WEBVTT

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>> EACH WEEK A GROUP OF INSIDERS
JOINS ME TO OFFER PERSPECTIVE ON
SOME OF THE WEEK'S TOP STORIES.
THIS WEEK WE'RE SOUNDING OFF ON

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SEVERAL SMALL TOWNS MAKING SOME
NOISE, INDIANA'S VENTURE CAPITAL
SCENE IMPROVING, INDIANA BEACH
CLOSES...AND A LOT MORE.

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JOINING ME ARE INDY CHAMBER
CHIEF POLICY DIRECTOR, MARK
FISHER, KENZIE ACADEMY DIRECTOR
OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT,

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SHARMIN KENT AND VETERAN
STRATEGIES PRESIDENT AND CEO
ROBERT VANE.
WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO THE

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INSIDERS FOR ANOTHER EDITION. A
LOT OF ACTIVITY THIS WEEK, MARK,
I'LL BEGIN WITH YOU. I KNOW
EVERYONE MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO

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SAY ON THIS. SMALL COMMUNITIES
AROUND INDIANA THAT MANY ARE
CHALLENGED, AND HAVE BEEN FACING
TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES, BUT WE'RE

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SEEING EXAMPLES OF SMALL
COMMUNITIES REALLY TRYING TO
MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. RUSH COUNTY
DETAILING A DIGITAL INCLUSION

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PLAN, THEY PUT A TASK FORCE
TOGETHER. THEY WANT TO MAKE
EVERYONE -- HAVE EVERYONE IN THE
COUNTY WITH INTERNET ACCESS, AND

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REALLY CLOSE THAT DIGITAL
DIVIDE. WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED
IN METRO AREAS, BUT IN A PLACE
LIKE RUSH COUNTY --

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>> YEAH, IT'S CRITICAL THAT
SHE'S SMALLER COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE SEEING POPULATION -- THEY
ARE TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHAT

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MAKES THEM UNIQUE, WHAT MAKES
THEM A HIGH QUALITY PLACE TO
LIVE AND INVESTING IN
TECHNOLOGY, IT HAS

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RAMIFICATIONS, ANYTHING FROM
THEIR K-12 SYSTEM TO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO
REMOTE WORKING. AND SO IT'S

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GREAT TO SEE COMMUNITIES COME
TOGETHER AND REALLY FORMING SOME
PLANS AND TO RETAIN AND START TO
ATTRACT PEOPLE.

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>> AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN OF THE
OPINION THAT COMMUNITIES, SMALL
OR BIG, WHO ARE DOING THINGS, IT
ALL BOILS DOWN TO LEADERSHIP,

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AND HAVING LEADERS IN THE
COMMUNITY WITH A VISION TO GET
THINGS DONE.
>> STRONG CIVIC LEADERSHIP,

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NON-PROFIT AND GOVERNMENTAL
LEADERSHIP, IF THEY CAN COME
TOGETHER AND REALLY FORM THAT
VISION TOGETHER, I THINK THAT IS

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WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
>> THE DIGITAL DIVIDE INCLUDING
RURAL INDIANA, PROGRAMS LIKE

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THIS CAN HAVE REAL IMPACT THAT
CAN LAST YEARS TO COME.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THE THING ABOUT
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS THAT IT'S

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NOT JUST RURAL OR INNER CITY. IT
CAN BE WITHIN CITIES, AND LIKE
YOU WERE SAYING, IT CAN AFFECT
EVERYTHING FROM EDUCATION TO --

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WORK. IN INDIANA, ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING
TO ATTRACT WORKERS, WE'RE TRYING
TO ATTRACT COMPANIES. NOT

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EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE IN THE
MIDDLE OF INDIANAPOLIS. SOME
PEOPLE PREFER TO LIVE IN
SUBURBAN OR -- AREAS. AND IF

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THEY DON'T HAVE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO THAT, THEY
CAN'T MAKE A LIVING. SO WHAT'S
HAPPENING HERE IS REALLY

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IMPORTANT, AND I HOPE MORE
COUNTIES DO IT.
>> ANOTHER COUNTY, THIS ONE MORE
IN NORTHEAST INDIANA, WABASH

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COUNTY, POPULATION LOSS,
POPULATION DECLINE, A BIG ISSUE,
ROBERT, ALL OVER THE STATE OF
INDIANA. WABASH COUNTY HAS SEEN

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THEIR POPULATION STEADILY
DECLINE OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS,
THEY'VE LAUNCHED AN INITIATIVE
TO TRY TO REVERSE THAT TREND.

