State Announces Bicentennial Visioning Project

Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann and former Congressman Lee Hamilton have announced the launch of the Bicentennial Visioning Project. The effort, which is an Indiana Bicentennial Legacy Project, aims to envision where Indiana “should strive to be” in the next 50 years. The process will involve leaders from throughout the state in various subjects taking part in a series of working sessions. Organizers will also launch a website portal to allow all Hoosiers to submit their “big ideas” for the state's third century.

During today's event, Ellspermann thanked Old National Bancorp (Nasdaq: ONB) and Chief Executive Officer Bob Jones for supporting the project. Jones says he hopes the effort will generate “progressive and big ideas” for Indiana's future.

Hamilton is co-chair of the Bicentennial Commission. In a news release, he says, “A study of our past is most fully meaningful if we use those history lessons as a foundation for our future. I see this Visioning Project as a way to capture the best ideas for Indiana’s future from today’s big thinkers across a wide range of economic, social and cultural issues.”

Longtime Indiana journalist Norm Heikens will lead the project and edit the final report. It's expected to wrap up in summer 2016, to line up with other Indiana Bicentennial activities.