OLDER HAMILTON COUNTY ALLIANCE NEWS

Job Growth Leader
08/20/2009
A recent CNN Money article identified Hamilton County as one of the nation's 25 fastest job markets between 2000 and 2008. Specifically, the analysis showed Hamilton County as the 11th fastest growing job markets with an increase of 57 percent5.

Fishers, IN - Top Ten 2008 Best Places to Live
07/14/2008
Fishers, IN is a Top Ten place to live according to CnnMoney.Com. The fast growing Hamilton County community was cited for great livability, top notch schools and housing.

Best Place to Raise a Family
07/03/2008
The latest release from Forbes.com identifies Hamilton County, IN as the best place to raise a family in American. Using a series of data points including cost of living, public schools, taxes and crime, Forbes.com ranked the top 20 counties in the U.S. In the past few years, Fishers, Carmel and Noblesville have all received similar recognition as places to live, work and play.

Alliance Performance in 2007
03/31/2008
The Alliance had a very active year in 2007 with 25 companies expanding or newly locating. Notable among these was SMC, Allied Solutions, and the headquarters of Oxford Biosignals Medical. In total, the Alliance successfully assisted 24 businesses. Projects assisted by the Alliance will generate more than 1,200 new jobs, create capital investments in excess of $55 million, and generate over $700,000 in new local tax revenue.

Roche Grows in Hamilton County
03/20/2008
Roche Diagnostics is expanding its Fishers presence with an announcement that it is has signed a 10-year office lease. The company will transfer 440 marketing employees to their new facility over the next three years. The Fishers Town Council approved a tax abatement request to facilitate the expansion.

Alliance Assists Businesses
12/13/2007
The Hamilton County Alliance assisted 21 existing businesses in their expansion activities in 2007. The Alliance helped these companies in securing $1.65 million in grants in support of employee skills and certifications.

SMC Relocates HQ to Hamilton County
09/03/2007
SMC,a Japan-based manufacturer of pneumatic production automation systems, has announced the relocation of its North American headquarters to Noblesville. The company will invest $45 million to construct a 825,000 square foot facility and bring 725 new jobs to Hamilton County. The new facility will be SMC's largest facility outside of Japan.

Beck's Hybrids Expands
05/24/2007
Beck's Hybrids, a leading provider of high quality traited seed corn and other products is expanding their operations in Atlanta. The Hamilton County-based company will invest more than $8 million and create 25 new jobs. The company was assisted in its expansion through a county approved tax abatement proposal.

Capital Group Expands into Hamilton County
05/15/2007
The Capital Group, an investment management firm, is relocating 300 office jobs into Carmel, Indiana. The positions will be Provided by Capital Bank and Trust.

Hamilton County Schools Are Gold
04/17/2006
The latest edition of Expansion Management Magazine's Education Quotient has four Hamilton County school districts included in the report as being Gold. The schools included are Carmel Clay, Hamilton Southeastern, Noblesville and Westfield Washington. Based upon enrollment, Hamilton Heights and Marion-Adams school districts were not included in the study. Hamilton County is the only Indiana county to garner 4 Gold-rated school districts. The Gold rating places each school district among the top 16 percent of all public school districts in the U.S. The evaulation is based upon academic performance, spending on public education, community education attainment and community income.

Hamilton County - A National Leader in Population Growth
03/16/2006
New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau ranks Hamilton County #18 in the nation in population growth. The data show Hamilton County grew by 32% between 2000 and 2005. The growth rate equals a poopulation gain of more than 57,000 people. Census Bureau detais indicate that most of the grow came from in-migration. It was also noted that Hamilton County was the 7th largest county in population with a 2005 figure of over 240,000. Hamilton County has consistently ranked among the nation's fastest growing counties for more than a decade.

Strong Business Retention/Expansion Activity 2005
08/19/2005
The Hamilton County Alliance is reporting a strong showing for business retention/expansion activity through the first half of 2005. The Alliance has assisted 16 existing Hamilton County businesses with expansion projects so far. These business are adding nearly 350 new jobs and showing over $25 million in new capital investment. The Alliance has also assisted these companies in receiving more than more than $400,000 in skills training and over $500,000 in other skill enhancement training funds. 26 differnt businesses have been assisted in this year's effort to-date.