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REALLY TRYING TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE ON POPULATION.
>> TECHNOLOGY CREATES
EXPECTATIONS. IF I WERE TO TELL

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YOU I DIDN'T HAVE A CELL PHONE,
YOU WOULD LOOK AT ME LIKE I WAS
FROM THE 13th CENTURY. IT'S
BROADBAND, CUTTING THE CORD,

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BEING ABLE TO DO ALL THE THINGS
REMOTELY IN TERMS OF BUSINESS
AND EDUCATION THAT WE EXPECT
THESE DAYS. AND SO IF INDIANA IS

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GOING TO COMPETE, NOT ONLY DO WE
HAVE TO MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS,
WE HAVE TO EXCEED THEM. AND
CREDIT GOES TO GOVERNOR HOLCOMB

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AND HIS ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR
BROADBAND. HE HAS BEEN AHEAD OF
THE CURVE, KUDOS TO THEM.
>> A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES,

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McCORDSVILLE BROKE NEWS THIS
WEEK, GREEN LIGHTING A TOWN
CENTER PLAN. SO, AN AREA WITHOUT
REALLY MUCH OF A TOWN CENTER,

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THEY SAY WE NEED TO CREATE
SOMETHING HERE, AND AGAIN, I
THINK IT GETS BACK TO
POPULATION, YOU KNOW, KEEPING

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TALENT, ATTRACTING TALENT. A LOT
OF COMMUNITIES, SMALL
COMMUNITIES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
THIS KIND OF THING.

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>> IT'S -- WE'VE DONE ALL THE
BASICS RIGHT IN INDIANA, NOW
IT'S TIME TO START TO INVEST IN
OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND PLACE.

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AND McCORDSVILLE, FORTVILLE,
THOSE ARE GOING TO SEE EXPLOSIVE
GROWTH IT IS IMPORTANT THEY GET
AHEAD AND PLAN. GOOD TO SEE THEM

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GETTING AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
>> COST OF LIVING, OBVIOUSLY IS
AN ADVANTAGE IN THE MIDWEST IN
GENERAL. I THINK IN PARTICULAR

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IN INDIANA. ALEXANDRIA RANKED AS
THE MOST AFFORDABLE OWNERSHIP IN
THE COUNTRY. THOSE KINDS OF
THINGS, ATTRACTING TECH TALENT,

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THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
>> A HUGE DIFFERENCE,
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO
PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO START

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FAMILIES. AGAIN, NOT EVERYONE
WANTS TO LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE CITY. ONE OF THE REASONS A
LOT OF MY FRIENDS AND I, OR A

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LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES AND I LIVE
IN THE SUBURBS, IT'S AFFORDABLE,
THE SCHOOLS ARE GREAT, AND YOU
PRETTY MUCH HAVE WHATEVER YOU

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NEED. COST OF LIVING CAN MAKE OR
BREAK BUSINESS. AND IT IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
>> YOU MENTIONED SCHOOLS AND

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EDUCATION, AND KENZIE ACADEMY IS
REALLY A GREAT SUCCESS STORY,
RAISED A LOT OF MONEY THIS YEAR.
THAT EDUCATION PIECE, HAVING

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OPTIONS AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF
OPTIONS, HOW DOES THAT FIT INTO
THE QUALITY OF PLACE, QUALITY OF
LIFE EQUATION?

