Business

An important site for growth in the Muncie-Delaware County Area has earned a shovel ready Industrial Site Certification.  The Industria Centre Site #1, along the Muncie bypass, has completed the certification program for American Electric Power’s (AEP) Quality Site Program. McCallum Sweeny Consulting, one of the world’s leading site selection consulting firms, has conducted an 18-month, thorough analysis of the property. “A rapidly growing trend in economic development site selection is the requirement that sites be certified, or “shovel ready.” Companies are making location decisions in shorter timeframes, and they want to know that any potential risks with a site have already…

First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ: FRME) and Ameriana Bancorp (NASDAQ: ASBI)  announced they have executed a definitive agreement whereby Ameriana Bancorp will merge with and into First Merchants Corporation, and its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Ameriana Bank, will merge with and into First Merchants Bank, NA. The merger agreement provides that shareholders of Ameriana Bancorp will have the right to exchange each Ameriana Bancorp common share held for 0.9037 shares of First Merchants’ common stock. Based on the closing price of First Merchants’ common stock on June 26, 2015 of $25.13, the transaction value is approximately $68.8 million, with an implied…

By: J Chapman, President, Woof Boom Radio, Inc.— Muncie, IN—Muncie Journal.com launched July 1, 2015 and will have a different tone than that of other current community news outlets. The stories will be free for the community to access and will primarily focus on the following areas: (1) Education (2) Economic Development and (3) Quality of Life. Muncie Journal will strive to include the good things that are happening with businesses and non-profits within Delaware County. Many community leaders have been integral in the creation of The Muncie Journal including Dr. Jeff Bird, MD, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Medical Officer,…

Ontario Systems, a leading receivables management technology and services provider, reacted publicly to its inclusion among the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s “Best Places to Work in Indiana”, crediting its staff and You-Powered Talent Credo for the honor. “We have been very intentional about creating an environment in which our team can do their best work serving our clients. Everything we do at Ontario Systems starts and ends with the innovation, talent and spirit of service from our dedicated team of professionals.  So we are pleased to be designated of one of Indiana’s best places to work – It’s a complement…

Farmhouse Creative has been presented with the annual Economic Development and Growth Through Entrepreneurship (EDGE) Award.  Presented by the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC), The EDGE awards are given to businesses who receive no-cost counseling from the organization and utilize these resources to maximize their ability to grow their business in Indiana. The EDGE award ceremony concluded the Igniting Indiana Entrepreneurship Week in Indiana. During a program on June 19th, Farmhouse Creative won in the Established Business category. Angie Rogers-Howell started Farmhouse Creative with her final paycheck to fund the business. Since that time, her company expanded to offer web design services and acquired Printing Creations of Yorktown following the retirement…

Ontario Systems, a leading accounts receivable technology and services provider, today announced it expanded its workforce by more than 12 percent in 2014, taking advantage of a bullish market position that has contributed to the company’s growth after a number of successes on the part of its customers. The company shored up stability with 80 percent of its 2014 revenue earned through recurring sources and enjoyed a breakout year in the healthcare market with a 30 percent revenue gain in that sector. “After a year of exciting and profitable growth in 2014, we are perhaps even more pleased with the…

The Heartland Business Center just off I-69 near Daleville has had a most interesting economic development metamorphosis. The massive 220,000 square-foot building was the former home of an outlet mall.
Two decades later, more than 700 people drive there every day, not to shop, but to work at cutting-edge businesses like Concentrix (formerly IBM), Element, First Merchant’s Data Center, Indiana Finance Company, Boyce Forms/Systems, Keystone Software and Komputrol Software. Through the work of Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance, the structure is approximately 85 percent occupied and exceeding even the grandest hopes of the shopping mecca that was originally intended. Even more…