Leading Business February | Page 11

Getting in front of the governor Indiana’s chief executive delivered a stirring message to more than 200 Chamber members with his appearance Oct. 2 in Elkhart. Gov. Mike Pence said, “You need to be the ones to get a little bite on the line, to tell people the story of Elkhart and Indiana, and encourage them to take a look. … I am absolutely convinced if we do all we can, the best days are to come for our state.” Driving roads of success We delivered lobbying success on two major road issues in 2013. The state adjusted its funding methods to return more money for our local departments to build and maintain roads – a $9.5 million bump annually for our region. Then, in October, the U.S. 31 Coalition we helped start opened the 13-mile bypass around Kokomo – the first major step in taking that road to interstate quality. Positioning us for greatness What will it take to foster greater community pride and encourage more talented professionals to call Elkhart home? We hope to answer that with the “500 Families” initiative. Community partners have been engaged to focus on housing, wages, employment opportunities and more to build on the SoMa vision and extend it throughout the city. In what areas did the Chamber excel in 2013? Let us know on Facebook! fb.com/elkhartchamber Smokers cost employers $3400 per person every year Become a Preferred Employer: Your first step to reducing health care costs & creating a healthier workplace Visit www.quitnowindiana.com or contact Beckie: 574-523-2117 or Tara: 574-522-0128 for more information