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>> NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME
OPPORTUNITIES. NOT EVERYONE GOES
TO THE SAME KINDS OF HIGH
SCHOOLS, NOT EVERY HIGH SCHOOL

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HAS THE SAME KINDS OF PROGRAMS.
SO, IF YOU CAN DISTRIBUTE
INCREDIBLE CONTENT, INCREDIBLE
TEACHES, INCREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE

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OPPORTUNITIES, ACROSS
EVERYTHING, THEN YOU GIVE PEOPLE
CHANCES THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE
HAD BEFORE. AND THEY DON'T HAVE

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TO MOVE, OR UPROOT THEIR LIVES
TO DO IT.
>> ROBERT, TALKING ABOUT KIND OF
AN OLD SCHOOL STORY THIS WEEK,

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INDIANA BEACH IN MONTICELLO,
WHITE COUNTY, INDIANA, BEEN
AROUND ALMOST 100 YEARS, 94
YEARS. A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE

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SHOCKED. WE GOT A LOT OF
ACTIVITY ON OUR WEBSITE. INDIANA
BEACH ANNOUNCING IT CLOSED AFTER
94 YEARS. A BIT OF HISTORY, AND

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HERITAGE IN INDIANA GOING BY THE
WAYSIDE.
>> THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT
MAKE YOU SHAKE YOUR HEAD, YOU

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WONDER WHY. NOT CRITICAL OF THEM
BECAUSE YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW
THE BACK STORY SO MUCH. BUT,
HOOSIERS ARE SENTIMENTAL PEOPLE,

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WE'RE NOSTALGIC PEOPLE, WE LOVE
OUR HISTORY AND WE LOVE TO GET
TOGETHER AND AS SOMEONE ASKED ME
ABOUT IT, AS LONG AS BAKERY IS

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STAYING OPEN, THAT'S REALLY ALL
I CARE ABOUT.
>> I LIKE THE WAY YOU THINK.
PURDUE, MITCH DANIELS, PURDUE

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UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCING A
PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL
ESSENTIALLY ENABLE STUDENTS TO
GET A YEAR'S FREE TUITION

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ESSENTIALLY, THROUGH A
PARTNERSHIP WITH A NATIONAL
ORGANIZATION. ANOTHER EFFORT TO
GET AT THE COST OF HIGHER

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EDUCATION.
>> ABSOLUTELY. AND,
ALL -- SORRY. ALL HIGHER
EDUCATION -- I THINK EVEN HIGHER

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EDUCATION IS STARTING TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN'T DO
THINGS THE TRADITIONAL WAY.
EDUCATION IS CHANGING. THE

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AVERAGE STUDENT AGE IS CHANGING.
THAT MEANS THAT THE TRADITIONAL
STUDENT IS NOT 19, 20, 22 YEARS
OLD. THEY MAY HAVE A FAMILY.

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THEY MAY HAVE A MORTGAGE TO PAY.
SO, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT
ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE SAME
OPPORTUNITIES, THIS IS GREAT.

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FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, IT'S
ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT
MEANS THAT THEY CAN START THEIR
EDUCATION AND THEIR JOB

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TRAJECTORY FASTER.
>> VERY GOOD. ONE MORE STORY.
MARK, WANT YOU TO COMMENT ON
ELEVATE VENTURES CAME OUT WITH A

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CAPITOL REPORT FOR 2019, RECORD
NUMBER OF DEALS, 100, ALSO
RECORD INVESTMENT HALF A BILLION
DOLLARS. BUT ALSO ON THE OTHER

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HAND SAID INDIANA HAS A LONG WAY
TO GO TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE
NATIONALLY.
>> WE DO. A LOT OF THE MONEY IS

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FOCUSED ON THE COAST. BUT WE'RE
HOLDING OUR OWN. I THINK
IT'S -- IT COULD MEAN THAT SOME
SMALLER COMPANIES ARE MATURING,

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WE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
STRONG SYSTEMS TO FILL THAT
PIPELINE, THE ENTREPRENEUR
PIPELINE.

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>> I KNOW A LOT OF THE EFFORTS
OTHERS ARE AIMED AT THAT, MAKING