. 4, 2024, 11:59 p.m. ET. Individual musicians may submit only one jingle, however, an individual musician may also be part of an ensemble submission. Companies are not eligible to submit. The selected winner will be notified and receive $10,000.

"We are excited to tap into Indiana's rich musical talent with this contest and give Indiana musicians a chance to compose the spirit of our state," said Elaine Bedel, Secretary and CEO of IDDC. "Capturing the essence of Indiana is no small task and we are looking forward to hearing how Indiana's artists use their creativity to bring lyrics to life in a jingle."

Selection Process and Criteria

All submissions will be reviewed by a panel. The panel will select the finalist based on the extent to which the jingle meets the following criteria:

• Reflects core pillars of the IN Indiana brand - Review the Free Campaign Kits!
• Creative quality (e.g., musical composition, use of lyrics)
• Versatility (jingle is suitable for multi-platform use)
• Originality

Contest Rules and Regulations

No copyrighted music or lyrics, AI-written music or lyrics, libelous or defamatory lyrics, or parodies will be accepted.

A good jingle submission includes the phrase "IN Indiana", is catchy and adaptable and portrays the state in a positive, creative light. The tone of the jingle should always be informative, inviting, and inclusive, while injecting neighborly wit that keeps it fun and engaging.

Winner Notification

The winner will be notified no later than Dec. 6, 2024 and will receive a prize of $10,000.

How to Submit

Musicians wishing to respond to this call for jingle entries should:

• Read and accept the Contest Rules and Regulations.
• Visit the brand campaign website to learn more about the IN Indiana brand.
• Musicians ready to submit a jingle should visit SoundCloud or YouTube to upload the jingle. Submissions can only be 30 seconds in length and will be accepted in WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, and MP3 formats only.
• Fill out the form here!

For questions, contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Miscellaneous

• The winner acknowledges that they will supply music and vocal tracks separately.
• IDDF shall be the sole and exclusive owner of all submissions, unless and until IDDF releases its rights to the submission back to the contestant. Contestants are given full rights to their submissions if they are not chosen as the winner.
• The winner gives up all rights to and interest in the music and lyrics of the winning submission.
• Contestants shall not share their submissions anywhere (web, social media etc.), nor make any use of their submissions, nor any part of their submissions, or a variation of their submissions, until they receive notice that IDDF’s rights to their submission are released.
• Contest Rules and Regulations

Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) has been awarded a three-year contract for $9,577,447 million for its multi-layered microelectronics (ME) workforce initiative. The project, funded through the Department of Defense (DoD)’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program, supports the National Defense Industrial Strategy’s priorities of enhancing Supply Chain Resilience and Workforce Readiness. ROI’s multi-year approach may extend the project for two additional years for a five-year contract value of $15,017,577.

Over the life of the award, ROI will collaborate with K-12 schools, postsecondary colleges and universities, employer partners, and other institutions to develop and enhance the region’s ME ecosystem and expertise through a Rural Indiana Workforce Development for Microelectronics project.

Through vertically aligned and integrated activities, ROI and its partners will promote microelectronics-related careers, accelerate students and workers into and through training and development pipelines, and inspire the next generation of industrial skilled professionals. Examples of deployed activities across the 11 counties of the Indiana Uplands will include K-12 microelectronics education and career awareness outreach, Ivy Tech postsecondary certifications, youth apprenticeship programming with ME industry partners, and the development of an ME regional education and training hub.

ROI’s IBAS award supports the goals of the National Imperative for Industrial Skills (NIIS) initiative to promote the prestige of manufacturing and industrial careers, accelerate training development pipelines, and elevate U.S. manufacturing to world-leading status. Since its launch in 2020, DoD has supported more than 50 public-private NIIS projects across the country to reignite U.S. industrial modernization, boost manufacturing and engineering skills and workforce development, and strengthen economic, defense, and national security capabilities.

ROI’s ME education and workforce initiative builds on the region’s growing leadership and prominence in microelectronics. Since 2021, the Indiana Uplands has seen significant investments to enhance the region’s ecosystem as a national leader for ME research, development, testing, and packaging, including:

• Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, a premier federal laboratory, continues to add DoD-wide contract authority, attracting significant talent and interest in partnerships with industry to provide science, technology, research, and comprehensive support for complex military systems. Today, 65% percent of NSWC Crane’s 3,900 employees and 2,500 contractors are scientists, engineers, and technicians, with a 60% growth in PhDs over the last five years.

• Just beyond the gates of Naval Support Activity Crane, along Interstate 69, is WestGate@Crane>, a 750-acre research technology park that has grown to 50 tenants spanning from Fortune 500 firms to startups producing cutting-edge technology and research in microelectronics, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and hypersonics. Design has also begun for a trusted advanced packaging multi-company ME manufacturing campus at WestGate@Crane, which will speed the re-shoring of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and create high-tech jobs with average salaries of more than $100K/year.

• The Indiana Uplands is home to the Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons (SCMC) Hub, one of eight CHIPS and Science Act-funded regional innovation hubs. Led by the Applied Research Institute, SCMC was awarded $32.9 million for microelectronics prototyping and workforce development and is focusing initially on secure edge/IOT computing, 5g/6g technology, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, electromagnetic warfare, and commercial leap-ahead technologies.

• In June, Indiana University, Purdue University, and the University of Notre Dame established The Indiana Research Consortium, a first-of-its-kind joint research effort to drive innovations and advancements in areas critical to U.S. national security and NSWC Crane, including microelectronics, hypersonics, energetics, and cyber-physical systems.

