A representative of the Hendricks County economic development organization told the Avon Town Council on Nov. 6 that the group's core mission is to attract capital investment, retain existing employers and align workforce training with local project needs.

The presenter said the EDO focuses on industry clusters such as logistics, developers and 3PL operations and uses ongoing business-retention engagement rather than one-time contact to identify expansion-ready projects. The five-year metrics the presenter described include roughly $800 million in capital expenditures touched, about 3,500 jobs and roughly $150 million in new payroll for projects the organization helped advance.

Why it matters: large logistics and manufacturing-related projects can drive demand for workforce training, generate tax base growth and create downstream supplier opportunities in the region.

Details of the Sephora project: staff described a confidential broker-led site-selection process that yielded Avon as the selected location for a Sephora logistics facility. The project's originally publicized metrics included about 425 direct jobs with an average payroll near $45,000 and additional indirect jobs; staff said the company now expects direct employment could grow toward roughly 500 within a three-year horizon. The company plans to begin advertising for positions and to start hiring in February according to the presentation.

Training and incentives: the county offered $425,000 in customized training dollars to the project to support on-site hiring and skills development. Presenters said the company has a long-standing practice of hiring people with disabilities (noting about 30% of the workforce at some facilities have some form of disability), and that training for those hires will be tailored rather than "off-the-shelf." Presenters also discussed state incentive mechanics such as Port Authority sales-tax exemptions (noting Indiana's exemption for qualifying manufacturing uses) and the practical limits on those exemptions for logistics operations.

Other trends: the presentation included mention of local demand from traditional colo data-center operators (smaller than hyperscalers) and interest from pharmaceutical and chip-supply chain companies, which staff said is raising regional competition for sites and workers. The EDO emphasized ongoing coordination with chambers, brokers, developers and utilities as part of its investor-driven model.

Speakers and sources: the presentation included a Hendricks County EDO representative (presenter) and Amy Curtis, who identified herself as handling investor/investment relations for the partnership. Several outside firms and developers were referenced by name, including CBRE and VanTrust; broker John Lino was cited as the confidential lead on the Sephora site-selection process.

Context and next steps: presenters said hiring will be advertised soon, training partners and facilities will be used for recruitment events and that the county and local partners will continue to coordinate on placement, incentives and workforce supports.