Carmel To Build Performing Arts Center
06/01/2005
The Carmel City Council has approved a measure to build a major cultural center. The $80 million facility will include a 1,600-seat concert hall and a 500-seat multipurpose theater. The city will initiate a private sector fundraising campaign to supplement the public funding. The facility is expected to be completed in about four years and will anchor City Center, Carmel's downtown initiative.

Autobase Moves HQ to Hamilton County
04/29/2005
Autobase, a leading national supplier of CRM software and related marketing tools for auto dealerships, has relocated its corporate headquarters to Hamilton County. The 115 person and growing company is located in Carmel overlooking I-465 off the US 31 exit.

Alliance Has Strong Performance in 2004
04/11/2005
The Alliance has reported on its activities and performance for 2004. In his presentation at the Alliance Annual Meeting, Mr. Burt reported the Alliance assisted in the creation of 1.032 new jobs, 32 workforce and related grants for Hamilton County businesses totaling $1.03 million, $180 million in new capital investment commitments, $830,000 in property tax support, $216,000 in COIT support, new job creation that supports the construction of 825 new homes and a Return on Investment (ROI) for Hamilton County's public sector investment of $5.10 (for each $1.00 invested). Mr. Burt also updated the audience on HCA's new initiative regarding entrepreneurship.

Alliance Reports Mid-Year Performance
08/27/2004
The Hamilton County Alliance is pleased to report a strong economic performance for the first-half of 2004. Projects assisted by the Alliance and supported by local goverment actions will generate more than $170 million in new capital investment, create over 1,000 new jobs, and provide $950,000 in new tax support. Aiding this effort was a retention/expansion program that helped garner over $750,000 in grant awards to help growing companies with a variety of skill sets and technology training. Over 1,300 existing emplyees will be retrained.

CallTech Selects Fishers
08/06/2004
CallTech Communications, based in Columbus, OH has selected Fishers, IN as the site of its newest call center. The company will occupy a 51,000 sf. ft. state-of-the-art building previously owned by Charles Schwab. The in-bound call center will employ approximately 400 people. CallTech is presently staffing-up the facility. The Town of Fishers and the Fishers EDC played a key role in securing the project with its business services and incentive package.

ACES Brings New HQ to Hamilton County
07/07/2004
ACES Power Marketing provides energy trading and risk management services to member electrical cooperatives and customers across the U.S. The Hamilton County Council recently approved a 7 year tax abatement resolution on the new headquarters facility. The company will be building a 25,000 sq. ft. facility and bringing 85 new jobs to the county. The company will also be adding 35 jobs over the next three years. The average pay of the new jobs is over $80,000 per year. Total capital investment will be in excess of $8 million. Construction has begun and the company expects to move into their new headquarters in early 2005.

Hamilton County A National Leader in Quality of Life
05/28/2004
A May 2004 report by American City Business Journals lists Hamilton County as one of the top ten counties in the U.S. in quality of life. The report applied 20 criteria to all 3,141 counties in the nation and found Hamilton County to be #8.

Hamilton County Alliance Newsletter
05/20/2004
View the 2004 Issue 1 Hamilton County Alliance Newsletter.

Hamilton County A National Growth Leader
05/09/2004
Newly released census information shows Hamilton County as the 21st fastest growing county in the U.S. The Census Bureau has the county at 216,000 people. Since 2000, Hamilton County has accounted for more than 30 percent of the state's net growth. Hamilton is now the fifth largest county by population in Indiana.

Alliance Reports Solid Performance in 2003
04/02/2004
The Hamilton County Alliance recorded a solid economic development performance in 2003. A presentation at the organization's Annual Meeting showed assistance to 35 company across the county. The companies are generating nearly 500 new jobs, making capital investments in excess of $40 million and supporting more than $620,000 in new local tax revenues. Public sector investors in the Alliance received a Return-On-Investment of $3.05 for every dollar of financial support. The Alliance also helped county employers to receive nearly $1 millon in grants to provide their workers with skill and technology training. Over the past five years, the Alliance has provided retention/expansion services to over 110 companies and assisted them in obtaining $4.8 million in grant awards. In total, businesses assisted by the Alliance since 1999 have generated 4,500 new jobs, $520 milliion in new capital investment, and average annual new tax support of more than $1.1 million.

