FORMER BLACKFORD COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEADER JACOB EVERETT JOINS INDY PARTNERSHIP AS SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Regional business attraction initiative ramps up as the Indy Chamber pursues ‘Accelerate Indy’ economic strategy

(INDIANAPOLIS), April 5, 2017: The Indy Partnership, the business attraction and marketing initiative for the nine-county Indianapolis metro, has hired Jacob Everett – former Executive Director of the Blackford County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) – as a Senior Director of Economic Development.  Everett joins a growing team as the Indy Chamber (the Indy Partnership’s parent organization) pursues a more expansive economic development agenda.

Everett comes to the Indy Partnership from a five-year tenure with the Blackford County EDC, where he also served on the East Central Indiana Regional Partnership Board and as President of the East Central Indiana Development Council.  Blackford County’s unemployment rate has dropped more than 40% since he took the helm as Executive Director of the EDC in 2012.  Previously, he was Director of Planning and Research for the Alliance for Strategic Growth/Eastern Indiana Workforce Investment Board.

“Jacob will be a great asset to the Indy Partnership as we promote our region to employers and investors across the country and around the world,” said Maureen Donohue Krauss, the Indy Chamber’s Chief Economic Development Officer.  “He’s led a successful local economic development organization, and also worked within a regional coalition; given our increasing focus on talent, his workforce development experience will be invaluable.”

The Indy Chamber’s Accelerate Indy regional strategy prioritizes issues like an educated, career-ready workforce, an innovative business environment and a competitive quality of life to appeal to growing employers, particularly in high-wage, high-tech industries.  It also emphasizes existing business support and retention along with entrepreneurial development as drivers of job creation and new investment.

“As our Senior Director, Jacob will simultaneously be an ambassador, recruiter and deal-maker for the Indy Region; his experience prepares him for all of these roles,” noted Krauss.  “But as we rethink economic development with Accelerate Indy, we’re all challenged to understand the bigger picture – coming from a similar position in a neighboring community, Jacob knows our strengths but brings a wider perspective as well.”

Everett’s hiring continues restructuring process for a refocused economic strategy, building on a strong foundation.  The Indy Partnership reported 11,100 new jobs and more than $1.2B in capital investment in 2016, coordinating 119 successful projections with its local economic development organization (LEDO) partners.

“Nearly every day, you can read a new accolade about the Indianapolis region – adding tech jobs at a faster pace than Silicon Valley, climbing the advanced industry rankings among major metros, getting more positive coverage in the national media,” said Everett.  “The competition for jobs and investment is tough – I know that first-hand – but Indy has a business climate and welcoming community that helps companies grow.  I’m excited to be a part of it, and eager to get started.”

Everett began his new role on March 27th. In addition to his economic development and workforce agency experience, he brings first-hand insight from the private sector as well; he has been a successful entrepreneur and has held finance and management roles with several Indiana-based companies.  Everett is a Certified Economic Developer through the International Economic Development Council, and is a graduate of Ball State University.