Team Indiana was honored to host 800 attendees for the second Indiana Global Economic Summit in Indianapolis on May 23-26. This unique event brought together more than 40 diplomatic delegations representing 31 countries and territories. Strong representation from local economic development partners from across the state added to the robust conversations that took place throughout the conference.
Day One
The first day kicked off with a robust review of Indiana's place on the global stage with Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb celebrating the state's FDI environment and partnerships, which resulted in over $70 billion in committed investment since 2022. This impressive number is the result of teamwork across Indiana, with dedicated local leaders partnering to support and promote economic development at all levels.
Key Topics:
Health Ecosystems
Green Built Environment
Navigating Global Trade Winds
Global Reach of Sports
Creative Economy & AI
Flash Talk with Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova
Day Two
The second day of the conference saw continued engagement and expansion announcements. Building on the excitement of race day weekend, international guests explored Indianapolis before participating in Indianapolis 500 festivities to round out their Indiana experience.
Indiana is proud to lead the way in EV manufacturing, and the latest expansion illustrates this progress. In Columbus, Toyota Material Handling broke ground on a 295,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility this week to produce electric forklifts.
“Electric forklifts make up 65% of the North American market and this trend towards electrification in the material handling industry will continue to grow,” said Brett Wood, President & CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America and Senior Executive Officer for Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO). “We hope this announcement shows our industry-leading dealer network and our customers that we are a proactive company, not a reactive one. We do not just plan for next week or next year – we’re preparing for the next decade, and this new initiative perfectly represents our commitment to that strategy. This investment is one of the largest in our history and signifies TICO’s commitment to the North American market, the state of Indiana, the city of Columbus, and most importantly, our dealers and our customers.”
Toyota Material Handling has completed more than 15 total expansions in 34 years, with over $400 million in total investments. When the new factory is complete, Toyota’s Columbus footprint will grow to nearly 1.8 million square feet – more than six times larger than the facility it opened in 1990. Toyota’s strong partnership with the city of Columbus and exemplary workforce made the expansion a natural fit. Congrats to Jason Hester and the team at the Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation for bolstering the state’s electrification ecosystem and maintaining and growing jobs of the future for Hoosier families.
Indiana and Japan Celebrate Longtime Ties
The 2024 Indiana Global Economic Summit coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Indiana and Tochigi Sister State-Prefecture Agreement. In addition to the strong partnership between states, our friends in Evansville had much to celebrate as a Sister City to Tochigi City.
Congratulations to Evansville Deputy Mayor Lisa Locasto who participated in the celebratory activities in Indianapolis. We are deeply grateful to all statewide leaders who help to enrich Hoosier ties with Japan, the state's largest FDI partner.
Workforce & Talent: The Power of Early Internships
For the past school year, four freshmen from Providence Cristo Rey High School in Indianapolis jumped into the world of economic development as part of the school's Corporate Work Study internship program. These young scholars spent one day per week at the IEDC learning how a state agency functions, the basics of economic development, and the ins and outs of state government. The scholars served as pages during the legislative session, met with a variety of agency and state leaders, and took part in IEDC activities throughout the year.
As the students completed the year, they reflected on key skills learned in the workplace. Communication, mentorship and building connections were all cited as key learning opportunities for the teens. Some of them experienced being in an office for the first time and began to shape their career expectations based upon this real-life experience.
Every good internship starts with structure, and at the IEDC, the Workforce and Talent Team's Joselyne Whipple designed the internship program and supported the scholars throughout their experience. Her dedication and hard work paid off, with the scholars reporting a positive experience and curiosity that will guide their future endeavors.
Ready to engage on internships and apprenticeships? The Workforce & Talent Team invites you to connect at this summer's Regional Talent Forums. Kicking off on July 15 at Purdue University, these events convene a broad audience of economic developers, HR professionals, academics and community leaders to share innovative talent practices. Sign up today and stay tuned as we add to the event calendar!
It's not every day that you get to meet a personal hero! The Indianapolis 500 offered ample opportunity for networking and connected IEDC Project Manager Kovenant Liby with Ambassador Lee Feinstein. Based in Southern Indiana, Kovenant earned a BS in Public Affairs from Indiana University, with a major in law and public policy and a minor in Arabic from the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. She completed her capstone year in Morocco with the Arabic Language Flagship, a national critical language-learning initiative sponsored by the DoD’s National Security Education Program.
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