Midwest ISO Electrifies Economy with Expansion
03/10/2004
Midwest Independent Transmission Systems Operator, Inc. is beginning a major expansion of its Carmel operations. Governor Joe Kernan and Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard announced the project. The expansion includes a capital investment of $150 million and the creation of 300 new high paying jobs over the next five years. At completion, the headquarters facility will employ over 550 people. Midwest ISO was the nation's first Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. MISO monitors electric reliability throughtout a 15-state region that stretches from Pennsylvania to Nebraska and Tennessee to the Canadian province of Manitoba.

Zotec Solutions Acquires New HQ
10/20/2003
Zotec Solutions has gained final support from the City of Carmel to acquire and renovate a new headquarters facility. Zotec has purchased the building at 11460 N. Meridian. The company has also announced an expansion involving the creation of 160 new jobs over the next three to five years. Zotec is a fast growing company engaged in medical billing and the development of electronic records software. The Carmel-based company currently employs 40 people.

Republic Development Kicks-off Development at Corporate Campus
09/23/2003
Republic Development and the City of Noblesville held a groundbreaking to inaugurate development (Saxony) inside the Noblesville Corporate Campus. The 400-acre mixed-use development will include residential, commercial and industrial uses. The Saxony project includes an additional 300-acre development located immediately south and adjacent to Exit 10 in Fishers. The Noblesville Corporate Campus is a 3,100 acre master-planned, mixed use development sponsored by the City of Noblesville.

Alliance 2001 Performance
05/06/2002
The Hamilton County Alliance had a successful year in 2001 despite the challenging national economic climate. The Alliance assisted 36 projects in 2001 that will generate over $35 million in new capital investment and provide more than $1 million in new tax revenues. For every $1 in tax revenue the Alliance received in 2001, more than $6 in new tax revenues are being generated. "To be accountable to our communities and Hamilton County, we need to deliver value for the dollars invested," said Jeff Burt, President. The Alliance assisted 32 companies with their training and employment needs. Key attraction projects for the Alliance were Index Corporation (Noblesville) and Tyco ADT (Fishers).

Hamilton County Households Among Nation's Most Affluent
01/15/2002
Newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census show Hamilton County as the 6th most affluent county in the U.S. as measured by median household income. The 1998 estimates were prepared by the Census Bureau and released in December 2001. A survey of the top ten ranked counties, lead by Douglas County, CO., shows Hamilton County to be the only midwestern county on the list. Jeff Burt, President of the Hamilton County Alliance, indicated the data reflect the high level of educational attainment found in county households and the high quality jobs available in the Hamilton County and the Indianapolis region.

Central Park Planning to Begin in Carmel
12/27/2001
Carmel Clay residents will be able to tell park designers and engineers at a public meeting what they want to see in Central Park, the community''s newest urban green space. The initial public meeting on the subject will be held on January 29th at the Clay Junior High School, 5150 E. 126th St.,in Carmel. The meeting time is 7 p.m. A second public meeting will be held on March 13th at Carmel Junior High School, 300 S. Guilford, in Carmel. A comprehensive master park plan is expected to be unveiled by designers in mid-May.

Five Hamilton County Schools in State Best Buys
12/27/2001
The Indiana State Chamber of Commerce has released a study identifying 111 high schools across Indiana that they rated "Best Buys" or schools that produced high academic scores for relatively low taxpayer costs. The five Hamilton County high schools were Carmel, Hamilton Heights, Hamilton Southeastern, Noblesville and Westfield. The full report can be found at www.indianachamber.com web site.

Reassessment Impact
11/06/2001
There has been much discussion about reassessment and its impact on taxpayers. The Indiana State Board of Tax Commissioners has prepared some projections or estimates by county. The estimates show the effects of average change in property owner tax bills by classes of property under the Board''s new assessment rules. These rules include establishing a base market value system of assessment, a shelter allowance for primary residences, and a base value of $1,050 per acre for farmland. The numbers for Hamilton County are agriculture (-4.7%), residential (8.5%), business (-14.0%), and utilities (-27.4%). Please remember that these are countywide averages. These percentages can vary widely, especially for homes more than 25 years old.

