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Terre Haute Chamber presents community-plan update; outlines talent, leadership and civic programs
Summary
The Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce presented an addendum to the community plan emphasizing population growth and workforce development and described new programs to retain and train talent.
Kristen Craig, president and CEO of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce, and chamber staff briefed the Vigo County Board of Commissioners on an addendum to the community plan and several workforce and civic programs during the meeting (date not specified).
Craig said the chamber has worked on multi-year advocacy efforts — including campaigns around the food-and-beverage tax, the Terre Haute casino and the Goodwill Excel Center — and is increasing focus on workforce and population growth. "We've been at the forefront of many projects that have passed, including the food and beverage tax," Craig said.
Josh Alsup, the chamber’s vice president of regional engagement, presented new Census estimates showing Vigo County’s population was effectively flat from 2020 to 2024, with a net increase of four people over that period. "From 2020 to 2024 in Vigo County, we actually, increased by 4 people," Alsup said, noting the county gained about 13 residents between 2023 and 2024.
The chamber described new and continuing initiatives tied to the community-plan addendum: the West Central Indiana Talent Network to drive workforce development; ConnectIn, a talent-retention cohort (the spring cohort had about 11 registrants); a summer intern experience to connect local interns; a West Central Indiana Leadership Academy that will run September through May; and a West Central Indiana Civic Engagement Series aimed at residents interested in public service or local leadership.
Jonathan Eilbrach and Morgan Leek of the chamber provided program details; Megan Stone, the chamber’s director of development, highlighted member recruitment and early business engagement. Craig emphasized the chamber’s advocacy work in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C., including recent meetings with federal and state legislators to support the county’s defense-related employers.
In public comment following the presentation, Ally Ashok of Ivy Tech thanked commissioners for support of Ivy Tech’s building project in Terre Haute and said the facility is “important to the economic vitality” of the region.
Ending: The chamber said it will return to the commissioners in the future with additional updates and that several of the initiatives will relaunch or receive more public outreach in the coming months.
