Workshop for business owners planned for Sept. 21
Hoping to provide more opportunities for local businesses, a workshop with Crane Navel Base is being planned for Tuesday, Sept. 21, at noon. The meeting will be held at the County Government Building on Martinsburg Road.

In addition to receiving an overview of the Crane’s Command Center, business owners will learn more about Radius Indiana, an eight-county organization that works to provide opportunities for local businesses.

"We’ll learn more about what they have to offer our region,” said Commissioner and Washington County Economic Development Director Lana Sullivan.

She said the city and county want to help businesses grow and reach their full potential and helping them learn more about places like Crane is a step in the right direction.

“We want to open up opportunities to local businesses and industries through government contracting,” she said.
An example she gave is Next Wave Systems in Pekin, who is already a current supplier for Crane. Next Wave specializes in security and expeditionary warfare-related systems.

Another local business who was a supplier was Bennett’s Clothing and Shoes. City of Salem Mayor David Bower, who owned the business at that time, said they had a great partnership with Crane.

“There are opportunities available, it’s our job to make them known,” said Sullivan.

She added that she knows there is some potential expansion at Crane and Washington County is ideally located to benefit from it.
“Crane is a bright spot for economic development right now,” added Bower. “There is going to be some opportunity there.”
Sullivan said Radius Indiana focuses on business attraction, but also supports existing businesses. The organization came about from casino money in Orange County. It started out as a six-county region and was expanded to eight counties.

“The state uses the money for economic development in surrounding counties,” said Sullivan.

For more information about the workshop, call city hall at 883-4265.

-M. Spaulding