New Headquarters comes to Hamilton County
07/24/2001
Index Corporation, a world leader in the design and manufacture of turning machines, has announced the relocation of its North American headquarters from Connecticut to Noblesville, Indiana. The Germany-based company will build a 60,000 sf facility to house its headquarters, research and development, and assembly operations in the Noblesville Business Park. The facility will initially house about 80 employees.

New Market Report Available
07/12/2001
The Alliance has recently completed a new version of The Hamilton Advantage, a demographic/economic summary of the Hamilton County marketplace. The report provides information on population, employment, income, labor force, and other growth-related topics concerning Hamilton County. To receive a copy of The Hamilton Advantage, send an e-mail notice with a mailing address to jburt@hcalliance.com.

Growth Leader in the Midwest
06/27/2001
Newly released census information shows that Hamilton County continues to be the growth leadder in the Midwest. According to the new data, Hamilton County ranks number #1 among all counties in the Midwest as measured by its rate of population growth between 1990 and 2000. During this period, Hamilton County grew by nearly 68 percent or 6.8 percent per year. This rate of growth positioned Hamilton County 29th in the U.S. If only those counties of over 30,000 population or more in 2000 are included in the analysis, Hamilton County moved up to 14 in the U.S. At the same time, Hamilton County ranks among the top 20 counties in the U.S. in Median household income.

Alliance Delivers for Investors
06/25/2001
An analysis of Hamilton County Alliance economic development efforts since its founding in 1992 shows that the organization has delivered good value to its many public and private investors. The overall track record of HCA shows that the organization has assisted 97 companies that have created more than 6,600 new jobs, generated over $350 million in new capital investment, $170 million in new payroll and producing over $4.1 million per year in property tax support and $1.3 million per year in COIT related revenues.

Outlook 2001
01/24/2001
The Hamilton County Alliance and the Topics Newspapers will host Outlook 2001 on February 27, 2001 at the Ritz Charles in Carmel. This years Outlook event will feature presentations by Mr. Tom McKenna (Indiana Department of Commerce) and Tom Ticknor (Ticknor and Associates). Mr. McKenna will discuss the I-69 and US 31 corridors and provide an update on IDoC activities. Mr. Ticknor will present a Quality of Life Index for Hamilton County. The luncheon event will begin with registration at 11:00 a.m. The program will conclude at 1:00 P.M. Please call Amy at 573-4950 by 2/21 to register your attendance or obtain further information on the event. There is a $15.00 charge for the program.

Westfield High School is Technology Leader
06/08/2000
Westfield High School has enhanced its reputation as a leader in technology by announcing it will be the first high school in Indiana to offer students a complete package of certifications in computer networking. The program will begin this Fall. The Hamilton County high school has created the Westfield Technology Academy (within the high school) to delivery the coursework. While the Academy will only be open to Westfield High School students the first year, the certifications will be open to the public the following year. The four certifications provided by the program are: CompTIA A+, Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), Novell Certified Netware Administrator and Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA). To support the creation of the program, the school district has received financial support from the Town of Westfield and is seeking support from the business community. Additional information about the program can be obtained from Mr. Joseph Meadors, Director of Information Systems, Westfield Washington Schools (317) 896-2841.

Alliance Delivers Value to Taxpayers
05/09/2000
The 1999 economic development efforts of the Hamilton County Alliance continued to pay dividends for county taxpayers according to Jeff Burt, President. "1999 was a great year for Hamilton County and the Alliance. For every public dollar invested in the Alliance, $8 in new tax revenues were generated." For calendar year 1999, the Alliance assisted 25 projects that will at completion create more than 2,000 new jobs, generate $60 million in new payroll, deliver nearly $140 million in new capital investment, and provide over $1.4 million in new annual tax revenues and tax base support. Since its inception in 1992, Alliance-assisted projects have created 5,400 new jobs and contribute over $3 million annually in tax base support to Hamilton County and its communities.