• In the last year, Indiana University and Purdue University have both announced multi-year ME, AI, and cybersecurity investments in facilities, equipment, faculty and initiatives in collaboration with NSWC Crane. These investments will accelerate innovative solutions to security challenges and boost the growth of the Indiana and U.S. microelectronics industry.

• ROI is facilitating K-12 school district curriculum alignment efforts with Indiana’s Scalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement (SCALE) network. Led by Purdue University, funded by the Department of Defense, supported by financial matching from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and managed by NSWC Crane, SCALE is a public-private academic partnership of 22 universities and 48 partners within the defense industry and government to help prepare students for ME careers in the defense sector. The SCALE workforce development program includes unique courses, mentoring, internships, research projects, scholarships, and job placement.

“The Indiana Uplands continues to be laser-focused on growing upon its significant capabilities and capacity as an innovation hub,” said ROI President and CEO Tina Peterson. “The IBAS investment offers additional evidence that this region is positioned to leverage its often-unparalleled expertise in advanced technologies to not only bring opportunity to our region and our state but also to support national imperatives. NSWC Crane’s legacy expertise in microelectronics and semiconductors coupled with that of Indiana’s three research universities has allowed this region and its partners across the state to step forward expeditiously and lead at a time of critical importance.”

Peterson added that ROI is committed to doing its part to ensure that our defense partners have the talent necessary to deliver upon their opportunities and potential. “We are grateful to the DoD for providing the resources through this program to accelerate the development of an ME workforce prepared to succeed in these technical, high-wage professions,” she said. “Both the size of the sector in the region and the scale of its mission requires a continuous and growing focus on talent development, retention, and attraction.”

The Indiana Uplands region is home to Naval Support Activity Crane, the third-largest Naval Installation in the world and the 11th-largest single-site employer in Indiana. For every ten jobs at NSA Crane through its tenants Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane) and Crane Army Ammunition Activities (CAAA), another six jobs exist in defense-related industry and activities throughout the region.

The region’s robust defense cluster represents a multi-faceted private enterprise with activities of the federal government reinforced and supported by an innovation ecosystem of defense contracting companies. The defense sector in Indiana Uplands focuses on engineering, technology, storage, production, and demilitarization services. Building on the strengths of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane), research and development focused on advanced technologies that include microelectronics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and hypersonics.

NSA Crane, NSWC Crane, and regional defense contractors have a combined economic impact of over $3 billion annually for the Uplands region.

“We are thrilled IBAS is investing in the region through this partnership with ROI,” said Jenna Dix, Director of Engagement with NSWC Crane. “This initiative is a great complement to other activities in the state around microelectronics and is exactly what is needed to continue Indiana’s leadership in this critical technology area.”

About Regional Opportunity Initiatives:

ROI advances economic and community prosperity in the 11 counties of the Indiana Uplands (Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen, and Washington counties) and is growing potential and possibility through a focus on advanced industry sectors, regionalism, transformative school and workforce redesign, and placemaking strategies. More information can be found at www.regionalopportunityinc.org and www.inuplands.org.

About NSWC Crane:

NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions, and Electromagnetic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi-spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today’s Warfighter. More information can be found at www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NSWC-Crane/.

• Awards & Recognition
• Government
• State of Indiana
• Business News

WASHINGTON – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) recently awarded U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) its most prestigious legislative recognition, the NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award.

“I am honored to receive the Guardian of Small Business Award from NFIB for my efforts to promote and support Hoosier small businesses. As the son of a small business owner, I know how important they are to our state’s economy. I will always fight to support Indiana’s small businesses,” said Senator Young. 

“The NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award is presented to Senators with a demonstrated record of supporting America’s small and independent business owners,” said NFIB President Brad Close. “This Congress, small businesses faced tough economic headwinds, especially from inflation, labor shortages, and tax pressures at all levels of the government. We are proud to recognize Senators from the 118th Congress who stood up for Main Street by taking pro-small business votes that would reduce taxes, eliminate burdensome government mandates, lower health insurance costs, and fuel the Main Street economy.”

NFIB’s Guardian of Small Business Award is awarded to lawmakers who vote consistently with small business on the key issues identified by small business owners. Those who voted with small business on key issues 70 percent or more of the time during the 118th Congress earned the NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award.

More information is available here.

• Campbellsburg
• Business News
• Employment

By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

An Indiana-based agricultural cooperative, Premier Ag provides local communities with energy products and crop management services and is building a new facility to do it in. Energy products they provide include propane, diesel and gas. Essentially, they are an energy and agronomy company. Agronomy is a branch of agriculture that deals with field crop production and soil management.

I recently spoke to Scott Sharp, vice president of crop nutrient & operations for Premier about the new facility being built in Campbellsburg, Indiana. Sharp said the site will consolidate the Salem and Mitchell faculties. No one will lose their jobs. The new location is 3801 North Saltillo Rd., Campbellsburg and should be ready in early spring.

There will be three separate buildings on the 15-acre plot building site. The south building will have seed and chemicals; its dimensions are 80 ft x 340 ft. The west building will have dry fertilizer and chemicals and will be 100 ft x 140 ft and house up to 4500 tons of fertilizer. The last building will house the offices and shops and will be 80 ft x 165 ft.

Approximately 15 full time employees will work out of this location and more part-time people in the peak seasons. As a safety barrier there will be three levels of confinements in case of spills. Premier Ag services Washington, Lawrence and Monroe counties. Annual sales are $700 million. The main office is located in Seymour, with locations in Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio. For more information, visit https://premierag.com/.