ONEX Opens Hamilton County Office
03/28/2000
ONEX, a technology-based consulting firm specializing in e-commerce has opened an office in Carmel. Situated in the Meridian Corporate Corridor, ONEX has leased 22,000 sq. ft. to house approximately 150 employees. ONEX maintains its headquarters on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis

Hamilton County Employment Expo
03/24/2000
The Hamilton County Alliance and the Hamilton County Chamber Coalition, in cooperation with WIBC, are hosting a hiring fair on May 2nd at the Ritz Charles in Carmel. The event will run from 11:00 am to 6:00 p.m. Alliance and Chamber Coalition members may exhibit at the event for $160 while the non members charge is $260. If your company is looking for new employees, this event is for you. With the assistance of WIBC, this hiring fair will have unprecedented exposure. For more information, call Jeff Burt at the Alliance at 573-4950 or Kelly Koehler at WIBC at 684-2016. Reserve your space today!

New HQ Comes to Meridian Corporate Corridor
03/23/2000
Standard Management Corp. has started construction on a headquarters facility in the Meridian Corporate Corridor in Carmel. The fast growing financial services firm is building a 58,000 sq.ft. on Pennsylvania St. immediately east of Delta Faucet. The company expects to occupy the facility in April 2001. The 10-acre site was purchased from Browning Investments. Standard Management and its 140 employees are presently located in the Keystone at the Crossing area. At ocupancy, Standard Management will become Hamilton County''s 20th headquartered company with more than 100 local employees.

Business and Community Highlights
02/22/2000
Hamilton County has started the new year with strong performance reported in its office market. TheIndianapolis Business Journal reported that 11 of the top 20 office leases signed in metro Indianapolis in 1998 were signed in Hamilton County. These signings totaled 890,000 square feet. The top deals inked were a new 200,000 square feet call center for Resort Condominium International (RCI) in Carmel and a 190,000 square foot build-to-suit headquarters for Banc One Consumer Financial Services in Fishers. Hamilton County has recorded four new headquarters operations moving into the local market in the last nine months. The above mentioned Banc One facility is the largest. It is presently under construction and will open with approximately 700 employees. Lilly Industries also has its new headquarters under construction. The industrial coatings company will move into its new executive offices this Spring with nearly 80 employees. IDG Worldwide Books is relocating to a new 143,000 square foot building in Fishers. The company will initially occupy 85,000 square feet with 250 employees. Finally, Land O''Lakes has moved its eastern region headquarters to the Exit Five Business Center in Fishers. The company has 225 employees to place. Hamilton County''s newest center is the Noblesville Business Part. The 160-acre development at SR 37 and 146th Street is being developed by Trammell Crow Co. Sewer service to the site has been compiled by the City of Noblesville. On-site development will begin in the Spring. The business park is located only two miles from I-69 and in the heart of the Northeast Commerce Corridor.

Midwest ISO Picks Carmel for High Tech HQ
02/22/2000
A consortium of 14 electric utility companies serving an area from Pennsylvania to Colorado has selected Carmel, Indiana as the group''s headquarters. The Midwest ISO (Independent System Operator) will work with utility companies and other ISO''s to help manage the flow of electricity as part of the national electric power grid. The aim of the ISO is to enhance electric deivery and reliability. The Carmel Plan Commission recently approved plans for a 93,000 sf building in the Carmel Science and Technology Center that will go to construction this Spring. The facility will initially employ 150 people with backgrounds in computer science, engineering, economics and finance. The location decision was jointly announced by Indiana Governor Frank O''Bannon, Midwest ISO President and CEO, Mathhew C. Cordero, and Mayor James Brainard, City of Carmel. The Midwest ISO facility represents a capital investment of nearly $70 million.

Outlook 2000 Presentation
02/22/2000
The Hamilton County Alliance and Topics Newspapers are sponsoring a program that will look at the role/impact of technology on residents and business. Three speakers from Indiana University and Escient, Inc. will provide insight into the exciting world of technology and what is to come. The presentation will be held on February 29th at the Ritz Charles in Carmel. The program will begin at 11:00 a.m. Please contact the Hamilton County Alliance at 317-573-4950 for additional information.